Veggy Pasta Salad

2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cup paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup small broccoli flowerets
1 cup small cauliflower flowerets
8 oz. spiral pasta
2 green onions, sliced diagonally
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced, ripe black olives
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved

Blend oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt and sugar in blender. Prepare salad: Cook broccoli and cauliflower in large pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from boiling water and drain. Add pasta to boiling water; cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Combine flowerets and pasta and refrigerate till cold. Add vegetables, cheddar cheese and dressing to pasta mixture. Refrigerate for 3 ours. Garnish with tomatoes. Serve & Enjoy!

Cheesy Salmon Patties

1 large can salmon (make sure it's de-boned & the skin is removed)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup self-rising flour
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients, make into patties and fry in a little oil. Enjoy!

Party Taco Salad

2 lbs. ground beef
2 pkgs. taco seasoning mix
16 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 heads iceberg lettuce, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 can sliced black olives
1 large bag Doritos, crumbled
1 (8oz.) bottle Catalina salad dressing

Brown ground beef with chopped yellow onion. Add 1 package of taco seasoning and water according to package directions. Drain any excess grease and set aside to cool completely. In a large bowl mix together chopped lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, red onion, peppers, olives and 2nd package of taco seasoning. Add cooled beef mixture. Just before serving, toss with the Catalina dressing and then mix in 3/4 of the package of crushed Doritos, leaving the rest on the side for people who want extra. (*The Doritos will get soggy if you add them in too early).
Enjoy!

Onion Roasted Potatoes

4 medium all-purpose potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large plastic bag, add all ingredients. Close bag and shake until potatoes are evenly coated.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking pan, arrange potatoes; discard bag.

Bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown. Enjoy!

Creamy Banana Cheesecake

1 graham cracker pie crust
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups bananas, sliced
1 (3oz.) pkg. instant banana pudding mix
1 & 3/4 cup milk
2 cups whipped topping

Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Stir in 1 cup whipped topping. Place 1 cup sliced bananas at the bottom of the piecrust. Spread cream cheese mixture over the bananas. Place remainder of bananas on top of the cream cheese mixture. Combine milk and pudding mix and stir until smooth. Add 1 cup whipped topping and mix well. Place this mixture over the bananas and chill for several hours before serving. Enjoy!

Aloha Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb.)
1 Tbls. flour
1 Tbls. vegetable oil
2 cans (8 oz. each) unsweetened pineapple chunks
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbls. honey
1 Tbls. light Teriyaki sauce or light soy sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper
Hot cooked rice

Flatten the chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken and shake to coat. In a skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in oil for 3-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and reserved juice and mix until smooth. Add to skillet. Stir in honey, teriyaki sauce and pepper. Boil for 30 seconds or until thickened. Add pineapple and chicken; heat thoroughly. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Potato Salad

6 red new potatoes
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
6 Tbls. Italian salad dressing
3 Tbls. sweet pickle relish
6 Tbls. mayonnaise
3 Tbls. yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped

Put whole potatoes in a couple of inches of salted water, cover pot and boil for 20-25 minutes, or until just barely tender. Drain potatoes, and when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 2 inch chunks. Combine potatoes, celery, onion and salad dressing in a large bowl and allow to marinate for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients except for chopped eggs, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Add eggs and stir in gently to combine. Garnish with more sliced hard boiled eggs, chopped fresh parsley and/or paprika.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

3 Tbls. cornstarch
1 can (10 1/2 oz) condensed chicken broth
1 Tbls. vegetable oil
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut up
1 can (8oz) pineapple chunks, keep in juice - do not drain
4 cup hot cooked rice
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 medium green pepper, cut in strips

Stir together cornstarch and broth until smooth. In skillet over medium-high heat, pour in oil, when oil is hot, stir-fry chicken. Remove chicken when done and set aside. In same skillet, combine pineapple in juice, pepper, sugar, vinegar and reserved cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium high heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Return chicken to skillet. Cover, cook for 5 minutes or until pepper is tender; stirring occasionally. Serve over hot rice. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Butter Cookies

2 1/2 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup butter
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated orange rind

Sift together: already sifted flour, with salt and cinnamon; set aside. Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add sugar and mix well. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and orange rind. Slowly blend in flour mixture. Refrigerate dough for 1-2 hours. If using cookie cutters, dough should be rolled out on a floured board till 1/4 inches thick. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 1-inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Homemade Creamy Cole Slaw

1 medium head cabbage, cored & grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbls. red wine vinegar
2 Tbls. sugar
2 tsp. caraway seeds
salt & pepper to taste

Place grated cabbage in large mixing bowl. Mix in onion and carrot. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar and caraway seeds. Toss dressing with cabbage. Season cole slaw with salt and pepper. Chill thoroughly before serving. Enjoy!

Seven Layer Salad

1/4 head iceberg lettuce, washed
1/2 cup bottled real bacon pieces
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
5 oz. frozen peas, thawed
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise type salad dressing
2 Tbls. sugar
1/2 cup croutons

Prepare day before serving.

Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a deep baking dish or plastic container with a cover (A deep glass or see-through plastic bowl works wonderfully). Sprinkle with bacon pieces. Layer with remaining vegetables and sprinkle with cheese. Combine salad dressing and sugar in a bowl. Spread over top of salad so it is air tight. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, toss and add croutons, if desired. Enjoy!

Quesidillas Casserole

1 can (16oz.) refried beans
1 can (8oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (4oz.) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 8-inch tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a small bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. Place 1 tortilla in an 8-inch round cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Spread about 1/4 of the bean mixture over tortilla. Repeat with second tortilla and bean mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese over bean mixture. Repeat with remaining tortillas and bean mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over top. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!

Awesome Homemade Toffee

1 lb. of butter
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
16 oz. milk chocolate chips
(*you will need a candy thermometer)

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil over high heat in a 2-quart saucepan (nonstick works best) and stir constantly until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees (this will take about 10-13 minutes). Pour into an un-greased 10x13 inch baking sheet and spread evenly to coat. Will begin to harden immediately so move quickly. Sprinkle milk chocolate chips evenly over hot toffee and wait 1 minute till they begin to melt. Spread softened chocolate evenly over entire pan (like frosting) and chill for 2 hours. Slam pan once over counter to crack and break apart into about 2-inch or smaller pieces. Store chilled in a sealed plastic bag or container and let get to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells

2 Tbls. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbls. fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. box jumbo macaroni shells, cooked and drained
1 (12 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Saute ground beef, onion and garlic in olive oil in a saucepan. Drain off all fat. Add beef broth, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese and mix well. Stuff each shell with meat mixture and place in a glass baking dish. Pour sauce over shells and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Enjoy!

Fiesta Pizza

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 pkgs. dry taco seasoning mix
1 1/3 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients. Add milk, oil and stir with a fork until mixture forms a ball. Turn onto floured board and knead 10x. With greased fingers press dough onto pan, forming a ridge around crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Toppings:

2 1/2 lb. hamburger
1 1/2 lb. sausage
1 bottle taco sauce
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 to 2 Tbls. flour
2/3 Tbls. sugar
1pkg. dry taco seasoning
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
Fresh mushrooms, sliced

Combine hamburger, sausage and vegetables in frying pan and cook. When meat mixture is almost done cooking, stir in flour till thoroughly absorbed by oil and meat. Stir in taco seasoning, then add taco sauce, tomato sauce and sugar. Place mixture on crust. Then layer on desired cheese, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, etc... Return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Add sour cream, etc.. as desired. Enjoy!

Crockpot Beef Dinner Over Fettucini

1 1/2 lbs. top round steak, 1 inch thick
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/3 cup minced onions
3 Tbls. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
2 cups small mushrooms, halved
9 oz. frozen Italian green beans
1/2 cup buttermilk
9 oz. fettuccine, cooked

Trim fat from steak. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Spray skillet and heat over medium heat and cook the steak until brown. Place meat into crockpot (at least 3 1/2 qt.). Combine soup, onion, tomato paste and lemon pepper seasoning in a medium bowl. Pour mixture over meat. Add mushrooms. Cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours (or on high for 4 to 5 hours). Turn heat to high and add frozen green beans and buttermilk. Stir, cover and cook for 30 more minutes. Serve over cooked fettuccine. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup marshmallow cream
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sugar

Combine butter, sugar and milk. Heat on high. Boil for 3 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients. Mix together and pour in pan. Let cool and set completely. Cut into desired sized squares. Enjoy!