Hatch Green Chili Cheese Dip

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 4-ounce cans fire roasted Hatch green chiles
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Mix all ingredients together and keep refrigerated.

Greek Yogurt Blizzard

 Stir the following ingredients together.

170 g plain Greek yogurt

2 g liquid stevia

5 g cheesecake Pudding powder

10 g PBFit

31 g chocolate protein powder

20 g almond milk

8 g mini chocolate chips

Melt the following ingredients together in the microwave for 30 seconds.

11 g chocolate chips

4 g coconut oil

Pour on top of yogurt mixture and freeze for 10 minutes. Enjoy with a spoon.

Spoon Tacos

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon taco sauce
14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 ounces refried beans
tortilla chips
lettuce
cheese
fresh tomatoes, diced
olives, sliced

Sauté ground beef, onion and celery. Stir in salt, chili powder, and taco sauce.  Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, cheese and refried beans.  Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350 for one hour.  Or simmer all ingredients over stove for at least 30 minutes.

Serve sauce over tortilla chips (I prefer Fritos Scoops) and top with lettuce, additional shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, olives, and other toppings as desired.

Sweet Potato Casserole

 Casserole Ingredients 

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold milk

1 40-ounce can drained yams

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 dash cinnamon

Topping Ingredients 

1 cup corn flakes, crushed

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the corn starch in the milk. 

In a separate bowl, mash the ends with a fork. 

Add the yams, butter, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon to the corn starch and milk and mix well.

Pour into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, makes the topping ingredients over low heat until combined. Set aside until Casserole has completed the 20-minute bake time.

Carefully spread/sprinkle the topping over the casserole and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the topping begins to brown slightly.  Serve warm.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

It’s been said that these are better than Chick Fil-A’s.
Recipe by Elyse Ellis, courtesy of Camille Walker

2 pounds raw, diced chicken 
salt and pepper 
3 eggs
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups Kodiak Cakes Mix
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetable or canola oil for frying (optional)

Season diced chicken with salt and pepper.  Whisk eggs and egg whites together.  In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch in with the Kodiak Cakes mix.  Dip chicken into the egg wash.  Then coat it in the dry mix.  Gently place it into a frying pan of hot oil. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. 

If air frying, spray your air fryer lightly with oil and place dredged chicken in the basket, making sure to not overcrowd them.  Set the temperature to 400 and 8 minutes.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

(Replaces a 10.5 ounce can of condensed soup)

3 tablespoons butter 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add flour to the pan and whisk 1-2 minutes to form a roux.

Whisk in chicken stock and bring to a simmer.  Continue cooking 3-4 minutes until thickened.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove from heat and use OR stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 7 days.

BBQ Chicken Baked Tostadas

 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup cooked shredded chicken

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 tablespoons diced red onion

4 tablespoons diced tomatoes 

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place tortillas on a baking sheet.  

On each tortilla, spread 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce then top with 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese.  

Mix remaining barbecue sauce with chicken and pot 1/4 cup barbecue chicken on each tortilla.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of red onion and 1 tablespoon of tomato on top of each tortilla.  

Bake 6-8 minutes and then turn oven to broil on high broil for 1-2 minutes.  Top each tostada with cilantro and serve.

Chewy Bugle Chex Mix

Sauce: 

3 sticks butter

2 cups Karo syrup 

2 cups sugar

Bring to a boil then pour over cereal mixture...

1 regular size box Chex cereal

3 cups bugles

3 cups of pretzels 

1/2 - 3/4 cup cashews (could do more or even leave out entirely)

Homemade Donuts with Maple Glaze

Donuts:
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons yeast
6-7 cups flour
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter
2 cups milk
1/2 cup warm water

 Over medium heat, Cook butter, sugar and milk until butter is melted.  Let's cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes.   In a large mixing bowl, add lukewarm milk mixture to eggs.  Add salt, mashed potatoes, yeast mixture, and half the flour; mix well.   Add remaining flour; mix well.  Dough should be smooth and elastic; knead for 5 minutes.  Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise, about 1 hour.  Lightly dust countertop with flour.  Roll out and cut with a donut cutter. Let rise again, about 20 minutes.  Put oil in fryer, heat to 375.   Cook donuts in oil,  turning when each side is brown. Remove from oil, and let drain on paper towel.  Dip in a bowl of sugar or glaze while hot.

Glaze:
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of maple flavoring
1 tablespoon of butter, softened
1/3 cup warm water

 Mix above ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Dip donuts in glaze while hot.  Put on cooling rack with foil underneath to catch excess drips.

Not Grandma's Potato Salad

As you can see by the title, this is not Grandma's recipe. But a few years ago I found one that was similar, and I've tweeked it a little each time I make it. One thing that Grandma does differently: she adds the potatoes while they're still somewhat warm. I think that's because they absorb the flavors a little more. But you have to be careful if you do it that way, because it's even harder to stir them without mashing them.

not Grandma’s Potato Salad

5 pounds red potatoes

1 large onion, chopped

2 1/2 cups mayo

1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard

6 hard-cooked eggs, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Remove the peels and cut into cubes. Set aside to cool completely.

In a large bowl, mix together the onion, mayo, and mustard. Stir in the hard-cooked eggs and cooled potatoes. Try not to mash the potatoes very much. Season with salt and pepper.

Grandpa Andrus' Chocolate Chip Cookies 🍪

*Terra’s version

2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
2 sticks of butter
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pkg. (2 cups) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream the sugars and the butter.
Add eggs one at a time.
Add vanilla.
Mix dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix.
Mix in chocolate chips.
Make dough balls and place on baking sheets.
Bake about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.  Do not over bake.  They tend to get hard later.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

1.5 pounds chicken (about 3 breasts)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag frozen corn
1-2 cups cilantro, chopped
juice from 2 limes
1/2 red onion (approximately 1 cup)
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste (can be added later)

Toss in slow cooker, cook on low for about 4-6 hours (will cook longer if chicken is frozen).  Serve as tacos or over tortilla chips topped with sour cream and cheese.

Bean Pot Soup

This is Grandma Andrus' recipe, and it's still a classic at my house.

2 cups pinto beans
1 pound ground beef
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
1/3 cup rice
onion, diced
carrots, sliced
celery, chopped
dried parsley
bay leaves
salt and pepper
3-4 cups water
beef soup base or bullion cubes

Bring pinto beans to a boil.  Remove from heat and let stand one hour.  Pressure cook beans 18 minutes or 16 minutes when using kidney beans with less water.  Brown ground beef and drain.  Add beans and all remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve with ketchup if desired.

Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken

1/2 - 2/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
split boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix first 7 ingredients and add to chicken.  Marinate overnight then grill to perfection.

White Chocolate Chex Mix

10 ounces mini pretzels
5 cups corn Chex
5 cups Cheerios
1 pound M&Ms
2 cups salted peanuts
2 12-ounce bags of vanilla chips
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

In large bowl combine first 5 ingredients. In a microwave safe bowl heat chips and oil. Melt chips and stir until smooth. Pour over other ingredients and mix well. Spread onto wax paper lined baking sheets. Cool, break apart, and store in airtight container. Enjoy!

Grandpa's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grandpa Andrus made these often, and they are still my favorite basic chocolate chip cookie recipe.

2 cups shortening (I substitute 1 cup coconut oil and 1 cup butter)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 ounces (2 cups) chocolate chips

Mix shortening and sugars together until well combined.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients and finally the chocolate chips.  Compact with hands if a little crumbly.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Rocky Road

12 ounces (2 cups) butterscotch chips
12 ounces (2 cups) chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup peanuts (salted or unsalted)

Melt chips and peanut butter in a large pan over very low heat (too hot will melt the marshmallows).  Remove from heat and add marshmallows and peanuts.  (I pulse the peanuts in the food processor a few times first.)  Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan.  Chill to set.  Cut into small squares and serve.
*This is a lot like fudge, so it's temperamental.  Don't take it to a potluck because it will melt.  It's best stored in the refrigerator.

Mexican Quinoa Bowls

Recipe from kitchensimplicity.com.

Serves 4-6.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 1/4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, quartered
To serve: salsa, sour cream shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and guacamole

Add a small bit of oil to a medium-sized pot set over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeños; cook just until fragrant (about a minute). Add quinoa, broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, and salt. Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed. 

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice. Spoon into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Anna's Impossible Quiche

Passed down from Dad's oldest sister, his isn't your typical quiche (just as she's not your typical aunt). The recipe doesn't have a crust, but includes Bisquick in with the eggs and milk instead. It's the only quiche I'd eaten until I moved out of the house, and is still my very favorite.

3 eggs

1 ½ cup milk

1 ½ cup Bisquick

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

½ cup melted butter

½ cup diced ham or crisp bacon pieces

1 ½ - 2 cups grated cheese

Mushrooms

Chopped onion (yellow or green)

Chopped green pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat eggs, milk, Bisquick, salt, pepper, and butter with electric mixer. Pour into a greased 9”-10” pie pan. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over the top of the egg mixtures, then press into mixture.

Bake 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Corny Chocolate Crunch

(Makes 5 quarts)

3 quarts popped popcorn (12 cups)

3 cups corn chex

3 cups broken corn chips (Fritos)

1 pkg butterscotch chips

¾ pound dark chocolate coating (I use chocolate chips)

Combine popcorn, cereal and corn chips; set aside.  In a saucepan over med-low heat, melt butterscotch chips and chocolate; stir until smooth.  Pour over popcorn mixture and toss to coat.  Spread into 2 greased 15 x 10 in baking sheets.  When cool enough to handle break into pieces.