Easy Chocolate Brownie Triffle

This is a very easy dessert that's always a crowd pleaser. I've gotten requests for the recipe every time I've made it!


Ingredients:
~ 2 boxes brownie mix, made to package directions. (can use any brownies)
~ 1 large tub cool whip
~ 1 large box instant chocolate pudding mix, made according to package directions

Directions:
In a glass serving dish layer 1/2 brownies, pudding and cool whip. Be careful to layer so that layers don't blend into each other (you will see the layers from the side of the dish). Repeat layers, ending with cool whip. Using a potato peeler, shave chocolate and sprinkle on top. Refrigerate until serving.

Recipe from: Crystal Taylor

1 hour Soft and Delicious Brown Rice

When I make this my mom always asks how I got my rice to taste so good. This is softer and deliciously flavored compared with cooking brown rice by ordinary package directions.


Ingredients:
~ Brown Rice
~ 1/2 c. more water than required
~ Chicken base, chicken bullion, chicken stock or chicken broth

Directions:
Add water to pan according to package directions, adding an additional 1/2 cup for first 1 1/2 cups water, 3/4 cup total if doubling. Add chicken base or bullion with recommended amount of rice when water boils. If using chicken stock or broth, swap all water with this. If using chicken base or bullion, add 1tsp per cup of water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about an hour. Then, tilt pan with lid on and see if there is any water that dribbles from the side of the rice (you'll need a glass lid to see this). If so, cook a little longer. When all water is absorbed, remove from heat and let set 10 min. Wa Lah!

Steamed New Potatoes with Chicken 'n' Asparagus

This is delicious for lunch or dinner and is great as leftovers. Also, it is super quick and easy if you make the "Simple Steamed Potatoes" ahead of time!


Ingredients:
~ Simple Steamed New Potatoes (see recipe posted under "side dishes" label...easy!)
~ Grilled Chicken/Turkey Breasts or Pork, cooked and cubed
~ EVOO
~ Asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
~ Onions, sliced (optional)
~ Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Cut steamed potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place in a serving bowl. Add meat. Fry asparagus for 2 minutes in EVOO, then add onions and fry until tender and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper. Add to potatoes and meat and toss. Serve hot.

Simple Steamed New Potatoes

These are deliciously healthy and can be used as a side dish or made up as a meal mixed with chicken and veggies. I serve them to my munchkins smothered in cheese and they love it...they even eat the skins!!


Ingredients:
~ New Potatoes (as many as you'd like) cut into about 2" pieces
~ EVOO
~ Salt & Pepper
~ Thyme (optional)
~ Parsley (optional)

Direction:
Wash potatoes, cube, and place in a steamer. Steam until tender. Remove from steamer, drizzle with olive oil (enough to coat), sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme & parsley to taste and toss. Enjoy!

Quick Maple-Glazed Pork Chops (10 minutes)

This is a 5 star Paula Dean Food Network recipe. I've never liked pork chops...until this! They are really good and my babes loved them too.


Ingredients:
~ 4 tsp chili powder
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 6 (10 oz) pork chops, bone-in (I use boneless and it's great), about 1" thick
~ 1 T olive oil
~ 3 T balsamic vinegar
~ 1/2 cup butter maple syrup (I use original maple syrup flavor)
~ 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
Pecans, toasted and chopped, optional garnish

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the chili powder and salt and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the pork chops. Heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until browned, about 2 min. per side. Reduce heat to med., and cook until desired doneness, about 4-6 minutes.

In a small skillet, over med-high heat, add balsamic vinegar & cook untill reduced by half. Stir in maple syrup and chicken stock. Cook over medium heat until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve with the maple syrup. Garnish with toasted pecans.

Simple Whole Wheat Bread

This is a five star recipe from allrecipes.com with 544 reviews so I knew it was gonna be good and it turned out fantastic!! Enjoy! It's the only bread I make anymore...and I make bread on a weekly basis.

Ingredients:
~ 3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
~ 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast OR 4 1/2 tsp.
~ 1/3 cup honey
~ 3 tablespoons butter, melted
~ 1/3 cup honey
~ 1 tablespoon salt
~ 2 tablespoons butter, melted (can be substituted completely for 6 T Ground Flax Seed!)
~ 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
~ 5 cups white flour (I usually use as little as 3 cups white and the rest whole wheat!)

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not over bake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely

Chocolate Molten Pudding Cake - CROCKPOT RECIPE

Here's the ulitmate rich and fudgy dessert - part cake and part pudding! SUPER EASY and delicious! I love that I can throw everything into a crockpot and forget about it! Be sure you DON'T overcook this or you will end up with just a cake and no molten pudding, bummer! (We've made this mistake before)


(I have to admit...I didn't take this pic, and that's a first! It just looked so pretty in the recipe book and I couldn't duplicate it but, I've made this recipe a ton of times and it turns out exactly like the pic!)

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted (I use walnuts cuz I always have them on hand. I don't toast them)
1/4 cup unsweetend cocoa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream (optional but, Shawn thinks it's a MUST!)

Directions:
stir together all ingredients except ice cream in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 3-quart slow cooker (DO NOT use a large 5 quart one, you will end up with a fully cooked cake - that was my mistake once). Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until set around the edges but still soft in the center. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Recipe from: my sister, TRICIA

Delicious Whole Wheat Chicken Noodle Soup

I was at my friend's home when she was making this. It looked and smelled delicious. It turned out to be the most delicious homemade chicken noodle soup I've ever had/made!! I made it today and it makes a huge pot full so you'll have plenty for neighbors :). It isn't a super quick meal, but totally worth the time. Healthy too.


Ingredients:
~ 1 whole chicken, thawed
~ salt & pepper
~ 3 eggs
~ whole wheat flour
~ whatever veggies you like...I use onions, carrots, peas, celery & potatoes

Directions:
Place entire chicken straight out of the packaging into a large pot, cover with water and season with plenty of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until meat is falling off of the bone.

Meanwhile, prepare veggies by rinsing and chopping into pieces (any size you like). Set aside.

In a small bowl, crack and beat eggs. Add flour until doughy. Separate dough into 3 balls and roll each out, very thin, on a floured surface, adding plenty of flour so they aren't sticky at all. (You want them very floury and dry). Cut into 1/4" strips.

When chicken is cooked, remove from pot and shred. (With a slotted spoon, remove any floating pieces of fat left in the broth in the pot). Place shredded chicken, veggies and homemade noodles in the broth. Add as much water as you like. Season VERY well with salt & pepper, sprinkle in a few Tbsp of whole wheat flour to thicken, and boil until veggies are tender and your home smells delicious!

Recipe from: Jessica Lambson

Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Chicken (YUM! My fav recipe!)

This is a recipe from my brother-in-law's mission and it's amazing! I make it for company and they rave every time. And...NO...you don't serve it on a bed of spinach (I guess you could), it's just pretty for the pic :)


Ingredients:
~ Chicken breasts
~ Ham slices (sandwich meat)
~ Cheddar cheese block
~ 1 pkg. cream cheese
~ 1 pkg regular bacon (the cheap stuff works best)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Half chicken breasts so they're thinner...don't just cut in half...cut them up the middle so you have two pieces the same size, just thinner...get it? Place chicken breasts, one at a time, between two pieces of saran wrap on a cutting board and pound chicken SUPER thin...even to the point where it's tearing a bit (don't skip this part, beat it good!!). If the breast is large, cut it in half again. You just want the chicken large enough to wrap around the meat once and tuck. Place a piece of ham, a slice of cheese block (as much as you want) and a thick ribbon of cream cheese on the raw chicken. (If you put the cheeses inside of the ham rolled up, and then put it in the chicken, it won't leak out during cooking). Roll up tightly. Start at one end with a piece of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Spiral wrap the bacon around the chicken and pin end with another toothpick. (Try to close the ends so the filling doesn't seep out). I usually end up using two peices of bacon per chicken to seal it well. Place chicken in a non-greased dish (I use a 13x9 glass dish) and bake for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!

Recipe from: My Brother-in-law, Richard's, mission.

Reeces Macadamia Cookie Cups

If you think you've had these before...think again! They're different from any I've had and SO much YUMMIER! Super easy too! Katelyn & I made them for Christmas and put white choc chips on top of the reeces just out of the oven. Cute n' tasty.


Ingredients:
~ 1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
~ 1 pkg (18 oz) individually wrapped portioned refrigerated white chip macadamia nut cookie dough
~ 24 miniature peanut butter cups

Directions:
Sprinkle macadamia nuts into 24 greased miniature muffin cups, 1 tsp. each. Cut each portion of cookie dough in half; place each half in a muffin cup. Bake at 325 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately place a peanut butter cup in each cookie; press down gently. Cool completely before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen

Salt Dough Ornaments

I let the kids make these when Katelyn had a friend over...it entertained them for HOURS!! They had SO much fun and the dough was a cinch to make. They turned out super cute too, definitely keepsakes! We made 2 batches and they covered the front of our 9' tree beautifully. No...this pic is NOT the finished product of the batches THEY made :)




Ingredients:
~ 2 C. flour
~ 1 C. salt
~ 1 C. water

Directions:
Mix salt and flour. Add in half the water, then gradually add the remaining water. Knead until the dough is smooth, this can take up to 10 minutes.

For flat dough ornaments roll out the dough on baking paper. You can also be creative and make odd shapes and wreaths (takes longer to bake.) Use cookie cutters, cut-out templates, or just use your hands.

Don't forget to use a straw to make a hole so you can hang the ornament.

Baking: Time varies based on thickness of ornament
Temperature: 325°F.
Time: 1 1/2 hours - or until dry

Let cool before you begin. Paint with acrylic paints. You can sprinkle glitter on wet paint and glue on beads, buttons, or any fun accessory. Coat with acrylic varnish when everything is dry.

Penny Supper (Mac n' Cheese and Hot Dogs!)

This is an American staple so I just had to include it :) Silly, I know, but when I print this cookbook out and pass it down to my children someday, I want to be sure to include all of their favs!


Ingredients:
~ 1 Box Kraft Cheesiest Macaroni & Cheese
~ 1/4 cup Milk
~ 4 Tbsp butter or Marjorie
~ 4+ Hot Dogs (any brand, our fav is Ballpark"

Directions:
Make mac n' cheese according to pkg directions, using the milk & butter. Cut up hot dogs, stir in and serve steamin'! WA LAH!

Recipe From: Every American Family (with good taste!)

Quick Peanut Butter PLAYDOUGH - Kids Love!!

I made this when Katelyn had a friend over and it entertained them for quite awhile. I gave them plastic knives and a ton of cookie cutters and they were in heaven. The playdough actually tastes really good and I snitch bites too.


Ingredients:
~ 1 part powdered sugar
~ 4 parts peanut butter
~ 2 parts sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bow. Knead for several minutes until smooth and pliable. Mixture should not stick to your fingers. If it does, more powdered sugar may be added (add very little at a time, if needed, or playdough will get dry & crack...better too moist than dry!). Don't make more playdough than can be consumed, as there are no preservatives to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Recipe from: Friend, Amy Soucie

Cranberry, Pineapple Slush

This is a delicious drink. I thought I knew what this friend was talking about when she told me about it, but I had never had anything like it (homemade). It's very good and a great party drink!!


Ingredients:
~ 1 qt. cranberry juice
~ 1 qt. pineapple juice
~ 1 c. sugar
~ 1 Tbsp. almond extract

Directions:
Mix all ingredients, place in a large freezer Ziploc baggie and freeze. About 30 min. before serving, empty into a punch bowl. To serve, add 2 liters of sprite and crush solid pieces into slush (a potato masher works great for this).

Recipe From: Shirley Cross

Cheese Ball/Dip

I love cheese balls and this is one of the best I've had yet. It's soft which makes it a great dip for any cracker.


Ingredients:
~ 2-8oz. pkgs cream cheese
~ 1/4 tsp. dry mustard (or 1 tsp. prepared mustard)
~ 2 1/2-3 tsp. Bon Appetit (It's a McCormick seasoning salt - in little seasoning bottles in the seasoning section)
~ tops of 2-3 green onions, minced

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients (your hands work fabulous for doing this :) and shape into 2 balls. Chill at least 24 hours before serving. Serve with crackers.

Recipe from: Friend, Shirley Cross

Perfect French Bread

A friend made this bread for an enrichment activity and it was so soft and delicious it beat all of the store bought french breads. Totally worth the time!



Roll it from the long side


Risen and ready to pop in the oven




Ingredients:
~ 3 Tbsp sugar
~ 1 Tbsp salt
~ 1/2 c. veggie oil
~ 3 c. flour
~ 2 Tbsp yeast
~ 3 c. flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in 2 c. warm water. Add all ingredients (except last 3 c. flour). Mix well. Add the rest of the flour, a little at a time, until dough is no longer sticky (dough should always be slightly sticky :) If using a mixer or Bosch, add flour until dough pulls away from sides. Place in a warm place and rise until doubles. Cut dough in half. Roll halves into 15x9 rectangles and then roll up, lengthwise (like cinnamon rolls), pressing the seam to seal. Press ends and tuck under so they're smooth. With a cerated knife, make a few slashes on top (to look pretty like french bread should!) Place loaves onto an extra LARGE cookie sheet and let rise until they double. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Recipe from: Marva Lu Kesler

Oven Baked Potato Pieces

My fam loves these. They're Shawn's fav in breakfast burritos and with meatloaf. Super easy and can't really go wrong. I never buy frozen potatoes for breakfast meals anymore because these are so quick and delicious. Since my sister tried these, she hasn't since bought frozen either!


Ingredients:
~ 2-3 T butter
~ 3-4 large potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
~ Mrs. Dash
~ Seasoning Salt

Directions:
Cube butter and place in a 13x9 pan (or smaller if you want to make a smaller batch. Turn oven onto between 350 and 425 degrees depending on the hurry you're in. Place pan in oven at any time and melt. Remove from oven. Spread melted butter around bottom of pan and top with potato cubes and sprinkle a generous amount of seasoning on top. Stir well. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 25 minutes or until soft. When soft, remove cover and bake until slightly crispy. You can turn them if you like.

Layered Chocolate Lover's Dream Cake

This cake is so, so delicious. It serves quite a few because the slices are very tall but you can cut them thinly and serve them on big plates drizzled in hot fudge...delicious!! It's a very pretty cake with layers of cake and chocolate creamy frosting.

Ingredients:
~ 1 box devils food cake mix
~ 1 pint heavy whipping cream (no substitutions)
~ 1 8oz cream cheese
~ 2/3 c. brown sugar
~ 1 tsp. vanilla
~ 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
~ 1 king size Hershey's candy bar (for shaving on top)
~ 1 jar hot fudge topping

Directions:
Make cake batter according to package directions. Grease and cocoa (like flouring) two 8" round pie pans and bake cakes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack. Cool. Split each in half (so you have 4 rounds).

Whip whipping cream until fluffy. In a separate bowl combine cream cheese, vanilla, brown sugar & salt. Add to whipping cream. On a serving tray or cake server layer one round cake, frost generously (saving enough for remaining layers) and continue with layers finishing with frosting. Shave chocolate bar on top and refrigerate. To serve, "pie slice" and place on serving dishes. Warm hot fudge and drizzle over each piece. Serve immediately. (TIP: You'd think the more fudge the better, but even if you're a chocolate lover, the most delicious way to enjoy this dessert is with just a little drizzle of hot fudge. Don't overdue it! It will be plenty, I promise)

Recipe from: sister-in-law, Liz

Taco Salad (healthy)

Ingredients & Directions:
~ Romaine Lettuce (or any other dark leafy greens)
Place lettuce on plate and top with:
~ ground turkey, cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning (can use ground beef or chicken too)
~ Sprinkle of cheddar or Mexican style cheese
~ olives, sliced
~ fresh tomatoes, chopped
~ Kidney or pinto beans, drained
~ a dallop of sour cream
~ generous serving of salsa
Mix slightly and enjoy your deliciously healthy meal without the calories of dressing, and you won't even miss it!

Whole Wheat Walnut Blueberry Banana Bread

This is very healthy if you make it with agave nectar instead of sugar. A Clean Eating recipe. I love the 3/4 cup flaxseed! You'd never guess it has flaxseed an all whole wheat by the moistness of it.


Ingredients:
~ Olive oil cooking spray
~ 1 ripe banana, mashed
~ 3/4 cup flaxseed meal
~ 2 egg whites
~ 1/3 cup agave nectar (or for a less healthy bread... 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar)
~ 1 cup buttermilk (make your own...1 cup milk, 1 T lemon juice, let sit 5 min.)
~ 1 tsp baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp. sea salt
~ 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
~ 3/4 cup spelt flour (or a total of 1 1/2 cups whole wheat)
~ 1 tsp orange rind, grated (optional)
~ 1 cup blueberries
~ 1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped or crushed (I like a little more, closer to 3/4 or 1 cup and I crush them)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a nonstick loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together banana, flaxseed, egg whites, agave and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, mix baking soda, salt, flours and orange rind. Combine dry ingredients into banana mixture. Gently fold in blueberries and walnuts. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. When mostly cooled I wrap in saran wrap and leave (what I don't chow down right away) out on the counter overnight. I refrigerate any leftovers the next day.

Nutrients per 4 x 1/2" slice: Calories: 200, total fat: 6g, sat. fat: .5g, carbs: 33g, fiber: 6g, sugars: 13g, protein: 8g, sodium: 260mg, cholesterol: 0mg

My Kids' Favorite Cookies

Ingredients:
~ 1 cup butter, softened
~ 1/2 cup sugar
~ 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
~ 1 egg
~ 1 tsp. vanilla extract
~ 2 cups flour
~ 1 tsp. baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
~ 1 cup flaked coconut (optional)
~ 5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each)

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Beat in oats and coconut. Roll into 1-2 inch balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Break each candy bar into 12 pieces; press a chocolate piece into the center of each warm cookie. Remove to wire racks.

Recipe from: Tiffany

Just Spaghetti

With all of the fancy spaghetti recipes out there, this is one of our favorites. Especially coming home late and in need of a quick dinner, or coming home from church on Sunday and wanting something quick but satisfying before crashing for your Sunday nap!! It's really "just spaghetti" in that there's nothing unique about it.



Ingredients:
~ 1 can spaghetti sauce (the kind that comes in the metal can, either Del Monte or Hunts)
~ Noodles, just about any...reg. spaghetti is our fav. (whole wheat for us, of course)
~ Ground Beef/Turkey OR Costco's Italian Style meatballs
~ Cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:
Cook noodles according to pkg directions. Cook meat in a skillet and season OR cook meatballs according to package directions. (We microwave the meatballs to make it quick and less clean-up.) Heat sauce in a saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. On serving plates: place noodles, top with sauce & meatballs and sprinkle with cheese. We think french bread is a must w/ this meal!

Recipe from: Tiffany

Zucchini Pizzas

These are fast, easy, and SOO good!!! I'm always looking for something to do with ALL of my garden zucchini, especially the overgrown ones, and this is perfect!! You've gotta try. You'd never think that zucchini could make such a yummy meal.


Ingredients:
~ Thick slices of zucchini (about 1/2" thick circles) I use the overgrown ones, any will do
~ Spaghetti or pizza sauce (only about 1 Tbs for each)
~ Mozzarella cheese
~ Pepperoni (I use the mini ones)
~ Olives, sliced (optional)
You could probably add more toppings but, I've never tried anything else



Assembled and ready to bake





Directions:
Spray a cookie sheet with PAM. Place zucchini slices onto cookie sheet. Top each w/ about 1 Tbs sauce and spread. Sprinkle with cheese and spread pepperoni and olives on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is as tender as you'd like. Let cool a few minutes and serve with forks.

Recipe from: Mrs. Wolfe, Katelyn's 1st grade teacher at Ridgecrest Elementary

Simple Taco Soup

This is a delicious, very quick, and healthy recipe our friends made for us. I don't love to spend hours slaving in the kitchen on Sunday, so this is a great quick meal to enjoy...just before naptime :). It makes a TON so you can eat all day and even share with friends.





Ingredients:
1 can of each of the following:
~ olives, sliced
~ chili (sometimes I use 2 cans :)
~ red beans (I also add 1 can black beans occasionally, if you do you will need to pour in the entire can of V8)
~ corn
~ tomatoes
plus:
~ V8 juice (2/3 of big container)
~ 1 lb ground turkey/beef OR chicken (we like chicken)
~ 1 med. onion
~ 1 packet taco seasoning


Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, mix all of the cans plus V8 juice. Let that simmer. Meanwhile, brown meat with onion in a skillet. Season, according to package directions, with taco seasoning. Add meat to soup. Cook as long as you'd like and serve hot with the following...

Serve with:
~ Fritos
~ Sour Cream
~ Cheese (just about any type is great)

Recipe from: Friend, Sara Murray

Becky's Asian Meat Sauce/Marinade

Ingredients:
~ 3/4 c. brown sugar
~ 1 c. water
~ 2 T corn starch
~ 1 tsp garlic powder
~ 1/2 tsp ginger
~ 1/2 c. honey
~ 1/4 c. soy sauce

Directions:
Place meat in a baking dish (any meat...pork, chicken, ribs). Mix all ingredients and pour over meat. Bake in the oven at a low temp., about 300 degrees, for a few hours until meat is deliciously tender. Enjoy.

Recipe from: Becky Garrett

Chicken Stroganoff Bake

Ingredients:
~ Wide egg noodles
~ 2-3 chicken breasts
~ Cheddar Cheese
~ Sliced olives (optional)
~ 1 can cream o' mushroom soup
~ almost 1 small container sour cream

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper and fry in a little olive oil until cooked through; add soup, about 1 c. cheese, olives and sour cream and mix well. Cook noodles according to package directions, add to mixture. Spoon mixture into a casserole dish, top with additional cheese and bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly and casserole is heated through.

Recipe from: sister-in-law, Liz

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:
~ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
~ 1-2 cans cream o' chicken soup
~ 1/2 c. sour cream
~ 3/4 c. milk
~ 4 slices ham
~ 4 slices swiss cheese
~ salt & pepper

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a 13x9 baking dish, top with ham. Mix all other ingredients except cheese and pour over chicken and ham. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and place one slice of cheese on each piece of chicken. Allow to melt and serve. This is really good served over rice.

Simple Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:
~ 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
~ 1 chopped onion (optional)
~ 1 can tomato soup
~ 1/2 tomato soup can of water
~ 1 can green beans, drained (optional, can substitute for frozen)
~ 4-6 servings of prepared mashed potatoes
~ cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown beef and onion in frying pan. Add soup, water and beans. In the bottom of the casserole dish, place mixture. On top of that, spread your mashed potatoes. Top with cheese. Pop it into the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min.

Recipe from: Tiffany Eaton

Pretty Penne Ham Skillet

Ingredients:
~ 1 lb uncooked penne pasta
~ 3 c. fully cooked ham, cubed
~ 1 large red pepper, diced
~ 1 med. yellow onion, chopped
~ 1/4 c. fresh minced parsley (or dried)
~ 2 garlic cloves, minced OR 1/4 tsp. powder
~ 1/2 tsp basil
~ 1/2 tsp oregano
~ 1/4 c. olive oil
~ 3 T butter
~ 1 can chicken broth
~ 1 T lemon juice
~ 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan

Directions:
Cook pasta. Meanwhile, in large skillet, saute veggies, ham and seasoning in oil and butter for 4-6 minutes until ham is brown and veggies are tender. Stir in broth and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Drain pasta and stir into mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe from: my sister, Tricia

Fancy Fruit Pizza

This is a recipe I got from the food network. It's different than any I've had and I like it.


Ingredients:
~ 8 oz cream cheese
~ approx 2 tsp almond extract
~ Refrigerated sugar cookie dough
~ Powdered Sugar
~ Orange Marmalade
~ White chocolate (optional)
~ shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:
Press cookie dough into a pizza pan and cook for 10-12 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Meanwhile, whisk cream cheese and almond extract. Spread onto cooled crust. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Arrange fruit on top and drizzle with heated orange marmalade and melted white chocolate. Sprinkle with coconut, if desired. Serve immediately.

Optional Fruit Toppings:
~ peaches, bananas, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, mendocino cherries, kiwi, blackberries, apples