Ham and Broccoli Pasta

1 can broccoli cheese soup

2 c fresh broccoli or 1-10 oz bag frozen broccoli (thawed)

1 c milk

1 tbsp spicy brown mustard

1 1/2 c cooked ham, cut into strips

2 1/4 c shell pasta; cooked

Heat soup, milk, mustard and broccoli in 10 in skillet over medium high heat to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 mins or until broccoli is tender. Stir in ham and cooked pasta. Cook until heated through.

Cream Cheese Chicken

The picture does not do this dish justice

3-4 frozen chicken breasts
1 pkg dry italian dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
8 oz pkg cream cheese; cubed
1 can mushrooms; drained
1 1/4 c water

Put frozen chicken in crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours. At the end of the 3 hours, drain liquid and cube chicken. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for another hour. I serve this over white rice.

Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is for a bread machine

3/4 c water

2 1/2 c bread flour
1/4 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bread machine yeast

2 tbsp butter; melted (for brushing on after dough is made)

FILLING
1/3 c brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

GLAZE
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 c butter; softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Add water to bread pan. Mix flour, sugar, salt in medium bowl, then add to bread pan. Make a small hole in flour to put yeast into. Remember yeast must not get wet. Set bread machine to "dough" cycle. When done, take out and place on lightly floured surface, roll out into a 9 inch square,. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush butter on dough, then spread cinnamon mixture over dough. Roll tightly into a log and pinch edges to form a closed seal. Cut into 1 inch slices (makes 9) and place in greased 13x9 baking dish. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour. Bake at 375 for 16-17 mins. Spread glaze over rolls.

*If rolls aren't rising turn oven to 205, when it's heated up turn oven off and put rolls in the oven for about 20 mins.  

Fresh Veggie Salsa

1 red pepper; cut up
1 zucchini; julienne cut
1-2 tomatoes; cut up
2 limes; for juice
1 can corn; drained
1 can black beans; drained
1 can olives; drained
cilantro (as much as you want)
Cumin, salt, pepper; to taste
1/4 c white vinegar

Mix everything together and serve with tortilla chips or anything that sounds good.

Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef
1/2 c minced onion
1 garlic clove; minced
1/4 c butter
2 tbsp flour
dash salt/pepper
1 can mushrooms; drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream

Melt butter in fry pan. Saute onion and garlic. Add meat and cook until done. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Cook 5 mins. Stir in soup and heat through. Turn heat off and stir in sour cream, heat through. I serve this over egg noodles.

Spaghetti Sauce

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb italian sausage
1 green pepper; chopped
1 onion; diced
15 oz can tomato sauce
12 oz can tomato paste
1 can olives; drained
1 package dry spaghetti sauce seasoning
1 1/2 c water
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 garlic clove; minced
Pepperoni slices; cut in half (as much as you want to add)
1 can mushrooms; drained

Cook ground beef with onions and italian sausage with peppers. Put in crock pot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; cook on low for 4 hours.

Oreo Cream Cheese Truffles

1 package Oreos; finely crushed (i used my blender)

1-8 oz package cream cheese; softened

1 package almond bark or 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate sprinkles

Using a hand mixer, mix together oreos and cream cheese. Roll them into balls, the size you would want for a truffle. Place them on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Melt almond bark or chocolate chips. Taking a toothpick, stick into the middle of each ball and submerge into melted almond bark. Place back onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles before it dries or they wont stick. Refrigerate truffles when finished.

BLT Pasta

This is sooo good! Thanks Carly :)

1 lb dry penne pasta
6 slices bacon; cut into pieces
1 lb cherry or grape tomatoes; halved
10 fresh basil leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 c heavy cream
3 c baby spinach
Grated parmesan cheese (as much as you want)

Cook pasta. Cook bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon and drain grease reserving 1 tbsp. Over medium heat add tomatoes, basil, salt and garlic to pan. Cook for 2-3 mins. Add heavy cream and simmer for 5 mins, then remove from heat. Place spinach in large serving bowl. Drain pasta and pour over spinach. Pour tomato cream sauce over pasta. Top with bacon and cheese.

Chicken Fettuccine

16 oz uncooked fettuccine noodles
4 tbsp margarine or butter
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
2 c uncooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces
4 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 c milk
2/3 c grated parmesan (i use a lot more then 2/3 c, but we love cheese :)

In large skillet melt butter over medium heat, add mushrooms and chicken. Cook until chicken is done. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk and cook on mefium until micture boils and thickens stirring constantly. Add cheese, cook until melted. Serve over hot cooked fettuccine noodles. 

Italian Herb and Cheese Bread

This recipe is for a bread machine, thanks Ashlie ;)

1 1/4 c water

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 c bread flour

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp active dry yeast (i use yeast for bread machines)

Measure exact liquid amounts and add to bread pan first. In a medium size bowl mix together all dry ingredients except yeast (yeast must never touch the liquids in the adding ingredients process). Pour mixed dry ingredients into bread pan. Next, using your finger make a small hope in the flour mixture to pour your yeast into. Remember the yeast needs to stay away from the liquids :) I set my bread machine to the "French" setting and we used the "light" crust setting. You can change the crust setting to whatever your family would enjoy! The last 10-15 mins, I sprinkle some cheddar cheese on the top of the loaf then close the lid again.

Tex-Mex Baked Beans

2 cans-15.5 oz each, great northern beans; drained and rinsed
2 cans-15.5 oz each, black beans; drained and rinsed
1 can-8 oz tomato sauce
1 can-4.5 oz chopped green chilies
3/4 c bbq sauce
3/4 c salsa
1/4 c firmly packed brown brown sugar

In crock pot combine all ingredients. Cover; cook on low for at least 4 hours.

Pollo a la Crema

This is SO good!!

4 tbsp oil or butter
4 c cooked shredded chicken
1 small onion; chopped
2 c fresh mushrooms (I chop these up pretty small)
paprika
2 tbsp chicken broth
1 c heavy cream or mexican cream (i use heavy cream)
2/3 c sour cream
1-2 garlic cloves; minced
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese

Heat oil or butter in large fry pan. Saute chicken and onion until cooked. Add cream, mushrooms, paprika and chicken broth. Bring to boil and simmer 5-7 mins. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream cheese until melted and heated through. Serve in flour tortillas or over rice.

Dirt Dessert

1 large pkg oreos

1 small pkg choclate pudding mix (prepared)

1-8 oz pkg cream cheese; softened

2-12 oz tubs cool whip; softened

1/2 c butter; melted

Crush oreos into fine bits (i use my blender).  Reserve 1 cup and set aside. Mix remaining oreos with 1/2 c melted butter and press into 13x9 baking dish. Mix cream cheese with one tub cool whip and spread over oreo layer. Spread prepared pudding over cream cheese. Top with 1 tub cool whip. Sprinkle with remaining oreos.

*You can also add gummy worms to make it look like "dirt".

Potato Soup

6 slices bacon; cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion; finely chopped
2-10.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 c water
5 large potatoes; diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 c flour
2 c half & half
1-12 oz can evaporated milk
*shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Cook bacon and onion in fry pan over medium high heat until bacon is evenly browned. Drain grease. Transfer bacon and onion to crock pot. Stir in chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt, dill and white pepper. Cover; cook on low 6-7 hours, stirring occasionally. In small bowl whisk together flour and half & half. Stir into soup along with evaporated milk. Cover; cook 30 mins. This is when I also add the shredded cheese. Add as much as you like!

Cheese Ball

2 pkg's cream cheese; softened
2 c shredded cheese (i use medium and sharp cheddar)
1 tsp worchestershire or soy sauce
2 jars old english cheese
*1 tub bleu cheese crumbles (optional)
*Grated onion or garlic (optional)


Mix everything together with hands and form into a ball. Place on plate or serving tray. Sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles. (I don't use the bleu cheese, onion or garlic, we like ours more plain) Serve with crackers, veggies or whatever sounds good.

Artichoke Dip

14 oz can artichoke hearts; drained and chopped
4 oz feta cheese
1/4 c red bell pepper; chopped
1 garlic clove; minced
1 c mayo
3 green onions; sliced
A few shakes of dried oregano


Mix everything together in an 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20-30.

Sausage Chili

1 lb pork sausage
1 lb ground beef
2-15.5 oz cans kidney beans; drained
1-28 oz can tomatoes
1 c chopped onion
1 c chopped green pepper
1 c sliced celery
1-6 oz can tomato paste
2 garlic cloves; minced
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder


Cook sausage and ground beef in seperate fry pans until done. Add to crock pot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Chocolate Scotcheroos

This is one of those recipes that people will ask for again and again... :)
1 C corn syrup
1 C sugar
1 C peanut butter
6 C special k or rice krispies (I use special k)
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C butterscotch chips


In large saucepan combine corn syrup and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Stir in special k or rice krispies and spread into a greased 13x9 pan. Combine semi sweet and butterscotch chips in bowl and melt in the microwave for about 2 mins (be careful not to overheat and burn). Spread over the top of special k mixture. Let sit until it cools and chocolate mixture hardens, then cut into squares and enjoy!