Twice Baked Potatoes

*Bake potatoes @ 400 degrees for 2 hours*
*Take them out and let them cool*
*Cut the in half and scoop out the centers*
*Put that into the mixer*
*Add a cup of milk, 1/2 cube of butter, & salt to taste*
--------Potatoes should be fluffy and thin---------
*Scoop back into potato skins (fill them full)*
*Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top*
*Bake again until cheese melts*

Sorry, kind of strange way to write the instructions but
I didn't know how else to explain it!

Ginger Snap Cookies

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
*************************
4 and 1/4 cups flour
4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves

Cream shortening/butter, sugars, molasses, and eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients. Roll into small balls of dough in sugar, place on cookie sheet (24 to a cookie sheet). Bake 375 degrees for 7 minutes Makes about 80-100 cookies!
*This is really easy and so very yummy! You've all probably tried Bethany P.'s! They are moving up the list of my fav. cookies of all time!

Brazillian Pancakes

-These are way yummy & easy. They're not quite as thin as crepes, but not as thick as regular pancakes either.

2 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour circles onto buttered frying pan on medium-med. high heat (just like regular pancakes). Swirl the pan a little so the batter goes into a big flat circle. Serve warm with butter & cinnamon sugar, or whipped cream and fresh chopped fruit. Awe and inspire your houseguests with hardly any effort at all!

**easiest way to make "crepes"- no special pan needed! (by: Bethany S.)

Brazillian Black Beans

-This is what Andre pretty much grew up on, his mom makes it all the time! (She is native Brazillian!) Its cheap, easy, flexible, and uses food storage (yay!)

black beans (dry or canned)
1 onion, chopped
1 sausage, sliced & cut into quarters (just to clarify: like deli sausage, not breakfast sausage)

Cook the above together. Depending on how much time we have we'll either cook dry beans in the pressure cooker (1-2 hours) or the crock pot (for Sunday Dinner). Or if I'm using canned beans I just do it on the stovetop or in the microwave (quick weeknight dinner). In that case I dont put sausage in it, and will just cook whatever kind of meat we have on hand separately & put the strips on top. (or sometimes we dont even have meat with it). Sometimes I add cumin, garlic salt, and/or lime juice to it, but you don't have to.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

1 cucumber, sliced & quartered
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
balsamic vinegar

Mix cucumbers & tomatoes in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, and salt & pepper it liberally. Serve with black beans and rice- we layer it all and eat it together. Mmmmmm! (by: Bethany S.)

*Andre's family also eats it with a fried, sunny-side-up egg on top. But I think thats kind of weird, and I usually don't have the time to do it or I forget. So I usually leave it out unless I'm trying to really impress him, haha. :) I do admit though, it does taste okay/pretty good. And its a good source of protein.

Broiled Tex Mex w/ black beans & rice

steak strips
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Toss and coat steak in olive oil, sprinkle on seasoned mixture. Broil under top rack in oven, on foil covered baking sheet. Turn once. Broil until fully cooked and browned. (sometimes I just cook it in a frying pan on the stove)

Serve over rice and black beans. I thought the spices might be too spicy/hot for my kids, but they love it!

Avocado and Tomato Salad

3/4 cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
1 med. avocado, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt

Gently mix ingredients in a bowl. Serve with Broiled Tex Mex recipe above. This is also yummy with tortilla chips! (by: Bethany S.)

Basil Chicken in Coconut-Curry Sauce

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 cup red onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced (I only do 1 clove, but I am scared of using too much garlic!)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 (14oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp fresh basil, snipped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

3 cups hot cooked rice (I use Jasmine rice)

Cut chicken into 1" pieces & put in large Ziploc bag. Dump spices & olive oil in bag & moosh till all the chicken is coated. Chill for 1 hour. While that marinates throw the onion, jalapenos, & garlic in the food processor, set aside. Snip the basil, grate the ginger & set aside. Start cooking your rice.

In a large nonstick wok or skillet, cook and stir onion, garlic and jalapeno peppers in hot olive oil over med high heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken to skillet; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. (add more oil if necessary.) Pour coconut milk in and add cornstarch. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in basil and ginger. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated thru. Serve over hot jasmine rice with naan on the side. Die and go to heaven b/c its so amazingly good!!! (even my kids eat it!!!) (by Bethany S.)

-This recipe freezes really well, too, so I usually make 2-3 batches at one time.

Grape Jelly Meatballs

Meatballs:
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 c dried onion
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c half and half
1 c italian bread crumbs
2 tsp corn starch
2 dashes all spice
2 eggs

Sauce:
2 bottles Del Monte chili sauce
1 cup grape jelly

Mix together and chill. Form into walnut size balls. Place in 9x13 pan, cover with sauce. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 325. Serve over rice.

*Shortcut:
1 big bag of frozen meatballs (72 small meatballs)

Place meatballs in a 9X13 pan. Combine the chili sauce and grape jelly, pour over meatballs. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

-Give this a chance. I didn't think I would like it when I first tried it, but was so surprised that is was great! It is so easy and so yummy! (By: Jennifer)

Crockpot Roast

1 beef roast
1 envelope Itailan dressing
1 envelope brown gravy dressing
1 envelope ranch dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix dressing
1/2 cup water

Place roast in crockpot, sprinkle seasonings on top of roast. Place the water around the roast. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. It is yummy over rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy! I hope I did this right, I have never done a blog before! (By Jennifer)

Never-Fail Chicken Enchiladas

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 C sour cream
2 C cheese (I use more)
1 T salsa (I use more)
2 cans cream of chicken
Chopped green onions to taste
10-15 tortillas

Boil and cube chicken breasts, setting aside 1/2 cup broth for later. (This dinner is pretty fast if you do the boiling step earlier in the day, or used canned chicken.) In a large bowl combine soup, salsa, onions, sour cream, chicken, and half of the cheese. Set aside 1 cup for later. Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll, and set (flaps down) in a 9X13 casserole dish. Mix remaining cup of mixture with 1/2 cup broth. Pour over rolled tortillas. Cover with remaining cheese and bake at 350 until warmed through--usually about 20 minutes. (by Janell)

Italian Meatballs

-These are an easy dish done in the crock pot and very delicious! I have to give my sweet cousin, Alyssa, credit for this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:
2 28oz cans Seasoned Diced Tomatoes (seasoned w/garlic, basil, oregano--or buy plain and season them yourself)
1 6 oz can Tomato Paste
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
Frozen, store-bought meatballs (about 7/adult)

Put all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 8-10hrs, or high 4-6 hrs. Serve over egg noodles. Enjoy! (by Meredith)