Mexican Delight

This is a dish that we have had at Ruth's house. It is out of the Beary Special Cookbook. It is a variation of Taco Salads. The meat has a sweetness to it. We enjoy having it.

Mexican Delight

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
3 cups water
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 cup cooked rice
1 large bag Fritos (tortilla chips work as well)
Grated cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped lettuce
Sliced avocados (we have guacamole instead)
Sliced olives
Sour cream

Brown ground beef and onion. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and spices; simmer for 40 minutes. Add rice. Serve meat sauce over Fritos. Top with remaining ingredients as desired.

Roasted Potato Wedges

These are really good and not hard to make. I like them better than fries because you know what is in them.

Roasted Potato Wedges

Potatoes (number and variety of your choosing, russets work well)
1/4 cup olive oil (approximately)
Salt
Fresh herbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash potatoes.
Cut potatoes into wedges.
Toss with oil, butter, salt, pepper, and whatever else you’d like: garlic, balsamic, spices, etc. .
Roast for 15 minutes.
Shake around. Stir.
Roast for another 20 minutes. Check ‘em. Keep cookin’ ‘em.
Take ‘em out. Check the seasoning. Add more if necessary.
Sprinkle with herbs.
Serve immediately.

Original Recipe from Pioneer Woman.

Italian Chicken

This is a crock-pot dish that we really enjoy. It is easy to make. We got it out of the Turner Generations of Gourmet Cookbook.

Italian Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
3/4 cube butter
8-0z. package of cream cheese
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup

Melt butter; add cream cheese, Italian dressing, and soup. Mix until smooth. Place chicken breasts in crock-pot and pour sauce on top of chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (can turn on high for a couple of hours, if needed). Serve over rice.

Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

I think this alfredo sauce is really good. The kids really like it as well.

8 ounces cream cheese -- cut in bits
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces fettuccine; cook – drain (we use about 2 cups of any kind of pasta)

In large saucepan combine cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Toss pasta lightly with sauce, coating well. Leftovers freeze well.

Our variations: We add some pepper, nutmeg and cloves. You can also add some chicken or broccoli or whatever you want. Also, you could cut the cream cheese down to 4 oz. and add a cup and a half of the Parmesan cheese to give it a more hearty, cheesy flavor.

Original Recipe from recipetrove.com.

Cheesy Potatoes

We really like cheesy (or funeral) potatoes. We had them for Easter dinner. This is the recipe that we've used for a while now.

Cheesy (or Funeral) Potatoes

12 large potatoes or 1 (32-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns) (we use about 6 or 7)
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted (we omit this)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups crushed corn flakes (we omit this)
2 tablespoons butter, melted (we omit this)

Peel potatoes (you can also leave the peels on to boil them) and boil for 30 minutes, until just tender. Cool and grate into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish (or put hash browns into baking dish). Combine soup concentrate, sour cream, cheese, the 1/2 cup melted butter, and onions. Gently blend into potatoes. Combine crushed corn flakes and the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. We bake it for around 45 minutes to an hour to cook the onions.

Original Recipe from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Easter Egg Shortbread Cookies

We tried these out for Easter. If you like shortbread cookies, they are great. I chose this recipe because I like the candy on top.

Easter Egg Shortbread Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
hard-shell candy eggs (chocolate, pb, etc.)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, mix in flour and salt. Dough will first be crumbly, but will come together as you continue to mix (about 1-2 minutes). Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Break dough up using a spoon and, rolling dough between your palms, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet. Press a fingertip into each cookie to create a small indentation on the top. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until cookies are set but not browned.

Immediately after taking cookies out of the oven, press 1-2 hard shelled easter egg candies into the center (the fingerprint). Cool cookies on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Original Recipe at Baking Bites.

SnIcKeR BaR cOoKieS

I love these cookies. They are just like simple peanut butter cookies but they have a mini snickers bar inside which makes them extra yummy. It is a really easy recipe and makes maybe 24 cookies. Just a small little batch. Enjoy!!!

1/2 C Sugar
1/2 C Margarine
1 tsp. Vanilla
1-1/2 C Flour
1/2 tsp. Soda
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
Mini Snicker Bars

Cream together in order. Wrap the cookie dough around the candy bar so it is covered. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each

What you need:
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top stuffing mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Make it:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.
2. Layer chicken, basil, cheese and stuffing in 13x9 inch or 3 qt. baking dish.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (I cooked my chicken ahead of time). Enjoy now or cover and refrigerate. To rehear, microwave each serving on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes.

Salsa from Cans

This is another recipe from my friends cooking night. This salsa was yummy!!

1 Can black beans
1 Can corn
1 Large can petite diced tomatoes
Onion
Green Pepper
Cilantro

Mix. Season with garlic salt. Sqeeze fresh lime. Best if chilled before serving.

Layered Low-Fat Cranberry Mousse Mold

My friends and I get together to make dinner about once a month. This recipe is from that night. It is yummy and real pretty too!

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 5 hrs 5 min
Makes: 12 Servings

What You Need
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Cranberry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
1 can (8 oz.) jellied cranberry sauce, broken up with fork
1 cup cold water
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Free whipped topping, thawed, divided

Make It
STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl with wire whisk 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir until well blended. Stir in cold water. Pour 1-1/2 cups of gelatin mixture into 6-cup mold sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 45 min. or until set but not firm. (Gelatin should stick to finger.)

MEANWHILE, refrigerate remaining gelatin mixture 45 min. or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression). Stir in 2 cups of the whipped topping until well blended. Pour over gelatin in mold.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours of until firm. Unmold. Top with remaining whipped topping. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

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