Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 jalapeno peppers. seeded and minced

4 strips of bacon, diced and cooked

6 (6 oz.) boneless chicken breast halves

1 c. seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 c. vegetable oil

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy

Drain on paper towels

Stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon and jalapenos in a small bowl

Cut a pocket horizontally through the thickest side of the chicken breast and fill with 1/6 of the cheese mixture.  Secure with toothpicks

Roll the chicken breasts in bread crumbs to coat.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat.

Cook chicken until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear about 8 minutes per side.  If your chicken breasts are thick, they can be finished in a 350 degree oven.

Brownie Fruit Pizza

Mix brownies according to package directions and bake on a 12” pizza pan for 18-20 minutes.  Cool.  Mix 1 pkg softened cream cheese, 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until well blended. Spread on brownie base.  Chill.  Rinse 1 c. blueberries and 1 c. raspberries.  Remove stems and slice 1 c. strawberries.  Rinse.  Let drain and pat dry.  Stir in 1 c. apple jelly with the fruit right before serving and spread over top of cream cheese mixture.  Serve immediately.

Brazilian Limeade

4 limes
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 T. sweetened condensed milk
Mix cold water and sugar and chill until ready to use.  Wash limes thoroughly with soapy water and rinse.  The ends off and then cut each lime into 8ths.  Place 1/2 the limes in your blender an add 1/2 of the sugar water.  Place lid on blender and pulse 5 times.  Place fine mesh strainer over a pitcher and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher.  Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher.  Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.  Add sweetened condensed milk.  Mix well and serve immediately over lots of ice.

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.

Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad

1 chicken breast - boiled, cooled and shredded

16 oz pkg pasta - cook according to package directions
1/2 c. craisins
2-3 oz. cheddar cheese - cut in small cubes
2 green onions - chopped
1 stalk celery - finely chopped
equal parts of mayonnaise and ranch dressing (approx 1/2 c. each)
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients, stir in equal parts of the dressings until the consistency you like your salad. Chill. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Grandma's Hot Christmas Punch

This recipe is from Sean's mom.  SO yummy for Christmas morning or any cold day when you need a hot yummy drink.

Grandma's Hot Christmas Punch

22 c. water

2 1/2 c. sugar
12 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
2 c. pineapple juice
1/3 c. lemon juice
12 cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
Combine in large pan. Simmer on low for a few hours before serving. Serve hot.

Join the party http://www.creationsbykara.com/2011/01/look-what-i-made-1-5-2011.html

Potato Cheese Soup

Peel 6-8 potatoes and chop into 1” pieces.  Place in large soup pan and cover with water.  Chop 1/2 onion and add to potatoes.  Boil until potatoes are tender.  Drain.  In your pan, melt 1/2 stick butter.  Add 1/3 c. flour and stir to make rue over medium heat.  Add 1 pint of cream. Put your potatoes and onions back in pan and add enough milk to cover.  Add 1 tsp chicken bullion, 1 tsp parsley flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low heat until thickened.  Top with bacon bits, chopped green onions and grated cheese.

Blueberry Muffins

1/2 c. milk (warmed)

1/4 c. butter (melted)

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. frozen or fresh blueberries

Mix all ingredients except blueberries with a fork until blended. Carefully fold in blueberries.
Bake in a greased muffin tin or paper lined muffin tin
at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until don.
Makes 12 muffins.
Recipe from Becky Nielson

He-Man Chili

Simmer 2 lbs of stew meat in your crock pot on high for 2-3 hours. (salt and pepper to taste)

Add:
3 lg. cans Hunts chili beans
1 diced onion
2 cans diced green chiles
1 can tomato juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 T. chili powder
Stir together and let simmer for another 4-5 hours. Serve with grated cheese.

Fresh Peach Pie - or uncooked Cheesecake!

This recipe is from my friend Anne

graham cracker pie crust

8 oz cool whip
8 oz cream cheese - softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
sliced fresh peaches
peach glaze
Mix Cool Whip, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar with mixer. Pour into crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 3-4 hours minimum.   You can also use sliced strawberries and strawberry glaze or any canned pie filling. My boys like it without fruit, drizzled with chocolate or caramel sauce.

French Dipt Sandwiches

French Dipt Sandwiches

1 sirloin or cross rib roast

1 (10 3/4 oz) can beef consomme soup

1 pkg au jus mix

1 pkg dry italian dressing mix

1 soup can of water

Mix ingredients and pour over roast in a crock pot. Cook all day. Shred the meat and put on buns. Use the juice for the au jus. We like to add  provolone cheese to our sandwiches.

Pudding Cookies

This recipe is from one of my friends Judy

Pudding Cookies

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. softened butter

1/4 c. white sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 sm pkg instant vanilla pudding

1 pkg chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients.  Cream butter, sugars, pudding mix, vanilla and eggs until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 375.

Variations - vanilla pudding and chocolate chips, chocolate pudding and chocolate chips, chocolate pudding and white chips, chocolae pudding and peanut butter chips, butterscotch pudding and peanut butter chips, lemon pudding and white chips, pistacio pudding and white chips, and any other combination you want to try.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

1 1/4 c. white Karo syrup

1 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
5 c. rice cereal
Heat syrup and sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and mix in peanut butter and vainlla. Pour over cereal, Mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Pour 12 oz bag of chocolate chips on top and cover with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes. Chips will soften. Spread over top with
rubber spatula. Let cool. Cut into
SMALL squares.

You can use smooth peanut butter instead of crunchy