Welcome to my recipe blog! I started it when my brother, Mark, moved away and was in need of some recipes....or so I thought.... The goal is to post recipes that can be made quickly, easily, and inexpensively. If you have something to contribute, please let me know and I will be glad to add it!!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Ranch Oyster Crackers

Ranch Oyster Crackers

12-16 oz. Plain oyster crackers
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (buttermilk recipe)
¼ tsp. Lemon pepper
½ to 1 tsp. dill weed
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¾ to 1 cup salad oil

Combine Ranch dressing mix and oil. Add dill weed, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Mix well. Pour over crackers. Stir to coat. Place in warm oven for 15 to 20 minutes. (Stir once in a while in oven).

Serve.
This works well with pretzels also.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Mom's Best Bite-size Meatballs

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing mix for chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 bottle (16 oz.) Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce

Heat oven to 400
Line 2 (15x10x1-inch) pans with foil, spray with cooking spray. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water and eggs until blended. Shape into 50 (1 1/2 inch) meatballs; place on prepared pans.
Bake 16 min. or until done. Meanwhile, bring barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce to boil in large saucepan on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Add meatballs to sauce; stir to evenly coat.
Prep 20 min. Total 36 min. Makes 25 servings, 2 meatballs each

For main dish we made the meatballs larger and cooked for 20 min.

Saucy Mexican Chicken

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken halves (4 small breasts)
1 jar chunky salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook chicken in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 4 min. on each side or until browned on both sides. Add salsa and beans. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-high heat 5 min. or until chicken is done. Top with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand covered 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Sausage & Cheese-stuffed Mushrooms

24 fresh mushrooms (1 lb.)
1/2 Italian dressing
1/2 cup cooked crumbled Italian sausage
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat broiler. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms. Brush mushroom caps with dressing; place, top sides down on rack of broiler pan. Broil 5 min. Press sausage into mushroom caps, adding about 1 t sausage to each cap. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Prep: 15 min. total 25 min. Makes 12 servings 2 mushrooms each

Snowball Cake

1 pkg. (2 layer size) devil's food cake mix
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese softened
1 egg
2 T. granulated sugar
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla flavor instant pudding
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold milk
2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping
1 cup flake coconut

Heat oven to 350. Prepare cake batter, in 2 1/2 qt., ovenproof bowl as directed on package; scrape side of bowl (to keep from sticking during baking). Beat cream cheese, egg and granulated sugar until well blended; spoon into center of batter in bowl. Bake 1 hr. 5 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in bowl 10- min. Loosen cake from bowl with knife; using potholders if necessary, invert onto wire rack. Remove from bowl with knife; using potholders if necessary, invert onto wire rack. Remove from bowl. Cool cake completely. Meanwhile beat dry pudding mix, powdered sugar and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in cool whip. Refrigerate until ready to use. Place cake on plate, frost with pudding mixture. Cover with coconut. Keep refrigerated.
Prep 15 min. total 2 hrs. 20 min. Makes 16 servings