Zucchini and Tomato Side

4 Zucchini chopped
4 Roma Tomatoes chopped

Mix in small bowl:
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1/2 tsp. Salt
Pour over zucchini and tomatoes and microwave
for 6 to 7 minutes (covered). Sprinkle parmesan
cheese and reheat until cheese is melted.

Easy Goopy Chocolate Cake

Bake 1 chocolate cake mix as directed on box, except
add 1 big handful of chocolate chips. Poke holes in the
cake with a fork while cake is still warm. Pour 1 can
sweetened condensed milk over cake and then pour
1 bottle (6-8oz.) of caramel topping over cake.
Refrigerate overnight or at least a few hours. Spread
with whipped topping and then sprinkle with crushed
Health bar and serve. People think you've spent hours
preparing a fancy dessert but really you've only spent
about 5 minutes!!

Strawberry Whip

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup vanilla or strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup lemonade
1/4 cup sugar
ice cubes

Combine everything in blender. Makes 2 generous servings.

Pizza Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles prepared according to package directions
1 (15 oz.) can pizza sauce
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes seasoned with green pepper and onion, undrained
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
8 oz.(2 c.) shredded mozzarella cheese -I use more like 3 cups, I love cheese!
1-2 (3.5 oz) pkg. pepperoni slices, depending on how much you like
1 (4.5 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives,drained
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
2 tbsp. shredded(or grated) Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350*. Spray 12 x 8 inch glass baking dish(or I even use 9x13) with nonstick cooking spray. In medium saucepan, combine pizza sauce and tomatoes; cook until thoroughly heated. In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese and Italian seasoning; mix well. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/4 cup sauce mixture in bottom of baking dish. Arrange 3 cooked noodles over sauce. Spoon and spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles; top with 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1 cup sauce, 1/3 each of the pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives, and bell pepper. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining noodles, sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lasagna is bubbly. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

*you can adjust the ingredients(toppings) to things you like on a regular pizza

Tastes just like Cracker Barrel's Coca-Cola Cake

This is a seriously yummy cake, but be warned that you will get a sugar high just from making the cake. I mean really, could they add any more sugar?

Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake (like Cracker Barrel's)

Prep Time : 1 hr. 25 mins.
Serves: 18

1 cup real butter - divided
1 1/4 cup Coca-Cola - divided
1 oz. square semi-sweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder- divided
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp. vanilla extract - divided
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
3 cups powdered sugar

-In a saucepan, bring 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup cola, and chocolate to a boil.
-Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows until dissolved.
-Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
-In a bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
-With an electric mixer, beat together sugar, shortening, oil, and 2 tsp. vanilla until fluffy; beat in eggs and buttermilk.
-Beat in half of the dry mixture scraping the sides of the bowl often.
-Beat in cooled cola mixture.
-Add remaining dry mixture and beat for 4 minutes. Batter will be thick.
-Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9x2 baking pan.
-Bake on top rack of a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Frosting:
-Cream butter with electric mixer.
-Beat in 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup cola, chocolate syrup, and 1 tsp. vanilla.
-Slowly add powder sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl often, while beating with the mixer.
-If frosting seems dry, add small amounts of cola until you reach desired consistency.
-Frost cake while warm.

Serve with natural vanilla bean ice cream.

Note: If you are like me, you want a piece of cake asap. It is really good asap, but it's even better once it has rested for a while and the frosting has set. ENJOY!

Hawaiian Spareribs

Prepare this in the morning and bake it in the evening!
Ingredients
2-3lbs. country style spareribs
1/2 c. Ketchup
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Put all ingredients except meat into a large bowl
and mix well.Place ribs in bowl with the sauce
and cover completely. Line a 9x13 casserole dish
with foil and arrange coated spareribs in it.
Pour remaining sauce over the ribs. Cover with
foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake
covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees and then for
one more hour at 300 degrees.
Remove excess fat and serve.
Serves 6-8 people (or 2 dogs)!

Cream Cheese Chicken

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 stick butter
1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix

Add ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours, then on high for 1 hour. Then add:

1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Cook on high for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Fiesta Salad

1 - 2 lb. taco meat
taco seasoning
lettuce (cut in strips)
tomatoes (cut in small cubes)
fritos
white rice
shredded cheese
hot sauce (optional)

Cook meat and season as indicated on instructions. (Use 1 lb. of meat per 3-4 people)
Cook white rice as instructed.
Cover plate with fritos. Place wanted amount of meat and rice over fritos. Top with lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese. We like to put hot sauce on ours, but the kids do not like that.

Grape Salad

This is a perfect treat for the summer, it is easy and light. You can always make it sugar free by using splenda, or low fat by using reduced fat dairy items.


8 oz Whipped Cream Cheese
8 oz Sour Cream
1/2 cup of Sugar
1 lb- 1 1/2 lb Red Seedless Grapes

Combine the first 3 ingredents, and mix together,
fold in the Red Grapes and Chill for 20 mins.

Enjoy!

Sunken Treasure Ice-Cream Pie

4 cups of chocolate ice cream
1 ready to use chocolate pie crust
about 14 chocolate covered peanut butter cup candies
1/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 hot fudge topping

Let 2 cups of ice cream sit out about 10 minutes or
until ice cream is soft. Spoon the 2 cups of the softened
ice cream into pie crust. Spread ice cream over pie crust.
Put candies on top of ice cream layer. Cover pie with
plastic wrap and freezer for 1 hour. After it freezes take
out the rest of the ice cream and let it set out until becomes soft.
Spoon the rest of the ice cream over candy layer. Sprinkle
the peanut butter chips over ice cream. Cover with plastic
wrap and put in freezer for 1 hour. Take the pie out of
freezer and drizzle with hot fudge topping.
Serve right away and enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup

3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes, peeled, but into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 c. half and half

Melt butter in saucepan on medium heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, basil and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half and half, heat through. Add mixture to blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with crumbled bacon, grated cheese, sour cream, and/or chopped green onion.

Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp red curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
4 boneless pork chops, 3/4 inch thick
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c chopped green onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

On a plate combine the flour, curry, cayenne and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir to distribute the spices. Coat the pork chops with the flour mixture, and shake off any excess.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the hot skillet and fry for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
While the pork chops cook, stir together the chicken broth, coconut milk, peanut butter, honey, ginger, and 1/4 tsp salt. Remove the pork chops to serving platter, and keep warm
Pour the peanut sauce unto the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Pour peanut sauce over the chops, and garnish with onion, peanuts, and cilantro.

Chicken Carbonara

2 tsp olive oil
4 oz thinly sliced pancetta, chopped (or bacon)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 1/2 c whipping cream (I use half and half)
1 c grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 c fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
salt
1 lb spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (optional)
1 tbsp lemon zest

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.

While spaghetti is cooking, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 mins. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Add the spaghetti and cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 mins (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs.) Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the walnuts and zest.

Italian Baked Pork Chops

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 pork center loin chops(about 6 oz. each)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400*F. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, oil, and Italian seasoning. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, then brush both sides of chops with mustard mixture. Press Parmesan into both sides of chops. Place chops on baking sheet or dish. Bake 25 minutes or until just cooked through(time depends on thickness of chops).

This is simple and delicious. We all love it, even the kids!

Easy Cobbler

Ingredients:
2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 stick margarine
1 dash of salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups Peaches or Blackberries
1 cup flour

Directions:
Put 1 cup sugar over cut up Peaches or Blackberries
and set aside. Melt margarine in 9x11 baking pan.
Mix 1 cup sugar and dry ingredients. Add milk and pour
over melted margarine. Place peaches on top of batter -
do not stir. Bake 1 hr. at 350 degrees.

We made this tonight with our blackberries we picked
yesterday and it was very easy and yummy.

Taco-Stuffed Pasta Shells

A Mexican spin on an Italian favorite~

16 jumbo dried pasta shells, prepared according to package directions, rinsed, and drained
1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 c. water
1 can(16 oz.) refried beans
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 jar(16 oz.) salsa, divided
1/4 c. sliced green onions
sour cream

Preheat oven to 350*. Cook beef in large skillet until brown; drain. Add seasoning mix and water; cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add beans and 3/4 cup cheese; mix well. Spread 1/4 cup salsa over bottom of a 9X13 baking dish/pan. Fill pasta shells with beef mixture; place shells in baking dish, filled side up. Spoon remaining salsa over shells. Cover dish with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with green onions and remaining cheese. Serve with sour cream.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

2 C. diced chicken
1 C. diced celery
1/2 C. sliced and chopped almonds
3/4 C. mayo
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/3 tsp. garlic powder
pepper to taste
Spread on bread or rolls(tastes best if chilled first)

Canadian Bacon and Pineapple Calzone

1 can Pillsbury Refrigerated White Homestyle Loaf OR Pizza Crust
1(8 oz.) can pizza sauce
1(6 oz.) pkg. Canadian bacon
1(8oz.) can pineapple tidbits, well drained
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
2 tsp. milk

Heat oven to 350*. Spray large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll dough onto sheet. Spread pizza sauce on one half of dough within 1/2 inch of edges. Top with Canadian bacon, pineapple, bell pepper and cheese. Fold other half of dough over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with milk. Cut slits in top. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Note: you can also substitute chopped cooked ham for Canadian bacon