Delicious Quinoa Salad (My own version)

This quinoa salad is so good I could literally eat it all day long. I had this salad this weekend and it was the main food item I ate. I overlooked the sloppy joes and other salads and just focused on this salad because it is that good. I decided to change the recipe a little, so I added chopped baby spinach and extra lime juice for an added kick. This salad is served chilled out of the fridge and is so nutritious you will not believe how something so good could be that good for you. Quinoa is a grain and when cooked is rather fluffy and easy to work with. It is very high in protein and amino acids and has TONS of vitamins and nutrients. You will feel great after eating it. It has a mild flavor and is perfect anytime of the year. You can purchase quinoa at almost anywhere. I purchased a big bag for at Costco.


Delicious Quinoa Salad

1 c. uncooked quinoa
2 c. chicken broth
a handful of fresh chopped baby spinach
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 half of an onion, chopped
1 small/medium sized cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. red wine vinager
1 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. lime juice
1 T. olive oil

Cook quinoa in chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and then simmer, covered. When quinoa is cooked, it will be light and fluffy and liquid will be absorbed. Pour quinoa into a large bowl and set aside. Next, combine all the veggies together and toss veggies into quinoa. Add minced garlic cloves to red wine vinager and pour over quinoa and veggies. Add lime juice and olive oil and then cover and chill in fridge until ready to serve.

Dinner In A Pumpkin

I love dinner in a pumpkin. I look forward to this tasty meal during the year! Do you ever wonder what to do with your leftover pumpkin? You can make a delicious meal in it, eat he pumpkin (taste similiar to squash) and then bake the seeds (add some sea salt, and pumpkin seeds are high in good vitamins like zinc).

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 pound of lean hamburger meat or turkey meat
2 c. cooked rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 small can of mushrooms (for fresh mushrooms, about 1 c. of chopped mushrooms is about right).
1 T soy sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 small can of water chestnuts (chopped)
1/2 c. chopped onions
1 tsp. onion powder

Preheat oven to 450. Have pumpkin cleaned out and ready to fill with mixture inside. Cook hamburger, drain grease, and set aside. Combine cream of mushroom soup, onions, onion powder, celery, soy sauce, brown sugar and water chestnuts with the rice. Mix together well. Add to hamburger or turkey mixture. Mix well. Fill the pumpkin and replace the lid. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Continuously check pumpkin flesh to make sure it is tender, when it is tender, it is ready to be eaten with mixture. A real festive treat, I tell ya!

Fall Harvest Dessert

I made up this title, but this dessert just reminds me of the great tastes of fall. I am sure you will love this dessert.

Ingrediants:

For crust:

1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. softened to melted butter
1/2 c. cinnamon

preheat to 350. Mix and then once moist, spread into an 8 X 8 greased baking pan. If it is not moist or spreadable, add a little more melted butter to it. Set aside

For pumpkin custard

2 c. pumpkin puree
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 5 oz cans of evaporated milk.
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, spices and milk. In seperate bowl, beat eggs, then combine the egss with the sugar mixture and beat on low. Add pumpkin and beat again on low until creamy and smooth.

Pour the pumpkin custard over the crust and bake at 400 for first 10 min. then reduce to 350 and bake for 40-50 min. Insert a toothpick in custard to see if done. Allow to cool for 2 hours before serving and keep in fridge. Cut into bars and top with ice-cream or whipped cream.

Easy Cream of Potato Soup

I made this scrumptious soup for my husband who was home sick with a stomach bug. It is so quick and easy to put together.

You will need (for 3-4).

3 medium potatos, peeled and cubed
2 c. water
1/2 c. grated carrots
1-2 celery stalk(s) chopped
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/4 tsp. minced garlic (optional)
2 chicken bouilion cubes ( used reduced sodium).
1 1/2 c. milk (I used skim)
onion powder to taste
pepper to taste
chili powder to taste
salt to taste

Combine into pot and cook to boiling. Reduce to simmer and allow to simmer for about 15 min. Serve and enjoy!

The Best House Dressing (taste just like Cafe Rio's)

I LOVE Cafe Rio, in fact love is an understatement. I could eat there every single day. I have been in love with that place since they first opened in St. George and will continue to be a loyal customer to them. Every time I have gone there, I have either ordered the veggie or chicken burrito (enchilada style)or the salad (the pork salad is awesome). I love the house dressing that comes with it and can't seem to get enough of it. I love the dressing so much I even pay for extra so I can take it home and put on my own salad. Well, now I have created the best house dressing that tastes very similiar to Cafe Rio's. I had to research what tomatillos were, but then found them at Walmart in the produce section. The flavors in this dressing are so tasty I will be making this dressing a lot. I will also continue to loyal to Cafe Rio, my most favorite restaurant ever!

The Best House Dressing!

1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
1 c. of regular mayo (don't use olive oil mayo)
1 c. milk
2 tomatillos, sliced
1 small jalepeno pepper (remove seeds and stem).
1 bunch of cilantro
1/4 tsp. garlic chopped fine
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (how spicy do you like yours)? test it out until desired heat level. Cafe Rio has theirs moderately spicy.
1 tsp. lime juice

Combine all into blender and blend until smooth. If it is thin, it will thicken in fridge. Enjoy!

Kale Chips

These are just like potato chips, but Much healthier I must say! They are so thin and crispy and hold their shape well. To make these, remove the stem from each layer of kale. Then use big hunks of kale, brushed with olive oil. Add a little sea salt spread evenly and thinly over each kale peice. Bake at 350 for 12 min. Delicious!!

Fruit Pizza With Strawberry Cream

Fruit pizza is a great dessert in my opinion. You can use a variety of different fruits, with summer fruits being the best in season. A huge sugar cookie, topped with strawberry cream, then a variety of different fruits sliced like pizza.

Fruit Pizza

For the sugar cookie crust (my own recipe)

2 c. flour
1 egg
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. milk
1/2 T. lemon juice

Preheat to 375. In a large bowl, combine butter, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix on medium. Add milk, baking powder and lemon juice and mix as well. Add flour and mix. On a round pizza baking sheet, grease pan and then lay dough in pan and spread. Top with about 1 T. flour and pat down with your hands until spread evenly. Bake for about 8 minutes or until firm. Allow to cool.

For Strawberry Cream Whipped Topping
1 small carton of whipping cream or heavy cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
Mix on medium to high until set well. Allow to chill in fridge for about 1/2 hour. Then add about 1 c. of strawberry yogurt and mix on medium speed until creamy.
Spread over cooled cookie crust. Then top with your choice of fruits. Suggestions are: kiwi, strawberry, banana, peach, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

Easy Eggrolls

These egg rolls were simple to make and took less then 10 min. to make. Perfect crisp and dipped in the Thai ginger, garlic and chili sauce from the previous recipe. You may use any egg roll recipe, but I used the following:

To make about 4 egg rolls, you will need: (you can make up to 10 egg rolls with the egg roll wraps, so if you want to make more, just use more cabbage, carrots and meat.

1 package of egg roll wraps, available in most produce isles in refrigerated section next to salads and tofu.
1 1/2 c. well chopped cabbage (a food chopper works great for this)
1 large carrot or about 5 baby carrots, chopped fine with cabbage.
2 chicken breasts, cooked
oyster sauce (optional, if you choose to use sauce, follow directions on back of the egg roll wrap recipe)
1/2 c. bean sprouts, chopped
Cooking oil
combine carrots and cabbage together into chopper. Chop chicken into small cubes.
Pull out an egg roll wrap and spoon about 2 T. of cabbage mixture and chicken into wrap. Wet each side of wrap with water and fold like an envelope to pull up to seal tight. Heat oil on medium heat and then place egg roll into oil. Turn sides of egg roll(s) while in heated oil.

Once all crip, place on paper towl and serve. I recommend you use Thai ginger, garlic and chili sauce, plum sauce, sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce.

Thai Ginger, Garlic and Chili Rice Noodles and Chicken With Veggies

Here are a few fact about me. My favorite foods are: 1. Thai Food, 2. Chinese Food, 3. Japanese Food, 4. Mongolian Food and 5. Mexican food. It is definately worth visiting Asia or Mexico just for the food! The nice thing about the Western culture, is many of these ethnic foods are here in our country, available to make in our own kitchens or eat at a restaurant. I am a newbie at learning how to making many Asian dishes, but I am always open on perfecting my cooking skills in that area. This Thai dish is amazingly good with the tender rice noodles and the blended flavors of ginger, garlic and chili. The veggie stir-fry I added along with chicken added protein and fiber as well as nutrition and heartiness to the meal.

To make this meal, you will need:

4 T. of ginger, garlic and chili Thai sauce (found in Asian food isle next to soy sauces).
1 package of rice sticks (" ")
1/2 package of stir-fry (if you can find a Asian blend, that would be ideal)
2. T oil
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
3-4 chicken breast tenders, cut into strips

Begin by boiling water. Add rice sticks and then allow to sit off of heat for about 10 min. Cook chicken and then cut into strips and set aside. Meanwhile add oil to large pan and heat. Add stir fry veggies, cilantro and sauce. Mix in chicken and stir. Once warm and ready, add to rice noodles. Other variations to this meal are: Cooked shrimp (Thai dishes often have shrimp).

Easy Kettle Korn

In a medium to large saucepan, do the following:

1/4 c. oil (veg, canola, olive, ect)
1/8 c. sugar
a pinch of salt or about 1/8 tsp.
Heat the two on medium high until bubbles, then add:
1/4 c. kernals
then put the lid on pan and wait until you hear a popping sound and then lift the pan off heat and shake. Wait until popping subsides. If you don't hear much popping going on, put back on heat until you hear the popping again(only if needed). Enjoy as a snack.

100 Recipes I've Posted!

I have already posted 100 recipes on here. I hope you are enjoying the recipes, or some of them anyway. Hopefully in due time I will reach my 200th recipe and so on. I love to cook, bake and make up creations. My goal is too eat healthy, but still enjoy and embrace my sweet tooth (which is all the time) in all moderation. To check on former recipes, go to the monthly archive on the right and click on month to view recipes. Here are a few of my favorites that I highly recommend:

Top Choices:
Kale and Sausage Soup(From August)Incredibly good.
Bean, Veggie and Lime Dip (from January.
Mango Salsa (January).
Dinner in a Pumpkin (January) I made this during Halloween, but posted it in January).
Hamburger or Turkey Rolls (April)
Cheeseball (January)
Bruschetta (January)

Desserts
Gourmet Cupcakes (March)
Cheesecake Bars and Bites (August)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups (January)
The Best Peanut Butter Bars (January)
Cherry Cordial Brownie Cookies (January)

Kale and Sausage Soup (My New Favorite)

The soup simmering in crockpot

I have purchased kale a lot this summer. I don't think many people have the slightest inkling of what to do with kale besides use it as a garnish. It taste awful raw! According to screwtips (food in medicine), "Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein." The site also states, "The “Icing on the Kale” are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer." (screwtips, food in medicine online)

I made up this delicous soup that was so fantastically flavorful you would be suprised at the nutrition. I added turkey sausage and other veggies and even my husband went back for seconds as well as myself. Please make this soup, I promise you will love it!

Please ignore the picture. It taste so much better then it looks on camera, and my camera doesn't take the best of professional looking pictures.

You will need:

6 sausage links or turkey sausage links (cooked on stove and then sliced into peices)
1 whole medium to large potato, peeled and then cubed or chopped
1/2 c. chopped carrots
2 c. chopped raw kale
2 cans of chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 c. water

In a crockpot or on the stove combine all ingrediants. Stir and allow to simmer in crockpot for 4-6 hours. On stove, I recommend you cook on medium low heat and just keep your eyeballs out to make sure veggies are tender. Once tender, you are ready to eat!

Berry Cheesecake

If you love and adore cheesecake as much as I do, you will love this summerish, refreshing dessert. I loove the no-bake cheesecakes! To make this, use the former cheesecake recipe from this blog (a few posts down). If you want your cheesecake slightly thicker, You will adapt by adding 3 packages of cream cheese, 1 and 1/2 packet (envelope) of unflavored gelatin, 1 c. sugar, and 1 1/4c. boiling hot water. You can add any berry choice you like. I added fresh blueberries and strawberries and made sure they were extra sweet so I wouldn't have to add additional sugar. I heated the berries on low heat in a sauce pan and then allowed them to cool. I topped the cheesecake with the berries and then endulged in this luxious creation!!

Creamy Cilantro Chicken Taco Bake

You can change this and use small flour tortillas instead and call them "burrito bake" if you like. For this recipe, you will need:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 bunch of chopped cilantro
1/2 c. sour cream

Combine these three into a blender until well blended. Next you need:

4-5 chicken breast tenders, cooked and shredded
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper (optional)
1 can of Great Northern Beans, drained
2 c. grated mozerilla cheese
12-15 corn tortillas (or flour tortillas if you choose to make burritos instead)

Preheat 350. Microwave corn tortillas for about 25 sec. Once warm, add creamy cilantro mixture, shredded chicken, beans, onions and cheese. Fold tortillas so they look like tacos and place on foiled cassorole. If you choose to make burritos, roll them up and do the same. Bake for 20 minutes!

Marion Berry Cheesecake Bars & Lemon Curd Cheesecake Bites

I made Marion Berry Cheesecake Bars to take to a family reunion. They were easy to make and chilled well in the fridge (no bake is nice). I topped the cheesecake with marion berry jam. For the lemon cheesecake bites, I filled each cupcake liner with a graham-cracker crust, then spooned a top of that cheesecake filling, then drizzeled lemon curd on top of each bite. If you love cheesecake, why not make these adorable treats!

For either cheesecake bars or bites you will need the following:

For crust:

1 1/4 c. finely crushed graham crackers
5 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. In either a food processor or by hand, finely crush graham crakers until they are fine. Add melted butter and pour onto a 8 x 8 baking pan that has been greased. Mold down by pressing down. Bake for about 8-10 min. If you choose to cheesecake bites in a cupcake liner, press down graham cracker mixture into each liner about 1/2 inch into liner.

For cheesecake filling:

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 packet of unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 c. boiled hot water

put one package of gelatin into medium sized bowl. Add sugar and hot water. Stir and allow gelatin to dissolve for about 5 min. Stir until all dissolved. In a large bowl, add soft cream cheese and vanilla, then add gelatin mixture. Beat on low until smooth. Pour mixture onto baked graham crust either in pan or cupcake liners. Chill in fridge for up to 3 hours.

Lemon curd:
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. butter
1 T. heavy cream or sour cream
1 egg and 1 egg yolk (from mykitchen cafe recipe (she didn't add sour cream, but I did since I didn't have heavy cream on hand).

In a sauce pan add eggs and whisk. Add sugar and lemon juice and stir on medium low heat for about 5 min. Add cream and butter and stir for another 2 min or so. Let mixture set in fridge for about 10 min. Pour mixture on cheesecake after cheesecake has set for about 2 hours.

Or:

Marion Berry Jam or any other jam flavor you like. Microwave about 1/4 c. of your favorite jam (I used Marion Berry) for about 10 sec. Pour into a funnel and drizzel over cheesecake once cheesecake has set. Put cheesecake back into fridge to allow to cool for additional time until ready to serve.

Hearty Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies With Special Dark Chocolate Chips

These cookies are so rich and scrumptious I just had to share. I decided to make these with whole wheat flour, different from the traditional cookie made with white flour. After they came out of the oven, I couldn't believe how perfect they were. I used and highly recommend you make these with Wheat Mountain Bronze Chief, 100% whole wheat flour. The chocolate chips were the special dark and added just the right dark chocolate bitter sweetness combined with the oatmeal, brown sugar and crushed life cereal which I decided to add in for extra heartiness. I hope you decide to try them. An added bonus is they are healthy. The added fiber combined with the sugar slows down the sugar absorbtion in the body. You can eat all you want and get your fiber and dark chocolate anti-oxidents for the day! A final few words are, you can eat healthy by adding just the right ingrediants to your recipe.

Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate chips

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. crushed life cereal
1/2 bag of special dark chocolate chips (or add the entire bag if you like extra chocolate)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. melted butter

Preheat to 350. In a medium sized bowl, whisp the egg, add the white and brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix well. In a large bowl, add flour and baking soda, mix and then add egg and sugar mixture. Mix and then add melted butter and salt. Add oatmeal and life cereal and then mix in chocolate chips. Spoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Dutch Oven Layered Chicken Enchiladas

There is something about cooking outdoors that makes food taste so good. Try these dutch oven enchiladas on your next camping adventure.

You will need (for about 4 people:
corn tortillas
1 can green chili enchilada sauce
5-6 chicken tenders
taco seasoning to taste
1/2 c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper or green chilis (optional)
shredded cheese of your choice

cook chicken tenders, recommended crockpot. Add taco seasoning with small amount of water and allow to simmer with chicken. Once chicken is cooked thorougly, shred chicken. Set aside. In bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, onions, peppers or diced chilis(optional) and sour cream. Stir together and then add shredded chicken to mixture.

On the bottom of the dutch oven, pour enchilada sauce and then lay out 4 corn tortillas flat on top of sauce. Top with mixture,


green chili enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
Next, add four more tortillas and lay flat on top of mixture.
Repeat until you have run out of mixture. Place dutch oven over flames and check on it in 30 min. If it is bubbling and crisp on top with melted cheese sizzling, you are ready to serve it!

If you love dutch oven cooking, here are other ideas for you to make.
Breakfast:
Mountain Man Breakfast: Hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, peppers, onions, and melted cheese

Dutch Oven Meals:
Dutch oven potatoes
pizza
Pulled chicken, bbq chicken and pork
Pot roast/veggies
lasagna
casseroles
Soup


Dutch Oven Desserts:
Peach cobbler or any fruit of your choice
Black forest w/cherries
Brownies and fudge
molten chocolate cake
Sweet Rolls
There are many more!

Thai Peanut Rice Noodles Stir Fry

This is an easy meal idea if you buy the Thai Peanut Stir-Fry Meal. You can choose to spice it up by adding:
shrimp, chicken or tofu
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1 tsp. lime juice
and chopped peanuts for the topping. This is a great, healthy meal and very light! If you want to try the gluten-free diet as I am, try this!

Raspberry Chipotle Pork

Raspberries. Chipotle. Two of my favorites, and combined, this is the ultimate flavor combo. Tender pork-chops from the crockpot. A must make meal!

2-4 lean pork-chops
1/2 c. raspberry chipotle sauce/marinade
1 package of chipotle seasoning
1 1/2 c. water

Allow to cook in crockpot on low, medium or high settings.

Cajun Quinoa

I was inspired to make this meal from a recipeout of the Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook. I did, however, add more ingrediants to recipe to enhance more flavor. If you choose to make this, make sure you add the hominy, which really makes the meal. This meal was so good that I could easily go for seconds and thirds. So highly nutritious, packed with vegetables, protein and so much flavor. You absolutely must make this meal. Quinoa is fairly new to most households. I was recommended it by my mom who said it was fabulous, and it is!

Cajun Quinoa

1/4-1/2 c. olive oil
1 can of Golden Hominy
1/2 c. chopped yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 c. rinsed and drained quinoa
2 c. water
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. shredded carrots
1 tsp. cajun seasoning (if you don't have any cajon seasoning, you can substitute 1/2tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp. red pepper powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. chopped zucchini
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. chopped scallions



In large sauce pan, saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil. Add quinoa, two cups of water, carrots, cajun seasoning and garlic and onion powder. Bring to boil, then add chopped zucchini. Cover and allow to simmer. Once quinoa has absorbed all water, add chicken broth and stir. Cover again and allow to simmer until all veggies are tender. Once tender and quinoa is soft, add hominy, and scallions and tomatoes. Allow to simmer for about 5 more minutes, covered. Enjoy!

Spicy Lentil and Black Beans

Dr. Oz has convinced me to eat my lentils. You can choose to make this meal spicy or not. I made this the other night. If you made the black beans over rice meal, you will be sure to like this. I served this over quinoa and it was great!

Spicy (or not) Lentil and Black Beans

About 2 c. of dried lentils
6 T. olive oil
1 can black beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped green peppers
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. chopped yellow onion
1 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. chopped scallions
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder. (optional) I used 90,000 heat units.

Cook lentils as instructed on package. In large saucepan, saute yellow onion, garlic and green pepper. Add lentils once cooked, black beans, tomato, broth and seasonings. Once to a boil, reduce and simmer covered for about 40 min, or until thickened. Right before serving, add cilantro and scallions and allow to simmer on low for an additional 5 minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa for a great, nutritious meal.

Ginger, Garlic And Pork Stir-Fry

This dish was amazingly fantastic and I thought I would share. I invented this myself and was thrilled at how great it turned out. I started by heating about 4 T. olive oil, then added frozen green beans, garlic, and chopped cabbage. I added fresh chopped cilantro, added chicken broth, soy sauce, seasonings and ginger. Voila! Everything created a perfect balance of delicate flavors and textures. The pork chops were cooked on the grill and added the most perfect flavor with all the vegetables and seasonings. This meal was a A+.

Ginger, Garlic and Pork Stir-fry

4 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 c. cilantro chopped
1/2 of a head of cabbage, chopped
1 carrot, shredded into strips (use a potato peeler)
1 c. frozen green beans
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/8. c. soy sauce
Saute all vegetables except for cilantro. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, seasonings and then add cilantro and meat and stir into stir-fry mixture. Stir and allow to heat for 5 more additional minutes on medium heat. Serve over rice. Top with sesame seeds if you like.

Pork Chops
Add a little soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder and onion powder to taste. Grill and then slice into thin strips for stir-fry.

Lemon Cherry Chill

This drink is awesomely refreshing on a hot summer's day. It is so easy to make. All you need is fresh cherries, lemonade powder mix (or make your own fresh lemonade) and a ice-cubes.

In a blender combine the following:
1 scoop powdered lemonade
6-10 ice-cubes
4 or more large cherries
1/2 c. water or seven up
Blend until mixed and serve chilled.

Awesome Summer Salad

This summer I will be eating lots of salads. In my effort to decrease the amounts of carbs/glutin in my diet, I will be turning to the greens to feel great! This salad has literally everything but the kitchen sink. You don't have to be precise when creating a salad, just use what you have if you need to.

Summer Salad Serves about 4

1 head of rommaine lettuce or mixed greens
4-5 large strawberries, chopped
chopped carrots
sliced cucumber
chopped red onion
1 large avocado, sliced
chopped olives
cherry tomatoes or sliced tomatoes
soybeans
peas
marinated artichokes (available at Costco)
lemon wedges
Chopped meat of your choice, I added canned salmon, of course. (Got to have the protein, or you make not get as full)
Grated cheese of your choice
(add whatever else you like such as sliced green grapes, chopped almonds, dried cranberries, chopped apples, pecans, etc. Enjoy your salad)!

Classic and Tasty Crockpot Chili

Chili can be eaten anytime during the year, don't you think? I love chili topped with grated cheese and crackers/chips. Simmering in the crockpot, the aromas just captivate your senses.

Crockpot Chili

1 c. black beans (canned or packaged) If packaged, I recommend you soak them for about 24 hours before you place in crockpot.
1 c. red beans or kidney beans ""
1 c. pinto beans ""
1 small 12 oz can of tomato paste
1 package of turkey meat
3 cans of diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped onion
1-2 packages of chili powder
2 T. chili sauce (optional)
1/4 c. water

Brown Turkey first, add to everthing else in crockpot and let simmer for about 6-8 hours or heat on either high or low settings in crockpot. Enjoy with cheese, crackers and/or chips.

Easy Crockpot Pot Roast

We had this for our anniversary dinner and it was fabulous. My other half made this meal, and he used angus roast, chopped carrots and potatoes (peeled), add 1 package onion soup mix, and about 3 c. water. Make sure water is even with potatoes and carrots. Allow to cook on low 8-10 hours. The pot roast comes out so tender and perfect.

Fondue Date Night

A few nights ago, we had a fondue date night. It was a lot of fun and I recommend it to anyone for a great, unique experience. We purchased the Wilton Chocolate fondue (for chocolate fountains or melting pots). This chocolate taste great if you want to try it. For our cheese fondue, we used 1 can of cheddar cheese soup, and 2 c. of sharp cheddar cheese. We allowed fondue to melt in a small crock-pot. The cheese fondue turned out perfect!! Our dippers included celery sticks, french bread, chicken tenders, and cucumbers. For dessert, we had chocolate fondue, and our dippers included, brownie bites, marshmallows, strawberries (which I liked the best)and bananas. The night was great and a great experience overall!!

Dark Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Fudge!

I made these lil cakes in custard cups. Each person got their own individual cake vs. the traditional cutting, slicing cake other option. These cakes weren't exactly molten chocolate, but very similiar. If you want to make molten chocolate cake, the custard cups are a great choice. You can always take the cake out and call them molten lava cakes!!

Easy, you will need:
1 box chocolate fudge or dark chocolate cake
follow recipe on box.
1 jar of Hershey's Dark Chocolate Fudge topping (found in ice-cream isle with other ice-cream toppings.)
Oven safe custard cups
Grease each custard cup, and the pour a puddle of fudge on the bottom of each cup. Add batter and then more fudge and then more batter and then on top of the cake, more fudge. Bake the cups for about 30 min. Toothpick it to check middle. Make sure cake is done.
Top with more hot fudge, whip cream, caramel, cherries or anything else you like.

Hamburger Or Turkey Stuffed Rolls Repost (Made with ground turkey meat this time)

An absolute favorite of mine since the 7th grade. These stuffed rolls have been in my life many times and will until I am 101. These rolls are so good, I could eat 4. Imagine eating a mushroom burger loaded with cheese, but having something that taste yummier and healthier too. I love them and you will too if you promise to make them.

Hamburger or Ground Turkey Stuffed Rolls

1 pound of lean turkey or hamburger meat
1/2 c. chopped onions
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (I used 1 1/2 c. of soup, and will save the other half for something else).
1 tsp. onion powder
1 pck. cheddar cheese (zero saturated fat, now available at Wal-mart).
about 2 dozens hard rolls
foil for wrapping

brown meat in skillet, add onions and powder. Add soup. Once done, cut a hole in each roll and stuff with mixture, add cheese to your liking and then replace the bread that was cut to make the hole. Stuff all rolls and then wrap individually in foil and bake at 350 for about 20 min. (pictured above: jumbo rolls made with french bread)

Taco Soup

Taco soup is a must have since I loooove anything with tomatoes. This soup is so quick to make. Perfect for a cold day, or any day for that matter! I used the taco seasoned turkey meat, potatoes and cilantro from my previous post and just cut the meal in half adding part of the mixture to the soup and the other part for burritos. Isn't that cool?!

Taco Soup
1 pound of taco seasoned lean turkey or hamburger meat (use all or half it like I did for another meal)
1/2 c. cilantro
1 large potato cubed
Cook meat thorougly, add potatoes, then add cilantro last (once meat and potatoes are cooked).
Add:
1 can of diced petite tomatoes
1 can of black beans
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. water
1 T. olive oil
Let simmer until done. Top with corn chips, cheese, sour cream, avocado, or anything your heart desires.

Taco seasoned Ground Turkey, Potatoes and Cilantro

This is a great combination of flavors. Take ground turkey meat, add taco seasoning, cubed potatoes, and chopped cilantro. Add on corn or flour tortillas for a hearty burrito.

1 pound of lean turkey or lean hamburger meat
1 large potato cubed
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
taco seasoning to taste
cook meat, then add potatoes. Add cilantro to mixture once turkey/hamb. and potatoes are well cooked.