Virtual Cookie Exchange

One of my favorite blogs is doing a virtual cookie exchange. Check out site for some new cookie recipes--- littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com

Ritz Chicken

2 lbs. Cooked boneless skinless chicken (@ 4 cups chicken)
2 cans 10 3/4 oz.Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup Sour Cream
2 rolls of Ritz Crackers
4 T. butter

Cut chicken into bite size pieces or shred. Mix chicken, soup, 1 cup of water,and sour cream. Spread in a 9X13 inch pan. Crush Ritz and mix with melted butter. Spread of the top of the meat mixture. Cook until warm enough to serve. Bake at 400. Serve over rice.

Pumpkin Brownies

1 15 oz can of pumpkin
4 eggs
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients, bake on 350 for 20-25 mins. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

These are so delicious. When my sister makes them I have to eat more than one.

Jello Popcorn

1/4 cup butter
1 small pkg. any flavor jello
1 bag marshmallows
12 cups popcorn

Add first three ingredients to sauce pan. Cook until melted. Pour over popcorn and enjoy.

Yummy Gooey Carmel Corn

1 cube butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 bag marshmellows
2 bags microwave popcorn

Melt first three ingredients in sauce pan. Pour over popcorn. Super easy and yummy.

ZIPLOC OMELET

(This works great !!! Good for when all your family is together. The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet !!!)

Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc FREEZER bag with permanent marker.

Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.

Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.

Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.

Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes [we did 15 minutes]. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger

2 T. soy sauce

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 can cream of chicken soup

1-2 C. cooked rice (depending on how thick you like it...I usually put 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1 medium pumpkin

*Brown hamburger with minced onion until cooked. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and soup; simmer for 10 minutes. Add cooked rice. Place all ingredients inside hallowed out pumpkin. Place lid on the pumpkin and cover whole pumpkin with foil. Bake for 1 hour on 350.

This is a FUN Halloween dinner! I'm planning on making it again this year; however I'm going to use little pumpkins for each person instead of one large one! Hope you ENJOY!

Our Enrichment made a yummy dinner. It is allot like Cafe Rio. Just a little different.
Mexican Pork Salad
3-5# boneless pork roast
1 cup salsa
1 cup brown sugar
Place ingredients in crock pot and cook on low heat 8-10 hrs. Shred pork with a fork before serving.

Rice
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tsp butter
2 clove garlic minced
1 tsp grated lime peel
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tsp sugar
3 T. freshly chopped cilantro
Combine rice, butter garlic, lime zest, chicken broth and water. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes till rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, cilantro. Pour over hot rice.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope Ranch salad dressing
1/2 envelope Fiesta Ranch dressing
6 tomtillo and cut in half
1 clove garlic minced
Juice from 2 limes
1/4 c chopped cilantro

Put rice on plate, then pork, then add beans, cheese, tomatoes, onions avocado, ect. Put shredded letttuce on top and dressing a tortilla chips.

Calling for Apple pie filling recpies

Gena can I have your apple pie filling recipe or anyone else who has a great pie filling to make and process. Thanks Becky

Mexican Fall Chicken Tortilla Soup

Don't let this long list keep you from trying this delicious Mexican fall soup.  It was kid approved and ...mmm...good!

3 t garlic

1/2 c purple onion

3 T butter

2 T flour

5 1/4 c chicken broth or 3-14 oz cans

1 pint 1/2 & 1/2

1 can cr. of ckn soup

2 lg tomatoes (I use 1 can diced and puree it so nobody knows)

1 can cr. corn

5 chicken breasts-cooked & shredded

2 t cumin

1 pkg fajita mix

3 T cilantro (fresh is best)

1 bag tortilla chips

cheddar cheese

Using a lg pot, saute the garlic, onion and butter.  Add flour and stir well.  Add broth & 1/2 & 1/2.  Bring to a boil & reduce heat low.  Add soup, tomatoes, corn, chicken, cumin, cilantro, fajita mix and stir app. 15 min.

Take bowls.  Place chips in bowl.  Sprinkle w/cheese and pour soup over top.  Enjoy!!!

CAFE RIO LOVERS

Creamy Cilantro Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch dry dressing pkg.prepared according to directions
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno(its pretty spicy with no seeds at all, but add some if you want extra hot)
Blend all together in food processor or blender, store in fridge

Cafe Rio Rice
3c water
4 tsp bullion
4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilis
3/4 tsp salt
1 TB butter
1/2 onion
3c. rice
Blend cilantro, chilis, and onion in processor or blender. Boil water add all ingredients simmer covered 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken
1 small bottle zesty Italian dressing
1TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
3 cloves minced garlic
5 lbs chicken breast
Mix all together in crock pot, cook 4-6 hrs. Shred chicken and cook 1 hr longer.

Cafe Rio Shredded Pork
6lbs pork
1 16oz jar salsa
1 can coke
2c brown sugar
Place roast in crock pot and fill halfway up the roast with water. Cook 5hrs, drain water. Cut into smaller pieces or shred if tenser enough. Mix salsa, coke, and brown sugar and pour over roast. Cook 3 hrs longer, shred.

Snickers Salad Recipe

1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 large package of vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup of milk
1 bag of fun size Snickers or 3 super size Snickers, cut up into small chunks
3 medium size Granny Smith apples or other tart apple, cut up into small chunks

In a large bowl, mix up the dry pudding with the Cool Whip. Add milk and mix well. Add the Snickers and then the apples.

Note: Cut the apples after you have mixed the other ingredients so that they aren't brown when you add them.

Ann's Party Wings aka. Winger's wings

1c. self rising flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 c. milk
2 chicken breast fillets

4-6 c. veg. oil

Sauce
2 1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3 T. light corn syrup
1/3 c. + 2 T. Frank red hot pepper sauce
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. hot water divided

Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

1- Place brown sugar, 3 T. water and corn syrup in medium saucepan and melt over medium heat until boiling. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

2- Add remainder of water, red hot pepper sauce, and vinegar. Stir alll ingredients together well and continue cooking at a low boil, stirring often until mixture has reduced to a syrupy consistency(about 15-20 min.) The sauce will thicken considerable as it cools.

3- Combine flour, salt,pepper,and paprika in a medium bowl.

4-In another bowl place the milk.
5- Slice chicken breast in 1 in pieces. Preheat oil in a fryer to 375 degrees.
6- Dip chicken in milk and then in flour mixture; then repeat this process so the chicken is double dipped.
7- When chicken is done drop each piece of chicken into hot oil and fry for 5-6 mins. or until each piece is browned.
8- When the chicken is done put on paper towel lined plate.
9- Place chicken into covered container. pour sauce over the chicken, cover and shake coating the chicken. Pour the chicken onto a plate and serve with dressing.

I got this recipe from my sister when I was helping her last weekend. She claims this tastes just like the Wingers Sauce.

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups grated zucchini
2tsp vanilla
1/ c. water
1/ c. oil
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2c. cocoa
2c. flour
1 tsp.salt
1 1/2 tsp. soda

Mix zucchini, vanilla, water and oil. Add sugar, cocoa, flour, salt, soda and nuts optional. Mix well pour into greases 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 mins. Let cool and frost with milk chocolate frosting.

I made these for a family get together and every one loved them. They were so moist.

Frosty Orange Creme Layered Dessert

2 cups orange sherbet
1 package cream cheese
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip

First, line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with foil. Spread the sherbet onto bottom of prepared pan to form even layer.Freeze 10 min.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually add condensed milk and juice, beating until blended. Gently stir in cool whip. Pour over sherbet in pan.

Freeze 3 hours. To unmold, invert pan onto plate; remove foil.

Poor Man's Hot Dog Hash

5-6 pototoes-peeled and diced

2 T olive oil

2 pkgs hot dogs

2 cans corn-drained

salt and pepper to taste

ketchup as desired

Fry the potatoes w/salt and pepper in the oil until tender, then add the hot dogs.  Cook for about 5 minutes more.  Add the corn and ketchup to taste for an add'l 5 minutes.  I made this up on a whim b/c we needed dinner pronto.  It was a HUGE hit!  Cheap and the kids LOVED it!

Kids Love 'Em Fajitas-HOLE'!!!

1 pkg fajita mix

1/4 c. water

2 T olive oil

1 sm. steak or chicken-cut into bite size pieces

Mix together and cook over low heat till done.  Then add:

1 can black beans (drained) Cook till warm then add:

1 c. rice w/ lime and cilantro added to taste.

Fry several corn tortillas and serve with corn, cheese, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes and fresh limes.  (The limes are key.)  The kids LOVE this recipe and it's easy and cheap.

Scotchroos or Peanut Butter krispies

This has become the favorite dessert to bring to YW lately. Blakely had to take a dessert to the closing social, she of course picked these.


1 c. Karo syrup
1 c. sugar
1 c. peanut butter
6 c. rice krispies
1/2 c. choc. chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips

Mix syrup, sugar, & peanut butter in a sauce pan. Cook until sugar is melted & it just starts to boil and take off the unit. I put the rice krispies into the sauce pan and mixed them up. I added more rice krispies if it looked like there was more needed. Put them into a buttered 9x13 pan. You can add melted choc. chips and butterscotch chips over top and let it chill in the fridge or freezer to harden up the chocolate.

Roast Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover pot roast or 1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion
3 stalks of celery
1 green pepper
2 Tbs. butter
1- 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
1- 3 oz. can chow mien noddles
Steamed rice

*Heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut onion, celery, and green pepper coarsely. Chop/shred leftover roast (or cook and drain beef). Cook in 1 Tbs. butter for several minutes. Transfer meat to casserole pan. Put remaining butter in pan, add chopped vegies. and cook until limp. Stir in mushroom soup, water, salt, pepper. Pour mixture over beef and mix well. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remover cover and sprinkle chow mien noddles over top. Bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve over a bed of steamed rice.

(I always make this when I have leftover roast. It doesn't look like it would taste good but we sure like it. Side note- I use onion powder instead of a onion)

Hot Dog Dish

Ingredients:
1/4 cup catsup
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
Dash pepper
1 cup water
8-12 hot dog/franks
(egg noddles, rice or mashed potatoes)

*Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan combine all ingredients except franks. Bring to a boil then simmer 5 minutes. Place hot dogs in a baking pan; pour sauce over hot dogs. Bake uncovered 30 minutes turning hot dogs occasionally. Serve over a bed of egg noddles, rice, or creamy mashed potatoes.

(I promise this is GOOD! It was my favorite dish when I was a child. It comes from my dear grandmother and I can still picture her making it and all of us girls eating second and thirds. I like it best served over egg noddles!)

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups ground zucchini (pealed and grated)

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups oil

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 tsp. vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup nuts (optional)

*Beat eggs, add oil, sugar and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients with the zucchini. Add nuts if desired. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or longer. Makes 3 loaves.

(Many thanks to Wendy for the yummy zucchini! My boys loved this bread!)

Strawberry Cream Cake

Ingredients:
1- white cake mix
1- 8 oz cool whip
1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
2- cups powdered sugar
2- pkg. strawberry danish dessert
2- reg. cases of strawberries cut

*Using a sheet cake, bake cake mix according to directions on box. Let cake cool. Cream together cool whip, softened cream cheese, and powered sugar. Poor frosting over the cake. Prepare danish dessert according to directions on box. Add strawberries to cooled danish dessert and poor over frosted cake. Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours before serving.

(This is a wonderful easy dessert that I got from my dear friend! I made it for a Fourth of July potluck this year and it was a hit. You can even add other kinds of fruits if desired)

Strawberry Frozen Jam

I made freezer strawberry jam today. I just followed the recipe on the back of the sure jell box, but I do have this recipe using Clear Jell.

Strawberry/Raspberry Frozen Jam

2 c. sugar
3 T. Clear Jell
1 pkg. rasp. koolaid or strawberry koolaid
1/2 c. light Karo syrup
5 c. uncrushed fruit (raspberry or strawberry)
Mix into fruit and stir well; Put into container and let set up for about 24 hrs. Put in freezer.

Peanut Butter Brownies

2-pkgs brownie mix
1 cup peanut butter
Mix brownies according to the directions on the box. Pour into greased sheet cake. Heat peanut butter in microwave until melted.(@45 seconds) drizzle over brownies and swirl. Bake according to directions on box. My family loves these brownies, they are their favorite.

Grown up Green Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce
1 package spring salad mix
1/2 cup bacon bits or diced cooked bacon
Mix above together and pour dressing over mixture right before serving
Dressing:
1 pkg mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup diced purple onion
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP yellow prepared mustard
4TBSP poppy seeds (can leave out and is yummy also)

Peanut Butter Clusters

2c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. creamy peanut butter
3 c. rolled oats

Combine sugar, milk and butter. Bring to a full boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter and stir until smooth. Add oats, mix well.
Cool slightly and drop on waxed paper. Let cool. Or spread in a 9x13 pan. Cool and cut apart.

Strawberry Jello Salad

3-1/2 c. boiling water
1 lg. package strawberry jello
1 sm. pkg. instant vanilla pudding
8 oz. cool whip
1 pkg. frozen strawberries or fresh

Bring water to boil. Add jello and pudding. Stir until dissolved. Cool until set solid. Add cool whip and drained ,thawed strawberries. Stir well and serve.

The Start of Something new

I have been contemplating this idea for awhile. I thought it would be nice to post the recipies we have been making in our homes. We could have a theme every month or just add what's new that we have liked. I would like everyone to contribute as much or as little as they would like. Let me know.