Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1-2 lb. ground beef, browned
1-2 28 oz. cans of tomatoes, diced or very small
1-2 10 oz. cans of rotel tomatoes (you can use as spicy or as mild as you'd like)
2 cans of corn, drained
2 cans of black beans, drained
1 cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cans of white beans (northern or navy), drained and rinsed
2 pkgs of hidden valley buttermilk ranch seasoning
1 pkg of taco seasoning

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to boil for about 10 minutes. Let simmer for an hour or so, or until flavors meld together.

**The longer you let it sit / simmer, the better it tastes.  Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Southern Apple Crumble (Betty Crocker Recipe)

Filling

3 large apples, peeled, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)  

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar 

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces 

 

Topping

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans

 Preparation

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss filling ingredients. Spread mixture in baking dish.
2. In same large bowl, stir cookie mix and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.
3. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Coconut Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce

My sister shared this dish with me.  Her boyfriend makes a wonderful honey mustard sauce from scratch to go with it, and I haven't been able to get exact measurements for the ingredients in it out of him, but this is my best guess.

Coconut Chicken

Ingredients:
2 6oz. chicken breasts
1/4 cup of coconut
1/4 cup panko or whole wheat bread crumbs
1 beaten egg


Preparation:
Preaheat oven to 350.  Spray a cookie sheet or baking pan with cooking spray.  Beat the egg and mix with a splash of water.  Set aside.  Mix bread crumbs with coconut in a small bowl and set aside.  Cut chicken breast into long thin strips.   Dip chicken strips in the egg mixture, then into the coconut/bread crumb mixture to coat it, then place them in the baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, turn the pieces, then bake for 10 more minutes.

Honey Mustard Sauce

Mix together the following ingredients:
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
1-2 T. dijon mustard
2-3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. honey

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies

Derek makes these, and they are oh so good!

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda, vanilla and oats. Stir in chocolate chips.
• On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart.
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Mint Chocolate Brownies

I love the Betty Crocker Mint Brownie Recipe that uses a little cream cheese in the filling...

Ingredients:

1 box of brownie mix
 Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box

Filling:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 T. butter or margarine, softened
3 T. whipping cream
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
2 drops green food color

Chocolate Topping:
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 1/3 cups (8 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter


Preparation:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 9x9 or 9x13 inch pan (make sure you get a brownie mix that can fill a 9x13 if you go that route, because as I have just discovered, not all brownie boxes are created equal) with shortening or cooking spray. Make and bake brownie mix as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• In large bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart nonstick saucepan, heat topping ingredients over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Cool about 10 minutes or until lukewarm.
• Pour topping over filling; spread to cover. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until set. Before cutting into bars, let stand 10 minutes at room temperature. Store covered in refrigerator

 

 

 

Saltine Toffee

Note:  You will need parchment paper and a candy thermometer

Ingredients:
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
2 sticks of unsalted butter
2 cups of all purpose sugar
1 T. light corn syrup
1 cup (or more) semi sweet chocolate chips
chopped nuts (pecans or almonds)

Preparation:
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Then arrange saltine crackers salt side down in a single layer.  Set aside.  In a medium sized sauce pot, mix butter, sugar, and corn syrup on low heat.  Keep on low heat stirring occasionally until the temperature of the mixture reaches 290 degrees F, or begins to darken in color.  Remove from heat and spread evenly over saltine crackers.  Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the butter mixture and let sit until melted.  When chocolate chips have melted, spread them evenly over the toffee.  Sprinkle chopped nuts over chocolate.  Place in the freezer until chocolate is set.  Break toffee into pieces, and it's all done!

Chicken Salad

I've tried multiple chicken salad recipes, and so far this is the tastiest!

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• Instant Chicken Bullion
• 2-3 spoonfuls mayo
• 6 oz. cream cheese softened
• 4-5 sprigs dill (to taste)
• salt to taste
• cayenne pepper to taste (1/2 - 1 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• grapes halved or quartered
• chopped walnuts or pecans (whichever is cheaper)

Preparation
Bring a pot of water to boil with a good shaking of Instant Chicken Bullion in it.  Add chicken breasts, and simmer until cooked through.  Meanwhile stir together mayo, cream cheese, honey, and seasonings in a small bowl.  Cut each chicken breast into 3 - 5 pieces and place a portion of chicken with some of the cream mixture into a food processor and process until mixed.  Remove to a large bowl, and continue this process several times until all chicken and cream mixture has been processed.  Stir it all together in the large bowl and add grapes and chopped nuts.  Enjoy!