Homemade Tortillas

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

3/4 cup warm water           

            Combine all ingredients including 1/8 cube butter in mixer.  Knead dough until well mixed.  Form into golf ball sized balls and let sit 10 minutes.  Roll out and cook on a hot skillet until lightly browned.  Makes 6 tortillas.

Yummy Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1 TBSP vanilla

1 TBSP corn syrup

½ tsp baking soda

Bring first five ingredients to a boil. Add baking soda, Boil 10 seconds and remove from heat immediately.

Cinnamon Bundt Cake

1 yellow cake mix

1 sm. Pkg. instant vanilla pudding

8 oz. sour cream

¾ cup water

¼ cup oil

4 eggs

3 TBSP flour

Grease bundt pan and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. Pour ½ of the batter in the pan then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.  Add the rest of the batter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar again.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Let the cake sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Blender Pancakes

1 cup milk                                               

¼ cup oil

2 eggs                                               

2 TBSP sugar                                               

1 cup flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

Put in blender and mix well.

Yummy Drink

2 liter Diet Sprite

2 can frozen cranberry raspberry concentrate

2 can frozen white grape juice

Add lots of ice, float raspberries to make it pretty!

Lemon Water

 

1 gallon water

2 ½ cups sugar

Stir to dissolve sugar.  Then add:

1 TBSP lemon extract

1 TBSP citric acid

Add and stir, then add lots of ice.  Float lemons.

Caramel Popcorn or Corn Pops

 

6 qts. Popped corn or corn pops

1 cup unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1  tsp. baking soda

Put popcorn and nuts in large greased bowl.  Melt butter, add sugar, syrup and salt. Boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add baking soda.  Pour over popcorn and stir well.  Put on 2 cookie sheets and bake at 200 degrees for 1hr., stirring every 15 minutes.

Fruit Dip

1 cup brown sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

Mix together. Dip apples, grapes, strawberries, etc.

Fresh Mango Lime Salsa

3 cups dices tomatoes                                          1 ½ cup mango or peaches

1 cup chopped cucumber                                     2 TBSP lime juice

1 TBSP cilantro                                                   2 TBSP rice vinegar

1 TBSP sugar                                                       2 tsp. salt

Put in blender on chop cycle to desired consistency.  Best served with lime chips.

Queso

1 large pkg Velveeta

1 lb. sausage, browned

2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1 pkg cream cheese

Cook in crock pot on low until melted and warmed.  Serve with tortilla chips

Hummus

1 16 oz can chickpeas or garbanzo beans

¼ cup liquid from can of chickpeas

3-5 TBSP lemon juice

1 ½ TBSP tahini

2 cloves crushed garlic

½ tsp salt

2 TBSP olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add ¼ cup liquid. Blend for 3-5 min on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with pitas or crackers. Keep Refrigerated.

White Chicken Chili

1 TBSP butter 1 medium onion

4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
2 cans chicken broth
2 small cans green chiles (don’t drain)
3 cans Great Northern Beans (drain)
1 ½ cups sour cream
1 pt. whipping cream
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. black pepper

In a large pan, saute onion and garlic powder in oil. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, whipping cream and shredded chicken. Serve immediately.

Parmesan Roasted Potato Halves

Ingredients

6 small potatoes

¼ cup butter

Grated parmesan cheese

Season all

Directions

Cook a pierced potato in the microwave until it’s soft all the way through...about 6-7 minutes total, flipping over every 1 – 2 minutes.

Cut the potato in half, then cut each half into squares.  Don’t cut all the way through, just down to the skin.

Season with butter, parmesan cheese and season all, then put them in the middle rack of your oven set to broil for 10 -15 minutes.

Boston Cream Poke Cake

Ingredients

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

Ingredients needed to make cake; eggs, oil, water

2 (3-4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding

4 cups milk

1 tub chocolate frosting

Directions

Make cake according to directions and bake in a well greased 9x13 pan.

When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over the cake (about 1 inch) intervals using a wooden spoon handle or other similar size object.  You want the holes to be fairly big so that the pudding has plenty of room to get down in there!  Be sure to poke right down to the bottom of the cake.

In medium bowl, add milk to pudding mix and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed.

Pour pudding on top of warm cake.

Put cake in fridge and let cool completely before adding the frosting (about 2 hours).

Remove the lid and foil covering the tub of chocolate frosting.  Pop it in the microwave for about 10 – 15 seconds.  Stir with a spoon.  It should still be thick and pourable – not bubbly.

Pour chocolate frosting on top of pudding and spread over cake.  Allow to cool on the counter for a few minutes, then put into the fridge to fully cool and set up.  Keep refrigerated. 

I think it tastes better after it has sat in the fridge overnight!

Super Easy Coconut Pie

Ingredients

½ cup sugar

½ cup Bisquick

4 eggs

¼ cup butter, melted

2 cups milk

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup shredded coconut

Directions

In a medium bowl, blend all the ingredients together by hand or on low speed for 30 seconds.  Pour into a 10 inch pie plate that has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes, or until golden and set.

Asian Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients

2 – 4 boneless Pork Chops

¼ cup chicken broth

1/8 cup honey

1/8 cup soy sauce

1 TBS ketchup

¼ tsp ginger

1/8 tsp garlic salt

Directions

Brown the pork chops on both sides

Place in a greased casserole dish

Combine all remaining ingredients and pour over the pork chops

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  Turn the chops over about 30 minutes into the cooking cycle.

Baked Horseradish Salmon

Ingredients

1 salmon filet (1 pound)

1 TBS butter, melted

1 TBS prepared horseradish, drained

2 tsps lemon juice

¼ tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

Place salmon skin side down in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.  In a small bowl combine the butter, horseradish, lemon juice, garlic powder and pepper.  Spread over salmon

Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 20 -25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

Ingredients

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, divided

1 cup BBQ sauce, divided

1 pound ground round beef

2 ¼ cups instant brown rice, uncooked, divided

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Non-stick cooking spray

¾ cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions

Stir together half the pineapple and ¾ cup BBQ sauce in small bowl; set aside

Mix remaining pineapple, remaining ¼ cup BBQ sauce, beef, ¼ cup rice, salt and pepper in large bowl until well blended.  Shape mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1 ¼ inches each.  Place in large skillet sprayed with cooking spray; spoon sauce mixture over meatballs.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Stir gently and cover.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 16-18 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. 

Meanwhile, prepare remaining 2 cups rice according to package directions, omitting salt and butter and adding bell pepper.  Serve meatballs and sauce over rice.

Chicken Rolls with Asparagus and Mozzarella

Ingredients

4 chicken cutlets, pounded thin and evenly

1 bunch of asparagus

1 tsp olive oil

Part skim mozzarella cheese

Non stick cooking spray

Salt and pepper

Whole wheat bread crumbs

Directions

Sautee asparagus in olive oil until bright green.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray

Pat chicken dry and lightly season with salt and pepper

Lay out chicken breast, arrange asparagus on top, and sprinkle with mozzarella

Roll chicken around asparagus and cheese; place seam down in baking dish.

Repeat with remaining chicken breasts

Sprinkle whole wheat bread crumbs on top of chicken.

Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

1 pkg of 2 pork tenderloins (about ½ lb each)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp thyme or rosemary

1 tsp parsley

Salt and pepper

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 500, and place tenderloins on a baking sheet covered with foil.  Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Combine spices in a bowl, and rub onto all sides of both tenderloins until coated, then sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.  Place into the oven and roast for 20 minutes.  Allow the meat to rest for 5 -10 minutes before slicing.

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

1-2 Tablespoons Olive oil

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 onion diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

1 15 oz can pumpkin

Directions

Brown meat with onion and garlic in olive oil in large skillet.  Add mixture to crockpot.  Stir in tomatoes with juice and rest of ingredients and spices.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Brazilian Shrimp Soup

Ingredients

2 TBS olive oil

1 yellow onion chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

3 cloves garlic

¾ cup long grain rice

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 ¾ tsp salt

1 ¾ cups canned crushed tomatoes

5 cups water

1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

1 ½ lbs medium peeled shrimp

¼ tsp black pepper

1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Add the rice, red pepper flakes, salt, crushed tomatoes and water to the pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until the rice is almost tender.

Stir in the coconut milk.  Return the mixture to a simmer, then stir in the shrimp.  Simmer just until the shrimp is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the pepper, lemon juice and cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ cup powdered sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

 4 eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

1 TBS flour

1 TBS lemon zest

½ cup lemon juice

2 8oz packages cream cheese (softened)

1 cup white sugar 

2 eggs beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish

Whisk together 1 ½ cup flour and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.  Cut in the cold butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared baking dish to form a crust.

Bake in preheated oven 15-18 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Whisk together 4 eggs, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl.  Pour lemon mixture into the prepared crust.  Skim off any bubbles from the surface of the filling.  Mix the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until well blended.  Whisk in 2 eggs, then spread over the lemon mixture.  The mixtures will separate during baking. 

Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set, about 30 minutes.