Guacamole

1 to 2 avocados
2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Mrs. Dash

Smash avoados with a fork until desired consistency and add juice and seasoning. Keep covered chilled until ready to serve.

Catalina Pasta Salad

12 oz pasta cooked and drained
5 tbsp italian dressing
5 tbsp catalina dressing
1 tomato cubed
3/4 cup brocolli flowerettes sliced into small pieces
1 green onion chopped
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Taco Salad

This recipe garnered mixed reviews at the dinner table. This comes from a family who love my tacos (which I am not a huge fan of) so this was different from the expected however, it was mostly because this had tomatos and lettuce which all are not a fan of. So we have the thumb meter to gague the likeability of the meal. Up = good down = bad and sideways = it was ok, but please don't make very often :) The official review 3 yes it is tasty, 2 no, and 1 it's just ok by the tail end of the family. Overall I rate this as yummy and please try.

1 lb ground beef browned and rinsed
2 tsp taco seasoning

mix first 2 ingredients and set aside

1 can black beans
4 fresh tomatoes cubed
1 avocado cubed
4 green onions diced
2 cups grated cheese
8 oz. thousand island dressing
1 bag lettuce or 1 1/2 head lettuce Add lettuce only when ready to serve as it sits it soggs.

Optional ingredients:
sliced olives
sour cream to top
guacamole
hot sauce
salsa

Lehi Roller Mills Strawberry Germade

This is purely my addiction of a creamy smooth sweet breakfast cooked cereal. I love this stuff so I just had to share with you.

Mini Turnovers

1 pie crust for double crusted pie

1 can fruit pie filling

or

Fresh fruit compote:

1/2 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp water
1 to 3 Tbsp cornstarch

Mash with potato masher part of the fruit for a juicier filling. Cook over medium heat add cornstarch and cook until thckened to your preference also only add enough cornstarch for your preference. Place a generous spoonfull onto your prepared pie crust and fold into turnover style or if you have a turnover press (I have the pampered chef circular press) then cut into the circles and press edges together after placing the fruit filling.

Just a tip - roll the crust a little thinner and try to thicken the berry juices if you like the filling with the fruit otherwise these can turn out with lots of crust and little filling.

Brush top of crust with milk and sprinkle sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees until crust is a light brown bout 10 minutes.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 9" pie crust

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 box "Danish Desset"
1 3/4 cup cold water

Pour the cold water into a medium saucepan and add the Danish Dessert. Stir over medium heat using a whisk stir constantly it will start to thicken as it cooks and then will start a slow boil. Let it boil so as it is stirred the boil continues for 1 minute. Add the strawberries to the gelled topping and gently stir to coat and immediately pour into the cooled pie crust.

Chill 3 to 4 hours until set. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Brownies

1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Combine all ingredients until smooth and spread in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish and cook at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

Frosting:

12 tbsp butter
12 tbsp cocoa
4 tbsp honey
4 tsp vanilla
4 cups confectioners sugar
(The frosting was a little dry in my opinion so I added I think 3 Tbsp milk one at a time until it was creamier and more spreadable.)

This is a very moist brownie, rich chocolate flavor.

Strawberry Jam (Freezer)

3 1/4 cups crushed berries
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup

Remove stems from strawberries wash and crush one cup at a time with a potato masher. If using black or red raspberries or blackberries or elderberry sieve 1/2 cup pulp to remove some seeds.

Directions:
1. wash and rinse containers 1 to 2 cups in size w/ tight lids.

2. Prepare fruit as directed one cup at a time with potato masher for best results. If using food processor, pulse to very finely chop. DO NOT PUREE.

3. Measure exact amount of prepared fruit along with lemon juice into large bowl.

4. Measure exact amount of sugar int separate bowl. (Reducing sugar or using sugar substitutes will result in set failures.)

5. Gradually stir in 1 box pectin into fruit mix thoroughly. Set aside 30 minutes, stirring every 5 min. to dissolve pectin thoroughly.

6. Pour 1 cup light corn syrub into fruit mixture. Mix well. This prevents sugar crystallization during freezer storage.

7. Stir in sugar gradually stirring constantly until sugar is no longer grainy.

8. Pour into prepared containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top for expansion during freezing and cover.

9. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Freeze up to 1 yeaar. Thaw in refrigerator.

Barbecued Hamburger

Ground beef formed into a patty or
Ground beef patties
1 tbsp bbq sauce
1 thin slice of purple onion
sprinkle to taste Mrs. Dash
fresh minsed garlic to taste
Put this combination on each individual patty and wrap in foil sealing edges. Barbeque over low heat aprox 5 minutes each side.

(I am not the actual one who cooks them on the grill so 5 min was a guestimate use your own BBQ knowledge and cook accordingly).

Serve with lettuce, tomato slice, cheddar cheese, mayonaise, ketchup, mustard and relish.

This makes a very juicy burger with great flavor.

Banana Brownies

Combine in a saucepan on low heat and melt together until smooth and cool
1/2 cup butter melted
12 oz chocolate chips melted


Beat the sugar and butter until fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating then add remaining ingredients add melted chocolate and butter when they have cooled and blend until all evenly mixed.


1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
3 pureed bananas (recipe is for 3 cups pureed ripe bananas It was fine w/ just 3 bananas.
2 1/2 cups flour


Bake at 350 degrees. The recipe called to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, but I found that to be too short. To prevent edges from over cooking you can cover with foil and cook longer I think I cooked it 7 to 10 minutes longer.

Topped with home made whipping cream.

Frozen Fruit Squares

Crust

2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup margarine or butter melted

Combine first two ingredients and press down into the bottomof an 8 inch container.

Filling

1 quart softened vanilla ice cream
8 oz reduced fat sour cream
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or small whole strawberries

In large bowl stir together ice cream, sour cream and lemon peel. Gently fold in fruit. Carefully spoon over wafer mixture in dish, smoothing top. Sprinkle with remaining wafer mixture.

Cover and freeze at least 4 hours or until firm.

Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Cut into squares.

aprox 9 servings

Lemonade / Strawberry Lemonade

Lemonade

1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 quarts water

Fresh Lemonade

3 to 5 lemons washed and sliced
1 cup sugar
2 quarts water

Put sugar into pitcher and add enough water to stir to start disolving sugar. Add lemon slices and stir well. Add the remaining water. I have the Pampered chef pitcher and I love that because you can use the built in stirrer to help smash the lemon slices. This is actually better after it has been allowed to sit in the refridgerator for a few hours to enhance the lemon flavor.

To change to strawberry lemonade add:

10 pureed strawberries
5 tbsp lemon juice
1 1bsp sugar

Put strawberries in the blender with lemon juice and sugar and blend until desired consistency. Scoop into small muffin tins and freeze until solid. Add like ice cubes into sprite, lemonade, or other drink.