Grilled Shrimp Poppers with Chorizo & Bacon

Ingredients:

12 extra-large jalapeno peppers, grilled or roasted
4 strips thick-cut bacon
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. Mexican chorizo
1 C. previously grilled or sautéed shrimp, chopped
1 C. cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grill or roast the peppers for 20 minutes, or just until peppers are cooked through, but still firm.  Set aside to cool.
2. Cook the bacon at medium/low heat until crispy.
3. In the same pan, add the onions and garlic. 
4. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Add the Mexican chorizo and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes, breaking down the chorizo as it cooks.   If there is too much grease in the pan, drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
6. Slice the jalapenos in half, lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins.
7. In a bowl, combine the chorizo mixture, bacon, shrimp, and shredded cheese.
8. Fill all jalapenos.
9. Chill the stuffed peppers for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 400° F.
11. Bake the poppers for 10 to 12 minutes, then for 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler.
12. Garnish with your favorite salsa.

Tip:  Grill peppers and shrimp ahead of time, even a day ahead of time.

Creamy Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. round red or white potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled

1½ C. mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 T. white or cider vinegar

1 T. yellow mustard

1 t. salt

¼ t. pepper

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (½ cup)

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Paprika, if desired

Directions:

1. Place potatoes in 3-quart saucepan; add enough water to cover potatoes. 
2. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. 
3. Cook covered 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. 
4. Let stand until cool enough to handle. 
5. Cut potatoes into cubes.
6. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl.
7. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. 
8. Stir in eggs. 
9. Sprinkle with paprika. 
10. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavors and chill. 
11. Store covered in refrigerator.

Prep Tine: 25 minutes

Chill Tine:  4 hours

Servings:  10

Jumbo Shells with Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

12 oz. Jumbo Shell pasta

4 C. ricotta cheese

2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

½ C. shaved Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 T. parsley, chopped

½ t. salt

¼ t. ground black pepper

⅛ t. ground nutmeg

1-24 oz. jar pasta sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375° F.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. In a 13x9x2-inch baking pan, spread ½ cup pasta sauce.
5. Fill each cooked shell with about 1½ level tablespoons cheese mixture; layer one-half filled shells in-prepared dish.
6. Spread one-half remaining sauce over shells; layer remaining filled shells over sauce.
7. Spread remaining sauce over shells; sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
8. Cover with foil; bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened

¾ c. packed brown sugar

2 egg 

1 t. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

⅔ c. and 1 T. finely chopped walnuts

1⅓ c. any flavor fruit jam

½ t. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300° F. 
2. Grease cookie sheets.
3. Separate egg, reserving egg white. Cream butter or margarine, sugar, and egg yolk.
4. Add vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well.
5. Shape dough into balls. Roll in egg white, then walnuts. 
6. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. 
7. Bake for 5 minutes.
8. Remove cookies from oven. 
9. With thumb, dent each cookie. 
10. Put jelly or preserves in each thumbprint. 
11. Bake for another 8 minutes.

Hershey Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

½ c. butter
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1¾ c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
Hershey's Kisses, 1 for each cookie

Directions:

1. Pre-Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Cream together butter, both sugars and peanut butter. 
3. Add 1 egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Form in walnut size balls. 
5. Roll in white sugar and place them on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 
7. Press Hershey Kiss into each cookie when fresh out of the oven.

Makes about 2½ dozen.

Bacon and Egg Pie

Ingredients:

1 can (7.5 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

2 T. butter or margarine

6 eggs, slightly beaten

⅓ C. milk

¼ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

3 oz. cream cheese, cubed

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. Separate biscuits.
2. Arrange on bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate; press together to form crust.
3. Bake as directed on package.
4. Melt butter in medium skillet on low heat.  Beat eggs, milk, and seasonings with wire risk until well blended; pour into skillet. 
5. Cook until eggs begin to set, stirring occasionally.
6. Add cream cheese; cook until cream cheese is melted and eggs are set, stirring occasionally.
7. Spoon into crust; sprinkle with bacon. 

Eggplant Nicoise

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants

1 T. olive oil

1 C. chopped onions

1 C. chopped green bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 oz. lean ground beef (10% or less fat)

3 C. canned whole Italian tomatoes (no salt added), chopped

6 large or 10 small black olives, pitted and chopped

1½ t. minced fresh oregano leaves or ½ t. dried

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 T. + 1 t. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 
2. Cut eggplants lengthwise into halves. 
3. With serrated spoon, scoop out eggplant pulp, leaving ½" shells. 
4. Chop pulp; set aside. 
5. Place eggplant shells, cut-side down, onto nonstick baking sheet. 
6. Bake 10 minutes; turn shells over. Bake 10 minutes longer, until shells are just tender. 
7. Remove from oven; set aside. Leave oven on. 
8. Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil; add onions, bell pepper and garlic. 
9. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened. 
10. Add beef; cook, stirring to break up meat, 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink. 
11. Add tomatoes, olives, oregano, black pepper and reserved eggplant pulp; bring mixture to a boil. 
12. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, stirring frequently, 25-30 minutes, until mixture is thickened and flavors are blended. 
13. Spoon one-fourth of beef mixture into each eggplant shell; sprinkle evenly with cheese. 
14. Bake 15 minutes, until slightly crispy.
15. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving Size:  1 stuffed eggplant half

Makes 4 servings

Healthy Scalp Recipe

Ingredients:

10 drops Lavender essential oil

10 drops Rosemary essential oil

10 oz. water.

Directions:

Combine all 3 ingredients.

Spray on hair.

Bisquick Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:

1⅓ C. mashed very ripe bananas (2 large)
⅔ C. sugar
¼ C. milk
3 T. vegetable oil
½ t. vanilla
3 eggs
2 ⅔ C. Original Bisquick mix
½ C. chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease bottom of 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
3. Stir bananas, sugar, milk, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl.
4. Stir in Bisquick mix and nuts.
5. Pour into pan.
6. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; Cool 10 minutes.
7. Loosen sides of loaf pan; remove from pan and place top side up on wire rack.
8. Cool completely, about 2 hours before slicing.
9. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:

1 C. sugar

¼ C. shortening

2 eggs

3 crushed ripe bananas

2 C. baking mix

⅓ C. chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
3. Cream sugar and shortening.
4. Add eggs and crushed banana.
5. Add baking mix and nuts.
6. Stir until well mixed.
7. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured loaf pan.
8. Bake about 55 minutes
9. Remove from pan.
10. Cool on rack before slicing

Vanilla Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

1 c. sugar

4 large eggs

2 t. pure vanilla extract

½ t. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add vanilla and salt.
6. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not over mix).
7. Bake until a toothpaste in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly).
8. Let cool in pan 15 minutes.
9. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow)

A fun treat kids love to eat and easy to make too!

Ingredients:

1 C. peanut butter

1 C. chocolate chips

2 T. butter or margarine

1 t. vanilla

1 box Rice Chex Cereal, 9 cups

2 C. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Melt together peanut butter, chocolate chops, vanilla, and butter.
2. Pour over cereal
3. Pour mixture into a plastic bag with the sugar.
4. Shake to coat well.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Prep time:  10 minutes

# of Servings:  a lot!

Chicken & Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

3 C. cooked, cubed chicken

1 (18 oz.) jar Heinz HomeStyle Classic Chicken Gravy

3 C. cooked rice

1½ C. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

3 C. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

¼ t. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine chicken, gravy, rice, ¾ cup cheddar cheese, broccoli and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
4. Spread evenly in 9"x13" baking dish.
5. Top with remaining ¾ cup of cheddar cheese.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cook Time:  25-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8