Tangy Bean Dip

2 cups cannellini beans
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin, olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt

Puree all the ingredients together in a food processor. Mix in fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, rosemary, or thyme, if you desire. Serve on toasted pita triangles.

Source: delish.com

Sara's Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 c. cooked shredded chicken
2 Family size cans of cream of chicken soup
1 jar of salsa
1 big can of chicken broth
1 large onion

Heat on stove for 1 hour or can put in crock pot for a couple of hours.

I added 1 can of black beans and 1 can of corn and 1 can of Rotel and cooked the chicken with cajun seasoning. This made quite a bit, it could be cut in half.

Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, etc.

Crockpot Southwest Chicken

1 pkg. boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cans Rotel tomatoes (pick your heat level)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
3 T. fajita seasoning

Place all of the ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low all day. When chicken is ready to eat, shred the chicken and mix all together. Serve over white rice, or white rice wrapped in a flour tortilla.

Manwich Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 can Manwich sauce
1 tube crescent rolls
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can mushrooms, drained (optional)
1/3 onion, chopped (optional)
1/2 green pepper, chopped (optional)

Brown ground beef & drain grease. Add manwich sauce and chopped veggies if desired, let simmer.

Lightly grease a 9 in. sqaure baking dish. Lay out 1/2 can of crescent rolls on bottom of pan, pressing together at seams. Pour manwich mixture over crescent rolls and top with shredded cheese. Add second layer of cresent rolls over meat & cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until crescent rolls are browned and flaky.

Source: Lori Hamann

Easy Salsa Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
dried parsley to taste
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix the ground sirloin, salsa, bread crumbs, cheese, egg, and garlic. Season with parsley, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Salsa-Meatloaf/Detail.aspx

Veggie Calzones

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tbls. vegetable oil
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1 egg
1 tbls. water

In large skillet, saute mushrooms, onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add tomatoes; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; set aside. Combine cheeses; set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into 7 inch circle. Spoon 1/2 c. of veg. mix and 1/4 c. cheese mixture over one half of each circle. Brush edges of dough with water; fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Place calzones 3 in. apart on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 min.

beat egg and water; brush over calzones. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 min. Cool desired number of calzones; freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the remaining calzones 18-22 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

To use frozen calzones: Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min.

Yield 8 servings

Source: Simple & Delicious magazine

Zucchini Brownies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tea. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tea. baking soda
1/2 tea. salt
2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosting:
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating well. Beat in yogurt and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mix. Fold in zucchini.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min.

For frosting: combine choc. chips and peanut butter in saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Spread over warm brownies.

about 1 1/2 dozen

Perfect Chocolate Cake

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa3 cups powdered sugar1/3 cup milk1 teaspoon vanilla extractMelt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost. BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

Easiest Chicken Ever

1 pkg. chicken breasts
Zesty Italian Dressing
Parmesan Cheese

Marinate chicken in Italian dressing. Bake chicken at 375 degrees for 40 min. Sprinkle with parmesan

Beef Tips

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 pound sirloin tips, cubed
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1.25 ounce) package beef with onion soup mix
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 cup water
1 (16 ounce) package wide egg noodles

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a 13x9 inch casserole dish, combine the mushroom and beef onion soups, canned mushrooms and water. Mix thoroughly and add beef tips. Turn to coat well.
Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour.
While beef tips are baking, 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. Serve beef tips and sauce over noodles.

Tomato Basil Bisque

1 jar Newman's Own Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
2 cups fresh Spinach
2 cups vegetable broth

Combine pasta sauce, spinach and broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil; simmer for 5 minutes. Puree soup in batches in blender. Return to pot and heat through.

From Genevieve's Preschool Cookbook