Crockpot Burgers

2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded cheese
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. evaporated milk
1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup flour
2-3 tbsp. oil
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

Mix together ground beef, egg, onion, cheese, ketchup, milk, cracker crumbs, salt & pepper. Form into 8 patties. In a separate shallow bowl, place flour. Dredge patties through flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown patties. In a bowl, mix together soup and milk. Arrange patties in a crockpot in alternate layers with soup mixture. Cover and cook on high setting for 3-4 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

These are sinful....especially when you make them 'bite size'....it's so much easier to eat more than just one! ;o)

Pumpkin Cookies:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped pecans (optional -- I didn't use these)

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each. Stir in pumpkin, lemon extract, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in nuts, if using. Drop batter by teaspoonful 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about a minute on cookie sheet. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Frost each cookie with Maple Frosting.

Maple Frosting:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1/4 cup powder sugar
2 tbsp. milk
3/4 tsp. maple flavoring

Combine all ingredients; mix well.

Bread Bowls

2-3 loaves frozen bread
2 eggs, beaten.

Thaw bread loaves according to package; keep cold. Divide each loaf into halves or thirds, depending on the size of bread bowls you want. Form each half/third into a ball. Place formed balls of bread dough on a prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled. Brush each bowl with egg. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely. Cut hole in top of each bowl and hollow out. Serve each filled with soup.

Baked Potato Soup

2/3 cups butter
2/3 cups flour
7 cups milk
2-3 green onions, chopped
5-6 potatoes, baked
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup sour cream
12 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

In a heavy sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk flour into melted butter. Add milk and whisk until slightly thickened. Add green onion and scoop potatoes out of skins into pot. Stir and let cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in salt and pepper. Add cheese and sour cream; stir until well blended. Lastly, add crumbled bacon, and serve.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
6 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, mix together the sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. Slowly add the milk. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot without boiling. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Makes 6 servings.

Pumpkin Soup

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and brown sugar. Cook onions until they are translucent. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in remaining ingredients; blend well. Simmer until soup is heated through, but do not boil.

Chicken and Creamy Rice Casserole

So, years ago, when someone had brought in a meal to our house for one reason or another, they brought a wonderful rice and chicken dish. Because I never asked for the recipe from the woman who brought it in, we've been on the search for a recipe that duplicated it. We have had no luck in our search....until now:

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 3/4 cup instant rice, uncooked
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 cups water
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except for the chicken. Pour into a prepared 9x13 pan. Gently push chicken breasts into the mixture until they are partly covered. Cover pan with foil, bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.