Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Spinach

 Source:  Kelsey Nixon

Cheese Tortellini (16-18 oz)  Fresh or frozen is best

24-288 oz Marinara Sauce

1/2 C. Heavy Cream

1/4 C. Pesto

2-3 handfuls baby spinach

Shredded parmesan

Add all ingredients (add baby spinach last) to a big skillet, mixing to combine.  Bring to a simmer over med-high heat.  Cover and cook about 2.5 minutes.

Stir.  Cover once again and continue cooking for another couple of minutes until tortellini is soft and sauce is warmed through.  Top with shredded parmesan.  

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing (Cafe Rio)

 Source:  Megan Kotter

1 C. Mayo (not miracle whip)

1 C. Milk

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

2 tomatillos

2 serano peppers (or whatever; I often use 1 jalapeno)

1/2 bunch of cilantro

Blend together in a blender till creamy.  Serve with cafe rio pork or on everything on earth.

Cilantro Lime Rice

 

Make rice with 50% water, 50% chicken broth.  Cook as usual.  Add lime juice and cilantro to taste, when it's done.

Cafe Rio Pork

 Source:  Megan Kotter

4-5# pork roast

1 can Coke or DP

1 bottle red taco sauce (LaVictoria 15 oz)

1 C. brown sugar (+ a little extra)

1 Tbsp Cumin

Cover roast half way with water and cook on low for 6 hours (larger roasts will take much longer, maybe start on high for several hours)

Drain liquid and add other ingredients, cook another 3 hours or so and then shred.  

Serve with Lemon cilantro rice and Tomatillo Ranch Dressing.

Serve with black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc in a burrito, salad, or nachos.  

Holiday Slush

Source:  Jo Howell

3 C. Sugar

6 C. water

Boil and cool

1 can cranberry juice frozen concentrate

2 cans water

1 can jellied cranberry sauce

46 oz pineapple juice

12 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate

Mix altogether--will need to mix the cranberry sauce in with an immersion or regular blender.

Pour into ice cream buckets and freeze.

Thaw an hour till slushy and serve 1:1 with Sprite.

Makes 6 quarts frozen concentrate and 3 gals punch.

Raspberry Jello Salad

 Source: Amy (via: natashaskitchen.com)

6 oz package Raspberry Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
2 cups salted pretzel sticks (before crushing)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter
1 (8oz) package cream cheese – softened
1 (8oz) package Cool Whip – thawed in the refrigerator
3/4 cup granulated sugar
12 oz bag frozen raspberries – thawed in refrigerator

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1. Combine 6 Oz packet of Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature.

 2. Crush 2 cups of pretzels in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.

3. Melt 1 stick of  butter than add 1/4 cup sugar in saucepan. Add pretzels and mix together.

4. Lightly press pretzel mix into a 13×9 -inch pyrex dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool to room temperature.

 5. While pretzel mix is cooling down, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar on medium/low speed in the bowl of your mixer with paddle attachment until well-combined.

 6. Next, stir in Cool Whip using a spatula and mix until well combined.

 7. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and go all the way to the edges of the dish to create a seal. You don’t want the jello to leak into the pretzels. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

 8. Place  raspberries evenly on top of the cream filling and pour Jell-O over raspberries and refrigerate until jello is set.

 

Serving: 12

Ingredients

• 6 oz package Raspberry Jell-O
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups salted pretzel sticks (before crushing)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese - softened
• 1 (8oz) package Cool Whip - thawed in the refrigerator
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 12 oz bag frozen raspberries - thawed in refrigerator

 

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

1. Combine 6 Oz packet of Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Crush 2 cups of pretzels in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
3. Melt 1 stick of butter than add ¼ cup sugar in saucepan. Add pretzels and mix together.
4. Lightly press pretzel mix into a 13x9 -inch pyrex dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool to room temperature.
5. While pretzel mix is cooling down, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and ¾ cup sugar on medium/low speed until well-combined.
6. Next, stir in Cool Whip using a spatula and mix until well combined.
7. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and go all the way to the edges of the dish to create a seal. You don't want the jello to leak into the pretzels. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
8. Place raspberries evenly on top of the cream filling and pour Jell-O over raspberries and refrigerate until jello is set.

Heavenly Cheesey Potatoes

 Source: Stephanie Hammer

32 ox. frozen shredded hashbrowns

1 cube butter, melted

2 C. grated cheddar cheese

16 oz. sour cream

2 can cream of chicken (murshroom, celery, etc) soup

1 onion, chopped (or a couple of Tbsp minced dry onion)

1/2 rsp salt

1/4 rsp pepper

1 tbsp butter melted butter

2 C. crushed cornflakes or honey bunches of oats or whatever

Combine everything but the cornflakes and the 1 tsp melted butter.  Mix well and place in a greased 9x 13 baking dish.  Mix cornflakes and melted butter and sprinkled over the top.  Bake 250 for 45 mins.  

Korean Beef Bowls

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
3. Stir in soy sauce mixture until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired.

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

 Source:  Jamiecooksitup.net

This is too much salt!  by a lot.  I'd cut the season salt in half and leave out the other salt entirely and see.  Also butter would taste better than the oil.  I wonder if it would burn.  Coudl use melted butter instead of oil, or less oil and toss with melted butter when it's done

6-7 C chopped Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 medium-sized potatoes)
3 Tb olive oil
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Thoroughly wash 6-7 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, you’ll need 5 cups total.

3. Cut each potato into 1/2 inch cubes.

4.  Combine oil and seasonings in a small bowl and stir well to combine

5.  Put potatoes in bowl or ziplock bag.  Pour seasonings over and stir/shake to coat.

6. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and lay the potatoes out evenly onto it.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender on the insides.

Karen's Best Pasta Salad

 Source:  Karen Gozart

1 lb pasta (whatever you like)

cherry tomatoes

Red onio 

sweet peppers

cucumber

Olive Garden salad dressing

Cook pasta and cool.  Add veggies (and any others that sound good).  Top with dressing.  YUM and easy.

Ginger Beef Ramen

 Source:  America's Test Kitchen (modified)

Steak (leftover, whatever you've got)

6 C. Chicken broth

2 tsp. fresh ginger

1 tsp. grated lime zest, plus lime juice from 1/2- 1 lime

4 packs Ramen noodles

3 tsp. soy sauce

sliced green onions

Brown/heat steak in tsp of oil in pan--remove steak to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add broth, ginger, lime zest to same pot, bring to a boil.  Add noodles and cook stirring often, about 3 mins.  

Off heat, add lime juice, soy sauce, and any juice from the steak.  Pour into bowls and top with steak and green onions.  

Mexican Delicious Bowl

 Source:  Our best bites (insta story, not posted)

1.5-2 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs 

3-4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1.5-2 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs 

3-4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2–3 teaspoons True Lime, optional

Toss all together.  Smoke thighs at 225 for 1 1/2 ish hours.  When they get close to temp. turn the heat up to 400 and finish cooking them until internal temp reaches 165.  

Serve over rice with pico de gallo, avocado slices, cotilla cheese, cilantro, fresh lime squeeze if you want, and cilantro lime crema (costco or walmart)

SOOOOOOO yum!!!

Baked Rice (for a Crowd)

Source:  America's Test Kitchen 

Serves: 12

3 1/2 C white rice

salt and pepper

5 1/4 C boiling water

1.  Preheat oven to 375.    

2.  Boil water (be sure to cover the water when bringing it to a boil.)

3.  Pour rice and 1 tsp salt into lightly sprayed 9x13 pan.

4.  Once boiling, immediately pour water over rice.  

5.  Cover baking dish tightly with double layer of aluminum foil.  

6.  Bake rice until tender and no water remains, 40-50 minutes.

7.  Remove dish from oven, uncover and fluff rice with fork, scraping up any rice that has stuck to the bottom.  Re-cover dish with foil and let rice stand for 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Variation for MUCH more rice (favfamilyrecipies.com).  Serves 50:

12 C. rice

5 quarts water

3 Tbsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Place 3 quarts uncooked rice in large roasting pan (lightly sprayed with cooking spray.)  Combine water and salt and bring to a boil.  Pour over rice in pan.  Immediately cover tightly with foil making sure all edges have a tight seal.  Bake 40-45 mins.  Fluff.  

To wait to serve, keep in oven at 150.  Add a little water if necessary to keep from drying out.  

Robb's Firecrackers

 Whole box of Saltines

1 Ranch dressing packet

3 Tbsp. crushed red pepper ( or less)

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 C. oil

Layer crackers in 9x13 pan (5 columns the long way)

Mix all other ingredients--drizzle over crackers, trying to get on the flat sides not just the tops, flip rows back and forth and pour over, pour in between the crackers, etc.

Wrap TIGHTLY with saran wrap (and the plastic lid if pan has one) and flip upside down.  Let sit 5 minutes.  

Bake at 200 degrees for 15-20 mins.

Betsy's BBQ Ribs

 Source:  Instagram:  @betsysbestbets

Baby Back Pork Ribs--as many as you need (4-5/person; more for big eaters)

Cover cookie sheet with foil, lay ribs on it, salt both sides liberally and bake at 400 for 30 mins.

Switch oven to 250

Place ribs on cutting board, meaty side down, cut into small sections of ribs between the bones

Place in 9x 13 pan.  Generously cover with bbq sauce.  Cover with Saran Wrap and then foil, tightly.

Bake 3-4 hours, up to 5

Take ribs out.  Change oven temp to 350.  Turn ribs over in sauce (add water if sauce is too thick).  Put back in oven uncovered up to 45 minutes, rotating in sauce every 15 mins.  

Can use any bbq sauce you want,  This sauce is unique and yummy--enough for 5-6 pounds of ribs  (Amounts in parenthesis are for 7-8 lbs ribs)

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar (1.5 C)

1/4 c. worcestershire sauce (3/8 C.)

1/3 c. soy sauce (1/2 C.)

1/4 c apple cider vinegar (3/8 C)

3/4 c. ketchup (1 1/8 C)

2 Tbsp. yellow mustard (3 tbsp)

2 cloves garlic (3 cloves)

1/8 tsp. pepper (heaping 1/8 tsp)

{Better than takeout} Fried Rice

 Source:  barefeetinthekitchen.com

• 4 cups COLD cooked Jasmine rice
• ▢3 tablespoons bacon grease or the oil of your choice
• ▢3 eggs beaten
• ▢optional: 10 small button mushrooms halved and sliced thin, about 1 cup
• ▢1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ▢1 tablespoon sesame oil
• ▢2 cups diced cooked ham approximately 1/2-inch pieces
• ▢1 cup frozen corn
• ▢1/2 cup frozen peas
• ▢3 green onions sliced thin
• ▢1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢1 tablespoon butter
• ▢optional: kosher salt only as needed.

Instructions

• Warm a tablespoon of bacon grease, or oil, in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl the oil to coat the surface of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan and tilt as needed to spread across the skillet. Let the eggs cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip. Cook one more minute. Slide the egg out of the skillet onto a cutting board and allow it to cool. Cut into 1/2-inch wide strips and then and cut into small pieces.
• Add a tablespoon of grease, or oil, to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Spread them across the skillet and let them cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Stir and cook until slightly softened, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to the plate with the chopped eggs.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of grease, or oil, to the skillet and increase heat to medium high. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring and cooking for about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir well, to distribute the sauce throughout the rice. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is heated through.
• Add the ham, corn, and peas. Stir and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, until everything is hot. Add the eggs, mushrooms, and green onions to the skillet. Sprinkle with pepper. Stir gently to mix. Push the rice out of the center of the skillet and add the butter. Allow it to melt and stir to distribute the melted butter throughout the rice. Taste the rice and add salt, only if needed. Enjoy!

Notes

The rice for this recipe needs to be completely chilled, so that it can be easily broken apart into individual grains without any clumping or sticking. I suggest making the rice a day or two (even as much as 4-5 days) before you want to use it. The key to great fried rice is using rice that is as dry as possible, so that your fried rice won’t be mushy or soft.
Technically, the mushrooms are optional here, but we loved the extra flavor and meatiness that they add to this rice. Feel free to skip them, if mushrooms aren’t your thing.