French Dressing

I use this for my summer taco salads-it's like catalina or french dressing:
1 cup oil
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 medium onion
Blend together in a blender.

Taco Salad:
Fry hamburger with taco seasoning (drain)
Add: cheese, lettuce, kidney beans, olives, tomatoes & broken tortilla chips

Oriental Dressing

This is Elaine Fuller's recipe. It's like Applebee's Oriental dressing.
12 tbls. honey
6 tbls. rice wine vinegar
1 cup mayo
4 teas. Dijon mustard
1/2 teas. sesame oil
Mix all together and enjoy.

Tomatillo Dressing

This is Heidi's recipe:
1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cilantro-fresh-chopped
3 tomatillos peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Mix in blender and serve.

Poppy Seed Dressing

This is Heather Stevenson's recipe:
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar-no splenda
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbls. poppy seed
Mix all together and serve in Pampered Chef salad dressing container if you have one. It fits perfectly.

Sweet Bacon Chestnuts

3 cans whole water chestnuts (drained)
2 lbs. cheap/thin bacon
Wrap chestnuts in bacon strips, secure with toothpicks and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Drain fat. Pour 1 cup ketchup, one cup brown sugar & 3 tbls. soysauce in a bowl. Pour over chestnuts and bake another 20 minutes or desired crispness.

Linda's Hot Beef Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 packages beef (cut in small pieces)
2 Tbls. green onion
2 Tbls. milk
Mix all together and heat in microwave. Serve with large frito chips. Yummy!

Linda's Stuffed mushrooms

1 pkg. Jimmy Dean Maple sausage (cooked and drained)
1 green onion (optional)
1-8 ounce cream cheese
Mix all together and stuff fresh mushrooms with stems removed

Bake on a cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees

Linda's Cheese Ball

Two 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (soften)
One 12 to 16 ounce crushed pineapple drained very well
1 to 2 cups chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (optional)
1 1/2 tsp Lawry's Salt
2 Tbls green onion (optional)

Mix 1/2 of the nuts in the mixture and roll mixture in nuts if you want a cheese ball. We never make a ball...we just make it a dip. Serve with crackers. Wheat Thins or Chicken in a Biscuit are great!

Vegetable Salsa

1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup chopped red onion
2 red bell peppers-chopped and seeded
2 green bell pepper-chopped and seeded
4 tomatoes-diced
2 garlic cloves (I use canned garlic)
1/2 to 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup lime juice
Stir altogether in a bowl and serve immediately. It's better fresh. Serve with Mexican entrees or just chips.

Caramel Corn (soft and chewy)

This is Mark's Mother's recipe:
Boil:
4 cups brown sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
Add:
2 cubes butter
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
Stir constantly the entire time while cooking. Cook to firm ball-not a hard ball (cold water-drop caramel-if it makes a soft ball it's ready). Pour immediately over poppped corn in a greased bowl. Stir in and enjoy!

Linda B's Egg Omelet

Spray "Pam" in 9 X 13 pan
Tear 8 slices of bread into small bite size pieces-put in 9 X 13
Place 2/3 lbs. sliced Velveeta cheese on top of bread

Mix the following together & pour on bread and cheese:
4 cups milk
8 eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of dry mustard

Cover with lots of grated cheese and cover with plastic wrap and place in frig overnight.
The next morning remove plastic wrap and push 10-12 pieces cooked/crumbled bacon down into the egg/cheese pan. Then add one package of Jimmy Dean sausage pre-cooked and crumbled and push it down in to the egg/cheese pan.
Bake UNCOVERED for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.
Serve with salsa, sour cream & grated cheese. Great for Christmas morning! (Cook the bacon and sausage ahead of time)

Slow-Cooker Mexican Pozole

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (2 pound) boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans red enchilada sauce
2 (15.5 ounce) cans white hominy, drained
1 onion, sliced
small can of diced green chilis
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 (14.0z) chicken broth/stock
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)


Heat the canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the pork; cook and stir just until meat is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Place the meat in a 4 quart slow cooker. Pour the enchilada sauce over the meat. Top with the hominy, onion, chilies, garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin and oregano. Pour in chicken broth (if a 'soupier' texture is wanted, add enough water to fill the slow cooker).
Cover, and cook on Low for 8-10 hours. Stir in the cilantro and salt (optional). Cook on Low for 30 minutes more.

Serve with refried beans and sour cream. (I personally pour the soup over the beans and then add sour cream and grated cheese.....gotta love the cheese!!)

Linda's Truffles

MELT in double boiler pan:
1-12 oz. pkg. REAL milk chocolate chips (like Hershey's)
3 Tbls.milk

BEAT with mixer and add:
3 yolks...one and a time.

REMOVE pan from hot water. Beat in butter (3/4 cup-no substitutes) cut in pieces.

ADD 1/2 Tsp. vanilla..beat 2-3 minutes

CHILL in frig. When workable roll into balls the size of marbles in roll in chocolate shot (sprinkles) or nuts. Serve well chilled in tiny nut cups (foil ones).

Makes approx. 50. These look really cute on a silver platter at X-mas time to take to a party or to neighbors.

Corn Salsa Dip

Step one-

1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can black eyed peas drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 can mexi corn
1 jar diced pimentos
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green peppers
1 medium onion diced
2 jalapenos diced

Mix in bowl and set aside.

Step two
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Bring to boil and then pour over bean mixture. Refrigerate at least two hours. Use slotted spoon to serve. Eat with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Artichoke dip

1 1/2 cups mayo
8 oz. cream cheese
2 cans of artichokes hearts drained and chopped
1 small can green chili's
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Blend all ingredients and spread in a 9 x 13 dish. Sprinkle with paprika on top. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Peanut Butter Fingers

Creme together-
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

add:
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats

Mix until smooth. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and then spread with frosting.

Frosting:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
3/4 stick for butter
5 Tbsp milk
Cook over medium heat until really smooth. Pour over peanut butter bars.

Barbequed ham sandwiches

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup celery
1 onion chopped

fry until soft then add:

5 pounds ham (crumbled)
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Worshire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 can tomato soup

Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve on hard rolls. This is great for a family dinner.

Cream cheese sugar cookies

Creme together-
2 cups sugar
2 cups butter
6 oz. cream cheese
add-
1 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks
add- 4 1/2 cups flour

Chill dough for 2 hours. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and cook at 375 degrees for 7 -10 minutes.

Frosting-
3 egg whites
1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Whip in mixer

These are honestly my very favorite cookies. This recipe is from a friend who got it from a caterer.

Hortense Loosli's carmel corn

Boil-
4 cups brown sugar
2 cups light karo syrup

after boiling add-
2 cubes butter
2 cans of sweetened condensed milk

Stir constantly. Cook to firm ball. Pour over a huge bowl of popcorn.

Honey Baked Chicken

6-8 chicken breasts
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry

Mix and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, basting every 15 minutes.