{ Strawberry Shortcake Cookies }

These cookies are so stinkin good. They're like a mini portable version of the classic summer dessert! They also would make really good breakfast cookies! You must make them. Now.


Ingredients

2 cups of strawberries, diced into 1/4" peices
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon of sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
* Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or just use your fingers to 'rub' it in) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the heavy whipping cream slowly until the dough starts to come together. Now stir in the strawberry mixture. Using an ice cream scoop or similar size spoon make balls and place on cooking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with sugar.

Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on oven tempertures. Enjoy!

{ BLT Roll-Ups }

INGREDIENTS
6 9" garden spinach or tomato basil tortillas
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoon Ranch dressing
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded lettuce
3 roma tomatoes, diced

DIRECTIONS
Lay all tortillas out flat on a work surface. Combine the cream cheese and Ranch dressing in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Divide between the tortillas and spread in a thin, even layer over each. Sprinkle a sixth of the bacon, lettuce and tomato over each tortilla. Starting at one edge, roll each tortilla up tightly into a spiral shaped log. (If time allows wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for about 2 hours.) Slice each log into 1.5"-2" sections.

{ Yummy Strawberry Fruit Dip }

Ingredients:
1/4 to 1/3 container (8oz) of cool whip
1- 6 oz container of strawberry yogurt

Mix cool whip and yogurt together.
That's it! Enjoy!

Great for dipping apples, grapes and bananas. Yum, yum!

{ Banana Bread }

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 ripe large bananas (approximately 1 pound), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.)
Scrape batter into prepared pan and place the slices of banana on top of the batter for garnish. Bake until bread is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ETA: If you wanted you could throw in some walnuts or chocolate chips as well!

{ Delicious Thai Chicken Stir Fry }

1 bunch scallions
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (or 1 ½ tsp. dried)
¼ tsp. roasted red pepper flakes
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup salted roasted whole cashews
cooked white or brown rice for serving

Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into ¾ -inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar, then stir the mixture into the vegetables in the wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate. Serve with rice.

{ So Easy Taco Soup }

1 lb ground beef
1 Lg chopped onion, cooked with beef
2 cans kidney beans
1 can corn
1- 15oz can Ro-Tel
1- 15 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups water

Combine all ingredients and let simmer on low for 5-6 hours in the crock pot

{ Lemon Sugar Cookies }

4 cubes softened butter
3 eggs2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 c. flour

Frosting

1 cube softened butter

1 tsp. salt

1 T. milk

1 tsp. lemon extract

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1-2 drops desired food coloring

Whip until fluffy, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon extract. Slowly add soda, salt and flour one cup at a time. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Roll out on floured surface and cut as desired. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes at 375.

Frosting: Mix all ingredients until smooth.

{ Panda Express Orange Chicken }

Go to my other blog here for the best recipe for Orange Chicken ever!

{ Yummy Stuffed Mushrooms }

24 large button mushrooms (about 1 3/4 pounds)

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons chopped green onions

1 garlic clove, minced

4 ounces 50%-less-fat pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean 50% less fat)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese


Clean mushrooms, and remove stems; finely chop stems.Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add sausage, and cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the reserved mushroom stems, red pepper, salt, and black pepper; sauté 2 minutes or until stems are tender. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and breadcrumbs. Stuff 1 tablespoon sausage mixture into each mushroom cap. Arrange mushroom caps in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with Parmesan. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and thoroughly heated.

{ Seven Layer Dip }

Refried beans, either canned (15 oz) or homemade
2 ripe avocados
1/2 Tsp cumin
Hot sauce
Juice of one lime
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 Cups sour cream
2 Cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 large tomato, chopped
Shredded romaine lettuce
1 small can of sliced black olives
2-3 green onions, chopped

To assemble the dip, place the refried beans down first, next add the guacamole layer, followed by the sour cream, lettuce, cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes, black olives and chopped green onions.

{ Fresh Homemade Slasa }

3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 sweet onion
2 jalapenos, seeded
2 handfuls of cilantro
2 garlic cloves
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste


Combine all the ingredients in your food processor and chop to your desired consistency. I had to do mine in 2 batches since I have a small food processor.

Serve with chips.

{ Peanut Butter Bars }

1 c. butter
1 c peanut butter
2 c graham cracker crumbs
2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 c semi-sweet choc chips
4 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions

Melt butter & 1 c peanut butter. Add graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. Press into ungreased 9"x 13" pan. Melt choco chips with 4 Tbsp peanut butter (either on stovetop or microwave) and spread on top of graham cracker mixture. Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

{ Fruit Kabobs & Yummy Coconut Pineapple Dip }

I made this two weeks ago for a girls night party and it was actually really good....and I don't even like coconut!


2 TBS. virgin coconut oil
1/2 c. frozen pineapple juice concentrate
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. coconut flakes

Mix above ingredients until smooth. Put in a bowl to serve the dip, topping with Fruit Kabobs

Fruit Kabobs

1 whole, fresh pineapple
1-2 pints strawberries
2 large mangoes
Substitute other favorite fruits: Melon, kiwis, etc.
15-20 bamboo skewers

Pretty much just cut them into chunks and stuff them on there however you want!

{ Chicken and Black Bean Tostizzas }

This recipe came from a Pillsbury Cookbook but it is SOOO good!

1 can large refrigerated flaky biscuits

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

1 cup diced cooked chicken

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cumin

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup green or red bell pepper strips

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

guacamole

sour cream

Separate dough into 8 biscuits (my can had 10). On ungreased cookie sheets, press or roll each biscuit into 5 1/2 inch circle (mine were not that big, maybe 4 inches max). In medium bowl, combine salsa, chicken, black beans, cilantro and cumin; mix well. Spread evenly over biscuits to within 1/4 inch of edges. Top evenly with green onions, bell peper strips and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted. To serve, garnish with sour cream and guacamole.

Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions~

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies

Mmmmmm...I just made the most delish pumpkin chocolate chip cookies EVER and so easy! Here's what you gotta do~

1 box of Spice Cake mix (prepared the way the book says)
1 can of pumpkin
1 bag of chocolate chips
Bake for 8-12 minutes at 350.

Seriously that's all. No really it is. When I say easy I mean easy.

{ Carrot Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting }

1 and 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 big grated carrots
1/4 teaspoon
3/4 cup of oil
-
Oil the baking dish lightly and sprinkle some flour over it and keep aside. Preheat Oven at 350 degrees. In a bowl add flour, sugar, salt and baking powder mix well. Now add vanilla extract and eggs mix very well..might take a minute. Add grated carrot and again mix well. Finally add oil and mix. Pour this mixture in the baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or till done. Keep checking.

{ Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip }

½ cup sour cream
½ cup margarine
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup cubed mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 package of frozen spinach (10 oz) thawed and squeezed of its juices
1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz) chopped

Combine all ingredients Place in shallow casserole dish. Bake at 325 degrees.

{ Cheesy Buffalo Dip }

8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup buffalo sauce ( I always get the Budweiser brand)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (shredded mozzarella cheese can be substituted)
2 cups chicken breast ( I just buy the Tyson Pre-Cooked strips in the bag by the salad stuff)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a deep baking dish, mix cream cheese, salad dress, buffalo sauce, and cheese. Stir until combined. Stir in chicken. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the dish is heated through.

Serve with crackers, pita chips, sliced bread or vegetables.

{ Broccoli Salad w/ Craisins }

5 - 6 cups fresh broccoli florets

1/2 cup craisins (may substitute raisins)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1/4 cup of red onion, chopped

1 cup of frozen peas, thawed

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

Combine broccoli florets, raisins, sunflower seeds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl or large cup, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar.Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill thoroughly before serving.

{ Feta and Mushroom Bread }

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for sprinkling

1 loaf of white crusty bread

8 portobello mushrooms, stalks removed

4 large tomatoes, quartered and seeded

8 oz feta cheese, about 1 cup crumbled

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

basil or sage, chopped to serve

Put the garlic into a small bowl, add olive oil, and mix. Smear or brush over both sides of the bread and transfer to a roasting pan. Put a mushroom on each slice of bread. Put 2 tomato quarters on each mushroom and sprinkle with crumbled feta. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper, then cook in preheated overn at 350 for 25 minutes until the bread is golden Top with your chosen herb and serve hot or warm.

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb hamburger
1 clove minced garlic
1 lb. fresh mushrooms ( sliced to desired thinckness)
1 chopped onion
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can beef broth
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 1/2 tsp. dry dill weed

Brown and drain hamburger. Set aside. Heat butter. Saute garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Slowly add flour, pepper, bouillon cubes, and broth. Boil then simmer 5 min. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat. Serve over rice or noodles.