Crispy Peanut Butter Clusters

Crispy Peanut Butter Clusters 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups corn flakes 1/3 cup finely chopped raw cashews, optional Combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir constantly and boil until mixture looks clear and is free from sugar crystals. Remove pan from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Stir till smooth and free from lumps. Add cereal and cashews, if using, and mix to combine. Use your hands to form into small balls and place on waxed paper or foil. Clusters will harden as they cool. After 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to an airtight container.

Crunchy Sweet Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Crunchy Sweet Chicken Salad Sandwiches 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast, skin removed 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (optional) 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek Yogurt 1/2 cup light mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped 1 stalk celery, diced 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced 1 zested and juiced lemon salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste sandwich bread or wraps 1 cup packaged broccoli slaw Remove and discard the skin from the breast portion of the rotisserie chicken. Pull white breast meat from the chicken to a cutting board and use your hands to shred it. You should have approximately 2-1/2 cups shredded chicken. Reserve dark meat for another purpose. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 1/3 cup walnuts in a small baking dish and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Chop walnuts and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chopped dried cranberries, celery, red onion, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Add shredded chicken and chopped walnuts and mix until well combined. Divide mixture between the sandwich bread or wraps. Top with some of the broccoli slaw. Serve immediately or place in an airtight container

Sausage and Tortellini Soup with Kale

Sausage and Tortellini Soup with Kale 3 links mild Italian sausage (approximately 1/2 to 3/4 pound), casings removed 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil, or enough to coat bottom of pan 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 small bunch kale (I used lacinto kale), stems removed, chopped, rinsed, and drained 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 6 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 (28 ounce) can Italian style crushed tomatoes in puree 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 (8 to 10 ounce) package cheese tortellini 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish Fresh ground pepper, to taste Cook Italian sausage in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until completely crumbled and no pink remains. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked sausage to a double layer of paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Pour off grease from pan, return to stove, and add olive oil. Add onion, garlic, kale, and crushed red pepper. Cook for two or three minutes, stirring, until onion has softened and kale is slightly wilted. Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Set stove to medium-high and bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove cover and stir in tortellini and cooked sausage. Increase heat and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until tortellini is tender. Remove cover stir in Parmesan. Taste and season with additional salt and fresh ground pepper, as desired. Garnish individual servings with additional Parmesan cheese. Note: To reheat leftovers, thin out to desired consistency with a little water or additional chicken broth before warming in the microwave.

Margarita Chicken

Margarita Chicken 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast 1/2 cup tequila 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 limes zested and juiced 1 large orange, juiced 2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt Fresh ground pepper, to taste 3 or 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional Cut boneless breasts in half and place in a gallon-size resealable plastic food storage bag. Combine remaining ingredients, except cilantro, and pour over the chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate for 3 to 8 hours. Grill chicken over medium heat until cooked well throughout, approximately 6 to 8 minutes per side. Slice chicken and sprinkle with cilantro to serve. Serve with tortillas or in burrito bowls.

Jiffy Mexican Style Cornbread

Jiffy Mexican Style Cornbread 3 large eggs 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 (14 or 15 ounce) can cream style corn 1/2 cup frozen yellow corn (no need to thaw) 1/2 cup light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese 1 small can diced green chiles, drained 2 (8-1/2 ounce) packages Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat eggs and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add creamed corn, frozen corn, sour cream, cheese, and diced green chiles and mix until well combined. Add Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and stir just till moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

SNACKING GRANOLA CLUSTERS

SNACKING GRANOLA CLUSTERS 3-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, divided 1 cup coarsely chopped raw nuts (I used cashews and almonds) 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup dried fruit of your choice (I used a mixture of raisins, cherries, and cranberries) Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup oats in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. In a large bowl, combine remaining whole oats, the ground oats, chopped nuts, and flaked coconut. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter, vegetable oil, and brown sugar. When butter has melted add honey, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined. Remove from heat and pour over the oat/nut mixture, stirring until completely incorporated. The dry mixture should be completely coated. Add dried fruit and mix well. Divide the mixture between the prepared baking sheets. Use your hands to flatten the mounds and shape them into nice rectangles. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges are beginning to brown, without stirring. Remove from oven and use a spoon or spatula to stir the mixture. Flatten and shape the granola back into a rectangle and return to the oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and use a spoon or spatula to press and flatten the granola down. Allow to cool completely, undisturbed. Use your hands to break the granola into small clusters. Store in mason jars or airtight containers. Recipe Notes Granola WILL NOT be hard and crispy when you remove it from the oven. It will harden as it cools, allowing you to break it into clumps. Every oven is different so watch granola closely while cooking. If it appears to be browning too quickly around edges you may need to reduce the cooking time or the oven temperature. This is an excellent snacking granola but also delicious served over yogurt with fresh fruit and honey.

Blueberry Granola Crunch Muffins

Blueberry Granola Crunch Muffins 2 eggs 1 cup white sugar, plus additional 1 to 2 teaspoons for sprinkling 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 cups granola (a basic variety with no raisins or other dried fruit), divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (can substitute light sour cream) 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In large bowl beat eggs with an electric hand mixer. Add 1 cup white sugar and beat for a minute or two until completely combined. Pour in the oil, with beaters running, and then add vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup granola (reserve the rest for topping), salt and baking soda. Using a wooden spoon, mix dry mixture into wet mixture a little at a time, alternating with the Greek yogurt. Add the blueberries and mix with the wooden spoon just until combined. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle muffin tops with remaining granola. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until muffins are cooked through and granola topping is golden brown. Watch closely towards end of baking time and if granola is browning too quickly, lightly lay a sheet of foil over the top for remaining baking time. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool for about 10 or 15 minutes and then carefully remove from tin to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Recipe Notes Granola topping will be have a crunchy, slightly chewy texture when muffins are fresh and will soften a bit more if stored for more than 24 hours.

Cheesy Bread Appetizers

Cheesy Bread Appetizers 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter 3 hard boiled eggs 1 (4 ounce) can chopped olives, drained 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained 1/2 cup onion, finely diced 1 jalapeno, seeded as desired and diced 1 (10 3-/4 oz.) can Condensed Tomato Soup salt and pepper to taste 2 packages cocktail rye bread, sliced (usually found in the deli section of the grocery store) or 2 french baguettes, sliced Grate the cheese, butter, and hard boiled eggs into thick shreds either by hand or in a food processor. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. To assemble appetizers: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the cocktail rye bread with some of the cheese spread. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and bread is slightly toasted. Let cool for a minute and move to a serving plate.

Fully Loaded Guacamole

Fully Loaded Guacamole 3 avocados, chopped 1 cup frozen sweet white corn, rinsed and drained 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup peeled and diced jicama 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1 jalapeno, seeded as desired and diced Salt, to taste 1 lime, juiced Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Toss lightly to combine and transfer to a serving dish. If making ahead, press a couple of the avocado pits into the mixture and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down over the surface of the guacamole to help prevent it from turning brown. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until ready to serve. Remove and discard pits before serving.

Cheesy Artichoke Bread

Cheesy Artichoke Bread 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan 1/2 cup mayonnaise (light or regular) 3 ounces reduced fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cream cheese) 1 (14 ounce) can artichokes in water, drained and chopped 8 to 10 jarred jalapeno peppers (tamed or hot), diced 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt Fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 loaf French bread Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Slice the loaf of French bread down the middle and spread the mixture evenly over both halves of the bread. Place the artichoke coated bread on the foil lined baking sheet, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Switch oven to broil setting for a minute or two at end of baking time. Remove from oven when it is lightly golden brown and allow to cool for a minute or two. Slice into serving size pieces.

Toasted Pitas

Toasted Pitas 3 rounds of pita bread, plain or any flavor desired Olive oil Sea salt For slightly crisp but still pliable pitas: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of pita rounds with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cut each round in quarters. Place on an ungreased, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve while still slightly warm. For crisp pitas: Follow as above but after baking for 6 minutes, flip pita triangles over and bake for an additional 3 or 4 minutes. Pitas will be become even crispier as they cool. When completely cool, store in an airtight container or zippered plastic storage bag. Serve with tzatziki sauce, hummus, or a variety of other dips and spreads.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail 3 Roma or plum style tomatoes, diced 1/2 cup diced red onion 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 1 jalapeno, seeded as desired and finely diced 2 fresh limes Salt, to taste (plus additional to cook shrimp if needed) 1 (12 ounce) jar cocktail sauce 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cooked or raw (see instructions below for raw shrimp) 2 ripe avocados, chopped Serve with tortilla chips and beer! In a large mixing bowl combine diced tomatoes, diced onion, chopped cilantro, and finely diced jalapeno. Squeeze mixture with the juice of one lime, season with a little salt, and toss together with a spoon. Add the entire jar of cocktail sauce and stir till combined. Place bowl in the refrigerator. If using cooked shrimp, skip to next step. If using raw shrimp, rinse with cold water and drain well. Remove tails if necessary. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Drop in about one tablespoon of salt. Add shrimp and cook for two minutes; no longer. Drain hot water from pot and cover the shrimp with cold water to cool them down and stop them from cooking further. Drain well and transfer the shrimp to a cutting board. Cut each shrimp into two or three pieces to desired size. Transfer chopped shrimp to the chilled bowl of tomato/cocktail sauce mixture and stir well to combine. If desired, bowl can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours at this point until ready to assemble shrimp cocktails. When ready to serve, remove pits and chop avocados. Squeeze juice from remaining lime over the top of the chopped avocado. To serve in a large bowl, garnish top of the shrimp cocktail with the avocado and allow people to serve themselves. For individual servings in martini glasses, layer a heaping spoonful of the shrimp cocktail mixture in the bottom of each glass. Add a generous layer of avocado. Fill glasses to the top with more shrimp cocktail and garnish the top with some of the avocado.

Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots

Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon dry basil 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano 1 can (11 oz) refrigerated Original Breadsticks 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 1/2 cup of your favorite jarred marinara sauce Heat oven to 375 degrees. In small microwavable bowl, melt butter with minced garlic on High for 30 seconds or until completely melted. Stir in olive oil, basil and oregano; set aside. Remove dough from canister and separate into 12 breadsticks. Twist and tie each breadstick into a “knot-like” ball; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Lightly brush butter-herb mixture evenly over top of each knot. Sprinkle with salt and Parmesan cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with warmed marinara dipping sauce.

Crock-Pot BBQ Cocktail Sausage

Crock-Pot BBQ Cocktail Sausage 3 packages fully cooked smoked sausage, sliced slightly on the diagonal 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or just enough to coat bottom of skillet) 1 cup BBQ sauce 1/2 cup chili sauce 1/2 cup apricot jam Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saute sausage in batches for just a minute or two until browned. Transfer browned sausage to a double layer of paper towels and blot away excess grease and then transfer to your slow cooker. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour them over the sausage. Stir to combine. Cover and set slow cooker to LOW and cook for 3 to 4 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Keep the sausages in your slow cooker for the duration of your party to keep them warm. Serve with toothpicks. Recipe Notes To add some heat, substitute a spicy sausage (like andoullie) or use a spicy BBQ sauce. I like to use a combination of Kinder's Hot and Mild BBQ Sauce

Refrigerator Zucchini Pickles

Refrigerator Zucchini Pickles 1-1/2 pounds zucchini (3 to 4 medium-sized zucchini) 6 fresh dill sprigs Seasoning 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved (2 halves per jar) 1-1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns (1/2 teaspoon per jar) 1-1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds (1/2 teaspoon per jar) 3/4 teaspoon dill seed (1/4 teaspoon per jar) For the Brine 2-1/2 cups water 1 cup distilled white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt (not iodized) Wash your zucchini; trim and discard ends. Slice into chips or spears, as desired. Set aside. Divide the seasonings between 3 clean pint-sized mason jars. Divide the zucchini and dill sprigs evenly between the jars. Combine all brine ingredients in a medium saucepan and place over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Bring mixture to a boil and then remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour the hot brine into the jars over the zucchini and fresh dill. Fill to the top of the jar, leaving about 1/2" of head space. Tightly secure lids and shake the jars. Allow to cool slightly on your kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before placing jars in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 24 hours or more before eating. Keeps well refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks.

Moscato Strawberry Lemonade

Moscato Strawberry Lemonade 1 bottle pink moscato 6 cups lemonade 1/4 cup of strawberry vodka You can use frozen strawberry slices instead of ice cubes In a large pitcher, add bottle of pink moscato, lemonade, and the strawberry vodka. Mix well.

Buffalo Chicken Dip with Bacon

Buffalo Chicken Dip with Bacon 1 package of cream cheese 8 oz, room temperature 1 packet of ranch dressing/dip mix 1/3 cup of mayo 1/2 lb bacon cooked crumbled 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese 1/3 cup hot sauce 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken In medium mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Once cream cheese is blended, add mayo and hot sauce. Mix well. Add packet of dressing mix and blend. Add half of the bacon crumbles, 3/4 cups of the shredded cheddar, and the shredded chicken. Mix well. Once ingredients are all mixed, add to baking dish and top with remaning cheese and top with bacon crumbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with celery, pita chips, or any type of crackers.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries chopped 1/2 cup butter softened 1 cup sugar 4 ounces cream cheese softened 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and cream cheese. Beat until fluffy. Slowly add in eggs one at a time, beating well. Mix in vanilla. In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, blend together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Slowly mix together flour mixture and cream cheese mixture, just until combined. Add in buttermilk and stir just until combined. Carefully fold in strawberries. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan and slicing.

Individual Apple Pies

Individual Apple Pies with only 3 ingredients! 1 roll refrigerated crescent dough 1 can of apple pie filling 1 tbsp cinnamon optional glaze: 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup powdered sugar Unroll your crescent dough and separate into 4 rectangles. Press together edges of the trianges in the center to make a flat dough surface. Pour the apple pie filling into a small bowl and slice the apple pies into small chunks. Top pie filling with cinnamon. Put a spoonfull of pie filling into the center of each crescent square. Fold the edges over and seal edges with a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, or until dough is golden brown. Let cool and serve. If you would like (I highly recommend this) mix equal parts milk and powdered sugar to make a glaze and drizzle over the pies before serving.

CrockPot Chicken Tortilla Soup

CrockPot Chicken Tortilla Soup 1 can of black beans rinsed 1 can of Rotel tomatoes with chiles 1 can of corn 1 medium onion diced 10 oz can of enchilada sauce - I prefer spicy but add whichever type you like 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 1/2 cups of milk 2 frozen chicken breasts 1 cup of shredded cheese I prefer pepper jack, but a lot of people use cheddar for this tortilla strips or crushed tortillas for garnish Drain and rinse the cans of corn and beans (not the Rotel) Empty the cans of corn , beans, Rotel, and diced onion into the CrockPot. Add the frozen chicken breasts to the CrockPot. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and cream of chicken soup. Mix until well blended. Slowly mix in milk and stir until combined. Add soup mixture to the CrockPot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken and add back to the CrockPot. Garnish with shredded cheese, tortillas, sour cream, and serve.

3 Ingredient Cinnamon Rolls

3 Ingredient Cinnamon Rolls 1 Bag of Rhodes Frozen Cinnamon Rolls 1 Large Box of instant Vanilla Pudding mix 1 Stick of Butter Follow the directions on the back of the bag of Rhodes cinnamon rolls to thaw them out, either the overnight or quick directions. Once thawed, drizzle 1 stick of melted butter over the top. Sprinkle the vanilla pudding mix over the top of the cinnamon rolls (just the powder, do not prepare the pudding). Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle the icing pouch that comes with the cinnamon rolls over the top and serve warm

No Bake Coconut Pecan Cookies

No Bake Coconut Pecan Cookies 2 1/2 cups Sugar 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk 1/2 cup Corn Syrup 1 stick Butter 1 tsp Vanilla 2 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans 2 cup Shredded Coconut Combine evaporated milk, corn syrup, sugar and butter and bring to a boil in a medium high heat. Cook to soft ball stage (about 240). Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla, coconut and pecans. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes until mixture starts to cool and thicken. Transfer about 1 tbsp size drops of mixture onto wax or parchment paper and allow to cool.

Bacon Jalapeno Popper Pull Apart Bread

Bacon Jalapeno Popper Pull Apart Bread 2 oval or 1 large square loaves Sourdough Bread 3 cup shredded Cheddar and/or Jack Cheese 1/4 cup Jalapeno slices 1/4 cup Bacon Pieces 1/2 cup Butter 1 tbsp Minced Garlic 1/2 tsp Cumin Preheat oven to 400. Slice each loaf into 2" thick slices, BUT DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Now do the same in the opposite direction. Place loaf on piece of aluminum foil large enough to enclose loaf. stuff all of the cut crevices with cheese. Spread jalapenos and bacon over loaves. Melt butter and stir in garlic and cumin. Brush or drizzle butter mixture over loaves. Wrap foil up to enclose loaf. Place on Baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is lightly brown. Serve with Queso dip.

Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Gooey Cinnamon Rolls No yeast needed! 1/2 cup Karo syrup 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls 1 cup of sugar 1/8 cup cinnamon 1 stick of butter melted Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Open the cans of refrigerated crescent dough and unroll the pieces on a clean countertop or table. After you unroll both the cans of crescent dough, you should have 8 rectangles that contain 2 triangles each. Make 2 rows of 4 rectangles and use your fingers to seal the perforations so it's one solid piece of dough. Spoon the melted butter over the dough just until it is all moist, then set butter aside. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Spoon cinnamon and sugar mixture over the butter on the dough until evenly covered. Set remaining sugar mixture aside for later use. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and pour the Karo syrup into the bottom of the pan. Take ends of crescent dough and roll lengthwise until edges are tucked around the other side of the dough. Once dough is rolled, take a knife and slice the dough into 1 inch slices. Place each slice into the pan, on top of the Karo syrup. Repeat until the entire roll has been sliced. When all slices are in the pan, pour the remaining butter evenly across the top. Top with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven) As soon as cinnamon rolls are cooked, remove from oven. Place a piece of foil or parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet upsidedown (parchment or foil side down) on top of the pan of cinnamon rolls. Very quickly flip the pan over so the cinnamon rolls are now on the cookie sheet. The middle row of cinnamon rolls may be a bit doughy, if this is the case, hurry and eat the rolls on the edges then put the rolls on the cookie sheet back in the oven to bake up just a bit more 😉 Once done, remove from oven, let cool for about 5 minutes, then serve

Grilled Cheese Squares with Bacon

Grilled Cheese Squares with Bacon 8 oz of Velveeta cheese half a package, sliced 1 lb of bacon cooked 2 cans crescent rolls if you can find the sheets of crescent dough it's even easier! grease a baking sheet or spray with non stick cooking spray unroll one can of crescent rolls and lay flat onto the cooking sheet using your fingers, lightly press seams together to form one flat sheet of dough add your cheese slices to the top of the crescent dough top the cheese slices with bacon unroll second can of crescent dough and place on top of the cheese and bacon, stretching sides to fit using your fingers, press edges of dough together to make sure no cheese escapes bake at 375 for 10-14 minutes, or until top is browned Cut with pizza cutter into squares and serve (you might want to let this sit a few minutes before serving because the cheese gets really hot!)

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole 1 package of 8 hot dogs 2 cans of chili 1 package of 8 hot dog buns 1/2 cup shredded cheddar Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non stick cooking spray Cut each hot dog bun into 4-6 pieces and place into the baking pan Cut each hot dog into 6 pieces and place on top of the hot dog buns Top the hot dogs and buns with the cans of chili Top with shredded cheese Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars 2 blocks of cream cheese 8 oz, room temp 1 package of frozen whipped topping 16 0z, thawed 20 vanilla sandwich cookies 1 stick of butter melted 2 tbsp vanilla extract 1 cup powdered sugar 1 jar of Fruit & Honey spread I used strawberry but you could really choose any one of them and it would be delicious! Place the cookies in a food processor and blend until finely crushed. Once cookies are crushed, pour melted butter on top of them and blend in the food processor until combined. In a greased 8 x 8 baking dish, press cookie mixture down to create the crust. In a large mixing bowl, place the cream cheese and half the whipped topping and mix on medium until blended. Once cream cheese and whipped topping are combined, add in remaining whipped topping, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Blend well. Once those ingredients are combined, pour onto the cookie crust and spread out evenly. Top with Fruit & Honey topping. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Cut into squares and serve.

Cheesy Ranch Potatoes with bacon

Cheesy Ranch Potatoes with bacon 2 lbs of potatoes if you prefer to leave the skin on, just be sure to wash the potatoes really well first, this is delicious either way, peeled and cut into little chunks 8 oz bacon cooked and crumbled 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup of your favorite bottled ranch In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients, reserving 1/4 cup of shredded cheese. Once combined, place into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Uncover and top with remaining cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Cream Cheese Rotel Dip

Cream Cheese Rotel Dip In the Crockpot or on the stovetop! 2 packages of cream cheese 8 oz, cubed 1 lb sausage cooked and crumbled I use mild breakfast sausage but it would be great with spicy italian sausage! 1 can of Rotel 10 oz, I used hot and it had quite a kick! If you don't love a lot of spice, go for original or mild If making in Crockpot: combine all ingredients and cook on low 1-2 hours, or until cream cheese is melted and ingredients are combined. If making on the stovetop: add all ingredients over med-high heat and stir until melted and combined. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.

Jalapeno & Bacon Cheese Ball

Jalapeno & Bacon Cheese Ball 2 blocks of cream cheese 8 oz, room temp 1 can of diced jalapenos 4 oz 16 oz bacon cooked and crumbled 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese 3 fresh jalapenos diced very finely In a large mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese and diced jalapenos. Once well mixed, add in shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the bacon crumbles and mix just until blended. Place into fridge and chill for about 20 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and form cream cheese mix into a ball. In a separate bowl, mix together remaining bacon crumbles and diced jalapeno. Roll cream cheese ball evenly over the bacon crumbles until all sides are coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers or corn chips.

Strawberry Fluff

Strawberry Fluff 1 small box strawberry jello 1 cup boiling water 1 cup crushed ice 1 box Instant Vanilla Pudding 4 servings size 20 oz crushed pineapple 4 cups mini marshmallows 8 oz whipped topping thawed 16 oz strawberries chopped Place jello in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until melted. Place into refrigerator for 10 minutes or until it begins to set. Place pineapple in a separate large bowl (do not drain). Add vanilla pudding mix well. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Fold jello into the whipped topping mixture until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

BLT Macaroni Salad

BLT Macaroni Salad 1 lb macaroni noodles (or other short pasta) cooked & drained 1 1/2 cups Cherry Tomatoes halved Add 2-3 cups of chopped romaine chopped 1/2 lb bacon cooked & crumbled 1/2 cup celery diced 1/4 cup green onions sliced Dressing 2/3 cup mayo 2/3 cup ranch 1 tsp garlic powder salt & pepper Cook macaroni noodles according to package directions and drain well. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl until mixed. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Butterscotch Crunchies

Butterscotch Crunchies 11 ounces butterscotch chips 1/2 cup peanut butter 4 cups frosted flakes Add butterscotch chips to a large non-stick pot and melt over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once chips are melted, stir in peanut butter until fully combined. Stir in cornflakes and remove from heat. Use an ice cream scoop to quickly scoop mounds of the mixture onto wax paper. Allow to set until hard, usually about 1 hour.

Biscuit Taco Pockets

Biscuit Taco Pockets 1 package of refrigerated biscuits 1/2 lb ground beef 1/2 packet taco seasoning reserve extra for another use 2 oz Velveeta cheese cubed 3 tablespoons salsa 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons melted butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground beef and crumble. Drain any fat. Add taco seasoning and 1/3 cup of water. Simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly. Roll out biscuits so they are flat and thin. Add 1 cube of Velveeta, 1 tablespoon taco meat and 1 teaspoon salsa. Fold biscuit around the fillings and pinch seams to seal well. Place seam side down on a parchment lined pan. Brush with butter and top with 1 tablespoon cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned.

Mexican Corn Salad

Mexican Corn Salad 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil 4 Cups Corn Kernels 1/2 Cup Red Onion, Finely Chopped 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced 1 Jalapeno Pepper, Seeded and Finely Chopped 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, Cut in Half 4-5 Radishes, Thinly Sliced Dressing 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise 1/4 Cup Sour Cream 1 Lime, Zested and Juiced 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper Garnish 1/2 Cup Cojita, Crumbled 1/4 Cup Pepitas 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Chopped In a large, heavy bottom skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Add corn and red onion and cook, until corn is slightly charred, about 5-7 minutes. Turn heat to low and add garlic, and jalapeno and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cooled corn, cut tomatoes, and radishes. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Add dressing to corn mixture and gently fold. Sprinkle the top of salad with cojita, pepitas, and cilantro. Serve.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Sour Cream Noodle Bake 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey 1 medium onion diced 2 cloves garlic minced 1 24 oz can or jar of your favorite pasta sauce 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 8 oz cream cheese softened 8 oz sour cream 1 lb rotini pasta cooked, drained 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 16 oz shredded mozzarella divided Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in a skillet. Drain any fat. Stir in pasta sauce and Italian seasoning simmer about 5-10 minutes. With a mixer, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in garlic powder, parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and garlic powder. Spread half of the meat sauce in a 9 x 13 pan. Top with rotini. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pasta layer. Spread remaining sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.

Pineapple Sheet Cake

Pineapple Sheet Cake Cake: 2 Cups Sugar 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil 2 Large Eggs 1 20 Ounce Can Crushed Pineapple with juice 1 teaspoon Baking soda 1 teaspoon Vanilla 1/4 teaspoon Salt Icing: 1 Cup Sugar 1/2 Cup Butter 2/3 Cup Evaporated Milk 3/4 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut 1/2 Cup Pecans, Chopped Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 15x10x1 inch pan. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together cake ingredients until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Meanwhile, make icing; Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk and boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add coconut. Pour icing over hot cake. Spread pecans on top. Cool and serve.

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole 1 pound lean ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 2 stalks celery chopped 1 can tomato sauce 14 oz 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 bag bag of tater tot frozen potatoes 28 oz 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Brown the ground beef, onion and celery in a skillet. Drain any fat. Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and salt to the browned beef and onion mixture. Stir to combine and let simmer covered about 5 minutes. Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pan. Top with half of the cheese. Top the meat mixture with the frozen tater tot potatoes and remaining cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until bubbly and tater tots are browned.

SALSA CHICKEN BAKE

SALSA CHICKEN BAKE 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 4 teaspoons taco seasoning 16 ounces salsa 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese sour cream, optional cilantro, for garnish Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Rub each of the chicken breasts with taco seasoning and place in the baking dish. Pour the salsa over the chicken, making sure to cover each piece. Bake for 33 to 37 minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top of each piece of chicken, place back in the oven and broil on low for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven, garnish with cilantro and serve with sour cream. Pairs well with Spanish rice.

PEANUT BUTTER BARS

PEANUT BUTTER BARS BARS: 1 Cup Butter 2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs 2 Cups Powder Sugar 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter TOPPING: 1 1/2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips 4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter BARS: In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and 1 cup of peanut butter until well combined. Press the mixture into a 9X13 inch baking dish. TOPPING: Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave. Spread mixture over bars. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars and serve.

Cake Mix Banana Bread

Cake Mix Banana Bread Servings: 2 loaves 3-4 ripe bananas 1 box yellow cake mix (dry mix only) 2 eggs 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8"x4" loaf pans. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add in eggs and stir until well combined. Add cake mix and stir. (Just the mix, not the eggs, oil, or water that the box calls for.) Add chocolate chips or nuts if using. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings Serves 12 3 lbs chicken wings (I used drummies and flats) 1 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot, divided 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup beer (optional, if not using then replace with chicken stock) 1/4 cup butter, melted Place chicken wings into a large slow cooker In a large bowl combine 1 cup franks red hot sauce, chicken stock and beer (or additional chicken stock) Pour over chicken wings and toss to combine Cook on low for 5 hours, any longer and the meat with fall off the bones Place wings on a broiler pan In a small bowl combine remaining 1/4 cup franks sauce and melted butter Generously coat wings with butter sauce Place wings under broiler for 5 minutes, flip the wings brush with remaining sauce and continue to broil for an additional 5 minutes

Cheese Ball With Everything

Cheese Ball With Everything Serve these to a crowd you want to impress! Caution..This makes alot, the two small balls are as big as baseballs 2 cups shredded swiss cheese 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1⁄2 cup sour cream 1⁄2 cup chopped onion 1 (2 ounce) jar pimiento 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 10 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled 1⁄2 cup finely chopped pecans 1 dash salt 1 dash pepper 1⁄4 cup snipped parsley 1 tablespoon poppy seed assorted crackers of your choice Let swiss and cheddar cheeses come to room temperature. In a large bowl beat together cream cheese and sour cream till fluffy. Beat in swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, onion, undrained pimiento, pickle relish, half of the bacon, 1/4 cup of the pecans, salt and pepper. Cover and chill till firm. Shape into 1 large or 2 small balls on wax paper. In a small bowl combine remaining bacon, pecans, parsley, and poppy seeds. Turn mixture out onto clean clean sheet of waxed paper. Roll cheese balls in seed mixture to coat. Wrap and chill. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers. Yield-2 cheese balls servings 20

Loaded Nachos

Loaded Nachos 2 tsp. olive oil 3/4 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 (15-ounce) can Black Beans, rinsed 8 oz. Tortilla chips 10 oz. sharp Cheddar or pepper Jack cheese, grated (about 2.5 cups) 1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded 3/4 c. Fresh salsa 1 avocado, chopped fresh cilantro pickled jalapenos sour cream Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, onion, and garlic and cook, breaking chorizo into pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until warm, 2 to 4 minutes. Spread chips on prepared pan. Spoon chorizo mixture over chips and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and chips are toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve topped with lettuce, salsa, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, and sour cream.

Basic Stir Fry

Basic Stir Fry 1⁄4 cup soy sauce 1 1⁄4 cups water 1 tablespoon grated ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon sugar 4 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons dry sherry or 2 tablespoons rice wine 3 tablespoons cornstarch Combine all ingredients except cornstarch in a small bowl or a 2 to 4 cup liquid measuring cup. Place the cornstarch in a separate small bowl, and whisk in the mixture from step 1. Just before mixing in to vegetables and/or meat, whisk the mixture one more time. Add about 2/3 of the way through stir frying.

CROCK POT HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

CROCK POT HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1/3 cup honey 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil Lay chicken thighs into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, and basil together in a bowl; pour over the chicken. Cook on Low for 6 hours.

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE COOKIES 2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled until room temp 5-6 oz. cream cheese softened 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups coconut toasted *I chilled the dough overnight before baking, which I recommend. Adjust oven racks to upper & lower -middle positions & heat oven to 325. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread coconut evenly on baking sheet. Once oven is preheated place coconut in oven. Bake for 10-20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes for even toasting. Remove from oven when light brown. Do NOT burn. Remove from oven. Allow to cool completely before adding to dough. Re-line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.With electric mixer, or by hand.january-048 Mix butter and cream cheese together with a mixer until smooth. Add sugars and beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in cooled coconut. Chill dough overnight. OR Drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are light brown. Do NOT overbake! Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

3 Ingredient Cookies

3 Ingredient Cookies (makes 8 cookies) 1 ripe banana 1/2 C. plus 2 T. quick cooking oats 1 T. crunchy peanut butter Mash the banana in a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes

Cherry Cream Cheese Bake

Cherry Cream Cheese Bake 1 can cherry pie filling 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tube crescent rolls 1/2 stick of butter 2 tbsp vanilla 1/2 cup granulated sugar Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish. Take half of the crescent rolls and lay them out on the bottom of the baking dish. In a medium sized mixing bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth. Once smooth, add powdered sugar and vanilla and blend. Once blended, spoon onto the crescent rolls in baking dish and spread evenly. Top with can of cherry pie filling. Top with the last half (4 triangles) of the crescent rolls. Melt butter and pour on top of crescents. Top with granulated sugar and bake for 25 minutes or until browned.

Milky Way Fudge

Milky Way Fudge 3 regular-size Milky Way bars 1 (12 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 12 ounces milk chocolate chips nuts (optional) Melt candy bars and milk in microwave for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into buttered 8-inch square pan. Cools quickly. ****tips Can also be made with Snickers candy bars too Refrigerate overnight to set properly. If you like a more gooey fudge use 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk

CROCK POT BEEF AND BROCCOLI

CROCK POT BEEF AND BROCCOLI 1 1/2 lbs boneless round steak, cubed 4 1/2 ounces sliced mushrooms, drained 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup beef broth 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce 2 cups frozen broccoli florets 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons water Garlic and Ginger to taste (optional) Combine beef, mushrooms, onion, broth and teriyaki sauce in crock pot. Cover; cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water 35-40 minutes before serving. Stir into beef mixture. Add broccoli; stir. Cover and cook 35-40 minutes more until broccoli is tender.

Caramel Sauce

Caramel Sauce 4 cups brown sugar 1 1/2 cups corn syrup 1/2 lb salted butter... 3/4 cup cold water 300 ml sweetened condensed milk Mix sugar, syrup, and butter over medium heat in saucepan. As soon as it starts to boil stir constantly for eight minutes. Remove from heat. Add water in 3 intervals, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add sweetened condensed milk. Stir until well blended. Pour into sterilized canning jars and place lids on. Store in refrigerator

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti 1lb chicken breast 1/2 pkg Velveeta Cheese 1 pkg steamfresh broccoli 1 pkg spaghetti noodles 1/2 cup milk Cook the broccoli in the microwave. Cook the spaghetti to whatever doneness you prefer.(I cooked to al dente). Cut chicken into cubes, whatever size you like. Brown them until the juices run clear. When the chicken is fully cooked, add the milk, and add the velveeta (I cut into chunks to melt easier) Once that is all melted, put the noodles in a 9x13 pan, add steamed broccoli, pour cheesy chicken goodness over the top of that. I added shredded cheese to the top but you don't have to! Bake at 425 for 25 mins. You can add more milk if you want it creamier. Add different veggies if you don't like broccoli.

SUGAR COOKIE BARS

SUGAR COOKIE BARS Cookies: 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1-1/2 Tbsp. sour cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract Frosting: 1/2 cup butter, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup half and half 1 tsp. vanilla Pinch of salt food coloring (optional) Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Then in a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and sour cream, mix well. Add in the flour mixture slowly, mix until combined. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan and spread mixture out in this. Bake 17-20 minutes until edges are slightly browned. When its done set aside to cool. For the frosting, cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt - mix well. Add food coloring of your choice. Frost your cooled cookie base. Cut into squares before serving.

JALAPENO POPPERS

JALAPENO POPPERS 12 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon bacon bits 12 ounces jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved 1 cup milk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup dry bread crumbs 2 quarts oil for frying In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Spoon this mixture into the jalapeno pepper halves. Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each. Allow the coated jalapenos to dry for about 10 minutes. Dip the jalapenos in milk again and roll them through the breadcrumbs. Allow them to dry, then repeat to ensure the entire surface of the jalapeno is coated. In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F ( 180 degrees C). Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.

BEER MARGARITAS

BEER MARGARITAS INGREDIENTS: 1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate 12 fluid ounces tequila 12 fluid ounces water 12 fluid ounces beer ice 1 lime, cut into wedges Pour limeade, tequila, water, and beer into a large pitcher. Stir until well-blended, and limeade has melted. Add plenty of ice, and garnish with lime wedges. Adjust with additional water, if needed.

Island Pineapple Coconut Jello Shots

Island Pineapple Coconut Jello Shots 1 (1 ounce) package of island pineapple Jell-O 1 cup boiling water 1 cup Malibu rum Dissolve jello in boiling water completely, stir in rum. Pour into 2 ounce shot glasses 3/4 of the way up. Chill till set and serve

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE COOKIES 2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled until room temp 5-6 oz. cream cheese softened 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups coconut toasted *I chilled the dough overnight before baking, which I recommend. Adjust oven racks to upper & lower -middle positions & heat oven to 325. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread coconut evenly on baking sheet. Once oven is preheated place coconut in oven. Bake for 10-20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes for even toasting. Remove from oven when light brown. Do NOT burn. Remove from oven. Allow to cool completely before adding to dough. Re-line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.With electric mixer, or by hand.january-048 Mix butter and cream cheese together with a mixer until smooth. Add sugars and beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in cooled coconut. Chill dough overnight. OR Drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are light brown. Do NOT overbake! Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

PECAN PIE CAKE

PECAN PIE CAKE 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup butter 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1 1/4 cups white sugar 1/4 cup butter 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Add 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup margarine, 2 eggs and vanilla; mix well. reserve 2/3 cup of batter for filling. Spread remaining batter in 9x13 inch pan. Bake the cake base for 15 minutes. In a saucepan, heat corn syrup, 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup margarine until melted and hot. Remove from heat and beat in reserved 2/3 cup of cake batter. Stir in 3 eggs and add pecans. Pour on top of cake. Return to oven and bake an additional 40 minutes.

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°F. 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, crabmeat, 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.

Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls

Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls 2 1/2 cups Bisquick 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped nuts 2 Tablespoons butter melted 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled 1 cup powdered sugar 1-2 Tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla In a large bowl, Combine Bisquick, butter, milk and sugar in a bowl using a fork. Mix just until all combined to create a dough. In a medium bowl, Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and nuts in separate bowl. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and stir to moisten. Set aside. Generously flour rolling surface.I know it seems like a lot but trust me, this is a sticky dough. Turn dough out onto surface and start patting into a rectangular shape with your hand. Flour your hand well also. Use a rolling pin to thin dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Do not over-roll, the dough will stick. Once rolled out, pour 3/4 cup melted butter over entire surface then spread with pastry brush to even out and get to the edges. Sprinkle sugar/nut mixture over butter. Start rolling dough from long end. Slice into 1 inch to 1/2 inch slices. I used dental floss to slice mine. It really does work, without mushing the pastry. Transfer slices to a well greased 9 x 13 pan. I used a spatula to make it easier. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, util just golden brown on tops. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until desired consistency and drizzle over topped of rolls.

Marinated Tomatoes

Marinated Tomatoes 3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Chopped 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Chopped 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar [raw honey] 1-½ teaspoon Garlic Salt 1-½ teaspoon Seasoned Salt ¾ teaspoons Dried Thyme ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper ¾ cups Canola Oil [use healthier oil such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, Macadamia nut oil, etc.] ½ cups Red Wine Vinegar 3 whole Scallions, Sliced 6 whole Tomatoes, Cut Into Wedges Whisk together all the ingredients except the tomato wedges. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for a couple of hours, stirring every now and then. Serve with lots of bread to soak up all the yummy marinade

Redneck Casserole

Redneck Casserole 1 (28 ounce) cans baked beans 6 -8 hot dogs 4 cups tater tots 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Set your oven to 450. Dump your can of baked beans into a medium sized casserole dish. Set the dish aside. Cut up your hotdogs into bite sized pieces and throw those into your casserole dish and mix until dogs are well coated with baked bean sauce. Cover the bean and dog mixture with tatertots. Use as many as you’d like. Just make sure to cover the mixture completely. Place the casserole dish in the oven for 1/2 an hour or until tater tots are golden brown. When Redneck Casserole is all cooked up, turn off the oven and sprinkle the top with cheese. Redneck Casserole is completely done when cheese is melted and you just can’t take it anymore — dig in! (You can mix pretty much anything with this dish. Sour cream, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, etc.).

Banana Drop Cookies

Banana Drop Cookies 1¼ cups sugar 2/3 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup banana; mashed well 2 Eggs, beaten 2¼ cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon For topping (optional) 1/4 Cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cream sugar, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in banana. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet. Chill 30 minutes in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400. Drop teaspoon sized balls of dough two inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture; if desired. Bake 8-10 minutes or until browned. Cool 2 minutes, then transfer to racks.

Pineapple Margarita

Pineapple Margarita 3 oz Canned 100% Pineapple Juice 1 1/2 oz tequila 1 oz triple sec 1 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz crushed ice Combine pineapple juice, tequila, triple sec, lemon juice and ice in blender. Cover; blend until slushy. Serve in frosted glass.

Chicken & Potato Surprise

Chicken & Potato Surprise 16 oz extra lean, skinless, bonless chicken breast 2 tsp salt 2 tsp pepper 2 tsp garlic powder 5 russet potatoes 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese 2 tbsp dried parsley Preheat oven to 400 Prepare a large casserole dish with nonstick spray Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder In a skillet over medium heat brown each chicken breasts on both sides, cooking for only 2-3 minutes, the set aside Peel and cut each potato into matchstick size sticks Layer 3/4 of the potatoes on the bottom of the casserole dish Lay chicken on top of the potatoes and then place remaining potatoes on top of chicken Pour cream over chicken and potatoes Season with remaining salt & pepper Sprinkle cheese over cream and then top with parsley Cover pan with foil, making a few slits in the top of the foil, and bake for 45 minutes on the middle rack of the oven After 45 minutes move rack to lower rack and continue baking, with the foil cover, for another 30 minutes then check the potatoes for tenderness If potatoes are done, remove the foil, and let continue cooking until lightly browned If potatoes are not done keep cooking for an additional 10 minutes and check again

Chicken and Biscuit Bake

Chicken and Biscuit Bake 3 cups (approx.) of cooked, shredded chicken (I used 2 breasts for this) 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth 1/4 cup (half of a stick) butter, melted 2 cups Bisquick 1 1/2 cups milk 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies (allow to thaw for about 30 minutes before adding to recipe) 3 chicken bouillon cubes Pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Warm chicken stock in a small sauce pan and add in the bouillon cubes to dissolve. Keep warm until ready to use. Lightly coat with non-stick spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish or large, round casserole dish (mine was a 12" round). Pour in the melted butter. Layer the shredded chicken on top of the butter. Sprinkle on the veggies. In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk and Bisquick. (It's okay if there are a few lumps remaining.) Pour over the chicken and vegetables. DO NOT MIX! Sprinkle on a little black pepper, if desired. Combine the cream of chicken soup with the warmed stock in a small mixing bowl. Once blended, slowly pour over the Bisquick layer. Again, DO NOT MIX! *bake til golden brown on top.

MEXICAN CASSEROLE

MEXICAN CASSEROLE 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey 1 (1 ¼ ounce) package taco seasoning 1 (15 ounce) can refried beans 2 cups Colby Jack Cheese 1 cup salsa (you can make your own as well) 1 (2 1/3 ounce) can sliced black olives (drained) 1 tomato (chopped) 1/8 cup jalapenos 2 cups corn chips (crushed) In a large skillet brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning and cook according to package directions by adding the amount of water stated on the package. Set aside. Heat refried beans in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until hot. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and 1 cup of salsa. Stir until combined. Place crushed corn chips onto the bottom of an 8×8” casserole dish. Pour the bean mixture over the chips in the casserole dish. Add taco meat on top of the bean mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top of the taco meat. Sprinkle green onions, jalapeños and black olives over the cheese. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees until the cheese has melted and the casserole is heated through. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with chopped tomatoes.

EASIEST YEAST ROLLS EVER

EASIEST YEAST ROLLS EVER 1 pack yeast 3/4 cup warm water 2 1/2 cups Bisquick 1 Tbsp sugar 1/4 cup melted butter Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dissolve yeast in water. Put Bisquick, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl mix well flour your work surface turn dough out knead for 12-15x shape into rolls place in a greased pan cover with damp towel let rise 1 hour brush with melted butter bake for 12-15 minutes add more butter.

Homemade Cheeseburger Poppers

Homemade Cheeseburger Poppers 1 can biscuits (10 ct or your own recipe) 10 pre-cooked meatballs Sliced Cheese Dill Pickle Slices Mustard Ketchup Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a small casserole dish or cookie sheet with non-stick spray and set aside. On a cutting board or clean surface, flatten each canned biscuit out until around ¼” thick. Squirt a small amount of both ketchup and mustard onto biscuit and spread covering most of dough. Place ¼ slice cheese, small pickle and meatball onto dough. Wrap biscuit dough around meatball pinching to seal. Place “popper” onto cookie sheet or casserole with pinched side down. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with additional ketchup for dipping or as desired. These freeze and reheat in microwave (45-60 seconds depending on microwave temps).

CROCK POT BUFFALO RANCH PULLED CHICKEN

CROCK POT BUFFALO RANCH PULLED CHICKEN Used it in burritos, over rice, over noodles...the options are endless. 5 Frozen ***B/S***Chicken Breasts 1/2 Tbsp Dried Parsley 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 Tbsp Onion Powder 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme 1/4 tsp Salt 1 packs dry ranch dressing 1 C Frank's Red Hot Sauce Place frozen chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Mix together all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour sauce over frozen chicken breasts and turn to low. Cook for about 5 hours. Using two forks or tongs, shred chicken. ***B/S means boneless n skinless, you don't have to use frozen, you can use regular boneless chicken breast

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (no canned creamed soups in this!) 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth 3 cups water 2½ cups chopped cooked chicken (about 12 ounces) 1½ cups sliced carrots (3 medium) 1½ cups sliced celery (3 stalks) 1½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces) ¼ cup chopped onion 1½ teaspoons dried thyme, crushed ¾ teaspoon garlic-pepper seasoning 3 ounces cream cheese, cut in cubes 2 cups dried egg noodles In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine broth, water, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onion, thyme and garlic-pepper seasoning. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-4 hours. If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting. Stir in cream cheese, then chicken and uncooked noodles. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes more or just until noodles are tender.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME CAKE

ARE YOU KIDDING ME CAKE 3 large eggs 1 box cake mix (any flavor) 1 can pie filling (any flavor) Put the three ingredients into a bowl, mix them well, and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees in a 9 x13 pan. It’s got almost a pudding-cake kind of consistency, lighter than pound cake. It’s spotted on the inside with little pieces of whatever fruit filling you are using. The edges are crispy, like you would get on brownies. Combination ideas: Pineapple cake mix and blueberry filling Chocolate cake mix and cherry filling Yellow cake mix and cherry filling Yellow cake mix and blueberry filling Butter pecan cake mix and apple filling Yellow cake mix and apple filling Yellow cake mix and blackberry filling Strawberry cake mix and blueberry filling

DIY Vicks Shower Pucks

DIY Vicks Shower Pucks ~ put theses in the bottom of your shower when your sick and let them melt away while you have a hot shower. Leaves you feeling less stuffy and helps to clear up colds faster. NOT EDIBLE!! 1 Cup Baking soda 1/2 Cup Cornstarch... 1/3 - 1/2 Cup Water 2 - 3 tsp Vicks vapor rub Heat water enough to melt vicks in. Add in baking soda and cornstarch and mix into a think paste, if you need to add more water. Line a muffin tin with paper cups, fill each cup about half way with mixture. Let dry overnight. Remove from paper cups when discs are hard and store in an airtight container.

Zucchini-Pineapple Loaf Cake

Zucchini-Pineapple Loaf Cake 2 loaf cakes 3 eggs 1 cup oil 2 cups sugar 3 teaspoons vanilla 2 1⁄4 cups coarsely shredded unpeeled zucchini 1 (14 ounce) canwell drained crushed pineapple 3 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 3⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup raisins or 1 cup currants Set oven to 350 degrees (second lowest rack). Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans, or mini loaf pans. In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla, continue beating until thick and foamy with a spoon, then stir in shredded zucchini and pineapple. Combine remaining dry ingredients together, then gently stir into zucchini/pineapple mixture just until blended. Add the chopped nut and raisins; stir to combine. Divide the batter evenly between two greased and floured 9x5 loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tests done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing. Muffin Variation: follow above recipe except nearly fill paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 24-30 minutes.

Crock Pot Creamy Cheesy Red Potatoes

Crock Pot Creamy Cheesy Red Potatoes 7 cups cubed red potatoes, uncooked 8 ounces small curd cottage cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt paprika, for garnish minced chives, for garnish Place cubed potatoes in crock pot. In a food processor or blender, puree the cottage cheese and sour cream until smooth. Combine Velveeta, onion, garlic and salt with cottage cheese/sour cream blend, mix well. Pour over potatoes and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir before serving and garnish with paprika and chives.

Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops **You can substitute chicken if you prefer 6-9 pork chops (not too thick, you can use boneless pork loin) 2 eggs 4 Tbs water 2 cups flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder Canola or vegetable oil for frying chops Glaze: 1 1/2 cups honey 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. ginger dash of cayenne pepper (to your taste) 1/2 cup soy sauce 1 Tbs chopped garlic 2 Tbs butter Whisk the eggs and 4 Tbs. water together in a shallow dish. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in another shallow dish. Dip the chops in the flour, then over into the egg. Then back over into the flour mixture once again. This is what puts the extra crispy coating on the chops. Be sure to get plenty of flour on in this last coating, then shake them a little and place in a pan with about a half inch of oil. Be sure the oil is hot, but not too hot or the chops will cook too fast. You need to get it good and hot and then turn to about medium. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side. Try not to turn more than twice or your breading will come off. Remove from the pan to a 9"x13" baking dish. Saute the garlic a little in the butter. Add the honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, cayenne, and ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Watch this carefully because it will foam and might boil over. Pour 1/2 of the glaze over the pork chops. Flip them over and pour the other 1/2 over the other side. Place uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes. This sets the glaze and finishes them to be sure they are cooked through.

Cheese Garlic Bread Spread

Delicious Cheese Garlic Bread Spread 1/2-1 cup margarine 3 teaspoons chopped garlic 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 1 cup grated cheddar cheese Microwave margarine in medium glass bowl for about 40 seconds or until about halfway melted. Mix in all ingredients, using a fork. Spread mixture over bread (I use a one of those long sourdough french loaves split in half lengthwise but I've also used plain thickcut bread or split dinner rolls). Place on baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 450, until top is golden brown.

Banana Split Salad

Banana Split Salad 2 ripe bananas, sliced 1 (3 oz) box instant banana pudding 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juices 1 (8 oz) frozen whipped topping 1/4-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, plus extra for garnish 2 (10 oz) jars maraschino cherries, halved 1 cup mini marshmallows 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Mix sliced bananas with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk pudding mix with crushed pineapple, with juices, until thickened. Fold in frozen whipped topping, then mix in marshmallows, nuts, bananas, chocolate chips, and maraschino cherries Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent - 6 ingredients, cost you about $28 a YEAR! This recipe makes a batch that will last a year! Works in HE washers and with cold water too! 1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle 1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle 1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. (This is optional but I highly recommend adding it) 2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we chose to do pink for the scent but the white would be just fine. You can also use Fels Naptha) 1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box, we couldn’t find the larger 4lb box when we went) 1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- or use 3-4 bottles of Scentsy Washer Whiffs. Scentsy washer whiffs are my top choice, (they smell out-of-this-world amazing – my favorite is Quiver), but when in a hurry, I opt for the Purex, (which can be found in the detergent aisle). The hardest most time consuming part is grating the cheese soap. It looks like pink cheese….has anyone ever seen pink cheese? If you do not have a food processor you will need to use a typical hand grater. We would recommend using a large mixing bowl to grate into and using the fine side of the grater. Another option is to microwave the soap before hand. First, cut the bar into chunks or slices. Pop it into the microwave for about a minute. It will expand… a lot…but then it is dry and just crumbles into tiny bits! The hardest part is now over and all that’s left is to mix everything together. Use a very large bucket and take a layering approach to mix it easier. Take a small amount of each ingredient and layer it on top of each other, then grab a large mixing spoon and mixed it together. Do this about 5 times. This is so much easier than dumping all the ingredients in at once and then trying to u it well. This batch makes A TON! Now for probably the best part…you only need 1-2 Tablespoons per load depending on the size. Now here comes the stroke of genius, if you opted to put the Purex Crystals in your batch, you can scoop the detergent right into your bottle and use the cap as your measuring spoon. There are 3 lines on the side and the middle one is approximately 2 Tablespoons

Slow Cooker Honey Sauce Wingettes

Slow Cooker Honey Sauce Wingettes 1 (2 lb) package chicken wings salt and pepper 2 cups honey 3⁄4 cup soy sauce... 3⁄4 cup chili sauce 1⁄4 cup oil 1 teaspoon garlic, prepared minced Rinse chicken, pat dry and sprinkle very lightly with salt and pepper. Place wingettes on broiler pan; broil for 20 minutes, 10 minutes on each side. Transfer to a slow cooker sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, chili sauce, oil, and garlic; spoon over wingettes. Cover aand cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Garnish with dried parsley.

Sweet Potato Bread

Sweet Potato Bread 2 cups white sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 2 cups mashed canned candied yams or 2 cups sweet potatoes 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups flour 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, egg, sweet potatoes and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (except walnuts) together well and add to wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts. Pour into 2 standard loaf pans. Bake for 75 minutes or until thin knife inserted in center comes out clean.

SHREDDED POTATO SALMON CAKES

SHREDDED POTATO SALMON CAKES 3 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded 2 eggs salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 pound cooked flaked salmon 3 green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons capers, drained 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 3/4 cup chopped canned banana peppers 3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs 1 cup oil for frying, or as needed Squeeze as much liquid from the potatoes as you can, and place in a large bowl. Beat the eggs with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and mix with the potatoes. Mix in salmon, green onions, capers, red bell pepper, banana peppers, mushrooms and bread crumbs. Form into about 12 patties about 3/4 inch thick. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the patties for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels quickly before serving. Try to fry all the patties at one time, otherwise the mixture becomes stiff.

Coconut Cream Bread Pudding

Coconut Cream Bread Pudding 1 (8 oz) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened 1 cup Domino Granulated Sugar 4 large eggs 2 cups half and half 1 cup canned cream of coconut 6 Tbsp butter, melted and divided 1 16 oz french bread loaf, crust removed, cut into 1 inch cubes Vegetable cooking spray 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 1 bottle caramel topping as needed per serving Preheat oven to 350 degrees Beat cream cheese at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add 1 cup sugar and eggs, and beat at medium speed 2 minutes and until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 cups half and half, 1 cup of cream of coconut, and 3 TBSP melted butter. Stir in bread cubes. Let stand 5 minutes. Coat a 13 X 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour bread mixture into dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Stir together flaked coconut, walnuts or pecans, and 3 TBSP melted butter. Sprinkle coconut mixture over baked pudding, and bake 5-8 more minutes or until browned. Cut bread pudding into 8 to 10 servings, and serve with caramel topping.

Honey Butter

Honey Butter 1 Stick of Butter 1/2 cup of Honey 1 tsp. Cinnamon (this is optional) Whip together all ingredients in a small bowl. Be sure to cover and refrigerate after making. When you are ready to use the butter, let it sit our for about 30 minutes to soften before you try to use it. That’s it! Such an easy recipe to make and even easier to eat

Valentine’s Day Chex Mix

Valentine’s Day Chex Mix 4 1/2 Cup Rice Chex Cereal 1/2 Cup Vanilla CandiQuik 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter 2 Tablespoons butter 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar 1/2 Cup Sprinkles 1/2 Cup M&M’s Melt the peanut butter, CandiQuik and butter int he microwave for 1 and 1/2 minutes, stirring every thirty seconds until melted Mix the peanut butter mixture in with your cereal and stir until well coatedMix half of the cereal with the powdered sugar until it is well coated Mix the second half of the cereal with the M&M’s and sprinkles Spread both mixtures out on wax paper until it is dry (about 15 minutes) Mix everything together in one large bowl. Can bag up for party favors

Brownie Goodie Dessert Bars

Brownie Goodie Dessert Bars 1 Box of Brownie Mix (Or you could use our Homemade Fudge Brownie Recipe) 1 Tub of Vanilla Frosting 1 Cup Salted Peanuts, coarsely chopped 3 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal 1 Cup Mini Reese’s 12 ounce bag of Milk Chocolate Chips Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Make brownies as directed on the package and spread into a 9 x 13 pan, bake and cool completely Frost with Vanilla Frosting (you could use a chocolate frosting if you prefer) Sprinkle the peanuts over the vanilla frosting Measure out the cereal and place in a large bowl and set aside Melt the Reese’s and Chocolate chips in a 1 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly Pour over the cereal in the bowl and stir until it is evenly coated Spread over the frosted brownies and cool completely before cutting into squares

Gooey Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

Gooey Peanut Butter Cereal Bars 6 Cups Cereal 2 Tablespoons Butter 10 Ounces Marshmallows 1/3 Cup Peanut Butter 1 1/2 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips In a large microwave save bowl, melt the marshmallows and butter – Mine took about 60 seconds on high in the microwave. Mix in the Peanut Butter and 1 cup of the Chocolate Chips until smooth and well mixed together Mix int he 6 cups of cereal util well coated Spread in a greased 9×13 pan and sprinkle the additional 1/2 cup of Chocolate Chips on top – I pressed mine into the cereal mixture slightly. Let set and cut into squares

Perfect Picnic Chicken Salad

Perfect Picnic Chicken Salad 4 Chicken Breasts 1 Cup of Miracle Whip 1/2 cup Diced Green Onion 1/2 Cup Diced Celery 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt 1 Teaspoon Pepper Bake your chicken breasts in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until they are fully cooked Shred your chicken, an easy way to do this is by placing it in your stand mixer and letting it go for a couple minutes Mix all of the additional ingredients in with the chicken Place a large scoop on a croissant or bun of your choice and enjoy! If you like your chicken salad to have a little more sauce to it, add another 1/2 cup of Miracle Whip.

Lemon Honey Homemade Suckers

Lemon Honey Homemade Suckers 1 Cup Sugar 2 Tablespoons Water 1/3 Cup Honey 10 Drops Lemon Essential Oil Sucker Sticks Have a cookie sheet ready to go with parchment paper or Silpat lining it Place the Sugar, Water and Honey into a pot and turn on medium heat Stir until the sugar is dissolved Once the Sugar is dissolved, place your candy thermometer into the candy mixture and turn the heat up to high Let the sugar mixture reach 300 degrees without mixing Pour the Sugar mixture very carefully into a glass bowl and quickly mix in the Lemon Essential Oil Pour small circles of the mixture onto the cookie sheet and insert the sucker sticks Let the suckers cool and harden.

Cheese and Onion Homemade Beer Bread

Cheese and Onion Homemade Beer Bread 3 Cups Flour 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder 1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt 1/2 Cup Sugar 1 Cup Shredded Cheese, I used Cheddar 3 Green Onions diced 12 Ounces of Beer or Sprite 1/2 Cup Melted Butter In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese and green onion. Mix in the beer or soda using as few strokes as possible until the mix is well moistened Pour the batter (it will be thick) into a greased bread loaf pan ,Drizzle with butter on top before baking Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes, after removing allow to cool for 15 minutes before eating.

Moscato Pink Lemonade

Moscato Pink Lemonade This recipe is for each glass of Moscato Pink Lemonade you will serve 1/2 Cup Mirassou Moscato 1/2 Cup Pink Lemonade – I used a store bought version 1/2 Cup Squirt Soda Lemons Raspberries Sugar for the rim of the glass Ice Cut a lemon in half and use it to put juice around the rim of the glass before dipping it in the sugar Add Ice to the cup Add the Moscato, Pink Lemonade and Squirt Soda to the glass and stir Add raspberries for garnish and enjoy

Cheese and Hashbrown Hamburger Casserole

Cheese and Hashbrown Hamburger Casserole 4 Cups Frozen Hashbrowns, shredded or cubed 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Pound Ground Beef 1 Small Onion, Diced 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup 1 Cup Milk 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese Salt and Pepper Heat the Olive oil in a skillet Add the onion to the oil and cook until they are translucent Add the ground beef to the onion and brown completely Mix the hashbrowns, cream of mushroom soup, milk and 1 cup of shredded cheese into the ground beef and mix together Place the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (Our FAVORITE BAKING DISH) Add the last 1/2 cup of shredded cheese to the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Steak and Rice

Slow Cooker Mushroom Steak and Rice 2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat 1 Package Lipton Soup Onion Mushroom Mix 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup 2 Cups Fresh Mushrooms 1 Cup White Wine (I just use whatever I have on hand) Rice I like to brown the stew meat slightly in a medium heat skillet with just a splash of Olive Oil before placing the meet in the slow cooker Mix together the Lipton Soup Mix, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Mushrooms and wine in a bowl and pour over the stew meat in the slow cooker Cook on low for 6 hours and serve over rice! If you're not a big rice lover, this can be served over mashed potatoes too

Cheerio Treats

Cheerio Treats 1 Cup Sugar 1 Cup Corn Syrup 1 Cup Peanut Butter 1 Teaspoon Rodelle Vanilla 5 Cups Cheerios In a Sauce pan bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil, stirring often Allow the mixture to boil for a minute before removing from heat Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until it’s smooth Pour the peanut butter mixture over the Cheerios and mix together well Using a medium sized cookie scoop, form balls with the Cheerio mixture and place them on wax paper to cool. Store in a air tight container, they will keep for several days! Enjoy!

Strawberry Blueberry LimeAid

Strawberry Blueberry LimeAid Juice of 1 Lime Juice of ½ Lemon 1 teaspoon Truvia Frozen Blueberries 1 Sliced Frozen Strawberry Ice Club Soda Pour the lemon and lime juice into a glass Add Truvia into the glass with the juice and mix Add the strawberries, blueberries and ice Fill the glass the rest of the way with the club soda and enjoy

Cocoa Puffs Brownies

Cocoa Puffs Brownies 1 Cup Butter, melted 2 Cups Sugar 4 Eggs 2 tsp. Vanilla 1 Cup Flour ¾ Cup Cocoa Powder ½ tsp. Salt ½ tsp. Baking Powder Chocolate Frosting - I used store bought 2 Cups Cocoa Puffs Mix together the 1 cup of melted butter and the 2 cups of sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients except the Cocoa Puffs. Combine the butter mixture with the dry ingredients and till they mixed together. Fold in 1½ Cups Cocoa puffs into the brownie mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After the brownies have cooled, frost with the chocolate frosting and top with the remaining ½ cup of Cocoa Puffs.

Slow Cooker Enchilada Chili

Slow Cooker Enchilada Chili 1 can chili beans with sauce 1 can drained black beans 1 can enchilada sauce 1 cup vegetable stock ½ cup diced bell pepper ½ cup whole kernel frozen corn 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp cumin Toppings: Cheese, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, etc. Combine all ingredients except for toppings in a crockpot, stir, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours. Once fully cooked, serve in bowls topped with cheese, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and ingredients of your choice. *Alternate cooking instructions: Saute bell peppers over medium-high heat in a large pot with a little oil, until they soften. Add in all remaining ingredients except for toppings, and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in bowls and topped with cheese, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and ingredients of your choice.

Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken

Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken 5 bone in , skin on chicken thighs (2 lbs ) Salt to taste 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (or juice of 1 lemon) 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic 6 whole garlic cloves , peeled Lemon slices and zest to garnish Sliced green onions , to garnish Preheat oven to 360°F Place chicken thighs in a large shallow dish and season with salt; set aside. In a large mixing jug, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, vinegar and minced garlic. Pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the chicken (or just enough to lightly coat each thigh) and rotate each thigh to coat evenly in the sauce. Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium high heat; sear the chicken skin side down first until golden for about 5 minutes. Turn and repeat on the other side. Drain most of the excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon for added flavour. Arrange chicken skin-side up in the pan; add the whole garlic cloves between the chicken; pour half of the remaining sauce over each thigh (about 1-2 tablespoons per thigh) and bake for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. The skin should be crispy and sticky. While the chicken is baking, pour the remaining sauce into a small pot (or saucepan), and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat down to low and allow to simmer while occasionally stirring; lifting the pot off of the heat when the sauce bubbles up to the rim of your pot, and repeat the process until the sauce has sightly reduced and thickened (about 6 minutes). Serve with the remaining sauce, lemon zest and slices, and sliced green onions (optional).

Beef And Guinness Stew

Beef And Guinness Stew 1 1/2 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast , trimmed and cut into thick 1 1/2-inch pieces salt and pepper to season 4 tablespoons olive oil (plus more if needed) 2 medium-sized brown onions , chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 large carrots , peeled and chopped into thick slices 2 celery stalks , chopped into thick pieces 4 large potatoes , quartered 1/4 cup plain flour 1 1/2 cups Guinness Beer 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional) 4 cups (or 1 litre or 1 quart) beef broth (beef stock) 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme Extra salt and pepper to season , to your tastes 2 tablespoons fresh parsley , chopped Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 160°C | 325°F. Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in dutch oven or a heavy based, oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches of three or four until browned all over. (Use more oil where needed.) Transfer to a warm plate. Add onion and garlic to the pan juices; sauté until soft and transparent. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir the flour into the vegetables in the pan, coating them evenly. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the Guinness; mix well to dissolve flour, then add the tomato paste, brown sugar, chicken broth and thyme, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, (about 5 minutes). Add the beef back into the pot along with any juices released. Partially cover the pot; transfer to the oven and bake for 2 1/2 - 3 hours (stir stew twice through cooking). Carefully remove from the oven, and season with salt and pepper, if desired, to your tastes. Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes. Notes *For a thicker gravy, mix 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch together with 2 tablespoons of water; add after baking in the oven while it's still bubbling. You can turn on your stove to low heat to do this, stirring the cornstarch through until thickened to your liking. FOR THE SLOW COOKER: Add the browned beef into a 6 qt slow cooker bowl, along with the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT for the flour. Cook on low setting for 7-8 hours, or high setting for 4-5 hours. In the last half an hour of cooking, ladle out 1/2 cup liquid out of the slow cooker; mix the liquid with the 1/4 of flour until smooth and blended; then pour the flour mixture through the liquid (change to high setting if cooking on low).

Pork Carnitas

Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork) Carnitas 4 pounds (or 2 kg) skinless, boneless pork butt (or shoulder) 3-4 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon dried oregano (or Mexican oregano) 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 large brown or white onion , cut into wedges 8 cloves garlic , smashed 2 limes , juiced 2 large oranges , juiced (or 3/4 cup natural orange juice) 3/4 cup coke (Original or Mexican coke is ideal)* 2 bay leaves Rinse and pat dry pork with a paper towel. In the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker, add pork, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, onion, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, coke, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8-10 hours, or high heat for 5-6 hours (until the meat falls apart). Remove pork and shred with two forks (DO NOT DISCARD THE LIQUID!) TO CRISP IN THE OVEN: Transfer the pork to a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking oil spray (or lined with aluminium foil or parchment paper). Pour 1 ladle full (about 1 cup) of the liquid from the slow cooker over the pork to season. Broil for 5-10 minutes on high heat until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges. TO CRISP ON STOVE: Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a non stick pan or cast iron skillet over high heat. When pan is hot, add pork in batches of two or three, and sear until just beginning to crisp. Ladle over about 1/2 cup of left over liquid, and continue cooking until the juices begin to reduce down and the meat is nice and crispy! TO SERVE: Season with a little extra salt and pepper if desired. Pour over more of the slow cooker juices once the meat has crisped for added flavour, just before serving! Serve in Tacos, Burritos, or in a salad! Recipe Notes *Coke with cane sugar instead of corn syrup is ideal, however you can use any coke. Alternatively, substitute with chicken broth (chicken stock).

Shrimp & Mexican Corn Foil Packets

Shrimp & Mexican Corn Foil Packets For The Shrimp Foil Packets: 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off 2 ears of corn on the cob, husked, cut into 6x 1-inch pieces per cob 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 orange bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon taco seasoning 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1/4 cup lime juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin For The Elotes Topping: 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sour cream 1 medium clove garlic, finely minced 1/3 cup finely crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, (or fresh grated parmesan cheese) 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for serving 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves, to garnish 1 lime, cut into wedges Preheat a gas (or charcoal grill), or a grill pan over high heat. Cut four sheets of foil, about 10-12-inches long. Combine the shrimp, corn, bell peppers and onions in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic, taco seasoning, brown sugar, lime juice, cilantro and cumin; gently toss to combine. Divide shrimp mixture among the four pieces of foil, arranging the ingredients on the centre of each piece. Fold up all 4 sides of each foil packet, covering completely and sealing the packets closed. Place foil packets on the grill and cook until just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes on one side. Flip, and continue to grill on the other side for a further 6 minutes, or until the corn is tender and shrimp are fully cooked. (If using the oven, bake in a preheated oven -- 400°F | 200°C -- on a baking sheet for 25-30 minutes, or until done). While the packs are cooking, mix together the mayo, sour cream and garlic until thoroughly mixed through. Once cooked, drizzle the corn with the crema; top with the cheese and chili powder; garnish packs with the cilantro (or parsley) and serve packets immediately with lime wedges, tortillas, rice, or other sides.

Beef & Bean Jalapeño Chili

Beef & Bean Jalapeño Chili 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 large yellow onions diced 1 green pepper diced 1-2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped (with seeds) 8 cloves garlic, chopped or minced (or 2 tablespoons minced garlic) 2 pounds ground beef (mince) 2 tablespoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons chili powder (adjust to your tastes) 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or sweet paprika) 1 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne 1 14.4 ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 14.8 ounce can tomato sauce (American) (or condensed tomato soup for Aussies) 2 cups beef or chicken broth 2 14 ounce cans kidney beans, drained 1 14 ounce can black beans, drained Toppings: Sour Cream Grated Cheddar Cheese Sliced Jalapeños Chopped Green Onions Fresh Cilantro Leaves Heat oil in large heavy-based pot (or casserole pot) over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until transparent, then add the green peppers (or capsicum), jalapeños and garlic; sautéing for a further minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up any big chunks with the end of your wooden spoon. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt and mix through until beef is fully coated in the seasonings. Mix in the crushed tomatoes along with the juices, the tomato sauce (or soup), broth and beans. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer while stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens (about 30 minutes). Ladle into individual bowls, and top with sour cream, grated cheese, sliced jalapeños, chopped green onions, and/or cilantro. Recipe Notes Beef & Bean Chili can be made 2 days ahead. After cooking, allow to cool completely, cover and refrigerate. On the day of cooking, take out of the refrigerator at least an hour before heating.

Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken

Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken 1 4-5 pound 2-3 kg whole chicken, at room temperature giblets and neck removed from cavity 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup white wine, (OPTIONAL) -- use a dry wine like a Sauv blanc or Chardonnay 1 lemon, halved Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 head of garlic roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally through the middle crosswise 3 fresh whole rosemary sprigs Preheat oven to 430°F | 220°C (400°F or 200°C fan forced). Line a baking tray with foil, or lightly grease a roasting pan. Discard neck from inside the cavity and remove any excess fat and leftover feathers. Rinse chicken (including cavity) under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Pour the olive oil, melted butter, wine (if using) and the juice of half a lemon over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity. Season chicken liberally on the outside and inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the parsley. Rub the minced garlic over the chicken, mixing all ingredients together over the chicken and under the skin. Stuff the garlic head into the chicken cavity along with the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halve. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Place breast-side up into baking tray or roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, basting half way through cooking time, until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer. Baste again, then broil for a further 2-3 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve, drizzled with pan juices and remaining lemon half cut into wedges or slices.

Chunky Shrimp Guacamole

Chunky Shrimp Guacamole Shrimp: 2 tablespoon lemon juice, or lime juice 2 teaspoons minced garlic Salt and pepper, to taste 1 pound (500 grams) shrimp, no shell and no tails (raw or pre cooked is fine) Guacamole: 4 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced 1/2 a medium red onion, peeled and diced 1 cup diced grape tomatoes (or cherry or Roma tomatoes) 1-2 large jalapeños stemmed, seeded and finely-diced (adjust the amount to your spice preference) 1/2 red pepper (capsicum) deseeded and chopped (OPTIONAL) Dressing: 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or lime juice 1-2 tablespoon olive oil (OPTIONAL) 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin Cracked black pepper, to taste Combine shrimp together with the lemon (or lime juice), minced garlic and salt and pepper, to taste. If using raw shrimp: fry in a hot pan until cooked through (about 2-3 minutes per side). Transfer to a salad bowl. If using pre-cooked shrimp: you can do the first step right in the salad bowl. No need to cook them again. Add the avocados, onion, tomatoes, jalapeños and red peppers (if using). Drizzle with the lemon (or lime) juice, olive oil (If using), cilantro (or parsley), salt cumin and pepper. Toss gently until evenly mixed through. For a creamier guac, continue mixing until reaching your desired consistency. For a mashed guac, feel free to smash the avocado with a fork, until reaching desired texture. (When doing this, we like to leave some avocado chunks in there.) Taste and season with extra salt if needed, or an extra squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately with chips or veggie sticks for dipping.

Easy Chocolate Coconut Balls

Easy Chocolate Coconut Balls (Truffles) For Chocolate Coconut Balls: 9 ounces plain sweet cookies 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup finely shredded or desiccated coconut 2 tablespoons rum -- or to taste (optional) For Coating: 3/4 cup finely shredded or desiccated coconut (or more) Set up a work station with a large ziplock bag and rolling pin (or a food processor); a large bowl for mixing; and a shallow bowl with 3/4 cup of coconut for rolling in. Place the cookies in ziplock bag, seal and crush with the rolling pin. Alternatively, crush in the food processor until fine crumbs form. It's ok if there are some slightly larger pieces. Add the crushed cookies, coconut, cocoa powder and condensed milk to the large bowl. Mix the ingredients well using a wooden spoon, then your hands once it gets too thick. Scoop out a tablespoonful of mixture and roll into a 1 - 1 1/2 inch ball, then roll in coconut until completely covered. Place on a baking sheet or tray and repeat until all the mixture has been rolled into balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Recipe Notes Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Store in an airtight container layered with parchment paper or plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.

Glazed Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

Glazed Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 Tablespoons white vinegar 1 Teaspoon ground ginger 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 chicken thighs 1 Tablespoons olive oil Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rub the thighs with the olive oil. Salt and pepper the thighs on both sides. Place them in a 10 inch ovenproof skillet . (I used a cast iron skillet). Saute the thighs 3 -5 minutes without moving them until skin is lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate, pour off any drippings from frying. Place the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin side up. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken. Roast about 25 minutes, basting occasionally until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Serve with the sauce. Servings 4

Honey Lemon Shrimp

Honey Lemon Shrimp serves 2 Ingredients: 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 cup olive oil 2 T honey juice of one small lemon, or half a large lemon (2-3 T) zest of one small lemon or half a large lemon 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes In a large ziploc bag, combine all the marinade ingredients. When everything is well-combined, add the shrimp, squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag, and close it up. Place it in the fridge. Let the shrimp marinate for 30-60 minutes, flipping the bag around once or twice during that time, so that all the shrimp stay evenly covered in the marinade. When you’re ready to cook, take the shrimp out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; there is no need to add any oil or butter to the pan, as the marinade has enough oil in it to keep the shrimp from sticking to the pan. (If you would prefer to use the grill for these, you can thread them onto skewers and toss them on the grill at this point.) Add your shrimp to the pan in a single layer, making sure they are not too crowded; you can always cook them in more than one batch. Let them cook on one side for about a minute, until they curl up and start to turn pink. Flip them over, and cook for another 30 seconds or so, until the shrimp are opaque. Remove from the pan, and serve immediately! the sweet honey got a little caramelized and crunchy in the hot pan, and the red pepper flakes and lemon add just enough kick to cut through the sweetness. Best of all, they took about 10 minutes to make, start to finish… perfect for a quick weeknight meal! beautiful With grilled steak.

FIESTA CASSEROLE

FIESTA CASSEROLE 1 lb ground beef 1 med. Chopped onion 1 lg bag Fritos-Scoop kind 26 oz. Can Ranch Style Beans with Jalapenos (do not drain) 10 oz. can Ro-Tel Mexican Lime & Cilantro diced tomatoes 1 sm can Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup 1 pk Enchilada Seasoning 3 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese Preheat oven to 325 degrees Brown beef in large skillet with chopped onion then drain grease. Add beans, Rotel, Soup and Enchilada Seasoning & Mix well. Simmer until thoroughly heated. Lightly grease a large baking pan. Crush Fritos and spread in bottom of baking pan. Pour a layer of beef mixture and then a layer of ½ of the shredded cheese. Make another layer of Fritos, beef and cheese. Cover with foil and bake approximately 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

TACO PIE

TACO PIE 5 8″ flour tortillas 1 lb. ground beef 1 16 oz. can refried beans… 2 T. taco seasoning 1/4 C. water 1 jar salsa (I didn’t really measure, just used big spoonful’s) 2 C. shredded Colby jack cheese 2 green onions, chopped 1 tomato, chopped In a skillet, brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain the grease, add in the taco seasoning and water. Combine well and remove from heat. I used an 8″ iron skillet for mine, but use whatever you have that might work…Place a tortilla in the bottom of your pan, spread a couple big spoonful’s of salsa over the tortilla, spread some of the refried beans over the salsa, then some of the meat and top with some cheese. Repeat the layers ending with a flour tortilla on top (save some of the cheese for the top). Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered for 6-7 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted and edges of the tortilla are crisp. Remove and top with the green onions and tomatoes before serving. Slice it like you would a pie.