Twilight Punch

Red, fruity punch, smells like Bella, looks like her blood too... :).

Ingredients:
2 liter bottle of ginger ale
64oz Cranberry Juice
46oz Pineapple juice (look for the big cans of juice)
12 oz can Frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
12 oz bag frozen strawberries or raspberries or mix of both

Start with all ingredients cold, refrigerate 24 hrs prior to mixing.
Mix everything together in a bowl and add the ginger ale last. The recipe will fill 2 extra large pitchers or 4 regular pitchers. You can also add more ginger ale, water, and/or ice to taste.

Yummy Spaghetti

All you do for my yummy spaghetti is add the following to your already prepared noodles and sauce.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1/2-1 onion sliced into strips (depends on how onion you want it)
1-2 garlic cloves minced (depends on how garlicky you want it)
1 pound Mild or Hot Italian Sausage

Preheat oven to 350. Get a cookie sheet with the high edges (not the ones with no lip on the edge). Poor a good amount of oil into the pan and place sausage on it. Rub each piece of sausage with oil, covering it. Cook in oven 20 minutes on each side (40 minutes total). When they are done slice into little circles.

Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add Garlic and sautée for about five minutes. Add Onion and Bell Pepper. Sautee for about 20 minutes, or until veggies are to desired consistency. Add sausage and about a cup full of sauce to deglaze the pan (mix sauce in and then rub the pan bottom to get all the nice juices up off it). Serve on top of spaghetti.

Chicken Parmagian

Here is my very easy chicken parmigian recipe.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Oil (veggie, olive, whatever you have!)
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmigian Cheese
PREGO Traditional Spaghetti sauce (okay, so you can use whatever kind of sauce you like, but this is my favorite)

First take the four chicken breasts and tenderize the heck out of them (I use the pointy side of the tenderizer)! Seriously, pretend it is someone you hate and pound, pound, pound. Little pieces of chicken should be flying every where. I like to cover everything around in plastic wrap and wear yucky clothes that I can immediately change from as soon as I am done. Now go take a shower, come back and finish the rest (put the chicken in the fridge first before you shower!).

Next mix the egg and milk in a bowl big enough to fit each chicken in. In the other bowl poor a shallow layer of bread crumbs. Heat on medium a good amount of oil in your skillet (you want the oil to come half way up the chicken breast). When you splash some water into the oil it should sizzle. Now, you don't want the oil to be too hot or the inside of the chicken will be raw, and the outside burnt.

Now you are ready to fry! Dip each chicken breast in the egg/milk mixture, then the bread crumbs (both sides, get it nice and covered) then into the pan. I cook mine about 7 minutes on each side. After that place the chicken in a 9*13 baking pan and cover with Mozzarella cheese. Repeat with each breast until they are all done.

Now, cover the chicken breast (that already has melted mozzarella on it) with your spaghetti sauce, making sure to cover the whole thing. The add more mozzarella cheese and some parmigian cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes (or until heated through and cheese is melted).

Yum, yum yum.....

Parslied Potatoes

Parslied Potatoes
1 ½ lb. small, new red potatoes, scrubbed
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium, chopped onion
1 small, crushed garlic clove
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. pepper

Peel a strip of skin from around the middle of each potato (I don’t usually do this, it is more work than I care for!); place potatoes in cold water. Set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add oil. Sauté onion and garlic for 5 mins, or until tender. Add broth and ¾ cup parsley; mix well. Bring to a boil. Place potatoes in a single layer in skillet. Return to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 mins, or until potatoes are tender. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to serving bowl. Add pepper to skillet; stir. Pour sauce over potatoes, sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Banana Foster

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. orange juice
3 large firm bananas

Melt the butter at medium low heat in a large frying pan. Stir in the brown
sugar until it has fully absorbed the moisture of the butter. It will
become clumpy. Add the vanilla and orange juice and stir until it is
velvety and bubbly. If the mixture is not smooth enough, add a little bit
of orange juice until it is.

Slice bananas, about 1/4 inch slices. Add bananas to mixture, stir to coat
and remove from heat. If you like the bananas slightly cooked, let sit for
a few minutes.

Serve over scoops of vanilla ice cream.

No-bake Chocolate Bars

My favorite goody recipe, and always a fabulous hit at parties!

1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups uncooked quick oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I always use milk chocolate) (can be doubled)
1/2 peanut butter (double this too!)

Grease 8-inch square baking pan. Melt butter in large saucepan over
medium heat. Add sugar and vanilla: mix well. Stir in oats. Cook over
low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until ingredients are well blended. Press
half of mixture into prepared pan. Use back of large spoon to spread
mixture evenly. Melt chocolate chips in small heavy saucepan over low
heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanut butter. Pour chocolate
mixture over oat mixture in pan; spread evenly with knife or back of
spoon. Crumble remaining oat mixture over chocolate layer, pressing in
gently. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room
temperature before cutting into bars. Bars can be frozen; let thaw at
least 10 minutes before serving.

Garden Ranch Pizza

This is the pampered chef recipe.

Ingredients:
1 package (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 package (1 ounce) ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix (2
tablespoons)
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup coarsely chopped broccoli
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 medium carrot, sliced
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly sprinkle Large Round Stone with flour.
Unroll pizza dough on baking stone, shaping into a circle. Using lightly
floured Baker's Roller(R), roll dough to edge of baking stone.
2. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine mayonnaise, seasoning mix and garlic
pressed with Garlic Press; whisk using Stainless Steel Whisk. Spread mixture
evenly over crust to within 1/2 inch of edge using Small Mix 'N Scraper(R).
Top with half of the mozzarella cheese.
3. Coarsely chop broccoli using Food Chopper. Dice bell pepper using
Utility Knife. Slice carrot using Crinkle Cutter. Slice olives using Egg
Slicer Plus(R). Sprinkle vegetables over pizza; top with remaining
mozzarella cheese. Grate Parmesan cheese over pizza using Deluxe Cheese
Grater.
4. Bake 18-22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven;
let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges using Pizza Cutter; serve using
Mini-Serving Spatula.

Yield: 16 servings or 24 sample servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 170, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 3 g,
Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Protein 7 g, Sodium 410 mg, Fiber less
than 1 g

Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli slaw
1 pkg. broccoli slaw
2 green onions sliced
3 oz. package of Top Ramen (any flavor -- I prefer Roasted Chicken)
1/2 c. cashews
1/2 c. sunflower seeds

Mix:
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 packet of seasoning from the Top Ramen noodle package

Add: Nuts, dressing & noodles. You do not cook anything for the
Broccoli Slaw but it taste better after sitting in the fridge
overnight so it can soak in the flavor. (add noodles just
before serving)
Yummy yummy!

Mandarin Orange Salad

I first tried this at a RS dinner a long time ago. It is very yummy! I have to say, though, that I hate mixing fruit with salads so I never eat the oranges but I always add them to get a bit of that flavor.

Mandarin Orange Salad

4 cups greens (or 1 head green leaf lettuce or one bag romaine lettuce)
1 c. celery (I always leave this out, not a big celery fan)
2 green onions (I don't know what that means, so I just use one bunch)
11 oz. mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 Tbs. sugar
1 cup or more cooked chicken (optional)

Put the almonds and sugar in a hot frying pan. Stir until the sugar
starts to melt. Stir until all the sugar has melted and coated the
almonds. Pour out on a plate to cool, separating as it cools for a
minute so it doesn't all get stuck in a big pile.

Dressing:

1/4 cup oil (that's the same as 4 Tbs. - then I don't have to get the
measuring cups out)
2 Tbs. white vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of tabasco

Grilled Peppers

We are loving grilled veggies of any kind, but these are especially good.

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 onion, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil (helps your body to absorb the nutrients)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine peppers and onion on foil and brush with olive oil. Grill for 5 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached. Salt and pepper and enjoy!!!

Lemon Garlic Broccoli

Okay, so Broccoli is one of my least favorite veggies, but with this recipe I will ask for seconds!

1 head Broccoli, cut into pieces
3 Tablespoons butter
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Steam broccoli until tender but firm, about 5 to 7 minutes. Heat the butter in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat; add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cooked broccoli, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, cooking briefly to combine.

My mom thought it had too much lemon, but I love lemon juice, so you may want to start with just 1 tablespoon. Mmmmmmm...

Grilled Asparagus

1.5 lbs Asparagus Spears (fresh)

1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all of the ingredients into a pie plate. Then roll the asparagus spears in the mixture.
Grill asparagus spears over direct medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes depending on the their thickness.
Turn over spears half way through cooking. Serve warm. Note, they will loose temperature fast.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa/Salad, another version

1 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1/4 c olive oil
1/3 c lime juice
2 cans drained and rinsed black beans
1 can drained corn
1/2 c chopped parsley
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 purple onion, chopped (any color is fine, but purple adds more
color to the salsa)

This recipe has been served at almost all of my get togethers, so you may have already tried it. It is sooooo yummy. I also wanted to add that you can eat this plain heat it up and eat it in a tortilla. It is also really good used as a bed under salmon.

Jolene's Funeral Potatoes

Easy recipe to just "dump" ingredients without measuring, my favorite.
1 (2 Pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 (16 oz) carton sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 package (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1 package toll house crackers (not one box)

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13*9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Tortilla Soup

This has always been a big hit, and a little bit spicy. Hope you like it!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas (I just buy tortilla chips at the store)
vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. Top with chips, shredded cheddar cheese and serve. Mmmmm....

I just use tortilla chips bought at the store, but this is what you could do if you have too much time on your hands!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Sunday Beef Stew

This was my families Sunday meal for years. It is one of my favorite comfort foods.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1lb. stew meat
4 large potatoes
4 large carrots
1 stock of celery (optional)
½ an onion
1 clove garlic
4-6 cups water
1/2 tsp bouillion per cup of water
1tbs parsley
1tbs soy sauce
1tbs worsteshire
1-2 bay leaves

Directions:
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cover each piece of stew meat in mixture and put in large crock-pot. Peel and cut potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and add to crock-pot. In another bowl combine water, bouillion, parsley, soy sauce, worsteshire sauce, and bay leaves. Add to crock-pot and stir. Cook in crock-pot on high for 6 hours or until potatoes are done.
Stick to your ribs yummy!

Snickerdoodles

This is the Betty Crocker recipe of Snickerdoodles, it is one of my families Christmas tradition cookies, and I have had lots of compliments on it.

1/2 cup Butter softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cream the first four ingredients together. Add the rest and mix. Roll into smallish balls and roll in 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon mixed together. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set.

A little hint on cookie baking, you might already know this. To keep them softer and not so crunchy, take them out at the lesser time (8 min), they will continue to cook a bit on the warm pan. If they are still harder than you like, take them out even earlier. Wait about 10 minutes for them to cool down and set before removing them from the pan.