Ribbon Jello Salad

This is beautiful during the Christmas holidays.

3 oz. package lime jello
3 oz. package lemon jello
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained (RESERVE juice)
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonaisse
1 cup whipping cream
3 oz. package raspberry jello (or any other flavor red jello)

Dissolve lime jello in 2 cups boiling water. Pour into 9x13 pan. Put in fridge till set. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to make 2 cups liquid and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and stir in lemon jello and marshmallows. Stir till jello is dissolved. Place in fridge in bowl and allow to partially set. Mix cream cheese with mayo. Add crushed pineapple and fold into lemon jello mixture. Whip cream until stiff. Fold into mixture. Spread over SET lime jello. Seal to sieds of pan and put in fridge till firm. Dissolve raspberry jello in 2 cups boiling water and COOL! Pour over other layers. Allow to set in fridge till red is firm.

Crock Pot Chicken

So easy, and so delicious.

Melt and mix:
1 pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cube butter
1 can cream of chicken soup

Add: 1 pkg. Zesty Italian Salad Dressing mix (dry) to the above mixture.

Put above mixture into a crock pot with 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen works great!). Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve over pasta.

Spinach Salad

I think this is a nice holiday salad... I love the green color of the spinach, and there's just the right amount of sweetness!

Spinach, torn into pieces
Mandarin oranges
Parmesan cheese
Roasted pecans (see instructions below)
Brianna brand poppyseed dressing

To Roast Pecans: Chop pecans. Put brown sugar in small fry pan. Add pecans. Cook over medium heat (careful, they can burn) for approximately 1-2 minutes. Spread pecans on wax paper to dry. Use approximately even amounts of pecans and brown sugar.

Pudding in a Pumpkin

This is a fun fall dessert!

1 small pumpkin
1 cup sugar
6 T quick-cooking tapioca
4 C milk
1 1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
4 eggs
2 t vanilla

Cut lid off pumpkin, clean out. Sprinkle with 1 t cinnamon. Roll to dust. Put lid on pumpkin, place on broiler pan filled with 1/2" boiling water. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

After cooking 20 minutes, start tapioca pudding:
In large pan mix sugar, salt, tapioca, eggs, and milk. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir over heat until boiling. Remove from heat and add 2 t vanilla. Pour into hot pumpkin. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Removed from oven; cover. Let set 30 minutes. Serve warm, scraping the sides of pumpkin, if desired. Serve with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last year I posted this recipe for pumpkin cookies, but I have a new favorite!

1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
chocolate chips

Cream pumpkin, egg, sugar, and shortening. Add other ingredients. Mix well & add chocolate chips. Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes (or longer if needed).

Manicotti

Super yummy! You might want to make a couple pans and put one in the freezer for later.

1/2 pint ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesean cheese
1/2 cup parsley
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pound hamburger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 16 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 can mushrooms

Make Sauce: Brown hamburger and onion. Add garlic, pregano, 1 T basil, salt, tomato sauce, and mushrooms. Simmer 1 - 1.5 hours.

Cook Pasta: Boise 8 ounce pkg. Manicotti (14-16 shells) in salted water (don't overcook). Drain and cool.

Make Filling: Combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesean, parsley (saving some to sprinkle on top), eggs, green onions, 1/2 t basil, and nutmeg. (SAVE 1/4 CUP PARMESEAN AND 1/4 CUP MOZZARELLA FOR THE TOP).

Stuff Manicotti shells with filling. Place 1/2 the sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Place filled shells on top of sauce and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle top with cheese and parsley. Cover with foil. Bake 350 degrees for 45 min. or 1 hour if prepared in advance.

Chicken Orzo Salad

1/2 box orzo

2 chicken breasts

1/2 bag spinach

small jar sun dried tomatoes

small jar marinated artichoke hearts

Kalamata Olives

small container Feta cheese

balsamic vinaigrette

Boil chicken breasts, cool.

Shred chicken and season with pepper and dried basil or Italian seasoning.

Cook orzo pasta. When done rinse with cold water until completely cool.

Drain (don't rinse) sun dried tomatoes and chop in pieces

Drain (don't rinse) artichoke hearts and chop in pieces

In large bowl, combine cooled pasta, shredded chicken, spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Kalamata Olives and Feta cheese. Add Balsamic dressing to your taste. Store in the fridge. In the morning, I've been putting in a small container to bring to work and sprinkling with a tiny bit of straight balsamic vinegar.

This makes 6-7 lunches.