Pulled Pork with Root Beer Sauce (I know this sounds disgusting, but Pam swears it's tasty)

Materials:

Crock Pot:

• 2-1/2 to 3 lb pork sirloin roast, trimmed of extra fat
  
• 2 medium onions, cut into wedges
  
• 1 c. root beer (NOT diet)
  
• 2 cloves minced garlic (heck, throw in a few more)
  

Sauce, Before Serving:

• 3 c. root beer (NOT diet)
  
• 1 bottle chili sauce
  
• Tabasco (optional, to taste)
  

Methods:

1. Spray crock pot with Pam
2. Combine 'crockpot' ingredients in crock pot and set to cook 8-10 h (low) or 4-5 h (high).
3. After crock pot time is complete, combine ingredients for sauce in sauce pan. Boil gently, uncovered, for ~30 min while stirring occasionally. Add dashes of tabasco to taste.
4. Transfer meat to cutting board & use 2 forks to pull apart.
5. Add meat back to onions. 
6. Great served along with sauce, or as sandwiches. 

Banana Banana Bread (I don't kid you, this is half banana)

Materials:

• 2 c. flour (ok to use 1/2 whole wheat)
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
  
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 2-1/3 c. mashed over-ripe bananas (about 5-6 medium sized) (tip: mash with dough cutter)
  
• cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger to taste
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
  

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 350oF.
2. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
4. In a separate bowl, cream together butter & sugar. Add in beaten eggs, bananas, vanilla and stir until well blended.
5. Stir banana mix into flour mixture until just blended. If using chocolate chips, start folding in after 1/2 mixed.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 min, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
8. Let loaf cool in pan for 10 min, then turn onto wire rack.

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes (stolen from mom's recipe box)

Materials:

• 1-1/2 c. oatmeal
  
• 1/4 c. ground flax
  
• 1/2 c. flour
  
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
  
• 2 tsp baking soda
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 c. milk
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• nutmeg (to taste)
  

Methods:

1. Combine oatmeal, flax, flour, sugar, soda & salt.
2. In a separate bowl or large glass measuring cup combine egg, milk & vanilla. 
3. Add egg mixture to dry mixture, mixing just until blended.
4. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot buttered griddle.
5. Turn when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

Tuna-riffic casserole (you better like comfort, 'cause you'll be eating it all week)

Materials:

• 1 (12 oz) package egg noodles
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 c. frozen green peas
• 3 (6 oz) cans tuna. drained
• 3 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (the garlic mushroom is yummy too!)
• 2 (4.5 oz) cans sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup crushed potato chips (the salt & black pepper kettle chips are tasty)
• cayenne, garlic salt, pepper, salt - all to taste

Methods:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 
2. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
3. Preheat oven to 425oF.
4. In a large pot, saute onion & garlic in oil for a few minutes.
5. Add in noodles, 1 cup cheese, peas, tuna, soup and mushrooms.
6. Transfer to an oval casserole dish or 9x13" baking pan.
7. Top with potato chip crumbs and remaining 1 cup cheese
8. Bake for 15-20min (or longer for deeper pan) until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Cranberry Bars (an Appleyard Specialty)

Materials:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 2 c. whole or halved cranberries
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. nuts

Icing:

• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp milk (or more to desired thickness)

Methods:

1. Beat together egg, sugar & butter
   
2. Mix remaining dry ingredients
   
3. Combine wet & dry ingredients
   
4. Smooth onto 9x13 pan
5. Bake 40min at ??oF (need to check with Nancy)
6. Mix all icing ingredients
7. Ice when cool & cut into bars.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops (Return of the unbeatable fruit-meat combo)

Materials

• 4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops (I like the boneless center round cut)
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 trp ground nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tart apples - peeled (optional), cored and sliced
• 3 Tbsp. pecans, chopped (optional)

Methods

(You can try doing this all at once in two pans - one for the meat, one for the sauce, but if you're preparing alone, this is easier)

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees F. Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
3. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in the hot pan. 
4. Cook for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done (cut to see even white/pink color through thickness). 
5. Transfer pork chops to the warm dish in the oven. 
6. Using the same skillet, melt butter. 
7. Add in apples and sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. 
8. Cover pan and let the apples cook until just tender.
9. If desired, you can remove apples here and place on top of pork in the oven. 
10. Continue to cook the sauce, with or without apples, until thickened. 
11. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. 
12. Enjoy!

Irish-ish Soda Bread

Materials

• 3 c. flour (I like to use half whole wheat)
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/3 c. white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1/4-1/3 c. raisins

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
   
2. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. 
4. In a separate bowl, blend egg and buttermilk. 
5. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until roughly moistened.
6. Add in butter and raisins and stir until just moistened throughout.
7. Pur into prepared pan.
8. Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. 
9. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.