Black Bean Salsa

LOVE this stuff!! I've heard this type of salsa called different things...one of them being Cowboy Caviar. It is so easy to make and YUMMY!



You will need:
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 package of frozen corn, thawed
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c. red onion, chopped
1/4 c. lime juice
1 envelope Good Seasons Garlic & Herb Seasoning Mix
5 T. chopped cilantro
2 t. cumin

Mix all of the ingredients together; refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips, if you choose, my favorite way. I've also ate it without the chips, as sort of a side dish type thing.

ENJOY!

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

I love these! I think they are supposed to be similar to what they serve at Red Lobster. I haven't been there in a long time so I don't remember. Someone gave us this recipe when Tim & I got married and I've been making them ever since!

You will need:
2 c. Bisquick
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. margarine, melted
1/4 t. garlic powder
dried basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine Bisquick, milk and cheese and mix together well. Drop dough onto cookie sheets making 12 biscuits. Bake 15 minutes, till golden brown. Combine margarine and garlic powder and brush over biscuits. Lightly sprinkle biscuits with basil. Serve warm.

ENJOY!!

Chicken Tetrazzini

I found this recipe over at allrecipes.com. It is a super easy recipe and tasted pretty good too! No one complained in our house...that's always a good thing! :)

I made some small changes, nothing major. Below is what I used.

You will need:
8 oz. spaghetti, cooked & drained
1 1/2 c. cooked, chopped chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 c. water
2 T. butter
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Place noodles in the bottom of 11x7 baking dish. Layer chicken over the top of the noodles. On stove top, bring soup, water, butter and bouillon cube to a boil (make sure the bouillon cube dissolves); then pour over chicken & noodles. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Egg & Sausage Casserole

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. Love that site!! This casserole was super easy!!

You will need:
1 tube of refrigerated crescent rolls
1# sausage, cooked & drained (I used a bag of fully cooked turkey sausage by Jimmy Dean's instead...I think it was a little over 9 oz. and it was plenty for me!)
8 eggs, beaten
1 8 oz. bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 8 oz. bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 t. oregano
salt & pepper, to taste

Spray the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Roll out crescent dough and place in the bottom of the dish. Spread sausage over the top.

Combine eggs, cheese and spices in a bowl. Pour over sausage.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Chicken Rolls

Made these for dinner tonight! This recipe is from my sister. DELICIOUS!!!

You will need:
1 tube of crescent rolls
Cooked, cubed chicken (about 2 cups or so??)
About 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 c. milk

In a small pot, combine soup and milk. Heat on low till heated through and well blended (I whisk mine every so often as it warms up). While soup/milk is warming, take crescent rolls and press 2 triangles together to get a rectangle...you will end up with 4 rectangles. Spread chicken and cheese in the centers of each rectangle and roll up and place in lightly greased 9x13 dish. If you have leftover chicken & cheese, throw it in the soup mixture. Pour soup mixture over the tops of rolls (cover tops lightly otherwise they end up doughy). Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*If you have older children or bigger eaters, you'll probably want to double the recipe. This is JUST enough for our family of 5 (3 of which are young children).

ENJOY!!

Fun Christmas Recipes

Here are a few of my favorite recipes to make this time of year. I enjoy doing this type of thing for people to let them know we appreciate them!



This is probably one of my favorite things to make. It's easy & yummy! :) Our whole family really enjoys it but it is addicting...which is why I need to give most of it away.

White Chocolate Covered Snack Mix
18 oz. White Almond Bark
6 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Cheerios
2-3 c. small pretzel twists
1/2 "medium" bag of Holiday Plain M&M's
1/2 "medium" bag of Holiday Peanut M&M's

Melt the almond bark in the microwave until smooth (put it in for 30 seconds at a time and stir in between till completely melted).

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.

Pour the melted almond bark over the cereal mixture and stir to coat it evenly.

Spread mixture out on waxed paper to cool. Once it is cool, break it into small pieces. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.

*This is they way we like this mix. You could add in different kinds of Chex cereals, peanuts, different pretzels...whatever your preference. You could probably do Chocolate Almond Bark if you really like chocolate!? I have found Aldi's to have the best price on Almond Bark.


These are also easy to make and fun to do with the kids...they can pretty much do most of the work on their own. They enjoy being able to open all of the Hershey's Kisses...and when they are done they get to eat one...which I'm pretty sure is their favorite part!? ;)

Pretzel Treats
You will need:
Small Pretzel Twists
Hershey's Kisses OR Rolos
M&M's

Heat oven to 170 degrees.

Cover cookie sheet with pretzels. Put a Hershey's Kiss or Rolo (Tim's personal favorite!) on top of each pretzel. Place in oven for about 4-6 minutes until chocolate is soft (Rolos sometimes take a bit longer). Pull them out of the oven and press an M&M's into the top of each chocolate candy. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or longer until chocolate is set.

*I store these in the fridge but I don't think you have to.



These cookies are a little more time consuming than the last two recipes but a family favorite. I make them all year long but just use regular M&M's instead of the holiday version.

Monster Cookies
I found a recipe for these on AllRecipes.com a while back and have tweaked it a bit to make them how we like them. This is what I use:
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter (crunchy or creamy...crunchy is probably our fave!)
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1-2 t. light corn syrup (I don't always use this)
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. quick oats
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. Holiday Plain M&M's

In a large bowl, combine margarine, peanut butter and sugars. Mix well. Then add in the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix. Stir in oats, chips and M&M's.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 11 minutes.

ENJOY!!

What items do you like making at Christmas time? Please share!!