Orange Spiced Cider Mix

I love this stuff!! I am not much of a hot drink kind of person but I really do love this! When we lived in Chicagoland I was given a similar recipe that was called Russian Tea. I think the one difference is that the recipe I had for Russian Tea had lemonade in it too. Both recipes are GREAT!! And it smells SO good!! :)


You will need:
1 c. white sugar
1 c. Tang
1/2 c. instant tea (I use unsweetened)
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves

Combine all of the ingredients and store in a sealed container.

To drink, mix 2-3 tablespoons into a mug of hot water.


**This makes a great gift! Pour the mix in a plastic bag, tie with a cute ribbon and stuff into a coffee mug.

Banana Bread

So what do you do with your rotting...I mean, very ripe bananas??

My kids' favorite...Banana Bread!



When I worked at the bank several years ago, my co-workers and I used to order from LTD all of the time). One of my purchases was a Mrs. Field's Cookie Book, 100 Recipes from the Kitchen of Mrs. Fields. What a great purchase that was!! :) I love it and it has gotten MUCH use! Her banana bread recipe is our favorite from the book.

You will need:
2 1/2 c. flour (I used 1/2 regular flour and 1/2 whole wheat)
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. butter, softened (I use margarine)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
3 c. ripe bananas, mashed (I do not mash...I just throw them in whole and they get mashed w/ my mixer...it is about 7 medium sized bananas)
1 t. vanilla
1 c. walnuts (optional) OR a fun addition is miniature chocolate chips!!

*I've also been playing around with flaxseed...I added 2 tablespoons to this recipe.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray.

I sprinkle the bottoms of the pans with cinnamon & sugar...this is my own addition...and sometimes the top after the batter is poured in.

Combine flour, soda and salt. Mix together with whisk; set aside.
I always skip this step in baking anything...who wants to dirty another bowl...not me!!

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add eggs, bananas (mashed or not) and vanilla; beat at medium speed until thick.

Add in flour mixture (or just add in flour, soda and salt if you did not combine earlier) and nuts; blend at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean.

Cool and remove from pan.

ENJOY!! :)

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!!