Spinach, Chicken and Bowtie Pasta Salad

Pasta:

16 oz Bowtie pasta, cooked al dente





Dressing:

2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

2/3 cup teriyaki sauce

2/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper





Salad:

1 1/2 bags fresh spinach (about 8 cups)

1- 6 oz bag craisins

3- 11 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained

2-8 oz cans sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped, green part only

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 small can honey roasted peanuts or cashews (about 2 cups)

2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into slices





Blend dressing ingredients together in blender or food processor. Mix dressing and cooked pasta in medium bowl and marinate for two hours. Combine rest of salad dressing (except nuts) in large salad bowl, add pasta and dressing and toss gently.

Add nuts just before serving.

Caramel Apple Spice Cake

This cake is so yummy and oh so easy! All you need is:
1 spice cake mix
1 carton of Haagen Dazs apple pie ice cream, melted
Egg
Oil
Caramel ice cream topping

Directions:
Mix the cake according to the package directions, EXCEPT substitute the ice cream for the water.
Pour the mix into a greased bunt pan and bake according to the cake mix package.
Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the pan and drizzle the caramel topping over the top. This would also be great with a vanilla glaze, or maybe both the glaze and the topping.

Pineapple Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled and diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 shallot, diced
cilantro, diced (to taste, but about 1/4 cup)
3 TB pineapple juice
1 TB olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Prepare all ingredients and toss together. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving. Serve with tortilla chips or may be sauteed and served over seafood.

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:
Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake Mix
3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Various Fresh Fruits: blackberries, strawberries, mangoes, kiwis, pineapple, etc.

Directions:
Bake cake according to box directions. Cool completely. Poke holes in the top of the cake.

Mix the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 1 cup of the whipping cream. Slowly pour over the cake, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare whipping cream by beating until stiff peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla to taste.

Frost cake with whipped cream and top with fruit.

Serve immediately.

Submitted by Kristi Jones

Chili's Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tsp Cajun seasoning
4 tbsp Butter, divided
3 cups Heavy cream
1/2 tsp Lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic powder OR 2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 ounces Penne pasta, cooked
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Slightly moisten chicken with water. In a large bag, shake the chicken with the Cajun seasoning until the chicken is evenly coated.
2. Saute the chicken in 2 tbsp butter.
3. When the chicken is halfway done, combine the cream 2 tbsp butter, and seasonings in a separate skillet over medium heat. Watch carefully to prevent it from boiling over.
4. When the sauce bubbles, remove it from the heat and toss with the pasta, stirring well.
5. When the chicken is cooked thoroughly, slice into strips and add to the pasta. Add the tomatoes and garnish with cheese.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast, uncooked
16 ounces sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
7 ounces diced green chiles
1 medium onion, diced
1 TB oregano
1 TB garlic salt
corn tortillas
cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with water. Add the oregano and garlic salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, mix the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, and chiles together in a large pan. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
3. When the chicken cooked through, remove it from the broth and shred. Add the chicken and the onion to the cream mixture and stir until well mixed.
4. Place six tortillas on the bottom of a 9x13 pan so that the bottom of the pan is covered. Pour half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, spreading evenly. Cover with another layer of tortillas. Pour the remaining chicken mixture over the top layer of tortillas. Cover with cheese.
5. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

"The Cheesecake Factory" Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
5 TB butter
1 TB sugar

Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

Directions:
Combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake at 350* for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and spices.

Pour the batter over the crust. Bake at 350* for 60-70 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.

Holiday Popcorn

This is a festive, easy, and tasty popcorn treat that is great to make around Christmas time!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
6 ounces white chocolate chips
Crushed candy canes, to taste - I used about 5 or so

Directions:
Pop the popcorn and set aside. Melt the white chocolate chips. Once the chips are melted, stir in the crushed candy canes. Pour the chocolate/candy cane mixture into the popcorn and mix thoroughly; you will need to use your hands. Mold into popcorn balls OR break apart into pieces and let harden on wax paper.

Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1. 32 Oreo cookies, divided
2. 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
3. 1 cup sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla
5. 8 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
6. 4 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees ifusing a silver 9" springform pan (or 300 degrees if using a dark nonstick 9" springform pan).
2. Quarter 20 of the cookies and set aside. Finely crush the remaining 12 cookies; press firmly onto the bottom of the greased springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium spped until well blended. Add chocolate, mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just blended. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of the quartered cookies. Pour over the crust. Sprinkle with the remaining quartered cookies.
4. Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until the center is almost set. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing the rim of pan.
5. Refrigerate at least four hours.

Taken from BAKER'S chocolate at www.allrecipes.com.

Coq Au Vin

Ingredients:

1. 2 TB flour
2. 4 lb fresh chicken cut into 8 pieces (ask your butcher to do this, OR use 8 chicken joints or chicken breasts)
3. 2 TB olive oil
4. 2 TB butter
5. 8 oz fatty bacon, cut into strips
6. 1 lb pearl onions, peeled
7. 3 cups red wine
8. 2 garlic gloves, peeled and crushed
9. 1 bouquet garni
10. 4 3/4 cup white mushrooms
11. 2 TB chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the flour and put it into a large plastic bag. Add the chicken and shake well to coat it evenly.
2. Heat the oil and butter in the casserole dish. Cook the chicken over high heat for 5-6 minutes until browned. You will need to do this in two batches. Lift it out ofthe casserole and keep warm.
3. Fry the bacon in the casserole for 3-4 minutes until crisp and well colored. Lift it out and keep warm.
4. Cook the onions over high heat for 4-5 minutes until they begin to brown. Pour in the wine and stir well to remove any sediment from the bast of the casserole dish.
5. Return the bacon and chicken to the casserole dish and add the garlic and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, cover, then cook in the center of the preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni and use a slotted spoon to lift out the chicken pieces, bacon, onion, and mushrooms. Put them in a serving dish and keep warm.
7. Return the casserole and its juices to low heat and check for seasoning. Boil rapidly until the sauce is thick and glossy. Pour the sauce over the dish and serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

Chicken Chillipa and Salsa

Chicken Chillipa

2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 C sour cream
2/3 C milk
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
4 to 5 green onions, chopped
12 corn tortillas, quartered
4-6 chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
4 cups grated colby cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the soup, sour cream, milk, onion and green onions in a bowl. Spread a portion of the sauce in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange half the tortilla wedges, overlapping slightly, on the sauce. In this order, layer all of the chicken, half the remaining sauce, half the cheese, the remaining tortillas, sauce and cheese.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325, remove the cover and bake for another 30 minutes.

Serves 8.

Salsa

2 cans Rotel (diced tomatoes and chilies)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 can diced jalapenos
Salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Best when chilled and the flavors are allowed to mix for a couple of hours.

Crescent Chicken Squares

I have no pictures, but these are one of our favorite dinners. I grew up eating these with left over turkey after Thanksgiving. So delicious.

Preheat oven to 350.

Blend 3oz pack softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp melted butter/margarine until smooth

Add:
2 C cooked cubed/shredded chicken (I've have used canned chicken, chicken breasts, leftover turkey. The canned chicken is super delicious and really easy)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp green onions
1 Tbsp chopped pimento (I've never put this in. I don't even know what it is)

8oz Pillsbury Refrigerated Quick Crescent dinner rolls

Separate crescent rolls into 4 squares. (the rolls come as triangles. with a rolling pin combine 2 triangles together to make a square). Spoon 1/2 C chicken mixture onto center of each square; pull 4 corners of dough to center of mixture; seal. Brush tops ith 1 Tbsp melted butter. Dip in 3/4 C crushed croutons.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Top with cream of chicken soup.

This makes 4 squares. They are really good as leftovers also.

I never have croutons to dip on top so I skip this part, but I'm sure it's good.

I have also noticed that if you put a little less milk in the mixture it is thicker which is nice.

I have realized recently how delicious the filling is as a dip with crackers with canned chicken. I made a double batch of this the other day, baked half of it for dinner and have the remaining in the fridge as a dip to snack on or I can make some more squares another night. Either way, it has been delicious. Hudson loves them as well as Grant.

Enjoy!!

Ground Beef Cheesy Noodle Casserole

Ingredients
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Dash of pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce *
• 6 ounces of egg noodles
• 1 (4 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup sour cream
• Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown beef; drain fat. Add next 5 ingredients and simmer. Cook noodles; drain. Mix cream cheese with green onions and sour cream in a small bowl. Add cheese mixture to hot, drained noodles and mix well. In a 9 inch pan, alternate layers of sauce and noodles. Top with shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

You can use the tomato sauce that has basil, oregano & garlic

This has been one of my new favorite meals and if you don't have tomato sauce you can blend some diced tomatoes and that will work as well.

Oreo Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 jar (about 12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
2 Hershey chocolate candy bars broken into small pieces
1 package Oreo cookies
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 half gallon containers of ice cream - I used chocolate and cookies and cream

Directions:

1. Combine the caramel ice cream topping and the candy bar pieces in a microwave safe dish and microwave for about 1 minute, or until the chocolate is melted.
2. Lightly spray the inside of a 9" pan with cooking spray.
3. Place 24 cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush them into small pieces. Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter, then press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of your pan, forming a crust.
4. Chop up 12 cookies, set aside.
5. Scoop half of one flavor of ice cream into the crust, pressing into an even layer. Drizzle with 1/3 of the caramel-chocolate sauce and 1/3 of the chopped Oreos. Then, scoop half of the second flavor of ice cream over the first layer, pressing it into an even layer. Cover it with 1/3 of the caramel-chocolate sauce and 1/3 of the Oreos. Scoop the remaining flavor of the first ice cream around the edges of the pan and the remaining second flavor into the middle. Drizzle with the remaining sauce and Oreos.
6. Wrap loosely in foil and freeze until firm (at least 4 hours, overnight is best).

*Adapted from a Pampered Chef Recipe

Grandpa's Baked Beans

Ingredients:
Size #5 can pork and beans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 small white onion, chopped
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 TB dark molasses
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 package smoked sausage links/cocktail links
Liquid smoke to taste (just a little goes a long way)

Directions:
Mix the BBQ sauce, molasses, mustard, and salt together. Then add the brown sugar, pork and beans, onion, sausage links, and liquid smoke. If possible, chill overnight, but at least for 3 hours. Bake at 350 for 30 - 45 minutes, serve immediately.

Ashley's Bountiful Brownies

Ingredients:
1 box of Brownie mix
Rice Crispies
1 bag of Chocolate Chips. ( I like milk chocolate chips)
Peanut Butter
1 Large jar of Marshmellow Cream

Step 1:
Make brownies according to packaging. I usually get the 9x13 pan size box. Any brownie mix will do. After the brownies bake let them cool.

Step 2:
Smear marshmellow cream all over the brownies. I find that if you heat the marshmellow cream up a little it makes smoothing it all over easier.

Step 3:
Melt 1 bag of chocolate chips. After the chips are melted, add enough rice crispies so that they are well coated, and there isn't excess chocolate. Or add enough rice crispies to cover the pan size you are using. At this point you can leave as is, or you can add a scoop of peanut butter to taste.

Step 4:
Put in fridge at least 1 hour before serving. You don't want to serve these babies warm.

Some drizzle caramel over the top before serving. You can add hot fudge, or any other toppings you would like.

Just make sure you put them in the fridge before you serve them. The marshmellow creme will melt and cause your topping to run off the brownie. That makes them not so bountiful!

Frog Eye Salad

1 box Acini Di Peppi pasta. Bring to boil, cook for 10 minutes, drain and cool.

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice

Mix sugar, eggs and pineapple juice together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring very frequently, until thick. Cool and mix together with the pasta. Refrigerate for a few hours or over night.

Remove from the fridge and add:
1 can tidbit pineapple
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 17 oz. container of Cool Whip
10 oz. package of mini marshmallows

Mix gently and serve.

Spicy Ginger Pasta

Spicy Ginger Pasta -
When I found this recipe, it originally called for chicken and broccoli - no peppers. But since we're not big meat eaters around here and I can never have enough veggies, I nixed the chicken and added the peppers. I think it's 100 times better (any veggies would be great in this dish). Also, careful with the ginger and red pepper flakes. This dish can get super spicy in hurry if you're too generous with either.

8 – 10 oz Angel hair spaghetti
1 cup Broccoli florets
1/2 Red pepper
1/2 Green pepper
1/2 Yellow pepper
½ cup chopped peanuts

Sauce:1 cup Kraft Toasted Sesame dressing (I have always used the low-fat version of this dressing to make it a bit healthier and it's still packed with flavor).
3 Tb Soy Sauce
½ tsp Garlic powder
¼ - ½ tsp Red pepper flakes
½ tsp freshly grated ginger. I really love the ginger, so I never measure. I do WAY more than ½ tsp. I just keep adding and adding.

Directions: Cook pasta according to package. When there is 3 minutes left, add the broccoli. Meanwhile, in a fry pan add a bit of olive oil (or plain Veg oil). Fry peppers. (When frying, I turn the heat way up to get the pan super hot before adding the peppers. It browns the peppers a bit, while keeping them a bit crunchy). Add the sauce to the pan. Turn down heat and saute until pasta is ready - makes a nice reduction sauce.
Put pasta in bowl. Pour sauce on top. Gently mix. Sprinkle peanuts on top.

Turkey & Swiss with Spicy BBQ dip

Turkey & Swiss sandwich with Spicy BBQ dip - Ok, this sounds so basic, but trust me the combo of the toasted sandwich with the magic dip (we may as well say it's magic because that's how it tastes in your mouth), makes this one of our favs.

1 Loaf french bread
3/4 lb deli turkey (make sure you get the yummy turkey from the deli. It makes all the difference.)
Provolone and Swiss cheese
Red Leaf lettuce or spinach
Roma Tomato
Red onion
Avocado (you can slice them, but we like to smash the avocado to it's more like a spread. Makes dipping a lot easier too).

Dip: And yes, this is hands down, the-not-to-be-trifled-with, money maker.
½ c brown sugar
½ c BBQ sauce (spicy honey from Kraft is best. Gives it a bit of a kick with a touch of sweetness)½ c water

Cut bread length-wise (don't cut all the way through). Place turkey on one side, and cheese on the other. Broil on low until cheese is bubbling and browned. While sandwich is cooking, heat ingredients for dip in small pot. Heat until sugar is dissolved. When sandwich is done, dress with toppings, cut into slices, and serve with hot dip.

Baked Cheese Dip

2 Loaves French Bread
16 oz Cream Cheese
8 oz Sour Cream
8 oz Salsa
3 C Shredded Cheese (I like to get the pre-shredded Mexican Blend)
Hollow out one loaf of bread by cutting off the top and pulling out the bread. Place it on a cookie sheet at bake for 5 min. at 450 degrees just to crisp it up.
Mix all the other ingredients together. Spoon into baked bread loaf and place bread lid back on top. Wrap in aluminum foil, place on cookie sheet. Bake 1.5 hrs at 350 degrees.
Cut the other loaf into chunks for dipping.