Hash Brown and Egg Casserole

This is good for company...it's easy to make and really tasty!

Ingredients:

* 2 pound(ish) package of frozen hash browns
* 1 pound pork sausage (I like to get the sage breakfast sausage from the counter at Fareway)
* 1 small onion, diced
* 1 bell pepper, your choice on color, diced
* 5 eggs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/8 tsp garlic powder
* salt and pepper to taste
* 12 oz plus extra shredded cheddar cheese for the top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Place the frozen hash browns in the bottom of the baking dish.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook and stir the sausage, bell pepper, and onion until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink; drain.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and pour evenly over the potatoes. Layer with the 12 oz cheddar cheese, the sausage mixture, and then the extra cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove cover; return casserole to the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Go To Crock Pot Pulled Pork

I have tried a BUNCH of crock pot pulled pork recipes and this is our favorite by far. It doesn't cook in the barbecue sauce, so people can choose which kind of sauce they want. It has great flavor and has a bit of a kick. You can change how much cayenne you use to your taste. I halve what the recipe calls for, but I've posted the recipe with the original amount.

Ingredients:

* 5 Pound boneless pork roast
* 1-1/2 tsp paprika
* 2 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp cayenne
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 cup water
* soft sandwich buns

Directions:

1. Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl and rub evenly over roast. Place meat in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add water. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours or until pork is very tender.
2. Pull, slice or chop to serve. Serve in buns with barbecue sauce.

Banana Muffins

This is by far, the best of many banana muffin recipes I've tried.

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 large bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Zucchini Brownies

Though difficult to combine the ingredients (there's very little liquid added because the zucchini will release so much in the baking process), these are very tasty and a great way to use excess zucchini when you're looking for an easy dessert.

Ingredients:
Brownies:
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups shredded zucchini
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Frosting:
* 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup margarine
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool.


In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Soft Cut-Out Cookies

A classic for various holidays!

Ingredients:

* 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup margarine, softened
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients until fully absorbed. Cover dough, and chill for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a clean floured surface, roll out small portions of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are barely brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Savory Pork Roast

This is such an easy recipe and it comes out so delicious. The sage makes it so yummy!!

Ingredients:

* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
* 1 (4 pound) boneless pork loin roast

Directions:

1. Combine the seasonings; rub over roast. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
3. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Baked Parmesan Tilapia

An easy and delicious find.

Ingredients:

* 1 pound tilapia filets
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Mix the Parmesan, salt, paprika and parsley in a shallow dish. Pour the lemon juice into a shallow bowl.

3. One filet at a time, dip in the lemon juice then in the Parmesan mixture and place on baking sheet.

4. Bake 10-12 minutes until fish is flaky when pricked with a fork in the center of a filet.

Strawberry Brownie Cupcakes

This is a favorite recipe pieced together from All Recipes and a Pinterest find.

Ingredients:
* 1 (19.5 ounce) package brownie mix
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 1/4 cup water

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 1/3 cups water
* 3 egg whites

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 48 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the brownie mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Stir just until fully incorporated, about 50 strokes; set aside.
3. Mix the cake mix, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 1/3 cup water, and 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Spoon the brownie batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full. Spoon the cake batter over the brownie batter, until muffin cups are each 2/3 full.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes.
5. When cooled, frost with vanilla frosting (you can make it or buy it!)