Slushies

Ingredients:

 1/2 can of your favorite frozen concentrate juice

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 cup of sugar

A little less that a cup of water

1 tray (12-16) cubes of ice

Directions:

Combine all into a blender.  Mix until most of the ice cubes are no longer in chunks.  Serve immediately.

Perfect treat for a hot afternoon!!

Chicken Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pkg of crescent rolls

4 oz of cream cheese

2 tablespoons butter

2-3 chicken breasts

lemon pepper, onion salt and garlic salt

Directions:

In a pan cook your chicken.  Once it's almost done, cut your chicken into small cubes (I use kitchen scissors).  I also add some lemon pepper to my cubed chicken.

In a bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter, lemon pepper, onion and garlic salt (add to taste).  Once your chicken is cubed add and mixed together with cream cheese mixture.

Roll out your crescent rolls, and stuff with chicken.  It's easier if you flatten out the roll before you add the mixture so that you have enough left over to fold up the roll.  I usually take the bottom two corners, fold in and then roll the rest up.

Cook in oven at 375 (or whatever your crescent rolls cook at) or about 12-15 mins or until rolls are golden brown.

Makes 8 chicken rolls.

Ranch Fried Chicken

We love this recipe!  It's not the most healthy meal you've ever had, but if you like Ranch, it's a good one.

Ingredients:

1-2 pkgs. of Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch (which you'll need mayo and buttermilk to make the ranch)

Flour

1 pkg of chicken either breasts or tenders (tenders cook faster)

vegetable oil (or whatever oil you cook with)

Directions:

 Once you've made your ranch, place chicken into a gallon size ziploc bag.  Pour in enough ranch to coat the chicken.  Place in fridge to marinate.  You can have it in there for as long as you'd like but a minimum of 10 mins.  

Pour enough oil into a pan to cover the bottom.  You don't want the oil too hot, so around medium heat would work.  (HINT: To know when your oil is ready to cook with, place a wooden spoon into the oil and if you see bubbles around the spoon it's ready!!)

In the mean time, get out two bowls, one with ranch and the other with flour.  Once your chicken is done marinating, place chicken in flour.  Shake off any extra flour then place in ranch and then once more in flour.  Repeat for remaining chicken.

Then cook your chicken.  Depending on how much chicken you have, you may need to clean out your pan and heat up new oil because some of the batter will be  in your pan.

Serve with remaining ranch!!  Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is a yummy sauce that my mom makes and then cans for her pantry. Enjoy!

In a large skillet, combine:
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup diced onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 + 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
10 oz. chunked pineapple, drained (but save the juice)

To the pineapple juice add:
1/4 sup sugar
1/6 cup corn starch
1/8 cup water

Combine all ingredients and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. (Or until the sauce is thickened)
Serve over rice. You can also add chicken, beef, or pork chunks to make it a meat dish!

Cilantro Chicken

6-8 Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 bunch of Cilantro (chopped finely)
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Good Seasons Italian Dressing
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place frozen chicken breasts on a baking dish or pan and bake for 30 minutes. Test for doneness. Chicken should not be served at less than 170 degrees when tested in the center of the breast. Place baked chicken on serving dish or plate. Sprinkle with a generous bed of chopped cilantro. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of italian dressing on each piece of chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese then add salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

This is one of the simplest recipes. It's very fresh and tasty. My mother-in-law made something similar at a dinner party and I made my own twist. Her recipe used the cilantro pureed with a clove of garlic. Try it both ways and let me know what you think.

Cheesy Chicken Breasts

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 slices bread
2 c. grated cheddar cheese (small grate works best)
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. margarine

Wash & pat dry the chicken breasts. In blender, whirl bread (to make fine bread crumbs), salt, pepper and garlic. Mix bread mixture with cheeses. Melt margarine. Dip chicken breasts in melted margarine, then roll in bread and cheese mixture. Place in well-oiled (Pam spray) 9x13 inch pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

I usually use 12-14 chicken tenders instead.

Lemon Pepper Chicken

1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. chicken breasts
2 T. butter

Mix flour, lemon pepper and salt on a plate. Moisten chicken lightly with water. Coat evenly with flour mixture. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook until lightly browned and cooked through, turning once.

Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream Cake

This is a super easy, super yummy ice cream cake from the kraft foods magazine. If you want a video of how to make this, follow this link http://kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/oreo-fudge-ice-cream-106562.aspx

Ingredients:
1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
8 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped

POUR fudge topping into medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies; set aside.

ARRANGE 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. Frost top and sides of dessert with remaining whipped topping. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.

FREEZE at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Tips:
The consistency of fudge topping can vary depending on what brand you purchase. If your fudge topping mixture is too thick to spread easily, stir in 1/4 cup milk.
Substitute
Prepare as directed, using Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches.
Size-Wise
Since this indulgent ice cream cake makes 12 servings, it is the perfect dessert to serve at your next party.

Asparagus Quiche with an easy cornbread crust

4 eggs beaten
2 cups light cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups crumbled cornbread
10-12 spears of asparagus
(save 3 inch tips for decorating the top)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small mixing bowl beat the eggs with the cream. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue to mix well until there is froth from the cream. Let mixture rest while crust is prepared. In an 8 inch round pan or pie dish crumble cornbread and press onto bottom of pan. Crust should be even and about 1/4 inch thick. Cut 3 inch tips off asparagus and set aside. Chop remaining portion of asparagus and arrange randomly on top of pressed crust. Add bed of cheese over crust and asparagus, then pour egg and cream mixture over cheese bed. Decorate with asparagus tips in starburst pattern. Put in oven on the center rack and bake for 15 minutes then adjust temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Test readiness with a knife in the center of the quiche. The knife should come out clean. Let rest for 10 minutes then cut and serve. Serves 8.

This is a sweet delight. It can be served warm or cold. You'll love any leftovers. I usually make two just so I can chill one and eat one warm. Enjoy at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Try other variations using ham, bacon, spinach, or carmelized onion. It's great with mozzarella, too.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1-1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 c. oatmeal
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. finely chopped onion (or 1/4 c. dried onions)
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients. Form into balls and place in 9x13 dish. Hint: put ice and water in shallow dish and dip palms of hands on water to keep meat from sticking to your hands; helps make smooth meatballs. Spoon sauce over meatballs and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

SAUCE:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1 tsp. mustard
1/4 c. barbecue sauce
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce

I usually serve these with rice. (This is my mother-in-law's recipe and I've never met one of her recipes I didn't like!)

Pear-Apple Crumble Pie

3/4 c. crushed Nilla Wafers (about 24 wafers)
1/4 c. firmly packed Brown Sugar
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) Butter, melted
1 ready-to-use refrigerated Pie Crust (1/2 of 15 oz. pkg.)
4 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 large baking Apples, peeled, sliced
1 large fresh Pear, peeled, sliced
1/3 c. granulated Sugar
1/4 c. Flour
1/2 tsp. ground Cinnamon
1-1/4 c. Cool Whip, thawed

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix wafer crumbs, brown sugar and butter until well blended; set aside.

PLACE pie crust in greased 9-inch pie plate. Spread cream cheese carefully onto bottom of crust; sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Set aside. Combine fruit in large bowl. Add granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon; toss to coat. Spoon over crumb layer in pie crust; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

BAKE 35 min. or until fruit is tender and crust is lightly browned, covering loosely with foil after 25 min. if necessary to prevent crust from overbrowning. Cool on wire rack. Serve topped with the whipped topping. Store any leftover pie in refrigerator.

I found this recipe on kraftfoods.com and LOVED it! It's not your traditional apple pie but is still scrumptious.

Easy Caramel Corn

1 cup Karo Syrup
1 cup Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 -16 oz bag Barrel o' Fun Corn Pops (or Mike-sell's Oven Baked Puffcorn Delites - the original flavoring)

Boil Karo Syrup, Butter and Brown Sugar for 4 minutes. Add Sweetened Condensed Milk and boil for 2 more minutes. Pour over corn pops and stir until evenly coated.

If you like caramel popcorn you will like this even better!!

Orange Julius

1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
approx. 24 ice cubes

Put all in blender and blend until ice is crushed and the drink is smooth. Add more ice if you want it thicker. Makes approx. 5 10-oz. servings.

A must for summer!!

Perfect Pasta Salad

8-10 oz. pkg. pasta (I use curly roni, penne, etc.) Boil, drain and chill.
1 large cucumber, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1 can large olives, sliced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. In a seperate bowl combine 1 cup mayo and 1 packet dry Ranch mix. Stir together then add to vegetables and pasta. Stir well.

(I know tomatoes are an issue right now so last time I made this I used cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half.)

Boston Clam Chowder

2 cans (6 1/2 oz. each) minced clams (I chop them up into very small pieces.)
1 c. finely diced celery
1 c. chopped onion
2 c. finely diced potatoes
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 quart half & half
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. thyme

Drain juice from clams and pour over vegetables in medium saucepan; add enough water to barely cover and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. In meantime, melt butter. Add flour and blend and cook a minute or two. Add half & half and cook and stir until smooth and thick, using a wire whisk. Add undrained vegetables and clams and heat through. Season with pepper, salt, sugar, and thyme. Makes 8 servings.

I know it's summer but this soup is soooo good I'm tempted to make it anyway!!

Parmesan Shells

2 1/2 -3 c. small shells, uncooked (or 10 oz. large shells)
1/2 c. butter
1 chicken breast, cut in thin strips
4 oz. can mushrooms (or 1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced and sauteed)
2 T. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 1/2 c. half & half
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
chopped parsley (optional)

Cook noodles. Drain and return to pan. Add 1/4 c. butter and toss until melted. Saute chicken strips in another pan in rest of butter. Add drained mushrooms and heat through. Remove chicken and mushrooms from melted butter and place in pan with noodles. To melted butter stir in flour, salt, pepper and bouillon. Add half & half and cook and stir until thick. Add parmesan cheese. Pour over noodles and toss. Sprinkle with parsley.

Warning: This recipe is not for the calorie-conscious!