Here you’ll find a smorgasbord of recipes from our readers! 🙂

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Breads

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread
by Crystal

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter
2-2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup water
3-1/3 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
2/3 cup nuts (small pieces)
2/3 cup raisins (I use more than that as we love raisins.)

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs, pumpkin, and water.

Mix flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices – and then add to pumpkin mixture.

Stir in nuts and raisins.

Pour into two greased loaf pans (2 qt. size)

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Irish Bread

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter/shortening
2/3 cup raisins, brown or golden or mixed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 cup milk or buttermilk

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work the shortening into the flour until the consistency is the same as that of small peas. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds and mix to distribute evenly. Gradually stir in the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, using only enough to allow the dough to come together. Knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a round loaf and place in a greased baking pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack.

Pumpkin Spice Bread (Makes 3 Mini Loaves)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin (or 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Cinnamon Sugar Glaze (below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottoms of 3 miniature (5-inch by 3-inch) loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil and water until well combined. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in raisins. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle with Cinnamon Sugar Glaze. Makes 3 miniature loaves.

Cinnamon Sugar Glaze
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Stir in more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until of drizzling consistency.

Desserts

S’mores (without a campfire!)
By Kelly Ann

Ingredients:
2/3 cup of corn syrup
2 tbs butter
1 pkg chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 cups golden grahams cereal
3 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:
Butter 13×9 pan
Heat syrup, butter, and chocolate to boiling
Add vanilla
Pour over cereal and fold in mini marshmallows
Let stand till firm at least 1 hr.

Mixed Fruit “Lasagna”
By Kelly Ann

Ingredients

•1 pkg (3.5oz) Instant vanilla pudding & pie filling
•1 cup whipped dessert topping
•2 cans (15-1/4 oz. each) DEL MONTE® Fruit Cocktail, , drained
•4 oz granola
•½ cup raspberry or strawberry jam

Directions
Prepare pudding according to package directions. Fold dessert topping into pudding. Layer fruit, pudding mixture, granola and jam in tall glass. Repeat layers. Enjoy!

Crockpot Cherry Pie
By Clenna (from Annie’s Home)

•1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
•2/3 cup brown sugar
•1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
•1/2 cup flour
•1 teaspoon vanilla
•1/3 cup butter, softened

Lightly butter a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker/Crock Pot. Place cherry pie filling in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Combine dry ingredients with vanilla and mix well; cut in butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Sprinkle crumbs over the cherry pie filling. Cook for 5 hours on low.

Baked Pears
by Nancy

Ingredients
4 pears cut in halves and cored
4 tablespoons butter, lightly melted
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place pear halves in baking dish. Brush them generously with butter.
3. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture on top of pear halves.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
Perfect!

Swedish Cinnamon Cookies
by Nancy

1 cup margarine or butter
1 cup of sugar
1 TBSP molasses
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1 TBSP cinnamon
Sugar to coat cookies b4 baking

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the molasses and mix well.

In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the egg yolk, and stir into creamed mixture.

Add the flour and cinnamon and mix well.

Roll the dough into small balls and drop (5 or 6 of them at a time) into a bowl of sugar.

Shake them around to coat and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

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1 – 2 – 3 STEP CHOCOLATE
by Lana

1 stick butter
3 1/2 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. water
1/2 c. shortening
Put in pan and bring to a boil.
STEP 2:
Sift 2 cups flour. Add 2 cups sugar; mix well. Pour step 1 in step 2.
STEP 3:
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk
Mix together in separate bowl. Add step 3 to step 1 and 2. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. After cake has been baking for 15 minutes start preparing icing.
ICING:
1 stick butter
3 1/2 tbsp. cocoa
1/3 c. milk
Bring this to boil, add: 1 box powdered sugar 3/4 c. pecans
Ice cake while hot in pan.

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Helen’s Apple Squares

1 cup flour
2 tbs baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4c chopped walnuts
3 large apples (diced)
brown sugar to sprinkle on top

Mix together first 8 ingredients and
Pour into a greased 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
Sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
Cool and cut into squares.

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Ida’s Applesauce Raisin Cookies
by Crystal

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 cup of chopped or whole raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
¼ tsp salt

Sift flour with baking powder, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

Combine butter with sugar until creamy, then add the egg.

Next add flour mixture and applesauce alternately.

Add raisins and nuts.

Drop from a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375º for 8-10 minutes.

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Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
by Nancy

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tblsp grated orange peel
3/4 cup orange juice
1 egg
1 cup cranberries, chopped (I just cut in half and I do not defrost before cutting)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 and grease bottom of a 9×5×3 loaf pan.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda; stir in butter until mixture is crumbly.

Stir in orange peel, orange juice and egg until moistened; stir in cranberries and nuts.

Spread in pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes; until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Fruit Salad
by Carolyn S.

This is my favorite dessert. so simple, delicious and it is good for you.

sectionized oranges (just the meat)

crushed pineapple

sliced bananas

sugar or splenda to taste

My kids and husband love it.

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Sauces, Dips, and Dressings

Russian Dressing
by SpamGirl

Ingredients:
– 1c mayonnaise
– the package of onion soup from the recipe (throw in some dried onions if you like it extra oniony!)
– 1t horseradish (the kind in the jar, heh)
– 1t Worcestershire sauce (I love the stuff so I doubled it when I made it, you can add more to taste)
– 1/2t dried parsley (optional, I found I didn’t even taste it)
– 2T chili sauce
– 2T ketchup
Instructions:
Mix it all together, I’d recommend letting it sit overnight for the dried ingredients to pick up the flavours and rehydrate.
You can fiddle with the chili sauce to ketchup ratio as you wish. If you’d like it even sweeter, I’d recommend adding molasses until it gets to your desired sweetness.

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Summer Sauce for Hot Dogs
by Danielle

Something we really like in the summer is just a simple thing that makes hot dogs a little different and more interesting. We carmelize onions in a sauce pan and then add barbecue sauce to them. We just let it simmer for a few minutes so the sauce is nice and warm and we drizzle it on our hot dogs like you would chili on a chili dog. It’s just a nice little break from the typical hot dogs with the usual condiments that summer barbecues are full of!

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Guacamole Black Bean & Corn Dip
by D’ana Downing

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 small onion (finely diced)
1 firm tomato (finely diced)
1/2 lime
Red pepper flakes (optional for added SPICE!)
Sour cream (to garnish, if desired)
Tortilla Chips (to serve)
Instructions:
In medium bowl, pit and scoop out avocado from skin. Cut into small cubes, and mash slightly to smooth consistency. Add black beans, corn, onion, tomato, and garlic – and mix. Squeeze lime juice over mixture. Add a dollop of sour cream to top to serve with tortilla chips.
OPTIONAL – to add a little SPICE sprinkle some red pepper flakes into mixture (to your taste).

My favorite summer recipe is anything with a MEXICAN flair – add a margarita and voila! ENJOY!

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What’s for Dinner (or Lunch)?

Crock Pot Lasagna
by Kelly Ann

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped (I leave this out because my famiy hates onions)
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 large jar spaghetti sauce (such as Ragu in the 1 lb. 10 ounce jar)
1 package (8 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb. ricotta cheese (I have used cottage cheese too)
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain off any grease.
Add the spaghetti sauce into the browned meat mixture. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk, and egg. Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all the cheeses are combined.
Grease the slow cooker/Crock Pot with some vegetable shortening on the bottom and sides.
Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that (break or cut them if needed). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.

Cranberry Chicken
by Clenna

Ingredients
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts
1 8 oz. bottle of Catalina Dressing
1 package dry onion soup mix
1- 1 lb can whole berry cranberry sauce

Instructions
Mix together dressing, onion soup mix and cranberry sauce. Place chicken with cranberry sauce mixture in greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees hour 1 to 1 ½ hours uncovered. Or place in the Crock Pot on low for 8 hours.

Clenna’s Southwestern Pork Tenderloin
*Crock Pot Style* (8-servings)

1 ½ c seeded and chopped green bell pepper
2 c chopped onion
1 (16 oz) frozen corn or 1 can corn
1 (16 ox) mild, medium or spicey salsa
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt and pepper
2 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat, cut up

Stir together pepper, onion corn, salsa and herbs in slow cooker.
Place pork on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours .

Serve over noodles or rice.

Polish Wedding Noodles
by Carol

OK I am polish 100 per cent. Here is the coveted recipe for Polish Wedding Noodles. Sorry I don’t measure when I cook.

1 pak Kluski Noodles
1 big glob of butter
Salt and Pepper
pot of boiling water
3 cans of chicken broth

Bring a dutch oven size pot of water and the broth and butter to a boil.

Add the noodles and lower the heat.

When the broth boils out so that the noodles are just a little saucy, salt and pepper to taste.

They’re done!!

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“La-Ziti” (A Quick Recipe for Baked Ziti)
by Crystal

Ingredients:

¾ pound ziti (This amount gives you a nice full 9 x 13 pan.)

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese

4 cups (16-ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (You will have leftover cheese.)

2lbs 13oz. spaghetti sauce (I buy an extra large jar to be sure to have enough)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook ziti until just barely tender and then drain thoroughly!

Gently mix the ricotta cheese and 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese with the cooked ziti. (I do this in the same pan that I used to cook the ziti.)

Generously cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan with spaghetti sauce.

Spoon ziti mixture into pan; cover it with remaining spaghetti sauce.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then finally place a layer of mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes – or until cheese melts and is light golden brown.

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Chicken Alfredo
by Lauren C

A quick easy recipe is chicken alfredo.

Cut up chicken breast and brown in a pan with a bit of oil.

Start cooking noodle of choice.

Take 1 pt. heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 1 stick of butter and cook over medium heat.

Add 1 cup parmesan cheese and 1 package of cream cheese to thicken.

Throw everything together and enjoy!

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Beef Cups
by Melinda

3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
1 container refrigerated biscuits (like grands or something)

Preheat over to 400 degrees

You brown up the beef, drain off all the fat. Add the BBQ sauce and brown sugar to the ground beef, mix all together.

Take a jumbo muffin pan, coat with cooking spray, put a refrigerated biscuit in each cup and stretch the dough up the sides a bit to make a cup.

Spoon beef mixture into cups.

Sprinkle with the cheese, pop in oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden

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Soft Chicken Tacos
by Amander

I love the crock pot and this easy recipe has saved me many times.

4-5 chicken breasts

1 large jar of salsa

2 cups sour cream

Put the chicken breasts and salsa in the crock pot and let cook for several hours.

Shred.

Add sour cream and let heat up again.

Serve as tacos or nachos. SO good!

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Apple/Dijon Pork Chops
by Lo

1 tbsp olive oil
4 boneless pork chops, 1/2 in. thick
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dijon
1 apple, cut into small chunks

Heat oil in skillet (med. heat)
Cook pork chops for 4 minutes (until browned on both sides)
Stir in everything else
Boil, Reduce heat, Simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes or until sauce thickens.

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Crescent Roll Chicken – quick, easy, and a family favorite!
By Suzanne

What you need:
boneless chicken strips (or breasts) – the number depends on the amount you are making!
crescent rolls (i’ve used pillsbury and the generic – either work great)
cream of mushroom soup (my husband does not like mushrooms, so sometimes i get cream of chicken – it’s just as good!)
shredded cheese (any type!)

preheat oven to 425
boil chicken
cut chicken into desired sizes
wrap chicken in crescent rolls (1 piece/crescent roll)
place in baking dish
dilute cream of mushroom soup (i use a big stadium cup and fill it almost to the top)
pour soup over crescent rolls
bake until the rolls look like they are done
pull dish out and sprinkle generously with cheese
bake just a few more minutes
it’s so good!

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Julie’s Taco/Enchilada meat recipe
(to use on Julie’s Taco Pizza – recipe follows)

Chopped onion, about a quarter of a large one

Garlic, 2-3 cloves chopped

Cook in oil for a bit and add some of the spices below and cook a little longer and then add hamburger, maybe half a pound, smash it up pretty good and then add full measure of spices below.

Sprinkle next 3 seasonings over top of meat…probably about a half teaspoon or so.

Pappy’s seasoning

Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley (I’m told via family taste tests in Fresno no other brand is as good)

Freshly ground black pepper

Heaping teaspoon (like you use for coffee, not for baking measurement) of the following 3 spices:
Cumin
Paprika (NOT smoked)
Chili powder (pasilla chili powder in the little bags from Foodmaxx’s Mexican food area is my fave) I don’t recommend their bagged California chili powder as that is what you get in any jar of chili powder you buy. As soon as I opened the bag the aroma was familiar. There is also a New Mexico flavor that is a little different than California, but NOTHING smells as yummy and sweet as the pasilla.

Let cook a few minutes and then add about half a cup of tomato sauce…you don’t want the meat too wet.

Then just stir on occasion until liquid reduces to a consistency you like.

Julie’s Taco Pizza

(Use with Julie’s Taco/Enchilada meat recipe shown just above)

Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough (or yours or a fave boxed mix)…make it thin and top with the following layers:
1. Taco sauce and beans
2. Cooked meat & onion
3. Cheese, olives and tomatoes
And most importantly, crushed tortilla chips or flavored taco chips on top! DON’T forget them…they MAKE it!
Cook in oven according to pizza dough instructions.
4. After you remove from the oven, top with lettuce and sour cream
5. And add more taco sauce on top if you like.

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HomeStyle Chicken and Rice Casserole
by Joy

INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups small broccoli florets
• 4 (2-1/2 lbs.) bone-in/boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Fancy Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Baking Time: 1 hour
• Serves: 4
1. Combine rice, broth, onion and broccoli in 11×7-inch baking pan. Place chicken over rice mixture. Combine paprika, thyme, garlic and salt in small bowl; sprinkle over chicken.
2. Cover with foil; bake in preheated 375°F oven 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes more or until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
3. Sprinkle chicken and rice with cheese. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

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Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (seems long but sooooo isn’t!)
by Theo

1 (1-ounce) slice whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
4 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 2 minutes). Add cheeses; stir until melted.
Add spinach and macaroni to cheese sauce, stirring until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until bubbly.

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Chicken Tostadas
by Nicole

Ingredients
6 tostada shells (6 inches in diameter)
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 1/2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup picante sauce
1 medium avocado
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
3 cups shredded lettuce
Lemon juice
Sour cream and salsa, if desired
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Knives
Sauce pan
Heat tostada shells as directed on package. Heat beans in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Mix chicken and 1 cup salsa in 2-quart saucepan; heat until hot. Peel avocado and cut lengthwise into slices; sprinkle with lemon juice. Spread beans and chicken mixture over tostada shells. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with tomatoes, avocado and lettuce. Serve with sour cream and additional salsa. Serves 6.
Its soooo good!! =)

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Black Bean Wrap
By Sandi

I just warm a tortilla in a pan, then remove it.

Next I use a little cooking spray to sauté:

1/4 c. black beans
1/3 c. frozen corn
chopped onion
garlic
sprinkle with pepper and cumin to taste.

Then I wrap this mixture in the tortilla with sliced tomato and avacado

~MMMMM!

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Salsa Soup
by Janet

16oz salsa
2C chicken broth
2C cooked shredded chicken or turkey
2 tortillas
1 avocado diced
cilantro for garnish
Heat salsa and chicken broth for 5 mins. While salsa is cooking, place tortillas in sm amnt of oil to get crispy. Remove tortilla and cut into slices. Put soup in bowls, add the strips of tortilla to the soup, top with avocado, garnish with cilantro, can also top with ched cheese and sr cream. Quick, good, and healthy.

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole
by Erin

This is the quickest and easiest (and most delicious) recipe that I’ve made recently.
Ingredients:
Boneless Chicken Tenders, cut into cubes
A can of diced tomatoes
A can of stewed tomatoes
Brown Rice
Shredded Cheese
Can of corn
Enchilada Sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Cook the chicken in a frying pan until cooked fully through. In a glass casserole dish, layer the can of corn, diced tomatoes, chicken, shredded cheese, stewed tomatoes, brown rice, a little more cheese if you wish, and top it all off with enchilada sauce. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes! The chicken is SO tender and it’s absolutely delicious! Great for lunch the next day too!

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Quick and Easy!

Rice with Kale
by Diane

Here’s my quick recipe for a stirfry dish:

Make a good batch of white or brown rice.

Take a large bunch of organic kale, wash and tear from thick stems.

Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add about 4 – 6 elephant garlic cloves, chopped or sliced.
Before they even start to brown, throw in the kale (watch out – the water in the leaves spits in all that hot oil.)

Stirfry until just soft.

Serve on the rice with soy sauce and toasted sesame.

High in calcium, cheap, really healthy! Sesame lowers cholesterol too. Oh! And there’s protein. And iron…. and….

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Pistachio Pudding
By Judy

My favorite quick recipe is pistachio pudding, cool whip and marshmallows. My
family makes me make that every get together and it only takes a few minutes.

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Favorite Rice
By Lo

It’s really simple – just replace the water with a can of cream of mushroom soup

Then add the rice.

It makes more of a risotto.

Quick, easy, and very tasty!

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Tomato Soup
By Marie

32 oz tomato soup (not condensed)

1/4 cup water

6 oz dry pasta (elbows or such)

12 mini meatballs (frozen kind)

Mix together in a pot.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 min until pasta is done.

Quick and easy!

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Amazing Brownies
by Misty

Take a box of brownie mix and throw in anything:
candy
marshmallows
chocolate chips
fruits…
sooo yummy!!

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Quick Meal
by Kelli

This one goes back to my college days but still tastes great and is VERY easy.

Make up a package of Lipton Butter Noodles (or any other brand). These can be made in a microwave or stovetop.

Heat up a can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew

Stir in your butter noodles, and voila! You have a dinner fit for any college student or…busy Mom!

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Lisa’s Mac and Cheese

A quick recipe I make for my daughter is a doctored up version of mac & cheese: Cook 1/2 box of fusili pasta per directions.
Cook 2 cups of frozen peas.
Slice 20 slices of pepperoni into thin strips.
Drain pasta and return to pot.
Add peas, pepperoni, 1/2 c. parmesian cheese, 1/4 c. milk and 2 Tbsp of butter.
Mix briefly over low heat. And serve!

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Quick Salad
by Gina

A quick recipe? I eat a lot of salads.
I use the packaged variety lettuces and these days, there are even small containers of mixed diced veggies to throw in.

I usually have boiled eggs on hand and I also buy small packages of diced ham.

I can throw a large salad together in 5 minutes and while I’m doing that, toast some frozen garlic bread.

That’s my whole meal!

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Tried and True Spaghetti
by Paula

If I’m in a pinch for a meal I usually just stick with tried and true spaghetti.

I boil noodles, brown a pound of burger, dump in a bottle of ragu, and slap some garlic on buttered toast.

My family likes it and it’s quick and simple.

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Summer Recipes

Here’s a nice selection of summery recipes sent in by the fabulous readers of this blog! Scroll through them for some tasty suggestions on what to make when you’re hot, tired, and fresh out of ideas! 🙂

Carol’s Summer Rice Dish
2 cups cooked rice
1 can of diced (ready for chili) tomatoes, drained
diced green pepper, I like lots so use what you like
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of pitted black olives, sliced
Just toss it all together and VaLa!
~Carol

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Classic Spanish Sangria
(let the fruit sit for quite a while)
INGREDIENTS
1 lemon
1 lime
1 orange
1 1/2 cups rum
1/2 cup white sugar
1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry red wine
1 cup orange juice
DIRECTIONS
Have the fruit, rum, wine, and orange juice well chilled. Slice the lemon, lime and orange into thin rounds and place in a large glass pitcher. Pour in the rum and sugar. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours to develop the flavors.
When ready to serve, crush the fruit lightly with a wooden spoon and stir in the wine and orange juice. Adjust sweetness to taste.
allrecipes.com
~DebbieKL

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Mozzarella Capriese
I love this summer recipe. It’s so light and delicious with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil!
Ingredients:
a fresh tomato
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. fresh mozzarella
1 oz ext. virgin olive oil
6 leaves of fresh basil

Slice tomato and mozzarella into six slices each.
Arrange in a circle alternating cheese, tomato and basil.
Top with drizzled oil, salt and pepper.
~Sue S.

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Key Lime Pie
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 sixteen ounce package sugar-free lime gelatin
1/4 c boiling water
1 eight ounce container fat-free whipped topping
2 six ounce containers key lime yogurt
1. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water
2. Stir in yogurt with wire whisk.
3. Fold in whipped topping with wooden spoon.
4. Spread in curst
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours
This along with some grilled hamburgers and corn on the cob makes you feel like summer!
~Beth

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Tabouleh
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
1 ¼ c water
1 c bulgur
¼ c lemon juice
¼ c olive oil
4 slices red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 ½ tbsp parsley
1 ½ tbsp mint
Instructions:
1. Boil water, turn off heat, add bulgur, take off heat and sit 20-30 minutes.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, let sit in fridge overnight.
~spamgirl

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Pecan Pumpkin Dessert
Ingredients:
2 cans ( 15 oz. each ) pumpkin
1 can ( 12 oz. ) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. DRY cake mix
1 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Frosting
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large Cool Whip
Preparation:
Line a 9 x 13? pan with wax paper. Spray with cooking oil spray, set aside.
Combine pumpkin, milk, sugar, beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with DRY cake mix. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with pecans.
Bake in 350* for 1 hour or til golden brown. COOL COMPLETELY in pan.
Invert onto a platter or cookie sheet. Carefully remove the wax paper.
In bowl, cream the cheese, conf. sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spread on the dessert. Keep refrigerated.
Total Time 1hr 15 min Makes 15 servings
Notes:
This is very good!
~Cindi

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Summer Salad
I love to make a salad – using lettuce, spinach, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and shredded carrots. It’s very refreshing.
~Clenna

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Sarah’s Waldorf Salad
One of my favorite recipes for summer is something I call Waldorf Salad; although it isn’t your typical old fashioned waldorf.
You can use canned fruit from your pantry if you don’t have any fresh, which makes it super easy. Pretty much everything is optional or exchangeable.
For example, if you don’t like the chemicals in cool whip you can make real whipped cream and use that instead.
1 large container of cool whip
1 small bag of mini marshmallows
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
5 sticks finely chopped celery
3 finely chopped apples
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 large can of fruit cocktail (I discard the grapes…gushy)
2 cups fresh washed seedless grapes (red or green)
Marashino or fresh cherries for garnish.
Combine all your fruit in a bowl. And coconut and nuts. Mix in cream/whip and marshmallows. Chill for about an hour. You can also chill everything prior then you don’t have to wait. Sprinkle with cherries.
Lasts quite a few days and travels well to picnics.
Enjoy!
~Sarah

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Judy’s Pasta Salad
I love the summer salad using spaghetti, cucumbers, tomatoes, italian dressing and Salad Supreme.
Its so good!
~Judy

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Barbecue Burgers
I love hamburgers on the barbeque during the summer, and I recently found a tip that is helpful. When you’re making the patties, throw some ice chips into the meat and mix together. The ice will melt while they’re cooking on the grill, which makes a more moist and tender burger! So that’s a pretty easy recipe, just hamburger meat, and ice! Sometimes I throw in half a packet of dry onion soup mix just to add a kick!
~Debbie Perkins

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Summer Breakfast
Great summer time breakfast or snack recipe, I just created:
low fat Vanilla Yogurt
fresh berries or other fresh fruit
Kellogg’s All Bran cereal
walnuts (or your favorite nut)
flax seed.
Mix it all together and enjoy. It’s very yummy and healthy!!!!
~Kim

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Hot Fudge Pudding Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream
It’s hot here in texas, so my idea of a summer treat is anything with ice cream. it’s more of dessert than a meal, but i’m a college student, so ice cream and cake makes sense for me as breakfast. it’s a hot fudge pudding cake with a side of vanilla ice cream. not my own recipe, so it’s actually good.
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/4 cups hot water
combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. stir in milk, butter and vanilla, then beat. pour that into a 9? square baking pan. stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle mixture on top. pour hot water on top (don’t stir). bake 35-40 minutes at 350F. serve with vanilla ice cream.
~Bonny

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Chicken Enchilada Soup
Soup:
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (white or dark)
* 1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
* 1 cup green enchilada sauce
* 1/4 cup onion, chopped
* 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/2 cup stewed tomatoes, chopped
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 dash cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 4 tablespoons white flour
Garnish
* cheddar cheese, shredded
* pico de gallo, with cilantro
* sour cream
* tortilla chips, crushed
Directions:
1. Soup: Pour all ingredients except chicken, sour cream and flour into a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Mix Flour and Water to make a pour-able paste.
3. Add flour water mixture to soup while stirring constantly.
4. Add more flour/water mix if it is not the consistency you desire.
5. Stir until it thickens.
6. Reduce heat.
7. Add Chicken and Sour Cream.
8. Mix Gently.
9. Ladle into bowls and add garnish on top.
(http://www.recipezaar.com/Thick-and-Tasty-Chicken-Tortilla-Enchilada-Soup-233350)
~Bella

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Swati’s Summer Salad
Chop Spanish red onions
-Chop water chestnuts
-Chop fresh herbs, basil, chives and parcel
-Chop a red pepper
-Chop apple pieces.
and then add all chopped items into the rice bowl.
*While your chopping and preparing the salad
ingredients, roast the red pepper on a BBQ for
15-20 minutes
~Swati

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Easy Tiramisu
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) ladyfingers, split, divided
1/2 cup freshly brewed strong MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee
1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 tsp. vanilla, divided
1 container (15 oz.) POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
ARRANGE half of the ladyfingers on bottom of 12×8-inch dish. Mix coffee, 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and 1 tsp. of the vanilla; brush half of the coffee mixture onto ladyfingers in dish.
BEAT ricotta cheese, remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping.
SPOON half of the ricotta cheese mixture over ladyfingers in dish; top with remaining ladyfingers. Brush with remaining coffee mixture; top with remaining ricotta cheese mixture. Sift cocoa over top of dessert. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
~Tricia Z

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Shelley C.’s Tip to Vary Summer Meals
When the temps go high for many days, and we are tired of the cold suppers, I will cook a turkey in the grill and have meat for many meals.. cold and hot. It brings a needed change to hotdogs/hamburgs, sandwiches, and salads over and over again….
~Shelley C.

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Ideas for Summer Grilling
We love grilling in the summer – fish, steak, chicken…it’s all so yummy on the grill! It’s nice to mix a meat with ramen noodles for a great stir fry! The variations are endless! If I do steak, I usually soak the noodles in water for about ten minutes, then toss in a pan with olive oil, bell peppers, onions and broccoli. Then I mix in the steak, in strips. On one side of the pan, scramble an egg. Mix it all and coat with a little soy sauce – don’t forget to mix in the sauce packet from the noodles – we always get lots of compliments on this – yummy!
~Jamie

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Jen’s Burgers
Recently I made burgers on the grill:
1lb ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 shredded cheese (i used cheddar)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup milk
mix the bread crumbs and milk and let sit until soft. combine the reminder of the ingredients, form into patties and throw on the grill until cooked through!
~Jen

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Ilja’s Smoothies
I Love making smoothies and it’s easy and it does not take long to make, so let me get started!
Ingredients:
strawberries
avocado
Directions:
smash them together in a bowl till it becomes like liquid!
Then you are ready to serve!
ENJOY!!
~ Ilja

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Alisa’s Chicken
My summer recipe:
Grilled chicken, pineapple salsa, and rice. mmmmm goood!
~Alisa

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Potatoes
summer meal:
mashed potato with cheese on top.
~Sherry

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