Best Broccoli Salad

I love broccoli salad.  It's sweet, tangy, crunchy...it has it all.  It is easy to make and is always a welcome addition to a buffet table.  You can purchase it at most supermarkets, but I encourage you to make it yourself.  You will be surprised how easy it is to prepare and how much better your homemade version tastes!

Best Broccoli Salad

3 heads broccoli, chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 lb bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Fry (or bake, see below) bacon until crisp.  Chop and put in large mixing bowl.  Chop broccoli and onion, add both to large mixing bowl.  Add raisins and sunflower seeds*.  In separate bowl, whisk together mayo, sugar, and vinegar to form dressing.  Pour over broccoli mixture.  Gently fold in dressing until salad ingredients are evening covered.

** Note:  If you are making this ahead of time, wait to fold in the sunflower seeds until just before serving.

Baked Bacon

I like to bake bacon when I'm preparing a lot of it because it saves precious stovetop space and frankly, there's way less clean up.  Here's an easy way to make it:

Preheat oven to 400.  Lay bacon on a jellyroll pan (or any cookie sheet with sides) lined with aluminum foil.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.  Dry on paper towels.

Homemade Nesquick

My friends know that I have a serious problem with chocolate Nesquick.  OMG...I'm like a six-year-old when it's near.  I LOVE IT!  I'm kind of a cheapskate, so I only get it when it's on sale.  So when I found a recipe for a homemade version, I needed to give it a try!  Here it is....what do you think?

Homemade Nesquick

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
pinch of salt

Mix thoroughly and store in a air tight container.  Add 1-2 Tbsp to milk, stir and enjoy.  Or, my favorite: Sprinkle over vanilla ice cream and top with crushed 'Nilla wafers.

Sunday Night Football Sin Dip

I am always looking for a new dip to bring to a tailgate or serve at a party.  I like it savory and gooey and cheesy.  This "Sin Dip" fits the bill.  It's perfect for Sunday Night Football!  Hope you like it!

Sunday Night Football Sin Dip

16 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese softened
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped ham
1 green onion chopped
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
French loaf bread

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix ingredients. Hollow out the loaf creating a "boat." Pour mixture in loaf, wrap in foil,  and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with reserved bread cubes, crackers, potato chips or corn chips.

Alabama White BBQ Sauce

I love BBQ!  I don't have the patience to make it, but thankfully there are lots of good BBQ joints in Nashville.  Now, I love a tangy, sweet and spicy sauce, but my newest obsession is white BBQ sauce.  Oh my goodness,  put it pulled pork or grilled chicken.  It's divine...I hope you give it a try!

Alabama White BBQ Sauce

2 cups mayonnaise (Duke’s)
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons white sugar

Mix well in a large bowl. Place in the refrigerator at least overnight before using.

30 Minute Oven Roasted Potatoes

We ate hot dogs for dinner tonight.  The boys (all of them) were delighted!  I was, too!  My challenge is to create a delicious side to go with the dogs.  Instead of boring potato chips, I like to make roasted potatoes.  They cost about the same as a bag of Lays, but are way more satisfying!  I make these to accompany everything I grill, from steak to chicken, burgers to hot dogs!

To insure that the potatoes are done at the same time as your burgers, chicken, or whatever you are grilling, turn on the oven as soon as you start the grill.  Enjoy!

30 Minute Roasted Potatoes

4-5 medium red or baking potatoes, halved then sliced thinly
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 package Italian (or ranch) salad dressing mix
1 Tbsp corn starch (important...do not skip)

Preheat oven to 375.  Wash and slice potatoes.  Place potatoes in large bowl, mix in olive oil.  Sprinkle with salad dressing mix and corn starch and mix well.  Spread evenly on jelly roll pan (or other baking dish with sides).  Bake for 30 minutes (or longer if you want them crispy).

5 Ingredient Crock Pot Chicken with Black Beans

After posting Meg's 3 ingredient Italian Beef recipe last week, I've been on a quest for crock pot recipes with few ingredients, but lots of taste. I think this one sounds great!  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

5 Ingredient Creamy Crock Pot Chicken with Black Beans

1 (3 lb) bag frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
1 (15 oz) jar medium salsa
1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese

Place chicken in crockpot and top with all ingredients except cream cheese.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Add cream cheese last 1/2 hour of cooking.  Shred chicken in pot.  Serve over steamed rice.

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins! Say What?!

I love to cook and will try complicated recipes if I have to.  But, I love simple!  My sister forwarded me this recipes for Pumpkin Spice Muffins that has, get this, just 2 ingredients - crazy!  Definitely adding this to my fall recipe list!

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 box spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease or place muffin liners in 18 muffin cups.  Mix cake mix and pumpkin until blended.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 18-22 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Mrs. Patrick's Meat-Tomato Curry

Mrs. Patrick lived across the street from my family in Edina.  She was my mom's dearest friend.  She brought the party with her wherever she went...she also brought good food!  For many years, she and some other women from our church even had a catering business!

Mrs. Patrick and her cooking cohorts are now gone.  However, their recipes live on in my "Favorite Recipes from Edina-Morningside Church" circa 1976.  I love paging through this book...it brings back memories.

One of my favorite recipes growing up was Mrs. Patrick's Meat-Tomato Curry.  Loved it then, still love it now!  Hope you do too.

Mrs. Patrick's Meat-Tomato Curry

3 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced (or 2 heaping tsp jarred minced garlic)
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1 lb ground beef
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp curry powder
4 tomatoes peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cooked peas
4 cups cooked rice.

Melt butter in skillet, sauté the onions, garlic, and parsley 5 minutes.  Add meat, cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Mix in salt, curry powder, and tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add peas, recover and cook 5 minutes longer.  Serve over cooked rice.

What I'm Craving...Corn Pudding

Corn pudding.  Oh my goodness, I could eat an entire pan of this sweet, savory side.  Most people only make this dish to accompany the Thanksgiving turkey or the Easter ham.  I, however, think it makes a great (easy and inexpensive) item to bring to a potluck or tailgate.

This is the original Jiffy corn muffin mix recipe.  It's the easiest - and I think the best - recipe for corn pudding out there.  Hope you think so, too!

Corn Pudding

1 (17 oz) can cream style corn
1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 egg
1 stick melted butter
8 oz sour cream
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 8x8 pan with Pam.  Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Minnesota Comfort Food: Tater Tot Hot Dish

I've was up in Minnesota this weekend.  It's the land of 10,000 lakes, the Mall of America, my awesome family, and Hot Dish.  Hot dish, you might ask.  What the heck is that?  The folks up North refer to certain casseroles as hot dishes.  Yep, we're kind of strange that way.

The king of all hot dishes is the Tater Tot Hot Dish.  (Yes, my sweet Southern friends, tater tots have a place at the table that does not include a Sonic container.)  It features a mix of mushroom soup, ground beef and veggies that is topped with tater tots and baked until golden brown and bubbly.  It certainly is not the healthiest dish on the planet, but it sure tastes good.

Tater Tot Hot Dish

1 lb lean ground beef

1 onion diced
1 package frozen mixed vegetable
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 package tater tots
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x12 baking dish with Pam.  Brown and crumble hamburger and onions in skillet.  Sprinkle with mustard and cook 1 minute.  Add cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and vegetables.  Season with onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.  Pour into greased 9x12 baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese. Top evenly with tater tots.  Bake on middle rack of oven uncovered for 45 minutes.

Too Busy to Cook Beef Stroganoff

My copy of Bon Appetit's "Too Busy to Cook" cookbook (1981) is literally falling apart.  The hard cover isn't even attached to the binding or paper anymore.  It's been well loved.

One of my favorite recipes is Beef Stroganoff.  My family has been making this recipe for years, so to me it's comfort food.  Besides the taste, we make it because it's easy:  4 ingredients, plus noodles for serving.  That's it!  I use beef in my recipe, but my sister (whose husband is a hunter) makes hers with venison.  Both are equally delicious!

Beef Stroganoff

1 (1 1/2 - 2 lb) flank steak
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
Freshly cooked egg noodles

Preheat oven to 325.  Cut steak lengthwise into thirds and then crosswise in to 1/4 inch slices.  Combine meat, onion soup mix, and mushroom soup in 2 quart baking dish.  Cover and bake 1 hour.  Stir a 1/4 cup sauce into the sour cream; blend into meat mixture.  Spoon over noodles.

Table Mesa's Cheap Dates

We moved to Nashville from Northwest Arkansas.  Arkansas, yawn, who wants to be there.  Well apparently everybody!  Folks are moving in from all over the country to be in the Bentonville area thanks to Walmart and the fabulous Crystal Bridges Museum.  

Right before we moved to Tennessee, a small restaurant named Table Mesa opened on the square in Bentonville.  The owners came from Oregon after researching small towns across the USA.  Boy were we lucky.  Although the owners came from the Pacific Northwest, their heart was in New Mexico.  The cuisine they introduced our sleepy neck-of-the-woods to was amazing.  It is still one of the top restaurants in town.  

I like to take credit for some of their success (very little, but some).  I hosted their very first private event at the restaurant just 3 weeks after it opened.  For most of the 50+ folks in attendance, it was their first time at the restaurant.  The rest, as they say, is history!

One of my favorite items on their menu is an appetizer called "Cheap Dates."  Keith and I would always get an order (along with their amazing queso and fish tacos).   While these may not be the prettiest appetizer on the tray, they are the most delicious!  Enjoy!

Cheap Dates

1 lb bacon, cut in half

1 lb pitted dates

4 oz blue cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Slice open date and stuff with a pinch of blue cheese.  Squeeze shut and wrap with bacon.  Secure bacon with toothpick and place in baking dish or jellyroll pan.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Mrs. Stolley's Layered Taco Dip - Perfect Treat for Must See TV

All of my college friends refer to this recipe as Mrs. Stolley's Taco Dip.  Named after my friend Judy's mom, it was a staple at every party, tailgate, meeting, study session, etc.  Make it when you want to take a trip back to the glorious '80s or if you just want to enjoy something that tastes "like, totally awesome."

Mrs. Stolley's Layered Taco Dip

Spread on platter-type plate with raised edges:

Layer 1: Frito-Lay bean dip

Layer 2: Calvo frozen guacamole, thawed

Layer 3: Mix together then spread on top of guacamole, 3/4 cup mayo, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 package of taco seasoning

Layer 4: 2 cups shredded Cheddar

Layer 5: 1 chopped tomato; 4 stalks green onion, diced; 1 (4 oz) can sliced black olives

Refrigerated at least 2 hours.  Serve with tortilla chips.  

Meg's 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Italian Beef

I love trying new recipes!  I really do.  I'm so lucky that my friends and family forward me recipes that they love and think that I will too.

My friend Meg recently sent me this recipe for Italian Beef.  She's a native of Illinois, so I know it will be good (Chicago has the best Italian beef!).  What I love about this recipe is its simplicity...just 3 ingredients in the crock pot.  What a fantastic meal for a cool fall night!

I'm buying the ingredients for this dish this week. You should too!

Meg's Crock Pot Italian Beef

3-4 lb Rump Roast
1 (16 oz) jar Mild Pepperocini, juice and peppers
1 package Good Seasonings Italian Dressing mix

Place all ingredients in a crockpot (you don’t even have to mix it up). Cook on high approximately 6 hours or until meet easily pulls apart (sometimes mine takes longer depending on the size of Rump). Chop up pepperoncini and discard stems as pulling meat apart.  Serve on Italian bread with melted mozzarella cheese, a green salad and potato chips.

Chicken Poppy Seed Pasta Salad

By now, you all know that I am originally from Minnesota.  The Twin Cities are home to some of the best grocery chains in the country.  The one nearest and dearest to my heart is Byerly's.  When I was in junior high, they built a supermarket near my house that featured chandeliers, a gift shop, cooking school, and drive thru grocery pick-up.  It was amazing!  

Over the years, I've obtained a lot of great recipes courtesy of Byerly's.  This recipe for Chicken Poppy Seed Salad is kind of mix of their recipe and that of another Minnesota restaurant, D'Amico.  This is a great addition to any brunch or potluck...I always get requests for the recipe when I bring it!

Chicken Poppy Seed Pasta Salad

16 oz penne, cooked al dente and drained

1 1/4 pounds chicken breast strips, cooked, or 3-4 chicken breasts cooked and cut in strips

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 (6oz) package sweetened, dried cranberries (Craisins)

1 red onion, chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup bottled poppy seed salad dressing

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp pepper

4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 cup toasted walnuts

Combine the pasta, chicken, celery, dried cranberries, and onion in a large bowl and toss to mix.  In separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, salad dressing, salt, and pepper until well mixed.  Fold into chicken mixture.  Chill for several hours or overnight.  Just before serving, fold in spinach and toasted walnuts.  

To toast walnuts:  Preheat oven to 350.  Arrange walnuts in a single layer on cookie sheet. Bake about 8 minutes, checking frequently to make sure they don't burn.  

Deb's Favorite Lasagne Soup

Last year my friend Deb, who knows I like to cook, forwarded me this recipe for Lasagne Soup from Pinterest.   It was one of her favorites and now it's one of mine!  It is delicious fresh for dinner and equally good for lunch the next day.  Essential to this recipe it the "cheesy yum."  Hope you give it a try!

Deb's Favorite Lasagne Soup (based on a recipe from A Farmgirl's Dabbles)

Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs bulk Italian sausage (or Italian turkey sausage)
3 cups chopped onion
4 heaping tsp minced garlic from a jar (or 4 cloves, minced)
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
8 oz mafalda pasta (or broken lasagne noodles)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

Cheesy Yum
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of ground pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in large stock pot.  Add Italian sausage, break in pieces and brown (about 5 minutes).  Add onion and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and stir until blended then cook about 3 minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

While pasta is cooking, in a separate bowl combine ricotta, parmesan, salt and pepper to create the cheesy yum.

To serve, place a heaping tablespoon of the cheesy yum in a bowl.  Ladle hot soup over.  Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.

Pumpkin Fluff

It feels like fall this weekend in Nashville!  Falling temps, falling humidity, falling leaves....I love it!  Nothing tastes more like fall than pumpkin spice.  It's everywhere.  In fact, when I was at Aldi this week, they offered pumpkin spice coffee creamer, pumpkin spice bagels, pumpkin spice cream cheese, pumpkin spice coffee, plus much, much more!

One of my go-to pumpkin spice recipes is Pumpkin Fluff.  September thru December, I'd eat it every meal!  And, since it is a Weight Watchers recipe, you can without feeling guilty!

Pumpkin Fluff

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 (16 oz) container fat-free whipped topping (like Cool Whip)
1 package sugar-free, fat-free cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Whisk all of the ingredients together until well blended.  Chill 1-2 hours.  Serve as a dip with ginger snaps or graham crackers or enjoy as is (like a mousse).

Computer Has Been Broken...Sorry!

Hi folks!

My computer has been at MacAuthority for the past week!  Yikes!  Luckily they were able to fix the problem.

Thanks for your patience!

Sarah

Fast and Easy Weekend Coffee Cake

Nothing beats the sweet smell of cinnamon coffee cake on a Saturday morning!  But it's such a pain to make, right?  Wrong!  If you have Bisquick in the house (or if you're like me, Aldi's Baker's Corner brand Baking Mix - half the price and just as good), you can have it in less than the time it takes to get dressed and drive to Puffy Muffin!

This recipe is from the Bisquick box.  Always delicious!  Give it a try!

Weekend Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping
1/3 cup Bisquick
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp firm butter

Coffee Cake
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk (I use almond milk)
2 heaping tsp sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375

First, make the the streusel topping: Cut butter into baking mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon using a pastry cutter.  Mix until crumbly.  Set aside.

Next, mix together the coffee cake ingredients with a wooden spoon.  Stir until combined  (try not to over mix).   Pour batter into a greased 9 inch round cake pan (or something around that size).  Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the stop of the batter.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

JL NOVA - Ashburn (Marabella) Chicken

As a former Junior Leaguer (was active for 10+ years!), I have a soft spot for Junior League cookbooks.  I've contributed to a few and purchased many.  In fact, whenever I see Junior League cookbook at a garage sale or thrift store, I buy it.  The recipes are almost always winners.  Here's why:  All recipes are tested and approved of by a committee before they are added to the cookbook.

One of the best JL cookbooks that I own is "What Can I Bring" by the Junior League of Northern Virginia (1999).  (I transferred to the chapter in 2002.)  Some of my favorite (and most shared) recipes come from this book: White Russian Cake, Sassy Sausage Dip, Burgundy Beef Stew, White Chili, Creamy Tomato Sausage Sauce, Cherry Butter Cake, honestly I could go on, but I won't.  Never fear...all of these recipes will make it to the blog eventually.

My introduction to Ashburn chicken came right after my youngest, Ben, was born in 2005 (a fellow League member brought it as a meal).  Also known as Chicken Marabella, it soon became a family favorite.  Some of you may scowl when you read the recipe...prunes and olives?! Ewww!  Please try it anyway.  It's delicious!

JL NOVA "What Can I Bring" Ashburn Chicken

8 chicken breasts
1/2 garlic blub pureed (1 tsp jarred minced garlic)
2 Tbsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup Spanish green olives
1/4 cup capers, undrained (4 oz jar)
3 bay leaves
-------
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine

Combine first 10 ingredients in a Ziploc bag; chill overnight or 6-8 hours (I prepare in the morning for dinner that night).  Arrange chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish and pour marinade over the top.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and pour wine over the top.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.  This chicken can be served hot or at room temperature.  I like it with pita bread.

NOTE: If you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you will need to decrease cooking time. Cook at 350 for approximately 35-40 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Tastes Like Sanibel - Orange Mermaid Cake

Folks who grew up in Edina know there is just one place to spend spring break:  Sanibel Island, Florida.  Well, at least that's the way it was way back when I was in high school.  Sanibel still has a hold of me.  

Sanibel is an off the beaten path island located near Naples, Florida.  There's a charming lighthouse and fishing pier at one end and miles of bike paths leading to the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge at the other.  In between are miles of shell covered beaches... and I'm talking good shells like conches, whelks, sand dollars, olives, etc.  There are also amazing restaurants, shops, and a two good supermarkets.

The supermarket that we visit when we get to the island is Jerry's.  Jerry's is an Edina-based supermarket.  Yep, the other one is in my hometown.  So, when I visit, I can purchase items that taste like home, but that I can't get in Nashville.  The other supermarket on the island that I visit, is a little more upscale: Bailey's.  We always make a special trip to Bailey's to purchase an orange Mermaid Cake for my sister (we're normally on the island for her birthday).  It is delicious!  

I've recently came across a recipe for Orange Crunch Cake that is very similar to orange Mermaid Cake.  I hope you like it as much as we do!

Orange Mermaid Cake

Crust

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup butter, melted

Cake

1 pkg white cake mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup orange juice concentrate

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

Frosting

1 can white frosting

1 cup Cool Whip

2 Tbsp orange juice

Preheat over to 350.  Mix crust ingredients together and pat 1/2 of mixture in bottom of greased 9x13x2 inch pan.  Mix cake mix with water, concentrate, oil and eggs.  Pour 1/2 of cake batter on crumbs.  Sprinkle remainder of crumbs on batter, then pour remaining batter on top of crumbs.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Mix frosting ingredients and frost cake when cool.

The Best Meat Loaf

Growing up in the Upper Midwest, I endured a lot of meatloaf in my youth.  To be frank, I hated it!  Ugh...big chunks of bread and onion in perfectly good hamburger.  No thanks!

I've learned to love meatloaf, thanks to this meatloaf recipe from my childhood church in Edina: Edina Morningside Community Church UCC.   This recipe creates its own barbecue sauce and there are no chunks.  I hope you give it a try!

Best Meat Loaf

1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste (dash)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease regular size loaf pan.  Press brown sugar in bottom of loaf pan. Spread ketchup over sugar.  Combine remaining ingredients until well mixed.  Place meat in pan on top of sugar and ketchup.  Bake uncovered for 1 hour.  Turn loaf out onto serving platter.  Spoon sauce on top.

Doritos Salad - Great Alternative to Taco Night

I have been craving the Doritos Taco Salad for a few weeks.  Oh my goodness...it is so good!

I like bringing this taco salad to potlucks and tailgates - there's something about the Nacho Cheese Doritos and Catalina dressing flavor that is just so right!  This salad is also a great alternative to the same-ole-same-ole taco night routine that we tend to get into during the school year.

Hope you give this a try!

Doritos Salad

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
1 (10 oz) bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crumbled
1 head lettuce, chopped
1 red onion, diced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 bottle Catalina dressing

Prepare taco meat according to the directions on the seasoning packet.  Pour meat into large mixing bowl.  Crumble chips and pour onto meat.  Add other ingredients, except dressing.  Toss to combine.  Add dressing, toss again to coat.  Serve immediately.

30 Minute Cheesy Broccoli Soup

I love soup...and not just in the winter.  I make it year round.  One of my go-to recipes is a creamy, broccoli cheese soup.  Unlike some soups, this recipe takes only about 30 minutes to prepare and cook.  Honestly, that's about how long it takes to drive to the supermarket, pick-up soup in the deli, come home and warm up.  Plus, for the price of a single serving of deli soup, you can feed your whole crew.

My cheesy broccoli soup is a variation of the Kraft Velveeta Broccoli Soup recipe.  I really encourage you to give this one a try!

30 Minute Cheesy Broccoli Soup

2 tsp butter

1/2 white or yellow onion, diced

2 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 cup milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 lb fresh broccoli, stems removed, chopped

3/4 lb Velveeta (I use Aldi brand to save $$)

pinch of ground nutmeg

ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter in soup pot over medium heat, add onion and cook for about 5 minutes.  Mix in flour and cook about 1 minute longer, stirring constantly.  Add milk and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 minutes.  Add broccoli, cheese, and black pepper. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.  

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Potluck Cherry Butter Cake

This time of year I am always searching for dishes to bring to potlucks and tailgates.  Love me some brownies, but really do not need to add to the 3 other pans there.  One recipe that we come back to again and again is Butter Cake.  I think Paula Dean put butter cake on the map, but we've been making it long before her show was even on the air!

My recipe for Cherry Butter Cake tastes a lot like cherry cheesecake.  The recipe is from my Junior League of Northern Virginia cookbook, "What Can I Bring?" (my favorite JL cookbook).   It's really easy and delicious!  I hope you give it a try!

Cherry Butter Cake

1/2 cup butter
4 large eggs, divided
1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
1 (20 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz) package powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in 9x13x2 inch pan.  Beat 2 eggs and cake mix at medium speed with an electric mixer until eggs are blended.  Pour/pat batter in pan over melted butter.  Spread pie filling over batter.  Beat cream cheese and remaining 2 eggs at medium speed with a mixer until creamy.  Add powdered sugar, beating well.  Spread over pie filling.   Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve cool or at room temperature.

Note: If cherries aren't your thing, feel free to swap another flavor of fruit pie filling.