Watermelon Cucumber Salad

4 cups watermelon, cubed

1 English cucumber, sliced

2 T. lime juice, about 2 limes

1 t. honey

2 T. fresh mint, finely chopped 

1 T. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 t. chili lime seasoning or Tajin

1/4 t. salt

Pinch of pepper

Double the recipe for a larger crowd

7 Layer Dip

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

1 (15 oz) carton guacamole dip

1 (8oz) tub sour cream mixed w/

1/2 pkg taco seasoning 

1 (16 oz) bottle salsa

1 (8 oz) shredded cheese 

Sliced tomatoes 

1 (2.25) can sliced black olives

Tostitos Chips

Slow Cooker Cracker Barrel Carrots

2 lbs baby carrots

2 T. butter

1 T. white sugar

1 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. garlic powder

2 t. salt

1/3 c water 

Add carrots, butter, sugar, seasoning, and water to the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.

Crockpot Grape Meatballs

 1 (32 oz) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs                            12 oz chili sauce                                                   10 oz grape jelly

Add frozen meatballs to crockpot. Cover with chili sauce, and grape jelly. Cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or 4-6 hours on LOW. Serve directly from crockpot with serving spoon, or toothpicks, or transfer to a serving dish.

Cornflake Clusters

• 1/2 c. Corn Syrup1/2 c. Sugar2 T. unsalted Butter1/2 c. Peanut Butter 1 t. Vanilla1/4 t. Salt3 c. Cornflakes 
  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan over low-medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter and peanut butter. Stir, and bring to a boil. Once it boils, immediately remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
• GENTLY fold in the cornflakes so you don’t break them.
• Spray a cookie scoop with non stick spray and use it to scoop the clusters onto the parchment paper.
• Allow them to set for 30 minutes.

Waffles

 2 c. Flour

2 T. Sugar 

4 t. Baking Powder 

1/2 t. Salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. Milk

6 T. Unsalted Butter, melted

1 t. Vanilla

French Toast

 2  eggs

1/2 c. milk

1 t. cinnamon 

2 t. vanilla extract 

8 slices bread

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

 2 lbs chicken breasts

1 packet taco seasoning 

1 packet  ranch dressing mix

1/2 c. chicken broth

Place in crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours. Shred, and serve in shells with all the fixings.

Creamy White Chili

5 c. chicken broth

2 cans great northern white beans

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

2 c. cooked shredded chicken

1 t. onion powder

1 t. minced garlic 

1 t, ground oregano 

1 t. cumin

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. whipping cream

Bring broth to a boil. Then add beans, chilies, chicken, and seasonings. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, and heavy cream until incorporated. Serve with tortilla strips on top.

Kiwi Berry Fruit Salad

1 lb. strawberries, quartered
2 cups diced kiwis about 6-8 kiwis, peeled
6 oz. fresh raspberries
6 oz. fresh blackberries

Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
2 t. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice

Wash fruit. Cut as directed above. Combine into a large bowl, and mix together.
Whisk glaze ingredients together. Drizzle over salad, and toss to combine. Serve!!!

Banana Muffins

1 1 /2 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

3 ripe bananas

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1/3 cup oil

1 cup chopped nuts, or chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine the first 4 ingredients, set aside. 

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the sugar, egg, vanilla, and oil. Mix well. 

Stir in the dry ingredients just until moistened. 

Fold in any nuts or chocolate chips if desired.

Fill muffin liners half full.

Bake for 18-22 minutes at 375, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes our clean.

Chicken Ramen Stir Fry

3 chicken breasts, cubed

3 T. oil

2 pkg. ramen noodles, broken up (discard seasoning packets)

1 lg. head of broccoli, chopped

1 sweet red pepper, sliced into strips

1 orange pepper, sliced into strips

1 yellow pepper, sliced into strips

1 stalk celery, diced

2 t. parsley

1 1/2 c. water

4 T. soy sauce

Place chicken in a large skillet with oil. Cook until done.

Add water. Stir in noodles, vegetables, and parsley. Mix in soy sauce.

Cook on medium low heat until liquid is absorbed and noodles soften.

Tropical Crush Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
1 (15.25 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice
1 (8oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
coconut flakes

Bake cake according to package directions. Poke holes in it while it's hot with a fork.
Drain pineapple into a bowl (saving juice).
Mix cream of coconut, milk and juice. (When you open the can of cream of coconut you will probably see that some of the coconut oil and cream have separated, so it's really important to whisk this mixture so you get it combined and most of the lumps out). Once combined, mixture will be thin.
Pour mixture evenly over cake getting it into the holes.
Cool completely before spreading pineapple over top, followed by Cool Whip, then coconut.
Keep refrigerated.

Better Than Something Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (14 oz) caramel topping
chocolate sauce
1 (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 oz) bag heath bar pieces

Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to box directions.
While cake is hot out of the oven, poke top of cake every 1/2 inch with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over cake, then drizzle with 3/4 of the caramel, allowing it to seep into the holes.
Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or longer.
Top with Cool Whip, drizzle with remaining caramel topping, chocolate sauce, and heath bits.
Store cake covered, in the refrigerator.

Apple Pie Pull Apart Buns

20 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed but still cold
1 (14.5 oz) can apple pie filling
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 T. butter

Spray a bundt pan with non stick spray. Cut each roll in half and arrange 10 dough pieces on the bottom of the bundt pan.
In a separate bowl, combine ingredients and mix well.
Add half of the apple mixture over the dough pieces. Add the last 10 dough pieces on top, and add the remaining pie filling.
Cover, and let rise until double in size about 1 1/2 hours. Don't let them rise too much because they will continue to rise as they bake.
Uncover, and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
Remove from oven, and cool before adding glaze.

Glaze:
1 t. butter, melted
1 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1 - 2 T. milk

Melt butter in medium size bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk starting with 1 T. and adding more if needed. Use a wire whisk. You want a pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled bread.

Cranberry Oat Chews

1/4 c. butter
5 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3 c. cheerios
1 1/2 c. quick oats
1 c. dried cranberries

Melt butter and marshmallows over medium low heat, stirring constantly. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, continue stirring for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
Combine oats, cheerios, and dried cranberries, then fold into marshmallow mixture.
Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan and press down until mixture is evenly distributed in the pan. Cut into bars, and enjoy!

Canadian Cheese Soup

8 cups water
1 bag frozen hash browns (26 oz)
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup diced celery
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. onion powder
2 cups half and half
16 oz Velveeta
1/4 - 1/3 cup flour (depending on how thick you like it)

Add first 8 ingredients together in large pot. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling 10-15 minutes. Add half and half, and Velveeta, stirring until combined. Slowly whisk in flour. Continue to heat on low.

Banana Bread

1/2 c. butter, softened or Crisco
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
3 ripe bananas
2 c. flour
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt

Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Add flour, soda, and salt; mix well. Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

Crockpot Hot Chocolate

This is perfect for Christmas morning or New Years!

6 cups milk, any percentage 

1 ( 14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups (12oz) semi sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 t. Vanilla extract

1/8 t. Salt

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker, and stir together. Cook on low 3 to 4 hours or on high 2 hours. Stir once 15 minutes after first starting, and then again every 30 minutes or so.

Serve with marshmallows or whipped cream.

Serves 6-8

Holiday Drink

64 fl oz Cran Raspberry Juice

2 liters Gingerale

3 limes, sliced

Ice