Tara's Salad

Ingredients
2 heads romaine lettuce (or a bag of mixed greens)
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can corn drained
2 avocados
*2 tomatoes
*1 bunch cilantro
*1 green onion chopped
*2 chicken breasts cooked and cubed

Dressing
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
mix together then add:
1/2 cup vegatable oil
1 tsp pepper
mix together then put on top of salad, Toss salad.

Notes
Add the dressing in small portions at a time so that it isn't too soggy. Tara usually only puts on about 2/3 of the dressing and leaves the rest next to it in case someone wants more. The salad ingredients marked with an * are optional. Tara made the salad without those items and it still tasted delicious.

Source
Tara Higbee

Pot Roast

Ingredients:
Beef Pot Roast
Carrots, cut up (or mini carrots)
Potatoes, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet dry onion soup mix

Instructions:
Put Beef in crockpot
Put other ingredients on top
Cook in crockpot until done

Source:
Susan Tate

Burrito Casserole

Ingredients
10 tortillas
2 cans refried beans
1 large can enchilada sauce
cheddar cheese
optional: ground beef or chicken

Instructions
Pour some of the enchilada sauce in a casserole dish (just enough to cover the bottom)
Put refried beans and cheese in tortillas
Roll up tortillas and place in a casserole dish
Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas
Cook about 30 minutes at 350 degrees
Put grated cheese on top of the casserole and cook for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted

Source
Taylor Hoggan

Notes
This is one of Taylor's favorite dishes to cook, partly because it is so simple and we almost always have the ingredients on hand (we are definitely taco people). It can also be spiced up with meat or other ingredients.

Mexican Bean Soup

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
4 t. canola oil
1 zucchini, diced
5 scallions, thinly sliced
2 (14 oz) cans vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. frozen corn kernals
1/2 c. fat-free salsa
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 c. baked tortilla chips, broken up

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and scallions and cook, stirring freq uently, until softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the broth, beans, corn, and salsa; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors blend, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.
3. Divide the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the tortilla chips.

Notes
We made this for a young women's cooking activity to help the girls learn an easy, healthy recipe that they can use when they go off to college, etc. It truly is as quick and easy as it sounds! If you don't have all the ingredients, you can also make do with what you do have...

Source
Rebecca Carter (from Weight Watcher's recipe book)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients for Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp seasoned salt

Instructions
Combine ingredients to make meatballs. Roll in flour and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until done.

Ingredients for Sauce
1 can pineapple tidbits
2 Tb corn starch
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tb soy sauce
2 Tb lemon juice
1 cup chopped green pepper

Instructions
Drain pineapple juice. Add water to make 1 cup. Blend this with cornstarch. Stir in other liquids and brown sugar. Cook until thick and clear. Add pineapple and green pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add meatballs. Simmer for 15 more minutes, covered. Serve over rice.

Source
Susan Tate

Hawaiian Haystacks

Ingredients
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cut up chicken
4 cups cooked rice
1 can chow mein noodles
grated cheddar cheese
chopped tomatoes, celery, green pepper, and green onions
pineapple tidbits
worcestershire sauce

Instructions
Cook soup and chicken broth together. Layer rice, chicken, chow mein noodles, cheese, vegetables, and pineapple. Pour soup mix on top and add worcestershire sauce.

Source
Heidi Lawson

Notes
I don't always put on all the toppings. It depends on what I have handy and what I am in the mood for...

Breakfast Bacon Weave Log

Ingredients

1 lb bacon
1/2 lb breakfast sausage
12 oz hash browns
1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions

Weave bacon on cookie sheet and cook in oven. Cook sausage and hash browns separately. Layer hash browns, cheese and sausage on top of bacon weave. Roll up and sprinkle with brown sugar. Serve with syrup.

Notes

Taylor invented this recipe based on a couple of ideas he found online. We also thought about trying this with eggs. It might be a nice addition... It is a yummy treat, but definitely not healthy :)

Source
Taylor Hoggan

Ranch Chicken

Ingredients
1 packet of Ranch salad dressing mix
1/4 to 1/2 c. bread crumbs
chicken

Instructions
Mix salad dressing mix and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over chicken. Cook at 350 degrees.

Source
Back of Ranch salad dressing mix

Notes
This a very easy, yet tasty, chicken dish. Cooking time varies depending on whether you use chicken tenders or chicken breasts and how much chicken you use.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

Blender Wheat Pancakes(Makes 6-8 pancakes - big ones!)

Ingredients
1 cup milk1 cup whole wheat, uncooked
2 eggs2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp Honey or sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions
Put milk and wheat in blender. Blend on highest speed for four or five minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, honey and salt. Blend on low. Bake on hot griddle.

Notes
For waffles - add one additional Tbsp wheat and increase oil to 4 Tbsp.

Source
Susan Tate

Flank Steak Marinade

Ingredients
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 Tb cider vinegar
2 Tb minced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger
1 flank steak, about 2 lbs

Instructions
Mix ingredients and pour over steak. Marinate in refrigerator about 4 hours, turning occasionally. Grill until done (will still be a little pink inside). Baste occasionally with marinade. Carve into thin slices, cutting diagonally against the grain from top to bottom of steak.

Source
Susan Tate

Notes
We don't have a grill, so we broiled this in the oven. It should take about 7 minutes per side for a flank steak. Our store didn't carry flank steak, so we tried this marinade on a boneless chuck shoulder steak. That took about 9 minutes per side to cook until it was medium done.

Chicken Roll-ups

Ingredients
6 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups cubed chicken
2 cans pillsbury crescent rolls
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup old-fashioned stuffing (rolled fine)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions
Mix cream cheese and 1/4 cup margarine, fold in chicken and pepper. Put 1/4 cup of mixture in each roll. Roll up, dip in melted butter, roll in mixture of nuts and stuffing. Let sit 1/2 hour before baking. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with topping made from cream of chicken soup (thinned slightly with water) and sour cream. Heat topping over stove before pouring over rolls.

Source
Andrea Scott

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients
1 lb cooked ground beef
1 can chicken gumbo soup
1 onion
1 Tb mustard
1 Tb ketchup

Instructions
Combine all ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes.

Source
Susan Tate

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
1 cup dried elbow macaroni (I usually put in more)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
pepper
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese (I use cheddar)

Instructions
Cook macaroni till tender but still firm. Drain well. Meanwhile, for cheese sauce, in a medium saucepan cook onion in butter till tender but not brown. Stir in flour and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till slightly thickened and bubbly. Add cheese, stirring till melted. Stir in cooked macaroni; mix well. Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or till heated through, stirring frequently.

Source
Heidi Lawson/Better Homes and Gardens

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce
dash pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans (2 cans or 1 bag frozen beans)
1 1/3 cups French's French Fried Onions

Instructions
Mix soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, beans, and 2/3 cup onions and put in casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 more minutes.

Source
Heidi Lawson

Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 pork chops
4 thin onion slices
4 thin lemon slices
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup

Instructions
Season pork chops well with salt. Place in 9x13 pan or large baking dish. Top each pork chop with an onion slice and a lemon slice. Place one tablespoon of brown sugar and one tablespoon of ketchup on top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, basting occasionally.

Source
Susan Tate

Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:

8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (8 oz) bottle Russian salad dressing
1 c. apricot jam
1 package dry onion soup mix

Instructions:

Mix the dressing, jam, and onion soup mix. Pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 250 degrees for 1 hour.

Notes:

This is such an easy recipe, yet it tastes so good! I usually don't put in quite as much chicken as it calls for, and it usually can cook thoroughly in less than hour.

Source:

Becca Bishop

Creamed Corn

Ingredients
1 1/2 t. butter
3 T. flour
12 oz. heavy cream (or use half milk)
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1 lb. frozen corn
3 T. parmesan cheese

Instructions
Combine first five ingredients to make a white sauce over low heat in a saucepan.
When thick and creamy, add corn and parmesan cheese

Cook slowly, stirring often. Do not boil.

Notes
This is one of Taylor's favorite dishes. We made it for Thanksgiving. You have to be careful, though, to make sure it doesn't burn!

Source
Marilyn Hoggan

Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
5 c. diced potatoes
1 t. salt
Dash pepper
3-4 oz. cheese whiz or grated cheddar
Cheese to taste
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. half & half
*optional chopped ham, 1 c. frozen corn

Instructions
1. Melt the first 6 ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter, then add flour and cook until thick. Add the half & half, heat until bubbling over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
3. Stir the butter mixture into the cooked veggies. Add cheese (ham and corn if desired) to taste.
4. Keep warm in crockpot or over very low heat.
Prep time: 30-40 minutes; Servings 10-12

Notes
Janee made this soup for us after Jacob was born. It was so delicious. Taylor has experimented with all types of potatoes cheese soup recipes, but this is the best.

Source
Janee Dahl

Sugar Cookies

Go find this recipe right here over at Mommy Lessons 101!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Soup1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 lbs fresh broccoli (pell and slice stem)

Combine ingredients. Cover and cook until tender.

White Sauce
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup butter
2 cups milk
salt and pepper

Add sauce to soup mixture. Top with 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Source:
Susan Tate

Notes:
I had a little trouble making the white sauce correctly--the consistency ended up like mashed potatoes instead of smooth & creamy like a white sauce should be. Nonetheless, the soup still turned out delicious :)

Mini Cheesecakes

Ingredients
16 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box vanilla wafers
1/2 can cherry pie filling
2 inch foil midget cups

Instructions
Soften cream cheese; beat in eggs, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. Put wafers in cups upside down. Fill cups almost full and bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Yield 30. Will keep 5 days.

Notes
These are so yummy, and a lot easier to make than traditional cheesecake. The key to success is having soft, smooth cream cheese. I usually set the cream cheese out to soften an hour or so before I plan on making the mini cheesecakes. It's really hard to mess up these desserts, and yet they look so fancy!

Source
Susan Tate