Time has a way of slipping by way too quickly. Summer is gone and our attention was directed in another direction. A family member was in the hospital for three weeks in August. We are thankful that her health is improving each and every day. On one of the evenings as we were leaving the hospital and driving the hour to home, there was a bright full moon that lit up the sky. It was breathtaking.

Later I learned that on Sept. 26 the harvest moon reaches its peak illumination. It will rise bigger, brighter and more golden than any other moon of the year. It is supposed to peak at 12:49 a.m.

Each year, I look forward to seeing the trees changing into beautiful colors. My husband and I usually try to make a road trip if time allows. A couple fall color report websites are www.iowadnr.gov and www.almanac.com, which are helpful to know where to go and see them change.

Pizza Cups

Farmers don’t want to be bothered to stop for a supper meal, so supper is provided and delivered to the field. This Pizza Cup recipe might be one that you could bake and bring to the field, still warm and wrapped with foil.

I have read that the silicone baking muffin pans are handy for freezing desserts.

They also work well for a recipe such as this one. Baked goods are said to pop right out of the flexible cups. I think this might be a great item to put on my Christmas wish list!

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 tablespoon diced onion flakes

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 10-ounce can refrigerated biscuits (12 biscuits)

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef and drain well. Return drained beef to skillet, then stir in tomato paste, onion and seasonings. Cook for five minutes to heat through. Place biscuits in muffin tins sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, pressing to cover bottom and sides. Spoon about 1/3 cup of meat mixture into each biscuit and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Yields: 12 servings.

Crock Pot Hash Brown Casserole

This dish may just “hit the spot” for your hungry farmer husband. Adding the ham is optional, but it makes the dish pretty complete with the meat. All you will need is the bread and dessert.

Ingredients

2 pounds frozen shredded hash browns

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 8-ounce package cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1/2 stick margarine

1 8-ounce carton sour cream

1 cup cubed, fully-cooked ham

Minced onion, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a bowl, mix soup, cheddar cheese, milk, margarine, sour cream, onion, salt and pepper together. In a larger bowl, pour thawed hashbrowns. Over them pour the soup mixture and mix well. Put all ingredients in a large crock pot. Start with a high temperature and cook for one-half hour. Turn the temperature to low and let it cook about 3 1/2 hours more.

Super Jello Salad

Need a quick, easy salad? This salad is simple to prepare and adds a refreshing flavor to your meal.

Ingredients

2 3-ounce packages lemon or lime jello

2 cups water

1 12-ounce can lemon pie filling

1 8-ounce container of whipped topping

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

Instructions

Dissolve two packages of jello in 2 cups boiling water. Let jello congeal slightly. Mix in one can lemon pie filling. Drain juice from crushed pineapple and mix pineapple with pie filling mixture. Next add an 8-ounce container of whipped topping and mix well. Pour into a glass bowl and refrigerate for one hour and enjoy.

Fresh Apple Dessert

Fall always reminds me of the days when our kids were young. We would find an apple orchard and shop for craft and baked items. There were always a variety of fresh apples. It is a happy memory for sure. Many of us enjoy it so much because we know what is around the corner — winter! It seems like time has a way of flying by, so get out and enjoy this wonderful time of year. Happy fall!

Ingredients

1 package yellow cake mix

3 large cooking apples, sliced

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry cake mix, margarine, brown sugar and cinnamon until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup crumble mixture and set aside. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Arrange apples slices on mixture. Beat sour cream and egg until blended. Spread over apple slices; sprinkle with reserved crumble mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Serves 16.

Loretta’s Tips

1. One pound of boneless chicken equals approximately 3 cups of cubed chicken.

2. Adding tomatoes to roasts helps to naturally tenderize the meat. Tomatoes contain an acid that works well to break down meats.

3. Cutting bars is easier if you score the bars right as the pan leaves the oven. When the bars cool, cut along the scored lines.

Loretta Krahling is a columnist with over 39 years of newspaper experience. If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share or have any questions, email them to Loretta at krahling93@gmail.com.