Cheesy Rice and Corn Casserole

1/2 C Chive and Onion cream cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 C cooked white rice

1 can corn with red and green bell peppers

1 C mexican style cheese

2 TBSP cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cream cheese and egg in large bowl until well blended. Stir in rice, corn, 3/4 C of shredded cheese and cilantro.

Pour mixture into greased baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.

Roasted Carrots

1 lb. carrots

6 TBSP.  Italian Dressing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut carrots into thick slices.  Place in foil lined shallow baking dish.  Toss with 2 TBSP of the dressing.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove foil, bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.  Toss with the remaining 4 TBSP. dressing before serving.

Baked Pasta and Sausage

1 pound rotini or penne pasta

3/4 pound italian sausage

2 sweet red peppers (I use the precut peppers, already packed in jars)

1 large onion

1 TBSP. olive oil

1 jar marinara sauce

2 cups Italian blend cheese

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package.  Drain.

While pasta is cooking, cut sausage into 1/2 inch slices.  chop onions and add to peppers, to make a total of 4 cups.  Heat olive oil in large skillet and add sausage, peppers and onions.  Cook 10 minutes or until onions are tender and sausage is cooked through.  Add sausage and bring to simmer.  Stir in drained pasta and 1 C of the cheese.

Pour mixture into casserole dish, sprinkle remaining cheese over mixture.  Bake for 8 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Recipe originally from Sue Hodson.

3 C mashed sweet potato or yam

1 C sugar

1/2 C butter

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 C milk

Combine these and place in casserole dish.

Topping:

1/2 C brown sugar

1/4 C flour

2-3 TBSP butter

1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Cut butter into flour and sugar until pea-sized.  Add nuts, sprinkle on potato mix. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

Ronnie's Tastey Dip

Recipe originally from Ronnie Lee.

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. sausage

1 packet taco seasoning

1 jar cheese sauce

1 jar salsa

1 can cheddar cheese sauce

Brown meat with taco seasoning.  Drain and put into crockpot.  Add cheese sauces and salsa.  Simmer for 2-3 hours.  Serve as a chip dip, topping for baked potatoes or bread dip.

Light Brown Glaze (for Pumpkin Cookies)

1/4 C butter

2 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 TBSP milk

Heat butter in pan on medium heat until delicate brown.  Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.  Glaze Pumpkin Cookies.  

Pumpkin Cookies

Recipe originally from the Farr Family.

1 C sugar

1 C canned pumpkin

1/2 C shortening

1 TBSP. grated orange peel

2 C flour

1 tsp.  baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix sugar, pumpkin, shortening and orange peel.  Stir in flour. baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  Bake until light brown, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and cool.  Spread with Light Brown Glaze, optional.  

No Bake Cookies

2 C sugar

1/2 C margarine

1/2 C milk

3 TBSP. cocoa

3 C quick oatmeal

1 C nuts (optional)

1 C coconut (optional)

1 heaping TBSP. peanut butter

Combine sugar, margarine, milk, cocoa and peanut butter, bring to a boil for 30 seconds.  Add vanilla and chocolate mixture to oats, coconut and nuts.   Drop onto wax paper by spoonfuls to cool.  

Rolo Pretzels

1 bag pretzels (any shape except the stick pretzels will work)

1 bag Rolo candies

Place pretzels on cookie sheet.  Place one Rolo in center of each pretzel.  Bake at 250 degrees for no longer then 5 minutes.  Allow to cool.  

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

2 C sugar

2 C canned pumpkin

1/2 C canola oil

1/2 C fat free vanilla pudding

4 large egg whites

3 C flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 C chocolate chips

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl with whisk.  Spoon flour into measuring cup, level with knife.  Combine flour, cinnamon, salt and soda.  Add to pumpkin mixture, just until moist.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into 2 loaf pans coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from pans.  

Baked Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe originally from Becki Jones.

2 C fresh pumpkin seeds

1 1/2 TBSP melted butter

1/2 tsp. worchestershire sauce

1 1/4 tsp. salt

Mix all together, lay flat on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Swedish Meatballs with Noodles

Recipe originally from Sue Hodson

2 jars Alfredo Mushroom sauce

1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup

30-40 swedish meatballs (I use the frozen, Italian flavor)

1 pt. half and half

salt and pepper to taste

parsley to taste

Heat all ingredients through over medium heat.  Serve over cooked egg noodles or rice.

Mom's Easy Chocolate Fudge

Recipe originally from Sue Hodson

2 C chocolate chips

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/4 C chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine chocolate chips and condensed milk in large glass bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  Stir in walnuts and vanilla.  Spread evenly into foil lined 8 inch square pan.  Chill until firm, about 2 hours.  

*** I LOVE to mix the flavor of chocolate chips.  I like to use half chocolate, half peanut butter or half mint chips.  Play with the flavors and create something yummy!

Chocolate Mousse Pie

1 Hershey's candy bar (with or without almonds)

16 large marshmallows or 1 1/2 C mini-marshmallows

1/2 C milk

2 C whipped cream

1 pastry shell, baked

or graham cracker or chocolate pie crust

Place the candy bar, marshmallows and milk in heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Cool.  Fold in whipped cream, pour into crust.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Before serving, I like to place chunks of one more candy bar on top.  

White Chicken Chili

This recipe originally from Mandie Peterson.

1 12.5 oz. can chicken breast

2 cans Great Northern Beans

1 C salsa

2 cans chicken broth

1 TBSP cumin

Mix all ingredients in pan and bring to a boil.  When ready to serve, add 2 cups grated Colby Jack cheese and heat through.  Top each serving with crushed tortilla chips.

Banana Cookie Frosting

2 C powdered sugar

1/3 cup margarine, softened

3 oz. cream cheese. softened

1 TBSP milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Using hand mixer, mix together and frost Banana Cookies.

Banana Cookies

This recipe from Kenny Farr.

1 C shortening

1 C sugar

1 egg

1 C mashed bananas

1/2 C buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 C flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 C chopped nuts (optional)

Using large mixer, mix shortening, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, soda and salt, and slowly mix into banana mixture. Add chopped nuts. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Drop on cookie sheet in spoonfuls. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Frost with Banana Cookie Frosting.

*** Also tasty: Add 1 C chocolate chips and omit the frosting.