Texas Caviar

1 can blackeyed peas (drained)

1 can shoepeg corn (drained)

1 green pepper (chopped)

1 red or purple onion (chopped)

1 tomato (diced)

1 or 2 avocados (diced)

3 limes (juiced)

2 Tbs white vinegar

Fresh cilantro to taste

Combine the first 6 ingredients. Mix together the lime juice and vinegar, pour over the vegetables and lightly mix. Add cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips. This is best when made right before serving.

My brother also likes to add this to chicken fajitas but I have never tried it.

Recipe from my mom.

Garlic Potatoes and Ham

8 small red potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tbs oil
About 3 cups broccoli
1 smoked sausage cut into bite size pieces
1 envelope herb with garlic soup mix

In a large skillet cook potatoes in oil for 10 minuets or till lightly brown. Stir in sausage, broccoli and soup mix. Cover and cook about 25 minuets or till potatoes are tender.
Recipe calls for cubed ham but I like the smoked sausage better.

Recipe and picture from Taste of Home

Lasagna Soup

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pkg lasagna hamburger helper
5 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
1 small zucchini

Brown ground beef, drain. Add all ingredients. Bring to a boil, simmer till noodles and zucchini are tender. Serve immediately. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired. (Next time I will wait to add the zucchini till the noodles are almost done. They were a little too soft for me.)

Recipe and picture from Taste of Home.

Pork-n-Bean Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1 lg or 2 sm cans pork-n-beans
1/2 bag white or corn tortilla chips
2 cups grated cheese
dash of salt and pepper
1 tomato diced
3 cups lettuce
sour cream

Pour pork-n-beans into a 9x9 pan or deep casserole dish. Brown ground beef, add salt and pepper to taste, layer over pork-n-beans. Crush tortilla chips over beef top with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 min. Garnish with lettuce, tomato and sour cream after you have dished casserole onto plates so the leftovers don't get soggy.

*Recipe from my aunt

Sweet Banana Bread

1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Oil
Mix well then add
3 Bananas, mashed
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Cup Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla
Nuts, if desired

Beat well, Bake at 325 for 30-45 minutes. Makes 1 large loaf or 3 small loafs.

Butterscotch Muffins

6 Tbsp Butter, softened
¼ Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Large Egg
1 ¼ Cup Milk

2 Cup Flour
1 (4 serving size) Butterscotch Instant Pudding Mix
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
2/3 Cup Butterscotch Chips

Cream butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, add milk, mix.

Combine remaining 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in center. Add butter mixture to well. Stir just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups ¾ full. Bake at 400 for about 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 Chicken Breasts
1 lb Mild Cheese, grated
1 Onion, chopped (can use less)
1 Small Can Chopped Green Chilies
Mix above ingredients together except half of the cheese. Put this filling into 12 white tortillas. Place in buttered baking sheet, seam down.
Mix the following for sauce:
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Cream of Chicken soup
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Pint Half and Half (can use caned milk)
Mix with a wire whisk and pour over enchiladas in the casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven just long enough to melt cheese.

Eclair Torte

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 cups cold milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 to 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, remove puff from pan and place on a serving platter. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until light. Add milk and pudding mix; beat until smooth. Spread over puff; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Spread with whipped topping; refrigerate. Drizzle with chocolate syrup just before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Sloppy Joes

Brown 1 lb Ground Beef (or turkey) and some onion (can use dehydrated)
Mix in, 1 Can Chicken Gumbo Soup. 2 Tbsp Ketchup, 2 tsp Mustard and Salt & Pepper.
Heat all together until hot and bubbly. Serve on Hamburger buns.

Coffee Cake

2 Cups Bisquick
2/3 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
Mix together and pour into a sprayed bundt pan.
Topping
2/3 Cup Bisquick
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp soft butter
Mix and sprinkle on batter
Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes.

Beef Manicotti

1 lb Ground beef or turkey
1 slice bread, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
Little bit of milk
16 oz mozzarella cheese
Manicotti Noodles, cooked
1 Jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce
Brown meat, drain and set aside. Beat egg with milk. When meat is cool, add bread crumbs, egg and milk, half of cheese. Spread small amount of spaghetti sauce on bottom of a 9x13 pan. Carefully fill noodles with meat mixture, lay them in pan. Cover with spaghetti sauce. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, until heated through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven till cheese is melted.

Chocolate Carmel Topping

1 Can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Jar (12 oz) Caramel Ice Cream Topping
3 Squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate.
In a saucepan, combine the milk, caramel topping and chocolate. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted.

Serve with fruit, pretzels, angel food cake or ice cream. Makes about 2 ½ cups.
If you want the topping to stay warm for a long period of time for a party or bbq pour it in a small crock pot after it's melted. Store left overs in the fridge.

In need of salad recipes

Hey all I am in need of some good summer salad recipes. If anyone has some good ones I would love the recipes. Thanks!

Luscious Slush Punch

2 ½ Cup White Sugar
6 Cup Water
2 (3 oz) pkg Strawberry Gelatin Mix
1 (46 oz) Pineapple juice
2/3 Cup Lemon Juice
1 qt Orange Juice
2 (2 liter) Bottles Sprite
In a large sauce pan combine sugar, water and gelatin mix. Boil for 3 minutes. Stir in pineapple juice, lemon juice and orange juice. Divide mixture in half, freeze in 2 separate containers. When ready to serve place frozen contents of one container in a punch bowl and stir in 1 bottle of sprite until slushy.

Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
Some nuts (optional)
Small splash of vanilla
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well . Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 Cups Flour
½ Cup Sugar
1 Tbs Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 400. Grease 12 standard size muffin cups or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, mix milk, oil, egg and vanilla.
Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add the milk mixture all at once stirring just until mixed and dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Spoon batter into prepared pan, about ¾ full. Bake muffins until tops are golden and firm, 17-20 minutes.
Makes about 1 dozen.

Orange Breakfast Drink

1/3 Cup Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, thawed (½ of a 6 oz can)
1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
1 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp Sugar
Place all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth.

Chicken Party Rolls

3 oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 Cup Chicken, cooked & cubed
1 4oz Can Chopped Mushrooms
2 pkg Crescent rolls (8 in each pkg)
Lay out crescent rolls. Mix other ingredients. Put about a Tbsp on each roll and roll into a ball. Roll balls in cornflake crumbs or dressing mix.
Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Serve with cream of mushroom sauce.

Cream of mushroom sauce
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Cup Milk
Mix and heat

Muddy Buddies

9 Cups Chex
1 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
½ Cup Peanut Butter
¼ Cup Butter
1 tea Vanilla
1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
Pour Chex into large bowl, set aside. In medium microwave safe bowl melt butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter on high 1-1½ minutes or until smooth, stirring after 1 minute. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate over Chex, stir until coated. Pour into a large resealable bag with powdered sugar. Seal securely and shake until all pieces are coated. Spread on wax paper to cool.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Cup Diced Onion
1 Cup Carrot, julienned
1 Cup Chopped Celery
2 Cans (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes
1 Can (15 oz) Red Kidney Beans, with liquid
1 Can (15 oz) Great Northern Beans
1 Can Tomato ( 15 oz) Sauce
1 Can (12 oz) V-8 Tomato Juice
1 Tbsp White Vinegar
1 ½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
½ tsp Pepper
½ tsp Thyme
½ – 1 tsp Garlic Powder
½ lb (½) pkg Ditali Pasta
Brown ground beef in a large saucepan or pot, drain. Add onion, carrot and celery and saute for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for about an hour. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a separate pan, just until slightly tough, drain. Add the pasta to soup Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until pasta is tender.