Amish Pumpkin Crunch

In the spirit of the Autumn season and all things pumpkin, I thought I'dd share with you one of my favorite pumpkin desserts!  I found the recipe in an Amish cookbook many years ago while visiting the Amish country in my home state of Ohio. It's like what some call a "dump cake" and pumpkin pie rolled into one yummy dessert.  I tweaked it ever so slightly.  It is delicious and easy.  Oh- and the house smells AMAZING when this is baking in the oven!  Enjoy!

Amish Pumpkin Crunch

1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup butter (melted)

Beat first 6 ingredients until well blended.

Pour into ungreased 9x13 baking dish.  I used a slightly smaller dish so mine came out thicker and I added about 15 minutes to the baking time.  I recommend a 9x13 though.

Then liberally sprinkle the cake mix on top of the pumpkin mixture.

Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix as evenly as you can.  It doesn't have to be perfect, though.  It all balances out in the oven.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minute, let cool and then enjoy!

-Maria

Pepper Steak

So this recipe to me is a classic.  This was one of my favorite meals my mom would make growing up.  The smell of it cooking still brings me warm and fuzzies.  This is actually a pretty easy recipe to make and a family favorite.  Enjoy!

Here are your ingredients...

To feed a family of 4-6 you'll need about 2 lbs. of round steak, lightly pounded and cut into strips...
Soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, red and green bell pepper (my mom uses a tomato instead of a red pepper. You could throw in whatever veggies you want), salt and pepper.  You'll also need water and corn starch.

Go ahead and brown your meat on a medium high skillet and lightly salt and pepper it...

Once the meat is good and browned, add about 3/4 of a cup to 1 cup of water, 5 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. vinegar, 1 tbsp. brown sugar...

Let this simmer on low, covered,  for about 45 minutes or until the meat is nice and tender.  Add in your peppers and let simmer for another 15 minutes.

Once your peppers are ready, you'll need to thicken your sauce.  Go ahead and bring up the heat on your pepper steak to about medium.

I use corn starch to thicken this up.  You'll need about a half cup of water.  Stir in about a tbsp. of the corn starch to the water.  Slowly add the mixture to your pepper steak sauce, stirring constantly.  Keep adding the mixture until it is at the desired thickness.  Turn down the heat 'cause you're done!  This is so delicious!  Serve over rice and enjoy!

Pepper Steak

Prep. time: 15-20 min.  Cooking time: about an hour. Feeds 4-6

1-2 lbs top round steak, lightly pounded and cut into strips

3/4 cup water

5 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp. vinegar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1/2 cup water

Serve over rice.

Brown your meat on medium high to high heat, lightly salt and pepper it.  Once meat is browned, stir in water, soy, vinegar and sugar.  Let simmer on low for about 45 minutes or until it reaches desired tenderness. Add in your peppers that have been washed and sliced.  Let simmer for another 15 minutes.  Once peppers are cooked, increase the heat to medium.  Slowly add corn starch mixture and stir constantly. Once you've reached the desired thickness, reduce heat and serve over rice.

Sour Cream Chicken

This recipe was given to me by a dear sweet woman, Patti, who was once my boss when I was doing hair in Orlando.  Patti passed the recipe on to me in a cookbook my sister compiled for me as a wedding gift.   Not only is Patti a phenomenal hair stylist, but also a great Italian cook.  This recipe is so simple and delicious.  It's one of my husbands faves- and neither one of us like sour cream, yet this is so good!  The chicken comes out super tender.  Thanks, Patti for the recipe!

Here is what you'll need...

Clean chicken breast, lightly pounded
Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing
Sour cream (I used light, but you can use whatever you want)
butter

That's it!

Lightly pound out your chicken breast...

Then coat generously with the sour cream...it's okay to get a little messy...

Then coat generously with the herbed stuffing.

Place in a pan coated with cooking spray.

Top each breast with a couple pats of butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Flip the chicken and put a little more butter on top.  Bake for another 20-25 minutes.  

Enjoy!

THE BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are so simple and delicious. My mom and I make these all the time. The recipe came from her classic Betty Crocker cookbook. I think the newer versions of the cookbook have a slightly different cookie recipe than this. I just love it so much I actually know the recipe by heart. It's fun to play with it a little too. Sometimes I'll add toffee bits and sometimes I'll use butterscotch chips instead of chocolate. A no-fail recipe for sure!

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

 2/3 cup butter (softened)
 2/3 cup shortening
1 cup gran. sugar
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups all purpose flour
1 bag milk chocolate chips

 Pre-heat oven to 350. Blend together first six ingredients. Add salt, soda and flour 1 cup at a time. Add choc. chips last. Chill cookie dough for at least an hour. Bake on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for 10-12 min.