Nathan's Apple Crumble

Nathan

This is my grandson, Nathan.  Nathan loves to cook.  While visiting me one day, he was playing on PBSkids.org and found a recipe for apple crumble.  He was so excited to make it.  There wasn't time that day.  When he returned to our house a week later, the first thing he said was, "Can we make the apple crumble?"  He and his mom( Kirsten)  made it and it was delicious.  It's easy enough for a kid to make, but surprisingly good!

We didn't have any vanilla ice cream, but a little chocolate in the ice cream never hurts anything, right?

Apple Crumble

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup brown sugar

12/ cup butter

4 cups sliced apples (about 7 apples)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 T. lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350.  Cut the apples into small pieces.  Put the lemon juice on them and put them in a 9x9 baking dish that has been sprayed.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, and brown sugar.  Melt the butter and pour it over the oat mixtures.  Mix well and pour over the apples.  Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve topped with ice cream.  

Lemon (or Lime) Italian Marinade for Grilling

Here's one of those recipes you won't even have to print because it's so simple.  It's a delicious marinade for grilling chicken.
4-6 chicken breasts
1 bottle Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/4- 1/3 cup fresh lemon or lime juice

Mix together the dressing and lemon juice and pour over the chicken in a zipper plastic bag.  Marinade in the fridge for several hours. Grill, brushing the marinade on the chicken.

Making ice cream in a can

1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups crushed ice
4 tablespoons salt
2 quart size Zip-loc bags
1 gallon size Zip-loc freezer bag
a hand towel or gloves to keep fingers from freezing as well!

OR instead of the bags I used a small peanut butter jar and an economy size can (for those of you with cannery food storage, use one of those silver cans).

The recipe is for one serving. If you're using the jar and can method you can double or triple the amount of milk, vanilla, and sugar.

Instructions:
Put milk, vanilla, and sugar in the container and seal with the lid. Get out your big can and put some crushed ice and salt down in the bottom. Then put the sealed jar in and pack ice and salt around the sides and on top. Put the lid on the big can. Then take it outside and roll it around on the driveway to your heart's content. If you double the recipe it takes 10-15 minutes of rolling around before it's ready.

The kids had a blast rolling the can around; I think they even enjoyed the rolling more than the eating. You do need to eat it fast because it melts quickly.

Mmmm! It's pretty cold.

Flavor ideas: Add some mint extract instead of vanilla, but only use about 1/8 tsp or a few drops. We also put in some mini chocolate chips that were yummy. You could crush up some Oreos for some cookies'n'cream.
I got this recipe from teachnet.com

Marinated Grilled Summer Squash and Zucchini

We have an abundance of zucchini and summer squash in our garden most years, so we're always on the lookout for new ways to prepare it.  My husband read about this marinade for grilling in a travel magazine and gave it a try.  It was really delicious . . . and easy!

Mix together equal parts of lemon juice OR balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Add crushed or minced garlic, garlic salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Cut squash the long way.   Put vegetables in bag (you can see we added mushrooms, too).  Marinade for a few hours.  Grill.

Kristen's Marshmallow Caramel Corn

This recipe comes from Kristen, but since I made it recently and have the pictures, I'll post it.  It is the perfect treat for family movie night or game day and is quick and easy to make. . . .and oh, so, yummy!
2 bags microwave popcorn, popped with unpopped kernels removed
1 cup real butter
1 cup brown sugar
30 large marshmallows
 Place popcorn(Kristen taught me to put the popcorn from the microwave bags by handfuls instead of just dumping it in- so you don't get those teeth-breaking unpopped kernals in your bowl) in a large bowl. Melt butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan on the stove.  Stir constantly while it melts.  Let boil 1 minute (not longer). Remove from heat and add marshmallows and stir and stir  until marshmallows are melted and all is well blended. Pour over popcorn and stir until popcorn is coated evenly.

Crockpot Sloppy Joes

Years ago, a group of us were talking about the best gifts we'd ever received.  I was surprised when one of my friends said that one of the best gifts she'd ever received was a sloppy joe dinner.  She'd just had her 5th baby and was exhausted.  She came home one day to find on her porch a quart bottle of sloppy joe, a package of buns, a bag of chips, a ziplock bag full of carrot and celery sticks, a bottle of ranch dressing and a plate of brownies.  She nearly cried with relief at having a great meal all ready that the kids would eat!
So through the years since then, I've copied that idea and made that meal for families welcoming  a new baby.   I put a quart of the mixture in a quart jar for them, freeze another quart jar (for a busy day)  and we eat the rest.  I've made this recipe many times for large family gatherings, too, as it makes a large amount.   For really large crowds, double it and do it in a roaster oven.  It's so yummy after cooking all day.  This recipe makes about three quarts of sloppy joe mix.

Sloppy Joes
3- 3 1/2 lbs. very lean hamburger
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (opt.)
1 -2 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning (or you can just use salt and pepper)
3 cans diced or crushed tomatoes (or a mixture is nice)
1 bottle barbecue sauce, your favorite brand  (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/3 cup brown sugar (maybe more)
2 tsps. worcestershire sauce
a splash of Tabasco Sauce (optional and to taste)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Sprinkle the meat with the steak seasoning and work it in with your hands.  In a large skillet, cook the hamburger with the onion.  Drain if needed.  Add the other ingredients.  Put into a Crock pot and cook on low for several hours until sloppy joe consistency.  Taste and add more sugar if needed and more  salt and pepper, if needed.   Serve over toasted buns with dill pickle and sliced tomato on top.