Apple Pie Cake

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs. hot water

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups apples, peeled, cored and diced small

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat until blended. Combine flour, salt and cinnamon and add to creamed mixture then add hot water and vanilla. Fold in apples and pecans by hand and spoon into greased 9" pie plate. Bake 45 minutes. Serve with Rum Butter Sauce. Opt: I double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan serve warm with butter pecan ice cream.

Rum Butter Sauce

Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. boil slowly 1 minute then add 1 tbs. rum.

Lazy Day Beef Stew

Lazy Day Beef Stew

Oh, I know you already have an easy beef stew recipe, but mine is better. And it's easier. So let me treat you to the quickest comfort meal on the planet while you go do incredible things. 'Cause, you know...you really are just splendid.

Ingredients:
2 pounds stew beef
1 small bag baby carrots
3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
8-10 red potatoes, quartered
1 onion, quartered
1 pouch au jus gravy mix
2 pouches brown gravy mix
1 pouch ranch dressing powder
3 cups water

Directions:
Toss everything in your crockpot in the morning. Stir until well mixed. Set slowcooker to low and walk away.
Serve 8-9 hours later with hot biscuits, rolls, and giant spoons

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

A simple, earthy take on traditional enchiladas. The pumpkin cream enchilada sauce is so slightly scented with nutmeg, cinnamon, and cumin, then slathered beneath a rich layer of crumbled Queso Fresco. If you've never used Queso Fresco, you're in for a treat. It's a fresh, mild Mexican cheese which can be found in the deli. In this recipe, it's gentle flavor beautifully compliments the rest of the meal. While you can substitute it with Monterey Jack, I definitely recommend sticking to this recipe as is.

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup chicken, cooked and diced
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cumin
Dash of salt & pepper
8 corn tortillas
1 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
1/4 cup. diced scallions

Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion slices. Saute until brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken to the pan, stirring it to mix with the caramelized onions, then remove from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, cream, broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, salt and pepper. Spoon chicken mixture into the tortilla's, rolling them tightly and placing in a medium-sized baking dish. Once all enchiladas have been rolled, spread the pumpkin cream sauce over the top. Sprinkle generously with Queso Fresco, then bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or just until the tips of the cheese begins to brown. Garnish with diced scallions before serving.