4 cups regular oats (not quick oats)
1 cup rolled wheat
1 cup instant dry milk
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup peanuts
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup wheat germ

½ cup oil
½ cup applesauce
1 cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 cups raisins,  craisins, or dried blueberries
1 cup sweetened carob chips (optional)

Mix first seven dry ingredients in large roasting pan.  In a saucepan mix oil, honey, brown sugar, applesauce, and vanilla; heat until mixture is warmed and runny, then pour over first mixture in roasting pan, and stir until well mixed.  Bake at 250 degrees for 60 - 90 minutes, until desired brownness, stirring every 15 minutes.  (60 minutes will be light brown and softer, 90 minutes will be dark brown and crispier.)  Let cool, stirring every 10 minutes three times.  When completely cool add dried fruit and/or carob chips.

Use with milk for a cereal, or use as a topping on yogurt or ice cream.

This is the tastiest homemade pizza sauce recipe that I have been able to find.

2 cups tomato juice or sauce
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
5 Tablespoons grated parmesan or romano cheese
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon oregano leaves
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon chili powder

Mix all together.  Make 3 cups.

Make your own Halloween make up from simple ingredients you have in your kitchen.

1 Tablespoon corn starch
2 Tablespoons shortening
Food coloring

Cream cornstarch and shortening well.  Divide into 4 different bowls; add food coloring sparingly and stir well.  Using too much food coloring will stain skin.

12 cups tomatoes, blended
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
¾ cup sugar (less if desired)
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 large can tomato paste

Bring all ingredients EXCEPT sugar and tomato paste to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are well cooked and sauce is starting to thicken.  Remove bay leaves, then add sugar and tomato paste, combine well.  Place in clean jars or containers, leaving head space for sauce to expand when frozen.

For canning this recipe instead of freezing, pour spaghetti sauce into clean quart or pint jars, and seal with canning lids.  Put filled jars in a hot water bath canner, covering jars by at least one inch of water.  Bring water to a rolling boil, and keep water at a rolling boil for 30 minutes if canning pints, and 35 minutes if canning quarts.

Makes 7 pints or 3 1/2 quarts.

5 pound pork or beef roast
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 - 4 Tablespoons cooking oil
2 cups tomato ketchup
1 cup water
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon thyme leaves
½ teaspoon hot-pepper sauce, or to taste

Cook roast until tender and shred apart with fork.  To make barbecue sauce, in a medium size sauce pan cook onion and garlic in oil over medium-high heat until onion is translucent.  Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes to blend flavors.  Stir in shredded meat.  Simmer, covered, over low heat for 1 hour.  Serve hot on hamburger buns.  Makes enough to fill 18 hamburger size buns.

This recipe is one of my most requested recipes, it also tastes wonderful heated up the following day (if you have any left, that is)!

Here’s a recipe to make dry Ranch Dressing dip mix.  Save money by making your own mix from scratch, save even more by purchasing the spices in bulk at your grocery store.

1 cup dried parsley flakes
½ cup dried minced onion
½ cup garlic salt
½ cup onion salt
¼ cup garlic powder
¼ cup onion powder
2 Tablespoons dill weed
¼ cup Saco buttermilk powder

Mix well and store in airtight container.

To make prepared Ranch Dressing mix well together:

2 Tablespoons mix
2 cups Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
2 cups milk

Raspberry Topped Lemon Pie or Bars

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

3 egg yolks
½ cup lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk

1- 8 or 9 inch prepared graham cracker pie crust, not baked
Whipped topping, your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In small saucepan, combine raspberries and cornstarch; cook and stir until mixture thickens and is clear, set aside.  In medium bowl, beat egg yolks; stir in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice.  Pour lemon mixture onto graham cracker crust; bake 8 minutes.  Spoon raspberry mixture evenly over top.  Chill 4 hours or until set.  Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip.  Refrigerate leftovers.

This dessert recipe can also be adapted into bars.  Make 1 ½ times the graham cracker crust recipe, and put it into a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Follow the rest of the baking instructions exactly as for the pie recipe, but spread layers thinner to cover the larger pan.  The picture above is the recipe made as bars instead of pie.

Make your own delicious, nutritious, summertime freezies; both kids and adults love these!

½ cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (not diluted)
2 ½ c. crushed pineapple with juice (20 oz. can)
1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries
5 mashed bananas

Dissolve sugar in boiling water. Add other ingredients, then blend in two batches in blender. Pour into small 3 oz. Dixie cups, freeze partially, then add popsicle sticks and finish freezing until completely firm. Peel off Dixie cup before eating. Makes about 24 treats.

Substitute other berries or frozen juice to invent new flavors!

2 - 8 in. baked pie crusts
1 cup sugar
1 - 12 oz. 7-UP (not diet)
4 Tablespoons corn starch
1 - 3 oz. pkg. Strawberry jello
¼ cup water
2 pints fresh strawberries

Cut strawberries in half and lay on pie crusts. Mix sugar, 7-UP, and cornstarch in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high in microwave until thick and clear (about 6-8 minutes depending on microwave), stirring a few times. Add strawberry jello and ¼ cup water. Pour glaze over strawberries in pie crust, dividing evenly. Refrigerate until glaze is set. Makes 2 pies.

Top with whipping cream or ice cream for the ultimate summer treat!