Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Ingredients

3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 (12 pound) whole turkey
Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.
Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

Kandace's Crock Pot Chicken Stew

4 Chicken Breasts
1 can Chicken Broth
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
1 C Orange Juice
1/2 Small Onion, diced
1 Jalapeno, diced (optional)
2 TB Cilantro, chopped
1 TB Minced Garlic
2 Limes, juiced
Salt & Pepper

1 - Season & brown all sides of the chicken in a skillet (I used Mansmith's Chipotle & Lime). Cut into bite size pieces & put in crock pot.
2- Pour in the rest of the ingredients, mix & turn on the crock pot. (High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours)
3 - Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix the following 4 ingredients in a med. sized bowl:
2 1/4 cup flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix the following ingredients in a large bowl: (tip- I mix with whisk after each ingredient is added)
4 eggs beaten
1 can of canned pureed pumpkin (15 oz.)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c. oil
3/4 c milk

Add half of the dry ingredients in your med bowl to the large bowl and mix, then add the rest and mix to only combine (don't over mix or you'll have hockey pucks).

Spoon into 24 paper lined cupcake pans 3/4 full.
Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 25 min.
Frost when completely cool.

Cinnamon Creamcheese Frosting:
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar (add more if needed)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

With Electric beater mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy, add vanilla and cinnamon, and one cup of sugar at a time until desired consistancy is reached.

Ranger Cookies

We made these cookies for our Primary children as a treat for after the program. They are loaded with all kinds of goodies! Melissa - I'm posting this for you! ;)

Ranger Cookies
2 c. margarine
2 c. sugar
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 cups flour
4 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
4 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup coconut
1 (10 oz.) pkg. Heath Bits of Brickle or 1 pound M&M's (I used 1/2 pkg. of each)

Cream margarine, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Add baking soda, baking powder, and flour; blend well. Stir in oatmeal, Rice Krispies, coconut, and brickle chips or M&M's. Mix well until all ingredients are blended. Roll into large balls with cookie scoop and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and tap cookies sheet firmly on counter to flatten cookies. Makes about 48 large cookies.

Two Easy Recipes

Here are two easy recipes we've made recently...

This toasted cheese is one of my favorites to make for lunch. It is especially good with garden fresh tomatoes and basil!

Toasted Cheese Sandwich
Bread (I use whatever I have on hand. I love it on crusty Italian bread or a sliced bagel)
Sliced tomatoes (any kind will work)
Basil (if I don't have fresh on hand, I use the dried)
Salt and Pepper
Cheese (once again, any kind will work. I like to use Provolone or a Monterey Jack/Cheddar mix)

Slice tomatoes thin and layer on slice of bread or bagel. Sprinkle with chopped or dried basil leaves. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle cheese over the top and put into oven or toaster oven. Broil until cheese is bubbly.

This is our kids' favorite "breakfast for dinner". They love it with homemade freezer jam. We also love it with fresh berries and whip cream.

Hootenanny Pancake (aka German Oven Pancake)
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
fresh strawberries, sliced

Beat together eggs, flour, milk and salt for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1/2 cup butter in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Put in hot oven just long enough to melt butter. Remove and pour beaten egg mixture into hot butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Pancake will "grow" up sides of pan. Cut into slices and top with powdered sugar and fresh strawberries, or maple syrup.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

1-1/2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked

1 pkg. (9 oz.) fresh spinach leaves

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 jar (14-1/2 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, cubed

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

COOK pasta as directed on package, adding spinach to the boiling water the last minute.

COOK and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 3 min. Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer on low heat 3 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in Neufchatel.

DRAIN pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole or 8-inch square baking dish.

BAKE 20 min.; top with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

From Kraftfoods.com, located here.

Vegtable Pizza

This is a great way to use a lot of your gardens vegetables.

1 medium zucchini, quartered length wise
1 small yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise
1 small red sweet pepper, quartered lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 cup mayo or salad dressing
2 tablespoons purchased basil pesto
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano
4 6-7 inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded mozzarella or smoked provolone cheese

1. Brush zucchini, summer squash, and sweet pepper with oil; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Place on grill directly over medium heat until crisp-tender, turning once halfway through grilling. Allow 8-10 minutes of sweet pepper and 5-6 minutes for zucchini and summer squash. Remove vegetables from grill.

2. Chop grilled vegetables. In medium bowl combine chopped vegetables, tomato, mayo, pesto, basil, and oregano. Place tortillas on grill rack directly over heat. Spread the vegetable mixture over the tortilla. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover and grill for 2-3 minutes more or until tortillas are lightly toasted, vegetables are just heated, and cheese begins to melt. Carefully remove from grill. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and grill vegetables and tortillas as above.)

Notes:
When I made this I didn't have the pesto and it still tasted pretty good. Be careful when you place the tortillas on the grill I left them for a little over a minute and they started on fire! So I used the raw tortillas from Costco and place them raw on the grill and let the grill cook them.

Gluten Free Recipes Site

http://glutenfreemamafriends.blogspot.com/

Spaghetti Sauce

This is not a canning recipe however, I make it with my canned tomatoes.

1 1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage (can use Ground Beef but doesn't taste as good)
Onion, chopped
Green Pepper, chopped
Garlic Clove crushed

Brown together and drain.

Add:

3-16oz cans Tomatoes (I use 2 Quarts canned Tomatoes and I puree the tomatoes)
1-3 cans Tomato paste (depending on how thick you like)
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
1-2 Cups Water

Stir together and simmer for 1-2 hours.

I always have extra sauce that I freeze for a later meal.

Fridge Pickles

Need gallon glass jar.

1/3 c salt
3 c apple cider vinegar
3c sugar
1 tbsp celery seed
1 tbsp mustard seed
1/2 turmeric
add garlic cloves chopped(however many you want) onions (how much you want), cukes (enough to help fill the jar with the liquids) all sliced thin.

Mix the top ingredients and then add the veggies. Set in your fridge for 3 days or longer. It will keep for a yr.

By Lynne Lippy

Wanted: recipes for garden veggies

Alright I'm breaking the rules here and instead of posting a recipe I'm asking if anyone has a good spaghetti sauce recipe for canning. We have tomatoes, onions and peppers that need to picked from our garden and I've been reluctant to harvest because I don't know what to do with them now. Can you tell it's my first garden?! Any recipes or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Pork

You can do this with pork chops or ribs. I buy the boneless 'country style' ribs when they go on sale (& stock up!).

Brown meat on all sides in a hot frying pan with a little oil.

Meanwhile, mix in crockpot:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
(I usually do this 1 & 1/2 times for an average package of meat)

Once the meat is browned, put it in the crockpot with sauce & turn it on low for 8ish hours or high for 4ish hours.

I usually serve this with rice. While the rice is cooking I ladle out the sauce from the crockpot & put it in a pot on the stove & thicken it with cornstarch & water (stir it in really good & make sure it boils).

Bean Salsa

For Kira :)

Bean Salsa

2 large tomatoes or more, chopped (I put in more than two)
3 avocados, chopped
1 can white or sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (rinse well)
1 can sliced olives (I use the larger size can of already sliced olives)
1/2 - 1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 - 1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. Italian salad dressing (I use prepared Good Seasons - Kraft Zesty Italian is also good)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and serve with chips. **This is really yummy with Lime Tortilla chips. We also love to eat it with quesadillas.**

Chicken Salad Croissants

We have adapted this recipe from a few we liked and it has become our favorite. It is great on the croissants. You can also serve it on a bed of lettuce if preferred. We like to make this for dinner in the summer to avoid heating up the kitchen.

Chicken Salad for Croissants
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked
1 apple, chopped (either braeburn or fuji)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. halved red seedless grapes
1 c. salted cashews

Cook the chicken and then as you are cutting it up sprinkle liberally with Beaumonde seasoning (by Spice Island, but you can also use Bon Apetite by Schilling). Also sprinkle on salt and pepper. Combine above ingredients and add:

1 tsp. Beaumonde
1/8 tsp. curry (optional)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
squirt of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together and add more seasoning of desired. It is good if refrigerated for a few hours to let the flavors blend together. **I wait to add the cashews right before serving**

*green grapes and toasted slivered almonds can be substituted for the red grapes and cashews if preferred.

Spicy Crab Guacamole Recipe

3 Large Avocados
1 Cup Lumb Crab Meat
3 Limes, juiced
1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, chopped
1/3 Cup Cilantro
1/2 Cup Jicama, chopped
1/2 a Jalapeno, seeded
3 cloves Garlic
2 tsp Olive Oil
1/4 TB Cayenne
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt

1. In a large bowl, combine diced avocados, crab meat & the juice of 1 lime & mix gently.
2. In a food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients & pulse until mixed thoroughly but not completely blended.
3. Pour mixture into the large bowl & stir to combine mixture. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.
4. Enjoy!!

This recipe came from a friend. Thanks for sharing Kandace! Can't wait to try it.

Cheesy Crouton Chicken Bake

from Tonya Leavitt

4-6 skinless chicken breasts or 6-8 skinless thighs
4-6 slices of cheese; Swiss, Provalone, or Jack
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 pkg. onion soup mix
2 cups croutons
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken pieces in 9x13 pan. Cover each piece of chicken with a slice of cheese. In a small bowl mix broth and soup packet, pour over cheese. coarsely crush croutons and sprinkle over chicken. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked throughout.

Two Summer Favorites

Here are two of our favorite recipes during summer. We like to eat them together too! :)

ORANGE GRILLED CHICKEN
1 c. Italian salad dressing (we use Kraft Zesty Italian or prepared Good Seasons Italian)
1 (6 oz.) can orange juice concentrate
1/2 tsp. salt
boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix salad dressing, orange juice concentrate and salt together. Pour over chicken and allow to marinate until ready to grill. (I pour it over frozen chicken breasts and let it marinate while they thaw in the refrigerator.)

*Hint: if I can't find the small can of OJ concentrate at the store, I mix up a double batch, pour the second half over desired number of chicken breasts and freeze it for another day.

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
2 lb. packages ready to eat spinach
12 wonton skins cut into 4 triangles, fried
1/2 c. fresh bacon bits
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 c. red pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 bermuda onion, thinly sliced (optional)
1/4 c. grated fresh parmesan cheese
1 cup toasted sliced almonds

Toast sliced almonds in 1 tbsp. butter and 3 tbsp. sugar. Fry wonton skins. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Just before serving, add desired amount of dressing.

Dressing
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
3/4 c. salad oil
1/2-1 tsp. dry mustard
1/3 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 c. jam (raspberry or strawberry)

My variations:
*Instead frying my own wontons, I buy the pre-packaged wonton strips (at our local grocery store they are in the produce department with the salad toppers)
*I don't like to cook bacon, so I use a jar of Hormel real bacon pieces (found by the salad dressings at our local grocery store).
*If you don't want to toast your own almonds, the butter toffee sliced almonds found with the salad toppers are really good in this salad.
*My family doesn't like straight spinach, so I use less spinach and toss in a little red leaf and green leaf lettuce.

Beef Up Your Beef

Hamburger patties
Cilantro, chopped
Garlic, minced
Jalapenos, diced
Lime juice
Season salt

Okay, we take no credit for this whatsoever. We had some friends over for a bbq on the 4th, the husband is a chef and he suggested to add the above ingredients to our patties to give it a little extra. I didn't have the jalapenos in my meat but the burger was delish. It gave any restaurant burger a run for it's money.

Orange Julius

This is a great recipe for a very tasty and refreshing summer treat!

6 oz. of orange juice concentrate
1 C water
1 C milk (I use rice milk because of dairy allergies and it tastes great!)
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Ice cubes (use as many or as little as you want depending on your texture preference)

Blend all ingredients in the blender, serve, and enjoy!

Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwiches

1 pound chicken cutlets (I use boneless skinless chicken tenders)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper
2 mixed bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 soft hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
1/4 cup light mayonnaise


Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board (reserve baking sheet); let cool, and thinly slice. Set chicken aside.
On baking sheet, toss together peppers, onion, garlic, and remaining tablespoon oil. Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to broiled vegetables; toss, and spread in a single layer.
Top chicken and vegetables with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scoop out most of the doughy center from both halves of rolls; discard. Spread rolls with mayonnaise; fill with chicken and vegetables.

I serve with seasoned fries.

*Recipe from Everyday Foods Oct.2008

Very Yummy Apple Dip

I found this very yummy apple dip recipe here. Soooo good!

Cafe Rio Salad

CAFE RIO SALAD

There are 3 parts to the salad: the rice, the pork, and the dressing.

[ LIME-CILANTRO RICE ]

2 Tbsp. oil

4 c. long grain rice (6 c. water)

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

juice of 2 limes

2 tsp. crushed garlic

Heat oil in a large skillet.

Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes). You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.

[ CAFE RIO PORK ]

pork roast

1 (16 oz.) bottle of salsa

1 can coke

2 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock-pot and fill it half way up with water. Cook roast on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together ingredients (salsa, coke, brown sugar) and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

[ CREAMY TOMATILLA SALAD DRESSING ]

1 packet hidden valley ranch buttermilk dressing

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. mayo or sour cream

2-3 tomatillas (peel off outer leaf/shell)

1 tsp. crushed garlic

¾ bunch fresh cilantro

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)

salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.

[ SERVING ]

Of course you can assemble everything burrito-style. I prefer salad-style. For one serving, I first put a tortilla on a plate (or a large serving bowl, like the pasta bowl shown in the photo). Then put rice, pork, some chopped lettuce, and the dressing. Finally, garnish your salad with shredded cheese, tomatoes, sliced avocados, or whatever you want.

Note: I strongly prefer and recommend the uncooked tortillas over regular ol' packaged tortillas. Check the refrigerated section of your local grocery store. Our Costco carries them too. Just throw the tortilla in a pan over the stove top, give it a few flips, and it's cooked.

Tuna Salad

So this is definitely not very exciting! It's just one of those use-what-you-have, make-it-so-your-family-likes-it kind of things. Also....I don't really measure things, so sorry if that frustrates you. Just add stuff 'til it looks yummy!

2 cans tuna, drained, etc.
1-2 small apples, diced
shredded (cheddar) cheese
salt & pepper
enough Ranch dressing to make it all as moist as you want

Eat it with tortilla strips or crackers

This last time I made it, I had some left over bacon in the fridge that I cut up & put it. I also wondered if Craisins &/or almonds would be good, but I was starving & didn't take the time to get those out. I also wondered if it would be good as a lettuce wrap.
Enjoy!!

Beef Noodle Bowl

This recipe has quickly become a family favorite. It is easy and the kids even love it. Enjoy!

Beef Noodle Bowl
8 oz. linguine, uncooked (I've made it with the 12 oz. package too, because our kids love the noodles)
3 cups broccoli florets
3 medium carrots, peeled, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. oil
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
1/4 c. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (we also like to use prepared Good Seasons Italian)
1/4 c. teriyaki sauce (we like to use Yoshida's)
1 tsp. ground ginger (you can use less if desired)

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli and carrots to the cooking water for the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking time. Drain pasta mixture. Meanwhile, heat oil in large non-stick skillet. Add meat; cook until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, teriyaki sauce and ginger; cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. (Last time I made this I also added a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce.) Toss pasta and meat mixtures in large serving bowl. Serve with extra teriyaki sauce.

*For added crunch, sprinkle with 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts just before serving.

Hello! Just want to share a few easy dinner ideas. I have started buying the pork roasts that come in a 3 pack at costco. I usually throw one in the crock pot and smother it in taco seasoning and salsa. I cook it on low or high (depending on time frame) and shred it. I use it for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or salads. Pretty yummy! Today I decided to try something different. I put the roast in the crock pot and put about 1/4 a container of honey teriyaki marinade on it and added about 1/2 cup of water. I threw in some carrots. At the end of the day I shredded it and served it with rice. Very yummy! I will probably add more vegetables next time. Has anyone ever put broccoli in the crock pot? Hope you enjoy this easy and tasty recipe idea :)

Zucchini Sticks

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed, cut into 12 x 1-inch sticks each
• 3 medium egg white(s), lightly beaten
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
  
  
• Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well with a fork to combine. Add zucchini sticks and turn to coat. Place egg whites and bread crumbs in separate shallow dishes. Add zucchini to egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer to bread crumbs and turn to coat.
  
  
• Place coated zucchini on prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake 40 minutes, until golden brown.
  
  
• Whisk together mayonnaise, honey and mustard. Serve zucchini sticks with honey-mustard mayo on the side. Yields about 6 sticks and 1 tablespoon of dip per serving.

Bandido Sauce

1 lb hamburger
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 small onion
1 cup water
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup cooked rice

Brown hamburger. Add other ingredients (except rice) and let simmer for 30 mins. Add rice. Serve over chips, with cheese, lettuce, etc as toppings.

PS This freezes well, too-- without the chips and toppings, of course! ;0)

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter
1 package Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 bar cream cheese
1 pound gemelli pasta
Preparation
In your slow cooker place the chicken, put stick of butter on top and pour package of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing onto it all.Cook on low for 5 hours. Take out chicken and either use your kitchen shears or a knife to slice.Place sliced chicken back into slow cooker. Add can of cream of chicken soup and bar of cream cheese. Mix well and cook for another hour on low. Serve on gemelli pasta that you have prepared.

This recipe comes from Kraftfoods.com, user recipe exchange. Very yummy!

Peanut Butter Balls

For the Balls:
1 Cup powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp melted Butter
1 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 1/2 cup Rice Crispies Cereal

For the Coating:
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/3 Cup bar Paraffin wax (found in canning aisle)

Mix all of the ball ingredients together in medium size bowl and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll into small balls, about the size of a walnut.
In a medium saucepan, melt the chips and paraffin wax together over low heat, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from the heat. Dip each ball into the melted chips, dropping the whole ball in and then using a spoon to remove. Place the balls on waxed paper to dry. These peanut butter balls can be stored in a refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

"Diego" Soup

2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can chicken broth
1 cup salsa (1 can of mexi-stewed tomatoes works well if no salsa on hand)
1 can (15oz) corn, drained
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained
3/4 package taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place chicken in greased slow cooker.
Pour taco seasoning, salsa, corn, and black beans over chicken.
Add broth.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs or high 3-4 hrs.
Remove chicken, shred it then stir back in.
Stir in sour cream and cheese.

We serve it with the Cafe Rio rice recipe below and home made tortilla strips.

We got this recipe from the "101 More Things To Do With a Slow Cooker" cook book and altered it to our liking. We call it "Diego" soup so the boys (who love Diego) will eat it.

Spencer's Pie

2 Oreo shell crusts
1 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 8oz Cool Whip
2 3oz instant vanilla pudding (french vanilla and banana are yummy too)
2 1/2 c milk
1 bottle of Magic Shell

Mix cream cheese with half of milk.
Add pudding and rest of milk, mix until smooth (will have some lumps).
Distribute pie filling between two crusts.
Split Cool Whip and top both pies.
Finish by covering with Magic Shell (Spence in his artisticness makes wonderful designs and patterns, I'm not that gifted).
Refrigerate for 20-30 mins before serving.

A twist on Mex-Tex Salad

What a fun idea. Here is a yummy and quite easy summer recipe.


Cafe Rio Chicken
1 small bottle or Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic
5 lbs chicken breasts *This makes a lot - I usually half it.

Salad
Romain lettuce
Roma tomatoes
Cotija Cheese
tortilla strips (I've only found these at Albertsons hanging above their bagged lettuce.)

Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch salad dressing (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos * depending on how spicy you want it, I add only 1 tomatillo and 1/4 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove of garlic
1 lime juiced
jalapeno

Use a food processor to blend all together

*serves 20

Taste very similar to costa vida salads.

Creme Vichyssoise

3 c leeks or yellow onion
6 c diced potatoes
6 c chicken broth
6 T butter
2 c milk
2 c sour cream
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t paprika
4 t snipped chives or watercress to granish (optional)

Cook onions, broth, potatoes, and seasonings.
Cool and process in blender.(We use our hand mixer which works great with less mess.)
Add milk, sour cream and butter to processed mixture.
Heat, do not boil.
We like to garnish with cheese and bacon bites from Costco. Yum!

Note: we got this recipe from our friend Kathy Lyon and it is our favorite soup. Thanks for sharing Kathy!!

Mashed Potatoe Casserole

5 pounds potatoes (8 large)
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1c. sour cream
2 tsp. garlic salt (optional)
1.2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. butter
Peel potatoes and cook til tender then mash. In a small bowl
beat the cream cheese and sour cream til blended.
Add cream cheese mixture as well as the spices. Blend well
Turn into a 3-4 quart buttered casserole dish.
Cover with foil and bake @ 400 degrees for 50 to 60 mins.
Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days then cook it when needed.
May leave out the garlic if you don't want garlic potatoes.

Cafe Rio Rice

1 tsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp lime zest
2 T lime juice
2 tsp white sugar
3 T chopped cilantro
1 can diced chilies
20 minunte rice (we love Jasmine rice) - as directed
chicken broth - as directed

Combine broth, garlic, butter, lime zest, cilantro, chilies and bring to boil.
Add rice - cook as directed.
Combine lime juice and sugar and add to cooked rice.

I can't take full credit for this recipe but we've tried many Cafe Rio recipes and this is the closest thus far. We modified the original recipe to what we think taste like Cafe Rio. Yum yum!