Summer Treat...Orange, Banana, Strawberry Smoothie

You will need:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt
• 1/2 banana
• 5 ice cubes

Mix this all together in a blender
This makes 2 delicious summer treats. You can change it around to suite your own taste and add fresh fruit to the mix, if you'd like to. (I just used what I happened to have on hand in the fridge).
Now enjoy!

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits

You will need:

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Jello vanilla instant pudding
• 1 1/2 cups thawed cool whip divided (save 1/2 cup of cool whip for finishing touch on top of parfait)
• 24 vanilla wafers coarsely crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries

Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Mix in 1 cup cool whip.
Layer half each of wafers, strawberries and pudding mixture in 4oz. parfait glasses. Repeat Layers. Garnish tops of parfaits with the remaining 1/2 cup of cool whip and chopped strawberry.
This will yeild about 10 (4 oz.) parfaits
Chill, serve and enjoy!

Easy Tator Tot Casserole

You will need:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 yellow onion chopped
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup (Store brand does change the taste of this recipe, so I recommend Campbell's)
• Ore-ida Tator Tots
• 1/2 of the soup can filled with water and 1/2 can of milk 
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 oz. shredded mozarella cheese.

Brown ground beef in a skillet with the chopped onion, sprinkle a generous amount of garlic powder, salt and pepper. After it is brown, drain and return to the pan.

Add the can of cream of mushroom soup to the meat, then add the milk and water. Bring to a boil.....remove from heat.....

Pour it in a greased oblong casserole dish.........top with the grated cheeses......

Then top with the tator tots, sprinkle the top with salt.....

Cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until golden brown.

Let it stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Yummy....just look at that gooey cheese!

Serve it with a side salad, and your favorite bread .....I like Texas toast. Enjoy!

P.S. My boys like the tator tot casserole with ketchup, but I like it just like you see it pictured here! Hold the ketchup on mine, Please...
Enjoy~

Easy Yummy Salsa Recipe

This is such a delicious and easy recipe, and it tastes like fresh tomatoes are used, but they are canned...

You will need:

• 1 can Rotel tomatoes and diced green chiles (I used great value brand)
• 1 Large can of petite diced tomatoes (I believe this one I used was a 32 oz.) The amount will equal about 2 regular sized cans. I used great value Wal-mart brand.
• 1/2 chopped onion
• chopped garlic clove
• 1 -2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantra
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on your taste) of white vinegar
• Sprinkle of Salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. taco bell mild sauce
• Tortilla Chips for dipping

Note: If you like your salsa smooth (which I do) you'll need a hand held blender to blend the tomatoes. I have never tried this recipe without blending them, so I recommend doing so. I use a Durabrand hand held emmersion blender ($10.00 at Wal-mart) to blend salsa to desired consistency, I like it smooth.....not chunky. The hand held blender makes this a snap.....you blend it right in the saucepan.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the vinegar, onion, and garlic to a boil. Remove from heat and add canned tomatoes, rotel, and other ingredients. Now, blend with the hand held Emmersion Blender.... right in the pot. Once blended to desired consistency, return to heat and bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat. Let cool and serve with Tortilla Chips. Great for an appetizer or serve with a Mexican style dinner......like my taco recipe in the post below.

** Leftover salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

Enjoy~

Restaurant Style Tacos

You will need:

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1/2 chopped onion
• small peeled potatoe quartered
• chopped garlic clove
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantra
• 2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 pkg. McCormick Taco Seasoning mix (see what package looks like below)
• enough water to cover the meat in a saucepan
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Put the ingredients in a medium saucepan and cover with water, bring to a boil.....then reduce heat and cover....cook for about 30 minutes or longer for more flavor.....

Other ingredients you will need:

• Taco shells
• Monterrey jack cheese grated
• Shredded lettuce
• Diced tomatoes
• Sour cream
• Homemade Salsa

This is what the meat ingredients will look like as it cooks....

(McCormick's Taco Seasoning Mix)

When the meat is done, spoon it into a bowl and salt and pepper it to taste, then stuff the tacos shells that have been heated according to package instructions.

Top with your favorite toppings..... I like to use Monterrey Jack Cheese, Shredded Lettuce, Diced Tomatoes, Sour Cream....and sometimes I add some of my homemade salsa too. Serve with Refried Beans topped with cheese, serve tortilla chips and salsa as an appetizer or to eat with the taco meal.

These tacos are so delicious.....the meat is very moist....I had always browned my meat in a skillet before, but I decided to try boiling it instead, and what a delicious difference it makes.
Enjoy~

Easy Honey-Glazed New Potatoes

For this recipe you will need:

• 2 1/2 pounds new potatoes, cut into quarters
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven cover potatoes with water and add some salt. Bring water to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender; about 12-15 minutes; drain.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in water, honey, salt, and pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook potatoes single layer at the time for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown. When the sauce becomes thick it will be done. Before serving.... salt it to taste, if desired.
This is a delicious side dish. 

Enjoy~

Poor Man Dinner~ Easy Recipe with Ground Beef~

This Recipe has been around for as long as I can remember, It's a winner in my book, ( I first stumbled upon it over 20 years ago)......I especially like it because it's tasty, easy, economical, and the clean up is a cinch. You cook it all in aluminum foil in a pan in the oven. Now for the recipe....You will need

• Ground Beef or Ground Chuck (enough for your size family, I used 1 pound)
• Chopped potatoes
• Chopped carrots
• Chopped onion
• Salt, I like to use McCormick's Seasoned Salt, or Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb.
• Pepper
• A Side dish of your favorite Green Veggie

You first line a shallow pan with foil (get enough foil so that it can be wrapped over the top and closed on the edges), then make patties from the ground beef, season with plenty of pepper, salt (you can use Mrs. Dash or seasoned salt too) Add chopped onion to the top.....(Tip: you can use this cooking method for pork chops, chicken pieces also, and you can add your favorite veggies in to the mix....like bell peppers, or green beans...what ever you like to make it your own).

add chopped carrots and potatoes and more onions to the top....season generously with salt and pepper....

Now, over lap the foil over the top and then seal the edges rolling them closed. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, then open up the foil carefully (it will be very hot) fold it back and cook uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes longer.

It will look like this when it is done.....

I like to serve with a green veggie for a side dish ....I chose broccoli and cauliflower with cheese. The clean up is so easy with this meal....just throw the aluminum foil in the trash and you are practically done. 

Enjoy~

Easy Chicken and Dumplings Soup~ Delicious Comfort Food

This recipe is easy and delicious.....great on a cold winter day.....

For this recipe you will need the following:

• 4 chicken pieces ( Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper. Cover the pieces with water in a large pot (I used a dutch oven pot). Then bring them to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on med to med-high heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until juices run clear when a fork is inserted. Remove from broth, Cool~ Debone~ and Chop) Note: Save chicken broth you will need it
• Saved chicken broth from the water that you boiled your chicken in.
• 1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup (Campbell's)
• 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup (Campbell's)
• 1 can of 10 count big country jumbo biscuits (I used Great Value brand buttermilk )
• 4 boiled eggs (bring them to a boil and slow boil for about 13 minutes, then peel and chop)

After the chicken has been removed from the water that you boiled it in...do not pour out the water (broth)... save the broth and add more water if needed to have about what I have here in this large pot (dutch oven) Add the soups to the broth and stir well...bring it to a slow boil on med-high heat.....

While you are waiting for the broth and soups to come to a boil... get the biscuits ready. Take them out of the package one at a time and flatten them with a rolling pin. I use the back of a corelle flat plate to roll them out on....because it doesn't stick to it and I don't have to clean up a countertop.....it makes it easy.

Cut each biscuit in small pieces like this.....you can do this as you go, you will have time because you add the pieces one at a time.....

Once the broth mix has begun slowly boiling.....you drop the biscuits in piece by piece.....just drop them in one at a time and then stir ocassionally. After all of the biscuit pieces have been added....cook a few minutes on a slow boil.....between med to med-high heat....stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking......

Then add the chopped boiled eggs and chicken and stir...

Now, that everything has been added to the pot.....Cook on med. to low heat for about 30 to 45 minutes....or longer.....it just gets better the longer you cook it. TIP: You just want the soup to slowly boil....be sure to stir it occasionally to prevent sticking.....

It will look like this as it cooks......

This is what it looks like when it's done. 

You'll probably need to salt and pepper to taste now, ....it's delicious wonderful comfort food.....this is a recipe was passed down by my husband's mother.  She shared it with me many years ago.

Enjoy~

Easy Homemade Guacamole Dip

This is such an easy dip, and delicious served with tortilla chips. This is a wonderful appetizer when you are serving tacos or burritos.....

All you will need is 2 avocados (make sure that they are somewhat soft to the touch, when you are choosing these), a garlic glove, (chopped fine), a sprinkle of garlic power, and salt and pepper to taste.....

halve the avocados, and remove the seed.....

Scoop the flesh out of the shell into a small bowl and mash it well, with the back of a fork .....mix in other ingredients and salt and pepper to taste....

Serve with tortilla chips.... serve right away or chill in the fridge if you'd like it cold. This is best eaten fresh the same day that it is prepared....because.....I will tell you... that if this isn't eaten the same day as it is prepared.... the next day it will have turned a not so appetizing darker green on top. I have tried using lemon juice mixed in with the dip and this doesn't help....it always turns dark green the next day. This is best served fresh, the same day that it is prepared.....fix it just before serving.

2 Avocados yields enough dip for about 4 people as an appetizer. By the way you can add a dash of lemon or lime juice for added flavor if you'd like to. I sometimes do, if I have it on hand. This time I did not. Sometimes a cook has to improvise right? I didn't add any and we didn't taste the difference. Hope you will like this dip..... we really enjoy it.

Homemade Chicken Pie Recipe~ Great Comfort Food On A Cold Day

For this recipe you will need:

• 4 chicken thighs boiled and deboned,(reserve some of the chicken broth for later)
• 3 boiled eggs
• 1 can Veg-all vegetables drained, (I used great value brand vegetable medley)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup, (I used Campbell's because it does make a difference)
• 1 can of cream of celery soup, (I used Campbell's)
• 1/2 of a can of the reserved chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup mayonaise
• 1 cup self-rising flour (don't forget the self-rising flour, I didn't show it in the photo, oops)

Grease an oblong casserole dish with grease or Organic Pam spray, Lay the cooked deboned chicken in the bottom of the dish, add the chopped boiled eggs, then the can of drained veg-all, evenly over the top. Now, in a small bowl, mix the cream of chicken, and cream of celery soup with a half of a can of chicken broth. Pour this mixture on top of the chicken mixture and mix around lightly.
Next, in a small bowl mix up 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of mayonaise, and 1 cup self-rising flour, until mixed well. Now, pour this evenly over the top, and Do Not Stir, Lightly smooth it over the top....this is your chicken pie crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.....
and it will look like this.... when it's done....nice and golden......

This can be a complete meal in a casserole dish, or serve it with your favorite green vegetable......This is easy and so delicious.....great comfort food on a cold day.......
Enjoy~