Pecan Cranberry Spread

This is so yummy!  I always double the recipe;

that's how good it is! 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice, thawed

Directions

• In small bowl mix together cheese, pecans, cranberries and orange juice.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to blend flavors.  Serve with crackers.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Muffins

This is one of the simplest recipes ever.

Ingredients

• 1 Spice Cake Mix
• 1 Can Pumpkin
• 1/4 Cup Water

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and pour into muffin cups or loaf pan.  Cook according to directions on cake box. To make them extra special, you can top with cream cheese icing.

These come out very moist and they are low fat too!

Amanda's Corn Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole kernel corn
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 2 Tbls. butter
• 2 Tbls. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ground black pepper - to taste
• 3/4 cup milk or heavy cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup cracker crumbs + 1 Tbls. of melted butter (I use Town House)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
2. Combine corn and beaten egg together and set aside.
3. In a skillet, saute onion in butter
4. Use a wooden spoon to stir flour, salt, pepper and milk into onions.  (This will become like a gravy.)
5. Add gravy mixture and corn/egg mixture together and pour into a greased casserole dish.
6. Mix cracker crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the top of casserole.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

I usually double this for family/holiday gatherings.  We love it!

Hamburger Pie

I made this for the first time last week and my guys loved it.  The recipe calls for 1 1/2 carrots and 2 ribs of celery; but my guys aren't big on veggies so I left them out.  I served my veggies on the side.  I will definitely be making this again!

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Large egg
• Pastry for 1 double-crust-9-inch pie (I used Bisquick ready-made crusts)

1. Place rack on lowest rung in oven; preheat to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Warm oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook beef, breaking up large pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Remove to bowl.  Drain all but 1 Tbsp. fat from skillet.  Add onion, garlic, and any other veggies; saute for 1 minute.  Transfer to bowl with beef; stir in Worcestershire, tomato sauce and Cheddar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cool slightly.  Beat egg in a bowl with 1 tsp. water.
3. Roll out 1 pastry sheet; fit into a 9-inch pie plate.  Place on lined baking sheet.  Add meat mixture and spread evenly.  Roll out second sheet of pastry; place on top of pie.  Crimp edges to seal.  Brush top with egg wash.  Cut steam vents in top.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F; bake until crust is golden and filling bubbles, 20 to 25 minutes longer.

Calories per serving:  388  Serves:  8