Southwest Salsa & Queso Fondue

3/4 cup prepared salsa (see instructions below)
3/4 lb. sharp mild cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
(We used mild cheddar since that's what we had, or
1 1/2 lbs of the cheddar/monterey mix - either works fine!)
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, cut in half
(2) 12 oz bottles Mexican beer, such as Corona, at room temp
(We used vegetable broth, but less of it since beer reduces
more when the alcohol cooks out)

Place the salsa in a yogurt strainer or sieve lined with a coffee filter and allow to drain until thickened, about 1 hr. Reserve. Place the shredded cheeses in a large bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch. Toss the cheese with the cornstarch to coat. Rub the Fondue Pot with the cut garlic halves. Add 2-1/4 cups of the beer (or veg broth) to the Fondue Pot and heat, using setting 5, until mixture begins to boil. Lower the heat to setting 4-1/2 and gradually add the cheeses, one handful at a time, whisking while adding the cheese. Stir the cheese and allow it to melt cmopletely before each addition. When the cheese has been completely melted, stir in the drained salsa & beer. Enjoy!

Dipping suggestions: Cooked Southwest Chicken sausage in 1-in pieces, fresh
vegetables, corn chips, tortilla chips, bread cubes (We've also done chorizo, steak, and chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces)

Chocolate Fondue

1 (16 oz) can of Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 (14 oz) can of sweetned condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients over medium heat, stirring until well blended. Dippers include: brownies, marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, mandarin oranges, apples, angel food cake, cinnamon bears, rice krispy treats, etc. Serves 8-12 people. Enjoy!

Summer Chicken Salad

2 cups chopped chicken breast (grilled or boiled)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup seedless red grapes (sliced)
2 Tbs chopped green oinions
2 Tbs. Chopped cashews (or almonds or pecans)
1/4 cup Mayonaise or salad dressing (can use light or fat-free mayo)
1/4 cup real bacon bits (not Bacos)
1/4 cup ranch dressing (can use light or fat-free dressing)

Combine all ingredients, adding more dressing if you like.Serve on croissnats or french bread.

NEIMAN-MARCUS Cookies

(Caution: Makes 112 cookies. Recipe may be halved.)

2 cups butter
24 oz. chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 (8 oz.) Hershey Bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

Heather's Swirled Popcorn Mix

9 cups oven-toasted corn cereal squares (Rice Chex or Corn Chex)
4 cups popped popcorn
1-1/2 (7 oz.) cups slivered almonds
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ (1 stick) cup butter or margarine
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-2/3 (10 oz. pkg) cups NESTLE TOLL HOUSE SWIRLED Milk Chocolate & Caramel or Peanut butter Morsels
1 (6oz.) pkg. sweetened dried cranberries

PREHEAT oven to 250 degrees. Grease large roasting pan. Mix cereal, popped popcorn and nuts in roasting pan.
COMBINE brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium, neavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. Pour evenly over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly. BAKE for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan, stirring frequently to break apart mixture. Stir in morsels and cranberries. Store in airtight container.

Heather's Homemade Bread

2 ½ c. warm water
2 Tb. yeast
3 Tb. sugar
2 tsp. salt
3 Tb. melted butter
6 cups "Better for Bread" flour (don't use all purpose!) + (1 cup to knead in)

Combine water and yeast in a large mixing bowl or KitchenAid. While yeastbegins to work, grease bread pans. (I like to use shortening). Then tothe water and yeast, add remaining ingredients. After all is combined,knead for 5-6 minutes. Only use that 7th cup of flour a little at a timeas the dough is kneading if it’s too sticky. Sometimes I only need partof it. Remove dough and divide into 3 sections. You can make 3 loaves ofbread, or you can divide into rolls. Cover each pan with a towel and letrise (in oven with a bowl of warm water) for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for18-20 minutes. SO GOOD!

Best Broccoli Cheese Soup Ever

4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 cup carrots
1 1/2 cubes of margarine
3/4 cup flour
1 (8 oz.) jar cheeze whiz
Cooked chicken (2-3 breasts)
1 small pkg frozen chopped broccoli

Dissolve bouillon in 1 1/2 quarts (6-7 cups) of water. Bring to boil. Add veggies. Cook until tender. In saucepan, melt butter. Add flour. Stir till smooth. Be careful not to burn. Pour into veggies. Add Cheeze Whiz, chicken, and broccoli. Cook till broccoli is tender. Stir about 15 minutes.

After I make this on the stove, I throw it into a crockpot and save it for dinner (makes everything even more tender) and then I get some bread bowls. It's yummy!

Megan's Sugar Cookies

1 cup Margarine (softened)
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
(Cream these all together then add...)

4 Cups flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

The secret to good soft cookies is rolling the dough thick enough, I always make sure I can really feel the cookie cutter go in. Bake at 350 for 8 min. (You don't have to chill the dough.)

White Cheese Fondue

One can of vegetable broth (or a similar amt. white cooking wine)
One Fontina or Fontanella cheese triangle (8 oz) grated
1 block of provolone (8 oz) grated
1 block of mozzarella (8 oz) grated
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 shallot minced

Set pot temperature to medium heat. Take 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and coat sides of pot. Add minced shallot and minced garlic and rub into sides of pan together with oil. Slowly add vegetable broth together with grated cheeses to pot allowing mixture to melt into taffy-like substance. Add two tablespoons of cornstarch to cheese mixture. Stir constantly at first while achieving the desired consistency. Enjoy!

Brooke's Stuffed Mushrooms

2 Pkgs jumbo-size mushrooms
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz bar)
1 bunch of green onions (chopped)
1 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage (original or Italian)
1 cup bread crumbs

Brown sausage meat in skillet and allow to cool. Soften cream cheese in microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes so that it can be spread easily in a mixing bowl. Combine cream cheese, sausage, chopped green onions, and bread crumbs and mix well. Wash mushrooms in strainer and carefully remove stems. Spoon in 1-2 tablespoons of stuffing into each mushroom top. Align mushrooms close together in 9x12 baking dish so that they prop each other up in pan. Broil on high for approx 5 minutes or until tops of mushrooms turn golden brown. Serve warm! Makes about 2 dozen mushrooms.

French Quiche

Pie Crust
(Modified Lion House recipe)

2 cubes butter
1 T. sugar
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 T . dry milk
3 C. flour
½ C. cold water (may need 1 T. more water)

In a food processor, cream butter with sugar, baking powder, salt and dry milk. Add half of the flour & mix well. Add water and remaining flour, mix well. Roll it out as you need it. This makes plenty for two (2) 9-inch pie crusts.

Quiche

Pie dough (just enough for 1 crust-so, ½ of the above recipe) or Puff pastry
6 eggs
1 tsp. Dijon or dry mustard
1 T. sour cream
1 tsp. Herbes de Provence (or you can just use some dried thyme)
½ onion, sliced and sautéed in a little olive oil until translucent
2-3 oz sliced ham, cut into little pieces
4-5 oz. Gruyere/Swiss/whatever cheese you like in it


Preheat oven to 350°. Lay the dough for the crust in a tart pan/pie tin with about ½ inch extra around the border. Tuck under the extra dough and flute the top with your fingers. Beat the eggs, mix in the mustard, sour cream, & herbs. Layer the onions, ham, then cheese in the pie tin. Pour the egg mixture over the other ingredients in the pie tin. Bake until set (maybe 20 min.?)

You can put just about anything in this quiche. It’s also good with bacon, and I’ve done it without meat. Throwing in some sautéed zucchini is also nice.

Orange Julius / Fruit Smoothies

Jesse and I have been replacing our nightly ice cream with smoothies, and it is a lot healthier! It also satisfies our sweet toothies at night!

So this is actually an Orange Julius Recipe that I have modified, but you can mix just about anything up using these same ingredients. I play around with different fruits and concoxtions all the time. (I recently made one with limeade and frozen strawberries. Yummy!)

ORANGE JULIUS / FRUIT SMOOTHIES

1/2 can of frozen orange juice concentrate (or other juice concentrate)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup frozen berries (optional)
1 tray ice cubes (about 12 cubes)

Pour a few tablespoons of water into the bottom of your blender first (this helps the blender mix better with a liquid foundation). Add OJ concentrate, milk, sugar, berries and vanilla. Slowly add ice as blender mixes and smoothie gets to the desired consistentcy. Enjoy! Makes 2-3 glasses.

Strawberry Spinach Salad from Ilene Bartton

Salad Ingredients:
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 head romaine lettuce (optional)
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1-2 cups sliced strawberries
½ red onion thinly sliced
½ cup bacon bits (optional)
½ cup almond slivers (optional)

Chopped Avocados (optional)

Crumbled blue cheese or feta (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup white sugar
½ tsp. mustard powder
1 Tb. grated red onion (for added flavor)

Combine all salad ingredients. Toss with dressing just before serving. (Dressing goes a long way, so just add small amounts at a time for the consistency you want.) Salad is best served cold. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese or almonds slivers if desired.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Dry Ingredients:
3 ¼ cups flour
2 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3 cups white sugar

Wet Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin (1 can Libbys)
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 eggs
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Combine all dry ingredients in mixing bowl (Kitchenaid mixer works very well). Slowly add wet ingredients one at a time while mixing. When mixture becomes smooth, add chocolate chips. Pour mixture into 3 greased bread loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes. (Insert toothpick to check consistency after baking.)