Patriotic Dessert Kabobs

from Cindy Golightly

Layer strawberries, blueberries and angel food cake cubes on skewers.  Serve with whip cream.

Zesty Quinoa Salad

from Connie Kellis

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a sauce pan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.

Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a blow.  Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat..  Stir in cilanter; season with salt and black pepper.  Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

from Jeanne Salmon

1 box of penne or any pasta you like - cooked
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (also called garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 whole pkg string cheese, sliced
1 pkg of salami, sliced
1/2 to 1 pkg of pepperoni (up to you how much you want to add)
1 can small olives, drained
2 cups grape/cherry tomatoes, halved

Mix all together and add dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 T fresh minced basil or 1 t dried
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 t salt

Not Too Sweet Baked Beans

from Tammy Carlson

2 (15 1/2 oz) can white beans
2 (15 1/2 oz) can pinto beans
1 (15 1/2 oz) can baby butter beans (or another white or pinto)
2 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup molasses
2 T brown sugar
2 T prepared mustard
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t pepper (or Tabasco/other hot sauce)
6 slices bacon (preferably pre-cooked)
1 medium onion, diced

Pulse tomatoes in a blender 5-6 times or until they break down.  Place all beans in a colander.  Rinse and drain.  Transfer all to crock pot.  Add molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper.
Cook up bacon (if you want to leave bacon in, trim off fat and slice before cooking) and saute onion in bacon drippings.  Add to crock pot, stir to combine all ingredients.  Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours.  Remove bacon before serving.

Banana Drop Cookies

by Claire McCoy

2 bananas
1 cup oatmeal

Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet, bake 15 minutes, 350 degrees

Optional:  cinnamon, chocolate chips, craisins, orange zest, nuts, blueberries, whatever you want.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

from Carla Brimhall

1 lg. carton of Chicken Broth

1 tbsp of Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base (in the soup aisle)

1 can sliced carrots (plus water) or 1 cup sliced fresh carrots

3 stalks diced celery

1 diced onion

2 cans of canned chicken breast chopped (plus liquid)
(You can use leftover chicken diced or a grocery store chicken diced.)

Add above ingredients together, and simmer until carrots, onion, and celery are soft.

Add 1-1 ½ cups of egg noodles (or other preferred noodle type) and cook just until the noodles are firm. For best results, serve immediately and avoid leftovers (because the noodles go mushy).

Mimis Cafe Corn Chowder Recipe:

from Sara Kimball

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

6 Tablespoons chopped onion

3/4 cup diced celery

2 1/2 cups water

2 cups cubed, peeled russet potatoes

2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 (14 ounce) can creamed corn

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 dash of white pepper

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups half and half cream

Directions:

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat.  Add in the flour and whisk until smooth and a roux forms (2 minutes).  Add onions and celery and saute 5 minutes until soft, but not brown.  Add water, potatoes, corn kernels, creamed corn, sugar, salt and pepper.  Whisk together until smooth.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are barely tender, about 30 minutes.  Add half and half and simmer uncovered until soup has thickened into a creamy consistency, about 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.(Recipe from Mimis Café)