Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
Mushrooms; washed, with stems removed
2 containers of chive & onion cream cheese
cooked bacon, chopped
Salt & pepper

Directions:

• Rub bottom of glass pan with softened butter
• Mix cream cheese and bacon pieces in bowl
• Spoon mixture into caps, then salt and pepper
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
• If mushrooms are not browned on top after 30 minutes, turn on broiler until brown.
• Enjoy!
  

Oreo Truffles

1 package oreo cookies (divided… use cookie including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark

1. Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later.
2. Crush remaining cookies and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.
3. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. You can sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration. (I usually eat mine before they make it to this stage.)
5. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes about 36 truffles.

*www.bakerella.com

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies

Cookie Ingredients/Directions:
Bowl #1:
4 c. flour
2 c. oatmeal
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Bowl #2:
3 sticks butter
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

*Using one can of pumpkin (16 oz.), mix alternately with bowl #1 (dry ingredients) into bowl #2 (wet mixture)
Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes (check after 7-8).

Frosting Ingredients/Directions:
8 oz. cream cheese
3 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
*Beat together and frost cookies!

Stove Top Surprise

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 box of Chicken Stove Top stuffing (with ingredients needed to prepare stuffing)
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 16 oz. bag of frozen veggies
1½ lbs. chicken

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Defrost frozen veggies and place on bottom of 9 x 13 pan.
3. Cook chicken and cut up into small cubes and mix in with veggies.
4. Prepare stuffing mix (follow directions on box) and set aside.
5. Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream together in separate bowl, then mix with veggies and chicken in pan.
6. Top pan with stuffing mix.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie

My husband and I are both not Spaghetti fans, but this, we love...

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 jar spaghetti sauce
spaghetti noodles (I use angel hair and never really measure, I do about 1/3 a package for our small family of 3) use more noodles for bigger families.
1/2 stick butter
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup parmesean cheese
mozzerella or jack cheese

(As a side note...we're a small family, so I usually 1/2 this and cook it in an 8x8 pan. So I do 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 jar sauce...I still do 1/2 stick butter, 1 egg and 1/2 cup parmesean cheese though!)


*Brown ground beef and drain. Add sauce to meat and simmer while you do the rest. Cook the noodles till they're done, drain. Add the butter to the hot noodles until melted then add the beaten egg and the parmesean cheese. Put noodle mixture in a 9x13 pan, then pour the sauce and meat on top. Sprinkle with any kind of cheese, jack or mozzerella is great. Bake 350 for 35 min or until bubbly on sides.

Mini Mexican Pizzas

Ingredients:
1 crescent roll package
Tortilla chips
Refried beans
1 lb. ground beef
Taco seasoning
Shredded lettuce
Tomatoes (or salsa)
Onions (optional)
Sour cream
Green Goddess dressing (optional)
Shredded cheese (any kind is fine)

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef with 1/2 cup of water, browned and seasoned for tacos

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. Lay crescent rolls flat on greased cookie sheet. You can also use a 9" greased pie pan.

4. On top of raw crescent rolls, add layer of refried beans, then sour cream, then ground beef.

*Kristin suggested mixing a little Green Goddess dressing to the sour cream, then spread.

5. On top of ground beef, add a layer of CRUSHED tortilla chips.

6. Top with shredded cheese, then another layer of crushed tortilla chips.

7. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (check on it after 25).

8. Cut "pizza" into individual slices.

9. Following, top with shredded lettuce and tomatoes (I like to use salsa). Onions are also an option.

10. Enjoy!

Mom's Chili

Ingredients:
2 cans of kidney beans (I use 1.5 cans...)
2 cans chili beans
1 package of chili mix
1 large 29oz. can of Hunt's Tomato Sauce
1 lb. ground beef
Chopped green peppers (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook meat in separate skillet until browned and add salt and pepper.
2. Mix other ingredients (beans, mix, tomato sauce) in large pot .
3. When meat is ready, add chopped green peppers (if desired), then combine with chili mixture in pot.
4. Let cook on stovetop until hot.
5. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cornbread muffins!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is my mom's soup and it is really delicious and not hard at all. For a single batch that makes 5 1-cup servings:

2 tbsp finely chopped onion
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup velveeta cheese
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups water
1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli

In a large pan, cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Add milk. (this will make a white sauce just with onions. Make sure to stir constantly as it will burn on the bottom of the pan easily). Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese cut in cubes and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

In another pan, dissolve bullion cubes in water. Add the bay leaf, bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cook according to the package directions, do not drain. Add broccoli mixture to cheese mixture. Stir until well blended. Remove bay leaf. To make larger batches, just double ingredients.

Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Sauce

SO good! SO easy!

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
16 oz can pumpkin
1 spice cake mix

Mix together & bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes

Caramel sauce:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
Boil together, drizzle over baked cake when it has cooled a little. Serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Dip

• 4 boneless chicken breasts (I buy the TYSON already cooked, already cut chicken. Although it's already cut, I cut the pieces a little bit smaller for the dip.)
• 16 ounces cream cheese (light is fine, but not fat free)
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle blue cheese dressing
• 1/2-3/4 cup hot sauce
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

1. Place the cooked chicken in a large baking dish. (For a party, I usually use the disposable aluminum pans)
2. Pour your desired amount of hot sauce over the chicken, and season with salt and pepper if desired.
3. Set this dish in the refrigerator to let the chicken absorb the flavor.
4. Preheat your oven to 350.
5. Next, over medium heat in a large pan, melt the cream cheese. (If you are pressed for time, cream cheese can be melted in the microwave.)
6. Pour in the blue cheese dressing and stir until they are completely combined.
7. Pour this mixture over the chicken.
8. Bake for 10 minutes and remove, but don't turn the oven off.
9. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly over the top and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown just a little.

This is a great, easy dip for tailgates and parties! Tastes like buffalo chicken wings with blue cheese dressing. Serve with thick chips and/or celery.

Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

Hey - I'm new to Kristin's simple dinners and my opening dinner looks not so simple, but it's really not that hard and we LOVE it over here in Colorado! Give it a try!

marinade
1 C. water
1/3 c. teriyaki sauce
2 T. lime juice
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. liquid smoke
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. tequila (if you're fresh out of tequila, orange juice is a perfect substitution)
4 chicken breasts

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken and cover & chill for 2-3 hours. When ready to prepare meal, grill marinated chicken until done. Set in glass baking dish.

Mexi-ranch dressing
1/4 c. mayo
1/4 c. sour cream
1 T. milk
2 t. minced tomato
1 1/2 t. vinegar
1 t. minced jalapeno
1 t. minced onion
1/4 t. dried parsley
1/4 t. Tabasco pepper sauce
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. dillweed
1/8 t. paprika
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/8 t. cumin
1/8 t. chili powder
dash garlic powder
dash ground black pepper

mix all ingredients until smooth. Spread layer of dressing on each piece of grilled chicken followed by a 1/4 c. monterrey jack/cheddar blend cheese. Broil until cheese melts. Serve on a plate of crumbled corn chips along with refried beans and spanish rice. I swear it tastes just like Applebees. (We are extra sauce fans so I always double the sauce.) Forgive me for the lengthy recipe!

Playoff Meatballs (The guys will love you for these at a football party!)

2 lbs. ground beef or turkey (I use lean turkey)
2 eggs
¾ cup instant oatmeal
3 tbls. dried minced onion
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 tbls. regular oil
1 (12 oz. bottle) BBQ sauce

Mix ground beef (or turkey), eggs, oatmeal, onion, cheese, ketchup, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Form into tiny meatballs (about one inch wide). Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in skillet. Add meatballs and cook, turning frequently until browned (about ten minutes). Transfer meatballs to baking dish and cover with BBQ sauce. Bake for thirty minutes. Serve with toothpicks.

Texas Caviar (Don’t be scared by the name. It’s yummy salsa!)

1 pepper (chopped, any color…I like yellow best)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 small jalapenos (chopped)
1 cup red onions (chopped)
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 can pinto beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can black beans
1 can white shoe peg corn
½ cup oil
1 tsp. salt and pepper
Pinch of parsley and garlic salt
Bring oil, vinegar, and sugar to a boil. Add salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic salt. When cooled, pour over veggie-bean mixture. Let marinate refrigerated for two hours. Serve with tortilla chips. (Tostidos scoops work the best!)

Mike's Spicy Cajun Shrimp

I don't actually know who Mike is, but i do know that he is a really good cook. I stole this recipe from another blog. It is truly AMAZING! That is, if you like shrimp. You can make it as spicy as you want; the 1/4 tsp. was not too spicy. Jason kept saying "this is soo good." This will probably be a regular in our house from now on.

1/4-1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (Depends on your desired spiciness. We use 1/4 and it is PLENTY hot)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed thyme
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/3 c. butter
1 T. crushed garlic
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lg. tomato diced
1 lb. frozen uncooked shrimp
1 T. sour cream
1 T. flour

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Put the shrimp in a bowl of warm water to thaw, peel and de-tail. Melt butter in pan with Worcestershire sauce and garlic. When all melted, add the dry ingredients. Add Shrimp & cook until pink. Add flour and sour cream to thicken. Add Tomato. Serve over white rice.

Parmesan Salmon

Desired portion of Salmon
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Juice
Mayo
Dill
Parmesan Cheese

-Sprinkle salt, pepper, and lemon juice over salmon in baking dish. Bake at 350 until almost done, (completely opaque in the thickest part is done), remove from oven and spread a thin layer of mayo, sprinkle with dill and top with parmesan cheese. Return to oven and finish baking, salmon will flake easily when done, cheese should be melted. Enjoy!