Mindy's favorite slow cooker vegetarian chili

Ingredients:

2 cups of mixed dried beans (navy, black, great northern, pinto, whatever you have hanging around in your cupboards)
1/2 cup lentils
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 28 oz. can of stewed or diced tomatoes (or 3 large fresh tomatoes, diced)
2 tablespoons oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper or Mrs. Dash
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
4 vegetable bouillon cubes (or 4 teaspoons vegetable broth base)
1/4 pound salt pork (optional for "truly" vegetarian)
water, for soaking and cooking

Instructions:

1. Rinse beans and pick over for nasty ones or stones.
2. Cover beans with about 5 cups of cold water and soak over night (or at least 6 hrs.) in your 6-quart slow cooker crock.
3. Add bouillon cubes, tomatoes, both peppers, onion, garlic, and seasonings -- stir.
4. Add cold water to cover ingredients, if needed.
5. Cover, cook on low setting for 6-8 hours.
6. Halfway through cooking process add lentils and top with more water, if needed.

Louise's Easy Pizza Bread

Ingredients:

2 lbs of Pizza Dough (I use Hannaford's multi-grain dough, but the canned kind is okay too)
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated (or your favorite pizza cheese)
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 – 8 oz package of pepperoni
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon of fresh garlic or garlic powder
1 tablespoon chives (fresh or dried)
10 links of brown and serve breakfast sausage

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown ground beef with garlic and chives - drain & cool.
3. Cut pizza dough into bite sized pieces add oil and toss so that the oil is spread evenly on each piece of dough.
4. Cut the pepperoni and sausage into smaller pieces.
5. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
6. Transfer into a large greased bunt pan. (I usually have enough for a loaf pan also).  
7. Bake for about 30 minutes (or until the top is brown and the center is thoroughly cooked).
8. Be sure to check it in the middle before you pull it out. If the middle is still not cooked thoroughly - leave it in another 5 minutes at a time until it's done.
9. Flip over on to a plate while it's still hot.
10. Serve with a side of red sauce and enjoy!

Note: This is simple and works great for pot luck meals or small family get-togethers.

Louise's Favorite Rhubarb Custard Pie

Rhubarb Custard Pie:

ingredients :

Pastry for Double-Crust Pie (Aunt Gabby's Recipe)
1 1/2-2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
4 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened chopped rhubarb
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 tablespoons half-and-half or light cream or milk
1/4 cup Milk

directions:

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim even with rim.
2. In mixing bowl, combine 1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar, flour, nutmeg, and salt. Add the rhubarb. Gently toss until coated. (For frozen fruit, let stand for 15 to 30 minutes or until partially thawed, but icy.)
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Pour over fruit; toss to mix. Transfer to the pasty-lined pie plate.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining dough into a 12-inch circle and cut slits for steam to escape, trim top crust to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate; fold extra pastry under bottom pastry and flute edge. If you like, make leaf cutouts from pastry scraps and place on pie; brush top crust with milk.
5. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes for fresh fruit (50 minutes for frozen). Remove foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until top is golden. Cool on wire rack. Makes 8 servings.