SUMMER WATERMELON SALAD

Ingredients

·         1 lemon, juiced

·         3 tbs chopped Italian parsley leaves

·         ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette

·         2 tbs canola or grapeseed oil

·         6 cups watermelon cubes

·         1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

·         1 large cucumber, diced

·         ½ cup red onion, diced

·         1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced (optional)

·         1 cup shredded baby spinach leaves

·         4 oz. feta, crumbled for sprinkling

·         Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1.       In a large serving dish, whisk together the lemon juice, parsley leaves, balsamic vinaigrette, and canola oil. Add the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and jalapeno. Toss together and refrigerate for an hour, or until chilled. Right before serving, add the shredded spinach leaves. Serve portions over additional watermelon slices if desired. Sprinkle each serving with feta cheese and salt and pepper, to taste.

Taco Pizza

Ingredients

Prepared pizza crust (2 pouches of Betty Crocker pizza crust mix works well)
corn meal (for sprinkling on cookie sheet)
2 lb ground beef
2 pkg taco seasoning mix
½ cup water
1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies
3 cup shredded colby jack cheese, divided
lettuce
tomato

Instructions

Prepare pizza dough according to package (use two pouches if not making from scratch). Press dough into a large cookie sheet (sprinkled with corn meal) or jelly roll pan, with sides, with extra dough on the edges.
When pizza pan is prepped with dough, poke fork in dough all over. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. (dough will not be completely cooked yet). While dough is baking, brown beef completely then drain. Add taco seasoning and water and let simmer 5-10 minutes. Drain again.Top dough with drained ground beef, chopped green chilies and 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes (until crust is golden brown). Remove from oven, cut into squares before adding toppings. Then top with lettuce, tomato, and remaining cheese (black olives are good too, but then I really would have had to eat the whole pizza by myself). Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Keywords: slow-cooker entree beef chipotle peppers Mexican

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

3-4 lb beef chuck roast
2 limes, juiced
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (just the peppers, not the sauce)
4 garlic cloves
1 heaping Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp oregano
1½ tsp salt
1½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cloves
1 cup chicken broth
3 bay leaves

Instructions

In food processor (or blender), combine vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt and ground cloves. Process on high until smooth.
In large crockpot, add roast, pepper puree, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Heat on low 6-8 hours. Shred beef and place back in juice, remove bay leaves. Serve on a tortilla with cilanto-lime rice, colby cheese, lettuce and guacamole. Enjoy!!!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
8oz pkg Reese's peanut butter cup Minis (or about 1 1/2 cup chopped Reeses cups)

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in the sugar and heat until sugar dissolves (about one minute). Remove from heat immediately add vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature (very important).
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and peanut butter until creamy (about 3-4 minutes, don't skimp on the beating time). On low, add in brown sugar mixture (that has cooled to room temperature). Mix until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips and mini Reese's cups. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy with pretzels, animal cracker and graham sticks.

Grilled Picnic Taco Nachos

Ingredients

5	cups tortilla chips
1	can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1	can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained
2	teaspoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
2	plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
2	medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)
2	cups finely shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)

Directions

Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spray 12×18-inch foil pan with cooking spray. Spread tortilla chips in pan.

In medium bowl, mix beans, chiles and taco seasoning mix; spoon evenly over tortilla chips. Top with tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan with foil.

Place foil pan on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Carefully remove foil.

Stuffed Cherry Pepper Appetizers

Ingredients:

18 cherry peppers
1 large baking potato
1 cup diced zucchini (about 2 small)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Cut tops from peppers, and remove seeds and membrane. Set tops aside.

2. Cook peppers in boiling water to cover 1 minute, and drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain and set aside.

3. Peel potato, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in boiling water to cover 20 minutes or until tender; drain and mash.

4. Sauté zucchini and next 3 ingredients in hot oil 3 minutes. Add wine, and cook 2 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.

5. Stir together potato, zucchini mixture, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and next 3 ingredients. Spoon into peppers and place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese, and replace pepper tops.

6. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Bửffalo Chỉcken Bỉtes

These bỉte-sỉzed Bửffalo Chỉcken Bỉtes are oven baked, not frỉed, so not only do they taste great, bửt are so mửch healthỉer for yoử.

ỉngredỉents:

3 cửps shredded cooked chỉcken
1/4 to 1/2 cửp hot saửce (to taste)
3 1/2 oửnces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cửps sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cửp chopped green onỉons
1 cửp all-pửrpose floửr
4 eggs, lỉghtly beaten
3 – 4 cửps Corn Flakes cereal, crửshed

Dỉrectỉons:

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lỉne a large bakỉng sheet wỉth parchment paper.
ỉn a large bowl, combỉne chỉcken, cream cheese and hot saửce, cheddar cheese and green onỉons.
Roll a heapỉng tablespoon of mỉxtửre ỉnto a 1½-ỉnch ball and place onto a plate or separate bakỉng sheet. Repeat wỉth the remaỉnỉng mỉxtửre.
Place floửr ỉn a shallow dỉsh.
ỉn a second shallow dỉsh, place eggs.
ỉn a thỉrd shallow dỉsh, Place cornflakes.
Dỉp each chỉcken ball fỉrst ỉnto the floửr, then the egg and endỉng wỉth the Corn Flakes. Place on the prepared bakỉng sheet and bake for 20 to 25 mỉnửtes. Serve warm wỉth ranch or blửe cheese dressỉng.

Recỉpe Note:
ỉf freezỉng place the dỉpped and ửncooked chỉcken balls onto a parchment lỉned bakỉng sheet and freeze for 15 to 20 mỉnửtes. Transfer to a freezer bag and store ỉn the freezer ửntỉl ready. When ready to bake, place the frozen chỉcken balls on a parchment lỉned bakỉng sheet and bake at 350˚F for 25 to 30 mỉnửtes, ửntỉl crỉspy and golden brown.