Garden Harvest Squares

This is in my Pilsbury Cookbook and I have been making it for 10 years now. It makes a great party appetizer. Creamy dill spread with crisp fresh veggies on a flaky dough crust - yes, it just melts in your mouth!

Garden Harvest Squares

• 2 (8 oz) can crescent rolls
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 20 small broccoli florets
• 20 cucumber or zucchini slices
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• fresh parsley or basil for garnish

Heat oven to 375 degrees.Unroll dough into 4 long
rectangles. Place crosswise in ungreased jelly roll
pan; press over bottom and 1 inch up sides to form
crust. Firmly press perforations to seal. Bake at
375 for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool
completely. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour
cream, dill and garlic powder; blend until smooth.
Spread evenly over cooled crust. Cover; refrigerate
1 to 2 hours. Just before serving, cut into 1 inch
squares. Garnish as desired with broccoli,cucumber,
tomatoes and parsley/basil.

Side Note: I cut mine very large in photo above. I always drizzle a sweet
balsamic syrup over them right before I serve.

Baked Crab/Bacon Rangoon

This is the perfect party appetizer. Its warm, creamy and crispy! If you are not a fan of crab then substitute it with real crumbled bacon bits. If you do use the crab do not use immitation, it's just not the same.This is always a hit!

Baked Crab/Bacon Rangoon

• 1 can (6 oz) white crab meat drained and flaked or (1/2 cup real bacon bits)
• 1 block cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 12 Wonton wrappers

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix crab meat/bacon, cream cheese spread, onions, lemon juice and mayo. Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup, allowing edges of wrappers to extend above sides of cups. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture. Bake 18 to 20 min. or until edges are golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve warm. Garnish with chopped green onions or crumbled bacon if desired.

Red, White and Blue Slaw

I think I found this on the Kraft Foods website a few years ago and it is so yummy. If you are not a fan of blue cheese you can use Fetta as it is not as strong. This is so yummy!

Red, White and Blue Slaw

• 6 cups green cabbage chopped
• 6 slices bacon, cooked
• 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (or Fetta)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered
• 3/4 cup Kraft coleslaw dressing (I make mine from scratch)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Zucchini Crusted Pizza

This is so delicious and can be so much more healthier than regular pizza depending on the toppings you use. It's a great way to use zucchini and it is super delicious! I love that it is not as filling as regular pizza so you don't feel stuffed after one slice. This is another recipe from my mom's ward cookbook. This one was contributed by Jerilyn Hoist. I added a lot more to it to make it super yummy.

Heart Healthy Tip: Replace eggs with 1/2 cup of egg whites. Omit cheese.

Zucchini Crusted Pizza

• 3 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
• 1 tsp Basil, Italian herbs, onion powder and garlic powder

After you shred zucchini in food processor, place in a strainer and sprinkle salt over it. Let it sit in the sink or 15 minutes until water is drained and absorbed.

Combine all ingredients together including zucchini. Grease a 13X9 inch pan or use a pizza pan or stoneware. Spread ingredients over and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Spread spaghetti sauce on crust. Top with artichoke hearts, sliced onions, spinach leaves, sliced tomatoes, shredded Mozzarella and whatever else you'd like. Bake for another 20 minutes. Serve!

Chicken Juarez

This is super easy to make and very tasty. It reminds me of the sour cream enchiladas recipes but with a salsa flair and corn tortillas which gives it a whole new taste! Anything with cheese is always a hit at our house. I found this recipe in my mom's ward cookbook which is what I have been reading on my spare time. This recipe is from Marilee Funkhouser.

Chicken Juarez

• 1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups of cubed chicken, cooked
• 12 corn tortillas cut into 1 inch strips

Sauce:

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 6 oz medium heat salsa

Grease 9X13 inch pan. Mix sauce in a medium bowl. Layer tortilla strips, chicken, sauce, then cheese - alternately. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Artichoke Rice Salad

This is so delicious! It makes a great side dish with any meat entree. It's like Mediterranean meets Indian food. So much flavor! Yes, another recipe from my mom's ward cookbook - contributed by Rosalie Grip. I'm so glad I tried it. It's such a creative way to do rice. I did make a few additions that I felt made it even better!

Artichoke Rice Salad

• 1 pkg chicken flavored rice mix
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, minced
• 12 green olives, sliced
• 2 (6 oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts
• 1/4 tsp Curry Powder
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Cook rice according to package, omitting butter. Cool. Add onions, green pepper and olives. Drain artichoke hearts, save liquid. Mix curry, mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, artichoke liquid and add to rice. Add artichoke hearts. Refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with red tomato wedge.

Asian Beef & Broccoli

Another delicious recipe from my mom's ward cookbook. I have made similar recipes before but this had just the right flavor. I added my own little contribution to the noodles. I like mine flavored! I also made some changes to the original recipe.

This is a recipe from Linda Lee Parsons.

Asian Broccoli & Beef

Noodles:

• 8 oz whole wheat spaghetti noodles
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp corn starch
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce

Meat:

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 3/4 lb thin cut steak sliced into thin strips
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

Veggies:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets
• 2 cups of whole mushrooms, quartered
• 8 oz sliced water chestnuts
• pinch of salt

Boil noodles according to package. Heat a skillet and coat with noodle ingredients. Fry until completely coated and tender. Set aside covered.

Mix sauce ingredients together. Bring to a boil in a small saucepan. As soon as it reaches a rapid boil remove from heat and stir for one minute. Set aside.

Heat skillet and fry steak in steak ingredients for 3-4 minutes on high heat. Remove from skillet. Add vegetable ingredients and cook until tender. Add steak back into pan and toss with veggies. Pour sauce over and stir on low heat until everything is coated in sauce. Serve over noodles.

Dipped Fruit Kabobs

This is what I made all the moms in my life for Mother's Day. I didn't follow a recipe just came up with how to do it and ingredients myself. It was very simple. You can make mini kabobs and stack more fruit of each skewer and arrange beautifully on a platter or arrange them like this in a bouquet. I used my favorite chocolate which I just bought on the gourmet candy isle at Walmart. It melts and stays in a liquid form much longer than cheap chocolate. The cheaper the chocolate the waxier it is and the faster it hardens. If you have to keep reheating your chocolate to melt it in the microwave then it changes the chemistry of the chocolate and it becomes lumpy. My microwave has a special feature on it just for melting chocolate. Another option is using a double broiler which always works well or a fondue pot. Never melt your chocolate directly on the stove - it will burn.

Dipped Fruit Kabobs

• 1 fresh pineapple, cored and sliced into large chunks
• 1 container of fresh strawberries
• 1 bag toasted coconut marshmallows
• 1 bag of wooden skewers
• 1-2 bags of Dove Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate Promises
• 1-2 Lindt white chocolate bars
• 1 bag of crush walnuts or chocolate sprinkles

Place fruit and marshmallows on skewers. Melt milk and white chocolate in separate bowls. Begin dipping fruit in whatever combination you like. Double dipped, milk drizzled over white or white drizzled over milk, then sprinkle nuts or sprinkles on. Place in tall mason jars or vases and place in fridge to solidify. If you lay them down on counter it will mess up the backside. You'll want to keep them in large air tight containers until ready to serve to keep them fresh and avoid the marshmallows from drying out.

To make the bouquets head over to Hobby Lobby for some cute designs on tissue paper and fun colors for cellophane. You'll want to fasten thick wire or rubber bands around the bottom of your skewers to keep them together then wrap in tissue paper, cellophane and ribbon!

Raspberry & Peach Coconut Cream Pie Squares

So, when I find a good base recipe I can never help but try it several ways. This is the base recipe to my Best Banana Pudding recipe. My husband is
not a fan of
bananas so I made it again with raspberries (his favorite). I also added fresh peaches and coconut and made this fabulous ensemble. It's one of our most favorite deserts. You can substitute the fruit for your favorite pie filling or fruit in this recipe. Try strawberries, lemon pie filling (put lemon zest in the cream base filling), apple pie filling (put cinnamon in the cream base recipe) or whatever your taste buds desire. I think tarts fruits work best to balance out the sweet cream. I'd love to hear what you come up with!!

Raspberry & Peach Coconut Cream Pie Squares

• 2 bags of Pepperidge Farms Chessman cookies
• 1 carton fresh raspberries
• 2 cups fresh peaches, sliced
• 1 cup shredded coconut (divided)
• 1 tsp coconut extract
  
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5 0z) box instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 (8 oz) pkg of cream cheese softened
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 oz) cool whip or whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13X9 inch pan with one bag of cookies. Layer fruit on top then 1/2 cup of coconut. In a bowl combine milk and pudding. Blend until smooth. In another bowl combine cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture as well as coconut extract. Add this mixture to the pudding and mix stir well. Pour over the cookies and fruit. Top with remaining half cup of coconut. Layer other bag of cookies over the top. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Hot & Cheesy Crab Dip

I've made this a few times and it's delicious, hot and bubbly. It makes a great appetizer or party dish. If you don't like crab then leave it out or substitute it with something else. I use imitation crab because its cheaper though I do believe this dish tastes even better with the real deal. It's great on baguette slices or with wheat thins.

Hot & Cheesy Crab Dip

• 1 (16 oz) pkg Velveeta cheese product
• 1 large package of crab meat (flaked and drained)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried basil

Mix cheese, crab, onions and peppers in large microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes until completely melted, stirring after 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream and ground red pepper. Serve hot!

Cranberry Orange Pull Apart

So in case you haven't noticed my favorite books to read are cookbooks. Lately I have been reading my mom's ward cookbook and here is recipe that I have deemed as my favorite!! It was submitted by Dina Hinrichsen. This not only makes your house smell delicious and welcoming but it works well as a bribe tool to get your kids to be good! I set it on the table fresh out of the oven (after I have frosted it of course ) and let the family just dig in. The original recipe calls for orange rolls but they didn't have any at my Walmart so I bought cinnamon and then just added orange juice to the frosting. It turned out super yummy and moist! (Just be careful..I forgot to put the tinfoil on at the end of baking time and the tops of my rolls got singed a bit.) Just follow the directions below.

Cranberry Orange Pull Apart

• 12 Rhodes Orange Rolls (or cinnamon), thawed but still cold
• 1 small package of dried instant vanilla pudding
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 orange rind, grated
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1/2 orange, squeezed
• cream cheese frosting is included with the rolls

Cut rolls in half and roll in dried pudding mix. Arrange, alternately with cranberries and orange rind in large Bundt pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Sprinkle remaining pudding over rolls. Pour melted butter over top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. During the last 15 minutes cover with tin foil to avoid burning on the top. Immediately invert into a platter. Add orange juice to cream cheese frosting and drizzle over top.

Crock Pot Cream Chicken

I think this is a recipe that everyone owns in some form or another. I have a few different versions of it myself. It is so delicious.You can serve it on rice or noodles but I prefer serving it over steamed broccoli.

This recipe is perfect for days when you know you have zero time to cook but want a nice dinner. You can throw the chicken breasts in the pot while they are frozen and a few hours later you have a nice meal.

Crock Pot Cream Chicken

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 packet of dried Italian dressing mix

Place all ingredients in a crock pot and simmer on high for 3-4 hours.

Best Ever Taco Meat

I found this recipe in my mom's ward cookbook. I added 5 additional ingredients and I really do think this is now the best taco meat ever! Put it on tacos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas, or quesadillas.

Best Ever Taco Meat

• 1-2 lbs ground beef or turkey
• 1 bottle La Victoria mild green taco sauce
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

Brown hamburger and diced onion. Mix in soup, sauce and remaining ingredients. Let simmer until desired
thickness. Enjoy!

Citrus Splash Crab Salad

This is perfect for a light spring supper. I love fresh salads that burst with flavor and this does just that. I created it on a whim and it was definitely blog worthy.

The crab has a a juicy sweetness that compliments the citrus very well. Next time I might add some marinated artichoke hearts! Serve it with a warm loaf of sour dough cheese bread.















Citrus Splash Crab Salad

• 1 pkg flaked imitation crab meat
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 3 sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
• juice from 1 large fresh lemon
• 3 Tbsp Mayo (made with olive oil)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a large salad bowl toss crab, mayo, 1/2 of lemon juice, garlic powder, basil, and oregano together. Add spinach, onions mushrooms and cheese. Toss well. Add remaining lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Toss and chill or serve right away. Serve it with a warm loaf of sour dough cheese bread.

Yummy Tip for the Week

I bought these new Fire Roasted Chipotle Tostito Artisan chips. They have zero trans fat and are made with all natural ingredients. Try them as a taco salad with fresh spring salad, fresh peach mango salsa (sold in the deli), your favorite taco meat or grilled chicken, guacamole, cheddar cheese, onions and cilantro vinaigrette.














Sweet Cilantro Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup of non fat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
  
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 tsp fresh minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 Tbsp honey
  
• 1/2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until creamy. Chill for 2 hours and serve.

Tin Foil Dinners

I love doing this with fish, chicken and fresh veggies. It's quick, easy, zero clean up and it steams the the food to perfection. The fish is flaky and juicy, no oil needed. However you can also just do veggies and coat them in olive oil, garlic, salt and herbs before putting in the tin foil.

I love to take salmon, onions, fresh tomatoes, dill and lemon pepper and bake at 375 degrees for 2o-25 minutes. Be sure to wrap the tin foil loosely. Do not seal it all the way. Leave an opening in the top for steam to exit. It should look like a bag that is partially closed.

For picky eaters it's fun to create a buffet of fresh veggies, spices and toppings. Let everyone put what they want in their dinner. It's fun and they will enjoy it even more.

White Velvet Bean Dip

Mmmm this is so satisfying. It's great with wheat crackers, tortilla, corn chips or sweet red bell peppers.

Try spreading this on baguette slices and topping with cheese for a delicious oven melt.





















White Velvet Bean Dip

• 1 can (15 ounces) white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 garlic cloves, roasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• pinch of salt
  

In a blender or food processor, add the beans, roasted garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Blend until smooth.

Homemade Wheat Thins

I really wanted to be able to make crackers from scratch. It's easy to eat a lot of wheat thins in one sitting so at least knowing what is in your wheat thins will help you not feel so guilty eating so many. these taste just as good as the real thing and it is so easy to do. I have a lot of wheat flour and sometimes I need more ideas of how to use it other than just bread, pancakes, waffles and muffins. This is a great way to use it up and I also recommend making a homemade dip. Your kids will really feel special and this will be a treat for them!

Later try adding Italian herbs, cracked pepper or cheese to make gourmet flavored crackers.


Homemade Wheat Thins

• 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ Tbsp honey
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. paprika
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• salt for topping

Combine the whole wheat flour, sugar, salt and paprika in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter thoroughly into the dry mixture until it looks like large crumbs, no bigger than a pea. Combine the water, honey and vanilla in a measuring cup - add to the flour mixture. Mix well until combined and dough forms, but only as long as necessary for the most tender crackers.

Lay parchment paper on your counter. Dust it with flour. Only use one fourth of the dough at a time. Roll the dough as evenly as you can rolling until the dough is as thin as possible without tearing. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut the dough into squares or triangles, about 1 1/2 inches each. Fork pokes make them look extra authentic.

Transfer parchment paper with cut cracker dough onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle crackers with salt and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Make sure they are crisp but remember they will harden even more as they cool. Allow them to cool uncovered. You can later store them in a bag to keep them fresh. Enjoy!

Air Whip

This is something I do when I either don't have whipped cream or we are trying to eat healthy. It tastes so fluffy, airy and light. It's just as pretty as cool whip yet it's so much better for you. I use the pasteurized liquid egg whites just to be safe. If you use regular eggs be sure to rinse them in hot water and clean them before cracking them. Make sure they are fresh and refrigerated. I have used regular eggs before and it turned out just fine. But you never know!

Also...sometimes when I make this I take a muffin pan and and fill each holder with a pretty dollop of this.Then I bake it at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes. This works best though if you bake it on what you will serving it on like a waffle or pudding etc. As soon as you try to scoop it out of the muffin tin it caves in easily. To keep it pretty and perfect you have to bake it on what you are serving.

Tip: To make it even more stiff you can add 1/2-1 tsp of cream of tartar.

Air Whip

• 2 cups liquid egg whites
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat with egg beaters in high until stiff peaks form. Serve right away or bake as a meringue. If you place int he fridge it generally holds it's stiffness for about 30 minutes. Eventually the tiny air bubbles pop and it turns back into liquid. So serve right away.

Best Banana Pudding

Mmmm!! This is one of my most favorite Spring/Easter recipes to make. It's a dish where your family will lick the pan clean. My husband isn't a banana fan but he'll eat this any day! It's definitely not heart friendly so be sure to eat super healthy before and after you enjoy this.

Best Banana Pudding

• 2 bags of Pepperidge Farms Chessman cookies
• 6-8 bananas sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5 0z) box instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 (8 oz) pkg of cream cheese softened
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 oz) cool whip or whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13X9 inch pan with one bag of cookies. Layer bananas on top. In a bowl combine milk and pudding. Blend until smooth. In another bowl combine cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Add this mixture to the pudding and mix stir well. Pour over the cookies and bananas. Layer other bag of cookies over the top. Refrigerate 2 hours.