Hawaiian Sandwiches

I made these for lunch today. I even made slushies to go along with them. I was about to take a picture, but then I had a deja vu moment, "I think I've done this before!" And sure enough...I found my old post! :)

Enjoy!

Make-Ahead Burritos

3 c. shredded cooked chicken or beef
1 (16 oz.) jar of salsa
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, drained
1 envelope burrito or taco seasoning
1/2 c. water
16 (8") flour tortillas
1 lb. monterey Jack or cheddar cheese cut into 5 x 1/2 in. strips

In a large skillet or saucepan combine meat, salsa, beans, chilies, seasoning & water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 min. until heated through. Spoon about 1/3 c. of filling off center on each tortilla; top with cheese strip. Fold edges of tortilla nearest filling over to cover. Fold ends of tortilla over filling & roll up. Wrap individually in aluminum. Place foil packets on a baking sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 50 min. or until heated through. If thawed, bake for 25-30 min.

Thanks, Em, for this recipe! It was quick & easy to throw together & will be nice to have on hand when I'm in a time crunch.

Some more...if you peas...

My children are not big fans of peas. I resort to sneaking them into casseroles. So far, it's working. I'm not sure my boys would have ever touched this "casserole" with a ten foot pole, if it wasn't for its name - Cowboy casserole. They can be talked into eating just about anything cowboys eat! ;)


2 boxes of mac 'n' cheese
1 bag of frozen peas (or corn)
1 lb. of taco meat

Prepare the mac 'n' cheese according to the box. Heat the peas or corn in the microwave. Heat the meat & mix with 1-2 Tbsp. of taco seasoning. Mix all together & voila! (This is a great way to use up leftovers.)

Cucumber Salad

I don't think it's officially summer, until we've eaten Cucumber salad. It's light, cool, and delicious. And it goes with just about any meal. A family favorite...

2-3 large cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. dill weed

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1/2 c. mayo

Slice cucumbers & set aside. Mix remaining ingredients together. Pour over cucumbers & stir. Cool in fridge; serve. The dressing seems to multiply, so you can add more cucumbers. Some people add onions, but as neither my son nor I enjoy raw onions, I leave them out.

Pickles

I learned everything I know about canning, thanks to an unlikely friendship with an Amish woman. Phil met her husband while working for a local farmer. I met them when we were dating, and never imagined we would become friends or spend afternoons together once we moved to Oklahoma. But we did & despite being from two different "worlds", we shared recipes, stories, and advice. She taught me how to can pickles, beets, and applesauce. I chauffeured her to doctor's appointments and Wal-Mart. She moved to Kentucky & we moved here, but I think of her often & look forward to the occasional letter. Our family loves her recipe for Banana Pickles, which has nothing to do with bananas, except for the color.

Banana Pickles

3 c. sugar
1 c. vinegar
1 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. tumeric

Peel cucumbers & scoop out seeds. Cut into spears & pack tightly in pint jars. Mix ingredients in a saucepan & heat up on med-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers until covered. Clean rims of jars & screw on lids. Cold pack in a canner; bring water to a boil & boil for 5 min. Set jars to the side & allow to cool & seal.

Fancy Green Beans

These are a favorite at our home & simple to prepare.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 bag green beans
2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1/4 c. almonds

Saute garlic in olive oil. Add beans & season with Lawry's. Saute until crisp-tender. Add almonds & saute until almonds are browned (just a few min.). Serve.

Company's coming!

Well, next week has filled up quickly as we'll have 2 "sets" of company coming. My brother & his family will be here the beginning of the week & the day they leave, my in-laws arrive for the rest of the week. And to make even a little bit crazier :) we're having a garage sale to finish the week out!

I'm a planner. I like to have meals planned so I don't have to think through "What's for supper?" when I'd rather spend that time visiting. Yesterday, I made my meal plan & bought groceries. Today I'll be busy in the kitchen, preparing casseroles & baking bread. Here are a few things I'll be making:

Baked Spaghetti
French Bread

Ham w/ Potato Casserole
Fancy Green Beans

Mexican Casserole
w/ salad

Rice & Gravy
w/ broccoli & cauliflower

Tacos

Maple Nut Mold

I have to admit that the first time I heard about this recipe, I was tentative. I didn't find the name too appealing. Anything with the word "mold" in it, doesn't exactly sound appetizing. But this sweet, light dessert is far from my preconceived notions of refrigerator experiments!

It also happens to be my husband's favorite dessert. The first time I made it for him, we were dating & his mom had mailed the ingredients to me, along with the recipe. I had to look up the word "congeal". And I prayed fervently over my efforts, hoping it would taste "as good as Mom's". We've eaten it at birthdays, holidays, and ordinary days in between. It's easy to make (once you know what "congeal" means!) and disappears quickly...before any mold has a chance to appear!

Maple Nut Mold

1 Tbsp. (or 2 envelopes) Knox gelatin

1/4 c. cold water

1 c. boiling milk

1 c. maple syrup

2 c. Cool Whip (or whipped cream)

3/4 c. pecans, finely chopped

2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs

Soak gelatin in cold water. Dissolve it in boiling milk & add syrup. Cool until it begins to congeal in fridge or freezer, stirring every 15 min. (Congeal: to change from a soft or fluid state to a rigid or solid state, as by cooling or freezing) Add whipped cream & pecans; mix well. Place 1 c. vanilla wafer crumbs in a 9x13 pan. (My pan is a bit smaller.) Pour maple mixture over the top & sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until firm & serve. (Makes about 12 servings.)