Tortellini Soup Revisited

Previously I posted the recipe for tortellini soup, one of my favorites. Recently I made it adding summer squash to it. It was SO yummy!! I love fresh produce!

Black Eyed Pea Salsa

(Sorry no picture right now for this yummy salsa!)

2-3 large tomatoes (3 cups), finely diced
1 bunch green onions (1 cup), finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro (1 1/2 cups), finely chopped
1 can sweet corn (1 1/2 cups), drained
1 can black eye peas (1 1/2 cups), drained - save juices for dressing
2-3 large avocados (3 cups), diced
1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

In large bowl combine tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, sweet corn, & black eye peas. Stir well. Make Italian Dressing Mix according to package EXCEPT replace the oil for the exact same measurement amount of the juices saved from black eye peas. Add mix/dressing to large bowl and stir well. Best to chill in fridge for a bit prior to cutting the avocados and adding to mix to serve.

This has been a hit everywhere I have taken it to!!!

Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS

2 cans apple pie filling
1 tsp cinnamon
1 C quick oats
1 C all-purpose flour
1C brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C butter, melted
honey

DIRECTIONS

Combine the pie filing and 1 tsp cinnamon - spread evenly in a baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except honey - mix well. Spread topping evenly over pie filling and drizzle with honey.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

Avocado Salsa

• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 green onion
• 1 avocado
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups of cottage cheese


Chop up all of the veggies, slice the onion, and mix together with the salt and pepper. Serve over cottage cheese and eat with tortilla chips or your favorite cracker. After trying it would tortilla chips and wheat thin crackers, I enjoyed it better with the wheat thins.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

Cilantro Lime Slaw
1 package Cole Slaw or whole shredded cabbage (Red is the best)
1 c. Mayonnaise
1 c. Cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. minced Garlic
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper or a dash of your favorite hot sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. Lime Juice
1/2 tsp. Cumin

Combine all but slaw in a mini food processor or chop and combine yourself. Mix desired amount of dressing with slaw mix no more than 30 minutes before serving.

(I used the above recipe with only 1/2 a head of red cabbage and it was perfect for my taste. I liked the slaw to be juicy. Besides, you don't put a lot on the taco and not everyone will appreciate the taste.)

Roasted Sweet Pork
6 (approx) pounds Pork butt/shoulder
1 19 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce
1 can Dr. Pepper (20 oz)
2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 Clove Garlic or 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine all ingredients into your crock pot and cook on low overnight or until meat is tender.


Next time around I will probably add a bit more brown sugar to make it a bit sweeter (closer to the pork that Cafe Rio has). However, my leftovers were much more sweeter than what we ate initially cooking it.

(If you are thinking you may not want to make a roast this big just know that the leftovers freeze great and it's even better after letting all the juices sit together in the freezer.)

Just placed the meat on top of a tortilla and then the slaw on top of that. Fold in half and take your first mouth-watering bite. Wonderful!!!

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bowls

1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. butter flavored shortening
1 1/8 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. To make the cookie cups, beat together the shortening, butter, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, baking soda, and flour, then gradually stir them into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk, and wrap it in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 375°. Turn two 12-cup muffin tins bottom side up and cover 10 of the cup bottoms with squares of aluminum foil (use every other cup so there's some space between them).

5. Unwrap 1 disk of dough, place it between 2 sheets of waxed paper, and roll it out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough and place each one over a cup bottom, smoothing out any cracks. Repeat with the other disk, re-rolling and reusing any scraps.

6. Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes then remove the foil and cookies together from the muffin pan. Peel off the foil and let the cups cool completely on a rack. Just before serving, fill each cookie cup with a scoop of ice cream. Makes about 9-10.


* This recipe requires prior planning but well worth it! Yummy! Also, the cookie dough is delicious!

Meatloaf

This is a very simple meatloaf recipe. I have just made it up, so it's more to taste, then exact ingredients.

2 lbs ground beef
1 egg
3 tbs minced onion
1/2 c. oatmeal
Ketchup
soda crackers

Mush all together into a bread pan. Spread ketchup over meatloaf until covered, break crackers and put on ketchup. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until cooked completely.

Plain Yogurt

For the Superbowl today I made the Hidden Valley Ranch Dip with plain yogurt instead of sour cream. It was really good, everyone at the party liked the taste better with the yogurt instead of the sour cream.

Banana Bread

3 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

3 t. vanilla

3 c flour

1 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

1 t. soda

3 t. cinnamon

3 mashed bananas

Mix together and bake @ 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Yum!  This is my tried and true banana bread recipe.  I have been using it for years.  I made it this morning in my pampered chef mini loaf pan and will freeze half.  Also, the bananas can easily be replaced with zucchini if you are one of those lucky one's that doesn't know what to do with all there zucchini at the end of the summer.