Jalapeno Poppers

12-15 jalapeno peppers - cut in half, seeded and remove membrane

8 oz. softened cream cheese
3 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese
5 strips bacon - cooked then cut in half lengthwise and then cut into thirds (6 pieces per strip) Combine cheeses, stuff pepper halves, top with bacon, grill 7-10 minutes.  Add a thin strip of pepper jack cheese to the top for extra goodness

additional alternatives
cream cheese/parmesan cheese topped with imitation crab
cream cheese/coconut topped with imitation crab
cream cheese/coconut topped with cinnamon carmelized almond bits and drizzled with chocolate sauce - This is oh oh so good even though it doesn't sound good.



Taco Salad

Taco Salad

1 lb ground beef

1/2 pkg taco seasoning
1/2 diced onion
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 diced tomato
1/2 head lettuce
1/2 pkg. Doritos (some spicy kind of flavor)
1/2 bottle Catalina salad dressing

Brown the ground beef. Add taco seasoning according to pkg instructions, cool. Drain and rinse kidney beans. Dice onion and tomato. Grate cheese. Mix all above ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve. Chop lettuce. Right before serving, crunch up the chips and add along with the chopped lettuce and dressing. Mix and serve immediately. We don’t like it the next day because the chips and lettuce get soggy.

Salsa

I know there aren't any measurements on this recipe, but that is because I have no idea how much of everything is in it.  I just keep chopping and adding and tasting until it tastes right.  Sorry!

1 can petite diced tomatoes

chopped onion

chopped jalapenos

chopped fresh cilantro

minced garlic

salt

black pepper

corn tortilla chips for dipping

Officer Howell's French Fries

Nothing puts a smile on my boy’s faces faster than telling them we are going to have Officer Howell’s French Fries along with our hamburgers. He made them all the time for them at Scout Camp and Youth Conference, so they made me find out his “secret” ingredient so I could make them at home. We usually go through 10-15 potatoes whenever we make them because they love them so much.

Wash potatoes, peel (if desired), slice into fries with my fancy schmancy fry maker Sean got me for Christmas last year, deep fry in Canola oil, drain and sprinkle with the SECRET Cavendar’s Greek Seasoning. YUM!
NOTE: They also love baked potatoes rubbed with butter mixed with Cavendar’s seasoning and baked in the oven without foil.
Yummy, crispy peelings are the best!

Party Mix

4 c. each wheat, rice and corn Chex
4 c. Cheerios
3/4 c. butter
2 1/2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 1/2 c. mixed nuts
2 1/2 c. pretzels
In saucepan, melt butter. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic & onion powder. In large bowl, measure out cereals & add nuts. Pour butter mixture over & stir to coat evenly. Preheat oven to 250. Spread mixture on cookie sheets. Bake 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Add pretzels after baked. Store in airtight container.

Sweet Styrofoam

1 1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. white Karo syrup
1 1/2 T water
15 oz. pkg Corn Pops
In a medium saucepan, bring everything but the corn puffs to a boil for 2-3 minutes. If you like it crunchier, boil for 3-4 minutes. Pour Corn Pops into a large bowl. Pour cooked mixture over and stir well with rubber scraper. Cool and break apart.
 
My kids call these Styrofoam, the person I got the recipe from calls them Corn Puff Treats, my sister calls them Ghost Farts.  You can call them whatever you want.

Italian Pasta Salad

Italian Pasta Salad

- 16 oz pkg pasta (any kind)

- 1 head fresh broccoli - chopped
- 1 c. chopped pepperoni slices
- 1 c. chopped Canadian bacon slices or chopped ham
- 1 c. chopped cheddar cheese
- 16 oz bottle Italian dressing
- 1/2 bottle Salad Supreme
- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped tomatoes, red onion and green peppers if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse with cool water and drain.  Chop up broccoli flowerettes.  Chop pepperoni and Canadian bacon slices into fourths.  Chop cheese into small cubes.  Mix everything together in a large bowl.  Cover and refirgerate 3-4 hours or overnight before serving.  This is still yummy the 2nd day.  Makes a HUGE salad.

Cherry Bars

Cherry Bars - recipe from my friend Kara Cook

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar maraschino cherry juice
Cream sugar and butter. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt, then cherries. Chill for at least 1 hour. Pat dough into a lightly greased 15″ x 10″ jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 15- 18 minutes. Cool completely and drizzle with glaze. To make glaze, combine powdered sugar and enough cherry juice till you get the right consistency.–Make sure you chill the dough, or you will make a sticky mess trying to spread it in the pan.