Rob's Man-Made Salsa

This is the salsa that my husband, Rob, makes all of the time.  He created the recipe himself, and its really good.   Everyone always loves, so I promised my sisters I'd post it ASAP.  It's easy and YUMMY, so grab a bag of chips and enjoy!!!

56 oz. canned, diced tomatoes (fresh would be good, too!)
1 T. sea salt
1 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. pepper
1/8-1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped
2 bunches of cilantro leaves, finely chopped (about 2 c.)
4 jalapeno peppers, diced.  (remove seeds for mild salsa, or leave some in for hotter salsa)

Potato Salad

Fill a six quart pan with potatoes (abt 7 pounds) and boil until tender. Cool and peel and cut into cubes. Add 12 hard-cooked eggs.
Mix one quart Miracle Whip (4 cups) and 1 can of evaporated milk (12 oz). Stir until creamy and well mixed. Season with 1 tsp onion salt and 1 tsp salt. Add to potatoes and eggs. Stir carefully until well mixed. Garnish with parsley flakes and paprika. Chill.
Fills the large tupperware mixing bowl.

Taco Pie

My friend brought this dish to us when I had Savannah. It was a hit with all of us, and has since become a staple in our dinner menu.

1 can pillsbury crescent rolls

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 small can tomato sauce

1 pkg. taco seasoning

2 c. crushed fritos

1 c sour cream

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Cook meat and add taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Put rolls in a 9 inch pie plate to for the crust. (I have also done it in a 9x13 pan, and it's worked just fine.) Layer 1 cup crushed fritos, meat mixture, sour cream, chesse, and remaining fritos. Bakte at 375 degrees for 20- 25 mins.

Top with chopped tomatoes, avocados, and chopped lettuce.

Enjoy!

Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup

This soup is an all time favorite at our house. It is so easy, and I usually have the ingredients on hand. Perfect for a day just like today when Mother Nature tricks us with a surprise storm! And, if there are any fellow Weight Watcher members our there, this hearty soup is only 3 points per serving!! Enjoy!

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, shredded (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained
1 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained
2 c. beef stock (or more as needed)
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 t. basil
2 t. parsley
1/2 t. thyme
dash tabasco sauce (optional)
1 26 oz. jar (or larger) spaghetti sauce
4 oz. small pasta, cooked and drained

Brown ground beef in a large pot. Drain any grease. Add remaining ingredients (except pasta) and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes more. If necessary, adjust amount of liquid by adding additional beef broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked pasta.

Corn Chowder

This is one of my all-time favorite soups, so I thought I'd sneak it in here while it's still soup weather, depending on the day!  I made it Monday night when it was cold and rainy.  Next time I'm making a double batch because everyone wanted more on Tuesday, but...it was long gone.

I've had this recipe for a long time and it is really long and involved, so I've never made it exactly according to the directions.  Every time I make it I simplify it a little more and I can't tell a difference in the taste, so I'm giving you my easier, quicker, simplified version.  You can thank me later. :)

1/2 gallon chicken stock

1 bag of frozen corn (I like to use petite sweet or petite white)

4 slices of bacon, diced and uncooked (save 1/2 for garnish)

1 T. diced onion 

1 t. chopped garlic 

6 T. flour

6 T. butter, melted

4 oz. diced Yukon Gold potatoes

8 oz. pulled chicken meat

16 oz. heavy cream

1 T. finely chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish)

salt and pepper to taste

Start with your chicken stock, I usually just use water and chicken bullion.  While that's heating up, cook the bacon.  Drain the grease from the pan and put 1/2 the cooked bacon into stock and set the other half aside.  Put the diced onion in the frying pan and saute until transparent.  (I usually just pour some minced onion into the broth instead.)  Pour your bag of frozen corn into the frying pan and brown it slightly in the little bit of grease that is still in the pan.  Add the corn to the broth and add the garlic to the broth, also.  Bring the soup to a low boil.

In the same frying pan you've been using, melt the butter and flour to make the roux.  Let the roux cool while the soup boils on low for 1/2 hour.  Add the cooled roux to the soup while incorporating with a wire whisk.  Now let the soup simmer for an hour, stirring every now and then.  

While the soup simmers, dice the potatoes.  If you don't have Yukon Gold, just use whatever you have.  I usually buy a rotisserie chicken for my chicken meat and it's delicious that way, but the other night I just used canned chicken and it was still really good.  Add the potatoes, chicken, and cream and simmer for another 1/2 hour.  

After putting soup in bowls, top with remaining bacon and cilantro leaves for garnish.  (If you're out of cilantro like I was, dried works but fresh would have been even better!)

Now sit down with a bowl of yummy soup and enjoy all of your hard work! 

Yummy Bread Sticks

These are my favorite bread sticks!  They are good with spaghetti, lasagna, soup, you name it!  They are really pretty easy, and sooo good!  I have made them with thawed frozen roll dough before, and that's a little quicker.  When I do that, I don't twist them. They also have a more uniform shape that way, if you are worried about them being pretty!  I don't think they taste as good with frozen rolls so I usually make the dough myself.  It's worth it!!!

3 1/2 c. flour

2 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 1/2 c. water

1 T. yeast

Add yeast to warm water.  Mix dry ingredients, then add the water and yeast.  Knead dough and let rise 20 minutes.  Melt 1 cube of butter and pour onto cookie sheet.  Roll dough into a rectangle the size of cookie sheet.  Cut into 12  1" strips with pizza cutter.  Double strips in half and twist.  Roll the twists in the butter until well coated and arrange them on the cookie sheet.  Let rise till double, then sprinkle with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.  I also add a little parsley for color.  Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.  Watch closely, mine were finished after 12 minutes when I made them last night.  These make 12 really big bread sticks, so I usually cut the dough to make 18 and they are still a nice size.  You could make 24 smaller bread sticks, too.  They are so good everyone will want more than one.  My family loves them!

p.s.  These are best the day they are made, especially hot out of the oven.  So, don't feel guilty if you eat them all and don't save any for tomorrow.  It's better that way.  Enjoy 'em!

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

This is a fast easy dinner my family loves! Just throw everything in the crockpot and cook for 6-8 hrs.

1 roast

Beef broth (enough to cover about 1/2 to 3/4 of the beef)

1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup

2 pkg. McCormick Au Jus

After cooking shred the beef and strain the Au jus sauce. I put the beef on French bread sub rolls, topped with provolone cheese. I like to broil them opened faced in the oven till the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Pour a small bowl of the Au Jus sauce for each person to dip their sandwhich in.

Dip and Enjoy!