Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• Stew beef (12 lb.)
• Onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 cans beef broth
• Soup mix frozen vegetables (5 lb.)
• Potatoes (2.5 lb.)
• 1/2 gallon tomato juice
• 2 large cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. sugar
• *Small bag shoepeg corn and small bag butter beans

Boil stew beef in water on stove; add chopped onion and salt. Simmer and cook until tender (about 1 to 1.5 hours). Add pepper. Add 1-2 cans beef broth as needed.

Cook soup mix frozen vegetables separately, drain, and add to beef broth.

Cube and cook potatoes. When pot comes to full boil, turn off heat and cover. Drain and add to beef broth.

Next, add 1/2 gallon tomato juice (as needed throughout process) and 2 large cans diced tomatoes. Add 1 tsp sugar. *Can also add small bag shoepeg corn and small bag butter beans.

Simmer pot of soup for 35-45 minutes.

Mint Chocolate Delight Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa 
• 1 4 oz. package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 10 oz. package Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine flour, cocoa, pudding mix, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. 

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 TB vanilla
• 1 12oz bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin, egg, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the mild and stir into the wet ingredients. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Sir for about one minute.

Add vanilla and chocolate chips and stir until combined.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop cookies on by the spoonfuls. Bake for 9-12 minutes.

Rosemary Chicken Linguine

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz.) linguine
• Rotisserie chicken
• 1 (24 oz) Classico Traditional Sweet Basil pasta sauce 
• Chopped rosemary

Cook linguine according to box directions. While pasta is cooking, allow chicken, pasta sauce, and rosemary to simmer over the stove top. Serve prepared sauce over the linguine. 

Beefy French Onion Potpie

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 chopped small onion
• 10.5 oz. can condensed French onion soup
• 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 12 oz. tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Cook 1 lb. ground beef and 1 chopped small onion in a large skillet over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in one 10.5 oz. can condensed French onion soup; bring to a boil. Transfer to an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with one 12 oz. tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until biscuits are golden brown. Makes 4 servings. 

Crock Pot Southwestern Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

• 1 small bag frozen corn
• 2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1  (16 oz) can black beans, drained
• 1 (16 oz) jar medium salsa
• Toppings:
• Shredded cheddar cheese or nacho cheese sauce
• Tortilla chips
• Sour Cream
• Chopped cilantro
• Diced avocado

Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crock pot. Place frozen chicken breasts on top of corn and cover with rinsed and drained black beans and jar of medium salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks. Serve over tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings. Serves 6.

M&M Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose Gold Medal Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 or 1-1/2 cups Mini M and M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream your butter and sugars until well combined. Add your egg and vanilla mixing to combine. Add your flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt, stirring to combine. Add chips and M and M's stirring to combine.

With a medium cookie scoop, place dough 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Mom's Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large can whole tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 1 small can tomato paste (6 oz.)
• 1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp basil
• 1 box dry lasagna noodles
• 16 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 package shredded Parmesan cheese (6 oz.)
• 2 packages sliced mozzarella cheese
• 1 package shredded Italian cheese blend (6 oz.)

Sauce: Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot on the stove-top. Puree the large can of whole tomatoes and add to the pot. Next add tomato paste, tomato sauce, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pasta: Bring water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Ricotta cheese mixture: Mix 16 oz. Ricotta cheese with 1 egg slightly beaten. Add 4 oz. Parmesan cheese to the mixture.

Lasagna: Assemble lasagna in baking dish by layering 1/2 sauce, 1/2 pasta, 1/2 Ricotta cheese mixture, 1 package Mozzarella cheese slices, 6 oz. shredded Italian cheese, remaining sauce, remaining pasta, remaining Ricotta cheese mixture, 1 package Mozzarella cheese slices, and remaining 2 oz. Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 ounce jar of pesto
• 1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Brown Sugar Pork Chops with Onions

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 4 boneless pork rib or loin chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Sprinkle chops with black pepper. Cook chops in hot oil for 6 to 8 minutes, until brown on outside and slightly pink in center, turning once halfway through cooking time. Remove chops from skillet; cover and keep warm.

For sauce, in same skillet cook onion over medium heat for 3 minutes or until tender. Push onion aside. Remove skillet from heat; add orange juice and brown sugar. Return to heat. Cook and stir for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Stir onions into sauce.

Spoon sauce over chops. Serve with steamed green beans. Makes 4 servings.

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 Tbsp orange marmalade
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• Cooked long grain white rice or brown rice, for serving
• Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

• Place chicken in a slow cooker, set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, light-brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken in slow cooker, cover with lid and cook on low heat 4 - 5 hours.
• Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Strain sauce from slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. In a small mixing bowl whisk together 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water and cornstarch. Pour cornstarch mixture into liquid in saucepan and heat mixture over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to gently boil. Allow mixture to gently boil about 20 seconds until thickened. Return chicken to slow cooker and pour teriyaki sauce from saucepan over chicken. Toss mixture gently to evenly coat. Serve warm over cooked rice garnished with optional sesame seeds and serve with diced fresh pineapple if desired. Yield 4-6 servings.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
• 3 eggs
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (Ragu- sauteed onion and garlic)
• 6 oz. Mozzarella

Dip eggplant slices in egg. Then dip in bread crumbs. Place eggplant slices on cookie sheets. Bake at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes. Then flip eggplant slices over for 5 minutes. Make sure eggplant is lightly brown on both sides. Place eggplant in a casserole dish. Top with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle cheese over sauce. Bake at 350 degrees until warm. (Do not grease cookie sheets.) Serve over pasta.

Baked Cheese Grits

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup grits (not instant)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter
• 6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring milk to a boil. Add 1/2 cup butter. Stir in grits very slowly or will get lumpy. Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes until consistency of oatmeal. Remove from heat. Add salt, egg, 1/3 cup butter and grated cheddar cheese. Pour into 2-quart greased casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or less, depending on the depth of the dish. (Cool until knife comes clean when struck in deepest area.) Serves 8-10

Tortellini Bake

Ingredients

• 1 bag of frozen cheese filled tortellini (20 oz)
• 1 jar of Alfredo sauce (15 oz)
• 1/2 jar of marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Mix with the Alfredo and marinara sauce in an 8x8 baking dish. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Then broil for 5 minutes for a bubbly and golden topping.

*May add cooked chicken or shrimp to the dish before baking

Giant Pecan Waffles

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a blender, beat the eggs, milk, and oil until frothy. Stir all of the dry ingredients together until well mixed. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the wet mixture into the well, then stir just until the mix is moistened. Spoon onto a hot waffle maker and cook until golden brown. Makes 6-8 waffles.

Squash Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 medium cooked yellow squash, drained
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped medium onion
• 6 Tablespoons butter; 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 cups herb croutons
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Take squash and mash, draining excess water. Set aside. Saute the carrots, onion and butter. Then add chicken soup and sour cream; mix. Add croutons and squash; mix well. Turn this into a greased dish (2 1/2-quart casserole). Then melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in 1/4 cup croutons together; sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serves 8-10 people.

Doritos Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can Rol-tel tomatoes (canned tomatoes with green chilies)
• 1/2 packet taco seasoning
• 1 bag of Doritos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except Doritos.

In a greased 2 quart baking dish, put a layer of crushed Doritos (about 2 cups), then a layer of the chicken mixture. Repeat once more, ending with a layer of chicken mixture. Top with more shredded cheese, cover, and bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbling hot. Serves 4-6.

Jello Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix (bake according to box cupcake instructions)
• 1- 6 oz. box of jello
• 2 cups hot water
• white frosting
• candy sprinkles

Bake cupcakes according to box directions. While cupcakes are baking, mix jello content with hot water. Mix until completely dissolved, and set to the side to cool a little.

Remove cupcakes from oven and immediately poke holes in hot cupcakes. Slowly pour two tablespoons of jello over each cupcake. Let the jello soak in for 20 minutes then remove from tin pan and place in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours on a wax paper lined plate or tray.

Once jello has set frost and sprinkle the cupcakes. Yields 24 cupcakes. 

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/4 cup yellow or white boxed cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (blend of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup sprinkles

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Mix in the egg and vanilla until creamy.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. (The dough is fairly sticky, so chilling the dough is required in order to avoid the cookie from spreading too much.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of the cold dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Shape your cookie dough balls to be "taller" than they are wide. Make sure to keep dough chilled when working in batches. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned. (Mine took 10 minutes exactly). The centers will still appear very soft, but the cookies will set as they cool.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 2.5-3 dozen cookies.

Baked French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 8 slices Texas toast or Potato Bread

Blueberry Sauce

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves (could use less!)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 Tbsp thawed orange juice concentrate

Pour melted butter on a 15-in.x10-in.x1-in. baking pan; lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. In a large shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and nutmeg. Dip both sides of Texas toast into egg mixture; place on prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

For sauce, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the blueberries and orange juice concentrate. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with French toast.

Avocado Chicken Pitas

Ingredients

• 4 whole pita breads
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 pound rotisserie chicken, cut into strips
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Brush one side of each pita bread with oil. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until browned and crisp.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash avocado with lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Spread over pitas. Layer with chicken, tomato and cheese.

Bake for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings

Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 Tablespoons butter (melted)
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup syrup (pancake original with 2% maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 8 mini pie shells or one 9 inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, individually stir in the first 7 ingredients. Place the mini shells on a cookie sheet. Fill each shell to the rim with the pie batter. Bake for 45 minutes. Yields 8 mini pies or one 9 inch pie.