Black Bean Pie

Ingredients

2 Cans of Unseasoned Black Beans (drained well)
1/2 bag each of Mozarella and Cheddar ( I prefer Sharp) Cheese
3 cups Salsa (this is just an estimate-you want enough to coat the ingredients)
2 Pie Crusts

Combine beans, cheese and salsa in large bowl and mix well.

Add one half of each mixture into pie crusts and top with top layer of crust.

Bake at 425 until top is brown

Let stand for 2-3 hours before serving.

Great with sour cream on top and a side of salad

Family favorite!

Sweet Potato Casserole

from:  Brenda Chadwick
                         
3 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
½ cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and out into a 9 inch (greased) casserole dish.  Sprinkle topping on top and bake at 350 for 40 – 45 minutes.  When toothpick comes out clean, casserole is done.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 stick of margarine, melted

P.S.   Sweet potatoes are best if you cook them with the skin on and peel after cooking.

Upside-Down Apple Skillet Pie

I made this the other night it was so easy and yummy! There is no worries with a soggy pie bottom with this and it looks great in the pan. Next time we are going to try it with peaches.

•1 stick butter

•½ cup packed brown sugar

•1 teaspoon cinnamon

•1 can (21-ounce) apple pie filling

•2 cups presliced apples

•1 Refrigerated piecrust

•2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate, thawed *

•1 tablespoon granulated sugar

*I just used butter and it worked fine

1.Preheat oven to to 425 degrees F. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet or ovenproof pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook until it begins to bubble. Stir in apple pie filling and apple slices.

2.Unroll piecrust and place over skillet. With a wooden spoon, push edges of piecrust into skillet. Brush with apple juice concentrate and sprinkle with sugar. Cut slit in top of crust to allow steam to escape.

3.Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool 1 hour before slicing.

**Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Creamy Tortellini Soup

1 jar alfredo sauce 15 ounce
4 cups water
1 14 ounce can vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 7 to 8 ounce package dried cheese tortellini (about 2 cups
I used the refrigerated ones from sams
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
6 cups baby spinach leaves or torn spinach
ground pepper (optional)
shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
I put pepper and cheese in each bowel of serving

Put alfredo sauce, water, broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper in crock pot. Cook 5-6 hrs on low or 2.5-3hrs on high. Add tortellini, cook 1 more hour on low or until tortellini is cooked. add evaporated milk and spinach. add black pepper and parmesan cheese if desired.

Compliments of Brad Lowder

Waikiki Meatballs

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2/3 cup crushed saltine cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
•
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks - drained, with juice reserved
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
Directions
1.In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cracker crumbs, onion, egg, milk, ginger and salt. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into meatballs.
2.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place meatballs in skillet and cook until evenly brown, and meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
3.In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, brown sugar, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce. Mix until smooth, then pour into the skillet with meatballs. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and pineapple chunks. Heat through.

Pumpkin Dip

1 - 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 - 15oz. can pumpkin
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. frozen orange juice concentrate

Blend cream cheese and sugar. Add other ingredients. Chill.

I usually have this served with ginger bread cookies but I am sure you can use it for other things as well.

Double-Spaghetti Squash

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 lb)

4oz uncooked spaghetti, broken in half

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt



1.Prick squash with fork; place on microwavable paper towel in microwave oven. Microwave on High 8 minutes; turn squash over. Microwave 8 to 11 minutes longer or until tender. Let stand 10 minutes. (I cook mine in the oven. It does take longer though)



2.Meanwhile, cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package; return spaghetti to saucepan.



3.Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove seeds and fibers. Reserve one half for another use. From other half, remove spaghetti-like strands with 2 forks; reserve shell. Add squash and remaining ingredients to spaghetti in saucepan; toss. Return spaghetti mixture to squash shell to serve.

Super Easy Yummy Caramel Corn

We tried this the other night.  It was so good and so fast and easy.

12 C. popped popcorn (about 1/2 c. kernels)
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. white karo syrup
1/2 t.  (if you are using salted microwave popcorn then omit the salt)
1 stick real butter
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla

Put popcorn in a large bowl.  Larger than you think you need.  I had to use one of my big pans.  Set aside.

Put brown sugar, karo syrup and butter in a microwaves safe bowl.  Cut the butter in pieces so it melts a little faster.  Microwave for 30 seconds and stir to combine.  Microwave for 2 minutes and then take it out and stir.  Microwave for 2 more minutes and stir. 

Add the baking soda and vanilla and stir.  Pour over popcorn and mix well.  Dump out on a piece of foil or cookie sheet and let cool for a minute.  And then eat. 
*I found this on my favorite Our Best Bites Blog.

Black Bean and Mango Salsa

I love this stuff.  I can just sit and eat it with a spoon. :)  It is great with chips and on chicken and fish.

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 of medium red onioin (about 1/2 c. cup)
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. lime juice
2 t. red wine vinegar
1/2 t.  sugar
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
(optional) 1 medium avocado, diced

1.  In a large bowl, combine the black beans, mango, red onion, and cilantro.
2. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Stir to dissolve sugar and then pour over black bean mixture.  Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
3.  When ready to serve, gently fold in the diced avacado (optional).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini Chowder

Saute:
2 Zucchihi
1 onion
2 T. Minced fresh parsley
1/3 c. butter

Add:
1/3 c.  Flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
mix in well

Add:
3 c.  water
3 chicken boullion cubes
1 t.  lemon juice

Add:
14 1/2 oz.  diced tomatos
1 can evaporated milk
1 pkg.  frozen corn

Bring to boil, the reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add:
1/4 c.  grated parmesan cheese
2  c.  shredded cheddar cheese
pinch of sugar.

Sandra Lee Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

Ingredients

Cook: 6 servings
•Nonstick cooking spray

•1 package (17.5 ounces) frozen carrot cake, thawed and cut into 1-inch cubes,or leftover cake with no icing

•3⁄4 cup chopped walnuts

•1⁄4 cup golden raisins

•11⁄4 cups milk

•1 package (4-serving-size) instant butterscotch pudding and pie filling mix, Jell-O®

•1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

•Frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray; set aside.

2.In a large mixing bowl, combine carrot cake cubes, walnuts, and raisins.

3.Combine milk, dry pudding mix, and cinnamon; whisk until well mixed. Pour over carrot cake mixture, stirring gently. Pour into prepared casserole. Dot with butter.

4.Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until hot in center. Serve warm with whipped topping.

Sandra Lee Asparagus and Tomato Tart

Ingredients

Makes: 8 servings

Cook: 10 minutes
•1 9-inch frozen piecrust

•½ cup ricotta cheese

•¼ cup milk S0.06 2 eggs, lightly beaten

•1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

•1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

•2 slices of bacon, chopped

•1 small yellow onion, chopped

•½ bunch fresh asparagus, ends removed, chopped

•1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, drained well

•1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

•½ tsp. kosher salt

•¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions
1.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.Pre-bake the piecrust for 10 minutes.

3.Sauté the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel. Add onion and asparagus to the skillet with the bacon fat. Sauté until onions are soft, approximately 5 minutes.

4.Stir together ricotta, milk, eggs, parsley, ½ tablespoon basil, and salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl until combined. Arrange asparagus, onions, and half the tomatoes in the piecrust. Pour egg mixture into prepared crust.

5.Bake in oven for 40–45 minutes or until eggs have set and the tart is puffed up and lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

6.In a small bowl, toss the remaining tomatoes with the remaining basil and balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Serve over tart.

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients
*1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
* 1/4 cup water-1 up of water
* 1 8oz pkg low fat cream cheese
*1 can cream of chicken soup
*3 cups cooked white, long grain rice, noodles etc.



Directions
*1. Place chicken in crock pot
*2. Mix together Italian dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.
*3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR low for 8 hours.
*4. Mix together cream cheese and soup in separate bowl.
*5. Carefully remove chicken from crock pot to plate.
*6. Pour cream cheese/soup mixture into crock pot and mix together with dressing in bottom.
*7. Return chicken to crock pot and mix gently to shred the chicken.
*8. Cook on LOW until heated through.
*Serve with rice or noodles.

**You may add skim or low fat milk in very small quantities to thin the sauce a little. It does not significantly affect the nutritional value if you use up to 2 tablespoons**

Makes 6 servings. Approximately 2/3 cup mixture with 1/2 cup rice.

This recipe can be made with FAT FREE cream cheese and it saves about 6 grams of fat. However, I feel that the dish benefits from the flavor of the low fat over the fat free.

Compliments of Carla Simpson

Crock Pot Apricot Mustard Chicken

Ingredients


11 1/2 ounces apricot juice/nectar, canned

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 cups prepared couscous or wild rice blend


Directions

1.In a mixing bowl, whisk together the apricot nectar, mustard, garlic, ginger and spices. Dip each chicken breast in the apricot mixture and place in Crock-Pot® slow cooker
2.Pour the remaining sauce over the breasts. Cover; cook on Low 7 to 9 hours (or on High for 4 to 5 hours).
3.Remove the chicken from the stoneware and arrange over rice or couscous. Spoon the apricot sauce over the chicken breasts.

Pineapple Berry Hobo Pack

2 cups coarsely chopped, cored fresh pineapple (peeled, if desired)

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon chopped crystallized ginger

1 cup raspberries and/or blueberries

1 teaspoon Demerara sugar or brown sugar




directions
1. Fold a 36x18-inch piece of heavy foil in half to make an 18-inch square. Place pineapple in center of foil. Sprinkle with brown sugar and crystallized ginger. Bring up 2 opposite edges of foil; seal with a double fold. Fold remaining edges to completely enclose vegetables, leaving space for steam to build.

2. For a charcoal grill, place packet on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals about 10 minutes or until hot, turning occasionally. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place packet on a grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

3. Carefully open packet and transfer fruit mixture to serving bowl. Add berries. Sprinkle with demerara sugar. Serve over vanilla ice cream(optional) Makes 4 servings.

nutrition factsServings Per Recipe 4 servings
Calories72
Sodium (mg)3,
Carbohydrate (g)18,
Total Sugar (g)12,
Fiber (g)3,
Protein (g)1,
Vitamin C (DV%)76,
Calcium (DV%)2,
Iron (DV%)4,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

~Chicken~
3-5 Large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can Rotel
1 jar salsa of choice*

Place chicken in crock pot either thawed or frozen. Cover with rotel and salsa. Do not drain rotel. Make sure chicken is fully covered.

Cook on low for 8 hours (make sure chicken is covered with salsa mixture) . Before serving take wooden spoon and break chicken apart (chicken should shred easily) Let sit uncovered for 20min. Chicken is juicy.

~Tortillas~

2 c flour
1/2 c water
1/4 c oil
Pinch of salt

Combine flour, water and oil. Flour surface of counter and roll out tortillas. They should be thin. Place on hot griddle or skillet and cook for 30 sec. to 1 min on each dependant on thickness.

Top with favorite toppings. Enjoy.

*I have found the cheaper the salsa the better the taste as it cooks in the crock pot. (i.e Pace)

Easy Whole Wheat Bread

1 Tbsp. yeast
2 cups warm water
1Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. salt
3 to 4 c. whole wheat flour

mix all together, keep warm, cover and let rise for 45 min.

1/2 cup hot water
1 tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. oil
2 to 4 cups whole wheat flour

Add these ingredients to the mixture. Knead 10 min. Let rise 45 min. (Dough should be sticky and moist. Regulate amount of flour to achieve the right consistency).

Knead down into 2 loaves. Let rise another 45 min to an hour in a greased loaf pan.

Bake 350* for 30 min.

Onion Artichoke Pasta Sauce

2 jars marinated artichoke hearts sliced
1/4 c. olive oil
1 c. chopped chives *Optional
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes
1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Drain artichokes, reserve marinade. Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Add onions, garlic, oregano, salt, basil, pepper and marinade. Saute over low heat until onions are soft (10-15 minutes). Add tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Add artichokes and Parmesan. Stir and simmer 5 minutes. Sauce for 1 pound pasta.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 can artichoke hearts
1 bag frozen spinach thawed
1 small roll of hot sausage ground, browned, and drained
1 cup Mayo
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350* Run knife through drained artichoke hearts until desired size has been reached.
Mix: drained spinach, sausage, artichoke hearts, mayo, and parmesan cheese. Spread in a 9 x 13 inch pan and bake covered for 20 min. serve w/ crackers or chips

Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Ball

1 Block Cream Cheese
½ Cup Diced Roasted Red Peppers
½ Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Cayenne Pepper to taste
¾ Cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Mix cream cheese, shredded cheese, red peppers, and cayenne pepper until evenly mixed. Form into a ball, roll in chopped nuts. Chill and serve with crackers.

Tomato Basil Soup

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup shredded carrots (I up this to at least 4 cups but have gone up to five)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or minced garlic to taste)
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
¾ cup fresh basil, chopped (or 4 frozen pesto cubes*)
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (there have been times I have not had the full amount or have forgotten this step and still yummy!)
3 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chicken stock
4-5 oz. cream cheese (can use low-fat)
½ cup fresh parmesan

Over medium-high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add carrots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender, stirring frequently. Add sugar and pepper, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, diced tomatoes, chicken broth and basil. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle soup into a blender (plan to do this about 3 times). Add cream cheese. Remove center piece of blender lid for steam to escape, but cover securely with a paper towel to avoid splatters. Process until smooth, or desired consistency. Repeat. Add fresh parmesan and simmer until ready to serve.

* To make your own pesto cubes: (Keep it simple so you can use it in a variety of ways (no nuts or cheese); in a food processor combine olive oil and basil. Puree. Put into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, put cubes into a large Ziploc bag. Add a cube or two to veggies, pastas, soups, etc.)
** Note that the recipe doesn’t call for salt. I find that between the balsamic vinegar, canned tomatoes, chicken stock and fresh parmesan, it’s usually salty enough. Taste the soup just before serving, though, and salt sparingly, if needed.

~This recipe makes a large amount. I usually freeze half of it. It freezes great!~

I copied and pasted this from:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/tutorial-bbq-grilled-pizza/

I could have just posted the link, but I wasn't sure people would take the time to go to it so I just decided to copy and paste most of the link.  We tried it the other night and it was so good.   I can't wait to do it again.  If you are doing multiple pizzas like we did, it helps to have a couple people doing it because they cook kind of fast.  It was pretty easy.

Dough:
You’ll need pizza dough. Duh. You can use any pizza dough- whatever you normally use to make pizza at home. (What? You don’t make pizza at home? Shame on you! You need to read this.) You could also buy dough. Many grocery stores and bakeries sell fresh, raw pizza dough. I’ve never grilled the kind in the tube, but even that would probably work if you’re in a pinch. I use this recipe and it makes 2 medium/large pizzas or 4-6 smaller personal pizzas.
Toppings:I suggest going a little lighter than normal on the toppings for a few reasons. 1. It will keep the pizzas easy to work with and easy to move around, etc. 2. The toppings will cook faster and be sure to be done if they’re not piled on heavy. 3. Probably the biggest reason- the grill adds so much flavor and texture that you don’t want (or need) to overpower it. Grilled pizza works great sauce-less, or try it with marinara, bbq, or garlic alfredo.Next, get all of your toppings ready. You have to move very quickly while on the grill so everything needs to be prepared and easy to grab. I usually set up a platter with everything I need and keep it next to the grill. You’ll need:
1. Your toppings (cut, sliced, shredded, etc.) including sauce.
2. Some olive oil and a brush to brush it on.
3. A spoon to spread on sauce
4. A large spatula to flip the pizzaWhen your dough is ready, roll it out with a rolling pin, or even just use your hands to press and stretch it. Now listen. Throw all of your preconceived pizza notions out the window. You don’t need to make round pizza. I did for these pictures, but normally, I actually make them more rectangular because I have a giant rectangular shaped spatula to flip them with. The irregular shaped dough is part of the rustic beauty of grilled pizza. No rules! Don’t you feel daring??

Alright- let’s do this step-by step.
First you need to preheat your grill. This is an important step. The rack needs to be nice and hot so the dough will start cooking immediately and the overall temperature needs to be hot in order to act like an oven when the lid is closed. I set my gas grill to medium-high heat, and leave the lid shut.




Size: I find it easiest to make several small pizzas, especially if you’re trying this for the first time. If you want to go big, don’t go much larger than 2 pizzas per this recipe. That’s about a 9-10″ max. I like to do 4 small pizzas. You get a good 6-8″ pizza that will easily feed one very hungry adult or a couple of hungry kids. Another benefit of doing several smaller pizzas is that you can try out a bunch of different topping combos. Kids love having their own!

Once your dough is flattened out, drizzle a little olive oil on one side and brush it around
Now comes the fun part. Toss that puppy (oil side down) straight on the grill and then shut the lid immediately.You’ll want the heat to stay inside so it acts like an oven and cooks the dough. The timing all depends on the heat of the grill and the thickness of the dough. But it usually only takes about 5 minutes or less. Have a spatula handy to lift up the dough and check it. You’ll want to see nice brown grill marks, but avoid burning it. If you can tell that your dough is cooking too fast and too hot, you may want to use indirect heat. For a gas grill with multiple burners, turn off the burner directly under the pizza, but leave the others on. For a charcoal grill, move the charcoal to one side of the grill and place the pizza on the other side.

Can you see the difference? If you look closely (you can click on it to enlarge) you’ll see that the top pic is all doughy on top and the bottom one is puffed and you can tell it’s dry to the touch. That’s a good sign it’s ready to flip. Check the bottom for nice grill marks. Right before you flip it, brush a little olive oil on the uncooked side.


Look at this picture:
As soon as you flip it grab that tray with your toppings and put them on the cooked side right away. Shut the lid again and leave it shut. The second side cooks pretty fast. If the bottom of your pizza is done, but the top still needs to cook, you can place it on an upper rack if you have one.

Take a peek at the bottom crust and as soon as it’s done and your cheese is all melty, grab a spatula and pull it off. I like to make a bunch of small pizzas and throw them all on cutting boards in the middle of the table and just let everyone cut into them.

You can make the dough as thick or as thin as you want. I did a couple of thinner crust ones in the picture below, and a thicker crust in the one above.



The only thing left to do is sit back and let everyone tell you how amazing you are.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Refrigerator Dill Pickles


3   quarts  water
1   quart white vinegar
1   cup pickling salt
4 – 5   lbs cucumbers
1 bunch fresh dill
1 head garlic

Combine water, vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. You can refrigerate overnight in glass or plastic jars.

Scrub cucumbers.  Put dill weed or flowerets and about 4-5 garlic cloves into each jar.  (you may like to add some hot peppers or banana peppers)  pack cucumbers into jar nice and tight, cover with the cold brine, secure lids and refrigerate for at least 1 week.

As you take out and devour pickles put new fresh cucumbers in your now empty jar and let stand a week and you now have more pickles so you can keep the cycle going for about 6 months.  This allows you to stretch your dill and garlic brine.

Thanks to Samantha Dale you can enjoy making your own!

Chicken Enchiladas

Enchilada Sauce:

2 Tbsp. Oil

2 Tbsp. Flour

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder (you can add more if you like)

1 tsp. ground Cumin

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. garlic powder

Rest of ingredients:

2 c. shredded cooked chicken

½ c. thinly sliced green onions

¾ c. cheddar cheese (divided)

¾ c. Monterey jack cheese (divided)

¼ c. sour cream

1 can (4 oz) green chilies

Salt and pepper to taste

12  6-in corn tortillas

1. Enchilada sauce:  heat oil in large sauce pan:  stir in flour and chili powder.  Cook for one minute.  Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl mix together chicken, green onions, ½ c. cheddar, ½ c. Monterey jack, sour cream, chilies.  Stir in ½ c. of the enchilada sauce, stir until blended and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat corn tortillas (both sides) in a frying pan.  I don’t use oil or anything.  You just need to get them soft so they don’t crack.  They usually bubble up a little when they are ready. Or you can heat a few of them at a time in the microwave between wet paper towels for 20-30 seconds.
4. Put a little bit of sauce in a 9X13 inch pan.
5. Spread about 2 Tbsp. (heaping) of mixture into each tortilla and roll up and place side by side (seam side down) in pan.
6. Pour remaining sauce over the top and top with remaining cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly (about 15-20 minutes)

Ice Cream Dessert a.k.a. Fourth of July Dessert.

(This is one of our all time favorite desserts).

½ gallon vanilla ice cream
½ gallon chocolate ice cream
6 heath bars, or heath toffee bits (1 bag)
1 pkg mothers macaroon cookies or Chips Ahoy (You can use any kind of hard crunchy cookies.  My kids like Chips Ahoy much better while Coy and I prefer the macaroons.)
1 bottle chocolate fudge sauce (smuckers)

1. Crush the cookies and heath bars into chunks. Let the ice cream sit on the counter to soften (really soft).
2. Sprinkle the bottom of a 9 inch spring form or 9x13 in pan with a 1/3 of the cookies, then layer all of the chocolate ice cream on top of the cookies.
3. Next sprinkle a 1/3 more of the cookies and ½ of the heath bars on top of the chocolate ice cream. Next pour ½ bottle of the chocolate sauce on the heath bars.
4. For the next layers add the vanilla ice cream, then the rest of the cookies, and then the rest of the heath bars.
5. For the last layer drizzle the rest of the chocolate sauce on top.

***You need a deep 9x13 for this.  It fills up the whole thing.  If you aren't patient, then instead of waiting for the ice cream to get soft you can open up the whole container and just cut slabs off and lay them in the pan. 

Grilled Pineapple

1 large ripe pineapple

3 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice

1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Trim, core and peel pineapple. Cut into quarters from top to bottom. Slice out the core from each quarter. Cut each quarter slice into four pieces, once lengthwise and once crosswise. you should have 16 wedges of pineapple about 1 inch by 3 inches.

In small bowl combine honey, lemon or lime juice and black pepper. Brush glaze on each slice of pineapple coating completely.

Preheat grill and spray with a non stick spray. Place wedges on the grill and cook approx. 4 minutes on each side, turning so that grill marks are on all sides, until pineapple becomes fragrant and starts to dry on the surface. Do not overcook or they will by mushy.

Remove and brush with any remaining glaze and enjoy.

Christmas Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 head romaine lettuce

2 c. thinly sliced celery

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 - 11 oz. cans of mandarin oranges

1 large pomegranate (seeds of)

3/4 c. sliced almonds

1/3 c. sugar

 Dressing 

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. sugar

6 drops of Tabasco sauce

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, fresh (optional)

1 dash pepper

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1/2 c. vegetable oil

 1.  In a small pan on med. low heat, mix sugar and almonds.  Melt (this takes a while and I end up adding a little water) then spread out to cool on a plate.

 2.  Mix all dressings ingredients in blender.

 3.  Mix salad ingredients.  *(Add, oranges, pomegranates, sugar almonds, and dressing just before serving) Salad will go down considerably with dressing on it.

Cheese Bread

1 Round loaf of Sourdough Bread (large one)

1 lb. Monterey Jack Cheese

¼ c. Chopped green onion

½ c. Melted butter

1 T. Poppy Seeds

Slice bread almost but not completely through.  Turn one quarter turn and slice again being careful not to cut through.  (It should look like a grid with squares an inch or even smaller).  Insert cheese slices into the openings.  Put them in every cut you can.  Melt butter in dish and add onions.  Pour over bread.  Wrap in foil and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Unwrap and bake 10 minutes more.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

You can dip the salsa, sour cream, or any favorite dip. 

Zucchini Boats

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion
3 cups cubed french bread
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
6 medium zucchinis
1 cup water

In a large skillet cook beef and onion.  Drain the grease.  Stir in bread crumbs, spinach, parsley, tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and thyme.  Set aside.

Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out seeds leaving 1/4 inch shells.  Spoon about 6 tablespoons of beef mixture into each zucchini half.  Place in two un-greased 13 x 9 baking dishes.  Pour 1/2 cup of water into each dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until zucchini is tender.

7-Up Chicken

1 cup 7-Up
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Prepare chicken.  Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken.  Let chicken marinate for 24 hours before grilling.

Chili Cheese Dip

1- 8 oz package cream cheese
1 can chili (any variety- I like the one with meat)

Add cream cheese and chili to crockpot and let heat until melted.  Serve with tortilla chips.