BLT Wraps

Zesty Garlic Herb "Wraps" tortillas
Thick slice bacon
Romaine lettuce
Tomato
Ranch dressing (Hidden Valley Ranch from the packet with REAL mayo:)
Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Cook bacon, stuff wrap with all the fixin's

Breakfast Smoothie (Jeni's Variation)

From Kristel Liddle

2 cups fresh spinach leaves (about two handfuls)
1 ripe banana
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
A few ice cubes
2 T. Splenda

Combine all ingredients in blender.

Salsa (Jeni's Variation)

From Lexi Majoue

7 cans (14.5 oz each) stewed tomatoes (I like Mexican Style if you can find it, but the regular is okay too)
1 can El Pato sauce (yellow can in Mexican aisle)
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
5 bunches of green onions
1 bunch cilantro
3 jalepeno peppers
course salt
fresh ground pepper
garlic powder

Chop onions, cilantro, and peppers (I used my food processor...for mild, remove all seeds and ribs from peppers, for medium include seeds and ribs from two peppers, for hot include all seeds and ribs)

Combine all ingredients. Use salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Run entire mixture through a blender until desired consistency.

Makes ONE GALLON of salsa. Give some away to friends. Or, eat it all up (trust me, this stuff goes FAST).

It tastes even better after it's been sitting in your fridge for a day or so:)

Sugar Cookies

From Amy Norby (Dec 2008)

First, mix together:
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter

Then add:
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs

Mix together and then add to liquids:
7 cups flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
4 t. baking powder

Then add:
2 t. vanilla

Chill dough overnight. Roll out on floured surface and cut cookies. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes (I baked for 10 minutes for my oven).

Pizza Dough

In a bread machine on the "dough" setting:

7/8 to 1 cup warm water
2 T. butter
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 t. yeast

Creamy Fusilli with Yellow Squash and Bacon

From Everyday Food (September 2007, page 28)

Course salt/Ground pepper
8 ounces fusilli
4 slices of bacon, chopped
4 medium yellow squash (quartered and sliced)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Asiago cheese plus more for serving

Boil pasta until al dente in salted water

Cream Cheese Tarts

From Mom

2 Eight ounce packages cream cheese (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
Nilla Wafers

Blend first four ingredients together. Place on top of nilla wafer in a cupcake paper.
Bake 350 for 12 minutes.
Top with cherry pie filling

Pumpkin Bread

From Lexi Majoue

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Spray 2 loaf pans with PAM
Open up a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
Break open 4 eggs into your mixing bowl.
Add 3 cups of sugar
Add 1 cup of vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
Then add your 15 ounces of pumpkin puree
Add 2 teaspoons each of Allspice, Ginger, Cinnamon and Cloves.
Also add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
And 2 teaspoons of Arm and Hammer baking soda
Put in 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour. Mix, mix, mix
Divide batter between pans. Make sure they're even or they will fight in the oven.
Set your timer for 60 minutes
It's all good when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Take the loaves out of the pans and let them cool on a rack.

Crawfish Etouffee

1 stick of butter (1/4 lb)
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 T. Creole seasoning (I use Zatarain's)
1 pound crawfish tails (frozen seafood section, already peeled, etc.)
3/4 cup water

Melt butter over medium heat. Add pepper, onion, celery, seasoning, crawfish, and water to pot. Bring to a boil. Cover with lid, simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes with lid still on. Serve over rice.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Montreal Steak Seasoning, to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup whole milk
8 oz. sour cream
1 box Stove Top stuffing for chicken
1 can chicken broth

Brown chicken in 1 T. of butter. Season with Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste.
Cook Stove Top according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for the water.
Mix sour cream, milk, and soup together. Add cooked chicken to soup mixture and place in bottom of casserole dish. Top with stuffing and bake 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Apple (or Peach) Crisp

3 Apples (peeled or unpeeled), sliced and core removed
**Place in bottom of baking dish, then sprinkle with:
1 T. lemon juice

Combine:
1/3 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon

Add:
6 T. melted butter to dry ingredients

Place oat topping on apples and bake 375 for 40 minutes.

SERVE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM!! IT'S A REQUIREMENT!!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

(From Pioneer Woman Cooks!)

Fresh Jalapenos (I used 7...14 halves)
Cream cheese (4 oz. filled 14 halves)
Bacon (chopped in thirds)
Toothpicks

Chop jalapenos in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and membranes. Smear cream cheese in each half. Wrap with 1/3 slice of bacon and secure with toothpick.

Place on wire rack over baking sheet (to allow bacon grease to drain) and bake 375 for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is nicely browned.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

(From Mom)

1) 3/4 cup butter flavor Crisco
2) 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
3) 2 T. milk
4) 1 T. vanilla

5) 1 egg
6) 1 3/4 cup flour
7) 1 t. salt
8) 3/4 t. baking soda

9) 2 cups chocolate chips

Mix ingredients 1-4. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer. Add egg.
In separate bowl, mix ingredients 6-8. Add to cream mixture. Beat until smooth.
Stir in chocolate chips. Bake 8-10 at 375. *Place parchment paper on cookie sheet*

Fruit Pizza

(From Paula Deen)

Pizza Dough:
1 package store bought sugar cookie dough

Toppings:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
6 ounces fresh blueberries
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Flatten cookie dough onto a 6-inch pizza pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 11 to 15 minutes. Cool. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Spread the baked cookie with the cream cheese mixture and decorate with sliced strawberries. In a small bowl, combine melted white chocolate with chocolate syrup. Top the pizza with remaining berries and chocolate mixture. Slice and serve immediately.

Stuffed Shells

(From Laurie Busch)

16 oz. mozzarella cheese
Large jar of spaghetti sauce
Large container cottage cheese
1 lb. mild sausage
2 eggs
2 T. parsley
1 t. basil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 box jumbo shells

Cook shells according to package instructions

Brown sausage, drain

In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, sausage, half of the cheese

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Fill each shell with cottage cheese mixture. Place in pan.

Cover shells with spaghetti sauce and cover pan with foil. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Sprinkle shells with remaining cheese and serve.

Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler

2 lbs. fresh peaches, sliced
2/3 cup oats (not quick-cooking)
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Peaches in bottom
Mix rest of ingredients and pour over peaches
Cook on LOW for three hours
Serve with vanilla ice cream

Taco Salad

(From Laurie Busch)

1 lb. ground beef, seasoned with taco seasoning
1/2 cup cooked white rice
Tortilla chips
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
shredded iceberg lettuce
chopped green onions

Combine taco meat with cooked rice
Combine salsa and sour cream (1 to 1 ratio)
Mix ingredients according to preference

Taco Salad

(From Mom)

Iceberg lettuce
chopped tomato
green onions, chopped
1 lb. hamburger meat, browned and seasoned with 1 packet taco seasoning
Crumbled Nacho Cheese Doritos

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Meatloaf

(From Lexi Majoue)

Loaf:
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
little less than half the sauce (below)

Sauce:
4 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
6 T. vinegar
6 T. brown sugar
4 t. mustard
4 t. Worcestershire sauce

Form loaf, pour sauce over and bake (350 for 1 hr. 15 min.), basting often (every 15 minutes).

Black Bean Salad

(From Simply Recipes)

• (15 ounce) can of black beans, thoroughly rinsed, and drained (or 1 1/2 cup of freshly cooked black beans)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh corn, parboiled, drained and cooled)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions or shallots
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, or 1 whole pickled jalapeño pepper, minced (not seeded)
• 3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (about the amount of juice from one lime)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar (to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure to rinse and drain the beans, if you are using canned beans.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions, jalapeno chile peppers, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, basil, lime juice and olive oil. Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste. (The sugar will help balance the acidity from the tomatoes and lime juice.) Chill before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

Lumpia

(From Mom)

1 package egg roll wrapper
1/2 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
2 carrots, diced in food processor
1/2 onion, diced
green onions, sliced
bean sprouts, to taste
Soy sauce to taste
Garlic powder to taste

Mix all ingredients to desired taste.

Place filling diagonally on wrapper. Follow package directions for rolling. Seal edges with water.

Fry in oil over medium heat until golden.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 4 pt. fully ripe strawberries)

3 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

1 box SURE.JELL For Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Premium Fruit Pectin

1 cup water

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

CRUSH strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 4 cups crushed strawberries into large bowl.

MIX sugar and pectin in large saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add strawberries; stir 1 minute or until well blended.

FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Chinese Chicken Salad

(From Mom)

1 cup Miracle Whip
4 T. soy sauce, divided
1/4 t. Tabasco
1 t. ground ginger
8 oz. Rotini
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 cup red or green bell peppers (or both:)
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Saute bell peppers and green onions in 2 T. soy sauce and garlic powder.

Mix Miracle Whip, 2 T. soy sauce, Tabasco and seasonings in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix lightly, refrigerate overnight.

Chili (Jeni's variation)

(From Lexi Majoue)

1-2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
3 cans light red kidney beans, DO NOT DRAIN
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
2 cans Rotel
Salt, pepper, and Chili powder to taste

Brown beef and onions. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until well cooked over medium heat. Best if cooked the day before and reheated before serving (lets the flavors blend). Or, brown meat and onions then combine all ingredients in slow cooker and simmer 10 hours on low.

Cornbread (Jeni's variation)

(From Lexi Majoue)

4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
8 oz. container sour cream
14 or 15 oz. can creamed corn
3 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/3 cup sugar

Beat eggs-add remaining ingredients. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.