Tangy Broccoli Salad

3/4 cup light miracle whip dressing
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
6 cups of broccoli cut into florets
6 slices of bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 small red onion, chopped

Mix dressing, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix lightly. Special extra: add 1/4 cup raisins just before serving.

Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

This dip is the homemade version of what you can get at Chuy's. It is very good and we really enjoy it. Milo and Holly even really like to eat it. It is modified from the recipe we received. It seems that we always have to experiment with how many jalapenos to put in as they don't all have the same amount of heat in them.

===============
Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 jalapeno, (with seeds)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup green tomatillo sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/8 bunch cilantro
- 1 1/2 packages ranch dressing


METHOD:

Mix all in a blender. Chill.

Cake Balls

We had heard about these before, but when we had them at our Halloween Party, we thought they were really great. The lady who made them for that party, is a pastry chef. We asked her about them and she gave us some hints about how to make them. We decided to try them for Halloween. They aren't super hard, but take some time. We made chocolate cake and went from there. I like red velvet cake so the red velvet ones were a bit better, in my opinion. You can also put them on a stick and they are called Cake Pops.

Cake Balls

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake) (or any flavor of cake mix)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.) (we made our own)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

Link to original recipe at Bakerella (as well as other ideas for decorating cake balls/pops) here.

Jack O Lantern Casserole

We were all surprised at how good this casserole was. Scott and I had it at our Halloween party and thought it was okay. Since it wasn't cold on Halloween here, we decided to try it and see what we thought.

Jack O Lantern Casserole

1 medium pumpkin

1 lb. ground sausage (I used chipotle sausage and it make it taste really good)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 can cream of chicken soup

1.5 to 2 cu. cooked rice

1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts

1 cup sliced almonds

Clean out pumpkin. Brown sausage. Mix in remaining ingredients. Put pumpkin on cookie sheet. Fill pumpkin with mixture. Place in oven and bake pumpkin with lid on for 1 hour at 350F or until pumpkin is tender. Ladle on to plates out of the pumpkin.

We did double the recipe, but I didn't add any more sausage. The kids really liked this as well. It was really tasty.

Football Cupcake Pull-Aparts

1 box Betty Crocker cake mix (flavor of your choice)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
2 containers Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup candy-coated chocolate frosting
1 tub white decorating icing

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place paper baking cup in each 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on cake mix box. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon frosting into decorating bag with large star tip (size #5). Arrange cupcakes in football-cupcake shape using 15 of the 24 cupcakes. Pipe thick lines of frosting over football-cupcake shape. Using spatula, spread frosting over cupcakes. Pipe decorative border of chocolate frosting around edge of football. Sprinkle decorative border with candy-coated chocolate pieces. Pipe laces with white icing. Frost and decorate remaining cupcakes as desired, and serve alongside football.

(Recipe from Betty Crocker Fall Baking Cookbook)

On The Trail Monster Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup butter-flavor or regular shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking old fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
2 cups candy-coated chocolate candies
1 cup peanuts
3/4 cup raisins (optional)

Heat oven to 375. In large bowl, beat sugars, peanut butter, butter, shortening vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon. Stir in oats. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda thoroughly. Stir in candies, peanuts and raisins.

Onto ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart. Flatten to 3/4-inch thickness with bottom of glass.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or just until cookies are set and begin to brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Jo's Lemon Chicken

1/4 c flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
Pepper
Chicken Tenderloins (or breasts)
1/2 can frozen lemonade
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp vinegar
Corn starch

Combine 1/4 C flour, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in plastic Ziploc bag. Coat chicken tenderloins in mixture, and brown in pan over medium heat with 2 Tbsp cooking oil. Transfer to baking dish.

While browning above chicken, mix the following ingredients in a saucepan: 1/2 can (1 can is 12 oz) frozen lemonade, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 3 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp vinegar. Cook over medium heat, and thicken with 2 Tbsp cold water and cornstarch (approx 1-2 tsp) To thicken, add the cornstarch/water mixture a little at a time to sauce stirring over low boil until desired consistency (should turn clear).

Pour sauce over chicken. Bake at 325 for approx 45 min. Serve with rice. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced carrots and parsley

Coconut Caramel Pie

This is the Pie I made for Thanksgiving a few years ago. It is delicious.

1 package flaked coconut (7 ounces)
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 carton whipped topping (16 ounces)
1 package cream cheese (8 ounces)
1 jar caramel topping (12 ounces)
2 deep dish pie shells, baked

Preparation: Melt butter in a heavy skillet. Add coconut and chopped pecans; cook until browned lightly then set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and condensed milk; beat well. Fold in whipped topping. Put 1/4 of the mixture into each pie shell. Drizzle 1/4 jar of the caramel topping on each, then sprinkle with about 1/4 of the coconut-pecan mixture. Repeat layers. Freeze. Serve frozen.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, and lemon juice. I also reserve 1/2 of the juice from the garbanzo beans to mix in as well so I only put half the lemon juice in at first. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve.

Tortilla Soup

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 14oz cans chicken brother
2 14 oz cans stewed tomatoes, chopped with liquid
1 c cilantro
2 Tbsp dried cilantro
2 Tbsp cumin

Combine all ingredients in crock pot on high for 4-6 hours, low for 8-10 hours on on stove and cook. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.