SQUASH BARS

BARS

1 cup Flour
1 cup Brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ginger
1/2 cup Butter (I used margarine)
3/4 cup Steamed or baked, mashed squash
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup Chopped nuts (I omitted the nuts)

FROSTING

2 Tbl. Butter (I used unsalted butter)
2 Tbl. Milk (I used skim and cut back a little and added more vanilla)
2 cups Confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1/4 tsp. Vanilla

Bars:
In large bowl combine all ingredients except nuts. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in nuts.

Spread into a greased, 13x9x2″ pan.

Bake at 350? for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:
Brown butter in saucepan (I did not brown the butter, I used room temperature butter). Remove from heat; stir in milk, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth, thinning with milk if necessary.

I am available to teach cooking or food related subjects in your home or give presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com.

Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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Squash Bars Yum

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CHEESE CARROTS

1 3-oz. pkg. Cream cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) Finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp. Honey
1 large (1/2 cup) Carrot, finely shredded
Parsley sprigs

Place the cream cheese in a small mixer bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften.

In a bowl beat cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and honey until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Shape the cheese mixture into 2 1/2-inch logs; taper one end of each log to look like a carrot.

Spread 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot on a piece of waxed paper. Roll each cheese “carrot” in the shredded carrot, pressing lightly to coat. Just before serving, insert parsley springs into the wide end of each carrot. To store, cover and refrigerate.

Serve with crispy crackers

Yield: 10 carrots

For classes click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details or questions.

I am available to teach cooking or food related subjects in your home or give presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com.

Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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Cheese Carrots Yum

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1 pound Ground beef
1/2 cup Chopped onion
1 pkg. (1 1/4 oz.) Taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 cups Water
1 cup (about 2 oz.) Coarsely crushed Tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups (about 6 oz.) Shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Chopped green or red pepper or 1/2 of each

Brown ground beef with onion in skillet. Drain. Add seasoning mix and water to meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread corn chips on the bottom of an 8″x8″ baking dish. Pour meat sauce evenly over chips. Sprinkle cheese and green pepper over the meat.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes or long enough to melt the cheese and heat through.

Let stand for 5 mintues before serving.
For classes click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details or questions.

I am available to teach cooking or food related subjects in your home or give presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com.

Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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Taco Casserole Yum

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1 cup (8 1/2 ounce can) Crushed pineapple, undrained
1/2 cup Raisins
1 cup Sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder (I use Rumford brand)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
3/4 cup Chopped walnuts
3/4 cup Unsifted wholewheat flour
3/4 cup Brown sugar, firmly packed
3 Tablespoons Butter or margarine
2 Eggs

2 Tablespoons Granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Mix pineapple and raisins, and set aside. Sift the next 4 ingredients onto paper, add walnuts and wholewheat flour. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter and eggs and beat well. Stir in half of the flour mixture, then pineapple and raisins, and then the remainder of the flour mixture, beating just until blended each time. Spoon into a greased 9″x5″x3″ pan.

Mix 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done.

For classes click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details or questions.

I am available to teach cooking or food related subjects in your home or give presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com. Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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Pineapple Bread Yum

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1 Yellow cake mix
2 cups Whipping cream (not whipped)
2 cups Granulated sugar
4 cups Rhubarb, washed, chopped and blotted with paper towel

Prepare cake mix per box directions. Mix unwhipped cream, sugar and rhubarb. Pour cream mixture over cake and bake in a greased 11″x15″ pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it looks done.

For classes click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details or questions. I am available to teach in your home or presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com. Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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Rhubarb Cream Cake Dessert Yum

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DRESSING:
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tablespoon Ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoon Sweet pickle relish
1/2 Green onion

SALAD:
Lettuce
1/4 pound Ham in bite-size pieces (salami may be added if desired)
3 Hard-cooked eggs

Prepare dressing; combine mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish. WIth scissors, snip green onion; mix well.

Cover plates with chunks and leaves of lettuce. Top with ham; slice on eggs; spoon on dressing.

Yield: 2 servings

For classes click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details or questions. I am available to teach in your home or presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
www.creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com. Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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Thousand Island Salad Yum

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Crust:
1 cup Oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
3/4 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) Margarine or butter, meltred
1/4 cup Firmly packed brown sugar

Filling:
2 cans (21 oz. ea.) Apple or peach pie filling
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

Crumble Topping:
1/3 cup Oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1/4 cup All-purpose flour
1/4 cup Firmly packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons Margarine or butter, chilled

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease 9-inch pie plate.

For crust, combine all ingredients (using a pastry blender is best); mix well. Press evenly onto bottom and sides of prepared pie plate. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly.

For filling, combine all ingredients; pour into prepared crust.

For topping, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Cut in margarine (using a pastry blender is easiest) until mixture is crumbly; sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired.

Yield: 8 Servings

For classes click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details or questions.

I am available to teach cooking or food related subjects in your home or give presentations or classes for your organizations or groups. Contact me at the following e-mail address:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com.

Interactive questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can also be posted on this website.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley

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All-American Fruit Crumble Pie (no crust to roll) Yum

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BEEF BARLEY SOUP

2 lb. Beef stew meat , cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used a 2 lb. beef shank with bone and cut meat into pieces after cooking)
1 large Onion, chopped
3 ribs Celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 Carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small Sweet red pepper, chopped
5 cups Water
2 Tbl. Instant beef bouillon
2 Tbl. Minced parsley
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Basil
1 Bay leaf
1/2 cup *Medium pearled barley or Quick 10-minute barley

Combine all ingredients, except barley, in slow cooking pot. Cover and cook at Setting #3 (low) for 7 to 9 hours or at Setting #5 (high for 4 to 5 hours.
During last half hour of cooking, add *barley and continue cooking at same heat setting. (If using 10 minute, shorter cooking time may apply.) Remove bay leaf before serving.

For defatted broth/soup:
Separate broth from other ingredients. Chill. Remove and discard fat. Don't discard settlings (particles at the bottom of the juice.) Add defatted broth and settlings to other ingredients and continue, adding barley, etc.

*Noodles or rice can be substituted for the barley, if desired, however be sure to adjust the time of final cooking to match your ingredients used.

This recipe refers to settings used with the West Bend 2 piece slow cooker ? may vary in brand of slow cooker used. This is a hearty, easy, tasty soup to make using various vegetables as desired. Additional vegetables can be added as available or to match the tastes of those who will be eating the soup.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley
For class information, click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me for details at:
creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com.

I am available for teaching or speaking at your group or class or organization.

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Beef Barley Soup Yum

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1 small can Salmon
1/2 cup Fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup Celery, chopped
1 Tablespoon Minced onion
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon Margarine
2 slices Cheese
Optional:
As desired Peas

Rinse salmon in cold water to remove as much salt as possible. Drain; flake in a 3-quart bowl. Blend in bread crumbs, celery, onion, parsley, and margarine; mix together. Press into a small tube pan or shape into a ring in a small dish. Decorate top with cheese slices, cut into strips. Microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes. For the last 3 minutes of cooking time, fill center of ring with peas.

Creative Cooking
By
Lydia Critchley
For class information, click on the “Calendar” icon and contact me at creativecook@creativecookingbylydia.com for details.

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Salmon Casserole Yum

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