Mexican Street Corn

I've seen this everywhere and I can't wait to try it. One recipe I've found requires Mayo and I'm just not a fan of Mayo at all (plus it contains alot of fat....) anywho this one uses sour cream instead of mayo.

Ingredients

• 6 ears corn, husks and silks removed (you can also use canned or frozen and serve in a bowl)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lime
• 1/4 cup low fat sour cream

Instructions

1. Combine chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
2. Place corn on sprayed grill rack.
3. Cover and cook 12 minutes over medium-high heat, turning occasionally.
4. Squeeze juice from lime and mix with sour cream.
5. Drizzle over corn and sprinkle with spice mixture.

Lemon Lush

This was my grandpa's favorite desert. Hard to believe that in September he'll be gone for 15 years. I was blessed to have him for 16  years. We were very close (lived next door and spent all my time with him). My grandma would make this for him for his birthday instead of a cake. It's really refreshing! I now make this for Dan as he also likes lemon (and it's kinda scary how alike he and my grandpa are!) I love it as well. If you like lemon my sparkling lemon cookies are also a big hit!


This recipe makes 12 servings (we usually double it for a get together or party)

you will need:
     2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, softened

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 cup white sugar

2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant lemon pudding mix

3 1/2 cups milk

1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine the flour and butter using a pastry cutter until a ball forms. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and well blended. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. In another bowl, whisk together the lemon pudding mix and milk for 3 to 5 minutes. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Chill until set, then top with whipped topping.

Triple Chocolate Desert

I've changed this recipe and tried making cornbread in the crockpot and it makes it very moist. But this is the original and it's really yummy and moist. Great to make in the summer when you don't want the stove on.

You will need:

1 box Milk chocolate cake mix
1 8oz carton of sour cream
1 3 3/8 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup water


lightly grease crock pot, combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour into crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Enchilada Dip

Whenever a recipe calls for ground beef I swap it out for turkey, but you can use ground beef in this recipe if you want. We've been doing this since 2007 and haven't really missed the ground beef. This is made in a crock pot and cooks 2-3 hours so it's great to make ahead. Just brown the beef and mix with other ingredients and place in the refrigerator. With my crock pot it comes in two pieces so you can detach the bowl from the heating element. Only problem is it has a design on the side that makes it not as easy to clean.

2lbs  Ground turkey
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery chopped
16 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 10oz can enchilada sauce

brown turkey, drain (this is the great thing about turkey there isn't much if anything to drain) combine turkey with all other ingredients in crock pot, cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips.

Hot Wassail

This beverage is traditionally a Christmas Beverage. So why am I thinking about it mid June? For years Dan and I have a Christmas in July sort of Celebration. We have a vast amount of Christmas movies so much so we have to start our "Christmas in July" celebration on July 1st and usually it goes past July. It's fun and we get to see movies that we loved as kids.


Anyway I thought this would be a fun recipe to try soon perhaps Iced!

You will need:
1 gallon apple juice
1/2 box brown sugar
1/2 jar orange tang
1 tsp cinnamon
1 small can of Lemonade
4 cups water
1 Orange sliced
15 whole cloves

Mix apple juice, brown sugar, drink mix, cinnamon, lemonade and water. Put in Crock pot and heat. Add orange and cloves. Let float on top for added flavor. Wassail will stay good all day.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I love this so much because 1., its so yummy and 2., its easy and quick to make!

You will need:

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 (9.75 ounce) cans  Chunk chicken breast in Water, drained
• Assorted fresh vegetables, crackers and tortilla chips

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth. Stir in the dressing, pepper sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbly. Stir before serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

vegetable pizza

Love this! Great for baby showers or really anytime. Its one of my favorite things to have at a party besides fruit pizza!


You will need:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Roll out the crescent roll dough onto a 9x13 inch baking sheet, and pinch together edges to form the pizza crust.
3. Bake crust for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Once finished cooking, remove crust from oven and let cool 15 minutes without removing it from the baking sheet.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry Ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange broccoli, tomato, green bell pepper, cauliflower, shredded carrots, and Cheddar cheese over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour, slice and serve.

86 Garlic Citrus chicken (crockpot remix)

I've made this recipe with my oven forever. It's been in our rotation for a while now originally got this from the food network but I tweaked it quite a bit. The original recipe is posted here. The thing is when it's summer time I really try not to use the oven alot since we don't have air conditioning in that part of the house and cooking time is over an hour, and there's alot that goes into that recipe but totally worth it. The taste is similar to rotisserie chicken you buy in the store.

You will need

1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 


1. Rinse chicken and salt and pepper the inside cavity and salt the outside.

2. Take the fruit and garlic head and stuff it inside the chicken you most likely will find it won't all fit what I do is stuff it under the skin and it comes out beautifully.

3. place in crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours (for a 3-4 pound chicken) chicken should reach 170 degrees when done. While the chicken is cooking, make the basting sauce add 1/4 cup lemon juice, oil, 1/4 orange juice concentrate, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, and 2 cloves garlic (minced) whisk together. (pour over chicken  twice during cooking time)

Serve with 2 dishes.

Fruit Pizza

There are many variations to this recipe. I usually use whatever is available or what I've got a huge taste for. I love the strawberry banana. I grew up loving this after having it at several of my mom's friend's Christmas parties (they were legendary over 100 people would come and go on Christmas eve!)

You will need:

1 roll of sugar cookie dough (it's so much quicker and easier if you purchase but you can also make your own)
1 cup sugar
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 16oz bag frozen strawberries
1 16oz bag frozen mango
2-3 bananas, sliced a little splash of lemon juice will prevent them from browning
2 kiwi, sliced

1 Spread cookie dough on pizza pan and bake (every oven is different bake at 350 and watch after 10 minutes. take out when cookie is a golden brown.

2. Allow cookie to cool. I put mine in the refrigerator to speed this up.

3. While cookie is cooling put cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and mix until it's smooth and well Incorporated. Then spread on cookie.

4. If you have little helpers this is where you can have them help decorate the pizza.

5. Chill in the refrigerator until time to serve, refrigerate leftovers if there is any :)

Peach Mango Cobbler

I am a Mango Fanatic. There I said it. Most people who know me know how much I love Mangoes. I've long ago heard that Mangoes and Peaches are a part of the same family. And it's been some people's secret to add Mangoes to their peach cobbler. I tried and tried to find a recipe that is just right but came up empty. So I've had to concoct  my own. Perhaps you've seen one like this, there's a lot of peach cobbler recipes out there.


You will need:

1 16 oz package of frozen Mango, thawed
1 16 oz package of frozen peaches, thawed
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Vanilla bean ice cream 

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix mangoes and peaches in a large sauce  pan on the stove with 1 cup sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Put the butter in baking dish and place in the oven to melt.

4.Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup.  Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. 

Spicy Chicken Spaghetti

20 recipes to go and my food blog will have 100 recipes! We're having spaghetti tonight but it's just your simple ground turkey spaghetti not really recipe worthy LOL. I so need to go to the grocery store but since it's Wednesday (we run a scouting program for boys at our church) and our busiest night of the week I don't have time to go to the grocery store :(

This makes a huge amount so  there are a number of options you can use this recipe for:

1. Weekend meals, put leftovers in individual containers and you have meals ready to go so you can enjoy a weekend without having to cook so much.

2. If you have to take a meal to someone (baby or funeral) take half and save half for your family.

3. Church or family get togethers


you will need:

16 oz. package of spaghetti
5 cups of boiled chicken chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 onion chopped
1/2 red pepper (the sweet kind I usually use a whole one because I love sweet red peppers)
1 stick of butter plus one T (yes this sounds like a lot but this feeds 12 people)
2 cups shredded velveeta
1 can ro-tel (I use the cilantro and lime flavor but if you can't find that original works fine too)
1 sleeve buttery crackers


1. Preheat oven to 350
2.  Boil chicken until cooked through
3. Remove chicken from pan reserving broth
4. cook chicken and boil spaghetti in reserved broth according to package directions.
5. while spaghetti is cooking saute' chopped onion and red pepper til tender in one tablespoon butter
6. Drain Spaghetti and mix with chicken, soups, onion, pepper and rotel.
7. Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan.
8. melt remaining butter.
9. crush crackers finely and mix with butter.
10. top spaghetti with cracker mixture and bake until brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes.


Serves 10-12

Serendipity Frozen Hot chocolate

This is from the famous Serendipity restaurant in NYC. They also have one in Las Vegas! This treat isn't cheap they charge about $9 . And there aren't too many locations so if you can get to a Serendipity to purchase one try this recipe! You can buy the mix on their website as well as some other neat gifts.

you will need:
1/3 cup instant non fat dry milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Ghiradelli cocoa
1 tablespoon Hershey's cocoa
1 tablespoon of another brand I use land o lakes cocoa in white chocolate :) since they come in all kinds of flavors you can change things up a bit!
1 Cup milk
3 cups ice
1 can whipped cream
chocolate shavings from a Hershey chocolate bar


1. Mix dry milk, sugar and the cocoa mixes into a bowl.
2. Pour milk into your blender
3.  Add powder mix that you made in step 1.
4. Add ice and blend.


Put in a ice cream dish and add whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

note to make chocolate shavings simply use a vegetable peeler and shave a little from the side of the bar.

Snickers Salad

Had this at a Christmas party several times and I love it! The nice lady who gave me the recipe says she always doubles this recipe because everyone loves it so much :)

8oz cream cheese, softened
7oz jar Marshmallow cream
1 small tub whipped cream, thawed
1 bag of miniature snickers, quartered
1 1/2 granny smith apples cubed

1. combine cream cheese and marshmallow cream.
2. Add whipped cream.
3. Stir in snickers and apples
4 keep refrigerated.

serves 6-8

Tortellini soup

This is great for a fall or winter evening it's so yummy I had to post it now :)

You will need:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced
10oz package of frozen spinach (do not thaw)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans water
32oz chicken broth
family sized package of cheese or chicken tortellini, half cooked


1. Put olive oil in the bottom of a large soup stock pot.

2. saute' garlic, celery, carrots and onions until tender.

3. add frozen spinach. Break up block of spinach as you cook.

4. Continue to saute' until spinach thaws, then heats up.

5. Add soup and water.


6. add chicken broth and then add tortellini

7. heat and serve.

Serves 6-8

It's better to eat a few hours after soup is made so the broth gets a chance to soak into the noodles :)

Curry Chicken salad

Had this at a baby shower in nashville once wow is it yummy!

You will need:
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and cubed
1 1/2 cups white grapes, halved
4 oz package sliced almonds
1 cup chopped granny smith apples
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups mayo
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.  in large bowl, combine  chicken, grapes, apples, celery, and almonds.

2. Mix well

3. In separate bowl, blend mayo curry, and lemon juice thoroughly.

4. Pour over chicken mixture and toss lightly.

5. If it doesn't seem like there's enough mayo add a little more.

6 chill well.

serves 16

Grape Salad

My friends rave about this salad (which is more like a desert)

You will need:

4oz sour cream
4oz cream cheese
2 cups grapes (red or green)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans


1. Mix sour cream, cream cheese and vanilla.
2 Blend  in grapes and put in 8x8 dish
3. mix brown sugar and pecans and cover.
4 chill for at least 1 hour

Mint Julep

This is the non alcoholic version :)

You will need:

3 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sugar
6oz orange juice concentrate
12oz lemonade concentrate
1 1/2 handfuls mint leaves
 Ginger Ale, 7 up, sierra mist or sprite 2 liter (you may have some left over)

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil.

2 Add cans of concentrated orange and lemonade.

3. Let mixture reheat and pour over mint leaves.

4. cover and let steep for at least four hours (overnight is best and easier when you've got other things to prepare for your party)

5. Strain.

6. use 1/4 cup of the mint concentrate to glass of crushed ice.

7. Finish  filling glass with ginger ale or other lemon lime soda.  garnish with mint sprig.

serves 6-8

Carmel Brownie Cake

Prep time 15 min   cook time 20 min ready in 90 minutes serves 15

You will need:

cooking spray
1 package family size brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 8oz container extra creamy whipped topping
1/2 cup  finely chopped peanuts (you can use sprinkles if nuts are an issue for someone at your party)
15 maraschino cherries  with stems well drained

1. Heat oven to 350. coat 13x9 backing pan with non stick cooking spray.

2. Combine brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl. Stir for 50 strokes. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 28 to 31 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.

3. Poke holes about two inches apart, in warm brownies with the handle of a wooden spoon (plastic works too) use 1/2 cup caramel topping  to fill in the holes. Then spread remaining topping over top of brownies. You will have more caramel topping.

4. Fold 1/4 cup caramel topping in with the whipped topping.  Spread evenly over brownies. Sprinkle with peanuts or sprinkles. Top each of the 15 servings with a cherry just before serving.

Tennessee Iced Tea

I love to tweak recipes here's a refreshing one just in time for summer!

1 gallon water
4 large or 6 regular sized tea bags
1 cup sugar (original calls for 2 cups add to desired sweetness)
2 tablespoons Tang
1 tablespoons Country time lemonade mix
juice of half a lemon

1 brew tea according to directions on box using 1 gallon of water.
2. Stir in all ingredients and add ice.