Hot Cocoa Monkey Bread

from Amy Ayres

About 48 small unbaked dinner rolls
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. hot cocoa mix
1/4 c. of your favorite nuts
2/3 c. toffee bits
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 c. brown sugar

Spray large bundt pan with cooking spray.Wrap each roll around a 4-5 chocolate chips and completely enclose, coat each roll in hot cocoa mix and place in prepared bundt pan.
Between each layer of rolls, sprinkle with nuts and toffee bits, sprinkle any remaining cocoa over rolls.

Combine melted butter and brown sugar and pour over rolls. Allow rolls to rise almost to the top of pan (about 25 min.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min. Cool about 115 minutes and invert onto serving platter.

Sweet Chili

from Amy Ayres

1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. molasses
1 tsp mustard
1 large or two small cans baked beans
1 can tomato soup
1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 cans of beans (navy, kidney, black, or whatever you like)
1 lb. ground beef or turkey (either is good)
season with garlic salt, onion powder and pepper

Brown the meat and throw everything in the crock pot. On high it will cook in
less than an hour, on low in about two.

Lemon Chicken Soup

from Amy Ayres

12 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. butter
1 pint heavy cream
8-12 oz. bowtie pasta
1 c. sliced carrots
1/2 c. sliced celery
1/4 c. diced onions
1 c. cooked chicken
1 1/2 c cold water
1/2 c. flour

In a small saucepan, combine 1 c. of the chicken broth with lemon juice and butter, heat then stir in heavy cream and set aside. In a large pot, combine the rest of the broth with vegetables and pasta, boil until carrots are soft and add chicken.

Blend together flour and cold water and add to soup. Also add cream mixture, season with herb mixture and serve.

Home Made Syrup

from Amy Ayres
(Lion House recipe)

1/2 C. butter
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baling soda
1 tsp. extract (whatever flavor you like)

Melt butter in a saucepan, add sugar, soda, buttermilk and extract. Let it foam up a bit then remove from heat and serve.

Apricot Jam with Pineapple & Maraschino Cherries

from Jean Webster
"This is one of my favorite jam recipes. Jam is easier to make than jelly. We use whole fruit for jam so there's no juicing or straining."

Boil on medium heat for 20 minutes:
6 cups apricots
7 cups sugar
1 tablespoon reconstituted lemon juice

Add & bring to rolling boil again:
1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained

Remove from heat and add:
1 small package apricot Jello (I used strawberry)
5 ounces chopped maraschino cherries

Stir and ladle into HOT jars. Seal with HOT lids. Turn upside down on towel. Let sit for 24 hours. ENJOY!

Thanks again, Jean, for teaching the class on making jam!