Mexican Spinach Dip

This recipe is from the Cooks Country magazine, one of my favorites. I wanted to try it because I love spinach dip and 7-layer dip. This is sort of a combination of the two. And also very yummy!

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese
1/3 c. sour cream
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped fine
2 (10-oz.) cans Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained*
½ small onion
1 (10-oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 t. salt
½ t. chili powder
½ t. ground cumin

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. Grease 8-in. square baking dish. With wooden spoon or rubber spatula, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and jalapeno in large bowl. Fold in tomatoes, onion, spinach, cheddar, salt, chili powder, and cumin until well combined. Scrape into baking dish and bake until bubbling at edges and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips. (Dip can be assembled and refrigerated for 24 hours prior to baking.)

*If you can’t find Ro-Tel tomatoes, substitute one 14.5-oz. can of diced tomatoes (drained) and one 4-oz. can of chopped green chilies.

Beef Stew

Again...No picture. Sorry.

This is a great beef stew recipe that I found on thisweekfordinner.com. I have never found a stew recipe that we could actually enjoy. Easy, and my three year old loved it! I know it should be spring...but with the cold days we have had lately this recipe is perfect!

1 lb beef stew chunks
1/2 onion, or 1/2 packet dry onion soup
4 cups water
4 beef bouillon cubes
2-4 stalks celery
2-4 carrots
3-5 potatoes

put the beef (I cut mine in even smaller pieces than it came in) and onion in the crock pot for 3-4 hours. This will give it a head start on getting super tender. Add water and boullion. Let it do its thing for a couple more hours. Add carrots and celery. An hour or so later add potatoes. About an hour before serving add some flour and butter to help thicken...the potatoes will help too. Salt and pepper to taste. Yummy!!!

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup red onion
¼ cup black olives, chopped
¼ cup red bell pepper (or tomato), chopped
¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
4 cups romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
¾ cup seasoned croutons
½ cup Caesar salad dressing
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1. Spray chicken with cooking oil. Press garlic into chicken. Heat frying pan over medium heat until hot. Cook chicken 15-20 minutes or until no longer pink in center, turning once. Remove chicken from pan; cool. Slice into ¼-inch thick strips. Place chicken in mixing bowl.
2. Add onion, olives, bell pepper, cheese, lettuce, croutons, and dressing to chicken; toss mixture to coat evenly with dressing.
3. For each wrap, place about ¾ cup of the chicken mixture on tortilla. Roll up tortilla tightly. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. To serve, cut each roll in half diagonally.

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Barbeque Chicken Salad

I have not made this yet, but had it at a neighbor's tonight. It was so yummy. It's similar to CPK's salad. I will add my own picture when I make it, but this is a picture of CPK's salad.


3 or 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts*
1 head of lettuce (I use the package of "Just the leaves" from TJ's), chopped
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 jicama, diced
3 or 4 scallions, chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, minced
2/3 can corn, drained
2/3 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 c. jack cheese, shredded (cheddar works too)
tortilla chips, crumbled over top when you're ready to serve
lime juice, from 1-2 limes
barbeque sauce (1/3 c. opprox.)
ranch dressing (1/2 c. approx. and the Organic Ranch from TJ's is the best in my opinion. Its in the refrigerated veggie section)
(the CPK salad has chopped basil, you can try adding that also!)

Mix it all together and viola! (ps, its really good chilled!)

Ideas for cooked chicken:
1) Cook the chicken on high in the slow-cooker for 3 hours, with some barbeque sauce and garlic, then after let it cool in the fridge, cut it into half-inch cubes and mix it with more barbeque sauce.
2) Get the cooked chicken from the store and use that instead. Shred it and mix with BBQ sauce. I prefer this.

I leave out the jicama and scallions, but I am sure it would be good with them in too.

Crisp Bean Burritos (like Taco Time)

1/2 c. oil

5 flour tortillas

1 c. refried beans ( I just buy a can)

1/4 c. cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet. Spread about 2-3 Tbsp. of refried beans on each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, then roll up. Fry in oil for about 15 seconds on each side. Then place on baking sheet and put in the preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. Dip in enchilada sauce, guacamole, sour cream, or salsa.

Belly Buttons

Ingredients:
Pretzel Snaps or small pretzels
Hershey's Kisses (any kind)
M&M's

Place pretzels on cookie sheet. Unwrap kisses and place on pretzels. Put in 200 degree oven and warm until slightly soft to the touch. Take out of oven and press M&M on top of kiss.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta

In a large bowl mix together:

6 large tomatoes, diced (best when fresh from the garden)
7 sprigs of basil, finely chopped
8 sticks of mozzerella string cheese, cut into rounds
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Let this mixture marinade in the fridge for at least 3 hours then serve cold over your favorite hot pasta. It is really flavorful and fresh.For the bread we just sliced up a bagette, topped it with pesto sauce (from Costco), feta cheese, and some tomatoes from the sauce. Then warm it in the oven for a few minutes.

BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes

Baked Potatoes
Lloyd's shredded BBQ Chicken

Bake potatoes in oven at 375 for 1 1/2 hours or 400 for 1 hour. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover with Lloyd's BBQ Chicken and smother with cheese (I use white and yellow). Put back in oven and cook until cheese melts. Serve alone or top with favorite toppings.

Guacamole Dip

1 large avocado
Onion Salt
2-3 tsp. lemon juice

Smash avocado. Add onion salt and lemon juice. I just guess on the onion salt. Usually a few shakes...might be around 1/4 tsp. Mix it all up and taste. May need to add more onion salt. Tonight I didn't have onion salt, so I used onion powder and added about 1/2 tsp. to 3/4 tsp. salt Tasted great. Serve with tortilla chips.

Chicken Salad Dip

1 large can chicken
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 box Knorr Vegetable Soup mix
1 can water chestnuts-drained & chopped

Mix ingredients together. Serve with King Hawaiian bread.

All-Day Salsa Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar (16 ounces) chunky salsa
1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup
flour tortillas
sour cream
cheddar cheese

Place chicken breasts in greased 3-4 1/2 quart slow cooker. In a bowl, combine salsa and soup. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours.
When ready to serve, shred chicken. Put desired amount of chicken in tortilla. Add sour cream & cheese. Roll up tortilla. Enjoy!

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

1/4-1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
8 ounces fettuccine or angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli (optional)
cooked chicken breast (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large skillet. Add basil, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt; blend well. Add pasta, broccoli and chicken. Blend well. Toss to coat pasta. After tossing, add Parmesan cheese to top off dish.

White Chili

I love this dish. My friend Brooke introduced us to it, and it is now a favorite!

Sauté:
1 T. vegetable oil
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic

Simmer for 20 minutes:
3 c. chicken broth
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro or ½ t. coriander
2 T. lime juice
1 t. cumin
½ t. dried oregano leaves
¼ t. Tabasco
¼ t. salt
1 (11-oz.) can white shoe peg corn, drained
1 (16-oz.) can great northern beans, drained
1 (16-oz.) can butter beans, drained

Add:
2 c. chopped cooked chicken breast

Top with:
Lime juice
Sour Cream
Tabasco
Tortilla chips

Prairie Land Pot Roast

Prep: 20 min   Total: 2 hours 40 min

1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 lb)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 bottle (8 oz) Catalina Dressing, divided

2 large onions sliced

2 lb potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Season both sides of roast with salt and pepper.  Brown meat in large heavy pot or Dutch oven on high heat in 1/4 cup of the dressing, turning to brown both sides.  Add onions; stir to brown.

Add remaining dressing, potatoes, cacrrots and enough water to come 3/4 way up meat (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups).  Bring to boil; cover.  Reduce heat to low.  Simmer 2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Remove meat from pan; slice meat thinly against the grain.  Serve meat and vegetables topped with pan gravy.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving.

Makes 8 servings.  
**Can also be done in crock pot on low.

Breakfast Casserole

1 24 oz package frozen hashbrowns

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup melted butter

2 cups grated cheese

1 lb sausage, cooked and drained

2/3 cup milk blended with 6 eggs

Layer ingredients in the order listed above in a 9x13 pan. Cover and place in fridge overnight. In the morning heat oven to 350 and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Cinnamon Chip Pancakes

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp oil
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or sour milk *
1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Mix all ingredients together and cook.

*To make sour milk, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar for each cup of milk.

Pulled Pork

I don't have a picture yet, but I'll add one when I make it. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law and it looks delicious - and easy! She served it on a toasted Hoagie with melted mozarella cheese. Yummy!!!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
1 (2 lb.) pork tenderloin
1 can or bottle of rootbeer
18 oz. bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
Hoagie Buns

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the rootbeer over them meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily (6-7 hours), time may vary depending on your slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in BBQ sauce. Serve over Hoagie buns and melt mozarella on top.

Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

Equal combinations of soy sauce and sugar
1 T. grated ginger root (or 1 t. ground ginger)
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
Capful of white vinegar
1/4 c. 7-Up
3-4 green onions, chopped (optional)
2 T. sesame seeds (optional)

Banana Bars

1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. butter
1 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1 ½ c. bananas mashed (approx. 4 bananas)
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

Cream butter and sugar. Add and beat sour cream, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda and add to mixture. Grease and flour large cookie sheet (15x8x1). Spread mixture in pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Recipe from Debbie Gilbert

Chicken Bowtie Pasta

This is a good salad to bring to a pot luck or party, because it serves a large amount of people. I usually omit the chicken. :)

1 – 16 oz. package Bowtie (Farfalle) Pasta
Cook pasta and marinate in dressing for 2 hours

Dressing: mix in blender
1 cup Vegetable oil
2/3 cup White vinegar
½ tsp. Salt
2/3 cup Teriyaki sauce
6 TBL. Sugar

After the pasta marinates, add the following:
6 – 8 chicken breasts diced
3 small cans mandarin oranges
1 – 18 oz. pkg. spinach (add spinach right before serving)
1 bunch green onions
½ cup honey roasted peanuts
½ cup cashews
1 small bag craisins
2 cups seedless grapes (cut in half)