White Chili

I apologize if anyone has posted something like this - I made it for dinner last night and it was a huge success! While I was typing up my version of the recipe to print for keeping, I thought I would share it here, too.

White Chili

1 medium onion, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper (optional) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 cups chicken broth 2 (15.5 ounce) cans great northern beans

2 tablespoons dried parsley 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

In a medium to large saucepan, boil the chicken in the broth until cooked through. In a large saucepan, cook onion, jalapeno if desired and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in beans (with liquid), parsley, lime juice and cumin, and broth from chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chop chicken into small pieces. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into chili. Add chicken. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

German Cheese Bars

This is a fast and easy treat that tastes sooooo good!

2 packages refrigerator crescent rolls
1 8oz package cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
cinnamon and sugar

Press 1 package crescent rolls into bottom of 9x12 pan. Mix cream cheese and sugar together and spread over dough. Place remaining crescent rolls on top of cream cheese mixture. Melt butter and pour over dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees.
Enjoy!

Another Easy Treat

This is pretty similar to what Allison recently posted, but my kids and I make these each Christmas. They are super easy and the kids (ages 4 & 2) can practically do it themselves!

HOLIDAY PRETZEL TREATS

Ingredients:
*Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (such as Snyder’s Snaps)
*Hershey’s Kiss or Hershey’s Hug
*M&M’s candy

1. Heat the oven to 170º. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.

2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon (or your finger!). Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.

3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.


We've used several different flavors of kisses and M&Ms. The candy cane kisses are yummy! Make a big batch so you'll have plenty to snack on and still give some to your neighbors! Merry Christmas!

In need

Does anyone have a recipe that calls for Ham? I have a ton of ham leftover from a dinner, but I'm not sure what to do with it. If anyone could help I'd really appreciate it! Thanks.

Christmas Treats - easy

Sarah, thanks for the invitation to contribute. I thought I would share 2 easy, peasy, lemon squeezy ideas for Christmas Treats - Allison (Sarah's cousin from NJ)

Rolo Turtles -
Rolos
Pretzels (I like to use the square ones for this)
Pecans

Spread pretzels in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment (or not, but the parchment makes it easier). Place 1 rolo on each pretzel. Put in a low heat 200 -250 degree oven until the rolo starts to look a little melty (about 5-7 minutes) Remove from oven, immediately squish a pecan onto the top of the rolos. I like to make sure that I get the ridges of the rolo completely smushed so it looks like melted chocolate over caramel - and not a rolo.

Minty chocolate cookies
Make your favorite chocolate cookie. As soon as they come out of the oven, place an Andes mint on each cookie, wait 3-5 minutes. Spread the melted mint around on top of the cookie, cool. Someone from church brought these to a baby shower a couple of weeks ago and they are so yummy. I don't have a great chocolate cookie recipe, otherwise I would share. We also tried the Peppermint flavored Andes mints and they didn't work as well - the white/red chocolate didn't melt very well.

Butterscotch Haystacks/ Chocolate Pretzels

Butterscotch Haystacks





1 bag of Hershey's Butterscotch Chips


1 can La Choy Chow Mein Noodles





In a microwaveable bowl, melt the butterscotch chips. Stir until smooth. Add chow mein noodles. Mix until well coated. Spoon on a cookie sheet. Let stand for 5 mins. Enjoy!











Chocolate Pretzels





1 bag of Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips


1 bag of Pretzels





In a microwaveable bowl, melt chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Dip pretzels with however much chocolate you want. Lay on cookie sheet. Let stand for 5 mins. Enjoy!

This is a really good treat for neighbor gifts. Plus my kids loved helping out.

PS...Sorry the picture is so blurry.

Mexican Chicken Bake

I kind of just made this up so none of the spices were measured. Just do to taste.
This is one of my husbands Favorites.

1 C. Rice
1 chicken breast per person
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/4 C. Sour Cream
1/2 C. Milk
1 Can black beans
1/2 jar Salsa
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Cheese

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 pan.
Cook Rice, spread into bottom of pan.
Cube and cook chicken with spices
place over rice
Mix together soup, sour cream, milk and beans. Spread over top chicken
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake in oven for 20 min.

-Like I said, I kind of made this up. You can use whatever beans you like. The chicken can be seasoned with taco seasoning, or fajita seasoning if you'd prefer. I added some lemon juice because my husband loves it.
If you wanted to you could leave the chicken breasts whole and then just add about 1/2-1 C. of water and cook it all in the oven for about 1 hr.

The rules

What an intimidating title! Don't be afraid :) For those of you who have been posting on the blog regularly, feel free to ignore the rest of this post.

For those of you posting slackers (you know who you are :) and those of you who are new to our recipe exchange blog, the rules are thus: everyone is supposed to do one post per month, and it's not supposed to be something terribly elaborate. The idea is to share ideas for dinner that are easy to make, using everyday ingredients. Of course, desserts, appetizers and side dishes are always welcome! So far, I think things are going splendidly! I'm so happy that everyone is participating. I've enjoyed many a tasty dish thanks to you guys.

And the blog is open to everyone - so if you're reading this and thinking that you have a friend with mad cooking skills, tell her (or him) to send an email to recipes26@gmail.com and I'll invite them to be an author on the blog.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Texas Sheet cake brownies

So I stole this recipe from the Better Home's and Garden's cookbook, but I made it last night for a potluck, changed it a bit, and it turned out nicely. Hope you enjoy.

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min

Cool time 1 hour

Combine these in a medium sized bowl until mixed:

2c. flour

2c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

1tsp ground cinnamon

In medium saucepan combine and bring to boil (stirring constantly)the following:

1c. butter

1/3c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1c. water

Add boiled mixture to the dry ingredients and mixon medium speed

until thoroughly mixed. Then add:
2 eggs

1/2 c milk

1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice OR vinegar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Pour in greased cookie sheet (15X10X1inch) and bake at 350 for 25 minutes

While baking make frosting by heating to a boil:

1/2c butter

6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

3 tbsp milk

after bringing to boil, mix in by electric hand mixer:

4 1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Pour warm frosting over warm cake and spread and let cool 1 hour.

You can add almonds, walnuts, or pecans if desired.

Tostada

These are basically flat tacos.

Tostata shells- you can buy a back of 24 for around $2.00
1 can Refried beans
1/4 C. Water
1 lb. Ground beef
1 envelope Taco seasoning
Shredded lettuce
Sour Cream
Salsa
Cheese
Other taco topping favorites.

Cook ground been with 1/2- all of taco seasoning. Drain fat.
Cook refired beans & Water, mix well.
Place in order on Tostata shell: Beans, Hamburger, additional toppings.

These are so simple, and very tasty! Enjoy!!!

Intro

I just wanted to say Hi! I'm Jade Stellmon's sister-in-law. I'm new to this blog, but have been folowing it a while. I am so excited! I'm always looking for something new for dinner. My Husband enjoys the food I make, so hopefully you'll all enjoy my shared recipes!
Happy Eating!!!

Baked Potato Corn Chowder

This BARELY counts as a recipe, but it's something we started doing on accident and loved so much we have it at least once a month.

Instead of worrying about a lot of different, time-consuming toppings for baked potatoes, we pop open a can of creamy corn.

So you have a baked potato.
Put some butter on it (if that's your taste).
Sprinkle with cheese.
Add a little sour cream.
Top with warmed creamy corn.

It's like potato corn chowder, but it's ready in just a few minutes.

Capellini with Shrimp and Creamy Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound peeled large shrimp ( I use frozen shrimp, but make sure it is thawed and not too wet)
3 large garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup apple juice (or apple juice concentrate for more flavor)
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound capellini (or spaghetti)

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook shrimp and garlic with oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes total. Stir in vermouth and tomatoes, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream and briskly simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice.

Meanwhile, cook capellini in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta.

Serve immediately, topped with shrimp and sauce. Thin sauce with some of reserved water if necessary.

This is so delicious and so fast!

Cheesy Saucy Manicotti Noodles

Cheesy Saucy Manicotti Noodles - NaDell Ransom
My friend made these for us more than a year ago, but she did it the hard way by boiling the noodles before filling them and didn't put sauce on them. By spreading sauce on the bottom of the pan and also on top of the noodles, they cook perfectly.
(My picture is extra saucy and they are cut in half to show how they look. )


























Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 teaspoons Parsley
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Minced Onion
1 teaspoon Garlic
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 can/jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use Hunt's Four Cheese, but whatever kind you like is fine.)
14 Manicotti Noodles (sometimes there's one or two leftover noodles)

Instructions:
No need to boil noodles and have them break on you!
I don't always measure the spices or cheese. You can use whatever you have on hand. This also works with the huge shell pasta, but I did have to boil those for a few minutes for them to open up a little.
Mix the Ricotta cheese in a bowl with the egg. Add Parmesan cheese and mix it in. Add spices and mix. Add the rest of the cheeses and mix again.
Spray 9x13 pan. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce on bottom of pan. Open box of noodles. Using a knife, fill each noodle with cheese mixture and then line them up in the pan 6 on each side and 2 in the middle. Cover with remaining sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until bubbling and hot. Can remain in oven on warm longer to let set. These are great! Enjoy!

Caramel Fondue

1 stick butter

20 Lg. Marshmallows

1 bag kraft caramels (I would use kraft, the off brand is hard to un-wrap)

1/2 C whipping cream or canned milk

Melt butter in fondue pot, then add mellows, caramels, and milk. Stir until melted. Enjoy!

I know it is simple, but we love this! We recently took it to a party and it got rave reviews. We have a party and I am going to take this as an appetizer with apples. If you don't have a fondue pot just do it on the stove top it will work just as well.

Easy Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken

3-6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
1-2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
1-2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1-2 cans Condensed Cheese Soup
1-2 cups Sour Cream (opt.)
Shredded Cheese (opt.)

Place chicken breasts in crock pot and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the soups, covering the chicken. (The original recipe calls for one can of each soup, but I like to have it more saucy to serve with things, so I double the soups.) Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-5 hours. Stir in optional sour cream and shredded cheese when it's finished.

We've eaten this as whole pieces of chicken with cheesy sauce, but I usually shred it with a fork and then we have it over rice, noodles, or potatoes. Enjoy!

Bean Chili with Chicken

Super easy and fast...or can be done in the crock pot too

Combine:
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans--drained
1 can pinto beans--drained
1 can garbanzo--drained
1 large can of crushed tomatoes in puree,
1 can diced tomatoes (optional)
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded

You can make it taste South of the Border by adding 1 tsp each:
cumin
chili powder
cilantro
pepper
salt
These are estimates. Put in more or less according to taste

Bring to boil. Serve topped with tortilla chips and cheese

For and Italian flavor add 1 tsp each:
oregano
basil
parsley
rosemary

Bring to boil and serve

A little nudge ...

Come on, people. I know it's crazy around the holidays, but we could all use some new ideas for dinner around this season. I know I sure could! Soups, crock pot ideas, ways to use leftovers ... etc, etc. It only takes 5 minutes :) Everyone tells me how much they enjoy looking at this blog, so let's keep it going.

And, as usual, if you want to be added as an author to this blog, shoot an email to recipes26@gmail.com and I'd be happy to add you (and I promise I will check it more regularly!) Share this site with all your friends, too.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Grandma's Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps baking powder
1 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter or shortening and work in sugar. Add eggs. Add bananas and nuts. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add flour mixture to creamed ingredients by thirds and beat 125 strokes. Bake in oiled loaf pan in 350 degrees F for one hour.

Enjoy. And remember, it's always better the second day!

Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained, reserving half (or, use 1 lb. of dry beans cooked in the crock pot - see below)
1 bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 can of stewed tomatoes (with onions, chiles, etc. is good)
(if your tomatoes don't have additions, add 1/2 medium onion, chopped fine)
2 teaspoons lime juice (or more if you like that flavor)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of bottled garlic)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, reserving half of the beans (because all of it will probably not fit in the blender, and I think it is better to leave some of the beans whole in the soup). Blend until well mixed and you can see that the cilantro has been blended well. If the cilantro was at least chopped up a little bit, it should all be fine. Transfer to a medium pot and add the rest of the beans. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until heated through.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, or guacamole.


This is a great way to use black beans, and it is a little like a vegetarian taco soup.

*It is about 4 times cheaper to buy dried beans than the already pretty cheap canned beans. If you plan a day ahead, you can cook one bag (1 lb.) of black beans in a crock pot for 8-10 hours. Just add enough water so that there is about 2 inches of water above the top of the beans (maybe a little less if the beans don't come close to filling up the crock pot). You don't want the beans to ever be uncovered by the water. Check them every couple of hours if this is your first time, to be sure they don't become exposed. You'll know the beans are done if you blow hard on a few and the skin breaks. Extra beans can be frozen in ziploc bags and defrosted quickly to use instead of canned beans.

Macaroni and Cheese

For a more grown-up version, use more cheddar or omit the American cheese entirely. If you think you don't like sharp cheddar, don't substitute for mild or this won't taste like much.

Ingredients:

Makes 6–8 servings

• 1 pound penne or elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk , heated
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups (8 ounces) finely chopped American cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook until al dente. Drain well.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a deep 4-quart casserole.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the American cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

Combine the remaining cheddar and American cheeses. Spread one third of the penne over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with half of the shredded cheese and a third of the sauce. Repeat, using another third of the penne with the remaining cheese and half of the sauce. Finish with the remaining penne and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Mexican Baked Fish

• 1 1/2 pounds cod
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup coarsely crushed corn chips
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• DIRECTIONS
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease one 8x12 inch baking dish.
• Rinse fish fillets under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Lay fillets side by side in the prepared baking dish. Pour the salsa over the top, and sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese. Top with the crushed corn chips.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork. Serve topped with sliced avocado and sour cream.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crumb Crust
1 cup(s)	graham-cracker crumbs
3 tablespoon(s)	margarine or butter, melted
2 tablespoon(s)	sugar

Pumpkin Filling
2 package(s)	(8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup(s)	sugar
1 can(s)	(15 ounces) pure pumpkin, (not pumpkin-pie mix)
3/4 cup(s)	sour cream
2 tablespoon(s)	bourbon, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon(s)	ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon(s)	ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon(s)	salt
4 large	eggs

Sour-Cream Topping
1 cup(s)	sour cream
3 tablespoon(s)	sugar
1 teaspoon(s)	vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In 9" by 3" springform pan, with fork, stir graham-cracker crumbs, melted margarine or butter, and sugar until moistened. With hand, press mixture onto bottom of pan. Tightly wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leakage when baking in water bath later. Bake crust 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth; slowly beat in sugar until blended, about 1 minute, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. With mixer at low speed, beat in pumpkin, sour cream, bourbon or vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust and place in large roasting pan. Place pan on oven rack. Carefully pour enough boiling water into pan to come 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake cheesecake 1 hour 10 minutes or until center barely jiggles.
4. Meanwhile, prepare Sour-Cream Topping: In small bowl, with wire whisk, beat sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until blended. Remove cheesecake from water bath, leaving water bath in oven, and spread sour-cream mixture evenly over top. Return cake to water bath and bake 5 minutes longer.
5. Remove cheesecake from water bath to wire rack; discard foil. With small knife, loosen cheesecake from side of pan to help prevent cracking during cooling. Cool cheesecake completely. Cover and refrigerate cheesecake at least 6 hours or overnight, until well chilled. Remove side of pan to serve.
   

Quick Pumpkin Bread/Muffins

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cloves

1 1/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Shortening or applesauce
2 eggs
1 C Pumpkin (big can=3 Cups)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/3 C Milk
1/3 bag Chocolate chips

Sift 6 dry ingredients together. Beat sugar, applesauce & eggs in separate bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin to this mixture. Then add the dry ingredients to wet mixture with milk and vanilla. Add chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 degrees:
1 hour for loaf
25 minutes for muffins or til toothpick comes out clean.

*I usually triple this recipe and put in a whole can of pumpkin and whole bag of chocolate chips, we go through these really fast and give some away. (I always make muffins instead of bread.)

Hot Cocoa

This recipe came with our Cocoa-latte machine, which we absolutely adore. We’re able to just throw the ingredients into the machine, but I’m sure stirring it up by hand over the stove would work just as well.

2 cups milk
5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

I thought all hot cocoas were the same. I stand corrected.

Zucchini Casserole

1 Pound Hamburger
7 Cups chopped Zucchini (add yellow squash, carrots, broccoli, or other veggies you have on hand)
¼ Cup Onion chopped
1 Can Cream of Chicken soup
1 Cup Sour Cream (you can sub. with Mayo or mix half and half)
1/4 Cup Butter
3 Cups Herb Stuffing Mix (or whatever you have on hand)

Cook Zucchini with onion in boiling salted water 5-10 minutes. Drain well, combine soup, sour cream and hamburger. Stir in zucchini and onions. Melt butter and toss with stuffing mix. Spread half of stuffing in 9X13 casserole dish. Spoon soup mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining stuffing mix. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Banana Cookies

Looking for an alternative to banana bread when your bananas go ripe? These cookies are the best.

Mix:
2/3 cup & 2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup mashed bananas (2 or 3)

Add:
2 1/4 cup floor
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Drop dough on cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ravioli Salad

Fast and super simple. Great for when you don't want to cook either.

1 package Italian-blend salad mix
1 package refrigerated four cheese ravioli (or if you find a boxed kind, that works too) prepared according to package directions.
1 cup broccoli florets
3/4 c snow pea pods or sugar snap peas
1/2 cup sliced carrot
1 1/2 cups bottled peppercorn ranch salad dressing. (we don't eat ranch, so I toss together an Italian dressing and it tastes great too.)

Mix all together and serve.

I never go with the exact measurements, so don't feel like you have to either!

Chicken Chip Dip

In an effort to "keep the ball rolling", I am posting this recipe. You can eat it as a main course (we do) though I am going to say up front that it's not very healthy for you :) Which is probably why it's the most delicious (and addicting) chip dip out there. It also works well if you have to take something to a pot luck dinner.

3 cups cooked shredded chicken

2 bricks cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup red hot sauce (we use 'Franks' brand)

1/3 cup blue cheese dressing

Mix everything except 1/2 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top. Bake 350 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly. Enjoy with tortilla chips.

This also cooks well in the crock pot - follow the same instructions. ENJOY!

fajitas

Tonight for dinner we made some fajitas.

Usually we just use onions, peppers and meat. However, tonight we thought we would add a few things to it and see what we thought. It was really good so, I thought that I would add it.

(Most of the recipe is on the back of the seasoning mix. It says to add 1/4 cup of water, we didn't because our veggies had a lot of water in them. It is up to you and how runny you want it to be.)

The recipe:

Sliced meat (any we have on hand)

Red, yellow and green peppers

onions

fajitas seasoning mix

olive oil

Here are the add ins:

Chopped zucchini

Chopped yellow squash

can of diced tomatoes

Heat up 1 tbs of oil in the skillet, cook the veggies and then put off to the side. Add another tbs of oil and cook the meat (chicken, steak..) pour half of the seasoning on the meat and then add the veggies. Add the remaining seasoning and POOF! Your done. Really easy and delicious!

Put in a warm tortilla. We like to put shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa in the tortilla too.

Enjoy.

Caramel Apples in Crock Pot

Caramel apple recipe for the crockpot or slow cooker.
Ingredients:
2 packages (14oz each) caramels
1/4 cup water
8 medium apples, such as McIntosh, Gala, or Fuji
sticks for apples
Preparation:In slow cooker, combine caramels and water. Cover and cook on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until caramels are melted, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, line a baking pan with wax paper; butter the paper.
Wash and dry the apples. Insert a stick into stem end of each apple. Reduce crockpot heat to LOW.
Note: If the caramel does happen to scorch, put it through a mesh strainer and discard any dark particles. Put the sauce into a saucepan or back into the cleaned slow cooker and keep warm while you dip the apples.
Dip apple into hot caramel; turn to coat entire surface. Holding apple above pot, scrape off excess accumulation of caramel from bottom apple.Place coated apples on prepared wax paper in pan. As you near the bottom of the pot, use a spoon to spoon hot caramel over apples. Put the pan of coated apples in the refrigerator to set thoroughly. Use caution if children are helping; the crockpot will probably be quite hot to the touch and the caramel could scald

We also like to sprinkle M&M, Snickers, Oreo's, pretty much anything you want.

Friendly reminder

Sorry everyone, it's me again :) This is a friendly reminder to keep posting ... only one recipe a month, and we're on a new month (I know, maybe you're like me and you're shocked that it's already September!) I'm sure you guys have lots more yummy ideas - and I can't wait to try them out. Don't make me look you up to see how often you've been posting ('cause I will have some extra time soon, and it could happen if I get bored ... :) Thanks everyone for contributing and making this blog great!

Zucchini Bread Recipes by Keri Stewart

Moist Zucchini Bread

3 c. zucchini, grated
1½ c. oil
7 eggs
3 c. sugar
1½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. nutmeg
1½ tsp. baking soda
3 to 3¼ c. flour
3 small boxes coconut cream pie filling (dry mix)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pans about ⅔-rds full. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour. Less time needed if using small loaf pans. Check doneness with a toothpick. (Makes 2 big loaves and 4 small loaves or can be made as a cake with cream cheese frosting.)



Orange Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1½ c. sugar
2 c. zucchini, grated
2 T. orange peel
¼ c. orange juice
3 c. flour
1¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 c. nuts (optional)

Combine wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.



Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 c. zucchini, grated
1½ c. oil
7 eggs
3 c. sugar
1½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. nutmeg
1½ tsp. baking soda
3 to 3¼ c. flour
3 small boxes chocolate pudding (dry mix)
1-2 c. chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pans about ⅔-rds full. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Less time needed if using small loaf pans. Check doneness with a toothpick. (Makes 2 big loaves and 4 small loaves.)

Better than restaraunt enchiladas

These are delicious. Better than what you get in a lot of restaurants (hence, the name). And quite simple to make. Definitely a family favorite!

You need:
Shredded chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel
1 can enchilada sauce
Peppers, onions, etc.
Tortillas (we use flour, about 8-10 inches)
Grated cheddar cheese
Toppings for enchiladas

Directions:
Cook the chicken breasts by either boiling them until done or cooking them in a crock pot* until done – then shred. In a blender, combine Rotel and cream of chicken soup and puree. Lay tortilla flat and pour some Rotel/soup mixture down the middle; pour some enchilada sauce down the middle; put some shredded chicken down the middle. Put cheese on top of chicken. Fold sides of tortilla in. Pour remaining sauces (both soup mixture and enchilada sauce) on top of enchiladas and cover with remaining cheese. Recipe can make 4-8 enchiladas – depending on how saucy you want them. We usually make 4, and they're really saucy. They make great leftovers the next day. Bake at 350° for around 30 minutes – or until the tortillas start to look crunchy.

We serve them with a side of Spanish Rice, and you can top the enchilada with whatever you want - sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes ...

*Since we make these so often, I buy a package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and throw them all the in the crockpot. I cook them until they are done enough to shred. Then I lay out syran wrap squares, and I scoop the shredded chicken out onto the squares - each square gets enough chicken for one enchilada. Then I fold up the syran wrap and throw them all in the freezer. They're so small they take up virtually no room - and they stack nicely. Then when we want enchiladas, I get out the appropriate amount of frozen chicken squares and microwave them until they are no longer frozen - then proceed with the rest of the directions. It cuts the preparation time down drastically (and we have them pretty often, so it makes it way easier on me). It only takes 10-15 minutes to make the enchiladas, if the chicken is already cooked. My kind of meal :) Enjoy!

Potato Corn Chowder

This is the only recipe I've ever had that's actually worth the extra effort. I know this time of year no one is interested in soup, but come fall you'll thank me.

You'll need:

Diced potatoes
Onion salt
1 can creamy corn
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Boil the diced potatoes with as much or little onion salt as you like. When they're soft enough, drain the water. Add the butter, milk and creamy corn. (You can add bacon, too, if desired.) Heat on medium until bubbling. Stir to keep from scalding. When bubbling, stir in the cheese. As soon as all the cheese is melted and mixed in, it's ready to eat.

Fajita Bake

I stole this from Good Things Utah and changed it a bit, but it was sooo good!

1 Pound Ground Turkey (or beef if that's what you have)
1/2 Green Pepper chopped
1/4 Onion chopped
1 Packet Fajita Seasoning (You could use Taco as well)
1 Small Can crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
1/3 Bag Egg Noodles cooked and drained
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream

Cook ground meat, add vegetables and cook until tender. Add seasoning and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Place cooked noodles in 9X9 casserole dish, pour meat mixture over noodles. Top with Shredded cheese. Place in 350 degree oven for a few minutes to melt cheese. Serve with sour cream on top and a salad on the side!

Impressive Sunday Chicken

6 Chicken breasts

1 package cream cheese

1 package dry Italian seasoning (salad dressing)

Throw everything in crock pot on low in the morning.  Shred chicken before serving over rice.   You could also treat this as the chicken base of Haystacks... just add cheese, almonds, green onions, etc. 

BBQ Chicken Crock Pot

Ingredients
1 Jar of Barbecue Sauce
1 pound Chicken
Buns or Rice

Directions
Pour a little Sauce in the bottom of the pot.
Add the chicken
Pour the rest of the sauce on top.
Make the rice as on the box or in rice cooker.
After its done, I usually shred the chicken and put over the rice or on the buns. I also put green beans or corn as a side.

8-10 hours low
4 hours high

Salsa Chicken and Rice

So easy and fast.

Ingredients:
Chicken tenders or breast
Rice--We use brown. Can be instant or regular
1 jar chunky salsa
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cook Rice according to directions
Meanwhile, cook chicken over medium heat adding salt and pepper or your favorite Mexicanish spices, like Cumin or Chili Powder

When rice and chicken are done put rice on plates and top with chicken, desired amount of salsa and cheese.

Labels

I'm guessing many of you already have the hang of labels. For those who don't ...

Next time you're typing in your yummy and wonderful new recipe, decide what category/ies you think it should fall under. Under the lovely little box you type your post in there's a small field for labels. Simply type your category/ies here and you're good.

Example: I put on a recipe for crockpot chicken. I labeled it "crockpot" AND "chicken." That way when Sarah (or anyone else) is looking for a crockpot recipe to cook while she's at work, she can just go to the labels section, click on crockpot and all the different recipes labeled crockpot will come up for her to choose from. Likewise, if I have some chicken in my freezer and want a new way to cook it up, I'll go to chicken and viola.

Tip: If you're not sure what to label it under, click on "Show all" next to the labels field and see the list of other labels people have used. Feel free to start whatever you categories you want. But keep in mind that if I use "chicken" as my label and you use "chicken dinner" it will be under different sections. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but keep it in mind.

P.S. Feel free to go back to your previous posts and edit them, adding the label. We'll have a big catalog in no time.

Taco Soup

This is pretty similar to the other taco soup post.

2 Lbs. Ground Beef
1 C. Chopped Onion
(Cook together and drain grease.)

2 C. Water
28 Oz. Diced Tomatos (not drained)
27 Oz. Kidney Beans (not drained)
15 Oz. Tomato Sauce
1 Pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix
46 Oz. V-8 Juice
1 Can Corn (optional)
1 Can Red Beans (optional, not drained)

Combine all ingredients into a crockpot and cook on low all day.

Toppings:

Sour Cream, Frito's, Grated Cheese, Lettuce, Sliced Olives.

Zucchini Soup

2 lb. Zucchini
2 C. Chicken Broth
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 C. Chopped Onion
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp. Flour
3 C. Milk
1 Sq. Butter
2 C. Velvetta Cheese (cubed)

Wash zucchini, cut of ends and grate coarsely. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add onions and saute until transparent. Blend in flour and broth, bring to a boil. Add grated zucchini and stir while adding milk. Add worcestershire sauce. Stir continuously until hot. Add cheese while stirring. Garnish with parsley.

Also, you can substitute broccoli for zucchini. This is the Thanksgiving favorite for our family. Enjoy!

Crockpot recipes

Okay, people, we're slacking a little bit. We need to have some more regular posting. If everyone does one post a month, that's one new recipe a day (on average). Doesn't need to be fancy - just something that we can all use to feed our families. Even if it's a recipe you think everyone must already have ... don't be afraid to post it. I've tried a fair amount of these posted recipes and I've been happy with the outcomes. I still could use some ideas though Ü

On that note, I need some more crockpot recipes. Anyone have any good ones? Or some soup recipes, like Jade requested. Or soup in a crockpot ... just something that I can start before I go to work and come home to. Working 2 jobs is taking so much time ... I need something that will cook itself for me Ü

Jade also had a really good idea for how to better keep things organized - by using labels (noitce them on top right hand corner). She's going to post the instructions on how to make it work. It's a good idea - then we can all search by category.

Karson's chocolate

Ingredients:

1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
3 cups Sugar
1 - 12oz Can of Evaporated Milk
1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1- Stir sugar and cocoa powder together dry
2- Melt butter
3- Add sugar and cocoa powder mix
4- Stir in evaporated Milk
5- Medium heat to boil
6- Stir scraping bottom for 7 minutes
7- Add Vanilla
8- Por in blender and blen for 2-4 minutes
9- Pour in Jar and serve

Everybody welcome

Hey for any of you guys that have friends who would like to be a part of the recipes blog - everybody is welcome. If they have a gmail address, have them send it to: recipes26@gmail.com and then I can issue them an invite to become an author on the blog. The more, the merrier, so invite your friends!

Speaking of soup ...

I need more soup recipes. We have soup every Monday, and the six or seven I can make are getting old fast. Crock pot soups would be wonderful, but anything easy and yummy would be appreciated. Can anyone help me out?

Seven Can Soup

I wish I could take credit for this one, but it came from a friend. This meal takes only as long as it takes you to open and warm the contents of seven cans. It’s absolutely delicious. I recently served it at a family reunion and it was a hit.


Ingredients:

Can of chicken chunk (10 oz is about right)

Can of black beans (15 oz)

Can of corn (15 oz)

Can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (10 oz)

Two cans of chicken broth* (14-15 oz each)
*Last time I made it I used the new Winco brand of chicken broth – no good. It’s really strong and made the whole soup taste like chicken noodle. So I recommend the cheapest thing you can find that isn’t Hytop.)

Can of stewed tomatoes

You’ll notice I don’t have the stewed tomatoes in my photograph. That’s ‘cause my husband and I don’t like ‘em. But if you’re a fan of the stewed tomatoes, be my guest.

Drain the chicken chunk, the beans and the corn. Dump everything into a pot and heat it up. I let it simmer until I just can't stand it and I have to eat some. It's good with tortilla chips and sour cream.

While we love it just for our small family, this recipe is perfect for big groups -- family reunions, church socials, etc. Just add more cans of everything. I'd just say drop off a few cans of the broth if you make a really big batch. When I quadrupled the recipe for the family reunion this month, I should have used six or seven cans of broth, not the full eight. But it was still really good.

Chicken and Strawberry Salad (Or salad with chicken and strawberries)

This may seem simple, and when I think of chicken salad, I think of mayo, but that is not the case here. We eat this a lot during the summer because it is simple, fast, and low on the heating-up-the-kitchen scale.

For two people:
Two small chicken breasts (or one large), grilled. (we season with lemon pepper)
One pound or so strawberries, hulled
4 oz. cheese (your favorite variety - we use cheddar or swiss)
Romaine lettuce, enough to make two entree sized salads - add some spinach if you like it
Briannas Poppyseed dressing - this makes all the difference, but we have also used Briannas Honey Mustard dressing and it is almost equally yummy.

Cut up the chicken, strawberries and cheese into bite-sized pieces, distribute them over the two bowls of salad, and top with the dressing.
This is a meal in itself, but we have paired it with corn on the cob too - double yum.

I hope you like it as much as we do!

Summer Salad

Cut up:
Broccoli, Cauliflower, and carrots into SMALL pieces.
Add:
Italian Dressing over the top, mix well. Chill.

I love how this is healthy, EASY, and great for summer BBQ's.
*And a good way to get the kids to eat their veggies!

Orange Julius

This has been a family favorite for years and is a perfect summer treat.

In a blender add:

1/2 can orange juice concentrate, frozen

1 cup milk

1 cup cold water

1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1/2 tsp vanilla

12 or so ice cubes (depending on how thick you want it)

Blend in the blender until all ice chunks are gone.  Enjoy!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup Softened Butter or Margarine
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg
3 teaspoons Vanilla or Almond Flavoring
3 cups Flour
Icing:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 (8oz.) package Cream Cheese
2 cups Whipped Topping
Topping:
5 Bananas, Sliced
3 cups Strawberries, Sliced
5 Kiwi, Sliced
1 can Pineapple, Sliced or Chunked

Instructions:
Mix and chill dough for crust about 1 hour. Press onto greased cookie sheet (covers about 2 thin cookie sheets). Bake at 425° for 5-7 minutes. Cool slightly. Stir powdered sugar with cream cheese. Add whipped cream. Mix lightly and spoon onto crust. Spread any desired toppings over pizzas. Keep refrigerated. Tastes great at baby or bridal showers too.

3 Bean Salad

It's a super fast and easy side dish when you don't want to cook anything.

1 can (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 can (15 0z) Garbanzo Beans (chick peas)
1 can (15 oz) Green Beans--any cut or variety. Can be fresh or frozen too.
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Combine beans in a bowl.
Add in remaining ingredients
Stir to combine
Refrigerate at least an hour until chilled (this is optional if you don't have time, but it tastes better cold in my opinion)

Sour cream pound cake

Okay so it's been a while since anyone posted anything ... and we're into a new month. So if you haven't posted anything for the month of July, get on it! :) Love you all; I'm so happy with the way this blog is turning out!! I've tried a lot of the recipes and they've been delicious and have definitely helped my boredom with making the same things over and over. Let's keep it up!

Now onto a very yummy cake that my cousin Allison made (and since you aren't posting it, Allison, I am going to). You guys who know me well know that I am not a "cake" person. But this one is yummy!

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites

3 cups all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour 10 inch tube pan. Cut out wax paper to fit bottom of pan and slide into place (I never do the waxed paper part, and it always turns out fine.)
2. In medium bowl, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 5 minutes. Beat in yolks.
3. In large bowl, combine sifted flour, salt and baking soda, sift 2 more times. Mix the extracts into sour cream. Alternately add flour and sour cream mixtures a little at a time, beginning and ending w/flour.
4. In large clean bowl w/clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry peaks. Stir 1/3 of whites into batter until well combined. Fold in remaining 2/3 of whites. Spoon into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 300 for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Mmmmm!

Crockpot BBQ Ribs

I haven't posted anything yet and since I'm already 2 days overdue with my baby I thought I'd better do it quick because I'll be out of commission for a while. This is probably the easiest crockpot recipe ever, but it is soooo yummy!

Boneless Country Ribs (as much as you need for your family)
1 Bottle of BBQ sauce-any flavor

Put in crockpot and cook 3-5 hours on high, (more or less depending on how much meat)
Serve on top of rice. I usually put it with a salad or green vegetable and some rolls.
It's a perfect Sunday dinner. Enjoy!

Green Chile Chicken

(4-6) Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz. Cream Cheese (Softened)
1 Packet Good Seasons Italian Mix
1 can Diced Green Chilies (we use the mild.)

Combine all ingredients and cook in crock pot all day on low or 3-4 hours on high. Serve on top of cooked rice.

A few things that I do are:

• Cube the chicken (I use 4 chicken breasts)
• If I double the recipe, I don’t add any more Italian dressing mix, I'm not too big on really salty stuff.
• We usually eat over rice with biscuits and a green salad.
• We have also tried this over spaghetti noodles and it was still pretty good.

We double the recipe to feed 4 adults and 2 kids. There is usually enough for lunch the next day.

This recipe is a hit at our house. Hopefully, at yours too.

-Stacey Taft

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (You can substitute 1 ¾ cup white flour for wheat flour…it’s good!)
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (2 ½ Teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

(For those who don't have a bread maker either, here are the directions to use: pour water & milk into bowl, add sugar, stir to dissolve, add yeast, allow to proof for about 20 minutes until creamy foam appears, add butter, salt, mix, add slightly beaten egg and flour cup by cup stirring mixture. Allow to rise for 45mins in a warm area, covered with clean dish towel. Turn out and continue with step 2. These are very light, tasty rolls!!)

Hash Brown Egg Breakfast Casserole

I found several recipes for Breakfast Casserole and combined them to make this one. This is the best breakfast casserole I’ve ever had! I made it again this weekend for my baby’s blessing and everyone loved it. Hooray for success at feeding 40 people! (I’ve also made it with sausage – try some variety!)

Hash Brown Egg Breakfast Casserole
By Keri Stewart

1 2-lb. bag frozen shredded hash browns
3 T. melted butter
8 eggs, beaten
1 lb. ham or bacon, cooked & crumbled
1½ c. milk
2 c. Swiss cheese
2 c. Cheddar cheese
¾ tsp. dry mustard
¾ tsp. salt (to taste)
¼ tsp. pepper (to taste)
1 bunch green onions, diced
red & green pepper, diced

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Put hash browns in dish and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes. (I like my hash browns a little crispier, so after I bake them, I fry them for 5-10 minutes longer.) Mix remaining ingredients and pour over hash browns. Bake at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes (until it starts to brown on top). *This can be made the night before and refrigerated to make things easier.

Refreshing alternative to ice cream

You guys who know me know that I love ice cream. Seriously, I think I have an addiction to ice cream. BUT ... Cory won't let me eat it everyday since it's supposedly fattening :) So here's a refreshing alternative to eating ice cream every day - one that is very tasty, lactose-free, and much less fattening.

You need:
Your favorite kind of sherbet (I use raspberry or pineapple)
Frozen raspberries
Bananas, cut into bite-size pieces

Let sherbet sit out long enough so that you can empty into into a big mixing bowl - but don't let it melt - just enough that you can stir in the raspberries and bananas. Put in as many as you want (I put in a lot!) When everything is mixed in, put back into the container that the sherbet came in and freeze. Very tasty and much less fat! I'm sure you could experiment and add different kinds of fruit to different kinds of sherbet ... I'm just very partial to raspberries. Enjoy a refreshing treat in the hot summer weather.

Easy Chicken Casserole

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law in New York and it is absolutely delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
4-5 cooked chicken cubes or a quart of canned chicken
2 stacks ritz crackers
1 stick melted butter

Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream together. Spread a thin layer of this into 9x13 pan. Spread cooked chicken over this. Pour the rest of chicken soup mix over the chicken. Crush ritz crackers and mix with butter. Spread this mixture on top. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Take foil off and cook for additional 5 minutes. This is great over rice.

Easy French Onion Soup

3 lbs. onions

2 cups apple juice

10 cups beef stock

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons thyme

salt & pepper to taste

toasted baguette

mozzarella cheese

Saute the onions. Salt and pepper to taste. Add beef stock, apple juice and seasonings. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with baguette and cheese. Serves 6-8 people.

This is new recipe that I just found last month. I love it because it tastes delicious, looks impressive, and is ridiculously easy.

Cheese & Chocolate Fondue

This is a really good fondue recipe, which I use as a meal but it may be better as an appetizer for some people. It's really easy, and it only takes about 15 minutes to make. You will need:

1/2 c butter
1/2 c flour
1 t salt
2-3 c milk (warmed)
2-3 c shredded cheese

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add flour and salt; whisk until it thickens (this takes about 5 seconds). Add 2 cups milk (I put it in the microwave for about a minute beforehand to speed up the process); whisk until it starts to thicken. Sometimes it thickens too quickly so I add another cup of milk. When it is about the desired consistency, add the cheese and stir until it is melted. I then do a taste test with a little bit of bread to see if it is cheesy enough. If not, I keep adding cheese until it is the flavor that I want. I serve it with french bread, and if you're really ambitious you can make meatballs to go along with it as well.

If you're a chocolate lover (as I am), you can make a chocolate fondue as well. The ingredients for this are:

1 pkg marshmallows
1 c half and half
1 pkg cream cheese
1 pkg milk chocolate chips

Melt the marshmallows with the half and half; make sure they melt completely, or the fondue will be lumpy. Soften the cream cheese and add to marshmallows; let melt. Add the chocolate chips; let melt. Serve with fruit and enjoy!

Taco Soup

It seems like most people I know have some version of this soup, but just in case you don't, I have to share it. It is so easy and goes from start to finish in about 15 minutes.

Brown 1/2 pound ground beef in bottom of a big soup pot. Add the following cans (dump the whole can, including any accompanying liquid): 1 can corn, 1 can red kidney beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce. Then add 1/2 package of taco seasoning. Heat until warm.

You can garnish it with cheddar cheese and sour cream and can add whatever other toppings you like to it. Serve with tortilla chips which can be crushed and put on top of the bowl of soup, or you can use them to dip into the soup and eat.

We also recently tried this using some grilled and cut up chicken and it was very good as well. Enjoy!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

I just made these today I have already eaten about 4! They are really yummy, but they do take time, but they are sooo worth it!

Combine the following:
½ C very warm water
1 ½ -2 T. yeast
2 T. sugar
Set aside and in a large bowl mix:
3 ½ oz package vanilla pudding (according to the directions on the box) and to that add:
2 eggs
1 t. salt
½ C. butter, melted
6 C. flour
As you add the flour, add the yeast mixture to it.
Knead until smooth.
Cover with a towel and let rise until double, punch down and let rise again. Then roll out dough to 34X21 size (I like to separate the dough into 2 balls and roll it out twice, I don’t have a ton of counter space and it works better for me.)
Take 1C. softened butter and spread over surface. In a small bowl mix 2 C. brown sugar and 4tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle over top. Roll up tightly and cut 2 inch sections. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Push down slightly with hand . Cover and let double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Ice when still warm with icing.

Cream cheese icing:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
½ C. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 C. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
Mix all ingredients.

Low-Fat Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

For middle of shortcake:
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup sugar

For shortcake:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp grated lemon grind
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 Tbs chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cooking spray

For top of shortcake:
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

To make:
Combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (down to baking soda), stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter to mixture. Combine buttermilk and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (sticky dough).

Knead dough on floured surface 4 times. Make into 8-inch circle on baking sheet (that has been sprayed with cooking spray). Brush top with egg white. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp sugar.

Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool 10 minutes. Split shortcake in half horizontally. Cool layers separately. Place bottom half of shortcake, cut side up, on a serving plate. Drain strawberries, saving juice; drizzle juice over bottom half of shrotcake. Put 2 cups whipped topping over juice, then strawberries on top. Put top shortcake layer on. Then top with a little whipped cream and a whole strawberry on top.

Commentary:
My husband and I had never made this before, but this was a very easy recipe to follow and it turned our really yummy, too. I found it online at "Cooking Light". One of the best things about it is that it is only 246 calories and 7.4 grams of fat in each serving (10 servings total). Not bad for a dessert that usually has almost 400 calories and over 25 grams of fat per serving.