Ranch Mac n' Cheese

I came across this recipe while browsing the Recipe Shoebox a few weeks ago. I figured with how much we love ranch dressing in this house I had to give it a try. The kids absolutely loved it. It is very strong and full of flavor so I will probably serve it a s a side next time. It would make a great side for a bbq or picnic!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (16-oz.) elbow macaroni

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. garlic pepper blend

1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning

1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Colby cheese

1 cup (8-oz.) sour cream

1/2 cup crushed saltines

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the milk, butter, dressing mix, and seasonings; heat through. Stir in Monterrey Jack and Colby cheeses until melted. Stir in sour cream.

Drain macaroni; stir into cheese sauce. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with crushed saltines and Parmesan cheese.

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

I have one word for these potatoes...YUM! My family loved them. I've had this recipe for probably a year and finally got around to making them. Don't ask me what I was waiting for. These will become a regular side dish at our house now.

Ingredients:
5 medium baking potatoes
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. chopped chives, separated
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch mix
bacon bits

Directions:
1. Wash and wrap each potato in foil. Bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees.
2. Remove potato pulp from skins and place in a medium mixing bowl along with butter. Mash potatoes with a potato ricer or mixer.
3. Add cheese, sour cream, ranch mix, and 1 Tbsp. chives. Mix with a spoon.
4. Pour potato mixture into a lightly greased pan and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
5. Garnish with remaining chives and bacon bits. Yum!

Lo Mein

I can't even remember where I found this recipe because it's been sitting in my "to try" file for so long. So if this recipe belongs to you, please let me know! I thought the oyster flavor was a little too strong for me in this dish so I will probably cut that in half next time. Still very good and everyone enjoyed it. I served this along side Sweet and Sour Chicken, you can find the recipe here.

Ingredients:
12 oz. Lo Mein noodles (I used thick spaghetti noodles)
stir-fry sauce (recipe below)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup broccoli florets (I omitted this)

Stir-Fry Sauce
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 tsp. chopped ginger ( I omitted this)
*whisk all ingredients together

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package. Meanwhile, prepare stir-fry sauce and begin chopping vegetables. Once noodles are done, drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add remaining vegetables and cook until crisp.
Add noodles and stir-fry sauce and crank the heat up to high for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through and well combined.

Summerly Squash

My mom introduced me to this recipe from allrecipes.com last summer and we adapted it to our own liking. This kids aren't a big fan of this one but Jon and I sure are. It's a great summer side dish to almost any meal.

Ingredients:
1 squash, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions for 2-3 minutes, then add sliced squash and zucchini. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, reduce to a low simmer and add garlic and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Toss every 5 minutes or so.

Pioneer Woman's Onion Strings

These are sooo yummy! How could a deep fried onion not be good though? Pioneer Woman never fails to impress. I will make a few slight changes next time though. I think I am going to cut my onions thicker, only because I really like the juicy flavor of cooked onions and I might do half seasoned salt half regular/sea salt. I'll let you know when I try it and tell you how it goes.

Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 scant tablespoon salt
Lots of black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Canola Oil

Directions:
Slice onion very thin (a mandolin slicer comes in very handy here). Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk for at least one hour.Combine dry ingredients and set aside.Heat oil to 375 degrees.Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tab to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.Repeat until onions are gone.Eat before your family sees them.Repeat with another onion, because they’ll be really mad they didn’t get any.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Won tons

These were sooo good! All my favorite flavors mixed together and fried, how could I have gone wrong?! Serve a little ranch on the side for dipping and you have a delicious meal. Even the kids liked them.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
½ Cup finely diced white onions
½ Cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced (I used 1)
1 12 oz can chunk chicken, drained (from Costco)
¼ Cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
¼ Cup Verde Salsa (I use Herdez brand)
2 Tablespoons prepared ranch dressing
½ package won ton wrappers (found in the produce section of the grocery store)

Directions:
1. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic for 1 minute and remove from heat.
2. In large bowl add onion mixture, chicken, cilantro, salsa, ranch, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Place 1 Tablespoon chicken mixture in center of won ton wrapper. Brush bottom edge with egg white wash, fold over filling and press edges together firmly, forming a triangle shape.
4. 2 options of cooking. 1st is place about 1 inch of canola or vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. When hot, place 4 won tons at a time into oil. Cook 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. 2nd option is place won tons on a baking sheet; bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy, flipping once half way through cooking.
5. Serve with Ranch dressing or salsa if desired
(of course I found this one on Picky Palate!)

Pioneer Woman's Mac & Cheese

thepioneerwoman.com

If you've never been on the Pioneer Woman's blog before, you're missing out. She is an amazing cook and her recipes never lack flavor! I have one word for this one- SPICY! Wow, I even toned down the heat in this recipe and it was still spicy. It was so good though that you continue eating even though your mouth is burning. My husband had 3 servings.

Ingredients:
1 lb. macaroni noodles
1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion, diced
equal amount of red bell pepper, diced
1 4oz. can green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
1 finely diced jalapeno (I used 1/2)
1 heaping cup grated pepper jack cheese ( I used 1/2 pepper jack, 1/2 mozzarella)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Boil pasta until al dente.
2. In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute onions, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and corn over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add green chilies, stir,then turn off heat.
3. Drain pasta and add it to the skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

I served these along with a side of ranch for dipping and they were great. The left overs even tasted good the next day.

Ingredients:
5 lb bag of russet potatoes, washed, cut into 1 inch cubes
3+ Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt
½ teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper
¼ Cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Divide cubed potatoes onto a large baking sheet with edges. Drizzle potatoes evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic salt, Lawry's seasoning salt, pepper and parmesan cheese over potatoes. With hands, gently rub ingredients together so potatoes are well coated. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender and golden brown. Take a nibble then season accordingly if it needs a little more salt.

adapted from The Picky Palate.

Red Skinned Potato Salad

We had a yummy Memorial Day BBQ at our house this year. We ate Baby Back Ribs, Burgers, Hot Dogs, Watermelon, Potato Salad (posted), Baked Beans (posted below), and Apple Pie. The pictures didn't turn out fabulous but the food did!
The bacon is what makes this salad soo good, so don't leave it out!
Ingredients:
2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
6 eggs (I left these out)
12oz. pound bacon
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (not the entire bunch, just 1 stalk)
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste (I used Lawry's and pepper)

Directions:
1. Chop the potatoes into chunks, skins on. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool. ( I cooked my potatoes in the morning, refrigerated them, then continued the recipe later that afternoon. I don't like warm potato salad.)
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until crispy (you don't want soggy bacon). Drain, crumble, and set aside.
4. Place potatoes in a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Baked Beans

Ingredients:
2 29oz. cans baked beans
12-16oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients and and place in a crock pot on low for 3 hours.

Crock Pot Red Mashed Potatoes

I served these along side my Italian Breaded Pork Chops and they are delicious together. I highly recommend trying both!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 cubes (3Tbsp.) chicken bouillon
4oz. sour cream
4oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook potatoes, garlic, and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm, about 10-15 minutes, Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese. Add reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
2. Transfer the potato mixture to the crock pot, cover, and cook on Low for 2-3 hours. Just prior to serving, stir in butter and season with salt & pepper, to taste.

serves 4-5

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 pound seashell pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.

Caramel Apple Salad

Ingredients:
6 medium apples, cored and chopped ( I usually do 3 red, 3 green)
1 small cool whip
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 8oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 small box butterscotch pudding (just the mix, don't make the pudding)
1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Directions:
1. Mix cool whip, pineapple, and pudding mix together in a medium bowl.
2. Add apples, marshmallows, and peanuts. Mix well.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or more.

*Weight Watchers Version: use cool whip free, sugar free pudding, and omit the peanuts.

Val Van Haren's Salsa

I got this recipe from a friend, thanks Dawn, and loved the fact that there is no chopping! Throw it all in the blender and you're done!

Ingredients:

3 16oz. cans diced tomatoes, juice strained

1 bunch cilantro

4 jalapenos, de-seeded (I used 2, I don't like it too spicy)

1 bunch green onions

1 can El Pato (yellow can)

2 Anaheim chilies, de-seeded (I couldn't find these, so I substituted 1 can of green chilies)

4 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. salt, add more if needed

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree!

*this can end up a little spicy depending on how ripe your jalapenos and chilies are. you can adjust the "hottness" by adding a little sugar if needed.

Foil Dinners

Ok, not the most appetizing looking meal I've ever made, but they were good. This is the first time I've made these and they were by request of my husband.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, I recommend a higher fat content like 80/20

potatoes, peeled & diced

carrots, either baby or sliced

onion, sliced

1 can cream of mushroom

salt & pepper

any other seasonings of choice, Lawry's, Garlic Salt, Lemon Pepper, etc.

butter

Directions:

1. Place 1/4 pound patty on an 8x8 piece of heavy duty foil.

2. Season patty with salt & pepper, and any other desired seasonings.

3. Place potatoes, onions, and carrots on top.

4. Place a dollop of butter on top of meat and vegetables.

5. Cover with cream of mushroom.

6. Pull 2 ends of foil together and roll, then roll each end in as well.

7. Place in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour.

Fresh Mexican Salad

I was a little skeptical about this recipe at first, but it got such awesome reviews on allrecipes.com that I decided to give it a try....and I'm so glad I did!

My husband said "this is a keeper!" I made this as a side dish to my Shredded Beef Tacos, click here to view recipe, and they were awesome together. This salad can be served alone, on the tacos, or eaten with chips. Don''t let the long list of ingredients scare you, I had most of these things on hand.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce ( I omitted this)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
3. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Scalloped Potatoes

It's been a while and I'm a little behind on posting! I've been super busy but wanted to get some recipes on here so make sure you check them all out. I'll have another craft posted soon. Thanks for checking in!
8-10 large russet potatoes
Wash and peel potatoes. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Allow potatoes to cool completely. Slice potatoes on a mandolin slicer to desired thickness. Set aside.

Saute the following:
4 Tbl. butter
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large leek, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Set aside.

Roux (sauce):
Melt 3/4 cup butter in a skillet.
Add:
2/3 cup flour
1 Tbl. salt
1 1/2 tsp. garlic pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Slowly add 5 cups milk or 1/2 & 1/2 to mixture, stirring occasionally till thickened.

Spray baking dish and layer as follows:
1/3 sauce, 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 onion mixture, 1/3 sauce, remaining potatoes, remaining onion mixture, and remaining sauce.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees.

*this recipe came from Shar's Bosch Kitchen Center

Ranch House Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 pork chops, 1/2" thick
1 packet (3 Tbl.) Ranch dressing seasoning
10.75 oz. Cream of Chicken
4 lbs. potatoes, peeled & cubed
5 Tbl. butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (directions below)
1- 1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 Tbl. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
1. Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning, and cream of chicken in crock pot. Cook on low heat for 6 hours.
2. Just prior to serving pork chops, boil cubed potatoes until fork tender. Drain and place in mixing bowl.
3. Mix on low till potatoes are mashed, then add butter, Parmesan, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper. Season to taste as needed.
4. Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with a pork chop and gravy.

Roasted Garlic:
Slice the top off of a garlic bulb, drizzle 1 Tbl. olive oil over top. Wrap tightly in foil and bake for 1 hour and 350 degrees.
* recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Burritos w/Cilantro Lime Rice & Cilantro Lime Dressing

Anyone who has had Cafe Rio's sweet pork knows how awesome it is. This is a copy-cat recipe and it is a must try! It may seem like a lot of work to some but it is soo worth it! They usually serve this pork on a yummy salad but I decided to make a burrito instead using their sweet pork, cilantro-lime rice, and cilantro ranch. You could also add their black beans to this as well but my family is not a big fan of beans, I'll include the recipe for it though.
I bought the uncooked tortillas and I do recommend them. They are so much better than pre-made and they only take 60 seconds to cook. We also added romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese to our burritos. They turned out delicious!


Sweet Pork
Ingredients:
2 pounds pork (I used boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet), buying the 2 ltr. is cheaper
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 cup water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, mild spiciness but any will work)
1+ cup brown sugar

Directions:
1. Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinate overnight.
2. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on low for 6- 8 hours.
3. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork. (for those of you who have a Bosch mixer, place meat in mixer with wire whisks and mix on speed 1 for 15-20 seconds, it will be perfectly shredded!)
4. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.
5. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours.

Cilantro-Lime Rice
Ingredients:
1 c. uncooked white rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro


Directions:
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice

Cilantro Ranch Dressing
Ingredients:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (I left this out, I don't like it too spicy)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Black Beans
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Ham & Potatoes Au Gratin

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
dash of pepper
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
1 lb. ham, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions:
1. Cook onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Stir in flour and pepper. Add milk all at once and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Reduce heat and stir in cheese and mayonnaise. Stir well till cheese melts.
3. Combine diced potatoes and ham with sauce.
4. Place in a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.