Pear Sauce (like applesauce but with pears)

10 Pears, peeled, cored, and cut into cubes
red hots or cinnamon to taste
water

In a crock pot put in all the pears and about a cup of water.  If using cinnamon sprinkle the pears with cinnamon and bake on low for about 3-4 hours.  Take out some of the water after it has cooked add the red hots if using these instead of cinnamon and let it cook for about 1-2 hours more, or until the pears are soft enough to mash.  Once cooked remove some of the excess water if the sauce is really watery.  Mash the pears and refrigerate.  This mix will last about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze some of it for about 3 months.

Butternut Squash Bake

1/3 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Sugar (recipe calls for 3/4 Cups but that was too much for me)
2 Eggs
1 5 Ounce Can of Evaporated Milk
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
2 Cups Mashed and cooked Butternut Squash

Topping: Crushed Cereal (I have used Frosted Flakes, Kashi Cheerios, Granola, use whatever floats your boat), can also add butter and brown sugar to the crushed cereal for a better bake.

Bake and peel the butternut squash (it makes it easier to mash).  Once baked mash up the squash in a large bowl.  Add the butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla.  Preheat the oven to 350 if you have turned it off after cooking the squash, if not turn the temp down to 350.  Pour the mixture into a pan that is 11x7 or 9x5 depending on how deep you want the squash bake to be.  Cook for 45 minutes or until the bake looks like it is mostly set.  Cover the bake with the topping and bake for 5-10 minutes.  This is good as a side dish, dessert (depending on how much sugar used), or for a breakfast dish.  If you make it the night before you have a good and healthy breakfast the next day. 

Tequila Sunrise

2 Ounces Tequila
Orange Juice
2 Dashes Grenadine

Pour tequila over ice in a glass and fill with orange juice.  The size of the glass depends on how much juice you use.  The recipe calls for a highball glass but who really has a certain glass called for in every beverage?  Add the grenadine by tilting the glass a little and pouring down the side of the glass.  The grenadine will settle down at the bottom of the glass and then slowly rise up (ie - why this is called a tequila sunrise).  It looks cool and I will totally take a picture next time I make this (it tastes yummy too). 

Frozen Margarita

2 Tablespoons Salt or Sugar
1 Lime Wedge
3 Ounces Tequila
1 Ounce Triple Sec
2 Ounces Lime Juice
1 Cup Crushed Ice

Prepare the glass with salt or sugar depending on what type of margarita you are making.  Put all the remaining ingredients into a blender and blend well.  Pour into the prepared glass and enjoy.  If you like you can add any kind of fruit to this, I personally prefer strawberries and a dash of Grenadine.  This is great for parties because you can make a lot and not worry about what you are making or cleaning (unless someone is allergic to a certain type of fruit). 

The Classic Margarita

1 1/2 Ounce Tequila
1 Ounce Triple Sec or Orange Liquor
1 Ounce Lemon Juice
1 Ounce Lime Juice

In a cocktail shaker shake the ingredients with ice until froth forms.  Strain the mixture into a prepared glass (can put sugar or salt depending on margarita type).  If you mix fruit with this you might want sugar.

Sorry no picture, I have a bunch of good recipes for drinks but I am not gonna make them all to get a picture because I don't feel like being drunk, well not right now.  When I do make any of these drinks I will put in pictures!!!

Spingerles Cookies

2 Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Flour (I used Wheat flour)
Anise extract to taste
1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest or Juice

In a bowl mix everything up really good.  When the dough forms knead it lightly for about a minute or so.  Place dough back into bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day roll out the dough again and using a springerles roll or cookie plates cut out cookies.  I didn't have either so I just used cookie cutters and cut them out as cookies.  Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 15-20 minutes, not letting the cookies brown you just want them to be cookies not bricks or mush. 

These cookies are delicious if you like the flavor of black licorice.  If you cook them too long and they become hard and crunchy (like mine) they are really good as tea or coffee cookies. 

Ginger Spiced Molassas Sugar Cookies

2 1/4 Cups Flour (I use wheat flour because it is better)
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
3/4 Cups Butter (I used Smart Balance) At Room Temperature
3/4 Cups Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Unsulfured Molasses
Candied Ginger (optional)
Granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, butter, sugar, egg and molasses.  After all these ingredients are combined slowly add the flour.  Once the entire mixture is mixed up well you can add ginger is using.  Roll into balls and roll around in some granulated sugar.  Place on baking sheet and flatten with a fork like you would with peanut butter cookies.  Bake for about 12 minutes depending on oven.  Cool and enjoy.