Pan-Roasted Corn Salad

Great Salad for a summer Barbeque.

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed

2 to 3 tablespoons, butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic glove, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced on diagonal

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 to 3 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

8 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely slivered

Directions:

Cut kernels off each ear of corn. This should be about 3 1/2 cups of corn kernels.

In large non-stick fry pan, heat butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. it is important not to over cook the garlic. Add corn and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme and green onions and saute for 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper. This step can be done, by dividing everything in half if your fry pan can't hold the entire amount. Transfer to large bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the tomato mixture, the lime juice and basil to cooled corn. Adjust seasonings if needed by adding more salt and pepper and lime juice. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.

Perfect Fryer Chicken

I was nervous about baking a fryer chicken, until my sister, Holly, told me how to do it. It turns out perfectly every time! Golden brown outside, tender inside. Tasty inside and out!

Ingredients:

1 fryer chicken
1 packet of chicken or turkey gravy
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Remove giblets from cavity of chicken, and rinse chicken thoroughly. Place chicken in roasting pan (or cake pan, if you don't have a roasting pan) breast side up (I put it in the pan upsided down my first time, how embarrassing). Rub gravy mix all over chicken. Place bay leaf in cavity. Season with salt and pepper.

Make a tinfoil 'tent' over the pan, making sure all edges are sealed and that the foil does not touch the bird (I make a large square by folding two sheets together).

Bake at 350 degrees for 2.5 hours (after preheating, of course). DELISH!

Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1/2 12 oz. package Jumbo Shells
2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Paresan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups spaghetti sauce

Instructions:

Boil pasta for about 10 mins (should be soft but firm enough to stuff without difficulty). Meanwhile in large bowl stir together cheeses, salt, pepper, parsley, and spinach. When the shells are ready, fill each shell with approx. 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Top with spaghetti sauce (I added ground beef also).

Place in a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (you can also spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in pan before adding shells). Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Carmel Popcorn

Prefect treat for Family Home Evening or a picnic.

10-12 cups freshly popped popcorn

1/2 cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place popcorn in a lightly greased large bowl; set aside.

Place butter in a large (at least 6 cup) bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Microwave for 4 minutes.

Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn and stir until all is coated and no sugar mixture remains on the bottom of bowl.

Spread popcorn mixture evenly over a cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Or if in a hurry, microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring each minute.

Cool and break up into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Yummy Summer Dessert

1/2 carton pineapple or raspberry sherbet (approx 1/4 gal)
1 carton vanilla ice cream (approx 1/2 gal)
2 bananas, sliced
1 package frozen raspberries
1 can crushed pineapple with juice

mix together and serve

**can be frozen, but let thaw a bit before serving. You want it to be the texture of a soft serve ice cream cone.

Grandma Pat's Chocolate Chip Cookies

courtesy of Grandma Pat! These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies EVER!!! You'll see why after you read the ingredients.

1 c. shortening
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
5 c. flour (more if too thin)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 bag chocolate chips (I use ONLY milk chocolate)

Mix shortening and butter together. Stir in sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Stir flour, soda, and salt together and gradually stir into wet mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake on greased cookie sheet (or wax paper, like I do) for 6-8 min at 350 degrees (or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown...sometimes it takes mine a little longer).

This recipe makes a ton of cookies! You can use 1/2 of the dough and freeze the other half to bake later! Or bake 'em all and eat 'em all!! That's what I'd like to do!!

Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

courtesy http://www.missionmenus.com/

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10

10 large flour tortillas
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 fajita seasoning mix
1 tbsp. oil
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 8 oz package cheddar cheese*
1 8 oz package Monterey Jack cheese*
(*or just get a 16 oz pkg of cheddar jack, that's what I do)
1 8 oz container of sour cream

Cut the chicken into small pieces. Combine with the fajita seasoning and mix thoroughly.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink (approx 5 min)

Stir in peppers and onion. Cook for 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

Layer half of each tortilla with chicken mixture and cheese. Fold each tortilla and lightly brown each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until cheese is melted.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream (and, of course, guacamole)

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

courtesy of allrecipes.com

(I've made a few changes as per comments on the website, so I'm putting what I do.)

2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
chopped fresh cilantro (I use 1-2 tbsp)

10 flour tortillas

Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Drain most of the juices. Mix all other ingredients together and simmer for an extra ten minutes.

Serve in flour tortillas with diced tomatoes, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, and guacamole.

Shredded Chicken Taco Soup

Given to me by my friend Abby

3-5 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I usually just use 2 big ones, and they can be frozen or fresh)
One small can green enchilada sauce plus 1/2 can water
One small can diced green chiles
One package taco seasoning

Cook in crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken and add any or all of the following ingredients (don't drain anything):

One can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)
One can kidney beans
One can black beans
One can corn
One can green beans

Heat on high for 30 min. to an hour.

Top with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream.

Chicken Skillet Italiano

So easy you don't need a picture!!!!

1 (8 ounce) package Rice-A-Roni chicken flavor

2 Tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 pound chicken ( breasts or tenderloins) cut into large bite size pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup chopped tomato

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine rice-a-roni and butter in large skillet and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently. until lightly browned. Stir in water,contents of seasoning packet and basil.

Top with raw chicken; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer 15 minutes.

Top with broccoli and tomato. Cover, and continue cooking 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

Make 4 to 6 servings

Cake Balls

Sorry there is no picture to add to this recipe. I can't make these now because I am on a diet, and this is just something I could not resist, but if you want to see what the finish product is suppose to look like log on to http:simpledailyrecipes.com/cake-balls-the-new-candy-truffle/. Here in Texas, Neiman Marcus is selling them for $75.00 for 18.

CAKE BALLS

1 (18.25 ounce) boxed cake mix

1 (16 ounce) can prepared frosting

Almond Bark Coating or Confectionery Wafer Coating

Prepare and bake the cake mix according to package directions. While warm, crumble the cake into a bowl and with a electric  mixer mix to a fine texture. Mix in 3/4 of a can of frosting to make a paste. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours.

Using a mellon baller, your hands or a small Ice Cream scoop, form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place balls on wax paper, and freeze at least 6 hours.

Working in small batches, remove balls from freezer and coat with melted bark coating or wafer coating.  Place on wax paper to harden. You can drizzle with contrasting melted coating to decorate. Makes 30 balls.

ALMOND BARK COATING

In double boiler, melt one (20 ounce) package vanilla or chocolate flavored almond bark, stirring constantly. Or microwave at short intervals, stirring between, until melted. When melted add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. If desired stir in oil based coloring.

COMBINATIONS

Devil's Food Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Dark Chocolate Coating

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting and Orange-Colored Vanilla Coating

White Pillsbury Funfetti Cake, White Frosting adding more rainbow sprinkles and rolling in sprinkles after coating.

Orange Julius

Okay, I know this is lame but I seriously love an orange julius. My mom used to make them for us and I made some tonight...perfect summertime treat. So, if you didn't know how to make them like I didn't know here are some instructions.


Ingredients:

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
15 ice cubes

Instructions:

Combine and blend all ingredients except ice. Add ice after other ingredients are mixed.

Yum...