A Giveaway

What a perfect way to kick off the holiday season! Cathy over at Mille Feur is having this giveaway! I think its the cutest thing ever! To enter, visit her blog for all the details.

White Chicken Chili

5 or 6 chicken breasts

1 t. cumin

1 t. lemon pepper

1/2 onion, chopped

2 t. minced garlic

2 cans shoepeg corn

2 small cans chopped green chilies

3 T. lime juice

ground red pepper to taste

2 cans undrained great northern beans

Cook chicken breasts in 3 c. water,1 t. cumin ,1 t. lemon pepper for about 30 minutes, until chicken is done. Remove chicken and cut up,then return to broth.

Saute onion,minced garlic and add to chicken. Add corn,chopped green chilies and lime juice and another teaspoon of cumin. You can even add more lemon pepper if wanted. Also add the red pepper, and beans. Let simmer.

Options to top with: Tortilla chips, salsa,Monterey Jack cheese

Taco Soup

This is one of our favorites!

1 1/2-2 lbs hamburger meat

1 onion chopped

1 pkg. Taco Seasoning

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix

2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes

2 cans beans( pinto,kidney or whatever you like)

1 can Rotel

2 cans hominy

1 can water

Cook onions with hamburger. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes

I often substitute the hamburger meat with chicken for a change.

Easter Bunny Cake

This is a fun bunny cake that my kids and I made together for Easter each year. This Easter, Ashley, Avery and I made one together. We wanted to start the tradition for Avery.


First you bake 2 round cakes and cut one into three sections as shown above
And place the pieces like this on a covered board or cookie sheet

Next, you put white icing on the cake. We just used the canned icing but homemade would be good also

Then the fun part. Sprinkle white coconut on the cake. We colored some pink for the ears and bowtie. We used jelly beans for the eyes and nose and twizzlers for the mouth and whiskers. We outlined the ears and bowtie with chocolate chips.

We colored some of the coconut green and placed around the cake as grass and sprinkled jelly beans around

Cabbage Soup

My co-worker,Pam shared this recipe with me and its really good!

1 head of cabbage

2 cans Ranch Style Beans

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 cans Rotel (mild)

8 oz. V-8

1-2 lbs. hamburger meat

onion

2 pkgs. Good Seasons Italian Seasoning Mix

Brown meat and onion. Add other ingrediants(do not drain anything). Add cabbage that has been cut up and simmer till cabbage is done. Delicious served with cornbread.

Semi-Homemade Salsa

sampling the salsa!

1 can Rotel

1 cantomatoes with onion and garlic

3-4 green onions,diced

1 handful fresh cilantro,chopped

1 small lime

1 teaspoon garlic slat

1 teaspoon of cumin

Depending on how chunky you want your salsa,you may want to run the cans of tomatoes thru a mini chopper. Add cans of tomatoes to choppped onions and cilantro. Add seasoning of garlic salt and cumin. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the salsa. Refrigerate for at least an hour.Serve and enjoy!

Quick & Easy Nacho Pie

Thanks to Tina at Mommy's Kitchen for this wonderful recipe!



1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can tomato sauce

3/4 cup water

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 tube crescent rolls

1 1/2 cup crushed doritos or taco chips

1 8oz sour cream

1 cup Kraft mexican cheese blend



Preheat oven to 350. In large skillet brown beef and onion over medium heat till done. Drain. Stir in tomato sauce,water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil and simer for 5-10 mins. if it is too thick add a little more water. Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles. Place in greased 9 inch pie plate,points facing towards middle. You might have to maeuver the triangles a bit at the end and turn some of them sideways,that ok as long as the pie plate is covered completely. Press onto bottom and up sides of plate to form crust. Seal perforations. Sprinkle 1 cup crushed doritos over crust. Top with meat. Spread sour cream over meat. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining 1/2 cup crushed doritos. bake 25-30 mins. or until cheese melts and crust is golden brown. Cool 10 mins. before serving.

Triple Layer Thin Mint Pie

Oh my gosh! It's that time of year again for Girl Scout cookies! My favorite cookie is Thin Mints. I found this recipe on the internet and cant wait to make it.



1 box Thin Mint cookies (32 cookies)
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups cold milk
2 packages (4-serving size each) Jell-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tub (12 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed, divided use

Remove 10 cookies and set aside.

Crush or process remaining cookies, then mix them with the butter. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add both boxes of pudding mix and beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.)

Spoon out 1 1/4 cup of pudding into another bowl and stir in peppermint extract. Pour peppermint pudding mixture over crust. To remaining pudding mix, add in 1 cup of whipped topping. Spread the pudding/whipped topping layer of the mint layer.

Chop remaining cookies and combine them with about 2 ½ cups (doesn’t have to be precise) whipped topping. Spread this mixture over the top. The pie might look kind of messy at this point, so clean up the edges.

Chill for 4 hours or until set

To garnish, place remaining whipped topping in a plastic zipper bag. Snip off a corner of the bag (about ½ inch up from corner) and squeeze whipped topping around sides decoratively.

To make thin zig-zags, pour COLD chocolate syrup into a small zipper bag. Snip a very, very tiny cut off the bottom corner and drizzle away!

Makes 8 servings

Easy Homemade Biscuits

serve with some homemade gravy and yum-o!!

2 c. self rising flour
1 1/2 c. whipping cream

Bake for 10 minutes at 500 degrees(yes, thats right, 500 degrees)
That's it!!

Patti's Potato soup

(will post a picture next time I make soup!)

5-6 large potatoes, peeled and cut up

1 onion,sliced

salt

pepper

6 T. butter

6 T. flour

6 c. milk

Salt,pepper and cook potatoes and onion in water until potatoes are tender. While potatoes are cooking, make the white sauce. Melt butter and stir in flour.Add a little more salt and pepper. Gradually add milk and stir until thickened. When potatoes are done, drain water.(I leave a little bit of water) Add the white sauce. Serve with cheese and crackers or cornbread

TEXAS STYLE LASAGNA

1 1/2-2 lbs. ground meat

1 pkg. Taco Seasoning

1 t. seasoned salt

1 can Rotel with chilies

16oz. cottage cheese,small curd

15 oz. tomato sauce

2 eggs,lightly beaten

12 corn tortillas,6 inch,cut in quarters

3-4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large skillet, cook meat over medium heat;drain. Add the seasoned salt,taco seasoning,Rotel and tomato sauce;reduce heat,simmer,uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
In a small bowl,combine cottage cheese and eggs. In a greased 13x9 baking dish, layer half of the meat sauce,half of the corn torillas,half of the cottage cheese mixture and half the Monterey Jack cheese.Repeat layers. Bake,uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. oreo cookies
1 8oz. cream cheese(room temp.)
white almond bark
chocolate almond bark

Break up a few oreos at a time and put in blender or food processor and blend until powder like. In mixer, mix the cream cheese to fluff it some. Add blended oreos to cream cheese and mix. Roll into walnut size balls and chill for one hour. Dip in melted white almond bark, then drizzle with chocolate almond bark.

Garlic Cheese Ball

8 oz. American Cheese,grated

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese(room temp.)

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1/4 t. garlic powder

Let cheese stand at room temperature. Mix all ingredients together. Form into two small rolls and roll in chili powder. Chill. Slice and serve on crackers.

Quick and Easy Casserole

You can make this quick, easy, delicious dish in 15 minutes! This recipe has been in my family for a long time.

1 lb. ground beef
chopped onion
1 can Spanish Rice
1 can Ranch Style Beans
1 c. grated cheese

Brown meat and onions. Season with salt, and a little chili powder. Drain. Mix in rice and ranch style beans. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Sometimes I make it in my cast iron skillet on top of the stove.

Halloween Candy Dish

Tastes like a PayDay candy bar

1 jar of dry roasted peanuts
1 bag of plain M&Ms
1 bag of candy corn
Mix together in a clear candy dish and enjoy!

Fresh 'N Easy Banana Pound Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
4 eggs(room temperature)
1/3 c. salad oil
1/2 c. water
1 1/3 c. (4 medium) mashed bananas
1 ( 3 3/4 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Mix until blended,then beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Turn batter into greased and lightly floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes,then turn out onto rack and cool completely. If desired,dust with confectioners sugar before serving.

Green Chili Enchiladas

1 small can Pet milk
1/2 onion(chopped)
1 package flour tortillas
1 pound hamburger meat
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can chopped green chilies
1 pound Velveeta cheese(grate 1/2)
1/2 package longhorn cheese(grated)
salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat and onion. Grate longhorn cheese and mix with meat and onions. Warm tortillas. Fill with meat mixture and roll. Place in dish side by side. Mix soup,milk,chilies and Velveeta in saucepan.(may want to add a little water & more velveeta to your liking). Cook slowly until cheese melts. Stir so cheese doesnt stick. Pour mixture over rolled tortillas. Cook in oven at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Cornbread Salad

I love to make this in the summer when there are fresh tomatoes

1 pkg. Mexican Cornbread
1 can chopped green chilies
1/4 c. chopped bell peppers
3 tomatoes
1/4 c. chopped green onions
2 cans pinto beans,drained
1 can corn, drained
3 c. grated cheese
1 c. mayonaise(not salad dressing)
8 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

Mix cornbread mix according to pkg. directions and add green chilies and bake. Let cool. Mix together bell pepper, tomatoes,onions,beans,corn and cheese in large bowl. In smaller bowl mix mayonaise, sour cream and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix. Crumble cornbread in bottom of pan and layer other ingrediants on top of cornbread. Refrigerate and serve.

Angel Food Cake with Pineapple Filling

I've made this cake several times. Its a great summer dessert.

1 pkg. Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 (20oz.) can crushed pineapple;in it's own juice,undrained
1 c. ( 4oz.) thawed cool whip
1 prepared angel food cake
berries on top

Mix Jello and pineapple with juice. Gently fold in cool whip. Cut cake into 3 layers. Top bottom layer with 1/3 of pineapple mixture. Repeat with each cake layer. Top with berries. Put in fridge for 1 hour.

Mexican Stack-Up

great for large parties!

Meat Sauce:
Brown & drain 4 lbs. hamburger meat with 3 large onions,chopped
Add:
2 cans (14 1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes,blended
2 cans ( 15 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cans ( 12 oz.) tomato puree
4 T. chili powder 2 t. cumin
1 t. garlic powder 6 t. salt
2 cans ranch style beans
Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Gather the following and have yoru guests "stack-up" their plates in the order listed:

3 pkgs. Fritos
1 pkg ( 14 oz.) cooked minute rice
Meat sauce
1 head lettuce,chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 lbs. grated cheese
2 large onions,chopped
1 can ( 4 1/2 oz.) chopped olives
1 c. pecans,chopped
1 pkg. coconut
2 jars picante sauce
1 jar sliced jalapenos

Serves 25 people

Easy Baked Beans

This is a very easy, delicious recipe. One of our former preacher's wife used to bring this to every potluck lunch we would have. It's now one of my favorite recipies.

2 cans pork-n-beans, don't drain
1 small onion,chopped
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. BBQ sauce
1 t. mustard

Mix in large bowl. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Pink Lemonade Pie

Another favorite recipe that my mother always made when I was growing up.

graham cracker crumbs
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 small can frozen pink lemonade
1 medium cool whip

Make graham cracker crust according to directions on box. Double for a 9x13.

Mix the eagle brand milk and frozen lemoade with a spoon. Fold in cool whip. I add a little red food coloring to give it more pink color. Pour into 9x13 pan that has graham cracker crust and refirgerate.

Could also make 2 pies using store bought crusts.