Frogs ( Chocolate/Coconut Macaroons)

These are a favourite sweet from growing up. They are easy to make and taste super yummy!!! I really still don't get why they are called frogs but that is always what we've called them......

Mix and boil:

6 Tbsp cocoa

1/2 cup margarine

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup carnation milk

Remove from heat and add:

2 cups of coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups oatmeal

Drop by a spoon full on a lined cookie sheet and put into fridge until hard. Enjoy!! Makes around 35- 40.

Mmmmmmm Meatloaf

This is an absolute favourite in our house. We had 2 extra kids last night and they LOVED it as well as my 5.......try it.....you'll LOVE it!!!

900g lean ground beef

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 egg white

1 tsp garlic powder

Mix together all of the above ingredients in a mixing bowl. Shape into a loaf and place on broiler pan. In the same mixing bowl mix together the following ingredients and spread over the entire surface of your loaf.

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Bake at 375 for 50 minutes. Serve with veggies of choice but it's amazing with mashed potatoes!!

Caramel Corn

1 cup butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup popcorn kernels

Pop your popcorn and put in large roasting pan. Keep warm until ready to pour caramel on top. Melt your butter over medium-low heat. Once melted add corn syrup, sugar and salt. Stir unitl boils. Take spoon out and let boil for 5 minutes. DON'T STIR. After the 5 minutes remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Stir until mixed in. Pour over popcorn and mix until covered. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on wax paper and store in airtight container.

Clean the cupboard cookies

These have been a favourite cookies since I was a teenager. The recipe comes from a teacher/friends mom from church Robyn Brade. She is a great cook!!!Mine have never tasted as yummy as hers but I can't stop eating them when we have them in the house. Make them.....you won't regret it....

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

1 lb. butter or margarine ( 4 cubes)

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 eggs

6 cups flour

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 cups chocolate chips ( 1/2 semi 1/2 milk)

2 cups nuts (optional)

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup coconut

3/4 cup skor bits

Cream butter and sugar in LARGE bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. After creaming together add your flour, salt & baking soda. Mix well. Stir in oatmeal, coconut, skor bits and nuts. Roll into balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies still look uncooked when removed. Makes about 5 dozen.

Tortilla Soup with Avocado

I am LOVING Jeff's running magazine this month as the recipes are to die for. Might have to see what other ones we can find as the first 2 have been a hit with me :) This soup has a bit of kick to it but is just awesome!!!

2/3 cup low fat. low sodium chicken broth

1 cup canned, diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped fine

2/3 cup store-bought hot fresh salsa

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup cooked skinless chicken breast

salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/3 ripe hass avocado, sliced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine chicken broth, tomatoes, chiles, salsa and corn in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to me-low and simmer for eight minutes. Shred the chicken and stir into the soup. Season with salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator if serving cold. Top with avocado, cilantro and tortilla strips.

** When Jeff made this he grilled our chicken on the bbq, just used regular tomatoes and added the cilantro right in the soup. I had some sour cream and nachos with mine. AMAZING!!!! I must make sure I have avocado in the house next time......

Chickpea,Cherry & Ginger Salad

This is a new recipe we tried tonight in our house and I LOVED it.....wasn't so sure when I watched Jeff make it but can't stop eating it and it's good for you....

2 ( 15.5 oz) cans chickpeas

1 ( 11oz) can mandarin oranges

Half a red onion, sliced

1 clove minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

2/3 cup chopped pecans

2/3 dried chopped cherries

1 minced jalapeño

1 cup chopped parsley

4 oz. feta cheese

Whisk together 2 Tbsp of EACH apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chickpea salad and mix well.

** Side note.....we used cashews and fresh cherries......plus Jeff didn't realize we had cilantro and not parsley until it was too late.....LOL.....it was STILL AMAZING with the cilantro!!!

Banana (Chocolate Chip) Muffins

I get excited when the bananas get extra ripe in our house because that means I get to use them for muffins. They never last more then more 24 hours and will always leave you wanting more. This recipe is from my friend Leslie Gallant and was in the Halifax Ward cookbook they put out a few years ago.

3 large bananas

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup melted margarine

Mash bananas. Add sugar and slightly beaten egg. Add melted margarine then add dry ingredients. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. You can also add 3/4-1 cup chocolate chipes to mixture for anyone with a sweet tooth. We LOVE them with the chocolate chips.....

Cheese Ball

This is a recipe that my sister in law Angie shared with me years ago and one that we love to make for parties or just for a yummy snack.

1- 8 oz. block of cream cheese

1 cup grated old cheddar cheese

1/2 Tbsp onion powder

1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Dash of cayenne pepper

Mix everything together in food processor or use your hand mixer. Roll into a ball and roll in graham cracker crumbs for a nice appearance. Let sit in fridge overnight before serving. The longer it sits, the better the taste. Can keep in fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve with crackers of your own choice. We love wheat thins or toppables!!

Broccoli Chicken

This one of my favorites from growing up. One I could eat any day of the week.

6-8 chicken breasts

1-2 heads of broccoli

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp curry powder

Cheddar cheese

Boil, cool and de-bone chicken breasts. You can use boneless breasts as well. Cook and cool broccoli. Mix in a bowl- soup, mayo, lemon juice, curry powder. Set aside.

In 13 by 9 pan layer all your broccoli on the bottom, then chicken on top. Pour sauce over top and top with grated cheddar cheese. Bake at 325° for one hour. Serve with rice and veggies.

Penne with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

This is another great recipe that I have gotten from my good friend Jodie. I love when she tells me about a new recipe she has made that was awesome.....this is one for sure....

Cook 1 lb penne pasta in boiling, salted water for approx. 12 minutes or until tender.

While the pasta is cooking you will need the following....

1 (270ml-9 oz) jar of sun-dreid tomatoes packed in olive oil, do not drain

2 garlic cloves

1 cup. packed fresh basil leaves (remove stem)

salt and pepper

Put the above ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Scrape the pesto into a bowl and stir in

1/2 cup FRESHLY grated parmesan cheese. Set aside.

When pasta is finished cooking, drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add pasta to the pesto, tossing to coat, adding enough of the cooking water to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is an awesome recipe that I got from my friend J.J Choo. If you like chocolate and peanut butter you won't be able to eat just one.....the batch I made didn't even last 24 hours in our house......

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter ( you can use smooth or chunky)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light. Add egg, vanilla and mix until fluffy. Blend the flour, b.soda,b.powder and salt together well. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased pan. Bake 10-12 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Raspberry Trifle

If you ever hear that we are having trifle and you want to try it out, it's best to show up before we even dig in because it goes FAST. This is another recipe that my friend Jodie shared with me and one that we LOVE to make. I use raspberries alot but you could use any kind of berry.

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup white sugar

Whip these together and set aside.

2 pkgs cream cheese

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup white sugar

Beat these together until smooth. Cream cheese will work better at room temperature.Fold in 2 cups of your prepared whip cream. Save the rest of whip cream for topping.

2 pound cakes, cut into 1/2" chunks

2- 10 oz pkgs frozen raspberries, thaw and drain, SAVE the juice ( I use 2- 600g bags)

Once everything is prepared this is how you layer in your trifle bowl. I LOVE my Pampered Chef one.......one of my favourite purchases from there that I use!!

1/4 cake

Drizzle juice over cake

1/4 cream cheese mixture

1/4 raspberries

I do this 4 times and when I am ready to serve I put the remaining whip cream on top. You can also sift cocoa and put between the cream and berry layer. I've never done this but I have heard it tastes wonderful!!!! Enjoy!!!

Homemade Donairs

This is a recipe from "What's cooking in South Ohio!" It's a great little cookbook that I got when we were married and I love trying recipes out of it.

Anyone who knows us, knows that we LOVE donairs........we have a great place up the street from our house that we buy them but we also like to make them at home. This is a recipe that I've used and we don't always follow the spice measurements exactly. You have to play around to get the taste you like as every donair place is a little different. Thanks to Claris Diggins for putting this in the recipe book.....

2 1/2 lbs hamburger

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

Combine all the ingredients together and mix well. We put it right in the Kitchen Aid and mix it and it compresses the meat really well. Form into 2 ball. Bake at 300F for 2 hours on a broiler pan so the fat drains out of the meat. Slice and serve.

Jeff mixes the sauce by hand with no measuring so I'm including the one that was in the recipe because you can't enjoy donairs without the sauce.....

2/3 can condensed milk ( carnation)

2/3 cup brown or white sugar

1/4 cup vinegar

Combine and mix together. You have to be careful when mixing as if you over mix it won't thicken....

All ready to go......not cut thin like I wanted but that will

be the next thing to master.....LOL

Ready to roll......

Fruit Dip

I like to post with a picture.....it's just how I am....I like to put a picture to the recipe I'm making. Jeff got a bunch of fruit today so I had to make some yummy fruit dip. I have to watch Cooper or he'll eat it by the spoonful. For now you are getting my blah picture.....next time I make it on a fruit tray I'll swap the photos out. Try it....you'll love it.....

1- 250 g block of cream cheese

8 oz marshmallow fluff ( half of the big jar)

1/4 tsp lemon juice

Few drops of red food coloring

Soften your cream cheese, mix together with fluff until smooth. Add in lemon juice and food coloring. Chill in fridge and serve with fresh fruit.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

We tried a new recipe tonight and it had the approval from Jeff so it's a keeper......

1/8 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Preheat oven to 475F. In large bowl combine oil and spices and mix well. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place in a single layer on roasting pan or baking sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally to brown.

I found these had some kick to them so be careful on your pepper flakes. I also didn't have marjoram or thyme but they were still awesome!!!

So delicious.....

Roasting perfection.....

Tri Color Pasta Salad

Spring is here and that means more BBQ and salads. Tonight we are having chicken with pasta salad......and who knows what else. This is a must in our house....my kids just came up and they could tell from the smell of noodles what I was making. I had to smack fingers as they kept trying to sneak some from the bowl. It's easy to make and so yummy.....I'm really wishing I had made a bigger batch.....

1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped

2 chopped tomatoes ( I remove the seeds)

1 small english cucumber, remove seeds and chop

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

500g tri-color fusilli pasta, cooked and cooled

Sauce:

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

Cook and cool your pasta and put in salad bowl. Add all your chopped veggies and mix together. Put all your sauce ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk together well. Pour over salad and mix up. Put in fridge to cool. Mix before serving as the dressing tends to settle on the bottle.

I like to toss cheese in mine when I serve it. I have one who doesn't like cheese in her salad so I try to get her some up first. I also don't really measure out the salt, pepper and paprika so you want to taste it and see if you want a little more or not. Enjoy!!

Apple Crisp

This is a recipe for apple crisp that is a no fail. Absolutely love to eat this anytime of the year.

4-6 good size apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

Peel and slice apples and put in casserole dish. Mix butter and brown sugar together and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Crumble over apples. Bake at 350F for 35-340 minutes or until golden. Serve with ice cream or whip cream

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This is a recipe from a Newfoundland cookbook that used to belong to my grandmother Mary Durnford. I used to make this back in the day when I lived at home and still make it now and then. Cooper made some fantastic noises as he enjoyed it tonight. Sorry for the weird measurements........it's how it was in the cookbook.....

25 ml margarine

25 ml flour

2 ml salt

0.5 ml pepper

350 ml milk

250 ml grated cheddar cheese

1 ml Worcestershire sauce

1 ml prep mustard

250 ml macaroni

75 ml bread/cornflake crumbs

25 ml cheddar cheese

Boil pot of water, cook uncooked macaroni noodles and set aside. In pot melt your margarine and stir in your flour, salt and pepper. I don't measure the salt and pepper......just put what I like in. Pour in your milk and continue to stir over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken. Once thickened remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cheddar cheese.....again I add a little extra cheese :) Once your cheese has melted mix noodles into sauce and pour into casserole dish. Top with buttered crumbs and cheddar cheese. I personally use cornflake crumbs and mix with a little melted butter. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes.

All mixed up.....waiting for topping

Ready for the oven.....

All ready for my belly....

Blueberry Muffins

I'm not 100% sure where this recipe came from but it's delicious!!! Jessica RAVED about them tonight as she devoured one.

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup of milk

2 cups blueberries

Cream margarine and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add to the above mixture. Add in milk and blueberries. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 18 muffins......unless you over stuff the pan like me :)

Toblerone Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

This cheesecake has become a favourite in our house and one that I traditionally make at Christmas time. It's a rich cheesecake but so delicious.....

1 1/4 cups Oreo Baking Crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

3- 250g pkgs. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping

1- 100g Toblerone Swiss Milk chocolate coarsely chopped.

Heat oven to 350 F. Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom on 9-inch springform pan. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 40-45 minutes; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Spread caramel topping over cheesecake just before serving. Garnish with chopped chocolate. Enjoy!!!

Hamburger Casserole

This is another recipe that I have gotten from my mother in law Charlotte. It is a favorite in our house and one that's great when you need a quick meal. I'll have to make it so I can post a picture with the recipe.

1 lb hamburger

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cook these all together in a frying pan. Then add in:

1 can Italian tomato soup ( I use a Campbell's Basil & Oregano)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/4 cup water

Mix well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 4 cups shell macaroni uncooked. I then top with a little extra cheese because I love anything with cheese. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden. Great to serve with veggies or a salad.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

This is a must on the recipe blog. This recipe comes from my brother's father in-law Herbie. He somehow got Michael to try these and in turn Michael has got us hooked. They are a MUST at an holiday dinner and a bonus any other time of the year. Trust me, you will LOVE LOVE them!!!

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

2 bay leaves

1 large spanish onion

1/4 cup butter

3 good sized sweet potatoes

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt & freshly ground black pepper

In medium saucepan, combine cream, milk & bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Cut onion in half lengthwise and slice into thin lengthwise strips. Melt butter in large skillet over med-high heat; add onion and cook, stirring often for 15-20 minutes until onion is golden brown. Let cool. Spread 1/4 cup of the cream mixture in generously buttered 12 by 9 shallow baking dish. Arrange layers of sweet potato in dish overlapping slices. Spread with half of the caramelized onions:season with salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Top with layers of sweet potato slices; drizzle with cream mixture, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 15-20 minutes more until the top is golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Wai-Kiki Meatballs

This is another family favourite that we ate a lot growing up. My kids get super excited when we have this and I have to make a TON of meatballs.......

2 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1 Tbsp soya sauce

1 19 fl.oz pineapple tidbits.

1/2 green pepper, chopped

To start out with prep your meatballs. I use pre made ones that M&M meat shop sells so I cook them and set them aside. I usually will make around 60-70 meatballs......they aren't big at all and the kids love them so I like to have enough.....

Drain your pineapple and set the juice aside. Mix together your corn starch and brown sugar. Stir in your pineapple juice, vinegar and soya sauce. Cook in frying pan, stirring until thickened and clear. Boil for 1 minute. Add meatballs, pineapple and green pepper. Heat through. We like to serve with basmati rice.

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

I made this a few years ago for Thanksgiving dessert. It's a recipe from the KRAFT website and really delicious!!!!!

1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

4 eggs

3 apples, peeled, chopped

3/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

HEAT oven to 325°F.LINE 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar; press onto bottom of pan.

BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Combine remaining brown sugar, apples, nuts and cinnamon; spoon over batter.

BAKE 55 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Bite size Cucumber Dill Rounds

This is another recipe my friend Jodie has given to me.........maybe I'd be skinnier if I didn't know her.....LOL..... this is a must have at every party and SOOOOOOO easy to make.....

1- 8 oz block cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayo

2-3 tsp of a pkg. of dry italian salad dressing mix

Mix the above ingredients until smooth. Chill overnight.

Slice baguette into bite-size rounds. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with dill and then top with a thin slice of cucumber. You won't be able to stop until they are gone. Makes enough for 2-3 baguettes.

Bacon Bruschetta

1 cup mayo

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups grated cheddar

3/4 cup bacon, cooked and chopped

2-3 large baguettes

Cook, cool and chop your bacon. I chop mine up before I fry it but it's your preference. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Slice your baguettes width wise maybe 1/2 " thick and spread some of mixture on top. Not too topping, but don't be too cheap!! Bake @ 350 F until warm and cheese looks melted.

Deep Deep Chocolate Cake

This is a recipe that I got from my friend Tanya Wright. It is one of my favorites to eat!!! It's so good that I could eat it without any icing at all. It's really good plain with ice cream and chocolate sauce as well. Enjoy!!!

Dry Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 baking soda

1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan or tube pan. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Combine oil, eggs milk and vanilla in a separate bowl. Beat together and then add to dry ingredients. Beat 30 seconds on low. Beat for 2 minutes on high. Stir in boiling water.Pour into pan. Bake 350F for 30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Frost with favorite icing. Enjoy!!!

Oatmeal Cookie Kings

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. I make it all the time and switch things up for chocolate chips now and then. I used to make them with M&M's all the time and most recently used mini peanut butter cups......they didn't last long!!

1 Cup. Margarine

1 Cup. Brown Sugar

1 Cup. White Sugar

Cream these 3 and then add:

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Mix until blended all together.

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Sift and add to already mixed ingredients. Once blended add:

3 Cups oatmeal

1- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Stir the oatmeal and chocolate chips in well. Shape into balls and spread evenly on cookie sheet. Make sure to line your sheet with something so the cookies don't stick.

Bake at 375 for 10 -12 minutes......

Broccoli Salad

This is a recipe I got when I was in cooking school from one of the wonderful ladies in the cafeteria. Sarah LOVES when I make this and it never lasts long in our house.

Broccoli Salad

1/2 pkg bacon, cooked until crispy, broken into small pieces

1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Sauce

1/4 cup white sugar

2 Tbsp vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

All the above measurements are a best guesstimate. I usually double everything and make a huge batch as it won't last long. Prep all your ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and mix in salad. Best if you chill for a couple of hours. Enjoy!!

Bowtie Pasta Salad

I have another fantastic friend..... she now has a blog that is all kind of amazing recipes. I guarantee that anything you try you will love. She has an amazing talent for cooking and baking that I know was taught to her by her phenomenal Dad and one that I'm sure she'll perfect one day. I really don't know how she stays so skinny.......

This pasta recipe is one of hers. It is an absolute favourite. I love to make and but at the same time I have to be careful because if I don't have many to share it with I will eat it ALL. Try it out......you will love it.......it's a nice change from some of the regular summer salads.

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 1/2- 2 cups red grapes, cut in half

1 cup crasins

2 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup mayo

1 cup cole slaw dressing

1 box bow tie pasta

Cook your pasta , cool and place in bowl. I then cut up the first 3 ingredients , throw them in the bowl with the noodles and then mix in with the crasins. I'll then take the mayo and cole slaw dressing , whisk it together and pour over the noodles etc. Then I cover and it's best if it can sit for a few hours to be good and chilled. When you are ready to serve you add your mandarin oranges and cashews. If I know it's not all going to be eaten that day I like to put the cashews on the side for people to add themselves. Otherwise they aren't crunchy the next day when you go to have the leftovers.

Charlotte's Curry Chicken

This is another easy, family favorite and it is super easy to make and guaranteed to be loved!! It is a recipe from my mother in-law and one all the kids enjoy!!

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dry mustard

1-2 tsp curry powder

1-2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients in a pot. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. While sauce is simmering take 4 chicken breasts ( bone in or boneless work) and put in baking dish ( I use the Corningware ones). Pour sauce over and cover. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Take cover off, spoon sauce over top and back for another 30 minutes uncovered. Serve with rice.

Pad Thai

1 (12 ounce) package rice noodles
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/8 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
3 green onions, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Saute chicken until browned. Remove, and set aside. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar (pre mix vinegar,sugar and oyster sauce)and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes. Add in green onions and peanuts. Mix and serve.

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

This is a recipe that I got years ago from my sister in-law Angie. It's a quick and easy one and really tasty. I like to slice the pork chops and put them on rice and then drizzle extra sauce on top and serve with veggies or salad.

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

6 pork chops- 1/2 " thick

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup gr. parmesan cheese

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Combine the first 3 ingredients, sprinkle on both sides of chops. Sometimes I have to double the seasoning to have enough for all the chops. Brown chops in oil on med-high heat. Once browned put in a shallow baking dish.

In the same frying pan mix soup and water. Bring to a boil. You do not need to wash out the pan before doing this. Once it has boiled pour over chops.

Mix your bread crumbs and cheese and sprinkle on top of all the chops. Bake at 350 degrees. Covered for the first 45 minutes and then uncovered for the last 15 minutes.

All browned and waiting....

Covered in sauce and crumb mixture

Just out of the oven......