Taco Salad

1 lb ground chuck
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 (14.5 oz) package nacho cheese Doritos
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
chopped lettuce
chopped tomato
chopped green onion (optional)
1/2 can kidney beans (optional)

Brown ground chuck, drain of any grease, and add taco seasoning. Set aside to cool.

Place chips in a large bowl, and break into bite size pieces.

Top chips with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onion.

Pour ranch dressing over all and toss to coat. If the ranch dressing is very thick, I like to thin it down by adding a little milk.

Serve with extra chips, if desired.

This is a great summer time lunch or quick dinner.

Chicken and Pasta Primavera

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large green pepper, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli floweretts
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cup cooked and diced chicken
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 cup apple juice
1 package thin spaghetti
1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; meanwhile...

Heat oil in a large skillet, stir in pepper, onion, broccoli and garlic.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken pieces, soy sauce and apple juice; heat through. Add almonds and toss to mix.

Drain spaghetti and place in a large pasta serving dish.

Pour chicken and vegetable mixture over pasta and serve.

Spaghetti Casserole

1 lb ground chuck
1 medium onion, diced
1 can Hunt's pasta sauce (traditional or garlic and herb)
1-8 oz carton sour cream (I use light)
1-8 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package refrigerator biscuits
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Brown ground chuck and onion; drain well.

Add pasta sauce and heat to bubbling.

Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and allow to cool slightly.

Spread sour cream evenly over meat mixture.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over sour cream.

Mix butter and Parmesan cheese together, making a paste.

Separate biscuits and place on top of mozzarella cheese in casserole dish, sides touching.

Spread butter/Parmesan paste on top of biscuits, covering thoroughly.

Bake in 350* oven until biscuits are golden brown; 25-30 minutes.

It is sometimes difficult to get the bottom of the biscuits cooked...just lift the edge of one up towards the center and make sure it is done before taking out of oven.

When this dish is on the menu and the kids ask what's for dinner, I always say,"Spaghetti Casserole...you know the one with no spaghetti."

Chicken Divan

2 cups diced, cooked, chicken breast
1-10 oz package frozen broccoli spears ( I like to use fresh and cut it into smaller pieces)
1-8oz carton sour cream (I use light)
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use healthy request, less fat and sodium)
3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli and drain.

Lay broccoli in bottom of 9 X 13 inch casserole dish.

Mix sour cream, butter and cream of chicken soup; add diced chicken and mix well.

Spread chicken mixture over broccoli.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake in 350* oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

This is really simple and all my guys like it. Add a salad and some bread and you've got dinner!

Orange Tapicoa Salad

2 packages tapioca pudding mix
2 packages orange jello gelatin
1 can mandarin oranges, drained and diced
1 package Dream Whip whip topping mix

Cook tapioca in 4 cups boiling water for 4 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat.

Add jello gelatin and stir to dissolve.

Place in refrigerator until set. This can take up to an hour or two. I speed things up by placing it in the freezer and checking every 15 minutes or so.

Whip one envelope of Dream Whip according to package directions.

Fold oranges into the gelatin mixture and then fold in Dream Whip.

Chill and then serve.

This is my sister-in-law, Christie's recipe. It has become a favorite on my side of the family at holiday meals. Thanks for sharing, Christie!

Pumpkin Bread

a great mid morning or after school snack...yummm!

2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 can pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, soda and salt, stir until well blended.

Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add remaining ingredients; mix well. I find my large wire whisk works well to do the mixing. Pour batter into two greased (or sprayed)regular sized loaf pans, or 4 small loaf pans.

Bake in 350* oven for 1 hour for regular size and 40-45 minutes for the small pans. Check done-ness with a toothpick inserted in the middle. Bread is done when it comes out clean.

Everyone except Jonah likes this bread....he just hasn't come to appreciate a warm slice on a cool morning....I have hopes he will one day!

Peach Cobbler

1 stick margarine or butter
3/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
dash salt
1-15 oz can peaches, diced and heated in a saucepan
3/4 cup sugar

Melt margarine in 9 X 9 inch baking pan.

Mix milk, flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt until smooth.

Pour over melted margarine.

DO NOT STIR!!

Pour peaches and peach juice over this mixture.

DO NOT STIR!!!

Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup sugar over mixture and bake at 375* for about 45 minutes.

The peaches will magically sink to the bottom and a wonderful cobbler crust will form on the top.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.........

This is one of Caleb's favorite desserts and I often make it for his birthday.

Tortilla Appetizers

These are so tasty and take only a little time to throw together. I like to make them earlier in the day or even the day before to let the flavors really mingle and get to know each other. Everyone in our family loves these and request them often!

1 package large tortillas
2 -8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened (it is fine to use low-fat)
1/3 cup mayonnaise, can substitute Miracle Whip(can use light)
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
2 -2 1/2 oz package sliced, pressed, cooked ham

Combine cream cheese and mayo.

Spread a thin layer on each tortilla then sprinkle each with green onion and black olives.

Place 4 pieces of ham on each tortilla.

Roll up tortillas, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, cut each tortilla in 3/4 inch slices.

Makes about 64 appetizers.

Jello Bananas

Bananas,
how ever many you need

dry jello,
I use strawberry or cherry flavor







Slice bananas into rounds.

Sprinkle with dry jello. You will not use the entire box. One box will make this dish many times.

Gently stir to coat bananas with jello.

Chill, stir again before serving.

The moisture from the bananas and the jello combine and create a "sauce" coating the bananas.

This is one of Jonah's favorites. When he was little, and still occasionally now, he would prepare this for a side dish for our dinner. I don't remember who gave me this idea, but it has stood the test of time.

Barbeue Brisket

melts in your mouth...

brisket
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
garlic salt
onion salt
celery salt
pepper
worchestershire sauce
Adolf's tenderizer
nutmeg
brown sugar
bbq sauce

Pour liquid smoke over meat placed in aluminum foil then sprinkle with tenderizer- let set 1 hour.

Sprinkle on all other ingredients EXCEPT bbq sauce.

Close foil tightly and bake in covered pan @ 250*-300* for 5 hours.

Remove from oven, uncover meat, pour off juices, and let rest a few minutes.

Slice meat thin and cover with bbq, cover the pan and return to 250* oven for 1 hour.

This recipe was shared with me by my mother in law. She is a wonderful hostess and a super lady and I am lucky to have her in my life.