Laurie’s Salad

2 heads lettuce (mix romaine and red leaf)
1 ½ cup grated Swiss cheese
1 cup Craisins
1 cup Cashews
2 medium pears (just before serving)
2 tart apples (just before serving)

*Dressing – Add just before serving:

½ cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. Poppy seeds

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

We got this recipe from "Our Best Bites."

They were delicious!

Olive Oil

1 roll Pillsbury Pizza Dough (Or any other pizza dough)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Pizza Toppings

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Powder

Marinara or Pizza Sauce

Open the pizza dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface

Cut the dough into 2" by 2" squares or bigger

Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese in the center of the square

Place your toppings on top of the cheese

Pull the corners up on top and pinch close the roll

Place the rolls into a baking dish that has been greased by olive oil

After placing all of the rolls into the baking dish, brush with olive oil

Top with parmesan cheese and garlic (we put a lot of each on top)

Bake according to the dough's package or recipe

After they are done baking, dip them in the warmed marinara or pizza sauce and enjoy!

Frank's Hot Sauce Dip

We got this recipe from here http://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/FRANK'S%C2%AE-REDHOT%C2%AE-BUFFALO-CHICKEN-DIP-RE1242 and the picture as well (because I forgot to take one).

This was such a yummy and very easy superbowl snack!

Garan wanted to load the whole thing up and put it on a bun.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing (we used ranch, because we're not blue cheese fans)

1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S REDHOT Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese (we used mozzarella, because we're still not blue cheese fans)

2 cans (12.5 oz. each) White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.

MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.

BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Pomegranate Fruit Jello

2 6oz pkg. cherry jello

2 pomegranates, seeded (reserve 1/3 C)

2 apples, peeled, cored, chopped (any kind)

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

1 15 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

Topping

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

12 oz Cool Whip

1/3 C sugar

Mix jello according to directions. Pour into a 9x13 pan and place in the fridge. Let set up partially and then mix in the pomegranate seeds (reserve 1/3 C), chopped apples, crushed pineapple, and cranberry sauce. Put in fridge until firm.

Mix topping ingredients together and spread on top. Sprinkle reserved pomegranate seeds on top. Chill until ready to serve.

This is Jessie's recipe and it is soooo good! It's crunchy and not too sweet and very festive.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli (as much as you want)
2 -4 Chicken Breast or Tenders
1 cup Mayo/Miracle Whip
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Bread Crumbs
Grated Cheddar Cheese

Begin by cutting the broccoli up into bite size chunks.
Boil the broccoli. (It doesn't need to be completely cooked, because you'll finish later)
Drain the broccoli and set aside.
Boil the chicken breasts until thoroughly cooked.
Remove the chicken and cut into bite size chunks.

In a bowl.
Mix the cans of soup with the mayo/miracle whip. (You can use one or the other. I just use a little of both)
Then add the lemon juice.
I smell or taste it to make sure it's what I want.

Place a very small amount of the mixture on the bottom of the pan.
Place the broccoli at the bottom of a glass baking dish.
Place the chicken on top of the broccoli.
Pour the rest of the sauce/mixture over the broccoli and chicken.
Top with bread crumbs.
Cover with tin foil.

Since the chicken and broccoli are already cooked, you are just heating up the sauce and cooking it together.
Bake @ 350 for 30-45 minutes. (or until the center is warm/hot).
Remove the tin foil and add grated cheese (as much as you'd like).
Broil the casserole until cheese is crispy.

***********Our family is on a health challenge. So when I made this today I did half of the sauce. (1/2 cup mayo/miracle whip and 1 can cream of chicken soup) I also doubled the broccoli and only put half of the shredded cheese on top.

4th of July Trifle

4th of July Trifle

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Oreo Cookies
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3-1/3 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant French vanilla pudding mix
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Line a trifle bowl with plastic wrap or use as is; set aside. In a food processor or blender, process the cookies until finely crushed.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar. In a bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Add to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Split pudding into 3 equal portions. Add red food coloring to one portion, blue food coloring to another, and leave the 3rd as is.
Place 1/4 of the cookie crumbs in prepared container or bowl; top with the red pudding mixture. Repeat layers with the white pudding in the middle and the blue pudding on top. Top with remaining cookies. Refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Death By Chocolate

Death By Chocolate

Yield: 12 servings.

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
2/3 cup (140 g) butter
1 cup (210 g) sugar
4 eggs
4 heaped tablespoons (1 dl) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sour cream

Ingredients for frosting

2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Line a circular 10 inch (25 cm) cake tin (3 inches tall) with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. (Please note that the cake will rise to 3 inches and collapse somewhat when cooled. If your cake tin is less than 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall we recommend that you use two cake tins.)
3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.
4. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.
5. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream.
6. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes (if using 2 cake tins 20-30 minutes may be sufficient).
7. Cool the cake completely. When it has obtained room temperature place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (the cake is sticky and difficult to cut when it is warm!) Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally.

Frosting

1. Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
2. Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens.
3. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.
4. This cake should have room temperature when served.

Variations

1. You may use your preferred chocolate frosting.
2. You can add chopped walnuts and decorate with whole walnuts.

Russian Chicken

4-8 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 18 oz. Bottle of Russian salad dressing
1 cup apricot jam
2 tsp. Curry powder (optional)
1 pkg. Dry onion soup mix

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Mix dressing, jam, curry powder, and onion soup mix. Pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas

16 oz. Sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 + cups of cooked chicken (cut into little pieces)
4.5 oz. Chopped green chilies
1 pkg. Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
10-12 flour tortillas (or as many as you want… the long ones work best!)

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and then add about half of the grated cheese. Cover the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan with a thin layer of the mixture. Then make your enchiladas. Place them in your pan and then add the remaining mixture and the grated cheese on top. Bake with foil for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Remove the tinfoil just to cook the cheese on top! Serves about 8. (I always add lettuce and sour cream, but you can do whatever you like!)

Breaded Ranch Chicken

¾ cup crushed cornflakes
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup melted butter {I omit this, and just rinse the chicken in water}
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
8 boneless chicken breasts

Combine cornflakes, cheese, and ranch mix. Dip chicken in butter {egg  or water works as well} then roll in the cornflake mixture. Place in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until juices are clear.  We eat this with salad and pasta with Alfredo sauce. It's one of our favorites and is simple and easy to make.

Banana Muffins

Beat:
½ c. Crisco
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs

Add in:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp. Salt
3 mashed bananas

Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Mini Pizzas

Western Family Lg. Buttermilk Biscuits
Mozzarella Cheese (Grated)
Chicken Cooked in BBQ sauce
BBQ Sauce
Purple Onions

*Put uncooked biscuits on pan. Add sauce and cooked chicken. Then add cheese and onions.
*Cook just like you are baking the biscuits.
*So easy and kids love it… You can also do regular pizzas with toppings or chicken alfredo pizzas

Crockpot Ham & Potatoes

4 Ham Steaks (just the thick sliced ham)
4 Potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup grated cheese

Peel and cut up the potatoes however you prefer. I put mine in small chunks, but anything will work. Pour ¼ of the can of soup on the bottom of the crockpot. Separate the ham and put it in the crockpot. Put the potatoes on top of the ham and pour in the remaining can of cream of mushroom soup. Let it cook for 4 hours on low. You are just getting everything soft and hot, so if you are in a hurry you can speed this up. 15 minutes before you would like to eat add the grated cheese. You can use as much or as little as you’d like.

Magic Brownies

Mix:
6 T cocoa
2 sticks of butter, melted

In separate bowl cream:
2 C sugar
4 eggs

Add:
Butter and cocoa

Blend in:
1 3/4 C flour
1 t vanilla
1/8 t salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
While still warm, glaze.

Glaze:
1 t vanilla
4 C powdered sugar
1 stick melted butter
4 T cocoa
4 T milk

Blend and drizzle over brownies

Peach Pie

26 big marshmallows
1/2 C milk
Melt, mix, and stir. Set aside to cool.

Cut up about 8 peaches.

Whip 1/2 of whipping cream
Fold whipping cream into marshmallow mix.
{I just buy piecrust but you can make one if you like. Have your pie crust cooked and cooled by this point}

Put 1/4 of your marshmallow/whipped cream mixture at the bottom of the pie crust. Then put on the peaches. Finally put on the remaining marshmallow/whipped cream mixture. Put in the fridge for about 3 hours before eating.