Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe is so easy and so good. These are great for a large crowd. My mom always made these for parties growing up. I love them!

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese

1 12-16 oz. package bacon

about 30 mushrooms

Preheat oven to 350. Cook bacon until crispy. While bacon is cooking, take the stems out of the mushrooms. Soften cream cheese. Crumble the bacon and mix in with the cream cheese. Fill the mushroom with the cream cheese and bacon mix. Cook for 20-25 minutes. (The original recipe called for 40 mushrooms, but my mushrooms were big and I filled them very full so I only got 25 mushrooms out of it.)

Oreo Truffles

I get asked for this recipe all the time. It is so easy, simple, and super delicious! We always make these at Christmas time. This recipe was introduced to me by my friend Jamie.

1 package Oreos (take out 7. The consistency is better if you don't use the whole package.)

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 package Chocolate Almond Bark

Separate tops from bottoms and grind into fine crumbs in a food processor or chopper. Add softened cream cheese and mix. (I do this in the food processor too, but you can do it by hand.) Roll into balls. Melt the chocolate Almond Bark according to directions on the package. Dip the balls in the Almond bark and set on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. You're done. You can decorate them however you want. Sometimes I put Oreo crumbs on top from the remaining 7 cookies. Other times I drizzle chocolate bark or white chocolate over the top. It's up to you. You can also dip these in Milk Chocolate instead of Almond Bark. If you do, be sure to refrigerate to help the chocolate set up. I personally like Almond Bark because it is less rich and really let's you enjoy the tastiness inside.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I have been craving broccoli cheese soup. I thought this recipe was delish! My hubby doesn't even like broccoli, and he really liked it. In fact, he ate the leftovers the next day, and left me with none! I got this recipe from My Kitchen Cafe.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 can chicken broth

1 small onion, diced

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

steamed chopped broccoli (I steamed about 3 cups of raw broccoli florets.)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. It is so delicious served in Italian bread bowls.

Italian Bread Bowls

These are so great for soup. This recipe comes from My Kitchen Cafe.

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer), dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed (you may not need to use all 7 cups).

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes (or let knead in an electric mixer). Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down, and divide into 6-8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal (or use silpat liners or parchment paper). Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Chocolate Mousse Torte

This recipe came from a QFC magazine. We tried it tonight, and it was very yummy. Plus it was quite easy, and it looks pretty. Food that looks good and tastes good. Double plus. We will definitely be having this again!

37 Vanilla Wafers
4 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
2 packages (3.9 oz.) Chocolate instant pudding
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons milk
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar

Sweetened Whipping Cream
3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Stand 16 wafers around the inside edge of a 9-inch round pan lined with plastic wrap.

2. Melt 3 chocolate squares as directed on package. Beat pudding mixes and 2 cups milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate and mix well. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip; pour into prepared pan.

3. Beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and remaining milk with mixer until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of the remaining cool whip and spread over pudding.

4. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 3 hours.

5. Invert torte onto plate. (Yes, put a plate on top and flip it over. It comes right out.) Remove pan and plastic wrap. Top torte with sweetened whipping cream, raspberries, and chocolate curls. (To make chocolate curls, warm the remaining square of chocolate in the microwave for a few seconds. Draw a vegetable peeler slowly over the bottom of the square to allow the chocolate to curl as it comes off the bottom. Repeat.)

6. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Chicken Enchiladas

Here's another of our all time favs that I can't believe hasn't been put on the blog yet. We always come back to this dish because it is easy to make and really good. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Shalae.

1-2 cups cooked chicken shredded (I like to put in all 2 cups.)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small can green chiles diced

1/4 cup onion chopped

1 cup sour cream

10 flour tortillas

Grated Cheddar Cheese (or cheese of your choice)

Mix all ingredients except tortillas and cheese. Put small amount of mixture in flour torilla and roll. Place in greased 9x13 pan. Fill rest of tortillas, and save some of the filling to put on top of the tortillas in the pan. On top of the filling, top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chicken Tetrazzini

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe. We eat this all the time. It is one of my hubby's favs. My sister in law was just asking me for the recipe, and I realized I hadn't posted it on my blog!

8 OUNCES SPAGHETTI

8 OUNCES SLICED FRESH MUSHROOMS

4-6 SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS (CUT IN BITE-SIZE PIECES)

1 TABLESPOON BUTTER

1 ½ TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE

3-4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

6 TABLESPOONS FLOUR

½ TEASPOON PAPRIKA

1/8 TEASPOON NUTMEG

¾ TEASPOON SALT

½ TEASPOON PEPPER

1 CAN CHICKEN BROTH (14 ½ OUNCES)

1 CUP SKIM MILK

¾ CUP PARMESAN CHEESE

SPRINKLE PAPRIKA

Cook and drain spaghetti. Stir fry the mushrooms and the chicken pieces with the 1 tablespoon butter and the lemon juice until chicken is done, about 15-20 minutes. Toss with the cooked spaghetti. Set aside. Melt the 3-4 tablespoons of butter and stir in the flour and spices. Add broth and stir until the sauce thickens, then add the milk. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti. Mix. Place mixture into a 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and paprika and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Butterscotch Apple Dip

This comes from Heidi at Tasty Sensations. I just made it for the family for an after Thanksgiving snack and was reminded of how delicious it is.

Butterscotch Apple Dip

8 oz butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cinnamon
apples

Melt above ingredients together in a double boiler and serve.

Unfried French Fries

These fries are light, tasty, and easy.

5 baking potatoes

Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon cajun spice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the potatoes so they look like french fries. Coat a baking sheet with vegetable spray. Combine the egg whites and cajun spice in a bowl. Add the potatoes and mix to coat. Pour the coated potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer, leaving a little space between. (I always sprinkle a little cajun spice on top after I do this. It makes them spicier. If you don't like too much spice, you might not want to add any extra.) Place the baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the fries are crispy, turning them every 10 minutes with a spatula so that they brown evenly. Serve immediately.

Stir Fried Sweet and Sour Pork

This is a delicious Sweet and Sour recipe. I love it!

1-2 lbs. pork

Saute the pork in about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add seasoning salt to meat. Saute until no longer pink. Set aside.

Prepare:

3 carrots sliced diagonally

1 large whole red pepper cut in chunks

1 large onion cut in chunks

1 inch ginger root diced

Stir fry vegetables until crisp tender and add meat to the vegetables.

Mix in sauce pan:

Juice of one can of pineapple chunks

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4-1/3 cup of cider vinegar

2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce

A huge squeeze of ketchup out of the bottle

2-3 splashes of hot sauce

Cook until mixture thickens slightly. Put it all together: meat, vegetables, sauce, and add the pineapple chunks. Mix.

Serve over rice or cooked chinese noodles.

Easy Chocolate Dessert

Not only is this dessert easy, but it is so delicious! I made it for a block party and everyone loved it!

*

1 chocolate cake mix

1 large (or two small) packages instant chocolate pudding

12-16 ounce container of Cool Whip

4 Skor or Heath bars

Bake 1 CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX according to directions on package in a 9x13 inch pan. Cool the cake. Cut the cake in half. Crumble half of the cake into a large (preferrably glass) bowl.

Prepare 1 LARGE OR 2 SMALL PACKAGES INSTANT CHOCOLATE PUDDING according to directions on package. Put half of the pudding in bowl on top of the broken up cake.

Place 1/2 of a 12-16 ounce container of COOL WHIP on top of the pudding in the bowl.

Cut up 2 SKOR OR HEATH BARs and put over Cool Whip.

Layer other half of cake, the rest of pudding, the rest of Cool Whip and 2 more Heath or Skor bar over the other ingredients already in bowl. Chill overnight before serving. DELICIOUS!

Capellini Caprese

I found this recipe on the Kraft foods website. We added a few things to spice it up a bit. It turned out fantastic!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. thin spaghetti

1/2 cup Kraft Italian Dressing and Marinade

1 lb. turkey sausage (or other sausage)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/3 cup fresh basil, finely sliced

Directions:
1. Cook pasta as directed on the package.

2. Cook the sausage until almost browned. Add onions and garlic. Finish cooking the meat with the onions and garlic. Add the dressing and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.

3. Drain pasta. Add to tomato and meat mixture; mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

4. Enjoy.

Mormon Slush

I just made this for a group of teenage girls, and they loved it. They were asking for the recipe. It really is delicious!

1 1/4 cups orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 crushed bananas
2 cups pineapple juice
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 bottle gingerale

Mix all ingredients except for gingerale. I blended the banana with the pineapple juice to make it nice and smooth before mixing with the other ingredients. Freeze mixture. Take mixture from freezer about an hour before ready to serve so it becomes a slush. Mix the slush with gingerale and serve. This serves about 20-25 people. (It filled a large punch bowl.)

IHOP French Toast

I got this basic recipe from The Sisters' Cafe. I added cinnamon to mine because I love french toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon

2 eggs

½ c. milk

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 T. flour

6 slices of thick sliced French bread (I used homemade bread ---sooooo good)

Cinnamon

First beat eggs, then add remaining ingredients with electric mixer. Dip both sides of bread, sprinkle one side with cinnamon and place in hot buttered pan. Flip over when browned. Serve with any delicious syrup!

Creamy Pasta with Asparagus

I got this recipe from Favorite Family Recipes. It is really delicious. We loved it! The guests we served it to raved about it.

*

Creamy Pasta with Asparagus

*

1 pkg. bow tie pasta
1/2 c. (1 cube) butter (the real stuff)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 pint heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
10-15 spears asparagus, blanched
1/2 c. bacon, crumbled (Honestly, can you ever have too much bacon?)
1/4 c. toasted pinenuts (I left these out.)
Parsley, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente. Do NOT over cook. In wok or heavy skillet melt butter. Add minced garlic and saute a minute or so. Add Parmesan Cheese and bouillon cube(s). When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream and salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered. Add blanched asparagus. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley & Parmesan cheese and toss together. Serve immediately.

I added Chicken to the recipe because my hubby likes to have a little meat with his meal. I just cooked about 3-4 small chicken breasts in a skillet and seasoned it with lemon pepper. It was a great addition to the pasta!

Brownie Pie

This is my brownie pie done Halloween style. The Decor is done with Nutter Butters, chocolate grahams and Halloween candy. We usually eat this every year at some point for a Halloween dessert. This dessert is great year round though without all the decor. I usually cook the brownie part in a chocolate graham cracker crust. You don't need to though. It can all be done without the graham crust. It is a delicious dessert.

Brownie Pie

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Melt the chocolate chips and butter. Mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the flour and then the nuts. (If desired, pour into a chocolate graham cracker crust to bake.) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool.

Place on Top of Brownie Layer:

1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

1 1/4 cups cold milk

Mix well. Let it set. Then place on top of the brownie.

Place whipped topping over pudding. Refrigerate.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

(This is the finished product.)

(Here's the pumpkins on the baking sheet ready to be cooked for the second time.)

We make this meal every October before Halloween. We love, love, love having it because it is both festive and tasty-licious! Since I've been feeling a little sickly, Mikey made it for us this year! What a great husband!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

4 small pumpkins (pie pumpkins)

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion chopped
1 teaspoon garlic
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 can mushrooms
1 can corn
1 can green beans
2 cups cooked rice
(Any other vegetables or spices you want to add are welcome. Leave any out that you don't like.)

1. Scoop out insides of all 4 pumpkins. Heat oven to 350. Put the pumpkins on a baking sheet covered in foil with the top off. Cook the tops on the same baking sheet to the side of the pumpkin. Cook pumpkins for 30-45 minutes. 30 minutes if you don't want the sides to be so soft they come off easily. Longer if you want the sides to be softer. We like the sides softer because a little pumpkin mixed with the mixins inside tastes delicious.

2. Brown ground beef with onion until the onion is tender and beef is browned. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper, cream of chicken soup, and water. Stir. Then add sour cream, mushrooms, corn, green beans, rice, and anything else you want to add.

3. Spoon this mixture into the 4 pumpkins. Cook the pumpkins again with the mixture inside with the tops off for 30 minutes at 350.

4. Serve. You can then put the top on to serve or leave it off.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This could quite possibly be the best pumpkin bread I have ever tasted. It is absolutely delicious, and it stays so moist. You won't want to miss this recipe. I got it from a friend in Kentucky, Stacey White.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

3 cups pure pumpkin
6 eggs
1 ½ cups oil
4 ½ cups sugar
3 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. nutmeg
1 ½ cups water
4 2/3 cups flour
1- 24 oz. bag chocolate chips (save back some chips to sprinkle on top of loaves)

Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients mixing well. Add chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few of the chips on top of the loaves before baking. Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 1 hour and 5-10 minutes. Makes 5 large loaves.

Sloppy Monsters

(One eye got a little crazy!)

This recipe comes from Rachael Ray. We thought it was really good. I love the fall, pumpkins, Halloween, and everything that comes with it. Since Kira is almost two and started to appreciate a little creativity, I decided to make her a sloppy monster. She loved it! You can do this with hamburgers, sandwiches, whatever comes with a bun.

Here's the sloppy joe recipe.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan (I didn't add this.)
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin (I used 1 lb.)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped (I left this out.)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I left this out, but I would add it next time just so it's a tad thicker.)
4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered

Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops.

Garnish: Add American cheese in triangles for the teeth. Put pickles on top with a dab of ketchup for the eyeballs.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This was such a great soup! I got the recipe from Sister's Cafe.

12 oz Applewood smoked bacon
4 stalks celery finely diced
2 large carrots, peeled, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded, membrane removed and finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
½ Cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup thinly sliced ham or Canadian bacon (or mini cubed ham)
32 oz chicken broth (or water & bouillon)
6 oz half and half (I used whole milk)
8-10 sm./med. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ Cup milk
4 oz sour cream
1 ½ Cups shredded cheddar cheese

Garnish
½ Cup sour cream
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup thinly sliced green onion (green part)

1. Heat large dutch oven over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggis. Saute celery, carrots, jalapeno, onion and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half and half.
2. Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese and green onion.

French Bread

I got this recipe from my sister in law Kassi. It is really delicious and only has to rise once. We made the dough into rounds and then sprinkled on parmesan cheese as an added bonus. Scrumptious!

FRENCH BREAD

3 Tablespoon yeast
4 cups warm water
4 Tablespoon sugar
½ cup vegetable oil (can use ¼ cup)
5 tsp. salt
8-10 cups flour

Knead all ingredients together in electric bread mixer for about 5 minutes. Let rest about 5 minutes. Divide into four loaves and put on greased or cornmeal sprinkled baking sheet. Make diagonal knife slices on top. Brush tops with 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes and then at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Can make into hamburger buns or round loaves. Makes about 6 round loaves.

Calzone

This calzone is for the whole family. The recipe makes two big calzones, and I never half the recipe because we love all the leftovers. This is a delicious food that I grew up on. It is one of our all time favorites.

Dough:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Combine 2 cups of the flour, yeast, and the salt. Add water and cooking oil. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make moderately stiff dough. On floured surface, knead til smooth; about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise till double in bulk (about 1 hour).

Sauce:

(I'll be honest. I usually use canned spaghetti sauce because it's so fast and we like it, but here's a delicious sauce recipe.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic minced
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat and let sit while making or waiting for the dough.

To Make the Calzone:

Divide dough in half. Place each ball of dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll the ball into a long oval. Spread a little olive oil on one half of the dough. Then add a layer of sauce. Then add all the toppings you want on the half and finish off with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese. Fold the other half over the stuffed half. Crimp the edges together. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Spread some sauce on top and bake for anotehr 5 to 10 minutes.

Macaroni Grill Bread

I got this recipe off the internet on RecipeZaar, and it is absolutely divine! It tastes just like Macaroni Grill's Bread. It may even be better. It is really easy to make too. I love to dip this bread in balsamic vinaigrette mixed with olive oil, parmesan cheese, and pepper. I'm drooling thinking about this bread right now!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (3 teaspoons dried rosemary)

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.
2. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
3. Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary.
4. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Add more flour if necessary.
6. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.
7. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
8. Punch down dough and divide in half.
9. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
10. Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.
11. Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.
12. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary (1 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary) over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.
13. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
14. Preheat oven to 375°F.
15. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
16. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired).

Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe was created by my momma. It is fantastic!!! These cookies are rich and delicious!

1 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon hot water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup nuts

12-ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, hot water, and vanilla. Beat. Add soda and salt. Then add flour, oatmeal, and cocoa powder. Add the nuts and chocolate chips. Add more flour if dough is too soft. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375.

Pineapple Coconut Crunch Muffins

This is the winning muffin recipe from Mimi's Meaningful Muffin Contest.  Can I hear a - FABULOUS!!!  We LOVED these delectable muffins. This is the description of the muffins: "The combination of pineapple and coconut creates a delightful taste sensation in these tender tropical muffins. Crowned with a crunchy coconut and macadamia nut crumb topping, these flavor-packed gems inspire pleasant thoughts of dazzling sun-drenched beaches and gentle trade winds."  Ditto - 'nuf said. 

Pineapple Coconut Crunch Muffins

by: Linda Amendt

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons finely chopped, unsalted macadamia nuts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Muffin Batter

1-1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, chopped

2 large eggs

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple

3/4 cup drained canned unsweetened crushed pineapple.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Line a 12-cup regular muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, coconut, sugar and macadamia nuts. Whisk together until well blended. Using a fork or clean fingers, work in the butter until evenly combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to come together.

4. Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended. Stir in pineapple juice.

5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Crumble topping over top of batter.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Pizza Dough

This pizza is a stuffed crust barbecue chicken pizza that I made with this dough.

The reason why I love this pizza dough is because it is so fast and easy. You don't have to let it rise, and it still tastes good. My sister-in-law, Kassi, gave this recipe to me.

Dough:

3 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons yeast

7-9 cups of flour

Put first three ingredients into bowl. Add 1/2 the flour to make a paste. Sprinkle yeast over paste and mix in. Then add the rest of the flour. Knead on low speed of mixer for 8 minutes.

Roll into pizzas. Sprinkle with toppings. Bake 9-10 minutes at 500 degrees. Makes about 6 medium size pizzas. (I always half the recipe and usually make some cheesy sticks with some of the dough too.)

National Cheesecake Day

FYI-For all you cheesecake lovers out there, the Cheesecake Factory is celebrating National Cheesecake Day by selling their slices of cheesecake for a half price. Yep, that's right. You can buy two slices for the price of one. National Cheesecake Day is today, July 30. Now run out and get yourself some cheesecake!

Raspberry Cream Pie

Okay, so it has been a long time since my mouth has watered over something, and I have craved something. But this pie did it. It was so delectable. I had just gone raspberry picking and had tons of fresh raspberries to use. Seriously, I didn't have any will power to resist this pie. I have eaten a piece everyday. (Maybe even more.) We were going to invite people to share it with, but guess what, we ended up eating it all ourselves. It was that good! Loved it!

I got this pie recipe from my friend Summer's blog. She got it from here.

Raspberry Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 baked single pie crust
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 cups sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups fresh raspberries

1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Method:
Prepare and bake a single pie crust shell. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar and the salt; stir to mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons milk to sugar/flour and stir to create a smooth paste; add remaining milk and stir to blend. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook pudding mixture until it begins to bubble; continue to cook 1 minute (mixture will be thick). Stirring egg yolks constantly, spoon a small amount pudding into beaten egg yolks. Pour egg yolks back into saucepan and stir well to mix. Return pan to heat and continue to cook until mixture thickens (very thick) do not allow to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool pudding.

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Stir approximately 1/4 whip cream into cool pudding mixture; fold in remaining whipped cream; spoon pudding mixture into baked pie shell, cover and chill pie for at least 1/2 to 1 hour to partially set.

In a medium saucepan, crush berries with a potato masher; add 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch and water, mix well. Over medium heat, stirring, bring berries to a boil (berry glaze will be clear and thickened). Remove from heat and cool. Spoon berry glaze over pudding in pie shell. Refrigerate 2 hours to overnight to completely set. Garnish with an additional dollop of whipped cream, additional fresh berries and a mint leaf as desired. Makes 1 pie.

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

This salad was seriously so fabulous! I love salad and homemade dressings. This will definitely not disappoint. The dressing is divine. I just made it last week, and I'm ready to make it again. The recipe comes from here.

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Spinach leaves
Romaine leaves
Grilled chicken, sliced (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)
Red onion, sliced thinly
Crispy bacon, crumbled
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

The Dressing: (This makes a lot of dressing.)
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped (I just used some red onion from the salad. It worked great!)
2 cups canola oil
3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount

Chicken Puffs

These are absolutely fantastic! I love them! This comes straight from my momma's cookbook.

Chicken Puffs:

2 packages Pepperidge Farms Pastry Shells (You can find them in the frozen section.)

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

a few chopped green onions

a few chopped fresh mushrooms

Sauce:

3-4 Tablespoons miracle whip

3-4 Tablespoons sour cream

few drops of lemon juice

a dap of mustard

Roll out each pastry shell into a thin circle. Place a little bit of chicken, a little cheese, a little green onion, and a few mushroom pieces on one half of each circle. Fold the pastry over so it forms a half-circle and seal edges with your fingers. Place on a baking sheet. Bake according to directions on pastry package. Serve immediately topped with sauce.

Cinnabun Cake

This is so delicious! I think this recipe came from Picky Palate. It is way easier than making cinnamon rolls and definitely satifies that cinnamon roll craving. We loved it!

Cinnabun Cake

3 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 T. butter, melted

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 T. cinnamon
2/3 cups nuts, optional

2 cups powdered sugar
5 T. milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In an electric or stand mixer mix the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in melted butter. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix the 2 sticks of softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts until well combined. Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center.

Place powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature

Chocolate Chip Cake Bar

I got this recipe from Everyone's Gotta Eat. These are so easy to make and are scrumptious! They don't last long. I couldn't even get a picture without them literally being dug in to!

Chocolate Chip Cake Bar

1 package yellow or white cake mix (I prefer white)
2 eggs
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/4 Cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 Cup water
2 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided (or whatever kind of chips you want. I put in about 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and about ¾ cup of butterscotch chips. It turned out so delicious. I reserved ¼ cup semisweets and ¼ cup butterscotch to put on top.)
1/2 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional – I left them out)


-In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
-Stir in 1 3/4 cups of chocolate chips and nuts.
-Spread in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
-Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Put the additional chips on top of the cooked chocolate chip cake bar.

Coconut Syrup

This post is for my momma! She loves coconut things. This syrup is fabulous! I found it on The Sisters' Cafe.

7-8 T. butter
¾ c. buttermilk
1 c. sugar
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp coconut extract

Place butter, buttermilk and sugar in a pot. Then turn stove on medium and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat and add soda and flavoring. It will bubble up; just continue to stir and give it a few minutes for the 'fizz' to reduce before serving.

General Tso's Chicken

This was delicious! Here's the blog I got it from, Favorite Family Recipes.

1 Lb. chicken breasts (cut into 1" pieces)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. "lite" soy sauce

1/4 c. unsweetened pineapple juice

1/4 c. white distilled vinegar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. cornstarch, mixed with 3 Tbsp. water

4 green onions, sliced

hot pepper flakes (You've got to add some of these because it adds so much flavor. Don't go crazy though or you'll be burnin'.)

Dredge chicken in flour and fry in oil over medium heat (in a wok or a skillet) until golden brown and crispy. Drain excess oil. Sprinkle cayenne over the chicken and keep warm on low heat. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine sauce ingredients (sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, and ginger) and heat gently. When sauce is smooth and sugar has dissolved, SLOWLY add cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until sauce has thickened to desired thickness. Pour sauce in the wok and stir to coat chicken. Stir in green onion and hot red pepper flakes (optional). Remove from heat and serve with fried rice.

Challah Bread

I love this recipe! I just got it from this The Sisters' Cafe. It was easy to make and really delicious! Plus, it looks good with the braided bread and all.

Challah Bread

Ingredients:
3 Tb with other yeasts
2 cups warm water
½ c. sugar
scant Tb salt
½ c. canola oil
7-8 c. flour
4 or 5 large eggs

Directions:

Add water to mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Then sprinkle sugar, then salt. Let proof. Add oil and 3 cups of flour. Mix together. Add eggs. Mix well. Then add 4 cups of flour. Mix. Add more flour as needed – usually 1 ½ to 2 cups more. Hand knead if mixer didn’t knead enough. Let rise at least 1 hour. Separate into 3 large pieces or 36 small rolls. Divide each piece into three more pieces. Roll into snakes and braid together. Let rise for about 1-2 hours or until almost double in size. Then brush with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 Tb water) over bread. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds if you want.

Bake at 350° until done (16-18 minutes)

Number Of Servings:3 loaves

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

I got this delicious recipe and the pic from Summer's blog. We really liked it and will definitely be having it again soon!

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 box (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, well drained (I used 6 oz. of fresh and cooked it first.)
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg product
1 cup Italian bread crumbs (you can use more if needed)
1 cup Italian herb pasta sauce
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1 oz)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9x13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Between pieces of plastic wrap, place chicken between plastic and pound until 1/4 inch thick. In medium bowl, mix spinach, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp basil, and garlic until blended. Spread about 1 tbsp spinach mixture over each chicken breast; roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks. In a shallow dish/bowl, beat the egg (or put in egg product). In another shallow dish, place bread crumbs. Dip each chicken breast into egg; then coat with crumb mixture. Place seam side down in baking dish.Bake uncovered 25 minutes. Pour pasta sauce over chicken; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-15 min longer or until thermometer inserted in center of chicken reads 165 degrees. Remove toothpicks from chicken before eating.

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

The reason why I love these rolls is because they are not only delicious, but they turn out everytime! I love it!

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

2 cups water

1 cup quick cooking oats

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon yeast

1/3 cup warm water

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

4-5 cups all purpose flour

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil; add oats and butter. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oat mixture, sugars, salt, and 4 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; allow to rest for 10 minutes. Shape into balls. Place in two greased 9-inch round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire racks. Yields about 1 1/2 dozen.

Honey Butter

Mike's dad made this for us to eat with scones. It is the perfect honey butter. He got it out of the Lion house cook book.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Soften the butter, then mix in the vanilla. Add the honey gradually to the butter while whipping together. Voila! The most delicious honey butter ever!

Baked Ziti

This delicious recipe is from my sister-in-law Beth Merrill.

This is a really tasty vegetarian dish. If you like or love peppers, you should like the dish.

1 pound ziti, cooked al dente, rinsed and cooled (use penne if you can't find ziti)

3 cups sliced red, orange, yellow, or green pepper

1 bag (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1 bag (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, squished

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 cup half and half (It can be fat free or you can use evaporated milk.)

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish. Combine pasta, peppers, cheeses, tomatoes, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour into prepared dish. Evenly pour half and half over the mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with bread crumbs and bake another 30 minutes or until slightly bubbly and crispy.

Honey Glazed Carrots

Photo courtesy of: www.familyoven.com

I am a huge sucker for honey glazed carrots. This recipe was really delicious. Even my husband liked them, and he hates cooked carrots. In his own words, "Anything cooked in tons of butter with sugar and honey has to be good." This recipe comes from cooks.com.

HONEY GLAZED BABY CARROTS

2-3 cups small baby carrots (pre-peeled)

1/2 cup butter (I only put in 1/4 cup butter.)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

fresh minced parsley and/or chives

In a medium skillet, melt butter. Add brown sugar, honey, nutmeg and cinnamon; mix together. Add Carrots. Cover; cook on medium low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When finished cooking, the carrots should be firm, not mushy.
Remove from skillet and sprinkle with fresh parsley and/or chives. Serve.

Molten Lava Chocolate Cupcakes

I got this recipe from "Cupcakes by the Cake Doctor". It was super delicious and just like I remembered.

This is the recipe for the inside molten lava delight.

Basic Chocolate Ganache (chilled at least one hour)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces (1 1/3 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, stirring. Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl. Remove the cream from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has melted. Stir in the vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

This is the recipe for the cupcake.

1 package plain devil's food cake mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Coat cupcake tins with cooking spray.

2. Place the cake mix, water, oil, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

3. Spoon batter into the prepared cup filling it 3/4 of the way full. Drop a heaping teaspoon of ganache onto the top and center of each cup.

4. Bake the cupcakes for 12-14 minutes or until the cake bakes up around the ganache and the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed with your finger.

5. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for 1 minute. Run a butterknife around the edges of the cupcake cups, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips.

6. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

This is what's inside one of these bad boys. Pure deliciousness!!! You can heat it in the microwave if you want the ganache even warmer. These are so good!!!

Just so you are not alarmed. They have a hole in the middle where the ganache sinks down. You can cover it when serving with the powdered sugar like I showed in the first picture or throw a scoop of ice cream on top to cover it. We just ate these as a family and so they were fine just eating them as is.

Baked Beans

So I am laughing at this picture because it has beans sloshed all over the sides of the plate. Hey, I'm happy just to get the picture on here. I just tried these beans, and they are super scrumptious. I am a sucker for baked beans. The best part about them -- you throw 'em in the crock pot. It can't get any better than that. I got the recipe from a cook book called The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

1 pound bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces (bacon makes everything better)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 (15 oz. cans pork and beans)
1 tablespoon mustard
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup

Combine all ingredients in a 2 1/2 or 3 quart casserole dish or in a crock pot. Bake at 325 for 2 hours or 200 for 6 hours. For a crock pot, I cooked it on high for 1 hour and on low for 3-4 hours. You could just cook it on high for 2 hours or on low for 6 hours also.

Peach Cobbler

(This one is done in an 9x9 pan instead of a 9x13. Thanks for the picture Summer! :))

Okay peeps! This is a great peach cobbler because you can use it year round. It's actually geared toward using canned peaches. It is really delicious! I love it!

1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large (29 oz) cans of peaches, drained

Topping:
1/3 cup of cinnamon/sugar mixture (You determine how much cinnamon and how much sugar you want, but altogether it should be 1/3 a cup.)

1. In 9x13 pan, place 1 stick of melted butter. Smear it all around until the pan is coated really well and evenly.
2. In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt.
3. Pour batter over melted butter in pan.
4. Drain two large cans of peaches. Place the peaches (lay them individually) over the batter.
5. Sprinkle the peaches and batter with the 1/3 cup cinnamon/sugar mixture.
6. Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes.

Sour Cream Pancakes

2 Eggs—Separate whites and yolks
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
3 cups flour
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix egg yolks, milk, sour cream, and oil. Mix together flour, sugar, soda, and salt. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and barely mix. Beat egg whites til stiff and fold into other ingredients. Now make yerself some pancakes!

Ham and Pea Pasta

Krista of Krista's Culinary Creations made us this pasta for dinner one night, and it was absolutely delicious. We were dying to have it again. Thanks for the great recipe Krista!


1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
2 Tbsp salted butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup ham, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 lb linguine, fettucine or other pasta
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or more to taste

Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. While that cooks melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Add ham and cook 1 minute. Stir in peas, cream, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to low; keep warm, stirring occasionally, while pasta is cooking. Drain pasta. Toss pasta with butter mixture. Add Parmesan and toss. Serve immediately.

Snowbird Mocktails

3 cups pineapple juice
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
½ tsp. coconut extract
1 bottle ginger ale, chilled

Combine pineapple juice, sweetened condensed milk, orange juice concentrate and coconut extract in a large pitcher; stir well. Refrigerate covered (you can use it for up to one week). To serve, pour ½ cup of pineapple juice mixture into individual glasses (over ice if desired). Top off each glass with about 1/3 cup ginger ale (more or less if you like). Great topped with whipped cream and/or fruit for garnish. Makes 10 servings.

Cranberry Chicken

I've seen this recipe in a dozen places so I decided to try it. The reason why I like it is because it's good and super easy.

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 (8 oz) bottle French dressing (I used honey catalina dressing. Worked great.)

1 envelope onion soup mix

6 boneless chicken breasts

Heat oven to 350. Combine cranberry sauce, dressing, and soup mix. Put chicken breasts in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Pour mixture over chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes. Serve over rice.

Mexican Fiesta

This a super delicious dish!

1 16 ounce bow tie pasta
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium green pepper chopped
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 16 ounce container sour cream
1 1/3 cup salsa (more or less according to your taste)
1 large can pitted olives sliced
2 large or 4 smaller fresh tomatoes chopped


Prepare pasta as directed on package, cooking only 7 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, brown beef in skillet. Add onion and green pepper. Cook and stir until onions are tender, but not browned. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, and salt. Toss with pasta and spoon in to a 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle on cheese. Spoon a layer of sour cream over the cheese. Add a layer of salsa, then the olives, and then a layer of tomatoes. Now eat it!