Easy Fruit Salad

From Rachel Morrell

Mix 1 cup milk with
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
Then add 1 cup sour cream
Mix together well

Then add whatever canned fruit or fresh fruit you want. Just make sure to drain the canned fruit. I usually add 2 small cans of mandarin oranges, 1 can pineapple, 1 can peaches (cut up) and fresh bananas. Small marshmallows also work well in this. It is VERY easy and yummy. All the kiddos love it.

Eggnog Bundt Cake

From Jerold Wilcox

1 yellow cake mix (preferably with pudding in the mix)
3 T. flour
2 c. eggnog
¼ c. butter, softened
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ tsp. rum extract
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Dust lightly with powdered sugar for presentation.

Caramel sauce:
½ lb brown sugar (~1 1/8 c.)
½ lb butter
½ lb powdered sugar (~2 cups)
½ T. cinnamon
½ qt. rich vanilla ice cream

Melt together over medium heat. Pour warm over individual servings immediately before serving.

Crescent Rolls

From Caytee Wankier

Perfect recipe for great tasting, quick rolls.

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 Tbsp dry yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup lukewarm water

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

4 1/2 to 5 cups flour

Warm milk with butter in a saucepan until warm enough to melt butter. Remove from heat and set aside - it should not be too hot. In a separate bowl, mix yeast, 1 Tbsp sugar and water. Beat with a fork to make foamy. Set aside. In a mixer, beat 3 eggs until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar, then milk and yeast mixtures. Then add salt and flour. The dough will be sticky. Cover the mixing bowl and let the dough rise for 15-20 minutes. Separate into 2 balls of dough. Roll out each ball on a floured surface into a round circle. Brush with melted butter. Cut each circle as you would cut a pizza (quarters, then each quarter halved). Roll biggest end toward the smallest end and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise until double. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes - until browned. Makes 16 large rolls.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Caytee Wankier

These are super tasty and stay really moist for a long time.

Cream REALLY WELL:

4 cubes butter, softened

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

Add and mix ONLY until blended:

4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 small packages instant french vanilla pudding

Add 1 package milk chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7-9 minutes. ENJOY!

*Can substitue chocolate pudding/white chips. Mmmm...

Southern Sour Cream Cookies

From Jamee Gibert

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream

5 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Add vanilla and sour cream. Add remaining dry ingredients. Scoop into balls and roll in 2 Tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon (dough will be sticky). Place on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Cream Cheese Dip

By: Linda Strauss

1 16 oz. container cottage cheese (I use low fat, small curd)

2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

2 1 oz. envelopes Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

1/4 cup milk

Soften cream cheese in microwave, about 1 minute. Using electric miser, mix everything together. May add more or less milk for desired consistency.

Japanese Lemon Water

From Caytee Wankier

(for a punch bowl)

5 quarts water

3 cups sugar

1 Tbsp Lemon Extract

1 Tbsp Citric Acid*

Ice

(for a cooler)

3 gallons plus one quart water

8 cups sugar

3 Tbsp lemon extract

3 Tbsp Citric Acid

1 bag of ice

Combine ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon slices for taste and decoration.

Perfect for a nice little touch to a party, wedding, or just little get-together.

*I added the link to the place that my sister bought the citric acid for me.

Caesar Salad Tacos

From Shea Nielsen

1 package of romaine lettuce, torn
2 C cheddar cheese, divided
1 avacado, pitted, peeled, and diced
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
½ C canned black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ C corn
1/3 C Caesar salad dressing
¼ C taco sauce (it’s in the same place as salsa and enchilada sauce)
Warmed hard taco shells (warm in oven)
Diced tomatoes
Shredded chicken

Mix lettuce, 1 C cheese, avocado, chiles, beans, corn and chicken in a bowl. Combine dressing and taco sauce then mix with the other mixture. Scoop into taco shells. Top with cheese and tomatoes.
- I only mix together what I think we will eat. My mom made these a few weeks ago and grilled the chicken on the George Foreman then diced it then she seasoned it with chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. She then used corn tortillas heated on a pan with a little bit of oil instead of the hard taco shells. These turned out soooo good 

Naturesweet Cherry Tomato Pasta Toss

From Shea Nielsen

8 oz. dry pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pkg Naturesweet Cherry Tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, packed
Shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in boiling water as package directs. Drain.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium low heat.

Add garlic and stir until golden, about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium high and simmer until tomatoes are softened and juicy, about 6 minutes.

Stir in pasta and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

Changes to the recipe-

You can cook any pasta, we used fettuccini. In the hot oil add some dried basil, oregano, garlic powder (could use garlic salt) and parsley and cook that together for a minute. We used Roma tomatoes cut in chunks and only cooked them for a minute. Stir in the pasta, salt, pepper and the parmesan cheese. Serve with a green salad and french or garlic bread or some good bread dipped in balsamic vinegar J

Cranberry Salsa Dip

From Mallory Miles

3 cups fresh cranberries

2 packages cream cheese

1/4 cup minced green onions

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped green chilies (mild)

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated

1/4 cup minced, fresh cilantro

1 box of assorted crackers

Cranberries and cilantro sprigs for garnish

Place the rinsed and drained cranberries in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Put cranberries into a bowl and mix in onions, green chilies, cilantro leaves, ginger, and sugar and lemon juice.

Cover and refridgerate at least 4 hours

Place the cream cheese on a serving plate and cover the cheese with the dip

Garnish with the remaining cranberries and cilantro sprigs.

Serve with crackers

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

From Shea Nielsen

2 tsp olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/3 cup prepared salsa (mild, medium or hot)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4-6 flour tortillas

Shredded Monterey jack and/or cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken and sauté 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Stir in black beans, green chiles, and salsa and simmer 5 minutes, until sauce thickens and reduces. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top each tortilla with an equal amount of chicken mixture. Roll up tortillas and place side by side in a shallow baking dish. Top tortillas with shredded cheese (1/3 cup per tortilla).

Bake enchiladas 15 minutes (I think this is to long, watch closely J) until cheese is golden and gooey.

Lime and Chili Rubbed Chicken Breasts

From Caytee Wankier

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 20 Minutes

Makes: 4 servings

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons grated lime peel

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)

2 tsp olive or canola oil

1) In small bowl, mix chili powder, brown sugar, lime peel, salt, garlic powder and ground red pepper. Rub both side of chicken with oil, then with spice mixture.

2) Place chicken on grill or pan over medium heat. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once or twice, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part of chicken is cut.