No-Headache Holiday Sauce

12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/2 cup water
3 Gala or Rome apples, peeled
and chopped coarsely
2 Bartlett pears, peeled
and chopped coarsely
4 T. sugar, or to taste
1 T. plus 1t. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and simmer occasionally, until cranberries pop,
25-30 minutes.
Cool to room temperature or chill.
Makes 2 cups, serves 6.

Per serving: 132 calories
Fiber: 6 g.
Carbohydrates: 34 g.

EatSmart by Jean Carper

Caramel Corn

5 quarts (20 cups) of unsalted popcorn
( put in large roasting pan)

In saucepan:

1/2 c. Karo white syrup
2 sticks margarine
2 c. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. cream of tartar

Boil for 5 minutes

Measure 1 teaspoon baking soda. Take pot off stove and hold over popcorn in pan. Add the baking soda. Stir very well. Pour over popcorn and stir around coating pieces as best you can. Place in 225* oven for ~ 1 hour stirring every 20 minutes.

Notes from the cook: This stuff is delicious! I like to make it as a treat around Christmas.

Scalloped Potatoes

2 pounds potatoes (~6medium) 

3 T. butter 

3 T. flour 

1 t. salt 

1/4 t. pepper 

2 1/2 c. milk 

1 small onion, chopped fine (1/4 c.)

1 T. butter 

 Prepare potatoes by peeling and cutting into thin slices to measure ~4 cups. 

Heat 3 T butter in saucepan over low heat until melted. 

Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. 

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly: remove from heat. 

Stir in milk. 

Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. 

 Arrange potatoes in greased 2-quart casserole in three layers , topping each of the first two layers with 1/2 of the onion and 1/3 of the white sauce. Top with the remaining potatoes and sauce.

 Dot with 1 T. butter.

 Cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake 60-70 minutes longer. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

 6 servings: 265 calories per serving

Betty Crocker recipe

 Notes from the cook: Everyone likes this dish. I use skim milk or 1% milk because that's what I have in the fridge. I like to make sure that a little caramelizing has occurred around the edges because that's my favorite part! 

If you want to make au gratin just add 2 cups of cheese, stir the onion into the butter and cook to soften and continue making your white sauce. Add the cheese to the white sauce.

Beef Stew

1 pound stew meat
1 T. shortening
3 c. hot water
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Brown beef in the fat until caramelized on the surface.This takes awhile to juice out the water in the beef. Add the water and bring up to a boil. Lower the temp to simmer, on top of the stove. Add the salt and pepper, if you wish. Simmer 2
2 1/2 hours.

Add:

2-3 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large potato cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium stalk celery, cut into pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf

Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until veggies are soft.

Add:

1/2 cup cold water
2 T. flour or cornstarch

Mix together and add to the stew to thicken gravy.

Notes from the cook:
Its a stew, you can add and delete as you like. I like to add extra carrots because I like the taste of stewed carrots. I also like adding a can of stewed tomatoes for the same reason. Sometimes I don't add the potato and just serve it without the starch or have the starch on the side. I might want to have noodles or rice with my stew instead. If you like the taste of Green pepper or green beans, you could add a green pepper with the other veggies. The basic recipe is from Betty Crocker.
I tried to make stew for Halloween as a filler for the trick or treaters, in my life, before they went on their treat stops. I wanted something nutritious in their bellies to fend off the sugar. Now I like making stew at Halloween to remind me of the past and to unofficially welcome Winter!