Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

• 3/4 cup of butter, softened
• 3/4 cup Reese's creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 1/2 cups of AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/3 cups of Reese's Mini Pieces or quartered Reese's Mini PB cups

Chocolate filling

• 1 stick of butter
• 2/3 cup of Hershey's cocoa
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat your oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a LARGE mixing bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and honey until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla, beat thoroughly.  In another bowl, combine the flour, oats, soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. The dough will be thick. Once fully combined, remove 2 cups of the dough and set aside. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the 13x9 baking pan.

Prepare the chocolate filling. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the cocoa and sugar. Stir to combine, then add the condensed milk and cook, stirring constantly until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Spread the chocolate filling/mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle candy pieces evenly over the filling. Crumble reserved dough evenly over filling.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool completely and then cut into bars. Very rich and delish!

15 Minute Teriyaki Chicken Supper

• 4-6 chicken tenders, chopped
• 1 package of Green Giant valley fresh steamer buttery rice & vegtables (low fat)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup or more of Teriyaki sauce (or less/more)
• 2 tbsp of liquid smoke (or less/more)
• 1 tbsp of country crock light butter/margarine (optional)
• Spices: I used about 1 tsp each: lemon pepper, Tony's, garlic/onion powder, minced/dried onion
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Coat your chicken with the spices and in a large skillet saute the chicken in the olive oil over medium heat until done. About 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, put your steamer in the microwave for 5-7 minutes and set aside to cool while you cook your chicken. Add your Teriyaki sauce and liquid smoke to the chicken and cook for an additional minute or so then add your rice/veggie mixture. Add any additional teriyaki sauce, salt, pepper, and the butter. Cook for about 2 minutes and DONE! You can double the recipe.

Low fat chicken enchiladas

• 7-8 chicken tenders
• 2 cups salsa
• 1/3 cup of low fat or fat free cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup of low fat or 2 % shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp of fat free sour cream
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced in thin rings
• 1/3 cup of canned green chilies
• 2 tbsp liquid smoke
• 1 tbsp of olive oil or canola oil
• 1 pkg of low fat wheat tortillas
• 3/4-1 cup of shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese
• cumin, salt, lemon pepper (about 1 tbsp of the cumin, 1/4 tsp of salt/lemon pepper)

Preheat your oven to 375.
In a medium skillet on medium heat, saute the chicken and onions in the oil, sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of cumin, salt, lemon pepper, and liquid smoke over the chicken and onions and cook until done, about 5-6 minutes. With a fork, shred the chicken and set aside in a bowl with the onion. In a medium size bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella, green onions, green chilies, and the remaining cumin and salt to taste. Mix well. Add the chicken/onion mixture. Mix well. In a 13x9 baking dish, spread 1 cup of the salsa on the bottom of the dish. Take your wheat tortillas and add about 1/2 a cup of the chicken mixture in the center and roll up and place seam side down in the dish. Spread the remaining salsa on the top of the tortillas and top with the shredded cheese. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Low fat Million Dollar pies

• 15-20 oz can of crushed pineapple (100% juice), drained
• 14 oz can of fat free condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup of unsweetened/sweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup of pecans
• 8 oz fat free cool whip
• 2 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pineapple, milk, juice, coconut, and pecan, mix well, fold in the cool whip and divide the mixture evenly between 2 pie crust. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Canadian Bacon Breakfast Casserole

• 1/2 lb diced Canadian bacon, I used a pkg of Hormel (you can use sausage/bacon/turkey bacon)
• 3 cups of milk (you can use whole, 2%, skim, etc)
• 1 package of shredded cheese ( I do NOT recommend fat free, but 2 % is fine) cheddar or sharp
• 3 green onions, diced
• 1 small container of egg beaters or about 7-8 large eggs
• 8-10 slices of white or wheat bread, torn into small pieces
• 1 tsp of ground mustard
• salt/pepper, Tony's

If you are using sausage, brown your sausage and drain, set aside. If you are using bacon, cook and dice.
You can also mix in a can of diced mushrooms or saute some onion and bell pepper. There are so many variations to this recipe. You may add more bread or cheese.

In a large bowl, combine your milk, eggs, onion, and spices, whisk until blended. Then add your meat, cheese, and bread. Mix until combined. Pour the mixture into a greased 13x9 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook at 375 for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and a knife in the center comes out clean. Let is set for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cake

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 3/4 cup SR flour
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Frosting

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or more as needed)
• 1 square Bakers semi-sweet chocolate, melted & cooled (or more as needed)
• 2 tbsp hot water (or more as needed)

Cream butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Add beaten egg and vanilla, mix until creamy. Add flour into the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Blend until fluffy. Grease/flour a 13x9 baking dish. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake in a 350 oven for about 35-40 minutes until golden or toothpick inserted into cake and comes out clean.

While the cake is cooling, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stir until melted and set aside to cool. Combine all of the remaining frosting ingredients and mix on medium speed with a hand mixer until creamy. Add the chocolate and more water/powdered sugar/chocolate if needed. Mix again until blended. Frost the cake when cooled and enjoy!

Smoked Cheddar Roll Ups

• 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp Hellman's
• 1 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 can deviled ham
• 1-2 tbsp minced red onion or chopped green onion
• 10 flour tortillas
• cracked black pepper (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Hellman's, cream cheese, deviled ham, and onion. Fold in the cheddar cheese and mix well. Take about a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and spread it on a tortilla, crack about 2 rounds of black pepper, roll/fold, and set aside. Once all tortilla's are rolled/folded, put them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set. Then slice into about 1-2 inches pieces and serve with salsa, guacamole, or by themselves. Enjoy! Super easy and delish!

Raisin Bread Pudding

• 10-12 cups cubed day old white/wheat bread or 1 loaf of french bread
• 5 cups of whole milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of raisins
• 2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 stick of butter

Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

In a large bowl, soak bread in milk for about 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, spices, vanilla, and eggs. Combine the sugar mixture to the bread mixture. Preheat the oven at 350'. Melt the 1/2 stick of butter in a 9x13 glass baking dish until melted. Once melted, pour the excess butter in the bread mixture. You just want to coat the glass dish.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, until bubbly and hot.


For the sauce, cream the butter and sugars. Add the vanilla and corn starch. Slowly stir in the egg, then add the rum and lemon juice. Heat and stir over a low heat for about 7-12 minutes. Serve warm over the pudding.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp AP flour
• 1 pkg dry yeast, about 2 1/2 tsp
• 1 cup warm milk (microwave 30 seconds)
• 2 beaten eggs
• 3 tbsp melted butter, cooled
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups AP flour
• 1-2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar, or more :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3 tbsp softened butter
• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, add warm water, salt, sugar, 2 tbsp of flour, and dry yeast, whisk to blend. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in microwave and cool until warm (NO hot ingredients can go into the yeast mixture, it will kill it) Add to yeast mixture. Then add the warm milk and beaten eggs, mix until combined.
Sift the whole wheat flour and 3 cups of AP flour. Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture, then add an additional 1 1/2 cups of sifted AP flour and stir/mix until moistened.
Dump your dough ball onto a lightly floured board or counter top and knead for about 2 minutes or until the dough has come into a soft ball. Use enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the board/counter top.

Grease a medium size bowl with soft butter and place the dough ball into it. Butter the top of the dough with 1 tbsp of softened butter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a draft free, warm space. Allow to rise for 1 hour. Press with fingers and when you leave fingerprints in the dough, it's ready.

Punch down the dough to release the air. Plop the dough onto a lightly floured board/counter top. Roll into a large rectangle, about 16x24. Smear the remaining 2 tbsp (or more) softened butter over the dough, distribute evenly. I will tell you, I used about 1/2 stick of butter.
Generously sprinkle the rectangle with cinnamon. I did not measure the cinnamon but make sure you have an even coating. Evenly distribute the brown sugar over the rectangle. If you like, you can add chopped walnuts or pecans.

Starting at the bottom of the rectangle, roll to the top, rolling as tightly as possible into a log. Punch the end together to form a seam down the roll.
Generously butter two 9 inch cake pans. Cut the log into 1" pieces and place into pans. Cover with the kitchen towel and allow to rise again for about an hour.

While the rolls are rising, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until blended. Add the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of milk , and vanilla. Beat on low speed. Add the last remaining milk and blend until combined.
Preheat the oven to 350 and bake the rolls for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes. Do not cool any longer than that because the brown sugar/butter mixture will harden and the rolls will be hard to remove.

Invert onto a plate to get it out of the pan and then onto a serving plate so that the cinnamon rolls are right side up. Ice with the frosting and enjoy!

If you'd like the rolls in the morning, right after you shape them into cinnamon rolls, cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towels. Refrigerate overnight. Go right from the fridge to the 350' preheated oven. They may take a few minutes longer to bake.

Noodle Doodle Goulash

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
• 1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
• 1 tsp beef bouillon granules
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perins)
• 1 cup elbow or spiral noodles
• Spices: 1/2 tsp each of Tony's, lemon pepper, "just a dash" or two of Italian seasoning (McCormick), dried parsley, garlic powder, minced dried onion, salt & pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook the beef , onion, and spices over medium heat until no longer pink, drain and set aside. While your beef is cooking, boil your noodles, drain and set aside.

To the large skillet, combine the beans, soup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and beef bouillon. Then add the beef back to the skillet and the cooked noodles and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with sweet corn bread or garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Very quick and easy :)

Tres Leches

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 14oz can condensed milk
• 1 12oz can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp chocolate syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with bakers joy (flour/oil). Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, cocoa powder, beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden. Pierce the cake several times with a skewer or serving fork. Set aside to cool. Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake, a little at a time.

In a large COLD glass mixing bowl (I kept the bowl in the fridge until the cake was cooled), whip the whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of sugar, and the remaining 1 tsp of vanilla extract until thick. Spread over the top of the cake and drizzle with the chocolate syrup. Keep the cake refrigerated and serve cool.

Tater Tot Casserole

• 1 bag of frozen tater tots
• 1 family size can of Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1 can of cream style corn
• 1 cup of evaporated milk
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese ( I used the nacho blend)
• 1 1/2 lbs of ground meat
• Spices: 1 tbsp of minced dried onion, 1 tsp each of garlic & onion powder, Tony's
• Salt & ground pepper

Brown your ground meat with your spices, drain, set aside. In a large bowl, mix the soup, milk, corn, and 1 cup of the cheese until blended. Then add your tater tots and hamburger meat. Mix well. Pour the mixture into a greased 13x9 Pyrex baking dish and bake, uncovered for 45 minutes at 350. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake an additional 15 minutes until golden and the cheese has melted.

I would recommend letting this "set" at room temp for about 10 minutes. It's SUPER hot! Enjoy!



Fruity cupcake brownies (low calorie/sugar)

• 1 box of devils food cake
• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• 1 medium can of fruit cocktail (in fruit juice/no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup of toasted coconut
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1 tbsp of powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and with an ice cream scooper, scoop into paper lined cupcake pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.

Next time I think I might mix in a little cocoa in the powdered sugar or drizzle dark chocolate on top. This recipe is a twist on "Hungry Girls" Yum Yum brownies.

Leftovers in a pot :)

This past weekend I made a beef roast with the fixin's, potatoes/carrots/gravy/rice, etc. Anyway, I did not have any roast left but I did have about 2 cups of carrots and potatoes, left over Lima beans, about 1 cup of the gravy, some English peas from the night before's meatloaf supper...soooooo..what to do?

I browned 1 lb of ground beef, drained. In a large pot, to the beef mixture I added the 2 cups of diced leftover potatoes and carrots, Lima beans, English peas, and gravy. To the pot I also added 1 can of cream style corn. I found a package of McCormick country gravy mix. I mixed the gravy mix with 2 cups of water and added that to the pot. Along with about 1 more cup of water. Seasoned with some Tony's, salt, pepper, minced onion, a pinch each of thyme and rosemary. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. DONE! I served it with corn bread. It turned out really, really good! So, if you have left over Roast but no Roast, LOL! Here you go! The red stuff, hot sauce :) Hello, I do live in Louisiana!

Oven "fried" chicken (low fat)

• 6-10 chicken tenders
• 3 cups of crushed corn flakes
• 2 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup of fat free Italian dressing
• lemon pepper & Tony's

I usually put the corn flakes in the food processor until fine. In a small bowl, mix the mustard and Italian dressing together. Set aside. Meanwhile, season the chicken with lemon pepper and Tony's. Dip the chicken in the dressing mixture, then in the corn flake mixture and transfer to a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. DONE! Super easy, fast, and yummy! I served this with a salad and navy beans.

Chocolate Peach Cobbler

• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 1/2 SR flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder
• 1 small can of diced peaches in heavy syrup

Chocolate Layer (top)

• 1 cup of sugar
• 6 Tbsp of cocoa powder
• 2 cup of boiling water

Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x13 glass baking dish, melt the two sticks of butter in the oven.
Meanwhile in a bowl, mix together the 1 1/4 cups of sugar, flour, vanilla, 1 Tbsp of cocoa, peaches/juice, and milk. Once the butter is melted pour the batter over the butter, but DO NOT STIR.
In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa and remaining sugar together and sprinkle over the top of the batter. DO NOT STIR.
Pour the 2 cups of boiling water on the top of the cocoa powder layer, again, DO NOT STIR, bake for 30-35 minutes until golden. Serve warm with ice cream or Redi-whip.

Dijon Mustard Meatloaf with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

        Meatloaf:

• 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
• 3 tbsp of Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp of ketchup
• 1 egg
• 2 toasted slices of white bread, torn/chopped
• 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp of chopped onion
• 1 tbsp of dried parsley
• 1 tbsp of minced/dried onion
• lemon pepper, Tony's, salt/pepper, about 1 tsp each
• additional ketchup for the top, about 1/4 cup

In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients and transfer to a Pyrex dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. I would drain off the grease every 15-30 minutes. Let is set at room temp for about 10 minutes.

       Potatoes:

• 4-6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 pinches of rosemary
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of minced/dried onion
• 1 tsp each of lemon pepper and Tony's
• salt/pepper
• 1 medium sweet vidalia onion cut into quarters

In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients and bake at 350-375 for 1 hour, turning the potatoes every 15-20 minutes until golden.

Grandma's Tomato Gravy

• about 15-20 medium peeled and chopped FRESH summer tomatoes
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of oil (do not use olive oil)
• 1-2 cups of reserved tomato juice
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• salt, pepper, and Tony's

Once you have peeled and chopped the tomatoes, add them to a hot large skillet with the chopped onion. This will make a large amount of gravy. Cook the tomatoes on medium high heat. I make sure to smash the tomatoes with a tater masher to make sure there are no lumps of tomato. At this point, I reserve about a cup or two of the tomato liquid. Then continue to cook until almost all of the liquid has dissolved.

Once you have it at this point, remove the tomatoes from the skillet to a bowl. Add your oil and flour and make a roux. When is resembles a "peanut butter" color, add your chicken stock, sugar, reserved tomato juice, and the tomatoes back to the skillet. I usually add more salt and pepper to taste. If it starts to get too thick, add more chicken stock or water.

Serve over rice, biscuits, noodles, etc. You can also add fresh basil, oregano, chopped onion and garlic to make a nice marinara :)  You can substitute canned tomatoes but I would only use canned WHOLE tomatoes.

Fried buttermilk chicken with the fixins

• 8-10 cups of buttermilk
• 6 legs and 6 thighs or 1 whole chicken
• Seasoning: Tony's, lemon pepper, garlic/onion powder, salt/pepper
• 3 cups of AP flour
• peanut oil for frying

In a large Tupperware bowl, add the buttermilk and chicken. Let this set in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, drain your chicken on paper towels. Generously season both sides of the chicken. Add the same seasoning to the flour in a large bowl/pan. Roll the seasoned chicken in the seasoned flour, coating all sides. Set the floured chicken in a pan for about 30 minutes. Add your oil to a large skillet or electric skillet and fry until the juices run clear. I used an electric skillet, kept it between 300-325. Do not crowd the skillet. Make sure to turn the chicken every 10-12 minutes to keep it nice and golden.

I also made purple hull peas, mashed taters, honey cornbread, and white pepper gravy.

Mud Bars

• 1/3 cup butter
• 5 oz block baking chocolate
• 1 cup of Bisquick mix
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup marshmallows, mini
• 1 tbsp butter (frosting)
• 3/4 cup of sour cream
• 1 1/3 cup of powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Grease & flour 9 inch square pan.
In a small microwaveable bowl, melt 1/3 cup of butter and 2 1/2 oz of the chocolate on medium high in the microwave until melted. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, add the Bisquick, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and melted chocolate. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, then beat on medium for 1 minute. Do not over beat. Spread batter into the greased pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Immediately add the marshmallows to the top and broil in the oven until golden. Cool for about an hour.

Frosting: In an microwaveable bowl, melt the remaining 2 1/2 oz of chocolate with 1 tbsp of butter. Cool to warm stage. Stir in sour cream and powdered sugar, beat until smooth. Spread over the marshmallows and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Cut into bars.

Mama's vinegar cucumbers and onion

• 1 cup of water
• 3/4 cup of vinegar (or less)
• 2 peeled and sliced cucumbers
• 1 medium sliced purple onion

This recipe needs to be to "your" liking, so you will just need to taste the mixture of water to vinegar and if it's too vinegar tasting..then add more water and vice versa.

Mix all of the above in a large bowl and keep in the refrigerator. Easy! This was always something my mama had on the table during the summer months, along with a plate of fresh peeled maters. She would just keep adding more onion and more cucumbers when the bowl was empty. I would recommend changing the water at least every 2-3 weeks. Oh, and use an old cool whip bowl or Tupperware bowl. This can ruin a good Tupperware bowl. :)

Chicken and Rice Casserole

• 1 whole chicken
• 3 boiled eggs
• 1 large family size can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cups of Miracle Whip salad dressing (trust me)
• 1 1/2 cups of rice (uncooked) w/3 cups of the cooked chicken broth
• 8-10 cups of water
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large bag of regular lays chips, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp of chicken bouillon
• 1 tsp each of:  Tony's, salt/pepper, garlic/onion powder

I try to take all of the skin off of the chicken except for the thighs/drums, this makes the "stock/broth" not so "fatty", but still packs a lot of flavor.

In a large stock pot, add your 8-10 cups of water, chicken, bouillon, spices, bay leaf, veggies and boil for about an hour. Once the chicken is "about" to fall apart, remove it from the pot, remove your bay leaf, turn your heat off, add the cream of chicken soup, mix until dissolved, remove 3 cups of the broth to use to cook your rice, add your eggs and cover. Let the eggs sit in the HOT broth for about 15-20 minutes. This will give your rice time to cook and you can de-bone the chicken. Once the rice is cooked, remove the eggs and chop.

In a large mixing bowl, add your hot rice, chicken, chopped eggs, mayo, about 2 cups of the broth, a little more salt/pepper to taste. Mix until well combined. I usually add more mayo and broth until I get the flavor I like. Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish, add the rice mixture, top with the crushed lays chips and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until bubbly.

**I had about 2-3 cups left of the broth which I put into ice trays, let it cool down at room temp and then put it in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can put them in sandwich or freezer bags for later usage. They will keep in the freezer for about 3-4 months**

Chicken & Dumplings

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup or 1 large family size
• 2 cans of biscuits
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped (optional)
• spices: salt, pepper, thyme, lemon pepper, onion/garlic powder, Tony's
• enough water to cover your chicken (about 8-10 cups)

In a large stock pot, boil your chicken, water, veggies, and spices for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your chicken. I honestly never look at the weight of the chicken, just the price, which I usually buy about a $4.50 whole chicken :) On the spices, I use about a teaspoon each.

While your chicken is cooking, pop both cans of biscuits. I use the cheapest, store brand, buttermilk. I put about 1 cup of flour on a paper plate and put all the biscuits on the plate. On a floured board or newspaper, put about 1/2 cup of flour to dredge the biscuits on both sides. Roll out your biscuits and cut into dumplings. I just make sure both sides are floured and roll it until it's about the size of my fist. Put a "dusting" on top of the plate of dumplings. This is just for added "thickness" to the broth.

Once your chicken is done, let it set on a plate until cool enough to handle, then de-bone and chop. While the chicken is cooling, add your 2 cans of cream of chicken soup to the broth and stir until blended. De-bone your chicken and add it to the pot. Check your broth to see if you need to add more salt or spices. Once your broth is back up to a nice boil, turn the heat down a bit, medium high, and start adding the dumplings. A few at a time. Once they are all in the pot, cook for an additional 15 minutes at medium and turn the heat off. Let it set a while. It will be hot. I LOVE the broth. Serve with rice and cornbread.

Easy Taco Salad

• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 small bag of regular Frito's (10 oz)
• 1 taco seasoning packet
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs of ground meat
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1 small bottle of french dressing or 3/4 large bottle
• 1/4 cup chopped purple onion (optional)

You can use low fat cheese, lean ground meat, and light dressing; however, I would not recommend fat free.
FYI, do not refrigerate. It get's all soggy. So, make sure you have lot's of company :)

Place your chopped lettuce in a LARGE mixing bowl, add the cheese, and Frito's. Set aside. In a medium skillet, brown your ground meat, drain. Add your taco packet and water to the ground meat and heat until it thickens. You may need to add a little bit more water. Add the HOT meat mixture to the lettuce and mix well. Add your dressing and onion. Mix until combined. If you like less dressing, use a smaller bottle. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Pie with a side of Pork Roast

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp of peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 (8oz) package of cream cheese (at room temp)
• 1 (8oz) tub cool whip
• 1 Oreo cookie pie crust
• ice cream topping (magic shell)

I used honey roasted peter pan peanut butter, yummy, and Reese's magic shell.

In a large bowl combine all of the above ingredients except the toppings and crust. Blend with a hand mixer then gently fold in the cool whip. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and freeze for 2 hours. Once frozen, drizzle the top with the ice cream topping and re-freeze for 20 minutes.

Thaw slightly before serving. Easy! Enjoy!

On my pork roast...I just seasoned with my usual spices; lemon pepper, garlic/onion powder, Tony's, salt/pepper, a pinch of thyme and rosemary. In my roasting pan on the stove top, I browned all sides, then removed the roast and added the vegetables; potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots. Add the roast back to the pan and cook at 375 covered for 1 hour. Forget about it :) Remove the top and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the roast from the pan to set for about 10 minutes. Remove the veggies, make your gravy with the pan drippings. Done.

Chicken and Sausage Sauce Piquante

• 1 lb of smoked sausage, sliced
• 3-4 lb of chicken tenders/breast, diced
• 2 cans of stewed tomatoes with bell peppers, onions, celery
• 1 can of rotel or 1 can of Campbell's tomato bisque
• 2 tbsp of oil
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 1 cup of milk
• Spices: lemon pepper, dried parsley, salt/pepper, garlic/onion powder, minced onion, Tony's

First, let me just say that you can use "regular" stewed tomatoes and "add" chopped onion/bell pepper/celery or you can buy the stewed tomatoes with the veggies already added. I just chose to "cheat" since we were hungry :) Also, you DO NOT have to use the tomato bisque, it is rather sweet. If you have FRESH  tomatoes on hand/freezer, etc, I would recommend using those versus the can.

Season your chicken with your spices. I used about 1/2 tsp of each and 1 tbsp of the minced onion and parsley.

In a large pan, saute the chicken and sausage in the oil for about 10 minutes or until brown and chicken is cooked. Remove the meat to a bowl. Add the 2 cans of stewed tomatoes to the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until it's reduced some. I also use a potato smasher to smash the tomatoes some so you do not have "chunks" of tomatoes. Once the tomatoes have reduced, add the flour and cook until it's dissolved and thickens, then add your milk and if you want, add the can of tomatoe bisque or rotel at this point. Add your meats back to the pan and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Season with salt/pepper. You can add more milk if it's too thick or let it reduce if it's too thin. Serve over rice.

To me, this is basically making tomato gravy and adding meat to it :)

Chicken Fiesta

• 2 cups of grilled diced chicken
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 16oz jar of pace picante sauce
• 1 small can of sliced black olives
• 1 or 2 cans of cream style corn (your choice/I used 2)
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1 bag of Doritos or Tortilla Chips

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray, layer the crushed Doritos (chips) on the bottom, then in layers; chicken, corn, salsa, olives, green onions, and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Very easy and delish! Serve with sour cream and guacamole :)

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

• 2 cans of tuna, drained
• 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 small jar of chopped pimentos
• 1 package of frozen peas & carrots
• 1 package of medium egg noodles
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar or sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 a ream of Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1 pinch of thyme
• salt, pepper, onion & garlic powder, minced dried onion ( I used about 1 tsp each & 1 tbsp of the onion)
• 1/2 cup of additional shredded cheese

Heat the oven to 350. Boil your noodles according to the directions. About 3 minutes prior to the noodles being done, drop in the frozen peas & carrots.
In a large bowl, combine the soups and milk, then add the pimentos,spices, and tuna. Mix well. Drain the noodles and veggies, then add to the soup mixture. Mix well. Add the 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Mix. Pour the mixture into a greased Pyrex dish. Top with the remaining cheese and crushed crackers. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Let it set for about 5-8 minutes. Like any casserole it needs to cool down a bit to "set". Enjoy!

Ribs..nuff said :)

I used a bunch of spices for the rub. Lemon pepper, garlic & onion powder, dried minced onion, Tony's, Lawry's seasoning salt, and Worcestershire black pepper. We used Pork baby back ribs. Rub those babies good with the spices then let it sit in the fridge for about an hour. My hubby uses Mesquite wood with his Kingsford coals. Let those babies cook for about 30 minutes then you can put your favorite BBQ sauce on them and let them cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. You can wrap them in foil once you add the BBQ and just let them cook on the grill. All I know is, my hubby did a fantastic job. They were delish!!!

Kroger had their sweet corn on sale so I bought 5 ears. A little secret of getting the butter all up on the ears...after boiling them for about 30 minutes (fresh corn), add them to a large zip lock bag and drop your butter in the bag, seal and shake. Every ear get the butter. You can add your salt & pepper to the bag as well. I usually let fresh corn sit in the hot water for an additional 20 minutes and add 2 tbsp of sugar to the water. :)

Beans, well, all I added to that was BBQ sauce, honey, and Dijon mustard. If I had more time, I would have added sauteed bell pepper and onions and put bacon on top :) Bacon makes everything better, right?