beverages & delectables

Hot Corn Dip

2011-12-05T10:35:00.005-07:00

Hot Corn Dip
Recipe by Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 4 ears fresh white or yellow corn, or frozen fresh corn)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell peppers – I used roasted red bell peppers from a jar.
1/4 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise – 1/2 C was plenty for mine
4 ounces monterey jack or cheddar, shredded- I used monterey jack
4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Tortilla chips, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels turn deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Note that if you’re using frozen corn it probably won’t get golden brown. Just cook for about 5 minutes as the recipe states. Transfer to a bowl.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until the onions are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, jalapeno, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Transfer to the bowl with the corn.
Add 1/2 C mayo, cayenne pepper, half of the Monterrey jack and half of the cheddar and mix well. If you need more mayo to hold the mixture together then add it, but I found that 1/2 C was plenty, and I even added a little extra cheese.
Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish, or something equivalent and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot with tortilla chips or Fritos.

Apple pie caramel apples

2011-11-11T00:19:00.000-07:00

1 bag Kraft caramels
4-5 large, tart apples (You can use red apples too but I like the contrast of the tart apple with the caramel)
1 bag white chocolate chips or white chocolate candy melts
cinnamon sugar

1. Wash, scrub, and dry apples. This is important or your caramel won't stick because of the coating stores put on apples.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt caramel according to package directions.
3. Put popsicle stick in the apple. Dip in melted caramel making sure to fully coat it.
4. Place on parchment or wax paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Cool in the fridge until caramel is set up. If you want a thick caramel layer, add another layer of caramel here and let it set up again.
6. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals. You can add a little shortening if the mixture is too thick.
7. Coat the apple with the chocolate.
8. Let it set up a little bit before sprinkling it with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Cool completely in the fridge.
10. Cut into slices and serve.

French Bread

2011-11-01T16:45:00.000-06:00

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp dry yeast
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp oil
6 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl combine water, sugar, and yeast. (I use my Kitchen Aid.) Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour. Stir vigorously. Add remaining flour slowly as needed and mix well. (You may or may not need all the flour.) Let rest in bowl for 5 minutes. Stir down. Repeat this process two more times. Place dough onto a floured board. Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled; divide in half. Flatten out into rectangles, roll up from the long side. Pinch seam to seal. Arrange both loaves lengthwise on a large, well greased cookie sheet. Place seam side down. Let rise about 20-25 minutes until doubled in size. Use a very sharp knife to gently make 3 diagonal slashes in the top of each loaf. Bake at 375 for 23-25 minutes. Cool on racks.

Note: If you want a crisper crust, you can use a spray bottle to spray a fine mist of water onto the loaves. Also misting the sides of the oven with water will create steam which will help make the crust crustier. You can also place an empty pan on the bottom shelf of the oven while the oven is preheating. After adding the bread to the over, pour cold water into the hot pan on the bottom shelf. Again, this will create steam which will make a crustier crust.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2011-10-28T13:27:00.000-06:00

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1 small can, diced green chili’s
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded ( 3-4 small chicken breasts)
8-10 cooked flour tortillas (I prefer the un-cooked kind)
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 cups mexican style cheese, shredded
1 14 oz can green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix the first five ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day).

Pour about 1/2 cup of the salsa verde on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill each flour tortilla with chicken and the monterey jack shredded cheese and roll them up and place in baking pan.

Mix the green enchilada sauce, and remaining 1/2 cup of salsa verde with the cream. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the mexican style cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until brown and crispy on top. Top with fresh cilantro.

* can also top with chopped olives, and you can also add black beans to the inside of the tortilla with the chicken mixture.

Sorry this recipe took so long to get here...sorry! This is one of my go to recipes!!

apple cinnamon cookies

2011-10-04T23:44:00.000-06:00

1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup applesauce
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup walnuts, 1/4-inch chopped
1 cup cinnamon chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cream the brown sugar and shortening together. Add the egg and beat in. Add the applesauce and combine until well blended.
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in another bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed applesauce mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts and cinnamon chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. If the batter stands more than 3/4-inch high, press it down with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes on dark pans or until the edges start to brown. (Light colored pans will take longer to bake.) Remove the cookies to cool on wire racks.

Fruit Salsa with cinnamon chips

2011-10-04T23:40:00.000-06:00

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
*1-2 cups cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

*Above is the original recipe...for tonight I used:
2 golden delicious apples
1 pound strawberries
2 peaches
3 Tablespoons raspberry jam
1 tablespoon white sugar
(I meant to use kiwi's but i forgot to get them while i was at the store)
Then to make the chips I used whole wheat tortillas, and to make this easier i cut them in wedges with a pizza cutter, arranged them on a baking sheet in a single layer, and then sprayed with cooking spray then sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar mix. Then bake the usual time and temp.

I've made this using different fruits--blueberries, blackberries, nectarines work well. Don't use bananas or grapes!

Green Beans Amandine

2011-10-04T23:38:00.001-06:00

8 ounces green beans or one 9 ounce package frozen cut or french-cut green beans
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cut fresh beans into 1-inch pieces. Cook fresh beans covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp-tender. (or, cook frozen beans according to package directions). Drain, keep warm.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan cook and stir almonds in melted butter over medium heat until golden. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Stir almond mixture into beans.

Zucchini Bread

2011-10-04T23:38:00.000-06:00

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 cups shredded zucchini
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute + 1 egg
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine dry ingredients; set aside. Combine eggs, lemon, oil, vanilla -stir until combined, and sugar, stir, then add zucchini and nuts. Add in dry ingredients, mix. Divide batter between 2 8X4in. loaf pans coated in cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then place on cooling rack.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2011-10-04T23:35:00.000-06:00

1 bag baby spinach
10 strawberries, hulled, cut into slices
1 can mandarin oranges drained
half a small/medium sized red onion, sliced
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tbs. sesame seeds
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tbs. raspberry jam

toss first 4 ingredients together in bowl. combine rest of ingredients in a mason jar and shake it up, refrigerate at least 15 minutes, then pour to taste over salad.

Thai Chicken tacos

2011-10-04T23:34:00.000-06:00

1 lime

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T fish sauce

2 t reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 t hot chili sauce

2 T vegetable oil

flour/corn tortillas

1 recipe Cabbage Slaw (see below)

1. Juice one lime. In bowl stir together chicken, cilantro, onion, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, and chili sauce. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

2. In large skillet cook chicken mixture in hot oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.

Cabbage Slaw:
2 c shredded napa cabbage

1/2 c shredded carrot

1/2 c sliced green onions

1/4 c sliced fresh cilantro

1/4 c coarsely chopped peanuts

1/4 c rice vinegar

1 T mayonnaise

Toss all ingredients together and serve with chicken in a warmed flour/corn tortilla. Or just eat chicken and cabbage slaw as a yummy salad!

Hot Pizza Dip

2011-10-04T23:30:00.000-06:00

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
2 ounces pepperoni sausage, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced black olives

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, oregano, parsley, and basil.
Spread mixture in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate, or a shallow microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese on top of the cream cheese mixture. Spread the pizza sauce over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with green pepper, pepperoni and olive slices. Cover, and microwave for 5 minutes. Serve hot with crackers, bagel chips, or sliced baguettes.

Grandma's cucumbers

2011-09-16T17:18:00.000-06:00

6 cups sliced cucumbers
3 cups onions shredded or 1/2 cup dehydrated onions
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar

Let sit for several hours.

Can use the brine over again when cucumbers are finished.

Garlic Fridge Pickles

2011-09-08T18:29:00.001-06:00

* 2 whole Cucumbers
* 2 cloves Garlic (I used that mashed garlic that comes in a jar)
* 1 cup Vinegar (I used 1/2 c. white vinegar and 1/2 c. red wine vinegar)
* 1 cup Water
* ⅓ cups Sugar
* 1 Tablespoon Salt
* 1 teaspoon Dill, Dried
* 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
* 1 pinch Coriander (Didn't have this; I used a dash of celery salt)
* 6 whole Peppercorns (I used about 1 tsp. coarse pepper)

Use cucumbers with no wax residue on the peels (I peeled my cucumbers)

Slice cucumbers in 1/4″-1/8″ slices.

Cut garlic cloves in quarters, then smash them a bit.

Put cucumbers and garlic in a bowl.

Heat vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar, but white works also), water, sugar, salt, dill, red pepper flakes, coriander and peppercorns in a small sauce pan until sugar and salt are dissolved.*

Pour over the cucumbers and garlic.

Cover and let marinate in refrigerator for at least two hours.

Serve cold.

Grapefruit Drink

2011-09-06T16:24:00.000-06:00

1 Bottle of Fresca or Squirt (Squirt is sweeter, Fresca is more tart)
1 can of frozen, condensed white grape juice
1 grapefruit, sliced

Mix together grape juice and pop, add grapefruit slices for decoration. Serve with ice.

Dreamsicle Cake

2011-08-26T16:24:00.000-06:00

Cake:
1 orange cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup water
1 small box orange gelatin

Mix all together and pour into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 11oz can mandarin oranges, thoroughly drained
8 oz cool whip or whipped cream

Blend together cream cheese, pudding, and sugar. Add orange juice. When blended, fold in whipped topping and mandarin oranges. Spread on top of thoroughly cooled cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Personal note: The next time I try this, I'm going to change the topping by eliminating the pudding, using real whipped cream instead of cool whip, and add a tsp. of vanilla flavoring to the cream cheese.

April Fool Jell-O Salad

2011-08-03T13:17:00.000-06:00

This isn’t hard to make, you just need to be home for an afternoon to be able to make it…

You need 6 small boxes of jello. (You want a nice variety of colors. You can use any flavors, but here are the suggested ones:)

1. Lime
2. Lemon
3. Orange
4. Strawberry
5. Raspberry
6. Black Cherry

Dissolve the lime jello in 1 cup boiling water.

Remove 1/2 cup of jello and to that 1/2 cup, mix in 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream (I like the yogurt best). Skim off the bubbles and pour into a lightly greased glass 9x13 pan or tall bowl. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour (or the layers won’t stick together.) **When I did this one in the 9 x 13 pan, it was ready after 15 minutes in the fridge, so I did the rotations every 15 minutes.

To the remaining 1/2 cup jello still in your sauce pan, add 3 Tblspns ice water and leave on the counter. At the end of the 1/2 hour, pour this over the 1st layer. (Just leave the pan or bowl that you’re pouring into right in the fridge so you don’t make it wiggle up the sides. It’s easiest that way.)

Wait another 1/2 hour *I only had to wait 15 minutes with the 9 x 13*.

Repeat with all flavors in the order shown, putting in the half with the yogurt first. Top it all off with Cool Whip, serve, and enjoy!

Guacamole

2011-08-02T21:42:00.000-06:00

4 large ripe avocados
1 6 oz container plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp mined garlic
1-2 Tbsp minced jalepeno pepper
salt and pepper to taste
a little lime juice to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor, blender, magic bullet... whatever you got. Mix until desired consistancy. serve with tortilla chips.

Onion Dip

2011-08-02T21:41:00.001-06:00

1 package cream cheese
1 8-12 oz container sour cream
1 lipton onion soup mix packet

Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth. Serve with potato chips

Cucumber salad

2011-08-02T21:40:00.000-06:00

2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 cup crumbled goat cheese

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Yummy!

Grilled Bread Salad

2011-08-02T21:30:00.000-06:00

3 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 4oz ciabatta loaf, sliced in half horizontal
1 large garlic clove
3 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly torn

Grill your bread on a panini grill or a bbq grill. Chopped into cubes. Put red onion, tomato and bread into a medium bowl. In a small bowl mix the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and chopped garlic. Whisk together. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle on the goat cheese and basil.

Deviled Eggs

2011-04-15T14:06:00.001-06:00

6 hard-cooked eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Fresh dill sprigs

Directions

Slice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, dill, garlic powder and salt.
Spoon into egg whites. Garnish with dill sprigs if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

Cordon Bleu Appetizer

2011-04-08T11:50:00.000-06:00

1 pkg cream cheese softened
1 tsp dijon mustard
1cup shredded swiss cheese
3/4 cup cubed ham (cooked)
Sourdough baguette bread sliced

Mix together cream cheese and mustard. Add in swiss and ham. Spread about 1Tbsp of the cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

Tortellini Corn Chowder

2011-03-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

1 tablespoon canola oil or butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cups water
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
2 medium unpeeled potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 pound fully cooked ham, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 can cream-style corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can evaporated milk
2 teapspoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Cook onion in oil, stirring occasionally until tender.

Stir in water, heat to boiling. Stir in tortellini, potatoes and ham. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 13 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered five minutes.

(I got this out of one of my mom's diabetic cookbooks, so it must be healthy.)

Pumpkin Pie Dessert

2011-03-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

CRUST:

1 box yellow cake mix (reserve 1 c. for topping)
½ c. melted margarine or butter
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine above ingredients and press into bottom of 9x13 pan, greased on bottom only.

FILLING:

1 lg. (2 pie) can pumpkin (or 2 small ones)
1 lg. can evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 2 t. cinnamon and 2 t. allspice)

Combine all and pour over crust.

TOPPING:

1 c reserved dry cake mix
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ c. margarine or butter

Combine and sprinkle over top. Bake @ 350º for 45-50 minutes or until set.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Cake pops

2011-02-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

1 box of cake mix
1 can of frosting
1 bag of melting chocolate

Make the cake according to the instructions. When it is baked and cooled crumbled it up into a bowl. Make sure the crumbles are pretty fine. Mix in 1/2 of the can of frosting. Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze for 3 hours or over night. Melt the chocolate in a pot on low heat. Remove the cake balls from the freezer and leave or you may insert a sucker stick. Dip the cake ball in the melted chocolate. Make sure not to twist the ball in the chocolate. Dip, pull out, turn and then dip again. If you turn the ball in the chocolate it may break apart. When the chocolate has cooled or hardened they are ready to eat.

Feta Brushcetta

2011-02-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

1 Small loaf of french bread
4 diced tomatoes
2 chopped green onions
1 cup feta cheese
3 chopped basil leaves

Slice the bread spread with extra virgin olive oil. Broil for 1 minute each side or grills. (I did mine on a panini grill). Mix the tomato, onion, feta and basil in a bowl. Spoon over the grilled bread.

Chocolate Dippy Donuts

2011-02-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

1 Can Store bought biscuits ( I used pilsbury grands)
1 4 ounce bar Baker's German Chocolate
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
oil for frying (peanut works best)

Preheat fryer or cast iron skillet with oil to 350 degrees. Separate pre-cut biscuits. Make a hole in the middle with your hand and sculpt dough into a doughnut shape. Place doughnut in the fryer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, flipping to fry both sides. Place doughnuts aside onto a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir in the sugar, alternating with the evaporated milk, blending well. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in the vanilla then remove the pan from the heat.
Stick a fork through the hole of the doughnut and dip the doughnuts immediately into the chocolate mixture before the chocolate starts to cool. Place the doughnuts on a plate and serve when the chocolate on the doughnuts sets.

Meatballs

2011-01-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

Meatballs (I brought frozen meatballs from Costco, but this is a really good recipe if you want to make your own meatballs)

1 lb lean ground beef
3/4 cup crushed croutons
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp prepared yellow mustard
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Mix all ingredients together and roll into 1-inch balls. Bake in a 350F oven for 20 minutes or until desired doneness. I turn the meatballs halfway through baking. Drain off any grease and place cooked meatballs into crockpot.

Sauce

1 20oz bottle of Coke
20oz ketchup
1 pkg onion soup mix

Mix all ingredients together. Pour over meatballs in the crock and stir well, coating all meatballs with sauce. Cook in a low crockpot 4-6 hours until sauce is desired thickness.

Cinnamon Roll ups

2011-01-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 loaves white sandwich bread with crusts removed
2 T cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese
4 sticks butter

Mix cinnamon and 1 cup sugar together and set aside. Beat egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and cream cheese together until smooth. Spread mixture on bread slices and roll up. Dip rolls in melter butter and then in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on baking sheet and freeze. When ready to use, take directly out of freezer and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly brown. Let them sit for a few minutes, so they don't fall apart when you pick them up with a spatula. Makes 20 to 24 servings.

Chicken Lasagne

2011-01-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

3 cups cooked and cubed chicken
1 4oz pakage feta cheese (tomato & basil flavor)
2 7oz cans artichoke hearts
1/2 red pepper chopped
1 clove minced garlic
2 cups shreaded mozzerella cheese
2 16oz bottles alfredo sauce
1/2 cup milk
1 T Oregano
10 lasagne noodles (cooked)
1 bag baby spinach

Mix the first 5 ingredients and add 1 1/2 cups of the mozzerella cheese. Mix the alfredo sauce milk and Oregano in a separate bowl. In a 9x13 in. pan, layer alfredo sauce, 5 lasagne noodles, spinach and chicken mixture. Repeat. Sprinkle the remaining mozzerella cheese on the top. Cook at 375 for 45 minutes covered with foil. Then remove the foil and cook for another 15 min. Let cool and set before serving.

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

2010-12-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Lisa, it's super easy and you make it the night before!

* 1 loaf of french bread
* 4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
* 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, diced
* 1 cup blueberries (I used frozen and it worked great)
* 8 eggs
* 2 cups milk
* 1/3 cup maple syrup
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Tear the bread into small, bite-size pieces and layer half of the bread chunks on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cinnamon over the bread and the layer the cream cheese and blueberries on top. Spread the rest of the bread chunks over top and sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, syrup and vanilla. Pour this mixture over the bread. Cover with foil and put in the fridge overnight. The next morning, set the casserole on the counter for 30 minutes to get to room temperature. Bake the casserole at 350 for 30 minutes with the foil covering it and then 30 minutes without the foil.

Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

Breakfast Biscuit or Appetizer

2010-12-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

1 pkg. biscuits
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 c. cinnamon sugar mixture

Cut biscuits into quarters. Place into 8-inch round baking dish. Cover with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over all. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden at 350 degrees. Also may substitute grated blue cheese and melted butter. Great appetizer.

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,175,148184-232200,00.html
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CHICKEN BROCCOLI VEGGIE SAUTE

2010-11-11T12:04:00.001-07:00

3 TB spoons butter
4 skinless,boneless chicken breasts ( cut in ½ length wise )
1 cup chopped broccoli
½ cup very thinly sliced carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can cream of broccoli soup
1/3 cup milk
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of red pepper

Cook chicken in 2 TB spoons of butter until lightly browned
Remove , set a side
Cook broccoli , carrots , & mushrooms in 1 Tb spoon butter approx 5 min.
(I put the carrots in by themselves for about 5-10 before the other veggies so they wouldn’t be too crunchy!)
Mix soup , milk & seasonings, stir into vegetables , add chicken
Heat to boiling and simmer 5 min .

Yogurt Cake

2010-11-04T22:56:00.000-06:00

White cake mix - prepare according to directions and fold in a container of any flavor yogurt. (I substituted applesauce for the oil for a low fat option and you can't tell at all.)

Frost with a tub of cool whip mixed with a container of the same kind of yogurt.

Simple and Delicious!

Alfredo Chicken Bake

2010-11-04T16:54:00.000-06:00

1 box penne pasta (cooked & drained)
Cubed, cooked chicken breast, grilled or fried
Sliced mushrooms (about 1 carton)

Combine above ingredients in a large baking dish. Pour Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce over pasta mixture. (I used two jars of Great Value Alfredo Sauce).

Seeded, Diced Tomatoes (about 4 romas)
Monterey Jack Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Top with Monterey Jack cheese, diced tomatoes parmesan cheese. Bake @ 350º for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese starts to brown. (I broiled mine at the end to crisp up the cheese.) :)

Mint Grape Beverage

2010-11-04T14:25:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

o 1 cup granulated sugar
o 1 1/2 cups water
o 1 cup fresh mint leaves, bruised
o 1 cup lemon juice
o 2 cups grape juice
o 1 (12 ounce) bottles ginger ale

Directions

1. Combine water and sugar and heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring, about 5 minutes.
2. Let cool slightly, and then pour over mint leaves.
3. Add lemon juice, cover and steep for 1 hour.
4. Strain, discarding solids, then add grape juice.
5. Chill well.
6. Just before serving, add chilled ginger ale to mint mixture.
7. Garnish with additional mint leaves and lemon slices (if desired) and serve over ice.

2010-10-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
from Taste of Home

8 med red potatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 T butter
½ c milk, warmed
½ tsp salt
¼ c grated Parmesan

Cover potatoes and garlic with water in a large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Drain well, but leave garlic in potatoes. Add butter, milk and salt. Mash with a hand mixer. Stir in Parmesan. Serves 3-4.

Spinach Dip

2010-10-06T16:57:00.000-06:00

1 package (10 oz.) baby spinach, chopped, or 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeeze dried.

1 container (16 oz.) sour cream

1 cup Mayonnaise

1 package Knorr Vegetable recipe mix

1 (8 oz.) can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)

3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Serve with fresh veggies, or bread. YUM.

Peanut Butter Frosting

2010-10-05T22:09:00.001-06:00

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 Tb butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk

Combine all ingredients but milk in a bowl of electric mixer. Mix on med-low until creamy; scraping down sides occasionally. Add milk gradually with mixer in high speed until frosting is smooth and desired consistency. Frost your cupcakes and refrigerate. The butter in the frosting will melt and ruin the smooth texture of the frosting if you leave it at room temperature. If you need to bring them to a function where they will be out for more than 2 hours, I would go so far as to partially freeze them before going so they stay cold.

Smashed Potato

2010-09-09T13:05:00.000-06:00

Red Potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper and other seasonings

Boil whole potatoes until fork tender. Drizzle cookie sheet with olive oil (don't skimp) Place potatoes on cookie sheet and mash down. Brush potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt (don't skimp) and pepper. You can add other spices like rosemary, basil, sage etc. Bake at 450 for 20 - 25 minutes.

This time the seasonings I added were fresh rosemary, a tiny bit of garlic powder, red pepper, and cumin to each potato, then I added plenty of salt and pepper.

Black and Blueberry dump cake

2010-09-07T22:41:00.000-06:00

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
4 cups fresh or frozen *blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter cut in little pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Mix berries, sugar, and cinnamon in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover berries with dry cake mix. Place butter pieces over cake mix, do not stir.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until light brown. Serve warm or cold. top with ice cream.

*for dinner group I used 3 cups frozen blueberries and 1 cup frozen blackberries, but have made this with peaches and half peach half blueberry...every time it's really yummy! I bet you could use apples as well.

Chocolate chip cookie dough dip

2010-09-07T22:36:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Vanilla wafer cookies, graham crackers, or fruit for dipping

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves.

2. Remove from heat, whisk in the vanilla and set aside to cool.

3. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar for 1 minute.

4. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

6. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate. Garnish with additional chocolate chips or nuts, if you choose.

Refreshing Lime Drink

2010-09-07T17:32:00.001-06:00

1 can frozen Limeade concentrate
1 bottle Sprite Zero
1 bottle Fresca

Put the frozen Limeade in a gallon size pitcher; add Sprite and Fresca until pitcher is full. Mix together and enjoy.

Smooth Jello Salad

2010-08-03T18:32:00.000-06:00

1 sm. box strawberry jello
1 sm. box cook n serve vanilla pudding
1 sm. box cook n serve tapioca pudding

Mix with 2 2/3 cups water, bring to boil, stirring, boil for 1 minute.
Pour into container, let cool room temp 1-2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, stir in

1 8 oz. cool whip
1 pint strawberries

**You can mix up the recipe to make different flavors if you want: orange jello with mandarin oranges, raspberry jello with frozen raspberries, or even double the recipe and mix jellos.

Family BBQ

2010-07-12T17:33:00.000-06:00

Hi Ladies, As most of you know we will be having a BBQ our our house for our families. So bring your hubbies and kiddos. Emily since you just brought a dessert do you want to bring a side dish? Marlana I am just going to do water or lemonade so do you want to bring a dessert? Erin I don't think we will need a bread since we may be doing hamburgers and hot dogs so do you want to do a salad? Monica will you bring a dessert as well? Nicki can you bring a side dish? With these changes it should help with us having enough food. Make sure to maybe double your recipe so we have enough for everyone. Thanks Ladies!

strawberry sheet cake

2010-07-07T20:36:00.000-06:00

STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE

* 12 oz fresh strawberries, stems removed and chopped (about 3 cups)
* 2 cups of sugar plus 2 teaspoons
* 2 cups of flour
* 2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
* 2 eggs lightly beaten
* 1/2 cup of buttermilk
* 1 teaspoon of baking soda
* 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Over the chopped strawberries, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let them sit for an hour at room temperature so they can release some of their juices. The berries should reduce to about 1 1/2 cups. In a blender of food processor, crush the berries on a low speed for a few seconds—you want them juicy but still with some texture. Take 1/2 cup of the strawberry mixture for the frosting and leave the remaining crushed strawberries for the cake.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift the sugar and flour together in a bowl.

Melt the butter on low in a saucepan and then whisk it with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and baking soda. Add the liquid to the flour and then stir in one cup of the crushed strawberries.

Pour batter into greased cookie sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cake is done when a knife comes out clean from the center. Let it cool and then frost with the strawberry cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

Note: The cake will be a little brown. This, I hear, is because of the alkaline reaction of the ingredients. Do not be alarmed!

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

* 1/4 pound of butter (1 stick) at room temperature
* 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
* 3 cups of powdered sugar
* 1/2 cup crushed strawberries
* 2 teaspoons of lime juice (about half a lime)
* 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until blended. Add the strawberries, lime juice, lime zest and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake.

Creamy Potatoes and Peas

2010-07-06T18:02:00.000-06:00

Usually use about 2 baby red potatoes/person. Usually 6-7 to have a few leftovers for 2-3 people. Quarter/halve the potatoes and boil to cook them. Toss in about ¼ cup peas for 2 minutes before potatoes are done cooking to cook the peas.

Make a white sauce:
½ c. butter (melt in saucepan)
Add flour until pasty
Add milk slowly until correct thickness
Add salt to taste and just a bit of garlic powder.

Oreo Brownies

2010-06-17T22:27:00.000-06:00

1 bag double stuff oreos
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 bag white chocolate chips
1/4 bag mini marshmallows
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350. Crush whole bag of oreos (I put them in my food processer). Grease a 9x13 pan and push down one half the crushed oreos. Then layer chocolate chips and marshmallows. Add the rest of the oreos to the top and drizzle the whole can of sweetened condensed milk. Cook in oven for 28-32 min. the marshmallows should be golden brown. Cool through before cutting.

Hot Buttered Pretzels

2010-06-10T16:47:00.001-06:00

* 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
* 1 cup warm water

Topping:

* 1/2 cup warm water
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* Coarse, kosher or pretzel salt
* 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Place all the dough ingredients in a bowl and beat until well combined. Knead the dough, by hand or mixer, for about 5 minutes, until it's soft, smooth, and quite slack. Dust the dough with flour (to keep from sticking) and place it in a plastic bag; close the bag, leaving enough room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets by spraying them with vegetable oil spray or lining them with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and divide it into eight equal pieces. Let the pieces rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Roll each piece of dough into a long thin rope (around 28 inches) and twist each rope into a pretzel. Dip the pretzels in the warm water mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar, and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with the salt. Let them rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8-9 minutes, until they're golden brown, reversing the baking sheets halfway through.

Remove the pretzels from the oven and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing butter on until you've used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash

2010-06-10T13:20:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat.
2. Transfer to an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until squash is just tender.

Cilantro Turkey Burgers

2010-06-04T14:55:00.000-06:00

About 1 lb. ground turkey

1 T. montreal grill seasoning

2 T. worchestershire sauce

1 T. garlic powder

A hand full of cilantro, chopped finely

Mix all together. Form into patties. Grill about 7 minutes on each side and enjoy!

These go really good with whole wheat buns, swiss cheese and avacado.

Cream Cheese Pinwheels

2010-06-03T22:49:00.000-06:00

Two 8 oz. cream cheese bricks

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix

4 oz. can of green chilis

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup chopped pimento (I used fresh red pepper)

Two 4 oz cans of chopped black olives

One package Homestyle tortillas

Mix everything (except tortillas, obviously) together and spread on tortilla fairly thin. Roll tightly and refrigerate overnight.

*Note: I halved the recipe and it still made a lot - I think about 8 tortillas worth. Also, I only refrigerated them for an hour or 2, and they were just fine.

Broccoli Salad

2010-05-15T20:34:00.000-06:00

Ingredients
    •    1 large head fresh broccoli
    •    1 large head cauliflower
    •    2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
    •    1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
    •    1/3 cup sunflower seeds
    •    1 (16 ounce) bottle Catalina salad dressing

Directions
    1.    Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small to medium florets; combine with apples and oranges.
    2.    Pour enough dressing over ingredients to coat; toss and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serve immediately or allow to chill and flavors to blend.

Serves 6

Chicken Enchiladas

2010-05-12T12:43:00.000-06:00

Boil 3-4 chicken breasts and shred

Cook chopped onion (I use about 1/2 medium-large onion, just according to taste)

Add chicken

Add can of green chilis and enough enchilada sauce to make mixture wet

In each tortilla, add a little enchilada sauce, chicken mixture, and shredded cheese

Roll and put into a 9x13 pan

I always put a layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan before putting them in to make them more saucy and make sure they get wet all over.

Pour enchilada sauce liberally over the top and add a layer of shredded cheese.

Bake @375* for about 10 minutes with foil over the top, and 10 minutes without foil, until bubbly.

Ginger Snaps

2010-04-07T09:43:00.000-06:00

2½ c. flour ¾ c. butter
2-3 tsp. ginger 1 c. sugar
2 tsp. soda 1 egg
½ tsp. salt ¼ c. molasses
1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter & sugar until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and mix well. Add dry ingredients, blend well. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Bake @ 350º for 8-10 minutes.

Cheddar Spoon Bread

2010-04-06T18:37:00.000-06:00

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack (8 oz)
1 T. butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs

1. In a large saucepan combine milk and cornmeal. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly; remove from heat. Add cheese, butter, baking powder, sugar, and salt; stir until cheese melts.

2. Separate eggs. Add yolks one at a time, to cornmeal mixture, stirring after each addition just until combined (mixture will be thick).

3. In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

4. Stir about one-third of the beaten egg whites into the cornmeal mixture. Gently fold remaining beaten egg whites into cornmeal mixture until combined. Spoon into an ungreased 2-quart casserole or souffle dish.

5. Bake in a 325* oven for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

"Peanutbutter Cup" Cakes

2010-03-14T13:17:00.000-06:00

1 box devils food cake
24 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Make Cake mix according to package. Pour each cupcake cup 1/4 way full. Place a mini peanut butter cup in it and then over with more cake batter. Bake according to box directions. Frost with favorite frosting.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

2010-03-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

**Disclaimer - lots of things went wrong when I made this, so there were improvisations. If you follow this recipe, it may taste nothing like mine did - not that that's necessarily bad. Just sayin'.**

1 large onion

2 T. butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. parmesan cheese

3/4 small can evaporated milk

2 pkg frozen whole, chopped broccoli

2 pkg frozen cauliflower

1/2 stick butter, melted

Italian bread crumbs

1 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning

1 1/2 qt. casserole

Saute onion in butter. Add soup, cheese and milk. In separate saucepans cook broccoli and cauliflower according to package directions. Add to above mixture. Add 1 tsp of Mrs. Dash seasoning.

Lightly spread bread crumbs over top of casserole after adding mixture. Pour butter over top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Serves 10.

(cooks.com)

corn, bean, and avocado salsa

2010-03-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

1 bottle of Italian dressing
1 avocado
1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of corn (drained and rinsed)
red onion
cilantro

I used about 3 tablespoons of red onion and cilantro, but add to taste. Mix everything in a bowl and let sit for a couple of hours.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Caramel Fruit Dip

2010-03-03T12:49:00.001-07:00

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
¾ C. brown sugar, dark
½ C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients either with a blender or by hand. Serve with fruit or pretzels! Makes a great after school snack.

Symphony Brownies

2010-03-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

Symphony Brownies

One box of brownie mix
2 large chocolate bars

Mix brownie mix according to package directions. Pour half of the batter in an 8x8 pan. Place chocolate bars side by side in pan on top of batter. (I used Symphony bars this time but I have used other kinds of chocolate bars in the past.) Pour rest of batter on top of chocolate bars. Cook brownies according to package directions.

Spinach, artichoke & chicken penne

2010-03-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

* Salt
* 1 pound penne rigate or whole wheat or whole grain penne rigate
* 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 small pieces)
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 3-4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
* Black pepper
* 2 slightly rounded tablespoons flour
* 1/2 cup dry white wine (I didn't have any on hand..so i just used extra chicken stock)
* 1 cup chicken stock
* 1 cup cream or whole milk
* A few grates of nutmeg
* 1 box chopped frozen spinach (10 ounces), defrosted, wrung dry and separated
* 1 can artichoke hearts in water (14 ounces), drained well and chopped
* 1 cup grated Asiago or provolone cheese (I used asiago)
* Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the pasta to al dente.

Meanwhile, poach the chicken: Place the chicken in small pan and add water to the top of the meat, but do not cover completely. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer to cook through, 10-12 minutes. Shred the meat into small pieces with forks or dice into small pieces. Set aside.

While the chicken cooks, heat the olive oil in large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the butter into the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onion and garlic and stir for 1 minute, then whisk in the white wine. Add the stock and stir for 1 minute, then stir in the cream and season with nutmeg. Thicken the sauce for a couple of minutes over low heat, then stir in the spinach and artichokes and heat through. Melt the Asiago or provolone cheese into the sauce and turn off the heat.

Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and chicken to combine, adjusting the salt and pepper to your taste. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

2010-03-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

Oven Roasted Vegetables

10 Small Red Potatoes
4 Small Leeks
4 Large Carrots, peeled and cut into large slices
1 Red Onion, peeled and cut into pieces
2 Red Peppers, cut into wide strips
8 oz Fresh Mushrooms
2 T. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Pepper

Lightly coat a cookie sheet with olive oil. Scrub potatoes and steam in a small amount of water for 20 min, then drain well. Cut leeks in half and wash well to remove grit. Cut each potato in half. Arrange potatoes, leeks, carrots, onions, red peppers and mushrooms on cookie sheet. Drizzle 2 Tblspns olive oil over veggies and sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, until veggies are cooked and tender when pricked with a fork, basting about every 15 min with pan juices.

Pasta Salad with Pinenuts and Sundried Tomatoes

2010-03-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

I am sorry this took so long. It has been a crazy month!

4 half chicken breasts
Lawry's Season Salt
Cajon Seasoning (I use a burbon rub from Cabellas)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Hienz 57 Sauce
16 oz. bag of pasta (I use Farfalle)
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 jar sundried tomatoes cut julienn style and drained
1 red onion chopped
1/2 bottle Cardini's Ceasar Salad Dressing (I use low fat)
1/4 bottle Newman's Own Vinaigrette (I use low fat)
1/2 to 1 cup pinenuts

Cut up chicken breasts sprinkle with Lawry's Season Salt and grill in frying pan. Once cooked sprinkle with Cajon seasoning and coat with Hienz 57 sauce. Cool. Cook the pasta, cool and place in a large bowl. Add peppers cut into strips. Add sundried tomatoes and red onion. Add chicken mixture. Mix all together and add the dressings. Add pinenuts just before serving.

green bean casserole

2010-02-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry ladies...especially Marlana for being so late to post this! Here's the recipe...

Ingredients

For the topping:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray
For beans and sauce:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved (i just used the frozen organic beans from costco that I always have in my freezer)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (i didn't have freshly ground nutmeg, so I just used the ground nutmeg)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring some water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an pot. Add the beans and blanch. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet (i just used a regular saute pan) set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

2010-02-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

4 medium size white potatoes (i.e. russet)
2 long skinny yams
1 pt.whipping cream
milk
butter
salt and pepper
flour

Partially precook yams at 450. I cooked mine for about a 1/2 hour wrapped in aluminum foil. While they cool, peel the white potatoes. Spray your baking dish. Arrange a single layer of white potatoes. Cut up one Tbs of butter into small cubes and sprinkle over potatoes. Next, sprinkle flour over the potatoes and butter. Sprinkle salt and pepper over that. Next arrange a layer of yams over the white potatoes and repeat the process with the butter, flour, salt, and pepper. Then repeat again with a layer of white potatoes, butter, flour, salt and pepper. Do not over fill your baking dish! Pour the pint of cream over the potatoes, then cover with milk just to cover all of the potatoes. Bake at 350 for about an hour or until potatoes are soft and the top starts to golden.

cranberry almond wild rice pilaf

2010-02-03T22:09:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup long grain rice
1/4 cup brown rice
1/4 wild rice (the black kind)
1& 1/2 teaspoon instant chicken, beef or veggie bouillon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a medium saucepan cook onion, celery, and garlic in hot butter until tender.

Stir in rice, bouillon, pepper, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and add cranberries, simmer covered until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Stir in almonds and serve.

Potato skins

2010-02-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

6 Potatoes (baked)
1/2 cup shredded cheese
5 slices cooked bacon,diced
2 green onions, diced
sour cream

Cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out the middle. Cut each slice in half again. Place on a baking sheet. Fill each potato with cheese, bacon and green onions. Bake at 350 for 20 min. Fill each one with a small scoop of sour cream.

7-Up Apple Juice Drink

2010-02-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

32 oz bottle of 7-up type pop (I used Diet Twist-up - cheap Walmart brand)

1 can apple juice concentrate

Can also use ginger ale or white grape juice concentrate.

Juice concentrate should be slushy, and it's also good if you put the pop in the freezer to get it a bit slushy as well.

Parmesan Fondue

2010-02-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 cups milk
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cubed

In a large saucepan, cook and stir the milk and cream cheese over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic salt; cook and stir until heated through. Transfer to a fondue pot or mini slow cooker. Serve with bread cubes.

This could be a main dish if you served it with meat and vegetables.

2010-02-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

From Taste of Home

Taken from Perry's Plate (My friend Natalie's blog)

¾ c. shortening

¾ c. sugar

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

1 ½ c. flour

1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ c. mini chocolate chips

Filling:

2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

¾ c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar and shortening. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and soda. Add to creamed mixture. Fold in chips. Set aside 1/3 of dough. Press the remaining 2/3 of dough into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Bake crust at 350 for 8 min.

Beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Spoon over crust. Place flattened discs of reserved cookie dough over cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min. Cool. Store in fridge.

Cranberry Blue Cheese Salad

2010-01-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Put a bunch of lettuce in a bowl.

Sprinkle with dried cranberries.

Sprinkle with blue cheese.

Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Add dressing. I used a raspberry vinaigrette.

Bet you needed the "recipe" for that! I feel like I'm insulting your intelligence by even posting about it! ;)

2010-01-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Taco Cups

By Anne Coleman click here to see it posted on Family.com
Hands-On Time: 5 minutes

Ready In: 5 minute

Yield: 8-12 servings

Ingredients
1 bag Tostitos® Scoops!®

1 can refried beans

1/2 lb cooked taco seasoned meat (I left the meat out and just added some taco sauce to each one)

1 cup shredded cheddar

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sliced black olives

Directions
1. Set chips on a large platter and layer with beans, meat, cheddar, salsa, sour cream and black olives.

Chili cranberry meatballs

2010-01-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

1lb frozen meatballs
1 jar Heinz Chili sauce (found in the ketchup isle)
1 can cranberry sauce

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 1-2 hours. Serve as an appetizer or on a roll as a sandwich.

Creamy Herbed Potatoes

2010-01-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

Creamy Herbed Potatoes brought by Toni

Ingredients

4 whole To 5 Whole Russet Potatoes
1 stick Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
¾ cups Heavy Cream
1 cup Whole Milk (Half-and-Half Works, Too)
1 teaspoon Finely Chopped Rosemary
1 teaspoon Finely Chopped Parsley
1 teaspoon Finely Chopped Chives
½ teaspoons Finely Chopped Sage

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice potatoes very thinly.

Add butter to a large skillet over medium low heat. When melted, add diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cream cheese to the pan and stir to melt. Pour in cream and milk, stirring to combine.
Season with plenty of salt and pepper, then add chopped herbs.

Place potatoes in a buttered baking dish. Pour contents of skillet over the top. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow potatoes to sit 15 minutes before serving.

Sweet Chili

2010-01-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

1 lb. meat (ground beef, shredded beef or pork)
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/8 to 1/4 cup chili powder
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
2 cans red kidney beans
2 can black beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 oz honey

Cook meat. In a slow cooker mix ingredients together and let simmer. Serve warm.

Junior Mint Brownies

2010-01-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

Junior Mint Brownies

5 1/2 ounces *Junior Mints
1 1/2 cups butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.

In a large bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk until well blended.

Sift in cocoa powder and stir to combine. Add flour, baking powder and salt and blend well.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Arrange Junior Mints in a single layer over batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter on top, covering the Junior Mints. Use a knife or spatula to smooth the top of the batter.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

*use mini York Peppermint Patties instead of Junior Mints. Part of the white mint will remain unmelted, so your brownies will have a nice white stripe in the centre when you slice them into squares.

Scalloped Carrots

2009-12-16T16:47:00.001-07:00

December at Kristin's house:

Scalloped Carrots:

Yield: 10 servings
Prepartion: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes

1/4 C. butter
2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 (10 3/4 - ounce) can cream of celery soup
8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
2/3 C. sour cream
1/3 C. milk
1 sleeve round buttery crackers, crushed
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9x2 baking dish; set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and onion Cook, stirring constantly, for approximately 15 minutes.
Add soup, cheese, sour cream, and milk, stirring to combine. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine crushed crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over carrot mixture.
Bake until hot and bubbly, 30-40 minutes.

appetizer

2009-12-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

Lil' Smokies wrapped in Bacon

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Lil' smokies
1 pkg. bacon
Light brown sugar

Directions:
Cut bacon into thirds. Wrap 1 piece of bacon around each Lil' smokie then put a toothpick in to hold bacon in place. When finished wrapping all the smokies sprinkle generously brown sugar to cover each one.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (less if you don't want the bacon crispy)

My notes: throughout the hour they are baking, I like to re-sprinkle the brown sugar 2-3 times.

Black Bean Chowder with Yogurt-Cilantro Relish

2009-12-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

For my first post :) I think it's legal to post undinner group things. But I made this last night and it was really good. It reminds me of something Marlana would like too cause she likes to cook outside the box.

A few improvisations though: I didn't use a ham hock, I simmered it half the time on both the long simmers, I used canned beans, and I pureed mine.

Black Bean Chowder with Yogurt-Cilantro Relish

1 32-ounce package dried black beans
1 medium onion,
chopped3 cloves garlic,
pressed
Olive oil
1 small ham hock
1 4-oz can diced green chilies
6 cups chicken stock
6 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke (found with BBQ sauce)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
pepper/salt and pepper to taste

Relish

1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded)
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place beans in a colander and rinse the beans well. Place in an 8-quart Dutch oven and cover with water (about an inch over the top of the beans) and soak overnight.
The next morning, prepare the relish by mixing all the ingredients together, then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then drain the beans and rinse them well.
Gently sauté the onion and garlic in the stock pot with 2 -3 TBSP of olive oil, then add diced green chiles. Place beans back in the Dutch oven and add chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, curry powder, cayenne and salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. After one hour is up, add the milk and 2 TBSP butter and simmer another 30 minutes. While the chowder is simmering, place the shredded cheese in a large bowl and add the flour, toss to coat the cheese with the flour. Bring the chowder to a boil and stir in the cheese. Boil while stirring constantly until the chowder thickens to your desired consistency. Ladle chowder into bowls and top with one or two TBSP of yogurt-cilantro relish placed in the center. Serve with warm tortillas.

Busy Mom’s shortcutsYou could certainly use canned black beans in this recipe to cut the time, but make sure to purchase good, quality beans and drain their liquid and rinse them well before cooking.

This recipe would lend itself nicely to the slow-cooker or roaster oven (as long as you have a big one). You could make the relish the night before and soak your beans overnight and the next morning you could drain and rinse the beans, throw everything into the slow-cooker and put it on low for 6-8 hours. There’s nothing better than going about your busy day and having dinner ready in the evening!

Chicken Tortellini Casserole

2009-12-02T09:12:00.001-07:00

1/2 Stick of Butter
8 oz package Cheese Tortellini
8 oz Monteray Jack Cheese, cut into slices and some grated
4 Chicken breasts cubed
3/4 cup chopped white onions
1 tbsp chicken bullion granuals
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp Sugar
1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook Tortellini for 5 min less then package directions. Drain, put tortellini in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Place thin slices of Jack Cheese over the tortellini. Coat Chicken lightly in flour and brown in a skillet with 1/2 of the butter. Put chicken over the top of the cheese layer. In the skillet add the remaining butter and onions. Cook until translucent. Add bullion, broth, sugar, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Cook for 5 min. Add sour cream and remaining grated Jack Cheese. Stir. Pour sauce evenly over the chicken layer. Bake 300 for 45 min. Let stand 10-15 min before cutting.

Salsa & Cream Cheese

2009-12-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

1 8oz package Cream Cheese (I used Fat Free)
1/4 bottle Salpicia Garlic Chipotle Salsa (hot)
1 avacado
couple twigs of Cilantro

Put the Cream Cheese on a plate, cover with salsa and garnish with avacado and cilantro.

pesto crescents

2009-12-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

1 jar store bought basil pesto
1 package pilsbury crescent rolls

Spread about a teaspoon of pesto sauce onto to each triangle of dough, roll up and bake as directions say on roll package. Slice the triangle in half to use for an appetizer.

Chocolate Coconut Lush

2009-12-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

Mix one stick of butter and 1 cup of flour, press into a lightly greased 9x13 pan, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Beat 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 cups of cool whip, and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Spread over cooled crust.

Mix one small box of coconut cream instant pudding and pour over cream cheese mixture. Let set in refrigerator for a few minutes.

Mix one small box of chocolate pudding and pour over coconut cream layer. Set.

Top with cool whip and shaved chocolate.

*Substitute pudding flavors as desired.

2009-12-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

BROCCOLI SLAW

2 pkg. broccoli slaw Diced green onion (optional)

Mix slaw with dressing and allow to refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

DRESSING:
¾ c. canola oil ¼ c. brown sugar
¼ c. apple cider vinegar 1 season packet oriental Ramon noodles

TOPPING:
2 pkg. Ramon noodles, crunched
¼ c. slivered almonds

¾ stick butter

Melt together in sauce pan until noodles are coated and begin to toast. Add to slaw before serving.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

2009-12-01T00:28:00.001-07:00

**Kristen's from last year sometime**

* 4 cloves garlic
* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
* 1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins.
3. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
4. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.

Blackberry Italian Cream Soda

2009-12-01T00:28:00.000-07:00

**Kristen's from March**

Blackberry Syrup:

* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup water
* 2 cups frozen or fresh blackberries

1. Combine sugar, water, and blackberries in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. When mixture boils, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and let mixture steep for 15 minutes.
3. Strain blackberry syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Refrigerate until cold, and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Italian Soda:

* 8 fluid ounces carbonated water
* 1.5 fluid ounces flavored syrup
* 1 fluid ounce half-and-half cream

1. Fill a tall glass half full with ice. Fill to 2/3 with carbonated water. Pour in flavored syrup, then float the half-and-half cream on top. Stir when ready to drink.

Holiday Punch

2009-12-01T00:27:00.000-07:00

**Maria's from last December**

2 cans frozen juice concentrate thawed
1 2 liter bottle sprite
1 2 liter bottle of sprite zero
1/2 bag crushed ice
pretty fruit to float in drink

Maria Used:
1 can cran apple juice
1 can cran raspberry juice
cranberries
cut limes

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

2009-12-01T00:24:00.000-07:00

**Nicki's from..last year sometime!**

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

1-8oz. Cream Cheese - softened
1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

I discovered that it is best to add the Pumpkin very last! It mixes smoother.
Beat all ingredients until smooth. Cover and refridgerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
(you can double this with no problem and I found it is better when it is refridgerated for over night)

You can use an assortment of breads (pumkin bread, zuccuini bread, banana bread)and bagels to go with the spread. It also goes nicely on toast or rolls. (especially Sam's Club Dinner Yeast Cluster Rolls...yummy) Whatever your fancy may be!

Tortilla Soup

2009-12-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

**Danelle's from January**

1T chicken broth

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1/8 cup butter (or ½ cube)

1 Large onion (or more if you want J )

1 small can diced green chilies

2 ½ big cans of refried beans. (Or two big one small)

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

½ T ground cumin

½ t garlic powder

2/3 C diced green onions

1 T dried cilantro leaves

2-3 Cups of water. ( I just guess on this one its all about how thick or thin you want it to be.)

*Add broth, tomatoes, green chilies, onions & butter in large pot and cook till onions are translucent.

*Add beans, crushed chips, water and seasonings heat till thick and soft.

*Then add green onions and cilantro, stir and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Summer Berry Sensation

2009-12-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

**Kristin's from May**

1 9oz package angel food cake
3 TBSP orange juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups fat free milk
1 8 serving package fat free, sugar free Vanilla Jello pudding
1 1/2 cups thawed Fat free cool whip
4 cups of mixed berries (if you use frozen just make sure they are thawed)

Cut cake into cubes; place in a large bowl. Combine orange juice and almond extract. Drizzle over cake cubes, toss lightly. Pour Milk into another large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with a wire wisk 2 min or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Layer half the cake cubes in bottom of a glass serving bowl. Reserve a few berries for the top. Top with layers of half each of the pudding and the berry mixture. Repeat layers. Cover with Plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2-6 hours before serving. Top with remaining cool whip and berries just before serving.

Fruit Dip

2009-12-01T00:20:00.000-07:00

**Cinda's from June**

Fruit Dip

Container cool whip
package cream cheese
vanilla yogurt
splash of vanilla
sugar or splenda to taste

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

2009-12-01T00:19:00.000-07:00

**Toni's recipe from the month we went to the lake**

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS

* 1/4 cup sesame seeds
* 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup light soy sauce
* 1/3 cup rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/3 cup chopped green onion
* spinach

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
4. Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, and green onions.

Basic Caramel chex mix

2009-12-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

**this one is Toni's recipe for the month we went to the lake**
Basic Caramel Chex Mix

1/4 cup butter
6 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 c chex cereal

Melt first 4 ingredients in microwave, stir until melted, pour over cereal.

You can add whatever you want, nuts, chocolate, etc. But I like it plain!

2009-11-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

adapted from Cara's Cravings, recipe found on Perry's Plate

Brownie Batter:

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 Tblspn vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cheesecake Batter:

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

2 T flour

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8" or a 11x7" baking pan.

For the Brownies:

Beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl, and then gradually stir into butter mixture by hand.

For the Cheesecake:

In another bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in remainder of ingredients until smooth.

Spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into prepared pan. Spread the pumpkin batter over top, distributing evenly. Drop the remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. To make the swirls, run a butter knife back and forth through the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the center doesn't jiggle when you nudge the pan. Cool completely and chill before cutting and serving.

Hot Bean Dip

2009-11-11T14:53:00.001-07:00

I halved the recipe and put it in an 8x8 baking dish. I also used reduced fat cream cheese, reduced fat sour cream, and mozarella cheese in place of the pepper jack because I didn't have any, and it still tasted fantastic!

Ingredients
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 16 oz cans refried beans
1/2 package taco seasoning mix
5 drops hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 8oz package cheddar cheese
1 8oz package monterey jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, beans, taco seasoning, pepper sauce, parsley, green onions, and half the cheddar and monterey jack cheeses. Pour mixture into 9x13 baking dish and put remaining cheeses over top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips.

Gingered Fruit Salad

2009-11-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is from Marlana's house that I made for October. In my opinion you could use any fruit you like or have on hand... Mine had apple, peach, nectarine, banana, mandarin oranges, grapes, and strawberries. I used strawberry-mango yogurt in my dressing.

Ingredients:
2 cups cubed cantaloupe
1 medium orange, peeled and sectioned
1 medium apple, cored and coarsely chopped
1 medium peach, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1 8 oz carton fruit-flavored or vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
lettuce leaves (optional)

In large bowl combine the cantaloupe, orange, apple, peach, blueberries, and strawberries. For dressing, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, brown sugar, and ginger. If desired, line 4 salad plates with lettuce leaves. Divide the fruit among plates, Top each serving with dressing.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

2009-10-08T17:20:00.000-06:00

1 box of spice cake mix

1 regular can of pumpkin

1 bag of chocolate chips

bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes.

Super easy!!

2009-10-08T08:14:00.001-06:00

YUMMY POTATOES

9 Potatoes, skinned, boiled, and then whipped with hand mixer or Kitchen Aid.

Whip in:
8 oz. Cool Whip ½ tsp. pepper
12 oz. cream cheese ¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt 1 stick of butter

Preheat the oven to 350º. Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. So creamy and delicious!

Poppy Seed Chicken

2009-10-08T08:09:00.000-06:00

This one's from a few months ago!

POPPY SEED CHICKEN

4-6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1½ to 2 c. sour cream
9 oz. box of Ritz crackers, crushed
1 c. butter
1 T. poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350º. Melt butter, add crushed Ritz crackers and poppy seeds, mix and set aside.

Mix together sour cream, cooked chicken cubes and soup in a bowl.

Spread chicken/soup/sour cream mixture in the pan. Sprinkle the butter/cracker/poppy seed mixture over the top.

Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until hot and crispy.