Bev's Recipe Collection

• 1-2 pounds ground beef or venison
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 T flour
• 2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (29 oz.) can tomato puree
• 1 C water
• 1 t dried basil (1 T fresh)
• 1/2 t dried oregano (1 1/2 t fresh)
• 2 t sea salt
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

Brown ground beef with the onions until done.  Drain excess grease, and then sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir.  Add the cans of tomatoes and the tomato puree, and then the cup of water.  Stir well.  Add the spices and let simmer.  Finally add the minced garlic.  Let simmer a little longer, then adjust seasonings to suit your taste.

This is Chris Read’s recipe.  She cooks a chopped green pepper with the beef, and adds a jar of mushrooms with the spices.  She has added a bag of frozen vegetables in place of one of the pounds of meat, and found it to be a pleasant “twist”.  Thanks Chris!  We use this often.

• 2 medium onions, cut into thin rounds
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into thin rounds
• 3 medium zucchini, cut into thin rounds
• 5 medium tomatoes, cut into thin rounds
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 T dried thyme (or 3 T fresh)
• 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and slice all the vegetables as specified above.  Rub a small amount of olive oil on the bottom and sides of a deep roasting pan.  Crush the garlic and rub that on as well.  Add sliced onion in a single layer.  Sprinkle with salt and thyme and drizzle with olive oil.  Continue layering with the eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes, sprinkling each layer with salt, thyme and olive oil.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees until the vegetables are soft and tender, about an hour.  Uncover, sprinkle on the grated Parmesan and reheat briefly to melt.  Serve immediately, or keep for a day or so.  I’ve heard they are better the next day, but we didn’t get to experience that!

from “Grow Alabama”

• 1/2 C butter
• 3/4 C finely crushed graham crackers
• 1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C flaked coconut
• 1/2 C ground pecans
• 1/4 C sucanat (sugar)
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C sucanat (sugar)
• 4 eggs
• 1 T milk
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 C blueberries

For crust, in small saucepan heat butter over medium heat until the color of light brown sugar.  Remove from heat; set aside.  In medium bowl stir together graham crackers, flour, coconut, pecans, and 1/4 C sugar.  Stir in butter until combined.  Evenly press on bottom of lightly greased 13 x 9″ pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and 1/2 C sugar on medium until combined.  Add eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.  Pour over hot crust.  Sprinkle blueberries.  Bake 20 minutes or until center appears set.  Cool in pan on rack.  Cover and refrigerate.  Cut into bars to serve.

(Better Homes and Gardens, May 2008 – They used 2/3 C sugar instead of 1/2 C sucanat)