Tuxedo Brownie Cups

The recipe was originally for mini muffin cups. They are way cute that way, too! You'll need:

1 box fudge brownie mix

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 c. powdered sugar

2 squares (1 oz. each) white baking chocolate

2 tbsp. milk

1 c. cool whip, thawed

sliced strawberries

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Put liners in cupcake tins and spray generously with Pam. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 for 17 minutes (or until done). If doing mini muffins, bake at 325 for 14 minutes (or until done). Immediately after removing from oven, press tops of brownies down to make an indentation (I used the back of a tablespoon, but you'd want something smaller for the mini muffin size). Cool.

Microwave the white chocolate and milk together for 1 minute; stir smooth. If needed, microwave at additional 30 second intervals until stirs smooth. Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Add white chocolate mixture. Fold in 1 c. cool whip.Pipe frosting into brownie cups and top with a slice of strawberry (or two!).

Chili Verde Burritos

Dennis made this wonderfully delicious Chile Verde. It tasted fabulous and our house smelled divine while it was cooking! We did everything before church, brought it to a boil and then turned it down low and let it simmer while we were at church. Yum! We doubled this recipe and it made ALOT!

Also, you can serve this over fried potatoes or rice if you don't want to do burritos. Enjoy!

3 lb pork loin
1-1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 green pepper
1 small Anaheim pepper, seeds removed
1/2-1 jalapeno, seeds removed
3-4 small tomatillos, husked and washed
16 oz chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz) green chiles
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
2 Tbsp. Canola oil
1/4 C flour mixed with 1 Tbsp. ground cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper

Trim as much fat off the pork as possible and cut into 1-2 inch chuncks.

Put the green pepper, anaheim pepper, jalapeno pepper, and the tomatillos in a blender and puree. Set aside.

Heat a large frying pan with the canola oil in it over Med.Hi heat.
Coat the pork with flour and spices and brown in the oil in frying pan. Do a few pieces at a time and when brown, put in pan (lg. stock pot) you will be cooking Verde in.Once the meat is done:

Fill the stock pot with chicken broth and add:
salt
pureed peppers and tomatillas
canned chiles
Cook on low heat.

In another frying pan, add the olive oil and onion and saute until the onion is golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Add this mixture to the stock pot.
Partially cover and simmer on low for 3 hours. Stir occasionally.

Smothered Pinto Bean, Cheese, & Rice Burritos

This is one of those "go to" meals at my house. If I can't find anything else to eat, or I just don't feel like cooking much I can usually make this meal. It is yummy and easy and fast! Gotta love those kind of nights!

1 can pinto beans (or black or both!)
1 can enchilada sauce (I like Old El Paso-medium)
2 cups white rice, cooked (approx)
Shredded cheese
6 tortillas

In a small saucepan, heat the enchilada sauce. In another saucepan, heat your beans, including the liquid (don't drain!). Shred up cheese. Cook your rice. Warm your tortillas in oven, wrapped in foil. Place rice, beans, cheese, and small amount of sauce into tortilla. Wrap up, cover top with more cheese and smother with enchilada sauce. Enjoy your easy meal!

Lasagna with a twist!

This is a unique version of lasagna that is super delish! However, if you do not like Alfredo, or Alfredo and marinara mixed, you might not enjoy this as much. We LOVE it!

14 Lasagna noodles
1 (15oz) container of cottage cheese
1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound sausage or ground beef, cooked and drained
1 (26oz) jar of favorite marinara pasta sauce
1 (16oz) jar Alfredo pasta sauce
Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Combine cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and eggs. Mix well. In a 9x15 pan (the deeper the better) spread 1 cup marinara sauce over bottom. Mix remaining marinara sauce and cooked meat together in a separate bowl. Layer 4-5 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Top with half of the cheese mixture and 1 cup of meat/marinara sauce. Layer 4-5 more lasagna noodles, remaining cheese mixture and remaining meat/marinara sauce. Top with 4-5 more lasagna noodles and spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Ziti

½ lb ground beef
24 oz jar Ragu pasta sauce
1 ½ cup shredded cheese
5 c. hot cooked ziti noodles (3 cups uncooked)
¼ c. shredded parmesan cheese (or whatever you have)

In pan cook beef, drain. Stir in pasta sauce, 1 cup cheese and ziti noodles. Pour into 9x9 baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

(Pictures shown with cottage cheese in the mixture, a variation that is yummy.)

Poppyseed Dressing

(From my friend Julie)

1 1/2 c sugar or Splenda
1/2 medium red onion
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 c cider vinegar

2 C oil
1 T poppyseed
Red food coloring

Blend first five ingredients together. Add 2 c oil, 1 T poppyseed, and red food coloring (optional, some people like it pinker than others:))
Keeps in refrigerator up to 3 weeks. The dressing works best with any kinds of berries or fruit and especially feta cheese. My grandparents occasionally put nuts in the salad as well, just whatever you think sounds yummy.

Restaurant Style Baked Potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Scrub as many potatoes as your family will eat. Dry them off.
Pour some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) onto a plate.
Roll the potatoes, one at a time, in the oil. Use your hands to evenly rub oil thinly over potato.
Grind up some fresh sea salt (I love the Costco grinder of this) onto another plate.
Roll/rub the salt lightly all over the potato, coating evenly.
Place potatoes into oven, directly onto the rack. Do NOT cover with foil!
Bake for approx. 1 hour for 4 potatoes. Add about 15 min. or so for each additional 2-4 potatoes cooking.

These turn out delicious, a real good baked flavor, and the sea salt on the skin is divinely good! I know this is super simple, but they turn out so much better than just wrapping up a potato in foil and baking.