Chopped Steak

3/4 lb. ground beef
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. Penzey's Pizza Seasoning
1 chopped shallot

Mix ingredients with fork. Make four patties. Heat a little oil in cast iron skillet on medium heat. When skillet is hot, cook patties on both sides until done.

Note: Penzey's is a great place to get spices. They have locations across the country, or you can order online here.

(The ingredients in the pizza seasoning: salt, fennel seed, oregano, sugar, garlic, black pepper, basil, onion, crushed red pepper and cayenne red pepper.)

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

I made this for a Super Bowl party.

Ingredients:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour (I substituted 1/4 cup with oat bran.)
* 5 teaspoons ground allspice or pumpkin pie spice
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup apple juice (I used pineapple juice.)
* 2 large eggs
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

SIFT flour, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Combine pumpkin, sugar, Juicy Juice, eggs, oil and vanilla extract in large bowl; stir well. Stir in flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon into greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

BAKE for 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Ingredients:

Rolo chocolate candies
Mini pretzels
pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350.


2. Upwrap your Rolos. Place pretzels on baking sheet. Top with a Rolo.

3. Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The Rolo should be soft but not completely melted.

4. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and immediately squish the chocolate with a nut. Watch the caramel oooze out.

Easy Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry Recipe

I don't know if Chinese eggplant is available near you guys, but I bought it at the Chinese market--the closest grocery store to my house. Then I had to find this recipe for how to cook it. This is so easy, quick and tasty.

1 large Chinese eggplant (They look almost like a purple cucumber!)
1 tbsp peanut oil (I used an olive-canola blend.)
4 tbsp soy sauce

Prepare the eggplant by first rinsing it under cold water. Then dry it with paper towels and cut off and discard the ends. Slice the rest of the eggplant into ½ inch or so thick round slices and then cut the slices into quarters so that you have small pieces.

Once the eggplant has been cut into pieces, heat a large non stick pan or wok on high. (I used my new cast iron skillet!) Add the oil and swirl it around the wok to coat the bottom. Make sure that the oil is hot and then add the eggplant and stir fry it for 3 minutes.

Add the soy sauce and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Makes about 3 side servings.

5 Star Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup diced carrots 1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chopped celery 1/4 tsp pepper
1 clove fresh garlic 2 tbsp corn or olive oil
1 cup diced onion
4- 15oz cans of chicken broth
1 - 15oz can of diced tomatoes
1 - 10oz can of Rotel tomatoes and green chile diced
1 - 1.25oz pkg of taco seasoning
10 corn tortillas torn into small pieces
12 oz chicken meat cooked and diced
12 oz shredded mexican blend or monterey jack cheese
1 cup milk

Directions:
Saute carrots, celery, onions and garlic in the oil with salt and pepper until tender.
Add 4 cans of chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add diced tomatoes, Rotel, taco seasoning and chicken.
Add 10 corn tortillas torn into small pieces and let boil for 20 minutes until tortillas are fully
incorporated into soup.
Reduce heat and add 12 oz cheese and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add milk and let simmer another 10 minutes.

If thicker soup is desired add more corn tortillas and incorporate into soup.
Garnish with tortilla chips,shredded cheese and sour cream.

If you enjoy tortilla soup, this is delicious!!

Apple Crunch Pie

**A friend of mine gave me this recipe and it is one of the best apple pies I've ever had!**

Filling:

• 6 tart apples such as Granny Smith
• ½c lemon juice
• ½ c sugar
• 3 T all purpose flour
• ½ t cinnamon
• ¼ t nutmeg

Peel and core apples. Slice into quarter and then slice quarters into very thin slices. Throw into bowl with lemon juice. Use your hand and and toss slices so they all get lemon juice on them. Next, drain all left over lemon juice. Sprinkle with other ingredients and then dump apples into a ready pie crust (pie crust recipe not included.)

Topping:

• 1 c flour
• ½ c white sugar
• ½ c brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
  
• 1 stick chilled butter, cut into slices

Blend all dry ingredients. Toss in slice butter and chop into dry stuff until it is crumbly looking and you do not have chunks of butter. Sprinkle on pie top.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes and then without opening oven door, turn oven down to 350. Finish baking for 45 minutes more. The pie is done when the apple juice is thick and bubbly.

Brownie Swirl Cheesecake

1 - 8 oz. pkg. brownie mix

Grease bottom of 9" springform pan. Prepare basic brownie mix as directed on pkg. Pour evenly into springform pan.

2 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. milk chocolate, chocolate chips, melted

Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix at medium speed til well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Pour over brownie layer. Spoon melted chocolate chips over cream cheese; cut through batter with knife several times for marbled effect. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Loosen cake from rim. Cool before removing. Chill. Serves 8 - 12.