October Recipe Group-Fall Recipes Part II

We had another enjoyable recipe group today.  It is always wonderful to get together with such great people.  Tonight we ate yummy muffins, bread, and a lentil, steak, and rice dish.  Everything tasted awesome. 

Lentils with Beef in Crockpot(serve on brown rice)

1 bag lentils
2 c. chicken broth
5 c. water
3 cloves garlic
1 med. chopped onion
carrots- 1 1/2 c. shredded
1 can Rotel or stewed diced tomatoes
salt & pepper
Italian seasoning
1 cooked steak, cubed

Combine & cook 6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high

Notes:
I have used 7 c. water and 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes, and that works too.
I use minced garlic instead of cloves.
I don't cook the steak ahead of time, I just use a cheap cut of beef (definitely under 1 lb.), stick it in with everything else (raw), then take it out, shredded it, and add it back in, an hour or two before serving. But, it would be a great way to use leftover meat or poultry. :)

Here is a recipe for quick and easy biscuits! 
Never Fail Biscuits
 2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp sugar
½ cup butter
2/3 cup milk

 Sift together dry ingredients. 

Cut in butter.  Add milk all at once.  Spread mixture out in an 8X8 pan.  You don't even have to shape biscuits.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy!
***** The less you mix and work with the dough, the more light and fluffy the biscuits will be.******

Zucchini Muffins

3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1/1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Note: You don't need a mixer for this recipe, if you add walnuts and dried fruit, the batter makes about 14 muffins

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter.  Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture.  Stir in walnuts, raisins, or cranberries of using. 

2.  Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray.  Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely.  Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them. about 25-30 minutes.  Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done.  Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.