RECIPES (please remove siggys first)

White Bean Soup

Ingredients

* 1 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 large shallot, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
* 1 pkg. (32 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
* 1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
* 1 can (19 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
* Garlic-bread knots

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat, then add shallot and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth, tomatoes, zucchini, and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

2. Serve with garlic-bread knots.

Apple Dip (so good you can eat it with a spoon)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
Mix together and let stand 15 minutes. Then add:
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz toffee chips
Stir togeher and regrigerate 4-6 hours.

If you eat this the first day you make it, the toffee chips add a little crunch. If it's later on, the toffee chips dissolve more and it becomes more creamy, like caramel. Good either way. It'll last in your fridge for several weeks.

Chicken Bundles

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into small pieces (or I use 6 tenders--they cook faster)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (I prefer "onion & chive" flavor)
1 Tblspn. butter
salt
pepper
1-2 Tblspn. chives (I omit, since I use the flavored cream cheese)
1 can crescent rolls
6 Tblspn melted butter
Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 Tblspn. butter, salt, pepper and chives (optional). Stir in chicken.
Separate crescent dough into rectangles (2 triangles pressed together so no holes are showing).
Spread each rectangle with 1/4 chicken mixture. Roll dough around mixture and pinch edges to seal.
Put melted butter in one small bowl, and bread crumbs in another.
Roll chicken bundles in butter and then in breadcrumbs. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Serve with gravy. (I never do this, because I am not a huge gravy fan--and I don't tell Marc it's an option! Shhhh!)
Makes 4 chicken bundles--but can easily be adjusted for more!

Black Bean Salsa

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (17-ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Cover and chill overnight. Taste and add salt, pepper, or more lime juice as necessary. Serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer, or with grilled chicken breast as a meal.

Broccoli and Cheese soup (just like you would get in a restaurant! SO good!)

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
* 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
* 1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food, cubed
* 2 cups milk
* 1 tablespoon garlic powder
* 2/3 cup cornstarch
* 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder.
3. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.


Comments:

Mmmm, mmmm GOOD!!! I read all the reviews before making it and did a few "tweaks" to the recipe and I am blissfully happy with the results. Keeper recipe! Here are the "tweaks" that I made: I covered the broccoli with THREE cans of chicken broth instead of four. I used TWO bags (14 oz) of broccoli florets I used TWO lbs of Velveeta (actually I used the generic grocery brand, it was cheaper) Instead of mixing cornstarch with water, I mixed it with the FOURTH can of chicken broth.

I have never tried this one but it sounds REALLY good and I am gonna make it really soon:

Sausage & Peppers over Pasta
Prep Time : 10min
Cook Time : 15min

INGREDIENTS:

* Sweet Italian sausage
* Onion, chopped
* Green Pepper, chopped
* Garlic
* Olive oil
* Cooked Ziti
* Parmesan Cheese

PREPARATION:
Saute onion, green pepper, and garlic in some olive oil, add chopped up sausage. Serve over pasta. Variation: add 1 can chopped tomatoes and season with some basil and oregano.

This isn't really a FOOD recipe but I thought maybe someone could use it some day for a wedding or baby shower...ya never know! It sounds SOOO yummy!

Great White Punch

1 small can limeade
11 c. water
3 c. sugar

Combine all 3 ingredients and freeze at least 24 hours in advance (but obviously can be done LONG in advance).
Remove from freezer one hour before serving.
Break/cut into chunks and serve in punchbowl with 7-Up (1-2 liters)
**Can add food coloring before freezing if you want it to be a specific color to match "theme"

Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken

Ingredients:
* 4-6 chicken breasts
* 1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
* 1 packet Italian dressing
* 1 can cream chicken soup
* 1 stick butter

Mix everything into crock pot. Cut up chicken breasts into smaller pieces if desired. Cook 4-6 hours stirring occasionally. When done stir well so that everything is combined and serve over pasta or rice.

Fruit Pizza

2 rolls sugar cookie dough--roll into a large circle and bake according to package directions

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 can crushed pineapple, drained WELL
powdered sugar, to taste

Mix together and spread on top of cooled sugar cookie "crust"

Top the "pizza" with various fruits. Strawberries (or any berry), sliced kiwi, mandarin oranges, etc. all work well. If you arrange in a pattern, the pizza can be quite a pretty presentation--a real show-stopper!

Got this one from Katie on my BB

Crock Pot Ribs by lilbug13

1 package baby back pork ribs- uncooked
1 bottle of your fave BBQ sauce

Put the ribs in the crock pot. Dump the bottle of BBQ sauce on top. Cook for 8 hours on low in the crock pot. The meat will be falling off the bone. It is soooo easy and so good!