Tasty Taco Bake

Just in time for any Super Bowl Parties!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C crushed Doritos nacho chips

1 (15 oz) can chili

1 (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained, divided

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 C shredded lettuce

Directions:

Spread 1 cup chips into an ungreased 8-in square baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the chili, green chilies, and half of the olives; spoon over the chips. Spread sour cream over the top. Sprinkle with cheeses, mushrooms, onions, then remaining chips and olives.

Bake uncovered @ 375 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with lettuce.

Yields 4 servings.

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I sent some of this to Julie, and she wanted me to post the recipe. Note: wasn't sure if she liked cranberries, so I left those out; also couldn't find hazelnuts ANYWHERE, so I substituted slivered almonds, and it was yummy! This ones for you girl:

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1/3 C butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1/4 C flour
1/2 C toasted chopped hazelnuts (or slivered almonds)
1/2 C cranberries
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Make cookie dough blending cookie mix, butter, egg, flour, hazelnuts, cranberries and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips until stiff dough forms. Roll half of dough at a time into 8 X 2 1/2 inch rectangle. Bake @ 350 for 20-25 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet. Cool 15 minutes.

Cut each rectangle crosswise into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Cool, place biscotti on cooling racks, cool completely.

Microwave chocolate chips on high for 30 seconds, stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over one side of each biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Frangranced Salt Scrub (Exfoliates Dry Skin)

O.k., so this is not a food recipe...but it is a gift recipe made from salt...which is somewhat a food. Anyway, this is great for teachers, friends, visiting teachees, etc. It really does make your hands (I haven't tried it on my feet, knees or elbows) nice and soft.

1/2 c. salt

1 Tablespoon EXTRA LIGHT olive oil

6-7 drops scented or essential oils

1 teaspoon cold water

Place salt in a glass bowl and stir in the oils and the water until well mixed. The salt will resemble a snow cone without the flavoring. Spoon into small jelly jar or other small sealed container.

Directions for use: Use one teaspoon of salt scrub and gently rub into hands, feet, elbows or knees. Rinse with warm water.

Homemade Truffles

This recipe is super easy and yummy, yummy, yummy!!!

1 package of regular oreos
1 8 0z. package of cream cheese
1 box of baker's white chocolate

Use your blender to crumb the oreos into a fine grain. Soften the cream cheese and combine the two. You will have to use your hands to mix it well. Form little balls of this mixture. Melt the white chocolate and dip the balls in it. Place on wax paper and allow to set. I put mine in the freezer for 5 minutes. Also, if you run out of white chocolate, you can roll the balls in powdered sugar. The powdered sugar balls are good, but not as good as the white chocolate. Store in the fridge.

Apple-Cheddar Muffins

This comes from bettycrocker.com Yum.
Prep time 15 min
Total time 35 min
Makes 12 muffins

1 egg
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
3/4 cup coarsely chopped peeled cooking apple
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 12 regular size muffin cups with shortening, or line with paper baking cups.

2. In medium bowl, beat egg slightly. Stir in remaining ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among cups.

3. Bake 17-19 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Line muffin cups with paper baking cups.

Butternut Bisque

Fall is here and it's time for warm soups!

This is a recipe submitted by Mom Porter but she didn't know how to put it on the blog so I offered to do it for her : )

2 - 2 1/2 lb butternut squash**

2 T butter

2 carrots, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

5-6 c. chicken stock

1 1/2 t curry powder

pinch nutmeg

pinch ginger

sour cream for garnish, optional

**Best to buy squash already peeled and cubed at Costco

(Mom used 4 cans of chicken broth for the stock)

Melt butter in large soup pot; add the carrots, onion and celery; saute until soft. Stir the squash and potatoes into the vegetables. Add the stock; bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 40 minutes.

Add curry, nutmeg, and ginger. Puree the soup in batches in the a blender or food processor. Return to saucepan; add more stock if necessary to thin, salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, if you like.
Yield - 6 servings

Chicken Noodle Pasta Toss - Rachel Ray

Serves 4

Kind of like chicken noodle soup without the soup part. For some reason there were no herb seasonings in this recipe. I added fresh thyme and dried marjoram to taste and it turned out great.


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
4 ribs celery from the heart, cut into matchsticks
2 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 pound extra-wide egg noodles (I used Pennsylvania Dutch brand)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 box frozen peas (10 ounces), defrosted

Preparation
Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil for the egg noodles. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6-7 minutes.

Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pan, and cook until the veggies start to soften, 3-4 minutes. Toss the zucchini into the pan along with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook another 2-3 minutes until all the veggies are tender.

While the meat and veggies are cooking, drop the noodles into the boiling water and cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain the noodles and return them to the pot they were cooked in. Add the butter to the pot and give everything a good toss to melt the butter and coat the noodles. To serve, spoon some noodles into bowls and top with the chicken and veggie mixture.

Dessert Salad

While I was in Idaho visiting family Aaron and Teri came up for a visit. While they were there we had this dish. Teri convinced me that I should post it on the blog. It really is easy and yummy!

2 small packages of vanilla pudding
2 cups buttermilk
1 12 oz. whipped topping
1 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits- drained
2 cans mandarin oranges-drained
Fudge stripe cookies- broken

Mix pudding and buttermilk and chill. Add whipped topping, pineapple and mandarin oranges. Just before serving mix cookies in. Reserve some to sprinkle on top.

Texas Chocolate Cake

Yum, yum and triple yum.

Grease and flour 1x12x18 pan (jelly roll pan, cookie sheet)
In a large pot bring to boil:
1/2 pound margarine (I used butter)
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water

Remove from cooktop and add:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Frosting
In medium saucepan boil:
1 stick of margarine (I used butter)
6 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons cocoa

Add one pound powdered sugar (4 cups)
Whisk it until smooth
Add 1/2-1 cup nuts (optional)
Spread on cake while hot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here's a quick recipe for great tortilla soup. I'm so excited it's getting cooler outside because this is outstanding and warms you up!

INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion - diced
1 T. oil
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1 bay leaf
6 C. chicken stock
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. pepper
1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 chicken breasts - chopped and raw
1 1/2 C. corn

DIRECTIONS:
Saute onion in oil. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. Saute one minute. Add chicken stock, sugar, pepper and can of tomatoes. Bring to boil. Add chicken and corn. Simmer until chicken is cooked.

May be made the day before and refridgerated. Heat through before serving.

Garnish with sour cream, tortilla chips, red onion, avocado and monterey jack cheese.