It doesn't matter WHERE you get a recipe, what matters is HOW good it is.
7-UP BISCUITS
2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-Up
2 - 4 Tbs melted butter
Add sour cream into Bisquick and mix together; add 7-Up. The dough will be very soft. Sprinkle additional Bisquick onto the counter and gently pat the dough out to desired thickness (about 1-inch). Use the bottom of a glass or a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Place melted buttter into an 8 x 8 baking pan. Bake in a 450*F oven until golden brown (about 8-10 minutes).
************************************************************************************************************
STUFFED PEPPER CUPS
6 medium bell peppers (any color), rinsed
1 pound ground beef round
1 large onion, diced
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 can (14 ½ oz) tomato sauce
1-2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 can (11 oz) corn kernels, drained
1 Tbs dried Italian seasoning
1 pkt Goya Sazon seasoning
1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 375*F. In bottom of large pot with steamer basket or metal colander inside, bring 1 inch of water to boil. Slice tops off peppers close to the stems. Cut away ribs and remove seeds. Trim a little from the bottom of each pepper so it will "sit" up in the baking pan, if needed. Place peppers upside down in steamer basket. Steam, covered, until peppers soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, brown together meat and onion over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, stirring to blend. Reduce heat to low. Stir in rice, corn, Italian seasoning, Sazon, and salt. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly. Stir in ¾ cup of the shredded cheese. IMPORTANT: Place peppers upright in a casserole dish just large enough to hold them snugly (so they “sit” up and don‘t fall over). Fill peppers with meat mixture. Spoon any extra meat mixture into the casserole dish around peppers. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 375*F for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Sprinkle tops of peppers with remaining shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, another 10 minutes. Serve hot.
*********************************************************************************
PANCAKES
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tbs oil
4 tsp sugar
2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Combine the milk, oil, and eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Combine the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl. (I omitted the sugar altogether, but you don't have to.) Whisk the dry ingredients into the milk mixture until the batter is smooth; allow it to sit for 1 minute while heating the griddle to 350*F. Pour 1/3 cup batter onto preheated griddle to form a circle. Repeat this step as many times as necessary to fit a proper number of pancakes on your griddle - depending on its size. (I can only make four pancakes on my griddle at one time without them touching.) Cook until the tops are speckled with bubbles. Flip with a spatula and continue cooking until they've risen slightly and stopped steaming. Serve with your favorite topping.
*************************************************************************************
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
2 tbs butter
3/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 (26 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3 - 3 1/2 cups boneless chicken breast, cooked and roughly chopped
3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
25 - 30 corn tortillas
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup salsa verde (green sauce)
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking pans. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the green onion until tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the garlic powder, then stir in the green chilies, soup, and sour cream. Mix well. Reserve 1 cup of this sauce and set aside. To the remaining sauce in the saucepan, add the chicken and 3/4 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Stir together until the cheese melts.
In a small bowl combine the reserved sauce with the milk and salsa verde. Spread a thin layer of this mixture in the bottom of each pan (to prevent the tortillas from getting crunchy on the bottom as they bake). Set the rest aside.
Warm the tortillas in the microwave between paper towels until soft and pliable (about 1 minute 20 seconds). Be careful - they will be HOT to the touch. Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking pan. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the tortillas dividing between the two pans. Top each pan with 1 cup cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish with sliced black olives, chopped green onions, and diced tomatoes, if desired.
***************************************************************************************
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
2 1/2 - 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
1 egg
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
dash of white pepper (optional)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbs oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 baking soda
oil for frying
Cut up chicken into 2-inch chunks. Mix egg, cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper (optional) in glass bowl. Add chicken. Chill 20 minutes in refrigerator. Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix flour, water, cornstarch, oil, salt, and baking soda in bowl. Coat meat in flour batter. Allow excess batter to run off chunks before placing coated chicken in hot oil. Fry chicken to a light golden color (2-3 minutes). Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Allow oil to come back up to temperature. Fry chicken a SECOND time until a dark golden brown (3 minutes). Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Keep chicken warm in 200 degree oven.
Note: It is very important to keep the oil at the proper temperature so the chicken cooks quickly and thoroughly.
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tbs oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained
Heat 1st seven ingredients in 2-qt pan to boiling. Thicken by mixing next two ingredients together, and then stirring into boiling mixture. Stir in pineapple. Pour over chicken or serve as a side and dip chicken into sauce.
Note: You may dice 2 small tomatoes and 1 green pepper and add to sauce, if desired, for color and added texture.
***************************************************************************************
PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup plus 3 tbs sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter
5 (8 oz.) pkg Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
3 tbs flour
1 tbs vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 can (21 oz.) cherry or strawberry pie filling
Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 9x13-inch pan with foil. Mix crumbs, 3 tbs sugar, and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour, and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on rack. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with pie filling. Use foil to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Makes 16 servings.
***************************************************************************************
LENTIL SOUP
2 tbs olive oil
2 lg onions, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp paprika
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
7 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups lentils, soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cups white wine
1 sprig fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
In large stockpot, saute onions in oil until glossy. Stir in garlic, paprika, carrots, and celery. Saute 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chicken stock, lentils, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then add white wine and bring mixture to a boil. Slowly reduce heat and cook for 1 hour on low to medium heat; or until lentils are tender. Sprinkle soup with parsely and Parmesan before serving. Serves 8.
***************************************************************************************
ICE CREAM BROWNIE BARS
6 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 lg eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
4 pts any flavor ice cream
40 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate
2 tbs unsalted butter
Step 1: Place 6 oz. chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of slow boiling water. Very gently melt chocolate and 1 1/2 sticks butter into a smooth consistency, stirring frequently. The water needs to just barely simmer. Allow chocolate to remain in heat proof bowl over pan and move on to the next step.
Step 2: Mix in a bowl with a whisk 3 large eggs. Add salt, sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla being sure to whisk out any lumps. Pour melted chocolate into bowl and stir. Sift flour into bowl and stir just until combined. Pour mixture into a buttered 9x13 pan that has been layered with a piece of parchment paper (NOT wax paper) that extends over the ends. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit 20 - 30 minutes. Cool completely.
Step3: Work through this step quickly so ice cream does not melt. SOFTEN 2 pts. ice cream with a mixer. (It will resemble soft-serve ice cream from Dairy Queen.) Spread ice cream on top of brownie. Freeze 20 minutes. Repeat this process with the other 2 pts. ice cream.
Step 4: Remove ice cream bars from freezer using the parchment paper "handles" extending over the ends of pan. Cut into 12 bars. Trim the edges if you want. Put back in freezer while working on next step. (You can also cut the bars into bon-bon or petite-four sizes for smaller treats.)
Step 5: Melt 40 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate and 2 tbs butter as in step 1. (Adding the butter in this step helps to prevent the chocolate from cracking once applied to the tops of the ice cream bars.)
Step 6: Remove ice cream bars from freezer and place on a cookie rack which has been set on a cookie sheet. This will catch any chocolate that drips from the bars and make for an easy clean up. Spoon chocolate over tops of ice cream bars SLOWLY. This helps the sides to get a coating of chocolate as well. Smooth tops and sides with chocolate using a butter knife or metal cake spatula adding more chocolate as necessary. This will ensure a neat appearance for your ice cream bars. Put ice cream bars back in freezer if they become too "melty," and you notice a lot of ice cream dripping onto the cookie sheet.
Note: When melting chocolate you may also follow the directions on the package for microwaving, if you prefer. Also, the parchment paper serves as a handy way to get ice cream bars in and out of pan. If parchment paper "handles" burn or scorch during baking you may remove paper and re-line pan when brownie cools.
***************************************************************************************
REFRIGERATED YEAST ROLLS
1 cup warm water
2 pkg Fleishman's Active Dry yeast
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Put ingredients into a large bowl in the order given, and mix after each addition. After mixing all ingredients together, transfer dough to a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the refrigerator at least overnight. When you want to make rolls, pinch off small portions of dough and roll into balls (about the size of your fist). Be sure to flour your hands first, and flour the rolls as needed (not too much, though). Place in a greased pan to bake. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until light brown (approximately 22 to 25 minutes).
Note: You may need to adjust either the baking time or temperature depending on your oven. I wish you success! :)
***************************************************************************************
SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM
1 lb. dried split peas, sorted and rinsed
8 cups water
4 lg. chicken bouillon cubes
3/4 cup ham, roughly cubed
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup shredded carrots, diced
1 medium white onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
pepper, to taste
Place the split peas, water, bouillon, and ham in a crockpot. Saute the carrots, onion, and garlic in the olive oil to release their flavors (about 2-3 min.). Stir into crockpot mixture and add pepper to your liking.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. You can also cook it on high until it starts to boil and then turn the setting on low until you're ready to serve the soup. (The peas will not retain their shape, but will become very creamy in texture).
Makes eight 1 1/2 cup servings.
***************************************************************************************
CHERRY DELIGHT
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip, thawed
2 cans cherry pie filling
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Press TIGHTLY into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and Cool Whip with a mixer just until thoroughly blended. Spread cream cheese mixture over the top of the graham cracker mixture.
Pour cherries on top of cream cheese mixture and smooth out evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Keep refrigerated.
***************************************************************************************
MEXICAN CORN CHOWDER
2 tbs butter
3 tbs olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 each orange and yellow pepper
2 1/2 cups corn kernels
6 cups chicken broth
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and saute until slightly softened, about 3 minutes longer. Add 2 1/4 cups of the corn kernels and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and jalapenos to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, partially covered, until the vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the remaining 1/4 cup corn kernels and boil until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
When the vegetables in the soup are soft, remove from the heat. Using a handheld or standing blender, coarsely puree the soup, making sure to leave some texture. Add the cream and salt and white pepper to taste, and reheat gently over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnish with the blanched corn and the cilantro, and serve immediately.
***************************************************************************************
OUTRAGEOUS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
1 bag (24 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups)
1 pkg (6 oz) white chocolate baking bars
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks), room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pecan (or walnut) halves
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, but do not allow chocolate to become firm. Meanwhile, cut the white chocolate baking bars into 1/4-to-1/2-inch chunks; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and melted chocolate until light and fluffy. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips, the white chocolate chunks and pecan (or walnut) halves.
For each cookie, spoon dough into a 1/4-cup dry-ingredient measuring cup and level off with a knife. On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop the dough about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes or until set (centers will appear soft and moist). Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack, using a turner. Cool cookie sheets between batches.
***************************************************************************************
PECANS-A-PLENTY CAKE
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups Self-Rising flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. In medium saucepan over low heat, brown pecans and butter until light golden brown, stirring constantly. Drain pecans and reserve browned butter. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and eggs with 1/2 cup of the reserve browned butter; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in 3/4 cup of the browned pecans. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.
FROSTING
4 cups powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
remaining butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk
remaining pecans
In medium bowl, blend all frosting ingredients except pecans until smooth. Stir in remaining pecans. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread with about 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. (Makes 12 servings.)
Note: To make 9x13-inch cake, reduce pecans to 1 1/4 cups and butter to 3/4 cup; prepare as directed above. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with half recipe frosting.
***************************************************************************************
EGG DROP SOUP
24 cups water
12 chicken bouillon cubes
5 eggs, beaten well
1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots, minced
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and minced
2 pkts Goya Sazon seasoning (for color and taste)
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
water
Bring the water and bouillon cubes to a boil over medium-high heat. Quickly whisk in the eggs and immediately remove from heat. Add the carrots, mushrooms, chicken, and Sazon. Stir well. Using a large bowl or cup mix the cornstarch with enough water to liquify the cornstarch into a watery consistency. (Note - add the water little-by-little until the cornstarch is no longer "hard" to stir and just begins to mix easily.) Stir well and scrape the sides of the bowl or cup to ensure all of the cornstarch is mixed in - you don't want any lumps. Place pot of soup back on heat and bring just to a beginning boil. Pour in the cornstarch mixture SLOWLY, but stir quickly. The soup should begin to thicken almost immediately. Thinly sliced green onions and crispy fried wontons make a delicious accompaniment to this soup. (This recipe yields enough soup for a large crockpot with some leftover. Recipe can be cut in half.)
Note - It is a good idea to add the cornstarch mixture SLOWLY because there are times when you will not need all of the mixture to thicken the soup. You will know you've added too much cornstarch mixture if your soup thickens like pudding. If this happens simply add HOT water to the soup 1 cup at a time until it thins out to your desired consistency. For every 2 cups of water you add you will also need to toss in another bouillon cube.
And, if the soup is not thick enough to your liking, you will have to SLOWLY add in more of the cornstarch mixture until you get the desired consistency.
***************************************************************************************
LASAGNA
2 lbs ground chuck
1 roll Jimmy Dean Maple sausage
1 tbs olive oil
2 pkts Sazon Goya con Azafran seasoning (at HEB in Spanish aisle)
1/4 cup Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base (at HEB in Spanish aisle)
3 tbs Italian seasoning
2 tbs garlic powder
4 lb 2 oz container of Ragu Traditional sauce
1 1/2 tbs sugar (or to taste - optional)
2 eggs
24 oz cottage cheese, small curd
12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
8 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Brown the ground chuck and sausage in a skillet with the olive oil. (Drain the meat if you prefer.) Add the Sazon, Sofrito, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to the meat. Transfer meat to a large stock pot and pour in the sauce and sugar stirring well. Simmer on low heat until sauce deepens in color and takes on a rich taste, about 3 hours. Once the sauce is done, boil the lasagna noodles in water with a little salt according to package directions. Drain the noodles and place in a large bowl of cold water so they don't stick. Mix the eggs and cottage cheese together in a small bowl. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Ladle 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom of the pan followed by 3 noodles, 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, and 2 cups mozzarella. Repeat the sauce, noodle, cottage cheese, mozzarella layering 2 more times. The final layer will consist of sauce, noodles, sauce only. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet to collect any spills. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. When timer goes off spread the last 2 cups of Mozzarella on top and leave uncovered. Bake another 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
***************************************************************************************
BRATWURST AND CABBAGE
20 Johnsonville Bratwurst, any flavor
1 tbs olive oil
1 pkg coleslaw
2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 large green peppers, thinly sliced
2 tsp Zatarain's Creole Seasoning (or to taste)
2 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
2 tsp Italian seasoning (or to taste)
water
20 bratwurst buns
Zatarain's Creole Seasoning, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Add 1/4 -1/2 cup water. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low until veggies are tender and flavors meld together, about 1 hour. Serve on bratwurst buns. A meal in itself!
******************************************************************
SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE PIE
2 - 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (Mexican if you have it)
2 - 8oz. cans refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup sugar and the vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough and use a rolling pin to shape each can of dough into a 9x13-inch rectangle (1 can for the bottom crust and 1 can for the top crust). Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent roll dough. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Bake until the crescent roll dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with honey (optional). Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.
***************************************************************************************
OVEN RUMP ROAST
1 (3 - 4 lb) rump roast
1 1/2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 TBS Soy Sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Line an oven-safe pan with foil. Place the roast on the foil. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a small bowl, and then pour over the roast. Tightly wrap the roast in the foil. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until meat is very tender. Serve with the drippings.
***************************************************************************************
CRANBERRY - POMEGRANATE SELTZER
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 1/4 cup Cranberry - Pomegranate juice
1 liter seltzer water
Boil the first two ingredients until all the sugar is COMPLETELY DISSOLVED; then cool. Pour syrup mixture in a pitcher and add juice and seltzer. (Best if drank before seltzer goes flat.)
Recipe can be doubled, tripled, you name it.
***************************************************************************************
CHOCOLATE CHIPPY, NUTTY, COCONUTTY COOKIES
2 sticks butter or margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cup All-Purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 pkg nuts, chopped (your choice)
1/4 pkg flaked coconut
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Melt margarine in microwave oven; cool slightly then pour into mixer bowl. Add both sugars and mix well. Add egg and mix. Incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture and mix thoroughly. Stir in chips, nuts, and coconut. (I always add a little more than the recipe calls for.) Place a well-rounded teaspoon of dough on cookie sheet for each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should look slightly under-baked. Allow to cool on rack 2 minutes. "OH! So ooey, gooey, and chewy!!"
***************************************************************************************
POPPY SEED CHICKEN
4-6 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or cubed)
1 large container sour cream
1 large can Cream of Chicken (or Mushroom) Soup
2 pkgs Ritz crackers (crushed up semi-fine)
2 TBS+ poppy seeds
1 1/2 - 2 sticks butter, melted (not margarine)
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1st three ingredients. Set aside. Combine last three ingredients. Save 1/4 cup and press the leftovers into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour chicken mixture over cracker mixture and smooth out. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cracker mixture on top. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until bubbly. Great served with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and a salad!
***************************************************************************************
HONEY-LIME FRUIT TOSS SALAD
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/4 cup juice)
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup red grapes, halved
1 cup bananas, sliced round
1 cup strawberries, quartered
3 kiwi fruits, halved and sliced
coconut and pecan pieces (to taste)
2 TBS lime juice, fresh squeezed
1 TBS honey
Toss 1st six ingredients in a medium bowl. Add coconut and pecan pieces. Gently incorporate lime juice and honey so as not to "bruise" the fruit. Chill. Serve with Cool Whip Whipped topping or over strawberry ice cream. "Yum-O!"
***************************************************************************************
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
8 oz elbow macaroni
6 TBS butter, softened
5 oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
12 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
salt to taste
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine macaroni, butter, milk, eggs, and 2 cups cheese; mix well. Spoon into a well-buttered 9"x13" baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until golden.
***************************************************************************************
GREEN DIP
1 pkg dry Hidden Valley Ranch dip
1 bunch cilantro, washed and patted dry
1 small can jalapenos (less or more - to your liking)
1-24oz. sour cream
Puree the first three ingredients in a blender (or food processor) until paste. Mix the paste with the sour cream. Great served with tortilla chips!
***************************************************************************************
PINTO BEAN DIP
4 -15oz. cans pinto beans (plain or with jalapenos), well drained
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 small bottle of freeze-dried chives
3-4 jalapenos
1 tsp jalapeno juice
2 sticks real butter
8oz. Velveeta cheese
Puree well-drained beans in a blender (or food processor) one can at a time. With the last can, add garlic, chives, jalapenos, and jalapeno juice. In a pot, warm butter and Velveeta cheese until melted, then add pureed beans. Simmer until ingredients are well mixed. Keep warm in a crock pot on low heat. Serve with Frito's corn chips.
Note - This recipe makes A LOT! It can be easily halved. Dip is best if made ahead of time and served warm.
**************************************************************************************
DUMP CAKE
1 lg can cherry pie filling
1-8oz. can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup butter
1 cup coconut, flaked
1 cup pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. DUMP all ingredients, in the order listed, into a well-buttered 9x13 pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until it bubbles. Serve with vanilla ice cream . . . or enjoy alone. Well, I don't mean "alone" as in "not with anyone" . . . although, that might not be such a bad idea. ;)
***************************************************************************************
BANANA NUT BREAD 1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 lg eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Mix 1st two ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs. Mix well. Add dry ingredients. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir in nuts. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Rest in pan on rack 10 minutes. Turn out and cool completely on rack. MAKES 1 LOAF.
If you want muffins: fill muffin cups nearly full and bake for 27 - 30 minutes. Let stand in pan for 2 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a cookie rack.
***************************************************************************************
TORTILLA SOUP
2 TBS olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 TBS ground cumin
1 TBS chili powder
3 bay leaves
12 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4-6 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
1 each zucchini and yellow squash
1 cup rice, cooked
corn tortilla strips fried crisp
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, cilantro, and onion. Saute 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Return to a boil. Reduce heat. Add salt, cayenne, zucchini, and squash. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in chicken and cooked rice. Reheat. Garnish with cheese, avocado, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and crispy tortilla strips.
**************************************************************************************
FRESH BROCCOLI SALAD
2 lbs. broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1-12oz. pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 small red onions, thinly sliced into rings
1-2 1/4oz. olives, sliced and drained
1 1/2 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to mix well. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
**************************************************************************************
SHRIMP AND CHEDDAR TAQUITOS
14oz. bag frozen medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 - 1 1/2 tsp Zatarain's Creole Seasoning (or to taste)
2 tbs olive oil
8oz. shredded cheddar cheese
12 corn tortillas
toothpicks
Canola or Peanut oil for frying
Thaw shrimp in a colander set in cold water. Dry thawed shrimp on paper towels. Dice shrimp and season with Zatarain's Creole Seasoning. Fry in olive oil until cooked and pink; about 5-10 minutes. Wrap tortillas in 2 paper towels and heat in microwave on high approximately 1 minute 40 seconds or until they are soft and pliable - not wet. Carefully remove tortillas from microwave and place equal amounts of shrimp and cheddar cheese (about 1 tbs each) down the center of the tortilla. Roll up tortilla tightly and pierce with 2 toothpicks to keep tortilla from unrolling during frying. Fry tortillas in batches of 4 or 5 (depending on the size of your pan) in enough oil to coat bottom of pan. Turn frequently and remove toothpicks when tortillas hold together by themselves. Fry crispy and crunchy or soft and tender. It's your choice!
Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Chicken, pork, or beef can be substituted as well as monterey jack or swiss cheese, etc.
