Ocean Breeze Cooler

DELISH SUMMER BEVERAGE...

Ingredients:

4 large bananas
1 12 oz can pineapple juice concentrate (thawed)
1 mint mango or pineapple sorbet (thawed)
2 liters ginger ale
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

Combine 2 bananas and half of the pineapple juice concentrate and blend until smooth. Stir together banana mixture, sorbet, and remaining thawed juice concentrate. Add gingerale.

Slice remaining bananas, add to the punch with pineapple and blend.

Note: This will make A LOT of beverage...so I halfed it.

BBQ Pork for Sandwiches

Another favorite of ours. I LOVE this recipe because it's SOOOOO easy and SOOOOO TASTY!!!

Ingredients:

1 can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 bottle barbeque sauce

Pour beef broth into slow cooker (see how easy????), and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on low all day, or on high heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat, and shred with two forks.

Drain crockpot of beef broth and stir in BBQ sauce. Cook on high for 30 min. to 1 hr. Stirring every so often to avoid BBQ sauce burning around edge of crock pot.

Serve on bread or buns. Great served with fries and fresh fruit.

Tacos

Okay...don't be put off by the title "Tacos." These are not your ordinary tacos...they are so different, I'm not sure they can even be classified as a taco. No cheese, no lettuce, no tomato (that is, unless you want to add that stuff, of course). Just the filling and the shell. DELISH!!

As a side note: One day I told Nate that we would be having these tacos the next day. At dinner the next evening, he told me he had been looking forward to having these all day long...that's how good they are. If you know they're comin', LOOK OUT!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 to 3/4 onion, chopped (I use a yellow one)
1 can tomato sauce
approx. 2 Tbsp. ketchup
dash chili powder (I shake a few times, I like more than a 'dash')
2 Tbsp. sugar
Tobasco sauce (you decide...I use 4-5 drops)

Corn tortillas

Brown ground beef and onion and drain. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, chili powder, sugar, and Tobasco. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Deep fry tortillas and fill with beef mixture while tortillas are still soft and warm. Sometimes I fold them, some times I roll them and secure with a toothpick. (The other day, as a way to eliminate a few calories, I just warmed these up with some Pam Spray. Not as good...tortillas were kind of flimsy...but good, nonetheless.)

Enjoy!

Great served with Spanish Rice.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 pieces Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used white cooking wine, didn't want to go to the Liquor Store)
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.

2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over med high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

Poached chicken (place chicken breasts in skillet with 1 inch of water, cover and cook), cubed
Romaine lettuce leaves
Slivered almonds
Craisins
Chopped green onions
Grapes (red, for color)

dressing:
poppy seeds
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Raspberry vinaigrette (to your liking)

Mix dressing first. Combine all other ingredients (except lettuce) and fold dressing into mixture. Serve on Romaine lettuce leaves. YUMMY!!!

Asian Chicken Salad

SO YUMMY!!! I promise! The ingredients seem a bit strange to combine, but when you reach the finished product...look out!!!

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Combine and bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for two minutes stirring constantly. Cool.

Salad:

1 head lettuce, any kind (or a combination)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
Salted cashews
Water chestnuts
Snow peas (frozen works if not in season)
Chow mein noodles
Chopped green onion

You can either toss salad and dressing together, or you can choose your toppings and top the salad with the dressing (my preference).

Web address

Kelly must've forgotten to add the link to the Pioneer woman, but I've found it:

www.thepioneerwoman.com

She's quite entertaining, this one!

Catalina Chicken

Super easy, and super yummy!!

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle Catalina dressing
fresh mushrooms, sliced
rice (your choice, white, brown--this is what I use, minute)

Place chicken in crock pot. Pour bottle of dressing over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. (Add mushrooms last hour or so).

Remove chicken. Mushrooms and sauce are served over rice.

(Not a big mushroom fan, so I always omit them)

Broccoli Salad

Cook one package of bacon - drain grease, let cool, and crumble.
(Or use bacon bits)

Mix:
1 Cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar

Chop:
2 bunches of broccoli

Pour dressing mixture over broccoli.
Stir in one cup of sunflower seeds and crumbled bits of bacon.
Stir until well coated and enjoy.

I let this sit for at least thirty minutes in the fridge
before eating to allow time for the vinegar to settle in!
This also travels well!

Pioneer Woman Cooking

Rather than creating work I am adding a link to Pioneer Woman Cooking. Honestly, I have tried many recipes, and so far they have all been a hit. Be warned she is a bit like Paula Dean, not afraid of butter. I have found you don't need to use as much as she says although it is certainly better if you do. Some of our favorites are:

Marlboro Man Sandwich
Chicken Spaghetti (great for leftover chicken or turkey)
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Migas
Apple Dumplings
Ranch Style Chicken

The recipes are generally very easy with easy to find ingredients and, she has beautiful, step-by-step color photography. And if you get bored, it is a great blog to follow. I recommend starting with Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.