Chicken Shawarma with Lime Avocado Mayo Dipping Sauce

These flavors are so random yet work together. Definitely a fusion dish and it surprised both my husband and myself by how well it truly tasted. (The curry makes the chicken look a little nuclear but no worries lol)

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander

Lime Avocado Mayo:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 4 tablespoons mayo
• 4 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

Mix ingredients for chicken marinade in gallon zip lock bag. Add chicken pieces. Massage into chicken and close bag. Marinate 5 hours in fridge. 

Remove avocado shells and pits and blend in food processor until creamy. Get a medium sized bowl and whisk together the remaining ingredients plus avocado. Taste to make sure lime, salt and pepper is to your liking. Cover and put in fridge.

Grill chicken on grill 25 minutes til juices are clear.  Dip chicken into sauce and enjoy. Super super super tasty and incredible how these different flavors marry so well together :)

Grilled Polska Kielbasa & Krout' with Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce

This is seriously so easy and flavorful.  The amount of heat can be lessened based on your preferences. This can be cooked indoors in the wintertime or if you are without a grill.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages polska smoked kielbasa
• 32 oz jar sauerkraut, drained
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tb unsalted butter
• 3 tb white sugar
• 3 tb fresh chopped parsley 

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/4 c yellow mustard 
• 1/4 c dijon mustard
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 tb prepared horseradish
• 1/8 t - 1/4 t cayenne (depending on your personal heat preference, I use 1/4 t)
• Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
• Pinch of salt 

Prepare the dipping sauce.  Just combine the ingredients.  Set aside.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium high heat. Add sugar, stir. Continue to stir until sugar is dark brown.  Add sliced onions. Cook until caramelized maybe 10 minutes. Try not to stir too often. Will get a better carmelization if you let it be as much as you can. 

While they are carmelizing cut your kielbasa into 3 inches length wise.  Grill on high heat 5 minutes then turn and grill 5 minutes more on the other side. Let rest 1 minute and while it's resting add 3 cups drained sauerkraut to onions. Stir and let wilt and brown some. 

While it's wilting and browning, cut kielbasa into 1 inch slices.  Be careful because they will be hot. 

Add to sauerkraut mixture. Cook additional minute.  Plate and top with parsley and dip fork fulls into sauce. Yumm makes 6+ servings worth!

Manicotti Alla Romana

This is a very decadent and amazingly delicious Italian dish. It is time consuming, I would give yourself one hours prep time plus one hours cook time. Absolutely worth it though. Would be perfect for a special occasion or valentines day to please your significant other.  Makes 14 shells.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (12 ounce) package manicotti shells
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 t Italian seasoning 
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use 7 herb tomato Ragu)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules or you can substitute for 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t Italian seasoning
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 t basil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic for 1 minute and stir in ground sausage. Cook until well browned. Drain grease and set aside to cool. 

Cook spinach according to package directions. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti shells and boil for half of the time recommended on the package. Drain and cover with cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent the shells from cracking.

To the ground sausage mixture add the cooked spinach and ricotta cheese. When the mixture is cool, add the beaten eggs. Stir in 1 t Italian seasoning and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Gently drain the manicotti shells and carefully stuff each one with the meat and cheese mixture; (I put stuffing in gallon bag and cut tip off like a pastry bag and fill shells, if you do this, only use half of ricotta meat mixture at a time then fill bag again) place shells in prepared dish. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 

Prepare the white sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and chicken bouillon. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to bubble. Stir in half and half, garlic powder, pepper, 1/2 t italian seasoning and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Taste test and ensure the garlic, pepoer, and salt amount is correct. 

Pour the sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.

Carefully pour spaghetti sauce over the white sauce, trying to layer the sauces without mixing. Sprinkle basil on top of the spaghetti sauce.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes more. Let cool out of oven for 10 minutes before eating

My Potato Salad

This is very much influenced by my mom's potato salad recipe which is probably one of my favorite side dishes. I always heavily look forward to her bringing her potato salad for Christmas dinner. The smell of potatoes and eggs cooking remind me of the holidays and it is one of my favorite smells. I of course cannot replicate the salad perfectly but I do try and of course add a little of my own flair. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 7 eggs
• 8 potatoes
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing (my mom uses milk)
• 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black 
• pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• A few shakes of sweet paprika
• Sliced radishes

Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water; cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel and chop the cooled eggs.

Place the peeled and cubed potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and refrigerate in bowl you plan on serving the salad in.

Stir together the mayonnaise, eggs, ranch dressing, pickles, mustard, green pepper, celery, onion, dill weed, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Toss potatoes with this mixture, add only as much as you want (some people like their salad dryer, I like mine creamy and not dry). Layer top of salad with sliced radishes and sprinkle with paprika. 

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. 

7 Layer Cookie Bar

Ingredients for 9x13 baker:

• 2 cups crushed honey graham crackers (=12 full crackers)
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted (=1 full stick)
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter chips 
• 2 cups chopped reeces peanut butter cups
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk 

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 9x13 Baker with nonstick cooking spray. 

Ground up crackers in a food processor. Melt butter and stir in to crushed crackers and press firmly into 9x13 baker, creating an even crust that somewhat sweeps the sides. Mixture will be a little crumbly.

Layer in the order listed in ingredients (chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped reeces cups, marshmallows and peanuts. ) Drizzle full can of condensed milk over the top.

Bake uncovered 18 minutes then pull out of oven and cover lightly with foil. Be careful not to burn yourself. Return to oven and bake 18 more minutes. Cool down at room temperature for 30 minutes and cut into squares but do not lift them out of baker yet. Cover and cool more in fridge for 30 minutes. This will make them much easier to fet out and set better. 

Basil Marinated Shrimp

Oh my these shrimp.. A combination of every flavor I love. You can pan sear or bake these but we like to put them on skewers and grill them.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Tb evoo
• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• 3 Tb dijon mustard 
• 1/2 cup minced fresh basil or 1/4 cup dried but fresh is always better
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 lb fresh deveined and peeled large shrimp
• Bamboo skewers, soaked in water

In a large bowl stir together evoo and melted butter. Stir in lemon juice, mustard, basil and garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Skewer if you plan on grilling them, make sure you presoak in water so they don't char!

Oreo Truffles

These truffles are delicious!  I was out of town once and my husband needed them for a work event and was able to make them himself.  My husband really only grills and makes breakfast so this must be a pretty fool proof recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 oz) package oreo cookies 
• 1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese
• 2 (8 oz) packages semi sweet baking chocolate, melted

Crush 36 oreos in a food processor.  Transfer to large bowl. Add cream cheese, mix well. Roll into 42 balls, about 1 inch in diameter.  

Dip in melted chocolate and place on a wax sheet. Put sprinkles on or drizzle white chocolate over milk chocolate,  whatever you fancy. Refrigerate until firm. Usually takes an hour.

Jeanette's Cheesecake

This is an extremely old recipe created by an old polish neighbor of my grandparents. It has always been the cheesecake recipe my mom has used and I have used. You can serve it plain or make a strawberry glaze. Pictured below is with strawberry glaze which I have included the recipe for.

Ingredients for Crust:

• 14 full honey graham crackers
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 Tb white sugar 
• 1/4 lb melted butter 

Use food processor and crush crackers. Mix cinnamon, sugar and melted butter and press firmly into a 9x13 baker.

Ingredients for Layer #1:

• 2 eggs
• 2 packages cream cheese
• 3/4 c white sugar 
• 1 Tb sour cream 
• 1 t vanilla 

Mix well, pour over crust. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and then spread on layer #2.

Ingredients for Layer #2:

• 1 pint sour cream
• 2 Tb white sugar 
• 1 t vanilla 

Mix well, drop topping spoonful by spoonful and spread slowly on top of first layer and bake at 425* for 8 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

Strawberry Glaze Ingredients:

• 2 pints chopped strawberries
• 2/3 c white sugar
• 2 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat until sauce consistency is achieved. If still too chunky transfer to blender. 

Maple Salmon Marinade

Maple syrup plus salmon sounds bizarre but it actually goes great together! 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 2 Tb soy sauce
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/8 t pepper

Combine ingredients in a gallon bag. Add 2 salmon fillets. Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes. Grill or bake and serve. 

Feta Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

The fresh basil really makes this great. Do not substitute for dried. Serve with wheat thins or ritz crackers. 

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (4 oz) package crumbled feta cheese 
• 2 Tb finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (found in a jar sometimes in international aisle)
• 2 Tb chopped fresh basil

Mix all ingredients until well blended and chill.

Casey's Pizza Sauce

This is another recipe I started in high school and finally feel like I perfected it.  Like my lasagna sauce recipe, you do not need to simmer this for 3 years over the stove top. Make it in advance and pop it in the fridge overnight.  This recipe makes probably 4 pizzas worth. I freeze the sauce and thaw out a couple nights before I plan on making pizzas 2, 3 and 4. Unfortunately I do not yet have a picture of the sauce by itself but plenty of finished pizzas! 

Ingredients:

• 1 t salt
• 1 t sugar 
• 2 t oregano 
• 2 t basil 
• 2 t garlic powder 
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1 t lemon juice 
• 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce 
• 2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste 

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Taste to make sure there's enough garlic and spice. Cover and refrigerate overnight. After you make your first pizza, freeze remaining sauce until you want to make more pizzas with it :) we will usually heat sauce in microwave for 30 seconds before topping pizza dough. Just because. And enjoy!

Spaghetti/Pasta Salad

This can be made with spaghetti noodles or rotini pasta. I've done it both ways and it's equally delicious. 

Ingredients:

• I box spaghetti,  broken in half or 1 box multi colored rotini pasta
• 1 bottle zesty Italian dressing
• 2 Tb "Salad Supreme" seasoning 
• 1 container halved cherry tomatoes
• 1-2 cucumbers, peeled and diced 
• 1 container feta cheese if using rotini or 1/2 cup parmesan for spaghetti
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 Tb poppy seeds

Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain and cool.

Dice and halve the veggies.  

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and cover and chill. 

There's a bit of diced red onion thrown into this batch. Just depends on my mood ;)

Casey's Devilled Eggs

My deviled egg recipe has been a work in progress since I was in high school and just the past few years has it stayed completely the same and I am pleased with it. These are not your normal mayo/yellow mustard/paprika eggs. Not that I have anything wrong with those,  I just like making mine a little crazier. I will pretty much devour any deviled egg though. Munch.

Ingredients for 12 Deviled Eggs (Can be doubled for 24):

• 6 old eggs (Buy eggs 3 weeks in advance. Will make easier to peel.)
• 2 Tb minced onion
• 2.5 t dijon mustard
• 2 t yellow mustard
• 1 Tb mayo
• 1 t white distilled vinegar 
• 1/2 t dill weed
• 1 t fresh lemon zest 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Paprika 
• Chopped green onions
• Gallon bag 

Put your eggs in pot and fill pot 1 inch over tops of eggs.  Cook uncovered on high heat until they come to a boil and then remove from heat and cover and set timer for 20 minutes. Once time is up, put pot in sink and run cold water over eggs for 15 minutes. Peel eggs and slice in half.

Remove yolks and put in a medium sized bowl. Combine all ingredients except paprika and green onion and pop into a food processor to blend together into a nice smooth and creamy sauce.  Transfer sauce to a gallon bag and cut a small part of tip off and squeeze bag to fill the eggs. Top eggs with paprika and chopped green onion and refrigerate. Yum.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

This is a sweet casserole.  It almost tastes more like a dessert but everyone likes it.

Ingredients:

• 6 sweet potatoes- boiled, skinned and cubed.
• 3/4 c brown sugar 
• 1/2 c butter
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t nutmeg 
• 1 package mini marshmallows 

 In a large saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, butter, spices, vanilla and 2 cups marshmallows. Cook, stirring occasionally until marshmallows are melted. 

Stir potatoes into this sauce and pour into a 9x13 baker.  Bake 15 minutes and then take out and cover top with marshmallows and return to oven and bake until marshmallows are melted or browned. 

Green Bean Casserole

This is your traditional green bean casserole and everyone will love it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 t worcestershire
• 1/4 t pepper
• 3 cans french sliced green beans, drained 
• 1 container french fried onions 

Stir everything but onions together and put in 9x13 baker. Top with french fried onions and bake at 350* for 25 minutes or until hot. How easy is that!

Meat Candy

This is a favorite at family gatherings. Bacon plus sugar plus weenies?  Yes please.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages regular sliced bacon
• 2 packages "Lil smokies" beef weenies
• 1 bag light brown sugar
• Toothpicks

Get out a 9x13 baker. Cut bacon into thirds. 1 piece bacon= 3 smaller pieces. Open weenies. Wrap 1 small piece bacon around each weenie and secure with toothpick. Put in baker. Do not throw out empty weenie packages when done wrapping. Pour all that extra liquid right in the 9x13 baker. Then dump half the entire bag of brown sugar over them and toss to coat. Cover baker and let marinate overnight. 

The next day get out a huge nonstick cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 325*. Line cookie sheet with bacon wrapped weenies, no not overlap. Sprinkle with some more brown sugar.  Bake until bacon is crispy, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool long enough so you can touch them and place in a slow cooker. Don't let weenies cool down for too long on baking sheet because all of that sugar ooze on the sheet will begin to harden and you don't want the weenies sticking to the pan. 

Sprinkle some more sugar on the weenies once they are in the slow cooker. I'll usually just turn my cooker to warm. 

Banana Pudding

My husband loves this. It isn't too sweet and is really addictive.  

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened 
• 2/3 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 2 (8 oz) container cool whip
• 6-7 sliced bananas
• 1 (12 oz) package vanilla wafers 

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Best in 2/3 can condensed milk,  pudding mixes, cold milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1 container cool whip carefully.

Line the bottom of a 9x13 Baker with vanilla wafers. Arrange banana slices over wafers. Top with last container of cool whip and crumble several wafers over cool whip for garnush. Chill in refrigerator. 

Blender Hollandaise

This hollandaise doesn't require you whisking your brains out over a saucepan.  It is easy and always turns out. Serve over asparagus or with eggs benedict.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 t dijon mustard
• 1 Tb lemon juice
• 1 dash tobasco
• 1/2 cup butter

In a small bowl, combine the yolks, mustsrd, lemon juice and tobasco. Pour into blender. Cover blender and blend for 5 seconds. 

Place butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat butter in microwave until completely melted and hot. Hot like you can see it bubble hot. Immediately pour butter into blender in a thin stream while turning blender on high. It will thicken quickly.  Serve warm. 

Davis Family Turkey

This turkey is guaranteed to be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It is packed with flavor and your guests will love it! This is my absolute go to thanksgiving turkey recipe that I started in 2010.

Ingredients:

• 1 (20 pound) whole turkey 
• 12 Tb butter, divided
• 8 cups warm water
• 6 Tb chicken bouillon
• 4 Tb fresh parsley
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 Tb minced onion
• 1 whole onion, quartered
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 Tb seasoning salt 
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 whole lemon, quartered
• Bay leaf

Preheat oven to 375*. Rinse and wash turkey throughly.  Discard inner organs.

 Place turkey in roasting pan. Use your hands and get in there and separate the skin from the breasts as well as over the legs to make pockets. Be careful not to tear. Put 4 Tb butter on each breast between the skin and meat. Put 1 Tb butter inside each of the legs too. While you're going at it with the butter, rub the entire outside of the bird down too. This makes it super juicy.

In a large bowl,  combine water with bouillon. Sprinkle in the parsley and minced onion. Pour over the turkey. Liberally sprinkle seasoning salt all over it. 

Place 2 garlic cloves, 1 sprig rosemary, half halved onion and quartered lemon inside turkey cavity.  Tie off or sew turkey closed. This step is assuming you are not stuffing it. If you are then ignore this part entirely. 

Put 4 stalks chopped celery,  1/2 cup chopped carrots, 3 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs rosemary, bay leaf and remaining half of onion in the roasting pan to flavor gravy for later. 

Cover turkey with foil and bake for one hour at 375*. After that reduce the heat to 350* and continue to cook 5 hours more until it has reached 180* internally.  The last hour of cooking remove foil so it browns and make sure to let turkey rest before carving for 30 minutes. 

Strudel Blueberry Muffins

These muffins have a sugar strudel topping and a prominent blueberry flavor. They are super moist, flavorful and taste great for breakfast. This recipe makes 10 muffins. Double for 20.

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour 
• 3/4 cup white sugar 
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature and diced finely 
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400*. Line muffin tray with muffin liners. 

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup white sugar,  salt and baking powder.  Place oil into a 1 cup measuring cup, add egg to that and enough milk to fill the cup up. Mix this with the flour mixture. DO NOT OVERBEAT. Fold in blueberries and fill cups 3/4 way and sprinkle with prepared crumb topping. Do not overfill muffin cups. 

Bake 18 minutes or until golden and done. 

To prepare crumb topping mix together brown sugar,  flour, diced butter and cinnamon.  Mix with a fork. 

Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

I make these around Halloween every year! They are moist and just delicious in every way. I love that it's an October tradition, it makes them even more special. 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 1/2 t pumpkin spice or if you don't have that- 1/2 t nutmeg, 1/2 t cloves and 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tb milk
• 1 Tb melted butter
• 1 t vanilla extract
• Pinch cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350*.

Combine all dry ingredients in cookie recipe.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add the pumpkin, egg, and 1 t vanilla to the butter mixture and eat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients.  Drop on greased cookie sheet by tablespoons, flatten slightly .

Bake for 15 minutes in oven. Cool and then drizzle glaze with fork. 

To prepare glaze, combine glaze ingredients and add milk as necessary to achieve drizzling consistency. 

10 Minute Alfredo Sauce

This sauce is amazing. It tastes like Olive Garden's alfredo. It is rich, velvety, garlicky and best of all super easy to prepare. Serve with shrimp or chicken fettucine or even as a dipping sauce for your breadsticks. Super proud of this recipe!  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 t garlic powder
• 1 - 1 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 jar parmesan
• 1/4 t black pepper
• Pinch of salt 
• 1/2 t Italian seasoning blend

Melt butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat.  Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stir with whisk until smooth. Add milk a little at a time and parmesan. If may not take the full amount of milk. Just keep on whisking and reduce heat some and simmer away. As long as you don't add too much milk at once it will shortly thicken up. Add a little more parmesan if you need to thicken it up some. Taste to make sure garlic, salt and pepper level to your liking and serve! This whole process should only take 10 minutes. 

Burrito Pie

This recipe will always be super close to my heart. That is because it is what I was eating when I was in labor. It was the last thing I consumed before going to the hospital.

Oddly enough this is the piece I ate while in labor. I took a picture. I bring out my holiday stoneware starting November 1st. I went into labor and was hospitalized Tuesday, November 5th and had Logan on the 7th. 

Ingredients:

•  2 lbs ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 t minced garlic 
• 1 (10 oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 (16 oz) jar taco sauce 
• 2 (16 oz) cans refried beans
• 12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped lettuce, chopped cilantro and sour cream for topping

Preheat oven to 350*. 

In a large skillet over medium heat,  brown the ground beef for 5 minutes, add the onion and garlic and cook until beef is browned. Drain fat. Mix in taco seasoning, rotel and taco sauce. Stir throughly and reduce heat to low and let simmer 30 minutes. 

1. Spread meat mixture on the bottom of a large casserole dish. A large rounded dish works better if you have one. 
2. Put 3 tortillas on top of that layer on top of each other in a stack.
3. Spread 1/3 can refried beans over tortillas.
4. Sprinkle 1/3 package of cheese over beans.
5. Spread meat mixture over that.
6. Put 3 tortillas on top of that layer on top of each other in a stack.
7. Spread 1/3 can refried beans over tortillas. 
8. Sprinkle 1/3 package of cheese over beans.
9. Spread meat mixture over that.
10. Put 3 tortillas on top of that layer on top of each other in a stack.
11. Spread last of refried beans over tortillas.
12. Spread meat mixture over bean layer. 
13. Sprinkle last of cheese on top.

Bake 20 minutes in oven or until cheese is bubbly.

Slice like a pie and top with desired toppings.

Chicken Florentine

This is a chicken florentine casserole.  The chicken lies on a bed of sautéed fresh baby spinach and portobello mushrooms. It has a delicious creamy white sauce flavored with wine, garlic and italian seasonings and to finish it off is topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

• 6 skinless bonesless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 t minced garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 Tb butter
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1 Tb lemon juice
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 Tb Italian seasoning blend
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 2 bags fresh baby spinach
• 1 large container or 2 small containers fresh portobello mushrooms
• 10 slices bacon, crumbled
• 1 bag shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350*.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly,  mix in 3 t minced garlic, lemon juice, soup,  italian seasoning,  half & half and parmesan cheese.

Saute mushrooms and spinach in a separate large saucepan with 4 Tb butter, 1 t minced garlic and 1/4 cup white wine. Let mushrooms saute and spinach break down under medium heat. This will take about 10 minutes.

Pour mushroom spinach mixture on bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Place uncooked chicken on top. Pour the prepared white sauce over the chicken and then top with crumbled bacon.

 Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with shredded mozzarella and bake for 10 minutes more.

Remove from oven, let cool some and enjoy! 

Crab Cakes with Aioli

These crab cakes have a little bit of heat to them. The cooling aioli is a wonderful garlicky accompaniment which balances nicely with the spice from the cakes. My husband loves these!  Makes 4 large patties.

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup evoo
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2 (6 oz) cans crab meat, drained
• 1 Tb mayonnaise
• 1 t dijon mustard
• 20 Ritz crackers, crushed (Throwing them in a food processor works good)
• 1/2 t cayenne 
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t old bay seasoning 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs 

Combine crab, chopped green onions, 2 eggs, mayonnaise,  dijon, crushed crackers, cayenne, garlic powder,  old bay, salt and pepper. Form into 1/2 inch patties. Coat both sides with bread crumbs. 

Heat 1/2 cup evoo in large skillet over medium high heat.  Once heated, cook patties 45 seconds - 1 minute and turn patties and cook 45 seconds - 1 minute. These cook fast. Seriously set a timer maybe at 30 seconds at a time and peak at the underside of them. They should be golden brown and crispy on the outside but soft and delicate inside. Serve warm with cold aioli.

Aioli Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 1/2 Tb lemon juice 
• 3/4 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper

Stir ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate for a few hours prior to making crab cakes. Delish! 

4 Ingredient Pulled Pork

This pulled pork only has 4 ingredients. It's amazing what the final result tastes like. No one will ever guess that this pulled pork is so stinking easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 2 lb pork butt or shoulder.
• 1 bottle A&W root beer
• 1 large bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. I like Famous Daves Sweet n Sassy. 
• Hamburger buns 

Place the pork in slow cooker. Pour root beer over meat until submerged. Cook on low 6 hours. If your pork has a bone  remove the bone after the 6 hours is over. Drain slow cooker and shred pork with 2 forks.  Add the bottle of BBQ sauce and stir and cook for 45 minutes more. Serve on hamburger buns with coleslaw. 

Sweet & Tangy Slaw Ingredients:

• 1 (16 oz) bag classic coleslaw mix
• 2 Tb minced onion
• 2/3 cup miracle whip
• 3 Tb vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 Tb white distilled vinegar 
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t poppy seeds
• 1 Tb of dijon mustard 
• 1 Tb prepared horseradish 

Combine the slaw mix and onion in a 9x13 baker. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together miracle whip, dijon, vegetable oil, horseradish,  sugar, vinegar, salt and poppy seeds. Pour over slaw and toss to coat.

 Chill for 3 hours prior to serving. The longer it sits in the fridge the juicier the slaw will get. I don't recommend making it the day prior. Try to prepare it just a few hours in advance so it isn't too runny. You want a nice creamy consistency.