Recipes

Welcome to the vault of our family favorites both old and new. They've been added in no particular order; to find recipes, you can search the labels at the left by ingredient or category (categories are in all caps). Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Salsa, adapted

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (10 oz) Rotel
¼ cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, pan-roasted and sliced thin
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cumin or chili powder
½ cups cilantro
½ whole lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like, maybe 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Winter Salad

Mixed salad greens
one small bell pepper
one small cucumber
one pear
one apple
one navel orange
Good Seasons Italian salad dressing

Peel cucumber and orange. Chop all fruits and veggies and marinate in salad dressing. Just before serving, toss with salad greens.

Oh, Be Joyful

cranberry-pomegranate juice
fresh ginger
rum

Slice thin strips of ginger and put in container of juice for several days. Before serving, mix four parts juice and one part rum.

Kahlua Cheesecake Trifle

This recipe is best made several hours before serving.

1 box chocolate cake mix
2 small boxes Jello cheesecake pudding mix
2 8-oz. tubs Cool Whip
3 cups milk
1 cup Kahlua
small Hershey chocolate bar

Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
Combine pudding mix, milk, and Kahlua. Blend in one container of Cool Whip. Chill.
When cake is cool, crumble 1/8 cake in bottom of glass bowl and add a layer of pudding mixture. Crumble another 1/8 of cake and add a layer of plain Cool Whip. Repeat layers, finishing with Cool Whip, and top with grated chocolate bar.

Jalapeno Popper Spread

A Mom's Life: Jalapeno Popper Spread
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise (please do not use Miracle Whip...use Mayo or you might be disappointed!)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
4 ounces diced jalapeno peppers, drained (I used the kind in the jar and added them into the empty green chilies can until it was full, but you could use fresh or canned as well)
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (don't use the grated powdery because it just doesn't melt the same.)
1/2 cup of Panko crumbs that have been tossed in a little olive oil
Baguettes, sliced and toasted

Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chilies and jalapenos. Spread into dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then bread crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Spread on toasted baguette slices and enjoy!

Caramel-Cream Macchiato Coffee

Beat 1 cup whipping cream, 3 Tbsp. jarred caramel topping, and 1/2 tsp vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream into mugs, and pour hot brewed coffee over caramel whipped cream.

Corn Casserole

From Shelby at Bringing Up Madison: "'Ed's Corn Casserole'

Ingredients:

2 cans creamed corn
2 cans whole corn, drained, retain ¼ cup liquid
1 cup bell pepper, chopped, sautéed
1 cup onion, chopped, sautéed
6 oz jar chopped pimentos
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sour cream
¾ stick butter, melted
½ cup self-rising corn meal
8 oz cheddar cheese, grated

Seasonings:

1 tsp onion powder
1 ½ tbs season salt or Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
½ tbs black pepper
½ tbs paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
Parsley flakes
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Seasoned bread crumbs (for topping)

Mix all ten ingredients in large bowl. Pour into 9x13 greased glass backing dish, top with parsley, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 60 minutes @ 375 degrees or until golden on top.

Melissa's Sonorra Bean Dip

16 oz Sour Cream - Full Fat - no lite or Fat Free!
2 blocks of Cream Cheese - store brand is fine, but again, Full Fat!
2 cans refried beans or 1 larger (40oz?) can - fat free is okay here
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 - 4 cups (or more!) shredded mexican cheese blend - Don’t skimp!

Mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, beans & taco seasoning. Use a handheld or stand electric mixer. Trust me when I say no hand mixing. It’s too much work and it will never mix evenly anyway. Pour in a 9x13 casserole dish. Spray it with Pam first if you can remember. I always forget. Then top generously with all the shredded cheese. The more the better! Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

recipe from The Littlest Lobo: It's Diptastic!

Swiss Bacon Dip

1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese - grated
8 slices center cut bacon - cooked and crumbled
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
2 rounded tsp. Dijon mustard
3 green onions - chopped
1/2 cup smoked almonds, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cooked and crumbled bacon, swiss cheese, cream cheese, mayo, mustard, and onions and stir. Put in shallow casserole dish and bake 15-20 minutes till bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve. Good with sea salt bagel chips!

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Thanks to Missy from It's Almost Naptime for this recipe!

2 c. Bisquick
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 c. milk (use more if the batter's too thick)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 large spoon Karo
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 t. salt

Pesto and Cream Cheese Crostini

Toast thin slices of baguette.
Spread cream cheese on each and top with pesto and parmesan.

Tortilla Soup

http://thebigmamablog.com/4251/represent-with-some-tortilla-soup/#comments

Momee’s Boiled Vanilla Custard Ice Cream

12 eggs
3 ½ quarts milk
2 ½ cups sugar
3 T flour (not heaping, not level – in between)

Heat milk in double boiler* until steamy – do not boil.
Meanwhile, mix sugar and flour in one bowl and beat eggs in another bowl.
Add sugar and flour mixture to eggs and blend.
Add some of the warm milk to the sugar, flour and egg mixture and blend.
Then pour the mixture into the remaining milk and stir well.
Cook until coats wooden spoon, stirring constantly.
Chill overnight.

Fill churn, allowing for the addition of one large can of evaporated milk and several spoons of vanilla (the amount depends on your preference; do not use imitation vanilla flavoring).

*To make a large “double boiler”, use an 8-quart Dutch oven on a small round cake rack inside a larger Dutch oven (a turkey roaster has been used!) containing water.

The worst part of this recipe is that it makes more than the churn can hold, so someone (or several someones; it depends on how many are fighting over it) must eat the extra custard…such torture we endure for the cause!

Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen - Serves: 6 to 8

1 (8-ounce) package wild rice
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (10 3/4-ounce can) cream of mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar
Salt and pepper

Cook the rice according to package directions minus 1/4 cup water. Drain and cool.
Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tablespoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and cook the shrimp for 1 minute. Drain immediately and set aside.
Heat the butter in saucepan and saute the pepper and onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the rice, soup, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, shrimp and vegetables. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well. Spray a 9-inch square aluminum cake pan or an 11 by 7-inch glass casserole dish with vegetable spray. Place the mixture in the pan and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

http://therobertsonfamilytx.blogspot.com/2009/09/since-bikini-season-is-over.html

BooMama's Diptacular 2009

For hundreds of tailgate dips...click HERE and scroll down to Mr. Linky.

Want What You Have Granola Bars

Original recipe and suggested variations can be found HERE.

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, coconut, cinnamon, flour, chocolate chips and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Enjoy!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

http://smallnotebook.org/2009/07/10/homemade-chocolate-syrup/

No-Grill Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

(Like Cracker Barrel's)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
1 cup zesty Italian dressing
2 tsp lime juice
3 tsp honey

Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over. Seal and marinate for at least an hour.
Pour all ingredients into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and remaining marinade becomes thick and caramelized, about forty minutes. Coat each piece of chicken in marinade by rubbing it around on the bottom of the pan before removing it

Mary Ann's Green Beans

2 large cans of Allen's Italian style green beans
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. chopped garlic (or use garlic powder)
3/4 stick melted butter
2 T. low sodium soy sauce
5 or 6 pieces of microwavable bacon that has been heated in the microwave and crumbled
Rinse the beans thoroughly to get rid of the can taste and boil them in water for about 30 minutes. Mix all ingredients, place in casserole dish, and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Raspberry Gelato

Click the picture for the original recipe for this easy dessert!

a 12ish-oz. bag of frozen raspberries
1/3 cup of sugar (start with less and add if you worried about it being too sweet)
1/2 cup of heavy cream

Whir them all together in a food processor or blender until it's completely smooth. THAT'S. IT. And this feeds 4-6 people, depending how you interpret "portion size."
Depending on how frozen your berries are, you might have to whir a bit longer, but you can serve it immediately if you'd like. Or just pour the bright pink awesomeness into a container and throw it in the freezer for a couple of hours. For a lighter option, try plain yogurt instead of the cream.

Flour Tortillas

www.thefreshloaf.com/keyword/tortillas

Hasselback Potatoes


Homemade Greek Yogurt

Find the recipe for traditional and Greek yogurts HERE.

Kaybo's Chocolate Eclair Cake

2 packages French vanilla instant pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
8 ounces cool whip
Whole box graham crackers

Mix pudding and milk. Beat 2 minutes with blender. Add cool whip and mix. Layer a 9 x 13 x 2 in pan with graham crackers. Top with ½ of pudding mix. Repeat another layer of graham crackers. Top with remaining cool whip. Repeat a final layer of graham crackers. Make the following icing. Let the icing cool completely and pour over the top of graham crackers. Chill two hours. Can make a day ahead and it is even more delicious.

Icing
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter

Mix all together. Bring to a boil. Let cool completely before putting on cake..

Macaroni and Cheese

Paula Deen's macaroni and cheese recipe...

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 55 min Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Cut four chicken breasts into chunks and sauté in a bit of olive oil until done.

Combine chicken with two cans of cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup, 16 oz. sour cream, and about 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds and place in casserole dish.

Melt one stick of butter and crush one sleeve of Ritz crackers. Mix together and sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes and serve with rice.

Southwest Chicken with Corn and Black Bean Succotash

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili powder
salt
pepper
2 Tbsp regular olive oil or canola oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chopped SWEET onion such as Vidalia
1 red or orange pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb frozen corn, thawed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
2 sliced avocados

Season chicken breast liberally with chili powder, salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes/side until browned and internal temp is 160 degrees. Remove chicken from skillet and tent with foil. In the same skillet, add the 2nd Tbsp of oil and garlic over med-low heat. Cook for about 30 seconds until softened. Increase heat to med. and add the onions and peppers; cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add corn, beans, 1 tsp chili powder and the balsamic vinegar and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broth (or water) and parsley and heat through. Meanwhile, slice your avocados and your chicken if you choose to. To serve place the succotash on a platter and place the chicken and avocados on top. My family likes to eat this with warm flour tortillas.

Posted by Alisa

Broiled Asparagus

fresh asparagus
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the broiler and put the rack 4-6 inches below it.
Put asparagus in zip lock bag with small amount of olive oil and seasonings.
Arrange the asparagus in one layer on a shallow baking sheet. Spread them apart so there’s a little space between each spear. Broil, shaking the pan once or twice, until they’re tender and brown in spots, 8-10 minutes.

Green Chile Chicken

1/2 stick of butter
1 small onion, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 can chopped green chiles
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz.) box chopped spinach, cooked and drained well (Be sure to squeeze out extra water)
6 cups of cooked chicken, chopped
tortilla chips (enough to cover bottom of dish)
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated

In a saucepan, saute onions in butter until onions are soft. Add chiles, sour cream, soups, and cooked spinach. Simmer until well blended (about 5 minutes.)

Grease a 9 x 13 dish. Layer tortilla chips on bottom of dish. Cover chips with cooked chicken. Cover the chicken with chile/spinach mixture. Top with cheese. Cook uncovered @ 350 for 1 hour.

Serve with extra tortilla chips.

This is so easy and yummy. Enjoy!
Posted by Melanie @ This Ain't New York