Fagioli Soup

This soup is really good and tastes just like the Pasta y Fagioli at Olive Garden

l lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 lrg carrot, julienned (1 cup) sometimes I grate mine
1 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 15 oz can red kidney beans, with liquid
1 15 oz can northern beans, with liquid
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 12 oz can V-8 juice
1 TBL white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 pkg Ditali pasta (short macaroni tubes)

Brown the beef in a large saucepan. Drain off fat, if any. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and saute for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook pasta according to directions until al dente, or slightly tough, about 10 minutes. Drain. Add the pasta to the soup and simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve. Serves 8.

If you find that it is too tomatoey, add some water until you find a consistency and taste you like. This recipe also freezes well.

Hamburger Rice Skillet Meal

This is a super easy dinner to do when you're in a hurry!

1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

Brown hamburger in large skillet with onions, garlic and your favorite seasonings (I used season salt, a tiny bit of garlic powder since there's garlic in it, and pepper). Meanwhile in a bowl combine the following:

1 1/2 C. instant rice
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
1 1/2 C. water

Add to the hamburger mixture and mix well. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet then transfer this mixture to a 9 x 13. If your skillet is oven-safe then pop it in the oven at 350 for 50 minutes. When it's done just give it a stir and serve!

*This isn't the prettiest dish in the world but it tastes great and it's super easy to make and my kids loved it!

Layered Vegetable Delight

This is a good way to use up some of the veggies from your garden!

2 T. butter
1 onion- sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 lb. squash, sliced (crookneck & zucchini)
1 can stewed tomatoes
4 oz. diced black olives (optional)
1 C. of your favorite cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar blend, Swiss, etc.)

Saute onions and garlic in butter add mushrooms, crookneck, zucchini and tomatoes. Cook slowly for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Top with olives and cheese. Heat until cheese is melted and enjoy!

Too Much Chocolate Cake

1 pkg devils food cake mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 c. sour cream
1 c. veg oil
4 eggs
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients and pour batter into a 12 c. bundt pan. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thouroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate if desired dust with powdered sugar.

* I have used this recipe twice for birthday cake. The first time I baked in in a round casserole dish and cupcakes for this cake, and the second time I did it in a 9x13 baking dish for this cake and they turned out SO yummy. The cook time varies according to what you are cooking it in.

White Texas Sheet Cake

Usually if it isn't chocolate I'm not that interested but this cake is so flavorful and moist, not to mention that is goes a LONG way!!

1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup chopped almonds (opt.)

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to just a boil. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in the flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, extract and baking soda until smooth. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan (15x10x1) pan bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes then frost.

For frosting, in a large saucepan, bring butter and milk to just a boil. Immediately remove from the heat, stir in powdered sugar and extract. Stir in walnuts and spread over warm cake. Cool completely. 20 servings

Grilled Potato Packets

4-5 medium sized potatoes thinly sliced

8 green onions, chopped with some of the green, plus more for garnish

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbs. olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat grill. Place two 18 inch long pieces of heavy duty tin foil on a flat surface. Divide the potatoes, green onions, and garlic between the two pieces of foil keeping the mixture in the center of each sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season the to your liking. Gently toss the ingredients on the foil, then fold and crimp the foil along the sides to make a flat packet (make each packet a uniform thickness for even cooking). Grill the packets for 15 minutes, then turn them over and grill for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional green onions, parmesan cheese, or shredded cheddar cheese. Serves 8.

(picture courtesy of Family Fun magazine)

Scotcharoos

1 c. sugar

1 c. Karo syrup

1 c. peanut butter

6 c. Rice Krispy's

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and Karo syrup and bring just to a boil. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth then add the cereal. In a separate bowl combine chocolate and butterscotch chips and melt in the microwave, stiring frequently until smooth. Put the cereal mixture into a 9 x 13 in pan and frost with melted chips.

Strawberry Limeade

1 ½ C. lime juice
6 C. cold water
3/4 cup white sugar
4 cups frozen strawberries

Add all ingredients in blender & blend until smooth. Add desired amount of crushed ice.

Almond Lemonade

16 oz. can frozen lemonade
16 oz can frozen orange juice
1 C. sugar
2 ½ quarts water
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond
1 quart sprite

Mix together lemonade, orange juice, vanilla, water, almond, and sugar. Refrigerate and add the sprite just before serving.

Lemon Water

5 quarts Hot water
3 C. Sugar
1 T. Lemon extract
1 T. Citric Acid (you can get it from the pharmacy)

Mix together and refrigerate

Like Cafe' Rio Pork Salad

Pork Barbacoa

6 lbs. pork
1 16-oz bottle of salsa
1 can Coke (regular not diet)
2 cups brown sugar
Place pork in crock pot and fill it ½ way up the pork with water.
Cook on High for 6 hours.
Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds.
Mix together sauce ingredients and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on High. Shred pork with forks. Leave it on Low until ready to serve.


Cilantro-lime Rice

1 c. uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice)
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.



Creamy Tomatilla Salad Dressing

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Dressing
3 T. Salsa verde
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1/2 bunch Cilantro
2 cloves of Garlic
3/4 C. Mayo
3/4 C. Sour Cream
juice of 1 Lime
milk to thin

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.


Trimmings for the Salad:
Tortillas, romaine lettuce, black beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips

Caramel Brownies

14 oz. bag Caramels
1/3 C. Evaporated milk

Cook over low heat stirring constantly until caramels are melted. Set aside.

1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix
1 Cube Butter- melted
1/3 C. Evaporated milk
1 C. Milk chocolate chips
1 C. Pecans- chopped

In a large bowl combine cake mix, butter, evaporated milk, and pecans. Stir by hand until dough holds together. Press ½ of the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and pour caramel over top. Crumble the remaining dough over the caramel. Return to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.