Fresh Cranberry Relish

2 packages fresh cranberries, washed and sorted

1 2/3 C sugar

3/4 C maple syrup

3 large or 4 small apples, peeled and cut into chunks

1 1/2 C walnuts

zest of one orange

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Process in small batches in food processor until you like the texture. Chill and serve.

Kelly's Eggrolls

ground pork, chicken, or whatever meat you like (or not)
1/2 head cabbage (or cheat and use bag of coleslaw mix) chopped
a few carrots, shredded
a few green onions, sliced thinly
a can of water chesnuts, chopped small
1 Tbls. minced ginger (or not)
a few handfuls bean sprouts
some sort of stir-fry sauce
large square wonton wrappers
canola oil for frying

Sear meat in small amount of oil and garlic salt, if desired. Add veggies and cook for a few minutes. Add some sauce, probably about 1/4 or 1/3 cup (I used spicy Korean sauce, but you could even just use soy). Don't let your mixture get too saucy or eggrolls will be soggy. Let mixture cool slightly. Use a few Tablespoons of mix for each wrapper, and follow diagram on package for rolling instructions (they will be folded like envelopes). Heat canola oil in heavy skillet (a few inches of oil) until hot, about 350 degrees. Fry eggrolls a few at a time until light brown on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve with your choice of sauce. We like to mix rice vinegar, soy, sesame oil and spicy chili paste like they do at P.F. Chang's.

Pasta e fagioli Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped or julienned
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can great Northern beans, with liquid
1 (12 ounce) can V8 juice
1 Tbls vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 package) ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)

Brown ground beef and drain off most fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sauté for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving, cook pasta in boiling water just until al dente (in separate pot, of course). Drain pasta and add to soup and simmer for 5 minutes.

Makes a lot of soup, and is great the next day. Sometimes I will leave the pasta separate for storage, as it soaks up a lot of liquid overnight

This takes a lot like the Olive Garden soup.