Vanilla Fruit Salad

I got this recipe from Megan Kendall several years ago (and several times, because I never wrote it down on an actual recipe card until just this weekend).  It is great to bring as a side dish to a spring/summer gathering, to a baby shower or really any occasion.  I love this recipe and it's super simple!


2 cans pineapple
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 jar maraschino cherries
1 box cook (not instant) vanilla pudding


Drain the pineapple and oranges and reserve the juice.  In a sauce pan combine pudding mix with 3 cups of juice.  Cook until thick.  Cool and add fruit.


Easy and super good!

Easy Salisbury Steak

I got this recipe from Sonya Floyd several years ago, and it was always a family favorite.  It's funny though, that I had forgotten about it, until we started this blog and I was going through my recipe box to find recipes to share.  I can't believe I had forgotten about this one.  It is SO good, and super fast and easy!


1 egg beaten
1/2 cup soft break crumbs
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 lb. ground lean ground beef

Easy Shrimp Dip

8 oz cream cheese
1 can cream of shrimp soup
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 can of small shrimp, drained


Mix all of the ingredients, except the shrimp with mixer until smooth, and then fold in shrimp.  Chill.  Serve with Bugles.

Heather's Bean Dip

This is a recipe that I got from my friend Heather.  It is awesome in the summer when veggies are fresh.  It's easy and delicious - and all of the colors from the veggies make it look real pretty on an appetizer table!


2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can white shoe-peg corn
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small / medium onion, chopped
spoonful of minced garlic (I use the kind in the jar)
8 oz Italian dressing (I like Zesty Italian)
Optional:  celantro and red/yellow/green pepper for additional color)


Mix all ingredients together (it's good to mix together a bit early so all the flavors can marinate together).  Serve with Scoops tortilla chips (you can use any kind, but those work the best!)

Rhubarb Pie

Ok, I'm just going to come out and say it.... I'm a yankee!  Born and raised in Michigan!  I'm a transplant to the south, having only been here about 9 years.  Many people in the South don't know what rhubarb is.... I guess because it's very difficult to grow in the south.  In the North however, it grows like a weed.  I guess you need the harsh freeze / thaw cycles that come with living in the north to get good rhubarb growth.  So, what exactly is rhubarb?  Well, when you see it at the grocery store (with the fresh fruits and veggies) it looks like a large red (with maybe some green thrown in there) celery stalk.  But it's MUCH larger than celery.  The only place I have ever found it here is at Harris Teeter.  Maybe they have it other places, but I have never found it around Florence except at Harris Teeter.  

Rhubarb is like a tiny piece of heaven.  In fact, I'm SURE that it will be somewhere on the buffet table that exists in heaven!  My sister and I used to eat it raw.  It grew back behind our barn in mass quantities in the summer.  It was almost as though if you cut one stalk, three grew back in its place.  Before it's cut, it looks like this huge stalk with a giant leaf on top - mature rhubarb the leaf will be about the size of your head.  It's actually kind of a pretty plant and I find it extremely delicious.  It is very, very tart if you eat it raw (think along the lines of an extremely not-ripe granny smith apple).  To me, the more tart the better!!!  And rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream - nothing was better in the summer!  Ok, on with the recipe:

Meatloaf

I know that meatloaf sounds awful boring, but my family loves it.... well, mostly me and my hubby, but two of the three kids will eat it too.  (The third child has to "try" it, and has concluded that even having to "try" it, is a punishment).  My mom's husband and my father-in-law actually request this on a regular basis when I'm having family over.  It might have come out of the FBT cookbook.....???  Not sure....


2 eggs beaten
3/4 cups milk
2/3 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (I use more because I like onion)
2 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard (I use more because I love the mustard taste/smell in the topping)

Baked Ziti

I make this frequently for large family gatherings.  It makes enough to serve six adults and three kids, easily.  This one has been a big hit with even the extended family and has been requested on several occasions.


1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 (26 ox) jars spaghetti sauce (I don't use all of this, but this is what the recipe calls for)
6 oz provolone cheese (slices)
1 1/2 cup sour cream
6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Apple Bran Muffins

Wonderful tasting and very healthy muffins.  I make a batch or two and freeze them in ziploc bags so I can just pull one out and pop it in the microwave in the morning, or pull it out the night before so it's at room temperature in the AM.  


1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup promise spread, melted
2 Tbsp molasses
1 large apple shredded (I use granny smith because I like the tartness)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp toasted wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 egg whites

Coca-Cola Chicken

4-6 pieces chicken (I used 4 chicken breasts cut into strips)
1 1/2 cups coke
1 cup ketchup
1 cup worchestershire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped


Mix ingredients (except chicken) in a pot and bring to a boil.  Add chicken and bring back to a boil.  Put lid on pot and reduce heat to low.  Cook for one hour.


Great served over white rice!

Taco Bake

1 1/2 pound hamburger
taco seasoning
1 can Rotel (original)
1 can black beans
1 small onion, diced
1 small can black olives
1 package shredded cheddar cheese

Split Pea Soup

Just tried this recipe a few weeks ago and have made it twice already!  I made one batch and put it in screw top tuperware containers in the freezer for individual servings.  It makes for a healthy lunch that I can just pull out and microwave!


1 lb. bag of split green peas
6 cups water
1/2 lb diced ham (I buy a smithfield steak that is already cut to about 1/4 inch thick and then just cube it - works great!)
1 small onion diced fine
2-3 red skinned potatoes diced
3 carrots, sliced
1 tsp of jarred garlic
3-4 bay leaves
6-8 whole allspice

Tater Tot Casserole

Haven't tried this one yet, but it looks easy so I thought we'd try it out.  I'll update with my family "rating" after we try it this weekend!


1 1/2 pound lean hamburger
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag tater tots
1 bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese


Brown hamburger and drain.  Mix cream of celery soup with one can of water and combine with hamburger.


Spray a glass baking dish with PAM.  Put hamburger mixture in dish.  Add a thick layer of tater tots.


Mix cream of chicken soup with one can of water.  Spread cream of chicken soup mixture over tater tots.  Add cheddar cheese as topping.


Bake at 450 Deg for 45 minutes, covered.

Chicken Spinach Casserole

My family absolutely LOVED this recipe!  The recipe written as is, is probably good for about a family size of 5.  It could be easily doubled!


1 (8 oz) rotini pasta cooked and drained
1 (8 oz) chive and onion cream cheese
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 lb fresh spinach washed and drained
1 Tbsp butter
1 lb. chicken breasts cooked / diced
1 (8 oz) package shredded motzerella cheese


Preheat oven to 375 Deg.  In a large sauce pan melt butter.  Add spinach and cook until wilted (about 5 minutes).  It will seem like way too much spinach, but it will cook down.  Stir spinach, pasta, cream cheese, tomatoes and chicken together until well blended.  Pour into a greased 9 X 13 inch pan.  Top with motzerella cheese.  Bake covered for 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is browned.


If you are in a time crunch, you can boil / cube the chicken and prepare the noodles, putting them in tuperware in the fridge.  Then just cook the spinach, mix everything together and bake.  You would just need to increase the baking time to warm through.  This would be great if you didn't have time during the week to cook, but still want a healthy meal.
***** (five stars from my family!)