Recipes Week of November 8

1 Crockpot Corn Chowder
Just warning you, I am a "throw it in until it tastes good" cook, so these are just estimates!

1 pkg bacon
4-5 potatoes, peeled, cubed small
1/2-1 small onion (to your preference)chopped small
2 cans creamed corn
1 - 1 lb bag frozen corn
2T sugar
1/2-1 t salt
pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1-2 cups water (to your desired consistancy)

cut bacon into 1/2" strips, cook until done. Remove from grease to crockpot. In grease cook potatoes and onions until potatoes are almost cooked and onions are translucent. Put all in crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir tombine. Cook on low 6-8 hrs, high 4-6. Enjoy with chicken wings or fresh veggies/dip. Fresh bread is always a winner too! :)

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Again, estimates....

1/2-1 medium onion chopped finely
2T olive oil
1 tsp salt
1T pre-chopped garlic (or freshly chopped)

Saute until onion is translucent.

Add:
3 cans tomato paste
4 cups water
3-4 bay leaves (whole, fresh or dried- if fresh, thinly slice)
1tsp oregano (if fresh, thinly slice)
1-2 tsp dried rosemary (if using fresh, use less and chop well)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated (yep in the sauce!)
Marjoram if you have it
thyme if you want (sparingly, it's a strong spice)

Stir with a whisk the tomato paste and water, add the rest of the ingredients. let simmer until hot, add meatballs or cooked ground beef, or bulk italian sausage (sweet, not hot)

BBQ sauce

1 big bottle ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder or 1/2 of a small onion sauteed
1/2 tsp or less salt (to taste)
pepper to taste
1 tsp worstechestershire (however you spell it!) sauce
1/2 -1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until sugar is melted all is good and "sticky". Flavor to desired taste.

Hot Cocoa Mix

This makes A LOT! I am storing it in a HUGE icecream container (you know, the big plastic tubs of it!)

1 box of dried milk (8 cups)
2 cups coffee creamer (no flavor)
2 cups cocoa powder
2 cups sugar

My kids LOVE hot cocoa, so this will hopefully last us a month! ;) But we had all ingredients on hand, but the dried milk (5.99 at aldi), so overall it was QUITE cheap for us! I read one recipe where you add cinnamon. I did, they didn't like it! So, NO cinnamon for kids! But this also makes a great add in for your coffee too! :)

We have a "cocomotion" which makes about 4 cups of hot cocoa at once (or a bit more). I used 1 cup of this mix in the cocomotion to make 4 cups. so, 1/4 cup per cup.....you can cut it down if you think......