Chicken Salad Goodness!

Chicken Salad Recipe:

Ingredients-
-2 cups cooked chicken,diced in 1/2 in. pieces    

- 2 Tbsp. green onions minced
- 3/4 tsp. salt
-1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1 cup seedless grapes, cut into halves
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup chinese noodles

Directions-
In medium mixing bowl, combine cubed chicken, onions, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate about 2 hours. Add to cooked chicken mixture: grapes, celery, mayonnaise, almonds, and chinese noodles. Return to refrigerator until ready to serve on croissants.

Grandma's Delicious Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad Recipe:

Ingredients-
- 1 Small package of shell pasta
- 1 Cup miracle whip salad dressing
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 1 Green Pepper Chopped
- 1 Large can Spam
- 1/2 Cup of dill relish or chopped dill pickles      
-  1 Cup small cubed mild cheddar cheese
- Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions-

cook shell pasta until tender about 8 min. Drain pasta, and rinse in cold water. Add to bowl, and add all the other ingredients. Place in fridge for 1-2 hours until ready to serve!

Teri's Famous Hamburger Soup

It's been a cold winter, so bundle up and enjoy this heart warming soup!

Hamburger Soup Recipe:

Ingredients-

2 bags sliced carrots

4 stalks celery sliced

1 cup chopped onions

4 cups water ( for boiling potatoes,and carrots)

2 cups beef broth           

8 potatoes

2 lb. ground beef

1 can corn drained

1 can cut green beans drained

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 large can tomato sauce

8 cups fresh tomato juice

Thyme, Oregano, Onion salt, Parsley Flakes,Basil, Garlic salt,

Salt, and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a crockpot on low add corn, green beans, celery, diced tomatoes, tomato juice,tomato sauce,beef both, and seasonings to taste. Boil potatoes and carrots until tender about 5-7 min. Slice the potatoes after cool. Cook 2 lbs ground beef until no more pink left, and at onions cook until translucent. Add cooked ground beef, carrots, and sliced potatoes to crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Valentine's Treats

Valentine's is the holiday of LOVE, so here are a few recipes you can share with your special someone this Valentine's Day!

Strawberry Jam Cake Recipe:

Ingredients-
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 large jar Strawberry Jam
1 Vanilla Frosting Tub or Your Favorite Recipe
1 pint Fresh Strawberries

Directions-
Heat oven as directed on the cake mix. Mix up 1 yellow cake mix as directed on the box. Spray bundt cake pan with cooking spray. Pour 1/2 cake batter in bundt pan. Spoon 1/2 jar favorite strawberry jam on top of cake batter. Add the other half of the cake batter on top of jam. Bake as directed on the cake mix box. Take out invert on tray while cake is still warm. Mix up favorite Vanilla Frosting recipe, Add 1/2 more of strawberry jam to frosting until it's the right consistency for you and flavor. Spread on top of cake while cake is still warm, and add fresh strawberries that are cut into heart shapes. Let cool in fridge for 1 hour and serve.

* MORE RECIPES COMING TO YOU SOON*

Dessert Side Dishes

We sometimes like to have dessert while we are eating dinner, and so here is some of our favorite recipes!

Picnic Cake Recipe:

Ingredient/ Directions:
1 cup raisins - bring to boil in 1 1/2 cups water.      
add 1 teaspoon baking soda
let cool

Mix in a mixing bowl:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add raisins and remaining water. Spread in a greased cake pan. Top with: 3/4 cup brown sugar- sprinkle over cake mix. 3/4 cup chocolate chips- sprinkle over brown sugar. Bake at 350 F degrees for 35-40 min.

Turtle Bars Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1- 6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1- 12 oz. jar caramel ice cream topping

Directions:
Combine 1 1/2 cup flour, oatmeal, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Mix until crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for topping and press remaining mixture onto the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Bake in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over partially-baked base. Mix 1/4 cup flour with caramel topping. Drizzle over top. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 20 more minutes. Cool and Cut into bars.

Holiday Candy Recipes

This time of year our family gets together to make holiday memories. One of our favorite holiday memories is Candy Making. So we want to share our favorite recipes with you!

Almond Bark Cookies Recipe:

Ingredients-

2 lbs. white almond bark chocolate (white chocolate)
3 cups captain crunch peanut butter cereal
3 cups rice krispies cereal
1 cup flaked coconut
1 can (13 oz) salted peanuts

Directions:
Melt almond bark (in double boiler) pour over all ingredients. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper and chill. This can be stored for quite awhile in a covered container. ENJOY!

Red Cinnamon Popcorn Recipe:

Ingredients-

1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup hard red cinnamon candies ( about 6 1/2 oz.)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 quarts popped popcorn

Directions:
Melt margarine. Stir in baking soda, corn syrup, and sugar. Bring to boil. Boil on low without stirring for 5 minutes.Remove pour over popcorn and candies. Eat when cool!

* We like to double the sauce so that it has more gooey goodness!


Baked Caramel Popcorn Recipe:

Ingredients-

6 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup margarine
2 cups firm packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Melt margarine, Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to boil. Boil on medium heat, Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove add baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Place popcorn on sprayed sheet pan. Bake at 250 F for 30 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes.


Marbleized Mint Bark Recipe:

Ingredients-

1 lb. white chocolate
1 cup crushed candy cane
1/3 cup mint chocolate chips- melt in double boiler

Directions-

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Melt white chocolate in a double broiler or on low in crockpot " stir constantly" over low heat.Add crushed candy cane. Stir in.
Stir to desired color. Spread thin ( 3/8 in. ) on a foil lined sheet pan. Melt chips. Drizzle across candy, then marbleize by drawing a toothpick down through the lines of the melted chips. Set until firm. Lift foil and break into desired pieces.

Scottish Shortbread Cookies Recipe:
Ingredients:
 1 lb. and 1 tablespoon butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
4 cups flour

Directions:
Mix, then knead. Put through cookie press. Bake at 350 F degree over until light golden brown. Will keep in air tight container for 2-3 months.

* We added our own touch by adding flavor to the dough:
examples: 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon juice or lemon extract
                 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
                 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
                 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
                 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* If you want a softer cookie, then store in a ziploc bag*


Cereal Candy Recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 small box corn chex
1/2 small box rice chex
1/2 small box wheat chex
12 oz. blanched peanuts
6 oz. unsalted raw sunflower seeds
2-1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cup dark karo syrup
2 squares plus 2 tablespoons margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Mix cereal,peanuts, sunflower seeds, and raisins in a large pan or bowl. In a heavy sauce pan bring the sugar, syrup, margarine, and vanilla to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour over cereal mixture. Spread out on waxed paper. After it sets up you can break apart to eat. It can be stored in plastic bags or buckets. Tastes better after a few days. Great for camping, holiday treats, and traveling.

THAT'S ITALIAN!!!!

One of greatest things about the holiday season, is planning and preparing a theme night for dinner! Here is another one of our themed dinners, that we hope you will use in your upcoming family traditions!

 Meat Manicotti Recipe:

8 manicotti shells
1 lb.ground beef
1/4 lb.Italian Sausage ( We like to use regular sausage)

1 cup mozzarella cheese(grated)
1 cup cheddar cheese(grated)
4 oz. cottage cheese
4 oz. Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup cracker crumbs (saltine)          
1 small onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs beaten  

Directions:

Cook manicotti according to directions on the box. Saute onion and garlic- add meats and cook until done. (Drain) Add spices. Put meat into a bowl and add cheese, eggs, cottage cheese, crumbs, and parsley. Mix together and stuff into cooked noodles. Lay single layer in 9x13 pan. Pour sauce over top. Bake at 325 degrees covered for 30 min. and uncovered for 10 minutes.

Sauce: Bottled spaghetti sauce or use our homemade tomato sauce that is on our blog ,and add your favorite Italian spices to it.









Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe:

2 pkgs. jimmy dean sausage
1- 8 oz. pkg, cream cheese                          
1 bunch green onions minced
1 Tablespoon minced green pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions: Brown sausage. Drain grease. Press into paper towels to get as much grease out as possible. Mix sausage with cream cheese, onion, green pepper, and parmesan. Clean mushrooms. Remove stems and fill with sausage mixture. Dip tops into Italian bread crumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 min.







Seasoned Swirl Rolls-

24 frozen rolls
1 Tablespoon seasoning blend (we use Italian seasoning blend for pizza and pasta)
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon dried basil or parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions: Combine seasoning blend, oregano, basil, and cheese. Roll each roll into 10 in. snake rope and brush all sides with melted butter. Sprinkle one side with herb mixture. Roll up rope into a ball, seasoned side in. Place in muffin tins sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with wrap and let rise to double the size. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. Remove from pan to let cool.