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)

Green smoothies

2 c Frozen Kale, spinach, chard mix
2 T flaxseed
1 c Almond milk
1.5 c cold water
1 frozen banana
Handful frozen blueberries

Place green leafy mix in blender. Add flaxseed, almond milk and water. Blend until  liquified. Add banana and blueberries. Blend on high until liquified.

Makes about 3 cups




Handful frozen broccoli
1 c almond milk
1.5 c cold water
1 peeled carrot
1.5 frozen bananas
Handful frozen cherries

Place broccoli, almond milk and water in blender. Mix until liquified. Add carrot, bananas and cherries. Blend until liquified.

Makes about 3 cups

Strawberry Trifle

Strawberry Trifle

from Michelle Ottley

by Aunt Linda at http://www.trainermomma.com/2010/04/strawberry-trifle/

1 angel food cake

2 lbs strawberries

1 large pkg. vanilla instant pudding, sugar-free

skim milk

1 tsp almond extract

1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping, lite or sugar-free

1 Tb almond slices

Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Tear angel food cake into pieces about 2x2inches.  Slice strawberries.  Prepare vanilla pudding using skim milk according to directions on box.  Fold in almond extract and whipped topping.  Using a trifle bowl or any clear glass bowl, layer 1/4 of almond cream mixture, 1/3 of angel food cake, and 1/3 strawberries.  Continue the layers ending with the almond cream mixture.  Top with sliced almonds.  

Top each serving with chocolate chips, if desired.

For 16 servings, it runs at 135 calories per serving (sans chocolate chips). 

Hummus

from Chantel Ash

15 oz. chickpeas (fresh or canned)
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. tahini
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

In a food processor mix tahini and lemon juice for 2 min. (scraping the bowl) then add oil and spices. Blend then add chickpeas.  Blend until smooth.  Top with paprika.  (I add a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot or Tabasco for spice.)

Chicken Variations in a skillet--by Wendy Webb

Juicy Fajitas 

chicken
onion cut in wedges
peppers cut in wedges
1/2 c. salsa
1/4-1/2 c. Italian dressing
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. soy sauce



Chicken Cacciatore

chicken
onion cut in wedges
peppers cut in wedges
mushrooms
zucchini and/or yellow squash
basil
garlic
oregano
salt
tomatoes



Hula Chicken

chicken
ham
white cheddar

sauce:
1 T. olive oil
1 med red onion chopped
2 c. pineapple
3 T. brown sugar
3T. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)
1 c. tomato sauce

Strawberry Crepes

by Jennifer Towne ("Jenny Dean")

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish, optional

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for garnish, optional

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered

Pinch of salt

4 9-inch crepes, homemade or store-bought

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar until mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

2. In a small bowl, toss strawberries with remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and salt.

3. Spread one-fourth of ricotta mixture evenly on one side of each crepe; fold into quarters on serving dishes. Top with strawberry mixture. Garnish with additional lemon zest and confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Strawberry Salsa

by Jennifer Towne ("Jenny Dean")

 

lb strawberries 

2 golden delicious apples 

8 oz raspberries 

2 T white sugar 

T brown sugar 

3 T strawberry preserves 

Mix and chill 1 hour ... great with cinnamon sugar chips

Cashew Chicken
By Shawn Stevens

Ingredients: 4- servings

½ Tablespoon Oil 

½ cup roasted cashew nuts

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 green onion, chopped

½ lb sliced chicken

½ cup sliced red bell pepper

Sauce:

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 Tablespoons oyster sauce

1 ½ Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon white pepper

Heat pan, add oil, garlic, chicken, and all sauce ingredients.  Turn heat to high and deduce sauce until glaze forms.  Mix in roasted cashews, garnish with green onions and bell peppers.  Serve over cooked long grain rice.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN WITH BLACK BEANS AND CREAM CHEESE
from Gina Underwood

INGREDIENTS:
4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 (15 ounce) jar salsa, any kind
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Put 4-5 frozen chicken breasts in crock pot.
2.  Add 1 can black beans, drained.  Add 1 jar of salsa.  Add 1 can corn, drained.
3.  Keep in crock pt on high for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked.
4.  Add 1 pkg. of cream cheese (just throw it on top) and sit for about 1/2 hour.
5.  All done & enjoy!

Spinach Chicken Salad

5 cups of cooked chicken (I use rotisserie  chicken)
1 cup of snow peas chopped in half
2 1/2 cups sliced celery
1/2 large cucumber sliced
3 large green onions sliced
2 cups green grape halves
2 cups packed torn spinach
7 ounces corkscrew pasta cooked and drained

Combine everything in a large bowl.  Cover and refrigerate.  Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss.  (We can not eat this in one meal so I usually combine everything except the spinach and then we mix it and add the dressing right before we eat it.)


Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 T white wine vinegar
1 t salt1 t lemon juice
1/2 t dried minced onion
2 T minced fresh parsley or cilantro (I like cilantro better)

Mix well and refrigerate.

Easy Chicken enchiladas

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
1/2 c of milk (more or less)

1 1/2 c. cheese (more or less)

1 1/2 c cooked & diced or shredded chicken (more or less)

1 small can mild sliced green chiles
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
salsa (optional)
enchilada sauce (optional)

8-10 flour tortillas (I like the big ones wrapped around the filling a
few times, or both corn and flour spread around the pan if you want easy
casserole style)

Mix together cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, half of cheese
(set aside the other half), chicken, chilies, and olives in a large
mixing bowl.

Spread a small amount of mixture on the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan (glass
or casserole) so the enchiladas don't stick to the bottom.  Fill each
tortilla with a few spoonfuls of mixture, roll up, and place in pan.
You should be able to fill at least 8 tortillas.  If there is any
mixture left over, (I always make sure there is) top the pan of
tortillas with it, then sprinkle the remainder of the cheese and salsa
(optional) on the top.

Or for casserole alternate layers of tortillas and the mixture.
Use cheese as last topping. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or

until the cheese is beginning to brown.

Z's Favorite Fish

My son loves fish sticks.  He learned about them at school.  They are not my favorite.  Because we like him to eat, we started eating fish sticks on a regular basis until I found and adjusted this recipe on Allrecipes.com.  It has a similar feel to it (mild white fish with breading) but much, much better and I think more healthy.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Spray pan with Pam.  (Large enough that the fish don't overlap.)

• Place 1 1/2 lbs frozen white fish fillets in a single layer in pan

(Our favorite fish for this is Striped Pangasius (Swai) Fillets.  You can find them individually frozen at HEB.  2 pound packages go on sale for $5 but are $6 something normally. I usually make 5 to 6 fillets.)

• Make a sauce of :
• 1 TBSP mayonaise
• 1 TBSP lime juice (lemon is fine too)
• 1/4 teas onion powder
• 1/4 teas pepper
• Spread on top of the fish.  Since it is frozen it will stick, which is handy.
• Sprinkle with bread crumbs (I take a bread crust from the bag that no one will eat, usually whole wheat and it works fine, throw it in my little food processor and make fresh crumbs but dried work fine too.)
• Drizzle with 1 1/2 TBSP melted butter

Bake at 425 for about 25 minutes or until it flakes easily.  It works just as well with thawed fish but baking time can be reduced to 20 minutes.

Serving suggestions:  I usually pop some whole sweet potatoes in the mircrowave and push my potato button.  (Stab them with a fork first and coat the skins with shortening).   Then make a green veggie like steamed broccoli or a green salad.  OR lately I've been making fish tacos with warm corn tortillas, shredded cabbage, green onions and HEB cilantro sauce (found in little containers by the fish).