Brunswick Stew from Spanky's Seafood Grill & Bar (with Holoman adjustments)

My friend Amanda sent me this recipe to post. I can't wait
to try it!
Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cups catsup
1/4 cup mustard, yellow
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper, crushed
1/2 fluid ounce Liquid Barbecue Smoke®
1 fluid ounce worcestershire sauce
1/2 fluid ounce Tabasco sauce
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
Stew:
1/4 cup butter
3 cups small potatoes, diced
1 cup onion, diced
40 fluid ounces chicken broth
1 pound chicken, baked, dark & white meat
8 ounces pork, smoked
8 1/2 ounces peas, early
29 fluid ounces stewed tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
12 ounces baby lima beans, canned
1/4 cup liquid Barbecue Smoke®
14 1/2 ounces creamed corn, canned

First, make the sauce. Melt butter in a 2 quart sauce
pan over low heat. Add catsup, mustard, and white vinegar.
Blend until smooth. Add other sauce ingredients, except
brown sugar. Blend until smooth, then add brown sugar.
Stir constantly, increase heat to simmer for approx 10 minutes.
DO NOT BOIL. In a 2 gallon pot, over low heat, melt 1/4 pound
of butter. Add potatoes through smoked pork. Bring to a
rolling bowl, stirring until potatoes are near done. Next, add
peas through creamed corn plus the prepared sauce. Slow
simmer for 2 hours. If it tastes smokey, add a little
more chicken broth.
Servings: 16

Fudge ideas

Here is the recipe for the Candy cane fudge:
2 (10 oz. each) packages vanilla baking chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/3 cups crushed peppermint candy canes
Red food coloring

Line an 8" square pan with foil and grease foil well.
Mix together the baking chips and sweetened condensed
milk in a pan over medium heat. Continuously stir until
melted and smooth. Stir in the extract, food coloring
(add drops until desired color is reached), and crushed
candy canes. Sprinkle with additional crushed candy
canes if desired. Spread mixture in the pan, let cool
completely and cut into squares.

Get more fudge recipes here

Hash Brown Quiche

6 C frozen, loose-pack shredded hash browns, thawed
2/3 C butter, melted
2 C diced fully cooked ham
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C diced green pepper (we omitted this for our brunch)
8 eggs
1 C milk1 t. salt
½ t. pepper

Thaw hash browns. Press hash browns between paper towels
to remove excess moisture. Press into the bottom and sides
of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake at
425 degrees for 25 minutes. Combine the ham, cheese,
and green pepper. Spoon over crust. In a small bowl, beat
eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over all. Reduce heat to
350 degrees and bake for 25-30 min. or until knife inserted
near the center comes out clean. Allow to stand for 10 minutes
before cutting.
Recipe from 5th ward Christmas party

Raspberry Slush

3 pkts unsweetened raspberry punch powder
4 C sugar (or if you can only find sweetened
raspberry punch powder, decrease sugar to 1 C.)
4 C warm water
1 46-oz. can pineapple juice
1 12-oz. can frozen lemonade
6 oz. lemon juice
3 10-oz. pkgs. Frozen raspberries
1 2-liter bottle carbonated lemon-lime beverage

In a large container dissolve raspberry punch mix and sugar
in warm water. Add pineapple juice, lemonade, lemon juice,
and raspberries. Stir til blended. Pour into large freezer
containers or Ziploc bags and freeze. When ready to serve,
thaw some and break up with fork. Pour into punch bowl
or individual cups and add lemon-lime beverage.
Recipe from 5th Ward Christmas party

Shrimp Dip and Crackers

1 can of small shrimp
1 bottle of cocktail sauce
1 brick of cream cheese
Wheat Thins or crackers of your choice

Mix the shrimp and the cocktail sauce. Put the brick
of cream on a plate. Pour sauce over it. Serve with crackers.

Christmas Wreaths

1/2 cup butter
3 cups marshmallows
1 1/2 teaspoons green food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups cornflakes cereal
2 tablespoons cinnamon red hots or M&M's

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows,

and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and

stir in the food coloring, vanilla, and cornflakes. Quickly drop

heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto waxed paper, and

form into a wreath shape with lightly greased fingers. Immediately

decorate with red candies. Allow to cool to room temperature

before serving.

Hot fudge sauce

1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 small can evaporated milk (6 oz.)
2 Tbsp.c flour
2 Tbsp. margarine

Mix all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and boil for
2 minutes (rolling boil). Add 1 tsp. vanilla after boiling.
Serve over ice-cream. Yum!!

Holiday Vegetable Dish

1 16 0z. frozen mixed vegetables(broccoli, cauliflower,
carrot mixture)
1 lg. onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. croutons
1 c. sour cream

Thaw frozen vegetables and saute with butter about
3 minutes. Add soup and sour cream. Mix well. Add
1 c. croutons and mix. Pour into buttered 1 1/2 quart
casserole dish. Heat remaining croutons in 1 Tbsp. butter
or margarine until coated. Sprinkle these over top of
casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Serves 4-6.

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1 boneless chuck blade or shoulder steak (1 lb.), cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup beef broth
1 cup chopped green peppers (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

Heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, coat steaks evenly with flour; gently shake off

excess flour. Add to skillet; cook 2 to 3 min. on each side or

until each steak is browned on both sides. Remove from heat;

cover to keep warm. Combine tomato paste, tomatoes and

broth in slow cooker. Add steaks and peppers; cover with lid.

Cook on high 3 to 4 hours. Sprinkle with cheese just before

serving.

Recipe and picture from Kraft foods

Cranberry Nut Bread

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 tsp. grated orange peel
3/4 c. orange juice
1 well beaten egg
1 c. fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. walnuts

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Combine orange peel,
juice and egg. Add to dry ingredients mixing just to moisten. Fold
in berries and nuts. Turn into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for
60 minutes. Cool. Wrap and store overnight. Cuts easier if
refrigerated.

Creatvie Christmas Treats

I saw this segment on tv and thought they had some
cute ideas.

Cranberry Wassail

5 quarts water
3 c. sugar
1 12 oz. can frozen orange juice
1 12 oz. can frozen lemonade
1 quart cranberry juice
12 whole cloves
8 cinnamon sticks

Mix water and spices. Boil 10 minutes. Add juices and
let simmer one hour. Remove spices. Serve hot. Do
not let simmer for hours without tasting-does get strong.

Chocolate crinkles

3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 6-oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, cocoa powder and
sugar; beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. In a medium
sized bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients, then stir in the
chips. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees. Form the dough into 1-inch
balls and roll in confectioners' sugar. Bake for 10 to 12
minutes. Set baking sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Lightly dust the cookies with the remaining confectioners'
sugar. Makes 25 to 35 cookies.

Picture and recipe from Family fun.

Peanut Butter Bars

1 1lb box of Powdered Sugar

1 1/3 cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 cup of Peanut Butter

2 sticks of Melted Butter

1 12oz pkg of Chocolate Chips

With a mixer mix together the sugar, crumbs, PB, melted butter until smooth.

Put in a 13x9 pan pat smooth.

Melt Chocolate Chips

pour and smooth on top.

Cool in refridgerator for 15-20 mins,

Cut into squares.

Mini-Cheesecakes

2 (8 ounces) packages cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
18 vanilla wafers
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

In large bowl beat together cream cheese, eggs,
vanilla, sugar, and lemon juice. Put 18 paper
baking cups into muffin tins. Place 1 vanilla
wafer in bottom of each cup. Pour batter into
muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes.
When cool, top with cherry pie filling. Makes 18
mini-cheesecakes.

Tomato Basil Soup

This is an AWESOME soup recipe given to me by my friend Trisha Brady. I had it at a dinner I went to last night and couldn't stop eating it! It is so good.

4 cups canned whole tomatoes crushed(or one large 28 oz. can is what I used)
4 cups tomato juice
14 fresh washed basil leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 lb(1 stick) sweet unsalted butter
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes and tomato juice in sauce pan. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree along with basil leaves in small batches in blender or food processor. Return to sauce pan and add cream and butter while stirring over low heat. Add pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving. Yields 8 servings.

Note: To save time, I just put the basil, tomato juice and crushed tomatoes in the blender first(separated in two batches since not all of it will fit in a blender), then poured into the sauce pan and stirred over low heat. Then I followed the rest of the recipe. I found it hard to cook the tomatoes/juice and then transfer the hot tomato mixture to the blender and then back to the pan.

Toll House Famous Fudge

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can evaporated milk)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Morsels
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil. Combine sugar, evaporated

milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to

a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil,

stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir

in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir

vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted.

Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or

until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

I make this every year for Christmas. It is so yummy and

very easy to make.

Turkey Bake

2 cups cooked, diced turkey
1 6 oz. package wild rice mix
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of chicken
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 35o. Combine turkey and wild rice mix(including
contents of seasoning packet). Add remaining ingredients. Pour
into 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
You could also use chicken instead of Turkey.

Ravioli Lasagna

-1 package refrigerated four
cheese ravioli, prepared according
to package directions
-1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
-1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach, prepared according to package
directions
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1/3 cup milk
-2(15 ounce) marinara Sauce
-Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ricotta cheese, spinach,
eggs and milk in a bowl. In a 9x13 inch pan layer ravioli on
bottom of pan, top with marinara sauce, followed with ricotta
mixture. Repeat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with
foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Let
stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Streuseled Sweet Potatoes

• 5 pound(s) sweet potatoes of equal size
• Olive oil
• 1/3 cup(s) cane syrup
• 1/4 cup(s) unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup(s) chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
• 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup(s) (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoon(s) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

---

Directions

• 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub sweet potatoes lightly with oil; place on a baking sheet and roast 1 hour, or until very tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
• 2. Meanwhile, heat syrup, butter, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts; whisk to combine.
• 3. Split open potatoes and scoop out soft flesh into a large bowl; drizzle syrup mixture over potatoes and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Transfer mixture to a 1 1/2-quart ovenproof serving dish.
• 4. In a small bowl, combine nuts, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add butter and rub in with fingers until streusel is evenly moistened and forms clumps; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake 35 minutes, or until streusel is browned.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs, rolled fine
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1⁄3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter or margarine.
Press firmly onto bottom and sides of 9- or 10-inch
springform pan. Whip cream cheese in mixer bowl;
gradually add sugar, then eggs one at a time. Stir in
vanilla. In separate bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon,
nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Mix well; add to
cream cheese mixture. Pour filling into crust. Bake at
300 degrees for 55 minutes. Whip sour cream; add
sugar and vanilla. Spread on top of cheesecake and return
to oven. Bake 10 more minutes. Cool before
removing sides from springform pan.

Blessing Mix

2 cups Bugles original flavor snacks
2 cups small pretzels
1 cup candy corn
1 cup dried fruit or raisins
1 cup peanuts
1 cup M&Ms plain chocolate candy
Hershey milk chocolate candy kisses

In a large bowl mix everything together.

Meaning:
BUGLES: Each is shaped as a Cornucopia or Horn of
Plenty to remind us of our ancestors and our heritage
and that our lives are filled with blessings.
PRETZELS: They represent our arms folded in prayer
to give thanks.
CANDY CORN: Sacrifices of the Pilgrims' first winter. Food
was so scarce that settlers survived on just a few kernels
of corn a day.
RAISINS: Thanksgiving in the celebration of the
harvest from the field and trees. Preserve harvest
for times of need and share.
PEANUTS: Seeds represent future hope and promise,
the potential of a bounteous harvest for the next season
if they are planted and well tended.
M&Ms: Memories of those who came before us to guide
us to a blessed future
HERSHEY KISSES: The love of family and friends that
sweetens our lives.

Ultimate Potato Soup

This is an amazingly delicious soup recipe I tried tonight from Allrecipes.com. Perfect for the chilly weather!

6 cups diced potatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup chopped onion
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth, divided
4 cups half-and-half cream
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


In a large pot, bring potatoes, celery and onion to a boil in 2 cups of broth. Cook until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.

Combine reserved broth and half-and-half in pot. In a bowl, combine melted butter and flour. Stir into half-and-half mixture over medium heat. Stir until thickened. Stir in reserved vegetables, remaining broth, bouillon and pepper. Heat through and serve.

Harvest Apple Streusel Squares

I got this recipe from Eagle Brand. Check out their site

for some other yummy recipes like pumpkin pie bars

and deep dish pumpkin pie.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAN Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 eggs
1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped pecans

In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter

and finely chopped pecans. Press evenly into a 13x9-inch

baking pan. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.

Add sweetened condensed milk and eggs. Pour over prepared

crust. Spoon apple pie filling over cream cheese layer.In

medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.

Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in cranberries and pecans. Sprinkle over apple layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.

Do not over bake. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup is one of our favorites-especially on a cold day or during illness. It is said to have "healing" power and oftentimes I know it has made me feel better. Try this delicious and easy recipe from Allrecipes.com. It tastes just like the kind from the restaurants!

4 cups chicken broth, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk


Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Stir the salt, ginger and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

Turkey or Chicken Casserole

1 square butter or margarine
1 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
3 cups cooked rice
3 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
1 can cream of Mushroom soup
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
buttered breadcrumbs or Chinese noodles

Saute butter, celery and onions together. Add rest of
ingredients and mix together. Place in a casserole dish.
Top with noodles or crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Pilgrim Hats

How cute are these Pilgrim Hats from Taste of Home?

Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla frosting
7 drops yellow food coloring
32 miniature peanut butter cups
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) fudge-striped cookies
32 pieces orange mini Chiclets gum

Directions: In a small shallow bowl, combine frosting
and food coloring. Remove paper liners from peanut
butter cups. Holding the bottom of a peanut butter
cup, dip top of cup in yellow frosting. Position over
center hole of a cookie, forming the hatband and crown.
Add a buckle of Chiclets gum. Repeat with remaining
cups and cookies. Yield: 32 cookies.

Thanksgiving Delight Dessert

This Thanksgiving dessert looks so yummy.

Get the recipe here.

Whole Wheat Applesauce Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup applesauce
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift flours, baking powder, and salt into a larger bowl.
Set aside. Cream sugar and shortening. Stir beaten
eggs and applesauce. Blend in sifted ingredients. Fold
in chopped nuts if desired. Spoon into greased muffin tins.
Mix pecans and brown sugar together and sprinkle over batter.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Turkey Cupcakes

If your not sugared out from Halloween try these

cute Turkey cupcakes from Betty Crocker

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
2 containers Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy

milk chocolate frosting
1tube (4.25 oz) Betty Crocker white decorating icing
1tube (0.68 oz) Betty Crocker brown decorating gel
Candy corn
Chocolate candy sprinkles

1.Heat oven to 350°. Make and cool cake as directed on box

for 24 cupcakes.
Frost cupcakes with frosting. Place remaining frosting in corner

of resealable freezer plastic bag. Snip off small corner of bag.
To decorate each cupcake, pipe 1-inch mound of frosting on

1 side of cupcake to look like head of turkey. Make eyes with

white decorating icing and brown decorating gel; add candy

corn for beak. To make feathers, pipe frosting on opposite

side to hold candy corn; place candy corn upright on frosting

to look like feathers. Sprinkle chocolate candy sprinkles near

head and at base of feathers. If desired, add candy corn at

base of cupcake for feet.

Another great site!

picture from Fun snacks 4 kids

A few weeks ago I found this cute blog called Fun snacks 4 kids.

This blog has some fun snack ideas. I love her bones

dipped in blood idea. Check it out for some more fun ideas.

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Dip

2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
15 oz. can pumpkin
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground ginger

Mix sugar and cream cheese together beating until well blended.
Beat in remaining ingredients.Store in airtight container in
refrigerator. Serve with gingersnap cookies and apples.
*You could also serve the dip in a small pumpkin.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

This is a yummy light meal I made for dinner the other night. We loved it!

3 cups penne pasta, uncooked
2 Tbsp. Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
1-1/2 cups cut-up fresh asparagus (1-inch lengths)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Neufchatel cheese, cubed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and vegetables; cook 10 to 12 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently. Add broth and Neufchatel cheese; cook 1 min. or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Add Parmesan cheese; mix well. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add chicken and vegetable mixture; toss lightly. Cook 1 min. or until heated through. (Sauce will thicken upon standing.)

Recipe courtesy of Kraftfoods.com. Photo courtesy of me!

Hot Apple Cider

1/2 gallon apple juice or cider (whichever you like best)
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
1/2 c. sugar
1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks

Put juice, spices, sugar, and lemon juice in a large pan.
Boil for 20 minutes. Strain to remove spices. You can
serve in mugs with orange wedges.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

12 corn tortillas (I actually was able to make 18)
vegetable oil for pan-frying
3 cooked boneless skinless chicken breast halves, shredded (I used 2 cans of chicken and it was good!)
10 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
2 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas (one at a time) for 5 seconds on each side to soften and make them pliable. Add more oil to pan as needed. Drain between layers of paper towel and keep warm.
Divide chicken, 10 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese, and onion among the 12 tortillas. Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in a greased baking pan.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until mixture begins to boil. Slowly add the broth, stirring with a whisk until thickened. Mix in the sour cream and chiles, heat thoroughly but do not boil, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture over the enchiladas.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese and bake for 5 more minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com. Photo courtesy of me:)

Macaroni Beef Soup

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion

2 cans tomato soup

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1 (32 oz.) carton beef broth

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and onion. Mix all ingredients in a pot.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Halloween Goodies

I thought I would post some fun food ideas for Halloween.
Last year I posted a recipe for dinner in a pumpkin. I
make this every year and my family loves having dinner
come from a pumpkin.

Kraft foods has some fun and easy recipes for
Halloween like this Skeleton and Brain Dip.

Maybe I can get my kids to eat their vegetables this way. :)

I think these witches hats are such a cute idea from
Betty Crocker.

I know my family would love these Yummy Mummy Dogs
from Rhodes. Check out their site they have some more
fun recipes for Halloween. What are some of you favorite Halloween goodies?

If you have any favorite Halloween recipes

please share them.

Spider Web Cupcakes

My cute friend Holly showed me how to make
these cute spider web cupcakes last year.

Prepare your favorite cake mix and follow
the instruction on making 24 cupcakes.

Bake cupcakes and cool. Use white frosting.
You can also tint the frosting orange. Squeeze circles of
decorating gel (I like to use Betty Crocker's black

decorating gel) on each cupcake; using a
toothpick or a knife, pull outward to make a web.

Place a plastic spider ring on
each web.

Apple Pie Dip

Ingredients for Apple Pie dip:
1 1/3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons apricot preserves
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients for chips:
5 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Combine all the dip ingredients in a bowl, then cover and
refrigerate the mixture until chilled. Brush the tortillas
with butter, then cut them into wedges. Arrange the
wedges on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with
cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 350° until golden
brown, about 10 minutes. Let them cool before serving.

Recipe and picture from Family Fun

Pumpkin Bars

2 c. pumpkin
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
4 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all spice

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin till light and fluffy. Stir
together flour, baking soda,, salt, and spices. Add to pumpkin
mixture; mix well. Spread in a 15x10x1 1/2 inch baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly and frost.

Frosting:
1(3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. margarine softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
3 tsp. milk

Cream together the cream cheese and margarine. Stir in vanilla.
Add sugar, milk and beat until smooth.

Mexican Lasagna

I made this the other night and it was delicious! The recipe and photo is from Kraftfoods.com, but I omitted the brand names they recommended because I don't think it matters. I used storebrand cheeses and it was great!

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2-1/2 cups mild salsa
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
12 corn tortillas (6 inch), divided
1 container (16 oz.) cottage cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium heat; drain. Return meat to skillet. Add onions and peppers; cook until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add salsa, corn and seasonings; mix well.

LAYER one third of the meat mixture and one half each of the tortillas and cottage cheese in 13x9-inch baking dish. Repeat layers; cover with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and olives.

BAKE 30 min. or until heated through.

Winner of This Mama Loves to Cook Apron is:

Jan!

I used Random.org to pick a winner. I

chose the first number on the lottery ticket.

Number 9 was the winner and

Jan posted the 9th comment.

Congratulations!

Email me at www.brysonmelissa@hotmail.com

with you address and I will send off the apron.

Thanks everyone for playing. More fun giveaways

coming soon!

Here is your lottery ticket:

9-12-13-18
Timestamp: 2008-10-06 15:01:20 UTC

Chinese Stir-Fry

I found this recipe on the Kraft website a few days ago. We tried it and loved it!

1 tsp. oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into thin slices
3 carrots, sliced
1/3 cup KRAFT Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat and carrots; cook and stir 5 min.
Stirin dressing and hoisin sauce; stir-fry 7 min. or until carrots are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Add onions; cook 1 min. Serve over rice or lo mein noodles.

Try adding different vegetables-broccoli would be a delicious addition too!

Caramel Apple Dessert

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick mix
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced(2 cups)
1 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350. Mix Bisquick and sugar in a bowl. Stir in
milk until blended. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan. Top with
apples; sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon;
sprinkle over apples. Pour boiling water over apples. Bake
50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

The caramel sauce forms while it bakes.

This Mama Loves to Cook Fall Giveaway

If you love aprons leave a comment for

a chance to win this cute Fall apron from

This Mama Loves to Cook. I will

pick a winner Monday Oct. 6th.

Pinapple Chicken Wings

2 1/2 lb. chicken wings

2 cans (8oz.) pineapple tidbits

1 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken wings in a

greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake 30 minutes. Drain pineapple,

reserving 1/4 cup juice, Mix barbecue sauce, pineapple, and

reserved juice. Add to pan with chicken, stirring well to

coat. Bake 30 minutes more. You can serve wings over a

bed of rice. The rice soaks up the sauce.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 box spice cake mix

15 oz. can pumpkin

1 egg (optional)
1 bag chocolate chips
Mix together and drop onto cookie
sheet with a cookie scoop.
Bake at 360 for 12 minutes.

Chicken Florentine

I tried this recipe from Allrecipes.com the other day and it was a hit!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (13.5 ounce) cans spinach, drained
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup bacon bits
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breast halves on a baking sheet; bake 20 to 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, mix in the garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese.

Arrange the spinach over the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking dish. Cover the spinach with the mushrooms. Pour half the mixture from the saucepan over the mushrooms. Arrange chicken breasts in the dish, and cover with the remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits, and top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes in the 400 degrees F oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Pumpkin Crunch

Classic dump cake made with pumpkin

1 15 oz. canned pumpkin
1 12 oz. evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first five ingredients in a bowl
and mix together. Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle
cake mix evenly over the entire mixture in pan. Sprinkle
chopped nuts over cake. Spoon melted margarine evenly
over mixture. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Serve with whipped
cream or vanilla ice cream.

Navajo Tacos

3/4 cup of oil
1 pkg. Pillsbury Biscuits
chili (I used can chili, but you can make your own too)
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, chopped
cheese, shredded
onions, chopped
black olives, chopped

Heat oil in a skillet. Roll individual biscuits into thin circles.

Fry each flattened biscuit for about 20 seconds on each side

or until golden brown. Top each biscuit with chili, lettuce,

tomatoes, cheese and onions. You can also add sour cream

or salsa.

Breakfast Pizza

I made this for a brunch earlier this week and it was tasty!

1 pound ground breakfast sausage
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese



Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles. Place in a greased 12 inch pizza pan with points toward the center. Press together to form a crust. Bottom of crust should be sealed and outside edge should be slightly raised. Spoon sausage over crust. Sprinkle with hash browns and top with cheddar cheese. Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour over crust. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven until eggs are set, about 25 to 30 minutes.


Recipe and photo courtesy of Allrecipes.com.

Baked Apples

I got this idea from my blogging buddy Emily and the recipe
from Simply recipes. This is a perfect fall treat!

4 large baking apples
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash apples. Scoop out the core from
top of the apple, leaving a well. Do not cut all the way through.
Mix brown sugar, pecans, raisins, and cinnamon together.
Stuff each apple with brown sugar mixture. Top with a dot of
butter. Place in a shallow baking dish. Add boiling water to
the baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until tender, but not
mushy. Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches

I got this recipe from my friend Natalie. Its really yummy!

3 lb. roast
1 chopped onion
3 cups chopped celery
1 cup ketchup
1 cup good BBQ sauce
1 cup water
2 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Cook in crockpot on high(I used the low setting on my crockpot because my High setting is too powerful) for 6-7 hours. Shred the beef and mix back in with sauce. Serve on buns.

Chicken Pot Pie

2 cans Cream of Potato soup
1 16oz. frozen bag of peas and carrots
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
2/3 c. milk
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2-9 inch pie crusts (I use the ready to bake pie crusts)

Combine first six ingredients in bowl. Fill pie crust
and cover with second pie crust. Bake at 375 for
40 to 45 minutes.

Tempting Chili Dip

1 8oz. package cream cheese

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 (15oz.) can chili with no beans

Combine softened cream cheese, cheese, and chili

in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring

frequently until cream cheese is melted. Serve

with tortilla chips.

We enjoyed this dip while watching football this

weekend. What are some of your favorite football

snacks?

Tropical Turkey and Spinach Salad

Another recipe from the kitchen of Ann Marie

Salad:
8 oz. deli roast turkey breast cut into 1-inch strips
1/2 c. diced red pepper
1 mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (1 cup)
2 hard cooked egg whites, coarsely chopped
1/4 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges
1 package (6 oz.) fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 c. sliced almonds

Dressing:
3 T. apricot preserves
2 T. cider vinegar
2 t. olive or vegetable oil
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper

Place spinach in a large bowl, add turkey, pepper, mango,
eggs, and onions. Whisk dressing together and pour over
salad. Gently tossing to coat. Sprinkle with almonds.
Serve immediately.

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

I got this recipe at a Pampered Chef party. The recipe is
from the kitchen of Ann Marie.

1 Angle Food Cake
1 8 oz. Cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. sour cream
8 oz. Frozen Whipped Topping (thawed)
2 large container of fresh strawberries

Wash strawberries and remove berry tops. Slice strawberries.
Sprinkle granulated sugar over strawberries. Cut Angel Food
cake into 1-inch squares. Set aside. Blend together cream
cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and sour cream until smooth.
Fold in Whipped topping. In a trifle bowl layer ingredients
starting with half the cake cubes, then half of the sliced berries,
and then half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers and
garnish with strawberries.

RIZOGALO (Creamy Rice Pudding)

Here is a recipe that I just got from the Greek Festival my family and I went to.

1 cup long-grain rice
6 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tspn butter
1 small cinnamon stick
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine rice, milk sugar, and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and creamy and the rice has absorbed the liquid and is soft. Add cinnamon stick about halfway through.

Just before removing the rice pudding from heat, beat egg yolks until creamy in a medium-size bowl. Discard cinnamon stick and stir in grated lemon rind. Remove the pudding from heat and stir in vanilla. Add a little pudding at a time to the egg yolks, stirring all the while, then pour egg yolks into pudding and stir well with a wooden spoon.

Pour the pudding into a large serving bowl or into individual bowls and refrigerate. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.

Yield 10-12 servings.

We'll probably make it in the near future. My husband loves rice pudding.

Chocolate Lover's Bundt Cake

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1- 3 oz. pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 c. sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. oil
1- 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Beat together cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, water,
and oil. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour in a greased and floured
bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Invert cake on
plate. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar or for true chocolate
lovers, drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Alfredo Dip for Breadsticks

1/2 c. butter
2 c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper

Melt butter over medium heat. Add the cream, garlic powder,
and pepper. Simmer of 10 to 12 minutes or until thick. Stir
in some Parmesan cheese and serve with breadsticks or you
could also serve with noodles.

Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccini Noodles

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com not too long ago and our family loves it. Its a variation of the usual alfredo sauce(with ricotta not usually being one of the key ingredients). So, this has a different flavor! Try it!

1 pound fettuccini pasta
1 1/2 cups butter, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
2 (16 ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese
1 pint heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. In a large saucepan combine ricotta cheese, cream, salt, Parmesan cheese and remaining butter. Cook over medium heat until well combined, about 10 minutes. Stir in cooked fettuccini and chicken; cook until heated through.

To save time, I use the precooked chicken strips and just throw them in at the end.

Check this out!

Check out this blog Gourmet Mom on the go.

She has some delicious recipes (like these Marshmallow

Ice Cream S'more Stackers pictured above)

and also some fun recipes for kids.

I added a link to her blog on the sidebar under

recipe links. I can't wait to try out some of the recipes.

POTATO SKINS

Here is a good recipe that my family and I have enjoyed.


Ingredients:
5 large baking potatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp bottled red pepper sauce
1 package (8 ounces) shredded Mexican-style cheese (Cheddar Jack, asadero, and queso blanco)
6 slices precooked bacon, chopped
1/4 C chopped green onions
1/4 C chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
1/2 C sour cream
1 Tspn red wine vineager
2 tsp snipped fresh chives


Directions:
1. Scrub the potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Cook in the microwave on 100% power 15 to 20 minutes, turning potatoes once during cooking. Let cool.
2. Cut each potato lengthwise into four wedges. Carefully scoop out the insideof each potato with a teaspoon, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Reserve 1 and a half cups potato pulp and cut into cubes.
3. Heat oven to 425 F. In a small cup, combine oil and pepper sauce. With a pastry brush, brush the insides of the potato skins with the oil misture and place on a baking sheet. In a bowl, toss potato cubes, cheese, bacon, green onions, and peppers. Spoon filling into the potato skins.
4. Bake for 15 minutes until potato skins are heated through and cheese has melted. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, vinegar, and chives. Serve potato skins with sour cream dip.

Number Of Servings:20

Preparation Time:30 minutes

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken
1 pkg frozen broccoli
1 1/2 c. grated cheese
Sauce- 1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. sour cream

Cook broccoli and chicken and layer in a 9x12 dish.
Pour sauce on top. Cover with cheese. You can also
top with 1 c. buttered bread crumbs or 1/2 box Ritz
crackers crushed. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Banana Banana Bread

This is a delicious and super moist banana bread recipe that I love. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and/or walnuts for extra flavor!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com.

Sloppy Joe Mix

2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 c. ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3-4 tsp. flour

Brown ground beef and onion together. Add remaining
ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cookie of the Day

Martha Stewart features a "Cookie of the Day".

These look so yummy. I love trying new cookie

recipes and can't wait to make these. Go

check out all the cookies.

GIANT TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

(This is from a cookbook with mostly metric measurements, so the amount might seem a little odd.  I just got as close as I could.)

3-1/2 oz. milk chocolate

3-1/2 oz. white chocolate

11 oz. dark (bittersweet) chocolate

7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup brown sugar

1-1/4 cup self-rising flour

1 cup macadamia nut halves

1. Preheat the oven to 350*.  Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.  Coarsely chop the milk and white chocolate and put them in a bowl.

2. Chop 7 oz. of the dark chocolate into very large chunks, at least 3/4 inch in size.  Set aside

3. Break up the remaining dark chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, then the vanilla extract and brown sugar.

4. Add the flour and mix gently.  Add half the dark chocolate chunks, all the milk and white chocolate and the nuts and fold together.

5. Spoon 12 mounds on to the baking sheets.  Press the remaining dark chocolate chunks into the top of each cookie.  Bake for about 12 minutes until just beginning to color.  Cool on the baking sheet.  The cookies need to be completely cooled before they are moved.

*Instead of making 12 big cookies, I made 24 smaller ones.  They turned out well, but I think the big ones would hold together a bit better.  I wanted to be able to eat one without eating all my calories for the day in one go. :)

Cupcake Pops

Hey Yall, I made these yesterday. They are so yummy! I got the recipe from the Bakerella Blog!

Easy Pasta Frittata

This is a perfect brunch, breakfast or even quick dinner dish!

9 large eggs
1 c. packed spinach leaves, stemmed (or I just used frozen chopped spinach, cooked, about 3/4 c.)
2 scallions(green onions), trimmed and sliced
3 strips cooked bacon, chopped
4 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes (if using the kind packed in oil, drain oil)
1 c. cooked spaghetti
1/2 c. Monterrey Jack cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp light olive oil
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Beat eggs in large bowl until frothy. Add spinach, scasllionis, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, spaghetti, and Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix well. Place an oven safe 10 inch skillet with sides at least 1 1/2 inches high over medium heat. Add butter and oil. When hot, add the egg mixture, reduce the heat to medium-low and set timer for 8 minutse. After 8 minutes, top the frittata with parmesan cheese and place it(in the skillet) on middle rack of oven. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is lightly browned. Using a potholder, remove skillet from oven. Cut into wedges and serve. Accompany with salsa, if desired.

Note: Remember when its done, that the skillet is hot(handle included). I forgot and grabbed the handle to carry it over to the table. Ouch. Keep potholder over handle to remind yourself!

Photo and recipe courtesy of Anne Greer McCann, Dallas Morning News

100th post giveaway winner is.......

Congratulations Jessica!

Just send me a quick email brysonmelissa@hotmail.com

with your address and I will send you the cookbook.

Thanks to all those who participated. I look

forward to doing some more giveaways very soon!

S'more Bars

Ingredients:
8 whole graham crackers
1 (19.8 ounce) package fudge brownie mix
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions:
Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Spread over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips and peanuts. Bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are slightly puffed and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Orange Ice Cream Pops

1 c Milk
1 pt Ice cream, vanilla
6 oz Orange juice; frozen concentrate partly thawed

Combine all ingredients in blender; cover and blend until smooth.
Pour into Popsicle molds or 8 (3-1/2 oz) paper cups. Place in
freezer. If using paper cups insert wooden stick in each when
partially frozen. Freeze until firm and enjoy!

Celebrating the 100th post

To celebrate This Mama Cooks 100th post I am

doing a giveaway. I'm giving away Sandra Lee

Semi-Homemade grilling cookbook. Nothing like

a good BBQ in the summer! Just leave a comment and if you have any favorite recipes

for the grill, please share! I will pick a winner August 7th.

Cranberry-Apricot Stuffed Pork Chops

1/2 cup chopped, dried apricot

1/3 cup coarsely chopped sweetened dried cranberries

4 sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds

2 tsp. grated orange peel

3/4 tsp. dried thyme, divided

3/4 tsp. garlic pepper, divided

3/4 tsp. ground ginger, divided

5 Tbsp. seasoned, dry breadcrumbs, divided

2 tsp. melted butter or margarine

4 (12 oz) boneless pork loin chops (about 1-1/2 inches thick)

1. Preheat oven to 425*F.  Combine apricots, cranberries, green onions, almonds, orange peel, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger in small bowl.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs and the butter, mixing well.

2. Cut pocket in side of each pork chop, being careful not to cut all the way through.  Fill chops with stuffing; set aside.

3. Blend remaining 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon garlic pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon ginger in small bowl.  Sprinkle evenly over pork chops, pressing lightly to coat.  Place in shallow baking pan.  Spray tops evenly with nonstick cooking spray, if desired.

4. Roast about 20 minutes or until internal temperature registers 160* F.

Serves 4.

Romaine Strawberry salad

Salad:

Romaine lettuce

iceberg lettuce

celery, chopped

sliced strawberries

candied slivered almonds

Dressing:

4 Tbsp. Sugar

4 Tbsp. Water

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Pepper

2 Tbsp. Vinegar

Mandarin Orange Salad

It has been a long time since I have posted any recipes on this blog so I have decided to unload my arsenal of salad recipes for the summer.

Lettuce- romaine & iceberg

Red Onion sliced

Gala Apple or Jicama cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Cream Cheese cut into small pieces

Mandarin Oranges

Slivered, sugar coated almonds

Dressing:

1/3 C. Orange Juice (I use the drained juice from the can of oranges)

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 C. oil

2 tsp. Red wine vinegar

1 pkg. Italian dressing mix

I don't have actual measurements for the salad, I just like to cut it up and put as much stuff in it until it is the way I like it. Put the first 4 ingredients in and when ready to serve add the oranges, almonds, and dressing and enjoy!

Stay tuned for more salad recipes