Enchilada Sauce

1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1 small can tomato sauce
2 T chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Yields about 16 fluid oz.

I do not like to pay $3.50 a can for enchilada sauce. I used to make my own in the blender, before I found this EASY (yummy) recipe. Depending on how you are going to use this, you can mix this up in a saucepan or in a shake cup. I imagine you could mix it in a mixing bowl.

Corn Salsa

okay okay okay...here it is :)



1 can black eyed peas, drained

1 can corn, drained

5 medium tomatoes, diced

2 avocadoes, diced

1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped



Mix together. THEN, here's the stuff that makes it better than the other corn salsas. You make up a packet of the Good Seasons Italian dressing (as in, you don't just throw in the packet of seasonings, you actually make the dressing with the packet) and add to the mixture and stir it up! Tastes really good chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Poppy Seed Fruited Slaw

This is from "Cooking Light" and the most used recipe out of all the issues we have. Even if you are not a coleslaw fan (I'm sure not), you have to try this. It's awesome! We've substituted oranges with granny smith apples too and that is really good. I've also used mandarin oranges if you don't have time to supreme orange sections :)

Coleslaw:
1/2 c. orange sections
1 c. halved seedless red grapes
1 16 oz. package cabbage and carrot coleslaw

Dressing:
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. minced fresh onion
3 Tbsps. cider vinegar
1 tsp. poppy seeds
4 tsps. canola oil
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. salt

To prepare coleslaw, chop orange sections. Combine the oranges, grapes, and coleslaw in a large bowl. To prepare dressing, combine sugar and the remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves (when you add the oil, drizzle it in slowly while whisking). Add the dressing mixture to cabbage mixture, and toss well. Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving for flavors to combine. Makes 6 cups. (Serving size 1 cup, calories per serving: 114).

Strawberry Amaretto Pastries

This is one of my favorite summer desserts and is so easy and looks liked you slaved away.

1/2 package(17.3 ounce) frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet) thawed (you can find these cheap at the Pepridge Farm Outlet in Golden Gate)

1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided
2 Tbls. granulated sugar, divided
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
12 large strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 F. Unfold pastry dough onto Large pan or stone. Finely chop half of the almonds. Combine with half of the sugar; sprinkle evenly over surface of dough. Lightly press almond mixture into dough.
2. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough lengthwise into three stirps; cut srips crosswise into four squares for a total of 12 squares. Seperate squares evenly over pan and bake 16-18 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to cooling rack.
3. Place remaining almonds in Saute pan. Cook over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Coarsely chop and set aside.
4. Whisk sour cream, powdered sugar and almond extract in a bowl. Fold in whipped topping. Slice strawberries. Split onpen each pastry square; arrange half of the strawberries into bottom of each shell. Top each with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling and sprinkle with chopped almonds and sugar. Top with remaining strawberries.
Serve immediately!
Yum!
If I make these in the next little while I will come back and edit in a picture.

Great Harvest Best Ever Buttermilk Pancakes

Submitted by- Dalyce

I was glad that my mother-in-law shared this recipe with me so I thought some of you might be interested in a good pancake recipe as well. In the past we'd been using the pancake mix from Sam's Club, so this was a big step up. I really like the texture and moistness of them, and they're a quick fix. We've already made them twice this week.

2 eggs

2 c flour

2 c Buttermilk

1/4 c oil

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Just mix until smooth. If you are making these for 2 people, you may want to half the recipe.

Cheesy Baked Mexi-Rigatoni

This is seriously YUM-O. I've had it for Wednesday dinner, Thursday lunch and dinner, and Friday lunch. The recipe serves about 6 hungry adults. (source: Picky Palate)

Cheesy Baked Mexi-Rigatoni

1 lb dry Rigatoni pasta or any other pasta of choice
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 Anaheim green chili’s finely chopped (we used a can of chopped green chilies)
1 lb lean ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt
1 can cheddar cheese soup
½ Cup milk or half and half
1 Cup sour cream
2 15 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes (I think regular tomatoes would be fine too)
Heaping ½ Cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves (add more if you love cilantro)
2 Cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions, making sure it’s not overcooked. Drain and set aside.

2. Place olive oil into a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Saute onions and chilies until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beef, salt, pepper and garlic salt; cook and crumble until browned. Stir in soup, milk, sour cream and tomatoes. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cilantro and cooked pasta.

3. Pour mixture into a large 9 x 13 inch baking dish or individual size baking dishes of choice, see my link above. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Spinach and Asparagus Chicken Linguini in a Parmesan Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

I'm finally posting a recipe! I got the recipe from Picky Palate. I made this last night, and we both had second helpings, it was so good.

Spinach and Asparagus Chicken Linguini in a Parmesan Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

12 oz uncooked linguini pasta
1 Bunch asparagus tips (you can use the body too, just cook longer)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt and pepper
3 Cups lowfat milk
1 ¼ Cups crumbled gorgonzola (I only used 1/2 cup)
¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 Cups baby spinach (chop into smaller pieces)
2 medium size chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
10 strips precooked bacon, crisped and crumbled
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare linguini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Bring a medium saucepan filled ¾ full of water to boil. Place asparagus tips in hot water and cook for 3 minutes. Remove and place into a bowl of ice water to shock and stop cooking. Set aside.

2. Place butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat to melt. Whisk in flour, pinch of salt and pepper until combined. Slowly whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium high. While whisking, heat until milk comes to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and immediately stir in parmesan and gorgonzola until melted. Stir in chopped spinach, linguini, asparagus, chicken and half the bacon. Gently toss to coat, season with pinches of salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a large serving bowl and garnish top with remaining crumbled bacon pieces.

My Cinnamon Rolls

Source: Dandelion Mama blog

I found this recipe awhile back on the above mentioned blog and finally gave them a try. They were the best cinnamon rolls I've had in a long time! I found that waiting to frost is best done just before you eat one. Reheat in the microwave for about 35 seconds then slather on the frosting. They will be so soft in the middle and gooey.

1/2 cup warm water
2 packages dry yeast
2 Tbsp sugar

Bloom the yeast with the sugar in the warm water, waiting for froth and bubbles.

1/2 cup instant vanilla pudding powder
1 c warm water
1/2 cup melted butter
2 lightly beaten eggs
1 tsp salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, with a wire whip, mix the pudding powder with the water until well combined and smooth. Add the butter, eggs and salt, whisk to combine well.
Add the bloomed yeast/sugar/water mixture and combine well.
Add flour, one cup at a time, until the dough comes together, and is still soft, but not sticky. Knead until smooth. It will feel like fat baby thighs.
Let rise in a warm, covered and lightly oiled bowl until doubled in size. About 2 hours.
Punch down, and knead again.
With a rolling pin and a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to a 34 x 22 inch rectangle. Keep moving the dough as you roll, to keep from sticking to the board.

1 cup melted butter
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon

Melt the butter and pour the whole cup on your rolled out rectangle of dough. (I told you only a few times a year!) In a separate bowl, combine with your impeccably clean hands, the sugar and cinnamon, then cover the butter-drenched dough rectangle in an even and delectable layer of cinnamon sugar.

Starting at the 22 inch side, roll the entire thing into a nice, long cinnamon tube. Seal the edge with a little bit of water on a pastry brush or your fingers.
With a serrated knife, (or even better, a piece of thread or dental floss) cut the log into 2 inch segments, and carefully move your giant cinnamon treasures to a glass pan. Put no more than 8 in a large glass Pyrex casserole dish. Do not crowd them- they will rise almost double. Whatever baking dish you use, deeper sides give the rolls a softer exterior = better.
Cover in a warm place and let them rise again until fat and happy- about two hours.

Bake at 350* for 15-18 minutes. Really, only that long. Do not over-bake. You want them to be soft, yet set, in the middle. The house will smell divine.

Icing:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp cream

Whip all ingredients together and smear on top of still warm rolls.

Beck's Carmel Corn

This is a favorite carmel popcorn recipe and really easy! Sorry no picture on this one.

2 bags microwave popcorn popped
1 cube butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup caro syrup
1t. baking soda

pop the popcorn-sort out the old maids and kernels. Melt butter, brown sugar and caro syrup. Boil constantly for 1 minute. Take off heat add baking soda. Stir until foamy and baking soda has dissolved. Pour over popcorn. Spread on cookie sheets. Let cool-if you can wait that long to eat it!

Peanut Butter Pie

Submitted by: Sherrie Thuernagle
Source: My Aunt Debbie

This pie is delicious, especially if you are a peanut butter and chocolate fan...but grab a glass of cold milk...you'll need it!


Peanut Butter Pie

24 Nutter Butter cookies
5 T. butter
crush cookies and add melted butter. Press into pie pan.

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 to 1 C. peanut butter (crunchy is the best)
1 T. vanilla
1 80z. tub cool whip
Whip together very well and put into pie pan.

*Save a little extra cool whip and crushed cookies for the top of pie. Spread a think layer of cool whip on top of pie, sprinkle cookies, and then we add chocolate chips to the top. Then drizzle with chocolate syrup and put in the freezer. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve...allow to thaw a few minutes. We drizzle extra syrup on each individual serving.

Easy Hawaiian Chicken

Submitted by: Sherrie Thuernagle
Source: Sabrina Atwood

This recipe was given to me by a friend, and my family LOVES it. It's very quick and easy to make, but tastes yummy and it's healthy too. I serve it over rice and perfect sides are steamed broccoli, and fruit kabobs (fresh fruits on skewers).

Easy Hawaiian Chicken

2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1/2 C. flour

1/4 C. butter or margerine

1/2 C. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 (20 0z) can pineapple chunks, save the juice

Coat chicken in flour. Heat butter in skillet and brown chicken on both sides. Place chickn with butter in greased 9X13 pan. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar and juice from pineapple; pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 350* for 50 minutes. Uncover; add pineapple and bake for 15 more minutes. Makes 4 servings.

*I double this recipe for a family of 6.

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Submitted by Dalyce
Source: allrecipes

These rolls are perfect, very easy to make, and turn out great every time.

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup butter, softened

1.Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2.When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3.Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.