FUN Fruit Dips

LEMON

2 Yoplait lemon yogurts (small size)

1/2 container of cool whip

--blend together--

Zest lemon peel over the top of your finished product

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RASPBERRY

8oz. Cream Cheese

1 container of Marshmallow (cream)

1/2 container of cool whip

1 lg. container of raspberry mountain high yogurt

Cheesy Potatoes

Our family FAVORITE!!

(9x13 pan)
8-10 medium sized potatoes
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 16 oz. container of sour cream
1/2 cube of butter (or more)
2 cup grated cheese (I use cheddar)
1/2 cup chopped green onions if desired
salt and pepper

1 1/2 cup corn flakes (crushed)

Boil potatoes in jacket or cook in microwave. Peel when potatoes are cooled and then grate them.
Mix together in a large bowl the soup, sour cream, cheese, butter and onions and then stir in the grated potatoes until still very creamy.
Put in a buttered oblong dish and cover with crushed corn flakes (about 1 1/2 c. or more) that have been mixed with 6 T melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Potatoes can be made a day or two early and put in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Pasta Basta

1 T. red pepper flakes

olive oil to cover bottom of pan

3 T. minced garlic

1 c. pine nuts

8 ½ oz. sundried tomatoes – julienne

1 ¼ c. calamata olives

3 oz fresh basil chopped

salt and pepper to taste

3 c. cooked chicken – sliced or cubed

1 lb. penne pasta cooked to al dente

12 oz. cheese tortellini cooked to al dente

½ lb. feta cheese

Cook red pepper flakes in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large pan over medium heat. The longer you cook – the hotter it gets. Be careful not to burn. Add garlic, pine nuts and tomatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add olives and basil cook for a couple more minutes. Add cooked chicken and pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with feta cheese, toss and serve.With this recipe you are free to add more of what you like and less or none of what you don't. Play around with it - it is a family favorite copy-cat recipe from Oreganos.

Coconut Bread (best EVER)!

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. coconut extract

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Spray 3 small loaf pans with PAM. Beat eggs, then cream in the sugar, oil and coconut extract. Add flour and dry ingredients. Then add milk, coconut flakes and nuts (if desired). Beat well. This makes 3 small loaves. Bake for 45 minutes at 325°. (If you care to make one tube cake, bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.) Loaves will be golden brown and cracked on the top.

Glaze

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

2 Tbsp. Margarine or butter

1 tsp coconut extract

Bring all ingredients except coconut extract to a boil and boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. coconut extract.While the loaves are still warm (fresh from the oven) pour glaze over each loaf. Let them stand 4 hours. The glaze will be completely absorbed into the loaf and will leave the pan easily.

Homemade Baggie Ice Cream

1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. whole milk

3 c. ice
1/2 c. rock salt

Get a plastic sandwich bag and a quart size plastic bad. In the small bag, combine the sugar, vanilla and milk. Tightly seal the small bag. In the large bag put ice and rock salt. Put the small bag in large bag and gently shake and move bag for 5-10 minutes until the milk turns to ice cream. It will be soft. You can add syrups, fruit, sprinkles or whatever you want to make it yummier. Makes one individual serving!

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

(just in time for Easter)
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 c canola/vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can crushed pineapple (8.5 oz)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts if desired
2-3 large carrots (2 cups grated carrots)
Grate carrots first, then cream sugar and oil, add eggs. Then add all the dry ingredients and vanilla. Stir in the carrots & crushed pineapple last.
(I can't remember if it should be drained or not! So, the first time, drain it and use 1/2. That way, you are 1/2 right or 1/2 wrong---couldn't hurt.)

BAKE at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour...

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 c. soft butter
8 oz. soft cream cheese
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
drops of milk or pineapple juice for creamier
Let butter and cream cheese warm to room temperature. Whip together and then add sugar, vanilla, and nuts.
Spread evenly on cooled cake.

f.y.i.-Usually I don't put nuts in the cake and add nuts only on part of the frosting to cater to those who don't like nuts---usually men. For a shower, I add nuts to cake and frosting!

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Yet another recipe slightly modified from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 t salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour + 1 cup wheat flour (you could do all white if you want, but it tastes fabulous this way, I think)
2 1/4 t (or one .25 ounce package) active dry yeast
1/4 cup butter, softened

Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in bread maker. Select dough cycle and press start.

When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Divide in half, and roll each half into a 12 inch circle. Spread the 1/4 cup softened butter over both circles. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end (like crescents). Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise double.

Preheat oven to 375. Bake 10-15 minutes, until golden. I like to spread a little butter over the tops of the rolls when they come out of the oven, too.

Korean BBQ Chicken Marinade

We made this tonight at my parents' house...it was soooo good (we did it on the grill but it's good in the oven as well). Makes quite a bit of marinade. Could reserve some, thicken with corn starch, and use as a sauce to pour over chicken and rice.

1 cup white sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tsp hot chili paste (optional)

In a medium saucepan over high heat, whisk together all ingredients except chili paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and whisk in chili paste. Place chicken in mixture. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours before preparing chicken as desired.