Hamburger Corn Soup

Hamburger Corn Soup
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion
2 (15.25 ounce) cans sweet corn, undrained
2 (15 ounce) cans sweet cream-style corn
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons dried parsley
water, as needed
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir beef and onion until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer beef and onion to a slow cooker. Add sweet corn, cream-style corn, potatoes, and parsley. Pour enough water into the slow cooker to fill completely.  Cover and cook corn mixture in slow cook on Low until potatoes are very tender, about 6 hours. Season with salt and pepper.

Crock-Pot Roast with Balsamic Onions

Crock-Pot Roast with Balsamic Onions
1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless beef chuck roast
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Season roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook roast in hot skillet until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Place roast in a slow cooker and scatter onion slices around roast. Pour vinegar over the roast and onions.  Cook roast in the slow cooker set to Low until tender and falling apart, 6 to 8 hours. Shred meat and return to slow cooker with juices.

Chicken Carbanaro Risotto

Chicken Carbanaro Risotto
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups Minute® White Rice, uncooked
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese*
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.  Add soup, peas and milk; bring to a boil. Stir in rice; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in bacon bits and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Milano

Chicken Milano
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
8 ounces fettuccine
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour 3/4 cup chicken broth over garlic mixture; stir in red peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until broth is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.  Pour cream into broth mixture; bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes.  Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook chicken in the hot oil, occasionally pressing with the back of a slotted spatula, until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a work surface and cover with a piece of aluminum foil; discard fat from skillet.  Pour remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth into the same large skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour broth mixture into cream sauce; stir in basil.  Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the fettuccine, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer pasta to a bowl and toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons cream sauce.
Cut each chicken breast into 2 to 3 diagonal slices. Transfer pasta to serving plates; top with chicken and cream sauce.

BALSAMIC ROASTED POTATO SALAD

BALSAMIC ROASTED POTATO SALAD
1/3 C olive oil, more for drizzling
3 Tbsp balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs. red potatoes,quartered
3 slices bacon, crumbled
3 green onions, sliced
1/3 C fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Drizzle quartered potatoes in olive oil, stir to coat.  Spread on baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Mix together oil, vinegar, honey, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool. Doesn't need to be room temperature, can still be a little warm but not hot.  Mix with oil/vinegar mixture until coated to your liking. May not need entire mixture.  Sprinkle with bacon, green onions and parsley.  Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Red Pepper & Ranch Pasta Salad

Roasted Red Pepper & Ranch Pasta Salad
8oz dried pasta (I used LARGE elbow macaroni since I had it on hand)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper (about 2 peppers)
1 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
1 Tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, then drain again. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.  Process the roasted pepper and Ranch dressing in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour over the pasta and gently toss to combine.  Sprinkle on the poppy seeds (if using) and toss to combine. Chill for about 1-2 hours before serving.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups whole or 2% milk, divided (skim or 1% is just too thin)
2 cups mayonnaise, ideally Best Foods' or Hellmann's, divided
1 Tbsp brown sugar
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled & grated
1 celery stalk, minced
Salt & pepper
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt and the macaroni; cook until VERY soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot; add the cider vinegar and toss until absorbed. Let cool for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the milk, 1 cup of the mayonnaise, the brown sugar, 1/2 tsp of salt and 2 tsp pepper.  Once the cooked pasta has cooled for 10 minutes, whisk in the dressing. Let cool completely.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup of mayonnaise, along with the scallions, carrot and celery. Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt & pepper. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Cherry Pie Bars

Cherry Pie Bars
For the Bars
1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 cups of granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of almond extract
1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 (21 ounce) cans of cherry pie filling
1 cup of fresh blueberries
For the Glaze
1/3 cup of powdered sugar
About 2 teaspoons of milk, divided, or as needed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish; set aside.  Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in eggs and extract. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, along with a pinch of salt, mixing until fully incorporated. Spread 2/3rds of the mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the pie filling on top, scatter blueberries all over and top with dollops of the remaining batter.  Bake at 350 for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until topping is lightly brown. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to fully cool. Prepare glaze by adding 1 teaspoon of milk to the powdered sugar. Stir well and add additional milk a few drops at a time until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the top of the cooled bars.

Fire 'n Ice Pickles

Fire 'n Ice Pickles
1 large (46 ounce) jar whole sour dill pickles, about 6 cups sliced (not kosher dill)
2-1/2 cups of granulated sugar, divided
4 cloves of garlic, minced or thinly sliced and divided
2 teaspoons of pickled jalapeno, chopped, or to taste, can also substitute fresh jalapeno peppers if desired
2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
Drain the pickles and discard juice but reserve the jar. Slice the pickles into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices and divide into four equal parts.  Begin layering into a larger jar, bowl or container, starting with one-fourth of the pickles - in my case it was roughly a 1-1/2 cup measure of pickles per layer. Top the pickles with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 clove of garlic sliced or chopped, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of chopped jalapeno. Continue repeating the layers, pouring all of the remaining sugar on top.  Cover jar and store on the counter for about an hour, or until the sugar begins to liquefy.  Stir or simply shake to mix the pickles well, and pull any undissolved sugar up from the bottom.  Cover and leave on the counter for several more hours, or overnight. Stir and refrigerate 1 to 2 additional days. If desired, transfer the pickles with their juices back into the original or other smaller jars and store in the refrigerator.  Can use Splenda instead of sugar.

Alpine Chicken Casserole

Alpine Chicken Casserole 
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 ounces diced Canadian bacon
2 carrots — thinly sliced, — (up to 3)
1 rib celery — thinly sliced, — (up to 2)
1 small onion — thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
6 chicken breast halves, boneless skinless
1 can low-fat condensed cheddar cheese soup — (11 oz.)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sliced pimento
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 package wide egg noodles — cooked, drained (16 — oz.)
In a small bowl, mix bouillon granules, chopped parsley, and poultry seasoning; set aside. Layer in a slow cooker, in order. Canadian bacon, carrots, celery and onion. Add water. Remove skin, if desired, and excess fat from chicken; rinse and pat dry. Place meat in slow cooker. Sprinkle with half of the reserved seasoning mixture. Top with remaining chicken and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Stir soup and flour together; spoon over top. DO NOT STIR.  Cover and cook on high for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender and juices from chicken run clean and vegetables are tender. Spread cooked noodles in a shallow 2 or 2 1/2 quart broiler proof serving dish. Arrange chicken on noodles. Stir soup mixture and vegetables until combined. Spoon vegetables and some of the liquid over chicken. Sprinkle with pimento and Parmesan cheese. 6. Broil 6 inches from heat source for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Dill Pickle Dip

Dill Pickle Dip
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup finely chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dill weed
1/4 cup dill pickle juice, or to taste
Mix sour cream, cream cheese, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and dill weed together in a bowl. Stir dill pickle juice into the dip in small increments until it meets your personal taste preference.

Hot Muffeleta Dip

Hot Muffeleta Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup cubed salami
1 (6 ounce) jar pitted green olives, drained
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup drained giardiniera ( pickled carrots, cauliflower, celery, and hot peppers)
4 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix cream cheese, salami, olives, roasted red peppers, giardiniera, provolone cheese, and garlic together in a bowl; transfer to a 9-inch pie plate.  Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and hot, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle parsley over dip.

Baked Fettucheesy

Baked Fettucheesy
1 (16 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.  In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, and cook the onion until tender. Stir in the fettuccine, heavy cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared dish. In a bowl, mix the remaining Parmesan, remaining Romano, and mozzarella. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the fettuccine mixture.  Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and golden brown.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 cups hard-cooked eggs, diced (optional)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and set aside.  In a medium sized salad bowl, layer in order the broccoli, cauliflower, eggs, cheese and bacon.  Prepare the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Drizzle dressing over top and serve.

Creamy Chicken Linguine

Creamy Chicken Linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
4 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saute pan, heat oil, butter and garlic over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until juices run clear. Remove chicken from pan let cool and slice diagonally into long strips.  Reserve oil in pan.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain.  Reheat oil in pan, add onion and saute, stirring often, until onion is soft but still white. Add bullion cube and water; bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for approximately 10 minutes. Stir in cream, milk, green onions and Parmesan cheese.  Place pasta in a bowl, layer chicken slices in a decorative pattern over pasta, pour sauce over top of chicken and around pasta. Garnish with parsley or any herbs you desire. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Potatoes

Balsamic Potatoes
2 pounds baby (1 to 2-inch long) potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons onion powder
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.  Place a 24-inch long piece of aluminum foil on a flat work surface. Spread potatoes onto the middle of the foil. Drizzle vinegar and olive oil over the potatoes; season with onion powder, salt, and pepper. Dot the top of the potatoes with small chunks of butter.  Bring opposing sides of the foil up and around the potatoes. Fold the two edges together at the top to create a seam on the top of the packet. Fold the remaining two edges to seal the packet.  Cook potatoes in the packet on the preheated grill with the seam-side facing up for about 10 minutes, turn and cook another 10 minutes. Turn the packet once again and continue cooking until a fork stuck through the foil and into the potatoes meet no resistance from the contents, about 5 minutes more.

Snickers Caramel Apple Pie

Snickers Caramel Apple Pie
1 pie crust
3 green apples, diced
1/4 Cup caramel ice cream topping
15-20 mini snickers, chopped
2 1/2 Cup whipped topping, softened
1/3 Cup canned sweetened condensed milk
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
Spread snickers on bottom of pie crust. Next layer the apples next. Then drizzle caramel on top.  Combine cool whip, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together in a small bowl and spread on top.  Drizzle with caramel and a few snickers. Add to pie crust. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Take out about 5 minutes before serving and top with fresh apple slices.

Greek Chicken-n-Pasta

Greek Chicken-n-Pasta

2 cups uncooked penne pasta

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 cup sliced pitted Greek olives

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the chicken, artichoke hearts, cheese, tomatoes and olives.  Drain pasta; stir into the pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers
8 medium green peppers, tops and seeds removed
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) tomato soup, undiluted
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups cooked rice
In boiling salted water, cook peppers for 3-5 minutes. Remove and set aside. In a skillet, cook beef, onion and is tender. Drain any fat.  Add seasonings and soup; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in cheese; cook and stir until melted. Stir in rice. Fill peppers; place in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Beef and Barley Mulligan

Beef and Barley Mulligan

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted

1 cup water

3/4 cup medium pearl barley

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

In a large skillet, cook ground beef with onion and green pepper until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until barley is tender, stirring occasionally.

Black Eyed Pea Casserole

Black Eyed Pea Casserole

1 packages (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix

1 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) black-eyed peas with jalapenos, rinsed and drained

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, cook the rice mixes according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onions and green peppers over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain.  In a large bowl, combine the peas, soup, rice and beef mixture.  Transfer to two greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dishes.  Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.  Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 

Chicken-n-Bows

Chicken-n-Bows

1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 cup butter, cubed

2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2 cups frozen peas

1-1/2 cups 2% milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper; heat through. Stir in cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.