Crab Dip

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese softened
4 tbs mayo
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 6 oz cans crab meat
1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp hot sauce (Louisiana is best)
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
Paprika

Directions:
Mix ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer to a 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. (Should be lightly browned and bubbling at sides.) Serve with Ritz crackers.

Great holiday appetizer!
~Amanda

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

It's getting cool finally (as in, in the 60's, that's almost winter for us Texans!) which makes me want to bust out my winter recipes! I found this one last year & I love it. Josh does not. But I'm afraid this is one recipe I make anyways because it is THAT good (in my opinion anyways!).

Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
1 can whole cranberry sauce
2/3 c chili sauce
2 T cider vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 pkg dry onion soup mix

Directions
Mix everything & put it on the chicken in the slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve alone or, I'm thinking about serving it on wild rice next time... whatever sounds good. :-)

-Court

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

So I don't even like oatmeal raisin cookies but they are Zac's favorite so I found this recipe online and discovered that even I like these oatmeal raisin cookies! I am mostly a baker so you will have to bear with all my dessert recipes

-Cara

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake! They are better when they are still a little soft, just barely golden brown. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely.

Taco Soup

This is an amazing and easy soup for any occasion!
It reheats well too! Serves 6-8.
Enjoy!
-Alexis

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 can of black beans
1 can of red kidney beans
1 can of corn
1 small can of chopped green chilies
1 (16 oz.) can of tomato sauce (make sure it is not the preseasoned kind)
1 taco seasoning packet
1 ranch dressing packet

Brown the hamburger meat.
Add all other ingredients into a large pot without draining the cans over medium-low heat.
Drain the hamburger, and add to the other ingredients in the pot.
Let simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve with toppings of your choice - some good ones are avocado, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips.

Fiery "Fried" Chicken

This recipe is SUPER easy and just has a hint of sweet and spicy. The chicken is baked rather than fried which makes it healthier ;) So yummy!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp chili-garlic sauce (I use Frontera Classic Mexican Cooking Sauce w/ red pepper and roasted garlic from HEB)
3 tbsp pineapple juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 c. bread crumbs (I used Panko)
kosher salt
3 tbsp canola oil

Directions:
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the chili-garlic sauce and pineapple juice. Add the chicken and toss to coat. In a seperate bowl or shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp salt, and the oil. Working with one peice at a time, coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture and tranfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Bake until cooked through, 12-15 min.

Makes: 4 servings

Enjoy!
-Emily

Pasta Salad

This recipe is so versatile! It's a solid base, so you could add anything to it... the sky is the limit! To see photos of the finished product you can go to my blog!! This is usually eaten as a cold salad... it pairs well with just about anything... hamburgers, grilled chicken, or fried anything :)

Pasta Salad

1 lb (16 ozs) short cut pasta (I usually use whole wheat rotini... I like the taste)

1 cup Italian salad dressing

1 cup Caesar salad dressing

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 green bell pepper finely diced

1 red onion finely diced

Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Enjoy immediately or cover and stick it in the fridge to eat on all week!

Happy Cooking!

Bails

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

This is a really easy, delicious main course. Sweet, salty, & spicy!

Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast
1 lb bacon
2/3 c brown sugar
2 T chili powder

Directions
-Cut chicken into strips, wrap with bacon & secure with a toothpick
-Mix brown sugar & chili powder
-Dredge chicken in brown sugar/chili powder mixture
-Coat rack & broiler pan with nonstick spray
-Place chicken on rack & bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes

-Court

King Ranch Casserole

Ingredients:
Rotisserie Mesquite Chicken 3 c chopped
1 jar cilantro salsa
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. tortillas sliced
1 c shredded cheddar

Mix salsa, soup, & chicken in a bowl. Line 2 qt. pan with tortillas, pour mix on top and top with cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 10 min uncover and bake for about 4 min until cheese is melted.

Chicken Avocado Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1/3 c chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
3/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 c cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
8 c chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
tortilla chip strips
1 ripe avocado
salt

In a 5-6 qt non-stick pan over med. heat, stir in onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, & pepper until spices are fragrant, about 1 min. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and drained green chile's. Cover & bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile rinse chicken & cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to broth & return to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover, & simmer until chicken is white in center (cut to test), about 5 min. Stir in cilantro and salt to taste. Slice avocado and garnish bowls with avocado & cheese.

Enjoy!
~Amanda

Three Cheese Beef Pasta Shells

This recipe was requested by our newest & tenth recipe contributor, Amanda!

Ingredients
1 bag pasta shells (whichever size you like, I use the medium size shells)
1 lb. ground beef
1 (26 oz) jar pasta sauce
1/4 c water
1 (8 oz) chive & onion cream cheese
1 c shredded 6-cheese Italian blend
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 egg

Directions
-Cook & drain shells, set aside
-Brown & drain beef, set aside
-Pour 1/2 sauce in 13x9 pan
-Mix cheeses (leave some Italian for top), beef, egg, & water, then stir in shells
-Arrange mixture on sauce in pan
-Pour remaining sauce on top
-Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
-Bake at 350 for 40-45 mins.

-Court

Pumpkin Spice Bread

I made pumpkin bread for 5 of my closest friends from high school this past weekend, & it was delish! Perfect for November. I got it from allrecipes.com.

Pumpkin Spice Bread
(makes 2 loaves)

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (16 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup water

Directions
-In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil & eggs.
-Add pumpkin & mix well.
-Combine dry ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture alternately with water.
-Pour into 2 greased loaf pans.
-Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until bread tests done.
-Cool in pans for 10 mins before removing to wire rack; cool completely.

Enjoy!!
Courtney

Egg Sandwich

Okay... not a super challenging recipe but SUPER yummy!

Laura's Egg sandwich

1-2 eggs per sandwich cooked to your liking & seasoned with fresh blk. pepper and sea salt
(I prefer scrambled, Caleb likes fried with yolk broken)
2 pieces of toast (any kind of bread, I LOVE ciabatta)
Fresh baby spinach
sliced tomato, sprinkled w/ pepper
real mayo

-Assemble sandwich and enjoy!

I'll post a more challenging recipe next time:-)
God bless your day! -L

Recipes coming soon!

A group of 9 of us - Alexis, Bailey, Beatrice, Brittany, Cara, Courtney, Emily, Kristin, & Laura - love food & love cooking! We wanted a place to share recipes that we have tried & have found to be delicious, so this blog was born!

So come back for some great recipes, coming soon!