Pineapple Salsa Chicken (Crockpot)

2 pounds chicken breasts (thawed) 1/2 cup mild salsa 1 cup brown sugar 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained 1 15 oz. can sweet corn, rinsed & drained 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon salt Garnishes (optional) Rice tortilla chips taco shells sour cream cheese Tomatoes Avocados lettuce Place the chicken in the slow cooker then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high 4-6 hours. When chicken can shred easily, remove to a cutting board and shred. Mix the chicken back in the crockpot and allow to cook 30 more minutes. Serve chicken over rice or in tortillas, on salad, etc. with desired garnishes.   Note: You can also use bottled chicken and just warm everything on the stovetop.

Three Coleslaw

• 4 cups of cabbage, shredded
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• Or instead use a bag of coleslaw
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp mustard (optional)
• ¼ cup sugar
• Dash of paprika
• Dash of salt (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients except paprika in a medium serving bowl.
2. Sprinkle paprika over top.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Won’t seem like much dressing but it creates more on its own in the fridge.

Ranch BLT Salad

Ranch BLT Salad

8 ounces rotini or other short pasta
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 package Ranch dressing mix
4 tablespoons milk
1 cup tomatoes
1 avocado cubed
1 cup cubed cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Ranch dressing mix and milk.
3. Stir pasta into dressing mixture, along with tomatoes, cheese, avocado, bacon, and chicken.
4. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. If making the day before, stir in lettuce just before serving.

Texas Cake and Carmel Icing

Texas Cake with Carmel Icing

Texas Cake
Boil & add to below mixture warm.
   1 cup butter or margarine
   1/4 cup cocoa
   1 cup water

Mix
   2 1/2 cups flour
   2 cups sugar
   3/4 to 1 cup sour cream
   1 teaspoon baking soda
   2 eggs
   1 tsp vanilla

Bake at 400 for 18 minutes in a greased cookie sheet.

Carmel Icing - this is my great-grandma Nola Larsen's recipe
1 cube maragine or butter
1 cup brown sugar
Boil for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup milk. Bring to boil again. Cool to lukewarm and then add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar.  Frost cake and enjoy!

Chocolate Pancakes/Waffles

Chocolate Pancakes

1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all together until mostly smooth.  Cook until golden brown on a skillet. Enjoy!

Brownies!

My friend from Ukraine makes these brownies and they are to die for. Perfect combination of chocolate, sweet, and a touch of salt. The only problem is she doesn't have a time and temperature. When I asked about that she just said "until they are done." So she gave me a guess and that's what is in this recipe so just make sure you check it and "cook it til it's done!" The other good thing about these is they are flexible with what type of ingredients you use. She taught me to substitute all the butter for coconut oil and she also uses caco and sugar in the raw. So they are healthy-er. They are seriously so good! You have to make them!

(Ok that's not my pic, but a picture makes a blog post better and doesn't this make you want to go eat make brownies?!)

BROWNIES

Cream together:

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Combine:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients into wet. Not the other way around.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

So good!

Make these!

Now!

Crepes

Crepes

Batter:
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon oil

Combine everything in a bowl. Beat till well mixed. Heat a lightly greased small skillet. Spoon in about 2 Tablespoons or so of batter; remove from heat; lift and tilt skillet to spread batter. Return to heat. Once it starts to bubble flip it over and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat filling ingredients together. Spread onto the crepes like butter. Place strawberries on filling. Roll up like a burrito and enjoy.

Toppings....This is where you get to be creative! Here are some things we have tried:
Most fresh or canned fruits
Jam
Butter & Powdered Sugar
Nutella
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Yogurt
You get the idea :)

Cake Mix Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Cake Mix Butterscotch Chip Cookies

1 cake mix any kind
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup butterscotch chips

Mix all together. Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet or spread all over sheet for pan cookies (turns out super fluffy like a yummy cake). Drop cookies bake 10 minutes. Pan cookies bake 15-18 minutes.

Chicken Salad Cups & Pop Ups Rolls

Chicken Salad Cups 

1 1/2 Cups Cooked, Cubed Chicken
2 Tablespoons Salad Dressing
Dash Ground Ginger
1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Batch Pop Up Roll Recipe

Heat oven to 375. Grease a muffin pan and put a spoonful of pop up roll dough in each cup. Mix other ingredients together in a small bowl. Spoon chicken mixture into muffin cups on top of dough. Bake 14 to 19 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Enjoy!

Pop Up Rolls

3 Cups Flour (may need an extra spoonful so it isn't so sticky)
4 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Milk
6 Tablespoons Sugar
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

Mix all together in a bowl. Drop on cookie sheet by spoonful. Bake at 375 for 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Other uses:
Mini Hamburgers-just like Chicken Salad Cups but make taco meat instead of chicken salad mixture
BBQ Chicken Cups
Pizza Crust-spread as thin as possible

Dumplings

Lazy Man Toast and Special K Treats

This is what we had at Bunco Thursday night: Lazy Man Toast & Cinnamon and Sugar French Toast with either Maple, Strawberry, or Raspberry syrup and for dessert Special K Treats.

I haven't posted anything on any blogs for over a year now I have posted how many times? 3 in 1 week.  I go through stages I guess ;)  Anyways I love this time of year.  Especially Egg Nog.

Lazy Man Toast

Pour Pumpkin Spice Egg Nog into container. Dip bread in it. Cook like french toast.

We really like this too bad it is seasonal.  We call it lazy man toast because you don't have to break an egg, pour the milk, add spices, then beat it all together. Just one simple step.

Special K Treats

Mix until melted:
1 1/2 cubes margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add until melted:
1 16 oz bag miniature marshmallows (can use large marshmallows but they melt slower so treat is harder)

Remove from heat. Stir in about 5 to 6 cups Special K cereal to desired consitency. Drop onto wax paper. Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!