Fruit Salsa and Chips by Amanada Cracroft

1 apple, cut into very small pieces

2 kiwi, cut into very small pieces

1 cup frozen mixed berries, thawed and put in blender just enough to break into small pieces (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

Sugar (to taste- i used Agave, one tablespoon)

Mix all together in a bowl and let “marinate” for a few hours.

Chips

Flour tortillas

butter (or cooking spray, or even spray water, to get the cinn and sugar to stick)

Cinnamon

Sugar

Butter the tortillas and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, then cut like pizzas. Bake in the oven 375 until slightly crispy (5-6 min). So yummy and easy!

Black Bean Salsa by Beth Ashton

This is one of our family’s favorite snacks. It can easily be made into a meal with a bed of lettuce or rolled into a tortilla or on top of a baked potato. It is also very portable so we often take it with us when we travel.

One thing that we should all know about me is that I do not measure. I chop tomatoes based on how many we have and then eyeball the amounts from there. I’ve tried to put measurements in here– but use them as general amounts– adjust by taste. I have to credit all my salsa-making skills to my brother-in-law, Ken. (The base of these measurements comes from his recipe.) When he joined the family, I developed a great love for fresh salsa– and now I *may* be accused of being a salsa-snob. (I mean really– store-bought salsa?? Who likes that stuff anyway?)

30 oz. Cooked black beans or canned– rinsed and drained

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup red onions, chopped

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice

1 tsp. cumin

1 diced avocado (optional)

Combine. Adjust seasonings to taste. Eat.

Ken recommends making a day in advanced so the flavors become more enhanced. But sometimes, I just can’t wait…

Apple Radish Salad by Amanada Cracroft

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

2 apples (thinly sliced with lemon, to prevent browning)

8 -10 radishes (thinly sliced)

½ red onion (thinly sliced)

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 T. red wine vinegar

about ¼ c. sour cream

1 t. poppy seeds

Chop Lettuce, Wash and place in bowl. Add the apples, radishes, and onions on top. Wisk dressing ingredients in bowl, mix salad and dressing right before serving…

Egg Bake Thing by Liz Ovitt Upton

Heat oven to 375

Spray 2 qt glass baking dish with cooking spray

In a 12 inch skillet, cook bacon over low heat 8 to 10 minutes turning occasionally, until crisp.

Drain on paper towels, crumble bacon, set aside.

In small bowl, mix apple and sugar. Spread in baking dish.

In medium bowl stir Bisquick mix, milk, and eggs until blneded. Pour over apple. Sprinkle with Cheese and bacon.

Bake uncovred 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Ingredients:

1 lb sliced bacon

1 medium apple (Braeburn, Gala, or Honeycrisp), peeled and chopped, (1 cup).

2 tbls. sugar

1 1/2 cups Bisquick mix

1 1/2 cups milk

4 eggs

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, (8 oz).

Fall Punch : looks more purple than this... by Suzie

Pure grape juice ( 1 bottle)

Lemonade with fresh mint ( 2 quarts- do in blender)

Orange juice ( 1 quart)

Limes slices and floating

2 liter bottle of Sprite ( or any lemon- lime)

Ice cubes

You can make this with apple juice, grape juice and orange juice if you want it to have an apple feel.

Pumpkin Cheese Ball by Suzie Romans

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 (8-ounce) blocks extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) container chive-and-onion cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 broccoli stalk
• Red and green apple wedges

Preparation

Combine Cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients in a bowl until blended. Cover and chill 4 hours or until mixture is firm enough to be shaped.

Shape mixture into a ball to resemble a pumpkin. Smooth entire outer surface with a frosting spatula or table knife. Make vertical grooves in ball, if desired, using fingertips.

Cut florets from broccoli stalk, and reserve for another use. Cut stalk to resemble a pumpkin stem, and press into top of cheese ball. Serve cheese ball with apple wedges.

Note: To make ahead, wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap without stalk, and store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Attach stalk before serving.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 2002

Autumn Pear Salad AKA Dragon Toe Nail Salad for Halloween from Amanda Cracroft

Dressing:

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Mix dressing ingredients in jar; shake well and refrigerate.

Salad:

½ head green leaf lettuce, washed and torn

½ head red leaf lettuce, washed and torn

2 ripe pears, thinly sliced

½ cup unsalted cashews, toasted

Couple handfuls dried cranberries

Optional: 2 oz. Asiago cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler

In salad bowl, combine greens and ¾ of the dressing. Arrange pears, cheese, cashews, and cranberries over top and drizzle on the remaining dressing. YUM!

Carrot Soup by Alixa Winn

6 large carrots pealed

blop of butter

4 cups chicken broth

one large apple

1 cup cream

1/4 tsp nutmeg

vadalia onion

cut carrots into 1/2 inch chunks. Put in a sauce pan with butter and 1 cup ck broth and onion. Cover and cook 20 min. While cooking peal and core and slice apple. Put apple in for last 5 minutes. remove from heat. let cool for about 10 minutes. put all in blender til smooth. stir in cream and nutmeg. put in rest of ck broth. serve hot with blop of sour cream, green onions, and croutons.

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Baking Stone Chicken Wreath by Tamara Wyatt

Ingredients:

1 can (10 oz.)	Chunk White Chicken; drained and flaked
½ cup	Red Bell Pepper; chopped
1 small bunch	Broccoli; chopped
1 cup	Colby-Jack Cheese; shredded
1/3 cup	Mayonnaise
1 tsp.	Lemon Juice
½ tsp.	Salt
2 pkgs. (8 oz.)	Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Directions:

Mix ingredients. Arrange crescent roll triangles into a circle or “sun” pattern on baking stone. Wide ends of triangles should overlap in the center with points facing toward the outside. Scoop mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring outside points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake at 375°for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Crab Filled Wontons by Lindy Davies

INGREDIENTS

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup chopped cooked crabmeat

1 tablespoon chopped green onion (1 medium)

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 egg white, beaten

DIRECTIONS

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough on work surface (if using crescent rolls, pinch seams to seal); cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares.
• 2 In small bowl, mix cream cheese, crabmeat, onion and red pepper. Spoon about 1 teaspoon crab mixture 1/2 inch from 1 corner of 1 square. Starting with same corner, fold dough over filling, and tuck end tightly underneath filling; continue rolling to within 1/2 inch of opposite corner. Lightly brush exposed corner with egg white. Roll moistened corner of dough over roll; press to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg white. Repeat with remaining squares and filling.
• 3 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Baked Chicken Taquitos by Amanda Cracroft

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken prepared w/ taco seasoning
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (OR Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

(You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

Prepare filling with Biscuits: Roll out prepared biscuits and fill with chicken mixture, wrap biscuit around filling. Bake 425, 12-15 minutes till golden brown.

Prepare filling with Corn Tortillas:
Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. ( Be sure to do this cause it add extra yummy-ness)

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Super Easy Chocolate Treasure Puffs

by KaLisi Trentadue
A yummy treat or snack! Kids and adults love 'em!

Ingredients:
Refrigerator Cresant Rolls
Chocolate chips

Directions:
Unroll cresant dough, and place 8-10 chocolate chips on each triangle. Roll them up carefully and bake according to directions on the can. (usually about 12 minutes)

Variation: Can also fill with a teaspoon of jam.

Watermelon Lemonade by Suzie Romans

In a blender;

Put 6-8 cupfuls powdered lemonade with 2-3 cups water or frozen (with 2 cans water)

2 cups watermelon cut up with no seeds

3-4 big springs fresch mint

1-2 cup orange juice

10-12 ice cubes

Blend and then add a 2 liter of 7-up.

Refreshing and yummy.

Fudgy Chocolate Pie by Suzie Romans

1/2 c margarine or butter

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Nuts sre optional

Melt margarine and stir in sugar, cocoa and flour. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs one at a time and then vanilla. Pour into a well greased 9" pie tin. Bake at 350 for 15 min (center will be soft). Let cool 5-10 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Can top with whip cream or ice cream.

Orange Rhodes Rolls by Angela Clark

12 rhodes dinner rolls

1 medium orange rind

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c butter, melted

Citrus Glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

1 TB butter, melted

3 TBS orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix grated orange rind with sugar. Roll each roll into 9-inch rope and tie in a loose not. Roll each knot in melted butter and then in orange rind mixture. Place on large sprayed baking sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let double in size. Remove wrap; bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack, and brush with citrus glaze while still warm.

Asian Pasta Salad by Amanda Cracroft

Dressing:

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup canola oil

3 T sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients in the blender. Make the night before.

Salad:

1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 1 bunch)

1 12 oz. bag of bow tie pasta - cook until al dente

1/4 cup slivered almonds - sugar in a skillet pan and cool

4-6 chicken breasts - cook however you want and then cut into chunks or slices

3-4 peppers: red, green, yellow, orange - chopped (the little peppers from Costco are fabulous and can be cut into rings, discard the seeds; use 6-8 of these.)

Fresh spinach

Combine the chicken, pasta, green onions, and peppers the night before or early the morning of the party...add 3/4 of the dressing and keep in the fridge in a sealed container. Add the remaining dressing, almonds and fresh torn spinach right before serving and toss all together *this is important because otherwise the spinach will be ruined. And depending on how many people you are feeding, you may want to double the entire recipe.

Devilish Deviled Eggs by Heather Goodman

A dozen eggs

½ cup mayo

1 tsp yellow mustard

1 ½ tsp Frank’s Red Hot (or favorite hot sauce)

½ tsp sweet relish juice

Salt and pepper

Boil eggs for 10 minutes, rinse to cool, and peel shells. Cut eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out yolks into a bowl. Add mayo, mustard, hot sauce, and relish juice, and mash together with a fork until most egg lumps are gone, or until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Re-fill eggs with yolk mixture.

You may want more or less mayo depending on whether you like your deviled eggs “dry” or “moist”. You may also want more or less hot sauce, but the recommended amount of Frank’s gives more flavor than heat in this recipe, since there is so much mayo involved. For fun, and if your guests like hot stuff, garnish some eggs with a very thinly sliced jalapeno (seeded).

Broccoli Salad from Suzie Romans

This is a broccoli salad with raisins and bacon and a sweet and tangy mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar dressing.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches broccoli, florets only (5 to 6 cups florets)
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup red grapes, halved
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 10 to 12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• .
• Dressing:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 miracle whip
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:

Separate florets from broccoli stalks. Save the remainder of the broccoli for another use or freeze for later. Or you can chop it fine and use it in the salad. Combine salad ingredients; top with dressing mixture. Toss. Chill and serve.

Mint Lemonade/Limeade by Suzie Romans

Mint and lemons/limes make for a very refreshing summer-time drink. Mint lemonade is a must for picnics. This recipe uses lemonade concentrate, so it can be made up in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup of mint leaves, fresh and chopped
• 6 cups water
• 1 can frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate

Preparation:

Heat the mint leaves in 2 cups of water until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer and leave for 5 minutes. Let cool, then strain out mint leaves. Combine mint liquid with lemonade concentrate and the rest of the water (4 cups). Refrigerate and serve over ice.

I also blend the mint leaves with crushed ice in with the lemonade.

Mexican Lasagna by Stacy Nehring

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
Nonstick cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup prepared salsa (mild or medium)
8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, combine cilantro, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with as much spinach as will fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until coarsely chopped.
Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Lay 4 tortillas in bottom of dish (they will overlap slightly). Layer with half of beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and cheese; repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with cheese and pressing in gently.
Cover dish with foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad by Amanda Cracroft

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen sweet white corn

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm or chilled - it is delicious both ways!