Thai Tacos

I love this spicy peanut sauce with hamburger. It is an easy, quick to prepare meal that we all like. I serve it with tortilla chips and melon on the side.

1 1/2 pounds hamburger

2 medium sliced red bell peppers

2 Tbsp minced ginger

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

Brown and drain hamburger. Add peppers, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper to skillet. Cook until peppers are crisp-tender.

Mix peanut butter, cilantro, lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil with whisk to make a sauce. Stir into beef mixture. Remove from heat.

Stuff meat mixture into pita halves and garnish with lettuce just before serving.

Monster Cookies

These are really yummy cookies! They are best fresh out of the oven! They are also gluten free which is an added bonus!

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

12 oz creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup M & Ms (I like the mini ones)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

2 tsp baking soda

4 1/2 cups quick oats

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine eggs and sugars in a very large bowl. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter and butter. Mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand 3 minutes before removing from sheets. Cool on wire racks.

Zucchini Roast

This is a recipe that my mom made and I have made over the years when we have been gifted with someone’s surplus zucchini crop. I’m not sure if the men in my house are as fond of it as I am, but I LOVE it!

4 cups diced zucchini

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup grated cheese

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped onion

crumbled bacon

salt and pepper

Mix well and pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 325-350 for 30 to 45 minutes.

Chicken Spinach Stir-Fry Salad

This salad is one of many favorites that came from $1 Pampered Chef cookbooks. I made this one quite often when I was pregnant with Will because I just craved it so often. It makes a great light lunch with a roll and a glass of iced tea!



Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp soy sauce
dash of hot pepper sauce



Salad
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1 lb cut up chicken breast
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 can (8 oz) of pineapple chunks, drained
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 bag fresh spinach



Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside. Stir fry chicken, garlic, ginger, carrots, and sesame seeds until chicken is done. Lay spinach on plate or serving dish. Top with pineapple and onion. Place chicken mixture and dressing on top of salad. Serve immediately while still warm.

Fluffy Berry Jello Pie

You can make this with any kind of berry but strawberry is our favorite. This pie is cool, light and fluffy and tastes so yummy on a hot summer day! Three minutes stirring may sound like a long time, but it is totally worth it!

1 box berry flavored Jello

2/3 cup boiling water

2 cups ice cubes

8 oz tub Cool Whip (or use heavy cream, see below) 

1 cup sliced or whole berries

1 prepared pie crust

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, stir 3 minutes.

Add ice cubes, stir 3 minutes.

Remove all remaining ice.

Fold in Cool Whip with wire whisk.

* If you don't want to use Cool Whip you can use real whipping cream. Just mix 1/3 cup powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tbsp instant Clearjel. Pour into 1 1/2 cups cream and whip until forms stiff peaks.

Fold in berries with spoon.

Pour into pie crust.

Chill until firm.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I should call this my "Award Winning Strawberry Spinach Salad"...I don't even remember when or where I got this recipe but it is one of my favorite salads ever! It is perfect for summer time lunches with chicken or as a side dish at a BBQ! I took it to a friend's BBQ Cook-Off Contest and everyone placed their votes for their favorite dish and this salad won! It was kind of embarrassing since it wasn't even one of the entries, only a side dish... But it is really good! ;o)

Me, Andy & my prize-winning salad

2 bunches or 1 bag of fresh spinach

2 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

1 1/2 Tbsp minced red or white onion

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar (or white vinegar with a little apple juice in it)

Combine dressing and toss with spinach, strawberries and sunflower seeds just before serving.

Rhubarb Bars

These are possibly the best rhubarb recipe I have! We love them! They are so yummy and even work with frozen rhubarb for a springtime treat any time of year!

Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar and 4 Tbsp cornstarch. Add 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp vanilla. Add 4 cups chopped rhubarb. Cook in saucepan on med-high heat until thick, stir often.

Mix 1 1/2 cups oatmeal, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp soda, 1 cup shortening or butter and 1/2 cup chopped nuts until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup for topping. Press the rest into a 9x13 pan. Pour filling on top and sprinkle on the topping.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cut while slightly warm.