Fantastic Food

2 packs yeast 3 cups warm water 2 Tbs. Sugar 1 Tbs. Salt 2 Tbs. Shortening 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups flour Dissolve yeast into water.  Add shortening, salt, & sugar, then stir.  Add flour & stir until you can stir anymore, then knead for 8 minutes.  Let rise until double.  Form loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Let rise for 10 minutes.  Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees (or until golden brown).  Rub with butter while still hot.  Serve immediately. *makes two loaves

1 lb. ground beef 1 3/4 cup water 2/3 cup ketchup 1 T. mustard Salt & Pepper 2 cups minute rice Shredded cheddar cheese Brown hamburger.  Pour water, ketchup, mustard, & salt/pepper in with hamburger, and bring to a boil.  Add minute rice and stir.  Sprinkle cheese over mixture, then let simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.  Serve with your favorite vegetable on the side!

1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup butter 2 tsp. ground sage 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 8 cups dry bread pieces 1 cup chicken broth or water Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Melt butter and saute vegetables in the butter until slightly softened.  Add remaining ingredients except bread.  Pour mixture over bread crumbs and mix well.  Put stuffing in a well-greased baking dish.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring mixture around occasionally so it doesn't burn the top and sides.

Since ward Halloween parties are just around the corner, I thought I'd post a couple of our favorite cornbread recipes.   Here is the more traditional cornbread recipe, with a very different, but very tasty, casserole cornbread recipe posted below this one. Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup sugar 4 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/4 c. cooking oil (can use less if desired) Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then mix wet ingredients in separate bowl.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together well.  Pour into greased 8 x 11 baking dish.  Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until browned and toothpick/knife comes out cleanly when inserted in middle of bread.  Enjoy with some butter and honey.  It's also quite good w/ butter and maple syrup.

This one is more of a casserole than bread, but is also considered finger food. Ingredients: 1 can whole kernel corn 1 can creamed corn 1 box corn muffin mix (Jiffy is fine) 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 1 stick butter, melted Optional, to taste:   diced green onions OR  diced jalepenos grated cheddar cheese Directions: Drain off 1/2 of whole kernel corn liquid.  Mix everything together.  Pour into greased 8 x 11 baking dish (or the equivalent size you have).  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Delicious with some spicy chili! (see Major Cajone's chili recipe on this blog)

Courtesy of Paula Deen, with minor alterations. Ingredients: 1 Tbs. oil 1/2 pound pasta, vermicelli or spaghetti (I always use spaghetti) 1 cup long grain rice 1 small onion, chopped 1 Tbsp.  chopped fresh parsley leaves, or 1 tsp. dried parsley 2 cans chicken or beef broth Salt and pepper to taste Begin by placing the oil in a pot (not yet heated) and breaking the dried noodles into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces.  Turn on the heat and stir the noodles in the oil until they begin to brown slightly.  Add the rice, onion, parsley, salt & pepper to taste, and broth.  Stir mixture together, cover tightly, and cook as you would regular rice, approx. 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and serve alongside chicken or beef main course.