Almond Crunch Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sigar
1 cup butter softened
1 cup cooking oil
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 cups chopped almonds (or pecans are good too)
6 oz almond brickle baking chips or Heath bits of Brickle

Combine sugars and butter, bear well.  Add the cooking oil, almond extract and eggs.  Gradually stir in combined dry ingredients.  Stir in nuts and chips.  Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes for easier handling if you want.  Roll into balls and roll in sugar and press with a fork dipped in sugar onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes.

Carla's French Bread

1 lg. loaf French bread, cut lengthwise

Mix and spread over both halves:
1 cube butter, softened
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles
1/2 tsp. garlic or onion powder

Mix and spread over top:
2 cups grated sharp cheese
1/2 cup Miracle Whip, (not light)

Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Wrap in foil and heat in oven to melt. Can place under broiler to slightly crisp just before serving.

Earthquake Cake

Grease and flour a 9x13 pan, cover the bottom with chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, and coconut.

Prepare a German chocolate cake mix as directed on the package and pour over the nut mixture.

Melt and combine:
1-8 oz. cream cheese
1 cube butter
2 c. powdered sugar

Pour over the cake mix and bake as instructed on cake mix.

Fresh Cranberry Relish

1 - 12 oz. pkg. fresh cranberries
1 unpeeled orange
1 c. sugar

Rinse and drain the cranberries. Cut the orange into small chunks and remove the seeds. Do in several batches in blender with orange sections in the bottom then cranberries. Stir in sugar and let set overnight. Leftovers freeze well.

Creamy Beef Enchiladas

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3 cans (10 oz. each) enchilada sauce, divided
12 flour tortillas (8 in.), warmed

In a dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the soup, sour cream, chilies, 1 c. cheese and 1/2 c. enchilada sauce; heat through.

Spread 1/4 c. enchilada sauce into each of two ungreased 9x13 baking dishes. Place 1/2 c. beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in each prepared dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 12 or one pan can be frozen.

Favorite Baked Beans

4-6 slices of bacon, brown and crumble; set aside

1# ground beef
1 small onion, chopped; brown together and drain well

1 large can pork and beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans
Drain and rinse the garbanzo and kidney beans.

1 can tomato soup
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
Dash of liquid smoke (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large casserole or oven safe bowl and cover with foil. Bake 350 degrees for at least one hour.

Pumpkin Cookies w/Caramel Frosting

1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. pumpkin
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts

Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin and egg and cream well. Add combined dry ingredients and mix well. Add vanilla an nuts. Bake 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Frosting:
3 TBSP. butter
4 tsp. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar

Cook until dissolved. Cool and stir in 1 c. podered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Frost cookies while they are still warm.

Tostadas

1# ground beef, brown and drain
1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix, add to cooked, drained ground beef and prepare as directed
(or) 1 bottle of spaghetti sauce
1 small can of chopped green chiles
1 small can of choped olives
1 large can of refried beans

Bring the ground beef and spaghetti sauce to a simmer and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer together for 30 minutes. Serve on a flour tortilla (*fried until crisp and drained) with a selection of the following:

shredded lettuce
chopped onions
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheese
salsa

*You can spray tortillas with nonstick spray and bake 450 degrees for 8 minutes to crisp, but it's just not the same.

EZ Baked Chicken

8 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2-3 oz. pkg. thinley sliced ham
8 thin slices lean bacon
1 c. Sour Cream
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
Opt. dash of Kitchen Bouquet

Place 8 slices of ham on the bottom of a 9x13 pan which has been sprayed with Pam. Wrap one bacon slice around each chicken breast and place on ham slices. Place an additional slice of ham over each chicken breast. Combine sour cream, soup, and Kitchen Bouquet and spread over the chicken. Refrigerate overnight and bake covered with foil at 275 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Serves 8.

Taco Soup

2 lbs. Ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
1 (15 oz) can lima beans
1 (15 oz) can hominy
3 (15 oz) cans mexican stewed tomatoes
1 ½ cups water
1 pkg Ranch salad dressing mix
1 pkg taco seasoning mix

Brown and drain ground beef and onion. Drain and rinse beans. Add all ingredients and combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer at least 30 minutes. Top each serving with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and sliced olives. Can freeze leftovers.