Black Beans and Chicken

1-2lbs of chicken cooked and shredded (however much meat you want)
4 cloves of garlic pressed
1-2T olive oil
4 T brown sugar
3 T soy sauce
1 ½ c salsa
2 cans black beans, undrained

Saute pressed garlic in oil. Add rest of the ingredients. Simmer at least one hour to blend flavors. Serve over cooked rice.

Easy Shepherd’s Pie

½ pound ground beef
½ chopped onion
1 can tomato soup, then refilled with water
1 can green beans, drained (can use frozen)
Prepared mashed potatoes (4-6 servings)
Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef and onion in frying pan. Then add tomato soup and green beans. Heat. Then nput soup mixture in bottom of casserole pan. On top of that, spread your mashed potatoes. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 350 till it bubbles.

Cream Cheese Chicken

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Chicken Breast (or 2 chicken breasts cooked)
1 – 8 oz brick of cream cheese
3 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing Powder (equivalent to 1 oz package powder or Italian dressing powder)

Melt cream cheese in microwave. In separate pan add cream of chicken soup, chicken with broth, and Ranch dressing mix. Stir cream cheese until creamy. Add water until it is the consistency you want for a creamy sauce.
Serve over pasta or rice.

Strawberry and banana fruit salad

One container of strawberries
3 to 4 bananas
tub of cool whip
1 package of banana cream pie pudding
½ of the milk that they call for on the pudding package

Make the pudding with only half of the milk that they ask for on the box. Once the pudding is set up mix it with the cool whip. Stir in the strawberries and bananas.

Oriental Salad

1 large head of lettuce, cut up
4 stalks of diced celery
1 (2 oz.) bag of slivered almonds
2 T sesame seeds
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
4 green onions, chopped
chow mein noodles - optional

Dressing:
2 T sugar
2 tsp accent
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup oil
6 T vinegar

Mix

Rolls

2 cups water
1 cube butter
3 eggs (room temp)
3/4 c. sugar
1T salt
1 c. milk
6 c. flour
2 T yeast

Proof yeast (Disolve yeast into 1 cup warm water and add pinch of sugar). Add remaining 1 cup of water to the above ingredients and mix for 5 mins.

Add 5 c. flour (add more or less to make the dough elastic after the second mixing - see below)

Mix for 5 mins. Raise one time. Punch down after double. Shape into rolls (a little larger than golf ball sized). Let rise until double (about 1 hour).

Bake 355 for 15 mins (or until slightly brown on top).

Makes about 4 dozen sfotball sized rolls.

Country Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

8 potatoes, sliced thin
1 onion
1 pound ham, cubed
1 package country gravy mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups water
2 cups shredded cheese

Combine and cook all ingredient (excluding cheese) for 7-9 hours on low in crock pot. Top with cheese the last 30 minutes.

Frosting

1 cube butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in other ingredients and spread on cake while hot.

Oatmeal Cake

Pour 1 1/2 Cups boiling water over 1 cup oatmeal (regular, not quick) and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Cream:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

Mix together and add in:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix in oatmeal mixture. Stir well and put into greased cake pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes (or less if using cookie sheet)

Soft Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/8 tsp talt
4 Tbsp molasses
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsps baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour

Mix everything together and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Roll in balls the size of large marbles. Don't mash down. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. They will look uncooked but should. Let cool on cookie sheet a few minutes. These are very soft and chewy cookies. Yummy!!!

Soft Caramel Corn

2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (or margarine if you like that sort of thing)

Melt butter & brown sugar over medium heat in large sauce pan until smooth. Stir in marshmallows until melted. Poor over bowl of popcorn and stir to coat. Enjoy!

Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls

Serves 4

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large red pepper, diced small
1 10-ounce package baby portebello mushrooms, diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 average-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained, diced small
2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce (you can find this by the soy sauce)
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 cups of hot cooked rice
romaine lettuce leaves
sesame seeds
scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Add red pepper and mushrooms and saute for 5 – 6 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add chicken to pan and cook for 6 – 8 minutes or until cooked through. Stir chicken and red pepper mixture occasionally while it cooks. Add water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and hoisin sauce and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables. Continue cooking until heated through.

To serve, line a single serving size bowl with romaine leaves. Top with a large scoop of rice, some of the hoisin chicken, and a sprinkle of the sesame seeds and scallions.

Alternately, you can serve the hoisin chicken mixture wrapped in lettuce leaves or omit the lettuce leaves completely and serve the chicken over rice.

Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks

2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups salsa

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans and salsa are combined.

Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with additional garnishes: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cheese, etc.

White Bean Chicken (or Turkey) Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 cups cooked, diced chicken (or turkey)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup salsa (I use Pace Chunky Medium)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup comes to a simmer. Add the mozzarella cheese one handful at a time, stirring to let each addition melt before adding the next. Stir to combine and make sure all the cheese has melted and serve.

Tortilla Sandwhich Wraps

brick of cream cheese, softened
couple of spoonfuls of your favorite jam or to taste
sliced green onions, 1-2 to taste
mix all that together

spread on large tortilla of choice

make a row down center of:
thin sliced turkey
shredded cheddar
flat lettuce
thin sliced tomatoes
whatever else you want to add

start rolling from one side (parallel to row down middle) and roll tightly to other side
slice about 3/4" to 1" wide slices
serve with ranch dressing for dip if desired

Gerald Ford's Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

J. Flake

Gerald Ford's Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 5 dozen
1 c. butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 3/4 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1/4 c. sour cream
2 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. chopped Brazil nuts or almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat together butter
and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well
after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Stir melted chocolate and sour
cream into creamed mixture. In medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa,
baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed
mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts. Drop patter by
tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove from
oven and cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool
completely.

**I did not add nuts to my cookies, but if you like nuts it is a great addition.



ENJOY!

Oreo Bon Bons

SJ. Gardner

Crush one package of Oreos, and mix well with 8 oz of softened cream cheese. Form into balls.
(I used a melon scooper.) Dip balls in melted chocolate. Set on wax paper. Store in Fridge to
help set up the chocolate, and because I don't think cream cheese should be left out. (plus it help
keeps my kids from eating them all in one day!) I don't know how many it will make, depends on
the size of the balls you make, but at least 4 to 5 dozen.

ENJOY

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

C. Jensen

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
4 c peanut butter
4 c sugar
4 eggs

Mix together. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake at 350º for 10 - 13 minutes or until the tops start to crack slightly. Take out of the oven and put the chocolate kisses immediately on the top of each cookie. Leave cookies on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes before putting on a wire rack to cool. Makes 4 dozen.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Zucchini Roll

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flower

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup shredded peeled zucchini

Filling:

1 ( 8oz) package cream cheese softened

1/2 cup butter margarine softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup confectioner's sugar

In a mixing bowl beat eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, add to egg mixture and mix well ( batter will be thick). Stir in zucchini, spread into a greased and wax paper lined 15in x 10in x 1in baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until cake spring back lightly touched, Then turn onto a linen towel dusted with confectioner's sugar, peel off wax paper and roll up jelly roil style, starting with the short side, cool on wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy, beat in confectioners;s sugar, unroll cake, spread filling to within 1 in of edges, roll up again, dust with confectioner's sugar, refrigerate until serving.

ENJOY!

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 cup Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350, grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan
In large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 tbsp vanilla extract until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt, stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in zucchini and walnuts, spread evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until brownies spring back when gently touched.

To make frosting,

6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

melt together the 6 tbsp of cocoa and margarine, set aside to cool, in a medium bowl blend together with the confectioners sugar, milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla, stir in cocoa mix, spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

ENJOY!

Cucumber Salad

About 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes ( you can sub Roma tomato's cut up)
About 2 cups cucumber slices quartered
Can of black olives, drained
1.2 cup Italian house dressing ( wishbone is tasty)
2 tbs sager ( optional, if you like a little sweet zing)

Mix all items together and serve.
* you can add 2 cups cooked Rotini pasta and make it into a pasta salad,
you can also add a couple of tbsp of chopped red onion, if you like onions in your salad.

ENJOY!

Cucumber Sandwhiches

Bread, cut with cookie cutter
4 oz. cream cheese or veggie cream cheese
3 tsp dill mix ( recipe below)
Cucumber ( one slice per sandwich)
Cookie cutter up your bread.
Mix together cream cheese and dill mix. Spread on bread.

Place cucumber slice in the middle and garnish with a sprinkle of dill.

Dill recipe:
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
Dash of garlic salt
3 tsp dried dill
MiX!
OR
use Knoor dill dip or Pampered Chef dill mix

ENJOY!

Zucchini Casserole

1/4 cup Onion
1 can Cream of cheddar soup
1/2 cup Melted butter
9 Medium Zucchini and /or squash, sliced and halved
1 cup Sour cream
Bread crumbs/ stuffing mix.

Boil Zucchini/squash and onion together in salted water for 5 minutes;drain.
Combine soup, sour cream and cheese. Add zucchini and onions.
Sprinkle stuffing on bottom of greased casserole dish; pour zucchini mixture on top.
Cover with bread crumbs/stuffing mix and melted butter, if desired.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

* For larger zucchini and squash, use less.

ENJOY

Brushetta

8 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Marinate, serve on toasted bread.

ENJOY!

Black Bean Taco Salad

2 cans (15ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can ( 2 1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 medium tamatos, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
4 medium green onions, chopped (1/4 cups)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped freah cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoon Canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chopped spinach (6 ounces)

Mix beans, olives, tamatos, cheese and cilantro in large bowl
Then mix lime juice, cumin and pepper; toss with bean mixture. Serve on spinach

Makes 4 servings!

ENJOY!

Pineapple Banana Slush (drink)

6 cups water
3 cups sugar

5 mashed Bananas

1 can crushed pineapple (any size)

Pineapple juice ( crushed pineapple and pineapple juice together should equal 1 quart)

3 cups orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

Boil 4 cups of water, add sugar, stir until dissolved. Add remaining 2 cups of water ( cold-to help cool it down quickly) Add the orange, lemon and crushed pineapple/juice and stir; then add mashed bananas and stir well. Pour into a ice cream bucket or another container and freeze until frozen. Half way through the freezing process, stir or mash!

Serve with ginger Ale or Ice cream of any flavor!

ENJOY!

Homemade Laundry Soap!

You will need:

Mule Team Borax -about $4

Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda- about $3

Fels-Naptha Soap bar- about $1


To get started bring 6 cups of water to a boil. While your water is coming to a boil Grate 1/3 of your Fels-Naptha bar with a cheese grater. It will look like this:

When your water has come to a boil add your grated soap bar and mix until it is dissolved. When it is dissolved add 1/2 cup of Borax and 1/2 a cup of Soda to the mixture and stir again until it is all dissolved. It will look like this when it is all dissolved:

Now take 1/2 of the mixture, about 3 1/2 cups, and pour it into an empty milk jug. Now add water to the milk jug until it reaches the top and put on the lid. Shake the jug for a couple of minutes to mix it all together

At this point you can either leave your first half of the laundry mix in the milk jug or you can do what I do and pour it into an empty liquid laundry detergent bottle. If you pour it into the liquid laundry detergent bottle then you will want to pour the rest of the mixture that is still in your pot into the milk jug again and repeat the process of adding the water and shaking the bottle again to finish making your laundry soap. When you are done you should have 2 gallons of laundry soap made. You are now done with your laundry soap!!

I use this everyday, it works great and I love it. It's easy and quick to make and it's cheap! If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!


Enjoy!

Strawberry-Banna Cream Salad

2 lbs fresh strawberries
4-6 ripe bananas
1 Package (1.5) banana cream pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 tub ( 8oz) whipped topping, thawed
Dash of nutmeg ( optional)

1.Slice strawberries and bananas
2.Whisk together pudding mix and cold milk, then refrigerate until set(about 5 Min's)
NOTE-This recipe uses less milk then is called for on the pudding package, this is intentional.
3.Fold whipping topping into pudding until evenly blended, stir fruit into pudding mixture, sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.

ENJOY!