Frog Eye Salad

A man in my ward has been begging me for this recipe since I brought it to the Chili Cook off the other day. Figured I would post it since I was typing it up already. Got it from my MIL and it is always a big hit!

Frog Eye Salad

1 C acini de pepe pasta-cooked and drained according to package (Sometimes hard to find-Winco has them. Also hard to drain. I used cheese cloth last time and it worked well.)

In a saucepan cook until thick and bubbly:
1 C sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 TBS flour
2 C juice (can be apple, orange, or juices from drained fruit)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Let sauce cool and add to pasta. Then add:
2 cans crushed pineapple
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 bag mini marshmellows
8oz Cool Whip

Chill and serve. Makes a giant bowl full.

White Chocolate Raspberry-Oatmeal Bars

Recipe From: Dot

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup ~ Old fashioned rolled oats
1 Cup ~ All purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ~ Baking powder
1/2 tsp. ~ Salt
1/2 cup ~ Butter (at room temperature)
1 cup ~ Sugar
1/2 tsp. ~ Vanilla
1/2 cup ~ Cranberry-raspberry applesauce
1/2 cup ~ Seedless raspberry preserves (or another flavor you want)
1 TBS. ~ Lemon juice
2 TBS. ~ White chocolate chips, melted
3 TBS. ~ Water

Directions:
~ Preheat oven to 375

~ Line 8" square pan with foil, coat with cooking spray

~ Combine oats, flour, baking powder and salt

~ On high speed, beat butter, sugar, 3TBS. water, and vanilla until fluffy

~ On low speed, beat in oat mixture

~ Reserve 1 cup dough

~ Press evenly press remaining dough into bottom of pan

~ Combine applesauce, preserves and lemon juice. Spread over dough in pan, leaving 1/2" border

~ Crumble reserved dough over top.

~ Bake 1 hour, 5 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool completely in pan, remove from foil and drizzle with white chocolate.

Oatmeal Raisin Cheesecake Crumble

Recipe From: Michelle

Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 3 Hr 15 Min

Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury Big Deluxe refrigerated oatmeal raisin cookies (12 cookies)
2 cups Chopped Pecans (optional)
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup cold Butter
3/4 cup Hershey’s cinnamon chips
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

Directions:
1.Heat oven to 350°F. In bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan, press cookie dough rounds evenly for crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the pecans; press firmly into dough. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.

2.Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add milk, vanilla and eggs; beat until well blended. On low speed, beat in 1/2 cup of the flour. Pour over crust; spread evenly.

3.In medium bowl, mix brown sugar and remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in cinnamon chips, raisins, oats and remaining 1 cup pecans. Sprinkle over cheese mixture.

4.Bake 35 to 45 minutes longer or until set. Cool completely, about 2 hours. To serve, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Asian Teriyaki Chicken & Noodles

Sometime we’ll have a pantry full of food but we’ll keep going grocery shopping because we think we can’t make any meals out of what we have. So the other day I was trying to get creative and make a meal with what I had in the panty with out more grocery shopping & this is what I came up with. It has such a delicious flavor and is so quick - it’s for sure a hit!!

Recipe From: Holly

Prep & Cooking Time: Less than 10 minutes

Serves: 2 people (per package of noodles you make)

What you need:
2-3 Chicken Breast cubed
Garlic Salt
Crushed Red Peppers
Black Pepper
KC Masterpiece - Honey Teriyaki Sauce (you can get at Walmart)
Asian Sides - Teriyaki Noodles - 1 package
2 Pineapple Slices

What to do:
*Cube chicken into bite size pieces - set aside

* Put 1 ½ cups of water into a pan to boil

* While the water is heating up to a boil, start cooking chicken in a skillet. Season to taste with black pepper, garlic salt & crushed red peppers. Once chicken is all white (not fully cooked yet) place some water into skillet and add Honey Teriyaki sauce. Make sure it’s enough to cove all the chicken in the water/teriyaki mixture. You want more teriyaki sauce then you do water - I just eyeball it.

*If the water is boiling in the other pan open the bag of Asian Sides - Teriyaki Noodles and place in boiling water. Set timer to 7 minutes and simmer noodles until cook so they are not hard. While the noodles are cooking the chicken is still cooking in the skillet in the water/teriyaki mixture.

*When there is 1 minutes left for the noodles drain the chicken and set aside on a plate. In the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in place your pineapple slices with some Honey Teriyaki sauce. Cook until they are heated .

*Once noodles are finished cooking stir in chicken and place pineapple slices on top.

Enjoy!!

FRUIT PIZZA HOLLY STYLE

Serves: 8-10 people

Pizza Dough Ingredients:
1 package (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough (add just a little bit of almond extract to it to give it that yummy flavor!)
** you could make your own scratch cookie dough if you like this is just a lot easier!

Pizza Sauce Ingredients:
1 jar (7oz.) of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
1 8oz. Package of Strawberry Cream Cheese, softened
1 6oz. Container of Strawberry yogurt

Mix cream cheese and marshmallow creme in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in yogurt.
**You might have to double depending on how large your pizza cookie is or how much "sauce" you like.

Pizza Toppings:
Any sliced fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, star fruit, fresh pear you could also use blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, & mandarin oranges ... any fruit you want. I just wouldn't use bananas or apples because they turn brown and it wouldn't be very pretty.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place dough on round baking stone and cook 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. (You could also make your pizza square & bake the dough on a square cookie sheet, or you could make individual size pizzas)

While cookie is baking make the topping and set aside. Also while it's baking slice any fruit that needs it.

Once cookie is cooled off spread the "sauce" over the cookie dough. Then start placing the fruit. And you're done!! Eat immediately :D

Spinach Quiche

Not the best picture, but trust me its yummy

Spinach Quiche

From: Better Homes & Gardens Anniversary Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 Pastry Pie Crust

1/2 C chopped onion (1 medium)

6 slices bacon, chopped

8 beaten eggs

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 C half-and-half, light cream, or milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

Dash ground nutmeg (optional)

3 C lightly packed chopped fresh spinach

2/3 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C shredded Swiss cheese

1. Prepare and roll out pie crust. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Trim; crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry shell with double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4-5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook onion and bacon until onion is tender and bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towels. (I cooked mine together, but my onions were burning so I would start the bacon first and then add the onions)

3. In a bowl stir together eggs, sour cream, half-and-half (I just used milk), salt, pepper, and, if desired, nutmeg. Stir in onion mixture, spinach, and cheeses.

4. Pour egg mixture into hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325 degree oven for 45-50 minutes (mine took about 60 min.) or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Wash 4-5 Russet potatoes and place on a plate in the microwave. Cook for 6-8 minutes until they are soft if you pierce them with a fork. Slice them open and scoop all the yummy guts out. (Either wait for a while or hold them with a hot pad so you don't burn your hand!)

In a bowl combine the potato insides, 2-3 TBSP butter, and 1 cup grated cheese. Mash and stir until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add a bit more butter or cheese. Scoop the mashed combination back into the potato shells, just add until they all look even. Place on a tinfoil covered baking sheet and bake at 350* until the cheese is melted and everything is golden brown and crispy about 30 mins. (I bet you could broil them if you are in a hurry!) If you are having them with the meatloaf just put them on the bottom rack of your oven during the last half of your meatloaf baking time.

Add more potatoes if 2-3 halves per person isn't enough. We always have leftovers with 5 potatoes.

Stuffed Meatloaf

The Bluths made this for us when we were dating and I emailed her a few years ago for the recipe so we could take a trip down memory lane.

In a large bowl add:
1 pound uncooked ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp beef boullion (or 1 cube)
a dash of Worchestershire sauce
parsley flakes (I buy it in bulk and just pour some out of the bag probably about 1/4 cup)
2 cups grated cheese (I use Colbyjack but I think any kind would work)
2-3 peeled and grated carrots

Mix with your hands yuck! until well combined. Shape and put in loaf pan.
Bake 350* for about an hour. Just check for pinkness when you take it out. I pour the oil off after it is baked because I am a cheapo and don't spring for the fat free hamburger! We have it with ketchup on the side (my mom would gasp at ketchup on the dinner table!) and twice baked potatoes which is my next post.

This serves probably 3 or 2 and a toddler with leftovers to send with the hubs to work!

Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This is one of those soups that I had years ago and knew I would never be able to forget so I immediatly copied down the recipe. This recipe comes from Aubrey's Grandma. We had this at Aubrey's first baby shower more than 5 years ago when we were living in Rexburg. It is so yummy! Pair this with Shellee's Healthy Wheat Bread-you will not be dissapointed!

Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup
From Aubrey’s Grandma, but adapted by me

½ cup uncooked wild rice
½ cup uncooked white rice (optional)
¼ cup butter
3 lg garlic cloves, minced
I medium onion or, chopped (I hate it when recipes call for a size of onion rather than a measurement- I use about ½ of an average sized onion
2 carrots, finely diced
½ cup flour
5 cups chicken stock
1 whole chicken breast (that’s 2 breast halves- you don’t usually buy the whole breast)
¼ tsp thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp nutmeg
Minced parsley (optional)
Minced chives (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 stalks asparagus, angle cut
2 cups fat free or regular half and half
Milk to make consistency you desire

Prepare rice as directed on package. I also cook ½ cup of white rice to add to the soup.
In large saucepan melt butter, saute garlic and onion until tender (let the onions cook down for a long time- about 10 minutes). Add carrots and cook until tender. Mix in the flour and cook over low heat for approx 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Slowly pour in the chicken stock using a wire whisk to blend until smooth. Add the chicken and seasonings. Let simmer until chicken is about half way done. Add the asparagus. Continue simmering until chicken is cooked through. Take chicken out and shred. Put back into the soup. Slowly add half and half. Simmer until warm. Fold in prepared rice. Use milk to thin to the consistency that you desire (I never have to do this because we like it creamy).

**If you don’t have wild rice you can cook 1 cup of white rice to substitute. However, I highly recommend using the wild rice in addition to the white rice.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Recipe From: Taste of Homes
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Blueberry-Streusel-Muffins?keycode=ZFB1002

Servings: 12

Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 25 min.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

STREUSEL:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries.

Fill 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 252 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 41 mg cholesterol, 325 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Peach Crunch Cake

I mean it. Easy. E…..Z…. Yum. Yum. In my tum.

Recipe from: Taste of Homes ... http://www.bakerella.com/ridiculously-easy/

Ingredients:
24.5 oz jar of sliced peaches in light syrup
1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), cut into 16 pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Layer ingredients in a 9X 13 dish, in order starting with the peaches.

Bake for about 40 minutes.

Serve warm or cold… with or without ice cream. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Soup

I just made this soup for dinner and it was very yummy! The recipe is from The Pioneer Woman website. Instead of copying the recipe down you can go HERE to get it. You then have the option of even printing the recipe onto a blank recipe card if you have one. Anyways...its a great meal for those cold winter days.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

From the kitchen of: Amanda E.

Heat oven to 360

What you will need:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Hormel chili - No beans
8oz of salsa
1/2 cup of milk
4-6 corn tortillas
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts
shredded Colby jack cheese (or your choice of cheese)

9X13 baking dish
mixing bowl
skillet
mixing spoon

Directions:
• Fry up the chicken breasts in a skillet and then tear or cut into bite size pieces

• Break up 2-3 corn tortillas into bite size pieces and make a layer along the bottom of the 9x13 baking dish

• Mix the soups, the chili, the salsa, and the milk in the mixing bowl

• Put a layer of chicken over the layer of corn tortillas

• Pour half of the soup mixture over the layer of chicken

• Put a layer of shredded cheese over the layer of soup

• Repeat all four layers again

Bake in oven until cheese is melted and sides are bubbling

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Serves: 8 people
Total Time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients:
1can (10 ¾ oz.) Cream of Mushroom Soup – undiluted
¾ Cup of Salsa
¾ Cup of Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder
1 Can of diced tomatoes (or you can use 2 fresh medium chopped tomatoes)
3 Cups of Cubed Cooked Chicken
12 Flour Tortillas (6-inch) & cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preparation:
Mix soup, salsa, sour cream, chili powder, tomatoes & chicken in a 2-quart shallow baking dish arrange half the tortilla pieces. Top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with cheese.
　
Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes or until hot.

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Stuffed Zuchinni

Our friends gave us a GIGANTIC zucchini from their garden and I wasn't in the mood for zucchini bread. She told me to try making stuffed zucchini (which I had never had before). I didn't have a recipe for it so I concocted up a recipe on my own. You heard right, I made this recipe on my own...that NEVER happens! I think it turned out really good. I will add a picture as soon as I get my recent photos uploaded.

1 large zucchini cut in half lengthwise
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound lean hot Italian turkey sausage
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup beef broth
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not in a can)
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup mixed with 1/2 can of milk

Remove seeds from zucchini and throw away. Scoop out the rest of the zucchini leaving about a half of an inch as a shell. Chop up the zucchini that you scooped out.

Preheat oven to 350

In a large skillet brown hamburger, sausage, onions and garlic. Drain fat, remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet add green pepper, mushrooms, chopped zucchini and broth. Let simmer until veggies start to become tender. Add the cooked meat mixture back to the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for a few minutes. Spoon mixture into hollowed out zucchini and bake in oven for about 45 minutes or until the zucchini shell is tender. Cover with foil 3/4 of the way through so as not to over brown the stuffing. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese and stick it back in the oven for a couple of minutes. Heat cream of mushroom soup. Top with heated cream of mushroom soup.

Zesty Lime Chicken Fajitas

These are a really yummy and easy twist on regular fajitas. I actually can't find the exact recipe anymore, so I am just guessing from memory!

Chicken
Olive Oil
Red Bell Peppers
Green Bell Peppers
Onions
1 packet Fajita Seasoning
1 lime
chopped cilantro, maybe about 1/4 cup??

Slice the chicken into thin slices and grill it in the frying pan in a little bit of olive oil. Once it's cooked through, set aside. In the pan, put your peppers and onions, and cook until *almost* soft. Re-add the chicken, 1/4 cup of water, fajita seasoning, and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over it all. Mix so that the seasoning and lime juice covers all the chicken and peppers. Grill for a few more minutes.

Serve in tortillas, top with the cilantro, cheese and/or sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce. REALLY YUMMY!

Chicken Pillows

I loved this recipe! Del liked it but he didn't LOVE it.

2 packages of crescent rolls
1 package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups of cooked, cubed chicken
1 4 oz. can of mushrooms, drained
1 cup of breadcrumbs

Mix together the cream cheese, butter, green onions and mushrooms and mushrooms. Put mixture in the middle of each crescent roll dough. Make a pillow and seal. (I wasn't sure what this actually meant, haha! So I just tried to close it up, and it turned out a little round "pillow") Brush with softened/melted butter and roll in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Can serve with gravy, but we didn't. They are really fluffy and good on their own.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

From the kitchen of: AMY

Crust:
2 2/3 Cup - Crushed Pretzels
3 tsp. Sugar
3/4 C. Melted Butter Mix & Pat into 9x13 pan.
Bake 10 min. @ 400 degrees. Cool

Middle:
1 - 8 oz cream cheese (Soft)
1 C. Sugar
Fold in 1 small carton of cool whip.
Spread over cooled Pretzel crust

Top:
1 - 6 oz. box of Strawberry Jello in 2 C. Boiling Water.
Add 20 oz. Frozen Strawberries (the cut up ones are best)
Stir until berries are melted.
When jello begins to set up, pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill & Serve.

Layered Enchilada Bake

recipe from: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/layered-enchilada-bake-107317.aspx
I went to my friend's Sarah's house and a bunch of us girls made freezer meals and this was one that I got to take home - it is really good!

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups Salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix
6 flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 cup Sour Cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese

Directions:
HEAT oven to 400ºF.

BROWN meat with onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, dressing and seasoning mix.

ARRANGE 3 tortillas on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of half each meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil.

BAKE 40 min.or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted, removing foil after 30 min. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Top with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce and cilantro.

**Make Ahead & Freeze it:
Line 13x9-inch baking dish with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of dish. Assemble recipe in prepared dish as directed. Cover with foil. Freeze up to 3 months. When ready to serve, heat oven to 400ºF. Bake, covered, 1 hour. Remove foil. Bake an additional 15 to 20 min. or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve. To decrease the baking time, thaw casserole in refrigerator overnight, then bake, uncovered, 45 min. or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.

Avocado Shrimp Salsa
Recipe from: Taste of Home: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Avocado-Shrimp-Salsa

Yield: 6 cups

Time: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:
1 pound cooked small shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
1 cup minced fresh cilantro
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Tortilla chips

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Tuscan Chicken Simmer

I found this recipe in a Kraft booklet at the grocery store one day last week. I tried it and it was really good!

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pesto (I just mixed up the little pesto mix packet, looks like a packet of taco seasoning, and used that. I think you can buy already made pesto, but I never have)
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend (I just used shredded mozarella b/c that's what I already had)

HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover skillet with lid. Cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.

REDUCE heat to medium. Add cream cheese, water, pesto and tomatoes to skillet. Cook, uncovered, 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

RETURN chicken to skillet. Cook and stir 1 min. or until chicken is coated and heated through. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

I served this with fettucine noodles on the side, as the picture shows. We ate the rest of the pesto sauce that I didn’t use over the noodles. It was pretty good!

Chicken Parmigiana

This one was really good!! It was pretty easy but looks fancy.

¾ C. plain breadcrumbs
¾ C. grated parmesan cheese
4 chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 large egg lightly beaten
2 C. jarred spaghetti sauce
¼ C. olive oil
6 oz. FRESH mozzarella cheese – sliced

Heat broiler. Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan in a shallow bowl. Pound chicken breasts with a mallet between to sheets of saran wrap until about ½ inch thick. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into beaten egg mixture then dredge in breadcrumb mixture – turn to coat both sides.

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in skillet and cook on both side until cooked all the way through. It should be a golden brown color, kind of fried.

Spread tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Transfer chicken to casserole dish and place on top of spaghetti sauce. Top with slice of fresh mozzarella. Broil about 4 inches from the heat until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Serve over pasta.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork -SOOOO GOOD!

I tried this one on Sunday and it was a huge hit! Cafe Rio is a restaurant in Utah that all our friends rave about. My friend gave me this "copy-cat" recipe.

PORK:
5-6 pounds of pork (any type is fine, I just bought whatever cut was cheapest. I bought 4 pounds and it made a ton so I'm sure even like 3 pounds would be fine.)
3 8-oz cans of tomato sauce
2 cans of El Pato (its in a tiny yellow can in the ethnic food isle. It might be hard to find, some of the stores here have it and some don't. It's a really spicy sauce.)
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water

Put in crockpot on low the afternoon or night before, let cook. A few hours before serving, take pork out and shred it, then put back in with the juice.

DRESSING: (this is what makes it so tasty!!)
1 cup mayo
1/2 bunch of cilanto
juice of 1 lime
2 tomatillos (the green tomatoes with a husk)
1 packet buttermilk ranch dressing mix

blend in blender

HOW TO SERVE:
I served it like a burrito. I kinda grilled my tortillas in the frying pan for a minute or two so they are browned and a little crunchy, and I put the a little cheese on the tortilla so it melts while it is grilling. Then just add the meat, lettuce, tomatoes and the dressing and eat! It's really juicy so make sure you have a napkin! Del couldn't stop eating it, he ate it for three days straight, which is saying quite a bit since he usually doesn't like leftovers. Let me know if you try it and what you think!

Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos
*Recipe from: Taste of Home ~
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Cheese-Stuffed-Jalapenos-2

Note: My cousin makes these and they are soooo yummy! My Step-Mom said that the more marks that the pepper has on it the hotter they are and if the are black that just means they were watered too much when they were growing and they will be more mild - they are not bad.

Yield: About 4 dozen.

Ingredients:
25 medium fresh jalapeno peppers
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 cups (12 ounces) finely shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes.

In a large saucepan, boil peppers in water for 5-10 minutes (the longer you boil the peppers, the milder they become). Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Spoon 2 teaspoonfuls into each jalapeno half; sprinkle with bacon. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts ~ One serving: (3 each)
Calories: 141
Fat: 12 gSaturated
Fat: 8 g
Cholesterol: 39 mg
Sodium: 200 mg
Carbohydrate: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 6 g

BLACK FOREST CAKE

*I haven't made this yet, so this isn't an actual picture of the cake, but it's the same kind - it looks & sounds so yummy! I got the recipe from the top of a whipped topping package at Target.

Ingredients:

1 (18oz.) Devil's food cake mix

21oz. Canned cherry pie filling

1 TBSP Almond Flavoring

1 (5.1oz.) Package of vanilla instant pudding

2 tbsp Vanilla extract

8oz. Whipped Topping (thawed)

Chocolate Sprinkles

Maraschino Cherries

Directions:

~ Bake cake according to manufacturer's directions in a 13x9 inch pan.

~ Mix pie filling and almond flavoring

~ While cake is still warm, poke top with fork and spread cherry pie filling over cake

~ While cake cools, prepare pudding, adding vanilla extract, fold in whipped topping.

~ Spread pudding mixture over cake, carefully covering cherry pie filling. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and maraschino cherries.

~ Cover and refrigerate

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Dump Cake

In a 9 x 13 pan, dump:

1 can crushed pineapple

1 can pie filling (cherry, etc.)

1 box dry yellow cake mix

1 cube butter, cut up and spread over the cake

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. It's super easy and super yummy!

Mexico Style Tacos

From the Kitchen of: Melissa

Ingredients:
Hamburger meat
Shredded Cheese of choice
Chopped Onion
Chopped Tomatoes
Chopped Cilantro
Salsa Verde (see picture below)
2-3 Fresh Whole Limes
Corn Tortillas
Cooking Oil

Directions:
In a medium skillet heat cooking oil on medium heat

In another skillet cook hamburger (season to taste, drain when done)

While the oil is heating up and the hamburger is cooking, you can chop up onions, tomatoes, cilantro and cut limes in 4 slices so you can squeeze the juice out of them (don't juice them now!) Once all times are cut put each in a small bowl, also put the cheese and salsa verde in a small bowl.

Hamburger should still be cooking. At this time the oil should be hot. Place a corn tortilla in the oil for about 20 seconds, flip over and place on a plate, top with a napkin (to drain the oil) repeat as many times as necessary. (We normally eat 3-5 tacos each because the tortillas we buy are really small) Once hamburger and tortilla are done, top with items in small bowl and squeeze lime juice on top of them. ENJOY!!!


This is the salsa verde - I get it at WinCo for $0.84! There are different types of it but I think this one has the best taste, so it's important to get the right kind. It's too much for just these tacos, so you can use the extra sauce in the enchiladas recipe below or you can grill/fry some pork chops and top with salsa verde and squeeze lime juice on top!

Chicken Enchiladas

*Since it’s just Eric & I and we can’t eat a whole chicken in one meal, I get the whole roasted chicken from the store and use it the night before for dinner and then whatever we don’t use I shred it and use it the next night for these enchiladas. So this recipe can make as many enchiladas as you have chicken and sauce for.

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken – cooked & shredded (you can buy a fresh one & boil it yourself or just get a roasted whole chicken from the store – walmart has the best one – just get the original flavor)

1 Can of cream of Chicken Soup

Equal amount of sour cream as soup

1 small (7oz.) can of Salsa Verde Sauce (in a white can – at Winco for $0.84 in Mexican food section)

Olives

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese or any other shredded cheese

Flour Tortillas

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 375

*Shred chicken meat – set aside

*Boil in a sauce pan the soup, sour cream and Verde sauce (you can double quantities if you want more sauce – sauce will cook down some in oven, so you might want to double it if you like it saucy)

*Coat bottom of baking dish with some of sauce

*Take a flour tortilla and place shredded cheese, chicken and a little bit of sauce down the middle of each tortilla. Roll up and place in baking dish on top of sauce. Repeat as necessary.

*Top all tortillas with the remaining sauce, shredded cheese and olives.

*Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with black beans & rice.

This is the salsa verde - I get it at WinCo for $0.84! There are different types of it but I think this one has the best taste, so it's important to get the right kind.

TACO BAKE

From the kitchen of: Laura
You know you are becoming a mom when you post recipes on your blog, but I am always looking for something new, fast and yummy for dinner and this is just that! I can have this cooked and on the table in 30 minutes flat!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef/3-4 breast shredded chicken (take your pick)
1 can tomato soup
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup milk
6-8 flour or corn tortillas (cut into wedges)
1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cook your meat and lay aside.

Mix together tomato soup, salsa and milk.

Layer tortillas, meat, sauce and cheese through out pan (like a lasagna).

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, top with sour cream and salsa!

Makes about 8-10 big servings...might need to double if you have a big family

Serve with corn bread & corn - Enjoy!