Lemon Pull-Aparts

1 pan Rhodes Warm-N-Serv Buttery Dinner Rolls, thawed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
 1 lemon peel, grated

citrus glaze:
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Remove rolls from pan and brush bottom and sides with butter. Place back in pan and brush top with butter. In a bowl, combine sugar and lemon rind and sprinkle over top of rolls. Bake at 350°F 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over rolls while still warm.

Strawberry Angel Food Trifle

 (1) angel food cake
24 oz. container frozen strawberries, sliced with sugar added, thawed
3 cups sugar free vanilla pudding
16 oz. container of whipped cream, slightly less than the whole container
Fresh strawberries for garnish
Tear angel food cake into medium pieces. Begin layering cake, strawberries, pudding and whip cream in a large clear glass bowl.Continue irregular layers, filling the bowl. Top entire dessert with a solid layer of whip cream. Slice a few fresh strawberries for garnish Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours before serving. To me it tastes like all the flavors of strawberry shortcake in one big yummy bite!

Spaghetti Casserole

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

  1 lb. of Ground Beef
28 oz spaghetti sauce
... 8 oz of Cream Cheese
1/4 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 lb. of Cottage Cheese
Whole Stick of Butter
1lb pasta such as elbow noodles or rotini
Bag of shredded cheese (I use pizza blend)
optional: sliced mushrooms, diced bell pepper, diced onion

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Boil the noodles. Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese in a mixer to thoroughly mixed together. Set aside. If you have chosen to use the bell pepper or onion saute them for 3 minutes then toss in the hamburger meat. Brown hamburger meat in a skillet and drain. Add spaghetti sauce and mix together. Put a few slices of butter in bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Then layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish. Spread the cheese mixture over this layer. Then add the rest of the noodles on top of this with a few pats of butter.
Now pour the red sauce and meat on top and spread.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spread cheese on top and return to oven for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly

Mexican pizzas

Ingredients
1/2 pound Trader Joe's Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz can Trader Joe's Traditional Style Fat Free Refried Beans
4 9-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Chunky Salsa, or your favorite salsa
2 cups Trader Joe's Lite 3 Cheese Blend
2 green onions, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup Trader Joe's Extra Large Black Pitted Olives, sliced


Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Place meat, onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until beef is evenly browned. Drain off grease. Season the meat with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3.Coat 2 pie plates with non-stick cooking spray. Place one tortilla in each pie plate and cover with a layer of refried beans. Spread half of the seasoned meat over each tortilla and then cover with a second tortilla. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
4.Spread half of the salsa over the top tortillas. Top each pizza with half of the cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. Return the pizzas to the oven, bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice each pizza into 4 pieces and serve.

Source ( trader Joes)

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups

9 lasagna noodles
2 ½ cups alfredo sauce (optional homemade recipe below)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
... oregano
garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and pour ½ cup alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil 8-10 cups water in a large pan, cook lasagne noodles until al dente.
Now this is the important part! Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, lay out each noodle individually and blot dry with a paper towel.

Spread about 2 Tbs. alfredo sauce over each noodle. Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it out evenly over each noodle. Add approx. 3 Tbs. cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You will need to lift the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling.

Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam-side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted on top.

Serves 3, 3 roll-ups each

Garlic Alfredo Sauce

½ cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream (or substitute half and half)
2 teaspoon garlic powder
½ tsp. fresh minced garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried oregano
⅔ cup parmesan cheese

In a medium to large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add fresh minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the cream cheese and whisk to smooth and melted. Whisk in the heavy cream.
Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until sauce thickens, around 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and when melted, remove from heat and serve.

Steak Dinner in the CrockPot

Complete Steak Dinner in CrockPot Use a thick 3/4 inch steak Pour a 1/2 cup A1 or Heinz 57 sauce over meat cover with a layer of foil add foil wrapped potatoes ...and foil wrapped frozen corn cobs cook on low for 6 hours Full steak dinner any night of the week! This can also be done with thick pork chops or chicken breasts and BBQ sauce. The whole meal cooks in the slow cooker.

Fudge Brownie Pie

This recipe was voted the best Blogger recipe in 2012 and my friend Marie from the English Kitchen is generous enough to share it with you. 

  3/4 cup flour
1 cup of regular sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 ounces butter, melted
2 large free range eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 handfuls of mini marshmallows

For the frosting:

2 ounces butter, melted (1/4 cup)
1 ounce cocoa powder, sifted (1/4 cup)
2 ounces evaporated milk (1/4 cup)
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (8 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch spring form pan set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat together the butter, eggs and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Stir in the toasted nuts. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake on a middle shelf of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle the marshmallows on top and return to the oven for a few minutes to melt the marshmallows. Remove from the oven and carefully spread the chocolate frosting over top.

To make the chocolate frosting mix all ingredients together in a bowl, beating with an electric whisk until smooth and thick. Spread on the hot marshmallows. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.

Easy Cheesy Breadsticks

Easy Cheesy Breadsticks
... 1 (10 ounce) cans prepared pizza crust
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup provolone cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 425.
Unroll pizza dough onto a greased cookie sheet or Lg. Bar Stone, and brush with butter.
Sprinkle cheeses and spices evenly over the dough.
With a pizza cutter, cut dough lengthwise into 12 long strips. Then cut those in half to make 24 strips.
Do not seperate strips.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
Recut along each strip and remove from cooking sheet.
Serve sticks warm with marinara sauce.

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

 1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 pack of cooked bacon
1 pound boneless, RAW skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste
chicken Seasoning


Directions:
Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Layer half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon pieces.
Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
Add diced chicken on top. Season with salt, pepper, and chicken seasoning. Now add 1/3 of the bacon pieces and another 1/3 of shredded cheese.
Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top.
Finish with the remaining 1/3 cheddar cheese and remaining 1/3 of bacon pieces.
Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top.
Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours. (If your crockpot is newer, really watch around the 4 hour mark)

Note: If you don't have a crockpot, you could bake it in the oven for at least an hour at 375'. Just check your meat!

Brownie Mix

Never buy boxed brownie mix again! Follow the recipe below and make brownies for approximately .30 a mix!
 
So simple, so easy. Not just frugal but cuts out the unknown ingredients.
1 Cup Sugar, 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/3 Cup Cocoa, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Baking Powder.
At Baking Time Add: 2 Eg...gs, 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil, 1 teaspoon Vanilla.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. OR use the amazing Pampered Chef brownie pan and bake it in much less time - depends on your oven, check after 12-15 minutes of baking and remove when brownies are done!
Put mix in plastic bags or mason jars.

HOMEMADE DOUGHNUTS

 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. soft shortening
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk


Heat oil (2 to 4 inches) on high. Measure 1 1/2 cups flour and all remaining ingredients in large mixer bowl. Blend on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, stirring in remaining flour. Put dough on well floured surface. Roll around lightly to coat with flour. Roll dough 3/8 inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter.
With wide spatula, slide doughnuts into hot oil, turning them when they rise to the surface. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Remove carefully from oil; do not prick surface. Drain. Serve plain, sugared, or frosted. Makes 2 dozen doughnuts.

If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

 2 lbs chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Sauce:
1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoon butter

Crush crackers. If using chicken breasts and not tenders, cut each chicken breast into 3 large pieces. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Then press the cheesy coated chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in.

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

In a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

Sausage, egg and biscuits casserole

 1 can buttermilk biscuits any brand
1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage(or any brand of pork sausage)
1 c shredded mozzarella
1 c shredded cheddar
6 eggs
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Cut biscuits into six to eight pieces place in a grease 8x8 pan, brown sausage on the stove top and drain spread over the cut up biscuits, beat eggs and add milk and salt and pepper to them and pour over sausage and biscuits, sprinkle both shredded cheeses over the top.
Bake in 8x8 pan at 425 for 30-35 min. Let sit 5 min.

Crock Pot Beer Chicken

 

• 2lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 bottle or can of your favorite beer
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the crock pot, and cook on high for 4-5 hrs, or low for 6-8 hrs.

Coconut Cream Pie made easy

crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans - optional

Mix and pat in an 8x8 inch pan, bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden. Do not over bake.

Layer two:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipped topping

Beat together sugar and cream cheese. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust.

Layer three:
1 small package coconut cream instant pudding
1 1/2 cups whole milk (any milk will do, but whole milk makes pudding so much tastier)

Mix until thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture.

Top with remaining tub of whipped topping.

Toast 1 cup coconut. Sprinkle evenly on dessert. Refrigerate

Funnel Cake

:

1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

 Directions:

1. In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect.

2. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.

3. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.)

4. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Funnel Cake Sauce Directions:

Ingredients

2 lbs ripe strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup granulated sugar (depending on sweetness of berries)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 pinch salt

Directions

Combine ingredients in medium saucepan over medium-low heat; stir gently until sugar dissolves and berries are soft, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool.

Chocolate Eclair Cake II

 1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
 1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 large box (5.1 ounces) vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
1 8 oz. container cool whip (you won’t use the whole container) or one batch of homemade whipped cream
chocolate syrup or homemade chocolate sauce

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9″X13″ glass baking pan.
Eclair Crust: In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly. *If the sides of your pan are too greased you won’t be able to get the mixture to stay up the sides so make sure to just lightly grease.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Mine only took 25 minutes.) You may want to check it occasionally-you don’t want to overcook the crust, it will ruin the cake! Remove from oven and let cool (don’t touch or push bubbles down).
Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. In separate bowl make vanilla pudding. Make sure pudding is thick before mixing in with cream cheese. Slowly add pudding to cream cheese, mixing until there are no lumps. Let cool in fridge.When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with layer of cool whip however thick you want it and serve with chocolate syrup.

Cowboy Casserole

 adapted from a recipe at Taste of Home
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used 80/20)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 bag (30 oz) frozen tater tots (I used Ore-Ida Crispy Crowns)

  In a large skillet cook the onion until tender and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the beef and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the mixture and place into a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the soup, milk and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add to hamburger mixture and stir to combine. Add corn and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Gently mix to combine.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the Crispy Crowns on the bottom, pour the hamburger mixture over the top and then layer with the other half of the Crispy Crowns. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.

 

Murray’s Chicken-Pot-Pie Soup---BY: JOHN MURRAY

 1 cup chopped fresh carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
...
1 cup fresh/frozen peas
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups diced cooked turkey/chicken
2 cups water
1-1/2 cups diced peeled potatoes
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2-1/2 cups whole milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
*~* In a large saucepan, sauté the carrots, celery, and onion in butter until
tender. Stir in the turkey/chicken, water, potatoes, peas, bouillon, garlic
powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for
10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
*~* Stir in 2 cups milk. Combine flour and remaining milk until smooth. Stir into
soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

 1 cup Coca Cola (real thing, not diet)
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
6 Tablesppon of cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, mix Coca Cola, oil, butter and cocoa and bring to a boil. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Pour the boiling Cola mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees or 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on the cake while it's still warm. Enjoy!

Pepperoni Rolls

 3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
56 pepperoni slices
Block of cheese (I use Colby & Monterey Jack)
1 beaten egg
Parmesan
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
1 jar pizza sauce

Instructions:
Cut the block of cheese into at least 28 squares.
Flatten a biscuit out and stack pepperoni and cheese on top.
Gather up the edges of the biscuit.
Line the rolls up (seam side down) in a greased 9×13 in. pan.
Brush with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with Parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes.
Serve the rolls with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

From Facebook 

 

1 box of family size Chocolate Fudge brownie mix

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (14 oz.) bag coconut
1/4 C milk
1 C chocolate chips, melted
1/4 C almonds (or nuts), crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line (regular size, not mini) cupcake pan with paper liners. (Don't skip the paper liners as they make stick).

Make brownies according to package directions and pour batter only half way up the liners.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. While they are baking, mix the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and milk together.

Remove brownies from oven and spoon on some sweetened coconut.

Place bake in oven and continue to bake an additional 14-16 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing the paper liners. Drizzle on the chocolate then sprinkle on the almonds.

Baked Crab Rangoon

 1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small green onion
4 oz imitation crab
3 oz cream cheese
14 wonton wrappers

Cut up the crab and mix it in with garlic salt, worcestershire sauce, green onion and cream cheese (i would microwave the cream cheese for about 40 seconds to soften)
Spoon into wontons.
Bake at 425 °F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Lemonade

Summary: Homemade strawberry lemonade recipe, made in the blender using lemons, strawberries and honey. Replace lemons with limes for strawberry limeade.
Ingredients
...
1 ¼ lb strawberries, washed & cut in halves, about 4 cups
2 lemons, washed and quartered (use limes to make strawberry limeade)
~ ½- ¾ cup honey or sugar to taste, adjust based on your preference and sweetness of strawberries
6 cups of water
Ice
Garnishes: Strawberry slices, lemon slices and/or fresh herbs
Instructions

Blend the strawberries, lemons and honey with 2 cups of water
Strain the strawberry lemon mix, add the additional 4 cups of water through the strainer
Taste and add additional honey/sugar if needed
Serve cold over ice and garnished with strawberry slices, lemon slices and herbs

Watermelon Lemonade

15 cups seeded and cubed watermelon
2 (12-ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 mint sprigs
Ice
Garnishes: watermelon wedges, mint springs
Preparation
Process watermelon, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Combine concentrate and 2 mint sprigs, and cook in a saucepan over medium-high heat 10 minutes. Stir together watermelon puree and lemonade mixture; cover and chill 8 hours. Remove and discard mint. Stir and serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.

Pizza Casserole

 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 (24 ounce) jar pasta sauce
1 (16 ounce) container cottage cheese
1 (2 1/4 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained (optional)
1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (3 ounce) packages sliced pepperoni

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13 casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until evenly brown, drain grease. Mix in the cooked pasta and pasta sauce. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, olives, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese.

Spoon the cheese mixture over the sausage and pasta mixture. Top with pepperoni slices.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

Place 2 sliced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt in the bottom of the crock pot.
Pour in 2 cups of oatmeal, 2 cups of milk and 2 cups water.
Do NOT stir.
Cook overnight for 8 - 9 hours on low.

Potato Bacon Chowder

2 cups potatoes, cut into small cubes
4 oz Canadian-style bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large carrot, diced
1 cup leeks, chopped, white part only
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked barley
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup fat free half and half
Instructions
In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots, leek, garlic, broth, barley, bay leaf, thyme, pepper and bacon; cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Stir in half-and-half; heat through, uncovered, about 10 minutes.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 4-6 hour(s)

Pina Colada Cake

1 yellow cake mix
 LARGE can crushed pineapple, drained
2-14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. Whipped Topping
2/3 cup coconut

Directions:

Prepare cake mix as directed on the back of package.

Mix 1/2 can of pineapple into batter.

Bake according to package directions.

With a fork, poke holes in warm cake at 1-inch intervals.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over cake.

Allow cake to cool.

Spread whipped topping over the cake. Sprinkle with remaining pineapple and coconut.

Refrigerate.

Ranch mix

5 tablespoons dried minced onions
7 teaspoons parsley flakes
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Mix together and store in an air tight container.
For dressing: Mix 2 tablespoons dry mix with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk or sour cream.
For dip: Mix 2 tablespoons dry mix with 2 cups sour cream.
Mix up a few hours before serving, so the flavors all blend.

Onion Soup Mix

 2/3 cup dried, minced onion
3 teaspoons parsley flakes
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Mix all ingredients in a jar, then give the jar a good shake. I’d recommend shaking the jar to mix the ingredients well before each use.
Use 4 tablespoons in a recipe in place of 1 packet of onion soup mix. Store this in a dry, cool place.

Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning:

1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/8 cup ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon sea salt
Put ingredients into a jar and shake.

Zucchini Bake

4 medium-sized yellow or green summer squash, or a mixture of colors, sliced lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch slices (about 8 cups sliced squash)
1 T olive oil (or less, depending on the pan)
1 T minced garlic
2 T fresh thyme leaves or 1 T dried thyme (or less if you're not that fond of thyme)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 cup crumbled feta (not tightly packed)
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 T lemon juice
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Wash and dry squash, then cut off stem and blossom end and discard. Cut squash lengthwise in half, then slice into half-moon slices about 1/4 inch thick. (I used a mandoline with the 7mm blade, but you can use a knife.)

Heat olive oil in large non-stick frying pan, add garlic and thyme leaves and saute about 45 seconds (just long enough to season the oil, don't let the garlic brown.) Add squash slices and saute about 4 minutes, turning a few times. Squash should be barely starting to soften.

While squash cooks, break eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup and beat until egg yolks and whites are combined. Stir in sour cream, feta, parmesan, and lemon juice.

Spray a 2 quart gratin dish or glass casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. Layer half the squash in the dish, then season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. (Remember the feta is salty, so it won't need a lot of salt.) Pour over half the egg-feta mixture and use the back of a spoon or a rubber scraper to spread it over the squash. Repeat with another layer of squash and the rest of the feta-egg mixture.

Bake at 375F/190C for 40-45 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling, slightly set, and top if lightly browned. Serve hot.

Orangesicle Trifle

2 large cans mandarin oranges
1 small pkg. orange gelatin powder
1 pint orange sherbet
1 cup whipping cream, whipped (no sugar or vanilla, just whipped.)
1 angel food cake, cubed
whipped topping

Drain 1 cup liquid from mandarin oranges. Bring to a boil in the microwave. Add gelatin, and stir to dissolve. Cool until just warm. Add orange sherbet, and mix until melted. Gently fold in whipped cream. It is okay if there are uneven streaks, just don’t smash those fluffy whipped cream bubbles. Put half the cake cubes in the trifle dish (or other dish that is not as fancy), cramming them together so they will stay in a tight layer. Pour half the orange mixture over the top, cover with a thin layer of whipped topping, and top with half the oranges. On top of the oranges, put the remaining of the cake cubes in, pour over the remaining orange mixture, cover with the remaining oranges, and cover with whipped topping. Refrigerate.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

4 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
6 green onions, diced
1/2 each of red, green, yellow, & orange bell peppers (or 2 whole bell peppers of your choice), diced
3 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened (not melted)
2 cans diced tomatoes with chiles (don’t drain) (Rotel or store brand, either works)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup of picante sauce
38 large pasta shells, cooked al dente

Instructions

Cook pasta shells in well salted, boiling water until al dente (still have a little bite to them) If you cook them too long, they will be difficult to stuff, plus they will have additional cooking time, once they are stuffed. Drain the pasta and set aside while you make the filling.
Cook, drain and dice enough chicken breast to make 4 cups. I always have homemade chicken stock and pre-cooked diced chicken bagged in my freezer. You could use canned chicken broth if you prefer.
To make the filling, mix diced chicken, drained black beans, green onions, diced peppers, and cumin in a large mixing bowl. Thoroughly incorporate all the ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, chicken stock and undrained tomatoes with chiles. When thoroughly combined, pour it over the chicken mixture and mix well. (If you have trouble incorporating the cream cheese and tomatoes, you can heat it slightly in the microwave.)
Spread 3/4 c. picante sauce in the bottom of a large baking pan. (I used 13x18x2, but I’m guessing that two 9×13′s would also work.) Reserve the final 1/4 cup, for later.
Using a spoon, or your fingers, fill each of your cooked and cooled pasta shells, setting them into the picante covered pan. Continue until all shells are filled and arranged in the pan.
When the pan is full, drizzle the shells with the remaining 1/4 cup of picante and then sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese.
Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Potato Soup

2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion cubes (use a cup of the hot potato water to dissolve, then use the cup of hot water in place of one of the above cups of water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream
***For garnish:***
Shredded cheese
fried bacon bits
chopped green onions

Directions:
In large pot, boil potatoes in water 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel over plate to drain more. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium-high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes. To the large potato pan, add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Do not let mixture boil. In small, heavy saucepan melt butter. Add flour and mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux. While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, and cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three. Serve hot!

Another Brownie Recipe

1 cup of Butter
1/2 cup of Cocoa
2 cups of All Purpose Flour
2 cups of Sugar
4 Eggs
4 teaspoons of Vanilla
1 cup of Chopped Nuts (optional)
Melt the Butter in the microwave and put into my mixing bowl, then add cocoa and mix together until smooth.

Add flour, and sugar. Beat together and then add eggs, vanilla, and nuts. Mix until combined. Do not over stir.

Pour into greased, floured 9x13 baking pan*.

* An additional part of this recipe said that if you want to double the recipe, use a large baking sheet.

Additional Note * This batter will not be runny like a cake mix. You might have to spread it out over your pan with a rubber spatula.

Bake 20-25 minutes @350 F or until done.


Wait only about 10 minutes to frost brownies.
Frost them while they are warm (not hot).

The Chocolate Icing Recipe:
To make while the brownies bake
1/4 cup of softened Butter
1/4 cup of canned Milk (regular milk is fine)
1/4 cup of Cocoa
3 cups of Powdered Sugar
Dash of Salt
Mix all together and frost as desired

Warm Bean Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cans (16 ounces, each) refried beans
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups montery jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix in refried beans until combined. Stir in taco seasoning.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle the top with both cheeses.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese in melted and slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips.