HILLBILLY BEANS

HILLBILLY BEANS 2 lbs of ground ground meat 1 can pork + beans (53 ¼ oz) 2 cans of water 1 Tb of chili power 2 Tb of southwest seasoning 6 Tb of minced garlic 1 Tb of crushed red pepper 1 large onion 1/4 stick of butter 3 -18oz bottles of original BULLS EYE BBQ sauce Put your beans and water in a large pot and cook under low fire Add all seasoning to pot Sauté onion and garlic in butter in sauce pan until brown and add to beans Brown your meat in same pan that you used for onion and garlic and add to your beans Cook and taste as you go and add more seasoning to your taste. Cook for 2hrs until done Add bull’s eye sauce and cook for 2 minutes and serve.

The BEST Cheesy Bread EVER recipe

The BEST Cheesy Bread EVER recipe 1 loaf of french bread 1 package of cream cheese (8 oz), room temperature 1 stick of butter, room temperature 8 oz shredded mozzarella 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese garlic salt In a medium sized mixing bowl, use a mixer and blend together cream cheese and butter. Mix this for a few minutes until they are blended well and more whipped in texture. Mix in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Add in just a bit of garlic salt (I'm a garlic salt freak and use far too much, so I can't even tell you the amount a normal person would add to this, so I'm leaving the measurements up to you) Cut the loaf of french bread in half and spread the cheese mixture on it. Set both halves of the french bread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for roughly 15 minutes. Once cheese is bubbly and slightly browned, remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Beware, you might want to eat this all yourself. I don't think it's humanly possible, but you might want To

Chicken Ranch Pasta

Chicken Ranch Pasta 8 ounces penne pasta 1 Tablespoon butter 1 Tbsp flour 2 Tbsp dry ranch dressing seasoning mix 2 cups milk 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/3 cup cooked, chopped bacon 2 cups cooked chopped chicken In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In same pot melt butter. Add flour and stir. Cook flour for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Stir in ranch dressing mix and cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Add chicken, bacon and pasta. Stir to coat.

Amish Broccoli Salad

Amish Broccoli Salad 1 head broccoli, chopped 1 head cauliflower, chopped 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 pound bacon, fried and crumbled 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese Combine the chopped broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, and salt to make a creamy dressing. Add the dressing to the broccoli–cauliflower mix, stirring to evenly coat the vegetables. Stir in the bacon and the cheese, reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top of the salad just before serving.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Cheesy Potato Casserole 1lb ground beef 1/2 stick butter 2 small onion dice 1 c milk & 1 c water 1 can cheese soup 6 potatoes wash & slice Brown burger and onion drain put into 9/12 cake pan put slice potatoes on top burger put rest ingredients in sauce pan cook until butter is melted then pour over potatoes preheat oven 350 bake 45 minutes

Fried Hominy

Fried Hominy A few pieces of Onion if desired One or two Cans of White Hominy Several Strips of Bacon (as much as you want ) Black Pepper to taste Fry bacon crisp. Remove from pan. Drain most of grease. Drain water off hominy. Fry hominy in bacon grease. Crumble bacon & mix in hominy.

Cowboy Cornbread

Cowboy Cornbread 2 pounds of Ground Beef 2 cans Rotel 1 can Ranch Style Beans 2 packages of Mexican style cornbread mix OR 2 packages of your favorite 8x8 pan cornbread mix 1 can cream style corn Shredded cheese of your choice preheat oven to 350 Now at this step you need to brown & season hamburger meat, drain. Then add two cans of drained Rotel tomatoes and one can of Ranch style beans. Simmer 10 mins. Now you need to mix 2 packages of cornbread per directions. And then add a can of cream style corn to cornbread mix, toss in shredded cheese of choice and stir. Now pour 1/2 of your cornbread mix in the bottom of the greased 9x13* pan, pour meat mixture, top with more shredded cheese, pour remaining cornbread mix on top. Finally step , so now bake at 350 F till cornbread is done. Refer to pkg instructions for baking time

Chocolate Twinkie Cake

Chocolate Twinkie Cake 1 box cake mix 1 can frosting filling: 5 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 1/4 tsp salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 tsp salt Bake cake according to package directions. when cake is completely cooled, turn cake out of pan onto a large plate or platter. (i usually use a cutting board). if the cake is really moist, put the cake in the freezer for a couple minutes and it should pop right out! cut the thickness of the cake in half with a large knife or cake leveler. using a second plate, remove the top of the cake and set aside. flip the bottom half of the cake back into the cake pan. for this part, you can make the cake all fancy and do multiple layers if you want to. it's all about what you want smile emoticon In a medium saucepan cook 5 T flour, 1 c milk, 1/4 tsp salt until thick. when i say thick, i mean kind of like a thin gravy. When it is too thick it doesn't beat up as nicely in the end. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. Let cool completely. I usually put it in the refrigerator to cool while I do the next step. In a medium bowl, cream together 1 c granulated sugar, 1/2 c crisco, 1/2 c margarine and 1/2 tsp salt. When the "gravy" is cooled completely, add it to the bowl of creamed ingredients and beat for 10 minutes. It should be fluffy and the consistency of twinkie filling. this recipe makes around 2 cups of fluff. It would be enough to have a 1/2 inch of filling in a 9x13 cake. spread the cream filling on the bottom cake layer, leave 1/4 inch of space around the outside of the cake. the cream will spread out when the top layer is put back on. carefully flip the top layer back onto the cake. frost as you normally would. if you are going to do a cake with multiple layers, i would recommend putting the cake in the freezer so the twinkie filling sets up and does not mix with the frosting if it squeezes out of the sides.

Parmesan Baked Pork

Parmesan Baked Pork 4 boneless pork chops 1 T. olive oil 1 C. Parmesan cheese 1 C. Italian bread crumbs 1 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder On a plate combine the last 4 ingredients. Rub the pork chops with olive oil and then dip (coat) each one in the cheese mixture. Press the mixture over the pork chops to make sure they are well covered in it. Line a pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the pork chops on the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Meatball Sandwich Casserole

Meatball Sandwich Casserole 1 bag of frozen meatballs (I use Mama Lucia Brand, personal preference) 1 jar of marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce if there isn't any marinara on hand 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded 1 loaf of fresh Italian bread, sliced Preheat oven to 400. Place entire bag of meatballs in pot with sauce (I also add garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste) and cook over medium heat until warmed completely through, about 10 minutes. Stir as needed to keep meatballs from sticking to pot. Once heated through remove from heat. Place meatballs in the center of a 9x13 baking dish, layer mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses over meatballs topping off with the Parmesan. Take the slices of Italian bread and line the pan all the way around with them so that they are kind of keeping the meatballs toward the center of the pan. The bread slices will be standing up in the pan as shown in the picture. You have creative freedom here with the bread...you can lightly butter and garlic the bread prior to placing it in the pan if you prefer or even brush lightly with olive oil and garlic. The choice is yours. I have made it plain and as noted above and all are delicious! Place in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven, serve and enjoy! A side salad goes nicely with this quick meal!

Fruity Pebbles Cookies

Fruity Pebbles Cookies 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix 1 ½ sticks butter 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tsp baking soda 2 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal 1 cup of white chocolate chips 2-1/4 cups flour Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together baking soda and flour and set aside. Cream together butter and sugars. Add the pudding package and beat until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined. Stir in Fruity Pebbles and white chocolate chips. Scoop 1” balls and place on your cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool

Chunky Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chunky Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 1/2 pound of butter 4 lg Eggs 4 lg ripe bananas mashed 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups of sugar 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp of baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 pint of sour cream 3 1/2 cups of flour 3 cups of chocolate chips Cream butter, sugar and eggs then add bananas. Add dry ingredients, alternately with sour cream. Add 1/2 of chocolate chips.Butter and flour 3 medium sized loaf pans, distribute batter evenly. Top each loaf with remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 45-50 mins

3 Envelope Roast

3 Envelope Roast 3 lb roast (beef or pork) such as chuck roast 1 pkg dry italian salad dressing mix 1 pkg dry ranch salad dressing mix 1 pkg dry brown gravy mix 1 c water If desired brown outer edges of roast in pan, if not place in crock pot In a bowl mix water with 3 envelopes of mixes until well blended, pour over roast in crock pot. (If the mixes are too overwhelming use 1/2 of all packages) cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours

Company Chicken Casserole

Company Chicken Casserole 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup chicken broth 2 cloves garlic 2 wedges of onion 4 cups Herb seasoned stuffing mix 1 cube butter (1/2 cup) 1 can Cream of Chicken soup 1 pint sour cream 8 oz frozen broccoli cuts – thawed (optional) Place chicken breasts, broth, garlic and onion in a skillet and bring just to a boil over medium high heat, turn heat down to medium, cover and simmer until pink is gone – about 15-20 min. Remove the chicken and shred with a fork and set aside. Reserve the broth (this should equal about 1 cup, but if it doesn't add enough canned broth to equal a cup). Melt the butter and pour over stuffing mix in a bowl and whisk with a fork to blend. Spread half of the stuffing/butter mixture in a large casserole dish or glass 9 x 13” pan. Blend the soup, sour cream and reserved broth together with a wire whisk. Place shredded chicken over the layer of stuffing mix. If using broccoli, spread this over the chicken. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken, then top with the remaining stuffing mixture. Bake for 30 min at 350

PIZZA MEATBALLS

PIZZA MEATBALLS 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef 2 Tb minced onion 1 cup cracker crumbs 1 egg 1/2 tsp. oregano 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1 (10-12 oz.) mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 (10 1/2 oz.) can pizza sauce Cube cheese, set aside. Mix first 6 ingredients. Shape into meatballs, stuff cube of cheese in middle of meatballs. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes at 375'F. Drain grease. Pour pizza sauce over meatballs. Bake 15-20 minutes longer. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake 5 more minutes. To serve, place meatballs on pasta of choice accompanied by some garlic bread.

Freddie Krueger's Casserole

Freddie Krueger's Casserole 1 pkg. flour tortillas, torn into wedges 1 lb. hamburger meat, browned & drained 1 med. can Ranch-style beans (or plain pinto beans) 1 med. onion, chopped 2 cups shredded cheese (Longhorn, Colby, or combined w/Monteray Jack) 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes w/peppers (mild or hot, as you prefer) 1 can mushroom soup Spray 2 qt. casserole dish with Pam. Line with torn up tortillas. Then layer, in this order: half of meat, beans, onion, cheese. Repeat layers, beginning with tortillas. In a separate bowl, mix Rotel & mushroom soup. Pour over the layers in casserole. This will look repulsive, thus the name. You may want to add some grated cheese on top, just to make it look better. Do not stir. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350' covered. Should be bubbly and hot through & through.

Crockpot Mississippi Roast

Crockpot Mississippi Roast 4 lb. chuck roast 1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix 1 pkg Mccormick Au Jus mix 1 stick butter 5 - 10 pepperoncini peppers Place chuck roast in crock pot and sprinkle dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix, packet of dry McCormick Au Jus mix, a stick of butter on top and pepperoncini peppers. DO NOT ADD WATER! Cook on low 7-8 hours. Makes an excellent gravy for mashed taters or rice. I have made this several times and cut the butter to 1/2 stick. it works just as well.

Smoked Bacon Wrapped French Vidalia Onion

Smoked Bacon Wrapped French Vidalia Onion 4 large Vidalia onions 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoon Montreal seasoning 4 thick slices bacon 4 ounces Gruyere, slice & torn 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped Basting Sauce 3/4 cup beef broth 1/4 cup dry vermouth 1/4 teaspoon lemon thyme 1/2 tablespoon Montreal seasoning Prep smoker to 250 degrees F. Peel and cut about 1/2” of the onion tops. Trim off a small amount of the bottom of onions so they stand upright. With spoon, scoop out a few of the inner the layers of the onion leaving the majority of the outer layers. Brush onions with olive oil and liberally sprinkle seasoning over each onion. Wrap bacon slices around each onion; secure with toothpick. Combine basting sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl. Put 2 tablespoons of sauce in the center of each onion. Smoke for 2 hours. Baste every 30 minutes. The last 5-10 minutes, place cheese inside and around onions allowing melting

Blackberry Dumplings

Blackberry Dumplings 1 qt Fresh or frozen (loose-pack) blackberries 1 c Plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 ts Lemon extract 1 1/2 c All-purpose flour 2 ts Baking powder 1/4 ts Ground nutmeg 2/3 c Milk Cream or whipped cream, optional In a Dutch oven, combine the blackberries, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and lemon extract. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg and remaining sugar and salt. Add milk; stir just until mixed. (Dough will be very thick.) Drop by tablespoonfuls into six mounds onto hot blackberry mixture cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean. Spoon in-to serving dishes. Serve with cream or whipped cream if desired.

Easy Scalloped PotatoesEasy Scalloped Potatoes

Easy Scalloped Potatoes,this is my favorite recipe 8 russet potatoes - sliced 1 onion - sliced 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 cup milk 2 cup grated cheddar cheese Salt, pepper, parsley flakes, garlic powder Preheat oven to 350 Layer sliced potatoes and sliced onion in a casserole dish. Mix soup and milk and 1 1/2 c of cheese ,heat to melt cheese,stir often,pour over potatoes and onion. Sprinkle with parsley, garlic powder and salt and pepper to your own taste. Cover and cook for 55-60 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the 1/2 c grated cheddar over the top. Return casserole to oven uncovered until the cheese melts.

Southwest Tuna Salad

Southwest Tuna Salad 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained 1 (2 1/2 ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained and rinsed... 1 (4 ounce) cans diced mild green chilies, drained 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup white onions, diced or 3 green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced (optional) diced fresh tomatoes (optional) or grape tomatoes, to taste (optional) Dressing 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional) 2 tablespoons sour cream (optional) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Tabasco sauce, to taste ( this really enhances it) Mix salad ingredients together. Mix dressing ingredients together. Stir dressing into salad, mix well. This is great right away but if you let it sit in the refrigerator it will develop even more flavor.

SPICY HONEY WINGS

SPICY HONEY WINGS 2 pounds chicken wings, tips discarded 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you can stand it) salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 cup honey 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup hot sauce Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate. Wash the wings well and pat dry with paper towel. Season the meat with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook the chicken wings on preheated grill until cooked through and juices run clear, 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the wings. Brush the wings liberally using 1/2 cup of honey while they are cooking. Melt the butter, pour into a large bowl and mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of honey and hot sauce. Remove the wings from the grill and immediately toss them in the hot honey butter sauce to coat. Serve the wings 'wet' or return them to the grill for 1 minute per side to set the sauce.

The Famous Woolworth Ice Box Cheesecake

The Famous Woolworth Ice Box Cheesecake 1 (3 ounce) package lemon Jell-O 1 cup boiling water 8 ounces cream cheese 1 cup granulated sugar 4 Tablespoons lemon juice ( less if you don't want to much lemon) 1 can Carnation Evaporated milk, well chilled Graham crackers, crushed Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Cool until slightly thickened. Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice with mixer until smooth. Add thickened Jell-O and beat well. In a separate bowl, beat the Carnation milk until fluffy. Add cream cheese/Jell-O mixture and beat well with mixer. Line bottom of 9 x 13-pan with crushed Graham crackers. Spread filling over and top with more crushed Graham crackers. Chill.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad 1 bunch broccoli – tops only 1 C. shredded cheddar cheese (add before serving) 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 lb bacon, fried & crumbled Dressing: 1/2 C. mayonnaise 1/4 C. sugar 1 T. vinegar Make dressing by combining all ingredients together and mixing well. Put salad ingredients into a large bowl and add dressing. Stir and blend well. Refrigerate. Add cheddar cheese to salad just before serving.

NO BAKE STRAWBERRY ICE BOX CAKE

NO BAKE STRAWBERRY ICE BOX CAKE 3 lbs. fresh strawberries, sliced 2 (8 oz.) tubs whipped topping 1 (14.4 oz.) box graham crackers 1/4 cup milk chocolate chip morsels Spread a small amount of whipped topping on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Place 5 graham cracker sheets down the middle and break 2 more sheets into crackers to fit down the sides. Lightly cover the top of the graham crackers with more whipped topping and then a layer of sliced strawberries. Repeat three times, until you have four layers of graham crackers (you may be a few crackers short on the top layer, but that's ok). You'll end with a layer of strawberries on top. Place milk chocolate chip morsels in a plastic bag. Microwave in 10 second intervals until melted. Snip the end of the plastic bag and drizzle chocolate over top of cake. Refrigerate covered for at least four hours, or until the crackers have softened completely. Cake will last well for two days.

APPLE SALAD

APPLE SALAD 2 large apples - diced 3 celery stalks - sliced 1 C raisins 1 TBS lemon juice 2 TBS honey 2 TBS Mayonnaise 2 TBS Peanut Butter 1/2 C chopped walnuts Toss apples with lemon juice. Add celery and raisins. Combine and stir in honey, mayo and peanut butter. Add walnuts and stir to coat well. Chill

Easy Homemade Chocolate Turtle Cake

Easy Homemade Chocolate Turtle Cake 1 cup chocolate chips 2 cups pecans... 3/4 cup melted butter 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1 (14 ounce) bags caramels 1 1/3 cups water ( or as called for by your cake mix) 1/3 cup oil ( or as called for by your cake mix) 3 eggs ( or as called for by your cake mix) 1 (18 ounce) boxes German chocolate cake mix Prepare cake mix as directed. Pour 1/2 of the batter in a 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Sprinkle on top 1 cup of pecans& chocolate chips. pour remaining batter on top and bake for additional 20 minutes ICING-- in double boiler add pecans caramels milk and butter stir constantly till melted poor melted caramel over cooling cake

Smothered Green Beans

Smothered Green Beans 1 1/2 pounds fresh/frozen green beans 1/2 lb bacon 3-4 garlic cloves chopped 1 can mushrooms 1 medium onion diced 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (you can use less if you want it more spicy) Cajun seasonings Salt and pepper to taste Fry up bacon, remove and set aside.. On medium heat cook onions in bacon grease until tender, add garlic cook until fragrant.. Add mushrooms and a good sprinkle of Cajun seasonings.. Add maple syrup, bacon, and almonds.. Sprinkle w salt and pepper to taste.. Serve hot.

Apple Pie Tacos

Apple Pie Tacos 4 Apples peeled & sliced ½ C Sugar 2 tsp Cinnamon ½ tsp Nutmeg ½ C Water Tortilla's (flour) 6" size Oil (for frying tortillas) 1/2 c sugar-cinnamon mixture Whipped cream Place apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water in a sauce pan. Stir until well blended and cover and cook on medium stirring frequently For 10 minutes or until apples are semi soft. If needed, thicken sauce using 1 Tb of cornstarch to 3-4 Tb of water. Mix into sauce and stir until thickened. Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet and holding the tortilla folded in half, place the bottom on tortilla in the oil for a few seconds. Then lay it on one side until browned and then place other side down until browned. Remove from oil and Sprinkle browned tortilla with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Fill taco shells with apple pie filling and top with whipped cream, and sprinkle a little more of sugar-cinnamon mixture on top.

Skillet Potatoes

Skillet Potatoes 2 large russet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes...... 14 oz. smoked sausage, thinly sliced 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 c. chopped bell pepper (red or green) 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 c. chicken stock 1 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper 1/4 tsp. dried parsley 2 tbsps. veg. oil In a large skillet heat oil...add in the smoked sausage and cook, turning often till browned on edges. Remove meat from skillet and add in the potatoes and cook over med. high heat till they begin to brown and become tender. Add in the onions, pepper and garlic cooking for about 5 minutes then add in the chicken stock and cover. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and check potatoes for doneness. Add the spices, stir and add in the smoked sausage.

LEMON CREAM BARS

LEMON CREAM BARS cooking spray 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough , divided 2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 3 tablespoons white sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Press 1 can crescent roll dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching to the edges. Mix the zest of 1 1/2 lemons and juice from 2 lemons together in a bowl. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar into lemon zest mixture using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; spread over crescent roll dough layer. Unroll the second can of crescent roll dough and layer over cream cheese mixture, gently stretching dough to the edges. Brush melted butter over crescent roll dough layer. Mix remaining lemon zest and 3 tablespoons sugar together in a bowl; sprinkle over butter. Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Lift dessert from baking dish using foil; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares, leaving on foil. Return dessert to the baking dish and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Strawberry Dessert

Strawberry Dessert 2 Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mixes 16 ounces softened cream cheese 2 cups sugar 1 to 2 cups whipped cream or cool whip 2 or 3 lbs. strawberries washed and sliced Strawberry glaze - you can buy it in jars, box mixes or make it using cornstarch Whipped Cream for topping Preheat oven to 375. Prepare the cookie mixes with the butter and egg as the directions on the bags say to. Spread in a Texas sheet cake pan (like 10x15 I think) to make the crust. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Mix softened cream cheese and sugar with hand mixer until well blended. Then fold in the whipped cream or cool whip. When cookie crust is done and slightly cooled spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Then mix strawberries with glaze of your choice (or even just mix strawberries with sugar and let sit overnight in fridge and they would work) and pour the mixture over the top and chill for about four hours or more. Serve with whipped cream on top!

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COCONUT COOKIES

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COCONUT COOKIES 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 3 cups rolled oats 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 1 cup shredded coconut Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture until well blended. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips. walnuts and coconut until evenly distributed. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven for a chewy cookie or 14 minutes for a firmer cookie. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then remove to wire rack. Cool completely and then store in tightly sealed container.

SHORTBREAD CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

SHORTBREAD CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup white sugar 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 300 degrees F Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Roll or scoop dough into walnut sized balls. Place them on unprepared cookie sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Flatten cookies slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from sheets to cool on racks.

CINNAMON COOKIES

CINNAMON COOKIES 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in egg and molasses, blending well. Mix flour, baking soda and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

CHOCOLATE RUM BALLS

CHOCOLATE RUM BALLS 3 1/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/2 cup rum In a large bowl, stir together the crushed vanilla wafers, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum. Shape into 1 inch balls, and roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container for several days to develop the flavor. Roll again in confectioners' sugar before serving.

COCONUT RUM BALLS

COCONUT RUM BALLS 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers, crushed 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup rum 1/8 cup confectioners' sugar In a large bowl, combine crumbs, coconut, & nuts. Add sweetened condensed milk & rum; mix well. Chill 4 hours. Shape into 1- inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in covered container in refrigerator 24 hours before serving.

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Salad 8 medium Russet Potatoes 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 package of bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 small onion, chopped Chives, to taste 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Salt and Pepper to taste Wash and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cover with water and boil until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Do not overcook! Drain and cool the potatoes. I put them in a separate bowl and once they cooled enough I put them in the fridge to cool all the way. This gave them an excellent texture and prevented the dairy ingredients from getting hot or the cheese from melting. If you are serving this salad hot then you don’t need to cool the potatoes, just skip step 2! Mix the mayo and sour cream together in a bowl. Add to the potatoes, then add the onions, chives, and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste – I use a pepper grinder and a sea salt grinder for EVERYTHING so I never know exactly how much of either I put in. I think the taste is far superior to just using regular table salt and pepper. Top with extra shredded cheese and bacon and serve!

Ranch Potatoes

Ranch Potatoes 8 -10 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes 1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1 1/4 cups milk... 1 envelope ranch dressing mix 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided salt and pepper 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled Add the potatoes to a saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cook about 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender; drain. Place drained potatoes into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the soup, milk, salad dressing mix, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper to taste; pour over potatoes. Sprinkle crumbled bacon and the remaining cheese over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender

Mamas Chicken Roll Ups

Mamas Chicken Roll Ups 2 large chicken breast 1 can crescent rolls 1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup 1/2 soup can of broth (use what the chicken cooked in) 1/2 soup can milk 1 T. all purpose flour 6 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese pinch of salt and pepper Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook till chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken (save broth). When cooled enough to handle remove the chicken from the bone and shred, set aside. Whisk together the soup, broth, milk, flour, salt and pepper. Unroll the crescent dough and separate into the triangles. Place a little cheese over the dough and at the larger end place a good heaping of the chicken. Roll up and place in a 9x13 casserole dish. Repeat with remaining. Once all are in the dish, pour the soup mix around each one and then drizzle a little over the tops (not too much). Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, remove and top with a little more cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving, the soup mixture will thicken up like a gravy.

Crack-Tastic Crackers

Crack-Tastic Crackers 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted 1 packet ranch dressing mix 2 T. red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 2 sleeves saltine crackers parmesan cheese In a large bowl combine melted butter, dressing mix, pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Add crackers, 1 sleeve at a time, and gently with your hand toss to coat the crackers. Let sit in the bowl while the oven preheats to 250 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with tin foil. Spread crackers out on tin foil and bake for 15 minutes, remove and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and turn the crackers over. Sprinkle with more cheese and return to over for 10 minutes.

CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

SUPER EASY DINNER! CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE Approximately 3 cups of shredded chicken 16 oz bag of frozen broccoli (cooked) 1 can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese Garlic powder and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, pour into a 9x9 baking dish and cook for 25 minutes.

JALAPENO CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

JALAPENO CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE 2 cups cooked rice 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 1/2 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast meat 1 can (12 fluid ounces) Reduced Fat Evaporated Milk 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1 tablespoon diced jalapeños Salt PREHEAT oven to 350–F. Lightly grease 2-quart casserole. COMBINE rice, cheese, chicken, evaporated milk, onion, eggs, cilantro, butter and jalapeños in prepared casserole; stir well. BAKE 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Season with salt.

Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie

Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie Pie Crust 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 6 tbsp butter 2-3 tbsp cold water Pie Filling 6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples 3 tbsp flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt 1/4 cup brown sugar Crumble Topping 1 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes Crust Preheat oven to 375F. Add flour, salt and butter into a mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut into you have mixture the texture of coarse meal. One spoonful at a time, sprinkle with cold water and mix until the dough holds together and cleans away from the bowl easily. Lightly flour a surface and lightly flour a rolling pin. Roll dough , using more flour if the dough begins to stick. Transfer dough to a 9 inch pie plate, fluting the edges. Grease some butter and flour into your uncooked pie crust. In a medium bowl mix apples with sugar, cinnamon, flour and sea salt. Add filling into crust. Mix together crumble toppings in your used bowl and sprinkle crumble over filling. Bake pie for 25-30 minutes until golden brown edges appear.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Apple Cinnamon Bread 1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2/3 cup white sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk 1 apple, peeled and chopped Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract. Combine flour and baking powder together in another bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Next add half the apples and half the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Best Way To Use Cake Mix

Best Way To Use Cake Mix 1 box cake mix 1 box instant pudding mix 4 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 8oz sour cream 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Mix well to combine – batter will be thick. Spread batter into your prepared (aka, greased) cake pan. Bake for 10 minutes plus whatever cooking time the box specifies for your pan. Cool completely before frosting.

Pineapple-Orange Sunshine Cake

Pineapple-Orange Sunshine Cake Cake 1 box yellow cake mix with pudding 1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, including juice ½ cup oil 4 large eggs Combine cake mix, oranges (including juice) and oil; mix on medium speed until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter in a prepared (greased and floured) 9” x 13” pan or you can use 2 9” round or square pans. Bake for approximately 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool on a rack while preparing frosting. Frosting 1 package of Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake mix 1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapples, including juice 1 cup of sour cream 1 (16 oz.) container Cool Whip Directions: Empty cheesecake mix in a bowl; add crushed pineapples (including juice) and sour cream; mix until all ingredients are blended. Add Cool Whip and fold into the cheesecake mixture. Frost a completely cooled cake. This cake is best if made the day before you plan to serve. Keep refrigerated

PEACH POCKETS

PEACH POCKETS 1 1/2 cups Fresh (or can; in natural juice) Peaches 1 8oz. pack of Crescent rolls 1 egg white 1/4 cup light brown sugar Pre-heat oven 350⁰ In a small bowl add clear part of egg by separating from yolk (be sure not to get any shell in egg white) Place crescent rolls flat on cookie sheet Add 2-3 peaches to each crescent (make sure it is the wide side) fold over, and with the spike end of fork press end to seal. With a basting brush lightly brush top of each crescent with egg white Sprinkle sugar on each and bake until golden brown (approx. 12-14 minutes)

Ro-Tel Chicken Spaghetti

Ro-Tel Chicken Spaghetti 4 -6 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can chicken broth 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes 1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed 12 ounces spaghetti, cooked & drained In a bowl mix together the soup, broth& Ro-tel tomatoes. In a 13x9 greased casserole dish layer as follows: Spaghetti, Chicken, Soup mix, Cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese melts about 30-45 minutes. As soon as you remove from the oven stir to mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste.

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE 1 yellow cake mix 1/2 cup oil 4 eggs 1 can mandarin oranges (with liquid) Place all ingredients in a bowl. Beat together 3-4 minutes. Do not add any other ingredients. Pour equally into 3 round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Icing: 1 (#2) can crushed pineapple in it's own juice 1 Pkg vanilla instant pudding 1 (13 oz) container Cool Whip Mix together Pudding and Pineapple. Fold in Cool Whip. Frost one layer at a time then frost top and all sides. Refrigerate. Super moist delicious!!

CHICKEN BACON LASAGNA ROLLS

CHICKEN BACON LASAGNA ROLLS 8 lasagna pasta, cooked and drained. 1 pound bacon, diced, cooked and drained 1 small red or yellow onion 6 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded 2 cups of Alfredo cream sauce 1/2 cup mozzarella (to sprinkle on top) 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (to sprinkle on top) Filling: 1 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 6 oz. cream cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder salt and pepper Add 8 pieces of lasagna pasta to a large pot of boiling water. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than the directions on the package. Drain pasta in strainer and lay pasta onto paper towels to dry off excess water. Shred chicken breasts. Set aside. Cut and fry bacon. Add diced onions and crushed garlic 3 minutes prior to baking being finished. Drain bacon mixture onto a plate with paper towels. In a medium size bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan and seasonings. Divide and spread the filling onto the cooked pasta evenly. Add the shredded chicken onto each pasta. Sprinkle the bacon mixture on top of the chicken and cheese mixture. (Save some for the top after you roll up the pasta.) Sprinkle some Parmesan on top of the bacon and chicken. Spread 1/2 cup of cream sauce on the bottom of a medium baking dish. Roll the pasta and put seam side facing down into the sauce that is in the baking dish. Cover the roll ups with the rest of the cream sauce. Top with pieces of bacon. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.

APPLE PIE TACOS

APPLE PIE TACOS 4 Apples peeled & sliced 1/2 C Sugar 2 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1/2 C Water Tortilla's (flour) 6" size Oil (for frying tortillas) 1/2 c sugar-cinnamon mixture Whipped cream Place apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water in a sauce pan. Stir until well blended and cover and cook on medium stirring frequently for 10 minutes or until apples are semi soft. If needed, thicken sauce using 1 Tbl of cornstarch to 3-4 Tbl of water. Mix into sauce and stir until thickened. Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet and holding the tortilla folded in half, place the bottom on tortilla in the oil for a few seconds. Then lay it on one side until browned and then place other side down until browned. Remove from oil and Sprinkle browned tortilla with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Fill taco shells with apple pie filling and top with whipped cream, and sprinkle a little more of sugar-cinnamon mixture on top.

Cream Cheese Crescent Cookies

Cream Cheese Crescent Cookies 2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour 1 Cup unsalted butter, chilled 1 egg yolk 3/4 Cup Sour Cream, room temperature 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Tsp Baking powder 4 Tbl Cream Cheese, room temperature 1/2 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar Filling: Softened Cream cheese Fruit Preserve of your choice confectioner’s sugar for dusting the cookies Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, baking powder and confectioner’s sugar, cut butter into flour mixture, mix on low speed until the flour resembles small crumbs, add egg yolk, vanilla, sour cream and the cream cheese, mixing after each addition. Dough should be sticky. Divide into 4 portions, wrap each portion with plastic wrap and chill for a 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator. Roll each portion into a 12 inch circle (keep the remaining dough refrigerator while you are working with one), spread softened Cream cheese onto the surface of the dough, cut as you would a pie wedge, into 8 sections, place a teaspoon of your preferred Jelly on to wide end of the wedge, start rolling the wedge, toward small point to make crescent-shape (using fingers) as you place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve.

Peanut Butter Cookie Lasagna

Peanut Butter Cookie Lasagna 1 box Nutter Butter Cookies Cool Whip or whip your own fresh whipped cream (1 cup cream plus a drop of sugar for sweetness) peanut butter cups 1/2 cup peanut butter, melted in microwave 1 box instant or regular vanilla pudding, prepared according to package Line the bottom of an 8x8 pan with Nutter Butter Cookies. Top with a drizzle of the melted peanut butter. Add 1/2 the pudding. Add half the cream. (I like to use a pastry bag so it is pretty but you can spread it if you prefer.) Top with chopped peanut butter cups. Repeat the layering! Decorate the top with crushed nutter butter cookies, peanut butter cups and a drizzle more of peanut butter. This must be chilled overnight for the cookies to soften! We are talking 24 hours or more-a little tip to speed the softening up....halve the cookies lengthwise (don't worry about the cream) and layer them halved. Or you could even chop the cookies and use chopped cookies in the layers

{No Bake} Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

{No Bake} Peanut Butter Brownie Bites 1 box of brownie mix 1 cup peanut butter 4 tablespoons milk of choice In medium size mixing bowl combine the brownie mix and peanut butter. Stir and then knead until combined. Add the milk slowly and stir until desired consistency is reached. Taking a tablespoon amount at a time roll the dough into small balls with your hands. Serve immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Pina Colada Cake

Pina Colada Cake 1 pkg. white cake mix 1 (3 oz.) instant coconut cream pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup Sprite or 7Up 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 1/3 cup dark rum Frosting 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple 1 (3oz.) box of instant coconut cream pudding 1/3 cup dark rum 8 oz. frozen whipped topping ( Cool Whip) 1 cup flaked coconut ***If you are serving this cake to children, you can substitute 2 tsp. of rum extract and 1/4 cup milk for the actual Bacardi rum in the frosting since it is not cooked and the rum does not dissipate like it does in the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour into two 9 inch round cake pans you have sprayed with nonstick baking spray. I also line mine with parchment paper that is also sprayed. Place in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Turn onto a wire rack and cool completely. To make your frosting, combine the pineapple (do not drain), rum, and pudding mix until well blended. Fold in the whipped topping. Stack and frost the cake,sprinkle with coconut,,serve and enjoy

Skillet Shepherd's Pie

Skillet Shepherd's Pie 3 cups chopped cooked turkey breast [or lean ground beef or rotisserie chicken] 2 can (14.5oz.each) Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes 1 can (15.25oz.) Whole Kernel Corn, drained 1 can (14.5oz.) Cut Green Beans, drained 1 can (8oz.) Sweet Peas, drained 2 Tbsps. butter, cut into small pieces 1 1/2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 4 cups Instant mashed potatoes, prepared or leftover mashed potatoes 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, 3 oz. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 9 ingredients in a deep 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid in skillet begins to simmer. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Spoon mashed potatoes evenly over turkey mixture; sprinkle with cheese and bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

Bacon Tomato Grilled Cheese

Bacon Tomato Grilled Cheese 2 slices bread 4 slices cheddar cheese 1-2 slices swiss 4 slices cooked bacon 2 slices tomato 1 tablespoon butter Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Layer 2 slices cheddar on top of bread, then bacon slices, then lacy swiss cheese, then tomato and finally the remaining slices of cheese. Place bread buttered side down in a fry pan over medium-high heat. Cover with lid and let cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Reduce heat to medium and flip sandwich to other side and cook for 2-3 minutes or until bread is toasty golden and cheese has melted. The second side will cook faster than the first so watch carefully.

15 Minute Chow Mein Noodles

15 Minute Chow Mein Noodles 4 packages ramen noodles* 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 small onion, diced 10 oz. shredded cabbage salt & pepper, to taste 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger {or grate in a little fresh ginger} 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil Bring large pot of water to boil. Cook ramen noodles until chewy and soft, 4 minutes. Drain and rinse to remove extra starch. Set aside. While noodles are cooking, saute onion, cabbage, salt and pepper in oil to soften, 5 minutes. Add in cooked noodles, ginger, sugar, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook another 2-3 minutes to heat through and serve. *I'm talking about the cheap 15 cent packs of dried ramen noodles. For this recipe, discard the flavor packets. Feel free to use refrigerated yaki soba.

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole 1 lb ground beef 1 can (16 oz) refried beans 1 jar (16 oz) Thick ‘n Chunky salsa 1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix 2 1/2 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped (3/4 cup) 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups) 1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz) 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives 1 cup shredded lettuce Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in refried beans, salsa and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place 2 cups of the broken tortilla chips. Top evenly with beef mixture. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onions, 1 cup of the tomato, the cheese and olives. Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Top baked casserole with lettuce, remaining 1/2 cup tomato and remaining 1/2 cup tortilla chips. Serves 5

CHOCOLATE CHIP KIT KAT COOKIES RECIPE

CHOCOLATE CHIP KIT KAT COOKIES RECIPE 2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature (or you can microwave then for 25 seconds to soften up) 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or you can just use two cups of milk chocolate chips) 1 1/2 cup chopped Kit Kat bars 3 cups of all purpose flour Beat the sugar and butter together until nice and creamy, then beat in eggs and extra egg yolk, one at a time. Add in salt, baking soda and flour and beat lightly until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and Kit Kat bars – don’t beat them in, just stir with a spoon so that they don’t get broken up. Refrigerate the dough for about two hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons and roll into balls, placing about two inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes for tender and chewy cookies, or up to 10 minutes for crispier cookies. Allow to cook for about ten minutes before devouring!

Cream Cheese Peach Pie Delight

Cream Cheese Peach Pie Delight 1 package of white or yellow dry cake mix 1/3 cup butter, room temperature 2 large eggs, divided... 29 ounce can of peach slices, drained 8 ounces of Cream Cheese, room temperature 1/3 cup of sugar 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. In large bowl combine cake mix, butter, and 1 egg. Mix until crumbly. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of crumbs for topping. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cut Peach slices into 1 inch pieces. You can use frozen or fresh peaches if you choose but I like canned for this particular recipe because of the short baking time. Spoon into partially baked crust. In large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla extract. Beat with mixer until creamy. Spoon over peaches. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake 30 minutes. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin 4 tbs butter 2 tbs honey 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning 1/2 tsp black pepper 3/4 cup water Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an ovenproof pot, heat butter and honey over medium heat until melted. Sprinkle pork tenderloin with Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Brown each side for 5 minutes in the honey butter. Lower heat if honey begins to burn. Place pot in oven and roast uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes*. Remove pot from oven and transfer the pork to a plate. Cover with foil. Add water to the pot and stir over medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until sauce is reduced slightly. Slice pork on the diagonal and drizzle sauce over top to serve. *NOTE: May need to cook longer depending on the size and thickness of the pork tenderloin.

CHICKEN AND SPINACH PASTA BAKE

CHICKEN AND SPINACH PASTA BAKE 8 oz uncooked rigatoni 1 T olive oil 1 c chopped onion 1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed 3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts 1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, un-drained 1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper 1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese Prepare rigatoni according to pkg directions. Spread oil on bottom of 11×7 in baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside. Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken, & next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili 1 16 oz. can black beans, drained 1 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 1 green bell pepper, chopped 10 oz. package (1 1/4 cups) frozen corn kernels 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained 1 tbsp. cumin 1 tbsp. chili powder 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, uncooked 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro Optional toppings: Additional cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped scallions, red onion, sour cream, etc. Combine ingredients 1 through 14 in a slow cooker*. Stir until combined. Place uncooked chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Thirty minutes before serving, pull chicken breasts apart with two forks. Stir and continue cooking. Top with fresh cilantro or any other desired toppings. Serve with Honey Jalapeño Cornbread, if desired. Enjoy!

Quick Black Forest Torte

Quick Black Forest Torte 4 cups mini-marshmallows 1 chocolate cake mix 1 can cherry pie filling 1 large container of Cool Whip (or 2 cups whipping cream) Pour four cups of mini-marshmallows into a greased 9x13 inch cake pan. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to directions on package. Pour over marshmallows. Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over cake. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool. Top with whipped topping.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE BREAD

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE BREAD 1/2 cup butter. softened 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk 1 1/2 cups strawberries, rinsed & chopped Preheat oven to 350 Prepare a mini loaf pan (with 6 mini loaves) or 2 9x5 loaf pans with non-stick spray Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugars and cream cheese until fluffy Add eggs in one at a time Add in vanilla In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt Add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined Add in buttermilk mixing until just combined, making sure to not over-mix Carefully fold in chopped strawberries, dough will be very thick Divide mixture evenly among desired pans For mini loaves bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean For large loaf pans bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean Let cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve

MEXICAN STREET FRIES WITH SALSA KETCHUP

MEXICAN STREET FRIES WITH SALSA KETCHUP 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin dash - 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper* Salsa Ketchup 3 tablespoons ketchup 3 tablespoons salsa hot sauce to taste Preheat oven to 400F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the potatoes into thin fries no wider than 1/4 inch. Add all of the ingredients except the French fries to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add French fries and toss until evenly coated. Spread potatoes evenly over prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes then toss, and stir and rearrange fries in a single layer and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If you like crispier fries, then broil until golden and crispy. To make the Salsa Ketchup, whisk together the ketchup and salsa in a small bowl. Taste and add more salsa for more "salsa" taste, more ketchup for more "ketchup" taste. Add hot sauce to taste. You can also add mayonnaise for a creamy version - like Salsa Ketchup Fry Sauce. NOTES *If you don't have chipotle pepper, you can add a dash of cayenne pepper - just a dash though because cayenne is spicier than chipotle pepper.

Best Burger and French Fry Seasoning

Best Burger and French Fry Seasoning Makes about 6oz 1/4 cup salt 2 Tablespoons paprika 1 Tablespoon garlic powder 1 Tablespoon garlic salt 1/2 Tablespoon cumin 1/2 Tablespoon pepper 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon celery salt Pour all ingredients into a jar. Seal the jar and shake until all spices are well combined.

No Bake Granola Bars

No Bake Granola Bars 1 1/2 cups quick oats 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal 1/2 cup Corn Syrup or Honey 1/2 cup Peanut Butter 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp butter 1 tsp Vanilla 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 1/4 cup mini M&M's optional In a mixing bowl add quick oats and rice krispies into a bowl. In a medium sized saucepan add corn syrup, peanut butter, brown sugar and butter together. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Add in vanilla and remove from heat. Let cool for 3-5 minutes. Add sauce on top of cereal and mix until combined. Add mini chocolate chips and stir. Add mini M&M's on top and lightly press down. Once cooled cut into squares and wrap or seal in container.

Crab & cream cheese snacks

Crab & cream cheese snacks 1-8 oz. tube crescent roll dough 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup mayonnaise 3/4 cup cooked crabmeat, chopped 2 green onions, chopped 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper salt and pepper, to taste Heat oven to 375. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough on work surface. Pinch seams to seal and roll with a rolling pin to create an even rectangle. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, crab meat, onion, and red pepper. Salt and pepper to taste. Divide crab mixture evenly among the squares, dropping it by spoonfulls that are 1/2 inch from 1 corner of each square. Starting with same corner, fold dough over filling, and tuck end tightly underneath filling; continue rolling to within 1/2 inch of opposite corner. Roll opposite corner of dough over roll; press to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg white, if desired. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Ground Beef Casserole

Ground Beef Casserole 1 lb ground beef 1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped onion... 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped celery 1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms 2 tablespoons brown sugar or 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 1/4 lb sharp cheddar cheese 1 (6 ounce) package angel hair pasta, or elbow macaroni cooked, this is an estimated size bag- the original recipe called for 1 small bag 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce salt and pepper Brown meat in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions, pepper and celery and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook in skillet for 1 hour. Place cooked pasta in bottom of large casserole dish. Spoon mushroom soup over pasta. Pour sauce over the soup and top with cheese. Bake in 350°F oven for 30-45 minutes. Can sizes do not have to be exact, just as long as they are within a close range, everything will work out.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Chicken Parmesan Casserole 4-5 cooked chicken breasts, cubed 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste if you want it hot) 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped 2-3 cups marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated – divided 5 oz italian or plain croutons, roughly crushed, leaving some larger pieces Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the cooked cubed pieces of chicken across the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer. Spread the sauce evenly across the top. Sprinkle the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and basil evenly over the chicken. On top of the sauce layer, sprinkle ¾ cup of the Mozzarella and one ounce of the Parmesan evenly across the dish. Sprinkle the crushed croutons across the top and follow with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated.

Spicy Cajun Cornbread Casserole

Spicy Cajun Cornbread Casserole Crust 4 tbs.'s butter, melted 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg, beaten 1 (4 1/2 oz.) can green chilies, drained Filling 5 eggs, beaten 1 cup milk Salt to taste 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning Few shakes Tabasco sauce 1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce 1 lb. bulk pork sausage or 1 lb. ground beef 1 (14 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained, (optional) 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded In large bowl, add baking soda to buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes.. Add all of the other crust ingredients and mix well. Pour into a buttered 13x9 inch baking dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown sausage or ground beef, with the Cajun seasoning and Worcestshire sauce and drain excess oil. Add onion, peppers, and garlic, and saute with meat for 5 minutes. Add a little more Cajun seasoning, if desired. In large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt and Tabasco. Layer meat and veggie mixture over crust . Top with cheese. Pour egg mixture over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set. Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro or parsley.

Oven Hash Brown Potatoes

Oven Hash Brown Potatoes Potatoes 1 (2-pound) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes 1 medium (1/2 cup) onion, chopped 1 medium (1/2 cup) green and/or red bell pepper, chopped 1 (16-ounce) container (2 cups) sour cream 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup 1 sm. bag shredded cheese Topping 1/2 cup Butter, melted 1 cup dried breadcrumbs Heat oven to 325°F. Combine all potato ingredients except cheese in bowl; mix well. Spoon 2 cups potato mixture into buttered 13x9-inch baking dish; top with 1/2 the cheese. Repeat layering with 2 cups potato mixture and the rest of the cheese; top with remaining potato mixture. Combine all topping ingredients in bowl; sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake 55-65 minutes or until potato mixture is bubbly and heated through

Garlic Chicken Breasts

Garlic Chicken Breasts 1⁄3 cup butter, melted 2 tablespoons minced garlic (can use more or less) 2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided (garlic lovers can use more) 1⁄2 teaspoon seasoning salt (or can use white salt) 3⁄4 cup seasoned dry bread crumb (seasoned or plain) 1⁄2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese 1⁄4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste) 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts shredded cheddar cheese (optional and use any amount desired, or can use shredded mozzarella cheese) Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 11 x 7-inch pan (if using more than 4 breasts use a larger pan). In a bowl, combine melted butter with fresh minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the dry breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon garlic powder and coarse ground black pepper. Dip chicken in butter mixture; then in crumb mixture. Place in prepared pan and bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through, larger breasts may take more time (placing the chicken on a rack in a pan will produce an extra crispy crust). Top with shredded cheddar or mozzarella the last 5 minutes of cooking (this is only optional.

Peanut Butter Muffins

Peanut Butter Muffins 2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. sugar 2 1/2 t. baking powder 1 t. salt 1/2 c. peanut butter (recommend using crunchy) 2 T. butter 3/4 c. milk 2 beaten eggs In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix well. Cut in peanut butter and butter with a pastry cutter or fork, until coarse crumbs form. Stir in milk and eggs just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Makes one dozen muffins.

No Bake Double Chocolate Energy Bars

No Bake Double Chocolate Energy Bars 1 c. raw almonds 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips 1/2 c. flax seed meal 1 lb whole pitted prunes 1/2 c. cocoa powder 3 T. honey 2 T. Peanut Butter In food processor, add almonds and pulse until they are in coarse pieces. Add dark chocolate chips and flax seed meal, pulse til finely chopped. Pour into another bowl, and set aside. In food processor, add prunes, honey, peanut butter and cocoa powder and pulse until mixture is finely chopped and comes together. Add almond mixture back to the food processor and pulse for a few seconds until the entire mixture comes together. Line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper. Cut the paper extra long, so that the parchment paper hangs over the ends of the pan. Press the chocolate mixture evenly into the pan and fold parchment over the bars. Set a plate in the pan, to cover the bars. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove bars from pan, and cut to desire size. Store covered in refrigerator.

Fruit Leather

Fruit Leather Add your combination of berries into a pot. I used 3/4 blackberries, and 1/4 strawberries. Cut them into small pieces if you can. I add mine straight from the freezer. Add a splash of lemon juice. And some water. Between 1/4 cup to 1 cup of water. Just enough to help them stew. Cook over medium heat, mashing occasionally. Once they are all soft and mushy, remove from heat. Cover sheet pan(s) with plastic wrap. Brush lightly with olive oil. Add stewed fruit to blender. Be careful with this step, blending hot food can be messy. Remove the cap from the whole in the blender lid, then cover the lid with a dishtowel. After blended, sample the mixture to see if you need to add sugar. Add with caution as the fruit will naturally be sweeter as it dries. I did not have to add any sugar to my last batch. Pour the mixture onto your lined sheet pan(s). Spread it so it's even. Now, into the oven it goes. Low temperature, the lowest my oven goes is 170, and it took about 10 hours. I had the oven cracked about half of the time to keep the temp as low as I could. When it's done, it will be completely dry. Cut it up in slices, I found my pizza cutter worked great for this task.

Chicken Scratch

Chicken Scratch Chicken seasoning 2 T. salt 2 T. paprika 2 T. garlic powder 1 T. dried thyme 1 T. onion powder 1 T. white pepper 1 T. black pepper 1 T. cayenne pepper Mix all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Granola

Peanut Butter Granola 3 c. old-fashioned oats 3/4 c. sliced almonds 1/2 c. sunflower seeds 1 1/4 c. honey 1 c. Grape-Nuts cereal 1 T. melted butter 1/4 c. peanut butter 1/4 c. ground flax seed 1 T. cinnamon 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup dried bananas, chopped into small pieces Combine oats, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Spread on cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. In large bowl combine Grape-Nuts, butter, peanut butter, ground flax seed, cinnamon, and honey. Add the oatmeal mixture; mix until well coated. Spread on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Cool. Once cooled, break the granola into small bits and stir in dried fruit**. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Crazy BBQ Chicken

Crazy BBQ Chicken 1 Large Bottle 7-Up (I use the 2 liter bottle) 2 red onions - diced 4 large garlic cloves-diced 1 bottle soy sauce ( adjust to your taste on how much you want to use!) Hot sauce (Optional) 2 chickens cut into pieces Put all ingredients into an old paint bucket (I use 2 of my largest bowls for this part!). Marinate for 5 or more hours. Grill-Basting Once. Can cut in half for a smaller croud

Upside Down Strawberry Meringue Pie

Upside Down Strawberry Meringue Pie 1 1/2 squares semi-sweet chocolate 1 prepared 9 inch pie crust (yes, I cheated) 2 egg whites 1/4 c. sugar 2 1/2 c. berries (divided) 1/3 c. sugar 2 T. cornstarch 1/2 c. water 1 c. whipping cream 1 T. powdered sugar 1 t. vanilla Grated chocolate for garnish In microwave, melt 1 1/2 squares of semi-sweet chocolate. Once melted, pour onto crust. Spread evenly so the entire crust is covered. Chill until set. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring egg whites to room temperature. Add egg whites to large stainless steel bowl. Beat on medium-high speed, until soft peaks have formed. Gradually add 1/4 c. sugar. Continue beating on high speed, until stiff peaks have formed. Spread on top of chocolate covered crust. Bake at 325 degrees, for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set crust aside to cool. In medium saucepan, add 2 c. berries, and mash. Add sugar. Bring to boil, over medium high heat, stirring frequently. In small bowl, whisk cornstarch, and water. Gradually add cornstarch mixture to boiling strawberry mash. Reduce heat, and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool. Once strawberry mixture has cooled, poor over cooled meringue. Chill until set. Once set, before serving, prepare whipped topping. In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat. Garnish with remaining berries, and grated chocolate.

Asado a la Mexicana

Asado a la Mexicana 4 lb. Beef Roast 4 Garlic Cloves, crushed 2 t. cumin 2 t. chili powder 1 c. fresh salsa 1 green pepper, cut into strips 1 onion, cut into strips Place roast in crock pot. Cover with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours; until roast pulls apart easily. Remove the roast from the crock pot. Shred beef. With slotted spoon, remove veggies from crock and mix with beef. Serve with tortillas, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Orange Creamsicle Cookies  2 1/2 c. all purpose flour 3/4 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1 c. butter, softened 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. packed brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 t. vanilla extract 1/2 t. orange extract 2 T. orange zest 2 c. white chocolate chips Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overbake. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Blackberry Pie Bars

Blackberry Pie Bars Crust and Topping 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 c. sugar 1/4 t. salt 1 1/2 c. chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes zest of two lemons Blackberry Filling 4 large eggs 2 c. sugar 1 c. greek yogurt 3/4 c. all-purpose flour pinch of salt *5 c. fresh black berries or 2 16-oz packages frozen blackberries, defrosted and drained Crust and topping- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 x 13-inch backing pan. Zest two lemons. Measure the sugar onto a clean work area. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with the back of a spoon (this will create a lemon scented sugar). Combine lemon sugar, flour, salt and butter in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until the mixture looks dry and crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of crust mixture to use as the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes until it is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling. Filling- Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, greek yogurt, flour and salt. Gently fold in the blackberries. Spoon the mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Cool for 1 hour before slicing. **Note - Add up to 6 cup of fresh berries depending on your taste.

Three Pepper Pasta Salad

Three Pepper Pasta Salad 13 oz. box Penne Pasta 1 - 1 oz. package Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. olive oil 1 medium size green bell pepper 1 medium size red bell pepper 1 medium size yellow bell pepper 1 medium red onion 6 oz. cheddar cheese. Cook pasta according to directions on box. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix dressing mix together with water and oil. Combine well, and set aside. Cut peppers, onion and cheddar cheese into thick julienne strips. Rinse pasta in cold water. Add dressing and toss together until thoroughly combined. Add vegetables and cheese. Toss lightly. Add additional olive oil, if needed. Let chill for 4 hours.

Homemade Butterfinger Bites

Homemade Butterfinger Bites 16 oz. candy corn 16 oz. creamy peanut butter 12 oz. milk chocolate chips 1 T. Shortening (optional) Line 8”x8” pan with wax paper. Melt candy corn in microwave for one minute. Stir, and continue in 30-second intervals until melted. Stir after each interval. Stir in peanut butter. Spread mixture into pan and cool completely. Cut into bite sizes. Trim edges if necessary. Melt chocolate according to package instructions. If needed, add one tablespoon vegetable shortening to thin the chocolate. With fork, dip each "bite" into melted chocolate and completely cover. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in airtight container.

Crockpot Tavern Sandwich

Crockpot Tavern Sandwich 2 1/2 lbs lean ground beef 1 large onion - chopped 1 c. ketchup 1 t. chili powder 1 t. dry mustard 1 t. salt 1 t. Worcestershire Sauce 2 c. beef broth or water In skillet, brown ground beef; drain well. Place browned beef and remaining ingredients in crockpot. Stir well to mix all ingredients. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 - 10 hours

Beer Bread

Beer Bread 3 c. self rising flour**(see note below) 1/3 c. sugar 1 t. kosher salt 12 oz. beer 2 T. melted butter Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8x4 inch loaf pan. In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and beer. Mix well. The mixture will be very thick. Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 55 minutes. At the last three minutes of baking, remove from oven, brush the top of the loaf with the melted butter and return to oven for the final three minutes of baking. **Note: If you don't have self rising flour, you can make it. Directions can be found here, or below. Using a dry measure, measure the desired amount of flour into a separate container. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine.

Coconut Crisps

Coconut Crisps 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup oil 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 2 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. coconut flavoring (I omited since I could not find this in the stores!) 3 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1 cup oatmeal 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup coconut 1 cup Rice Krispies Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter, oil and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, and coconut flavoring. Add flour mixture one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips, coconut and Rice Krispies. Mix until well combined. Using small cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.** note;do not over brown, so I baked for 15 minutes exactly, and they were at a golden color, and are perfection. Store in airtight container. Or freeze them and you will be ready whenever you need a cookie!

Chocolatey Rice Krispie Bars

Chocolatey Rice Krispie Bars 3 Tbsp butter 1 - 8 oz pkg Hershey's Drops 1 - 10 oz pkg marshmallows 6 c. Rice Krispies Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan, and set aside. Set aside 1 cup of the Hershey's Drops. Take remaining chocolate candies and rough chop for topping. In large saucepan melt butter and the reserved 1 cup of Hershey's Drops over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies, stirring until coated. Pour into the prepared pan, and use buttered spatula or piece of wax paper, press evenly into pan. Sprinkle with chopped candies. Let set for 15 minutes.

Peanut Butter M&M's Cookies

Peanut Butter M&M's Cookies butter 2 sticks granulated sugar 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1 1/4 cup 10 oz. creamy peanut butter 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons egg 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup baking soda 3/4 tsp. 1/2 tsp. salt 12 oz. M&M's Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugars on low speed, until creamy and no lumps remain. Add the peanut butter and continue to mix on low speed. Add the vanilla and eggs slowly. Mix until completely combined. In separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add to the cream mixture, mixing on low speed until combined. Add the M&M's, mixing until M&M's are evenly mixed through the dough. Drop by tablespoons unto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or just until turning golden. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to baking rack.

Maple Granola

Maple Granola 3 c. rolled oats 1 c. dried unsweetened coconut chips 1 c. chopped walnuts 2/3 c. pure maple syrup 1/3 c. coconut oil, melted 1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed 1/2 tsp. sea salt (original recipe called for 1 teaspoon) 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. nutmeg 1 c. dried cranberries (or raisins if you prefer!) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the dried cranberries. Mix until everything is well combined. Spread evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. After 40 minutes, add cranberries and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in air tight container.

Tex Mex Shredded Chicken

Tex Mex Shredded Chicken 5 chicken thighs (skinless) 3 chicken breasts (skinless) 24 oz crushed tomatoes 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped 5 garlic cloves, sliced 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Place chicken in slow cooker. In bowl, mix tomatoes, green and red bell pepper, and seasonings. Stir until combined. Pour over chicken, making sure chicken is coated with veggies and seasoning. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker. Remove bones. Shred chicken, and add back to cooker juices. Cover slow cooker, and let chicken simmer in crockpot, on low, for 30-60 minutes.

Comeback Sauce

Comeback Sauce 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup chili sauce (look for the ketchup like (Heinz) chili sauce - not the spicy hot stuff) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp ground black pepper Mix all ingredients well. Refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Keep refrigerated. Store in air tight container.

Buttery Garlic Ranch Pretzels

Buttery Garlic Ranch Pretzels 16 oz. bag Mini Pretzels 4 oz. Orville Redenbacher Buttery Flavor Popcorn Oil 1 oz. package Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix (Original) 2 tsp garlic powder ( I use 3 tsp since I love them really garlicky) Pour pretzels into large mixing bowl. Toss with popcorn oil, until pretzels are coated with the oil. Sprinkle the dip mix and garlic powder over the pretzels. Toss again until all the ingredients are distributed over all the pretzels. Spend a couple minutes doing this to be sure everything is evenly distributed.

Peach Quick Bread

Peach Quick Bread 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 cup flour 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 Tbsp. buttermilk 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cup diced peaches 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts Streusel Topping: 3 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. flour 3 Tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine baking soda, salt, and flour. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add buttermilk, and vanilla; combine well. Add dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Combine just until mixed. Add in peaches and nuts. Stir gently, only until combined. The batter will be thick, so spoon it into the prepared loaf pan rather than pouring it. To prepare streusel, combine 3 Tbsp. butter, 3 Tbsp. flour, 3 Tbsp, sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Blend with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle streusel over batter. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in the pan, on a wire rack.

French Toast Bread Pudding Muffins

French Toast Bread Pudding Muffins 1 loaf English Muffin Toasting Bread 4 eggs 2 cup milk (I use 2 %) 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. cinnamon Cut loaf of bread into small cubes; put in medium bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Let set 15 to 30 minutes, or until most of the egg mixture has been absorbed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners, or grease tins. Fill each tin 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Whiskey Peach Sauce

Whiskey Peach Sauce 3 cups coarsely chopped ripe peaches (about 3 large) 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup your favorite whiskey 2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated Add all ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil, over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened Remove from the heat. With immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Sour Cream Cookies

Sour Cream Cookies 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 cup sour cream 1 cup shortening(Crisco) 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl, blend sugar, sour cream, shortening, eggs, and vanilla until combined. In medium bowl mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the sour cream mixture, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Divide dough into two balls. On floured surface, roll dough out to between 1/8" and 1/4" thick, and cut with cookie cutter. Place on lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or just until a hint of golden-ness around the edges. Cool on sheet 3-4 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely. Frost with your choice of frosting, and enjoy with as many of your favorite sprinkles as you like!

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Chocolate Waffle Cookies 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips Powdered Sugar Preheat waffle iron. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy. Blend in the melted chocolate. Add flour, mixing until completely incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop 2 tablespoons of batter in each section of waffle iron (my iron has 4 squares). Bake for 4 minutes*** Carefully lift cookie out and cool on wire rack. After cookie has cooled, dust with powdered sugar. ***Note**** I used a Belgian Waffle Maker for these cookies. If you are not using Belgian style, I suggest using less batter, and decreasing your baking time.

Authentic Mexican Rice

Authentic Mexican Rice 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 1 small onion, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper (optional) 2 cups long grain white rice 1/3 cup canola oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 tsp salt Cilantro, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse rice in mesh strainer under running water, until water runs clear. Let rice stand in strainer for excess water to drain. Meanwhile, add tomatoes and onions to blender and process until smooth. Pour out exactly two cups of the mixture, add chicken broth if needed to measure two cups. Mix with 2 cups of chicken broth, stir to combine. Set aside. Remove seeds and ribs from jalapeno, dice and set aside. Over medium high heat, heat oil in dutch oven; add rice. Cook rice in oil until it is starting to turn golden, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and jalapeno. Continue stirring while the jalapeno and garlic saute, for a couple minutes. Add tomato mixture and salt to rice, and bring to boil. Cover dutch oven with lid, and transfer to oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and stir. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven and let set for five minutes. Serve with cilantro.

Revolutionary Mac & Cheese

Revolutionary Mac & Cheese 2 cups dried pasta 2 cups milk (I use 2 %) 1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese 1 tsp salt 1 tsp dijon mustard or stone ground In a small saucepan, add pasta and milk. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, until pasta is soft, stirring frequently. Be sure milk does not boil. Turn heat off, add cheese & salt. Stir to combine. Stir in the mustard a little at a time to taste. Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes, then stir again and serve. Add a tablespoon or more milk to your desired creaminess level. Gently stir. Oven Finish (Optional) Place in a baking dish and top with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes until cheese has melted.

Overnight Crusty Artisan Bread

Overnight Crusty Artisan Bread 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp. rapid rise yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water ***Note*** You will be moving your Dutch Oven around a couple times, and it will be very hot, so keep your hot pads close by all the time! In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add water and mix until completely combined. You will have a gooey and messy dough at this point. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Lay dish towel over top, and set in a warm place in your kitchen over night. (I have let this set for 12-15 hours). When you are ready to bake the bread, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Set dutch oven in oven for 30 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, on to a heavily floured surface, turn out dough and shape into a ball. Make sure that it is covered in the flour. It won't be pretty, but that is ok! Cover with plastic wrap and let rest. When Dutch Oven is preheated, remove from oven and place dough in center, put the lid on the dutch oven, and bake into the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Bread should be golden, and when thumped on the bottom, it will sound hollow. Let cool a bit, then enoy!

Crunchy Pea Salad with Bacon

Crunchy Pea Salad with Bacon 10 oz frozen peas, thawed and drained 1 cup roasted and salted peanuts 1/3 cup chopped green onions 5 slices bacon 1 cup craisins 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbsp, plus 1 tsp of vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1/4 tsp soy sauce 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce Salt Cut bacon into pieces, about 1/2 inch. In skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon. Set aside on paper towel to cool. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. In large bowl, add peas, peanuts, green onions, bacon and craisins. Add mayonnaise mixture and stir until all ingredients are coated with dressing. Taste, and add salt as needed. Chill for at least one hour. ***Note, if you have leftovers, you may need to add a little more mayo to the salad.

Magic Custard Cake

Magic Custard Cake 4 eggs, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter, melted 3/4 cup of all purpose flour 2 cups milk, room temperature powdered sugar Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch baking pan, then line with parchment paper. Separate the eggs. Add egg whites to bowl and mix at medium high speed until egg whites are stiff. Set aside. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light in color. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Beat for two minutes. Add flour and mix until fully incorporated. Slowly add the milk to the egg yolk mixture, beat until well combined. Add the egg whites, folding them in, a third at a time. Once egg whites are incorporated, repeat with another third until all egg whites are completely incorporated. Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 50 to 70 minutes or until top is lightly golden. Insert knife near edge, if it comes out clean the cake is done. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.

Grilled Beef Skewers with Green Onions

Grilled Beef Skewers with Green Onions 1 Lb Sirloin Steak 1/2 cup Dijon mustard 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup honey 2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice 4 tsp fresh minced garlic 1 tsp red pepper flake ( if you like spicy, use one tablespoon!) One bunch green onions Cut steak into cubes. In large bowl, combine dijon mustard, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, garlic, and pepper. Stir until combined. Add steak, cover and marinate for 30 minutes. When ready, cut green onion into one inch pieces. Thread beef and onions onto skewers. Grill over medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes. Baste with remaining marinade while grilling.

Blueberry Cream Muffins

Blueberry Cream Muffins 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 6 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 eggs 2 cups milk (I use 2%) 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed Filling 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 egg 1/3 cup sugar 1/8 tsp salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tins, and set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs. To eggs, add milk and butter. Stir until combined. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Stir only until moistened, do not overmix. Fold in blueberries. Drop 2 rounded tablespoons into prepared muffin tins. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt until combined and creamy. Spoon a tablespoon onto top of muffin batter in the muffin tins. Top each muffin with remaining muffin batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Makes 24 muffins.

Pizza Stuffed Pretzel Rolls

Pizza Stuffed Pretzel Rolls 1 batch Pizza dough 1/2 cup marinara sauce 2 oz pepperoni, chopped 1/2 cup cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, whatever you want) 1/4 cup baking soda 2 tbs sugar 3 tbs melted butter course salt Preheat oven to 350. Start by placing the hunk of dough on a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a long log. Cut into two equal halves, then cut each half in half (giving you four equal logs) Then cut each log in half the other way Now you have 8 pieces! Cut each piece in half and you are finally done with the cutting and you have 16 dough pieces ready to be filled. Roll each dough piece on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. Top with about 1 to 2 tbs sauce, 2 tbs cheese and 1 tbs pepperoni. Wet the edges of the dough (the best way to do this is to place a small bowl of water near you and wet your fingertips) and pinch the edges tightly together. Place on a baking sheet, covered with a Silpat. Fill a large pot with water, making sure you have enough room for it to bubble up, but deep enough for the rolls to fit in. Add the 2 tbs sugar and allow to boil, add the baking soda (there will be lots of bubbling), add the buns (about 4 at a time) and allow to boil for about 30 seconds, remove with a large slotted spoon and return to baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until a dark golden brown.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Sour Cream Noodle Bake 1-1/4 pound Ground Chuck 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce 1/2 teaspoon Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper 8 ounces, Egg Noodles 1/2 cup Sour Cream 1-1/4 cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese 1/2 cup Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste) 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir. To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted. Serve with crusty French bread.

New York Cheesecake Cookies

New York Cheesecake Cookies 1 1⁄4 cup graham crackers, finely crushed (1 sleeve) 1 cup flour 1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed 1 egg, separated 3 oz cream cheese, softened 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp lemon zest 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter with the brown sugar using an electric hand mixer. Add the egg white and beat until well combined. Add to the graham cracker crumbs and blend until just combined. In a separate medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla until well combined. Set aside. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and place on a nonstick or parchment lined baking sheet. (If you do not have an ice scoop, then measure out the dough into scoops of about 2 tablespoons.) Flatten slightly, pressing your thumb in the center of the ball to create a small bowl shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Spoon the cream cheese into the indents in the cookies. Bake until the filling is barely set and the cookies are lightly golden, 12 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing them and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Casserole Serves 10 - 12 2 cups cooked rice 1 lb ground beef 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 large green peppers, diced 1/2 cup frozen diced onion 29 oz can diced tomatoes, drained 3 (14 oz) cans tomato sauce 2 (14 oz) cans corn, drained 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Brown ground beef in a large stock pot, drain, remove from pan and set aside. Heat oil in stock pot on medium high heat and add green peppers and onion. Saute 5-10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. To stock pot, add tomatoes, sauce, corn, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in rice and ground beef. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Easy Mexican Lasagna

Easy Mexican Lasagna 1 lb. ground beef 1 onion chopped 1 bell pepper chopped 2 cloves garlic minced 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2 Tbs. chili powder 1 Tbs. sugar 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce 1 cup water 1 14 oz. can pinto beans or black beans, drained 1 14 oz can sweet corn 1 cup sour cream 1 cup cottage cheese 1 egg 10-14 flour tortillas, whole wheat or white 1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese on top Toppings: chopped tomatoes green onions, sliced black olives, sliced avocado, sliced sour cream Brown meat with onion and next 5 ingredients. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and water. Simmer 5 min. over medium heat. Add beans and corn. I put in blender sour cream, cottage cheese, and egg until smooth. Cut each tortilla into long strips. I make them about as wide as a normal lasagna noodle, about 2 1/2 in., so you are cutting 3 strips out of each tortilla. For the layering: Place small amount of meat mixture in bottom of greased 9×13 dish. Layer 1/2 tortilla strips over meat. (You will be laying the strips on top of each other so that the covering is about 2 tortillas thick.) Then layer half of remaining meat mixture. Next add all the sour cream mixture. Then sprinkle with half the cheese I mix both kinds of cheeses together Layer the rest of the tortillas. Add rest of meat mixture. Top with last of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins or till bubbly Add toppings.

Leprechaun Bait

Leprechaun Bait Makes: 12 cups 8 cups Crispix 1 box Lucky Charms cereal 8 oz mint M&M’s 24 oz almond bark Pour Lucky Charms into a large bowl. Separate marshmallows from cereal. Reserve 3 cups of cereal for bait. In a large bowl combine Crispix, 3 cups of Lucky Charms and M&Ms. Melt almond bark according to package directions. Pour over cereal mixture. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Pour mixture onto wax paper or parchment. Allow to set and break up into pieces.

Jalapeno-Lime Deviled Eggs

Jalapeno-Lime Deviled Eggs 6 hard boiled eggs 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice 1 T. minced fresh jalapeno {seeds & ribs removed} 1 T. minced fresh cilantro 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. minced lime zest {plus extra zest for garnish} 1/4 c. mayonnaise Cut hard boiled eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small mixing bowl. Mash yolks with a fork until they resemble a sandy texture. Mash in lime juice, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime zest until well combined. Add mayonnaise; stir until well combined and smooth. Place yolk mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip *. Pipe yolk mixture into the cavity of each egg white. Garnish each deviled egg with lime zest and a small piece of jalapeno {for a spicy topping ~ be careful not to include seeds!} or a cilantro leaf {for a milder topping}. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight before serving to allow flavors to meld. * I use a disposable piping bag. A zip-top baggie can also be used ~ place yolk mixture in the baggie, seal, and cut a bottom corner of the baggie. Or, simply use two spoons to spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Note ~ If preparing in advance, be sure to sprinkle lime zest only on the yolk filling portion of the eggs as the zest will make green dots on the whites as the eggs sit.

LEPRECHAUN LUNCH

LEPRECHAUN LUNCH Supplies: white melting candies rainbow sprinkles white pop corn M&M's Pop your popcorn and melt you white chocolate. Spread the popcorn on a cookie sheet but do not dump the whole bag out, otherwise you may have unpopped kernels in your mix. Pour the melted chocolate over the popcorn and mix well. Sprinkle with the rainbow sprinkles- Once you do this do not mix the popcorn otherwise you will coat the sprinkles and they wont be rainbow anymore. Once the mix has set (this may take an hour or longer) add in your M&M's. Serve in a big bowl or make into individual snacks. For the individual snacks, I only used the green M&M's

SLOW COOKER 3 INGREDIENT KIELBASA BITES

SLOW COOKER 3 INGREDIENT KIELBASA BITES 2 lb kielbasa or smoked sausage 1 cup apricot preserves 1/2 cup dijon mustard Cut the sausages into bite-size pieces,set aside. Combine apricot preserves and dijon mustard in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Combine everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve immediately.

NOODLE - SALAD WITH SHRIMP

NOODLE - SALAD WITH SHRIMP MAKES 4 SERVINGS 3 tbs sugar 1/3 cup lime juice plus wedges 2 cloves garlic, grated 1 serrano chile pepper, sliced 1 tbs fish sauce 2 tbs oil 12 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails intact 8.8 oz pkg thin rice noodles 1/2 head lettuce, sliced 2 carrots, grated 1/2 cucumber, sliced 1 cup chopped herbs Bring a pot of water to a boil, combine sugar and 2 tbs hot water in a bowl, stir until dissolved. Stir in lime juice, garlic, chile, and fish sauce, transfer 2 tbs dressing to a bowl, whisk in oil. Add shrimp, toss, set aside. -Add noodles to boiling water, cook as label directs, drain. Add noodles to bowl with remaining dressing, add lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and herbs, toss. Heat a grill. Grill shrimp until charred and cooked through. Arrange over noodles. SERVE with lime wedges

CHOCOLATE MAYO CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

CHOCOLATE MAYO CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING CAKE: 2 cups all-purpose Flour 2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder I prefer Ghirardelli Cocoa, it tastes heavenly... 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 3 eggs 1 2/3 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup Mayonnaise (can be Light Mayo) 1 1/3 cups water Mix all wet items first in a mixing bowl till well blended. Add all dry items except the flour and cocoa. Once well blended, add the flour and cocoa a little at a time. Once it is well blended, pour batter into a greased (and floured?) baking pan and bake at 350° for 30 minutes and/or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting. FROSTING: 3 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup peanut butter 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla Cream together peanut butter and vanilla. Then slowly add sugar till well blended. If too thin, add more sugar. If too thick, add (about a tablespoon at a time) of peanut butter till it is creamy. Spread over cool cake. (Heat frosting in the microwave for a few seconds for easier spreading, or heat on low on your stovetop if you're opposed to microwaves)

Pineapple Pie

Pineapple Pie 1 1⁄2 cups sugar 1⁄2 cup butter 1 cup crushed pineapple 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 unbaked pie shell Beat together all ingredients. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake 50 minutes in 350 degree oven or until it sets and is brown.

Crazy Good Casserole

Crazy Good Casserole 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 6 strips of quality bacon – cooked and crumbled 2 cans cream of chicken soup 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese 1 box (16 ounces) dried spiral pasta 1 tablespoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste Cook and crumble bacon. While bacon is cooking, cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Set cooked bacon aside for later use. In the same pan, cook chicken in bacon drippings. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. While chicken is cooking, prepare pasta according to directions. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400. Drain pasta, return to pot. Add chicken, both cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese – stir to mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with crumbled bacon. Top with remaining cup of Monterrey Jack cheese. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, just until cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top