Green Fruit Salad

This recipe is to celebrate St Patricks Day. It is cool, refreshing and green! It makes me smile because it reminds me of Spring!  Feel free to add any fruits you want.  My mom makes a weight watchers version of this and uses sugar free pudding mix, cool whip, and adds a light vanilla yogurt. Then for the fruits just use a can that has no syrup and is in its "own juice."
Green Fruit Salad
1tub cool whip(can use light or sugar free)
1small pkg instant pistachio pudding
1 20oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1can pears, drained, cut up
You can also add 1C mini marshmallows, the spring colored ones would be cute!
Mix the pineapple with juice with the pears and add the pudding and mix until thickened. Add cool whip and stir and refrigerate until serving.

Baked Zucchini

This is a nice way to eat the abundant zucchini!
Baked Zucchini
Slice 2 medium zucchini 1/4inch thick. Place in a bowl or bag. Drizzle around 2T olive oil, or melted butter, into the bag. Place some minced garlic and 1tsp fresh oregano in the bag and mix all the ingredients well.  Pour out onto a cookie sheet and place in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper..I think garlic powder would be good too. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, or you could even use shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 35-40minutes.  I think next time I will turn on the broiler for a couple minutes at the end to give them the extra crisp I like on the top.  The bottoms of the slices did get perfectly browned and yummy.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Homemade Chocolate Pudding
2T sugar
1T cornstarch
1C milk
1/3C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2tsp vanilla
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add milk, stir until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2minutes longer or until thickened. Stir in the chocolate chips; cook and stir until melted.  Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Serve warm or cold. This recipe makes two servings...double for a bigger amount.

Garden Potatoes

We are getting a ton of garden new potatoes! An easy way to preserve potatoes is to blanch them. Clean them real well and then peel them if you don't like the peel. I love the peel on new potatoes, plus when they are small they are the pits to peel! Then dice them the size you would want them for stew or casseroles. Have boiling pots of water on the stove while you are prepping the potatoes. After they are cut up the size you want them then throw them in a pot full of boiling water for 5 minutes. (this takes several pots of boiling water going at the same time)The time starts when you throw them in the water, not after it starts to boil again.  Then drain the pot and rinse potatoes under cold water and drain very well. I lay out kitchen towels on the counter and put the potatoes on these to just drain a bit more and let them completely cool. Then take quart size freezer bags and fill them full, getting any air out. Place in the freezer in a single layer until frozen, then you can stack them after fully frozen.
It is so awesome during the winter to go to the freezer and pull out garden fresh potatoes for my stew or casseroles! Garden potatoes just have a different taste than store bought, YUMMY! And freezing is SO much quicker and easier than canning. I like this method because the potato holds its texture and does not get mushy like you would think freezing them would do. You do however need to be AWARE that when you add these already blanched potatoes to a recipe that they are partially cooked already and will cut your cooking time down, otherwise they may get mushy. Like if you were making mashed potatoes with them, it will not take the full amount of time to boil them, it takes like 10minutes and they are ready to mash!         ENJOY!

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesdays

 

Here I roasted the potatoes in the oven with Freddy's burger/fry seasoning

Cookie Salad

This is a fun recipe that I adapted from the cute blog, Chef In Training.  I already make a fruit salad similar to this, but this recipe has the addition of cookies! YUM!
Cookie Salad
2pkgs instant vanilla pudding(I only used one and it was fine)
2C buttermilk, I used 2% and it was great
2(11oz)cans mandarin oranges, drained
1(20oz)can pineapple tidbits, drained(I used crushed pineapple,drained)
1 tub cool whip (light)
I also added a can of drained fruit cocktail
1package fudge striped cookies

Mix buttermilk and puddings together. Fold in cool whip. Add drained fruit. Crush up cookies, not too small. Mix all together and refrigerate for several hours. Really, any fruit combo would work for this. Adding fresh cherries and strawberries would be good.

There just wasn't a good way to take a picture of the finished product!

Macaroni Salad

I love macaroni salads, they are so fun to play around with and add different things each time.  It usually depends on what I have in my fridge at the time as to what all I add in when I make it.  To me summer time equals salads, any kind!
Macaroni Salad
3C uncooked elbow or rotini pasta
6-8 eggs, cooked, chopped
3/4-1C real mayo
1/2C sweet pickle relish, or dill pickle relish
1/2C onion, I like half white, half green onion
1tsp black pepper
salt to taste
Add ins, optional:1/2C finely chopped celery, 1/2C green peas, cubed ham
Cook pasta and rinse and drain with cold water. Mix pasta, mayo, relish, onion, pepper, salt, and any add-ins together. Then add in chopped eggs and stir gently. Refrigerate for atleast a few hours, overnight is better. Stir well before serving.

Tomato Spinach Pasta Salad

I wait to make this pasta dish when my garden is just right. It is hard because the spinach is about over as the temps rise, but the tomatoes are just starting.  This is wonderful and very adjustable to your own add ins.
Tomato Spinach Pasta Salad
3C uncooked rainbow rotini
3C chopped fresh spinach
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1(8oz)bottle ranch salad dressing
1C(I use one small can)sliced black olives
2C shredded cheddar cheese, sometimes I use cubed cheese
3T milk
3/4C sliced green onion, I use less
Cook pasta.  In medium bowl, combine ranch and milk and stir well.  Drain pasta; rinse with cold water to cool. In large bowl, combine cooked pasta, spinach, olives, onions, tomatoes and cheese.  Pour dressing mixture over salad and mix well.  Refrigerate until serving.
I add fresh ground pepper and I also think it needs crunch, so I use almost a whole bottle of McCormicks Salad toppings.

Green Beans and New Potatoes

This is a recipe I grew up with and it is pure comfort food. My family grew the garden with the new potatoes and  green beans and grandma canned it all. We would sit at many a ball game and snap green beans together because we knew what goodness it would bring!  I could seriously eat this for dessert every night.  I can still remember as a kid seeing the canned new potatoes downstairs in the basement at my grandma's and thinking how disgusting they looked, but I always put that image aside and devoured each can! My grandma taught me how to can years ago and there is a lot that goes into it, but oh how it is worth it! I prefer to freeze most things, it is much easier and quicker, but when it comes to this dish I preserve it by canning it! This version below is adapted to the crockpot.
Green Beans and New Potatoes in the Crockpot
Adjust the amounts to the size of crowd you are feeding
2pounds fresh green beans, snapped

1pound bacon, partially cooked...or 1 ham bone with some meat on it

1 onion, chopped, optional

1-2pounds red new potatoes, rinsed and cut in half

1tsp garlic powder
1tsp salt
Place the green beans, bacon or ham bone, and onion in the crockpot. Add water only to cover the beans and cook on low for 3 hours. Remove ham from bone(if using) and discard the bone. Add potatoes to crockpot and the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for one hour, or until the potatoes are tender. Make sure they are cut in half.

I linked this recipe over at Mandy's Recipe box!



There is nothing quite like a field of Kansas Sunflowers!

My dad, grandma, me, and my sweet Brookie
Can you believe my grandma is 91! She sure doesn't look it!



Creamed Potatoes and Peas

There is nothing quite like fresh peas and potatoes from the garden. Growing peas is easy, it is the shelling them that is SOOO time consuming. It seems it takes a million pea pods to shell and make just one tiny bowl of peas! But, oh the fresh taste of peas are amazing...nothing can quite describe it. Then you go and add fresh red potatoes from the garden and the combo is out of this world!!!! This is an oldie but goody recipe that always pleases and brings a smile to your tummy.
Creamed Potatoes and Peas
1pd small red potatoes
21/2 C frozen peas...or fresh
1/4C butter, cubed
1 green onion...a must in this recipe, even if you don't like onion
1/4C flour
1/2tsp salt
2C milk
Scrub and quarter potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 10minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes longer.
In another saucepan, melt butter.  Add onion and saute until tender. Stir in flour and salt and gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2minutes, or until thickened. Drain the potatoes and peas and add to the sauce and toss.

The BEST Popsicles

These are BY FAR, the BEST popsicles you will EVER taste! It makes store bought popsicles taste like water!  My husband shared this recipe with me when we first got married.  He said his mom made these all the time while he was growing up and he will not eat a popsicle unless it is this recipe.....in other words, he was telling me that I WILL make these for him!  I wanted to know what all of the fuss was about so I made them and sure enough....they are wonderful! It is fun because you can use any flavor of kool aid and you can even use the sugar free. Our favorites are grape and cherry.  You have to have popsicle molds for them and I have found that the old tupperware ones are by far the best and easiest. 
The Best Popsicles
1 (3oz) pkg grape jello
1 pkg grape kool aid
1C sugar
2C hot water
Mix the above ingredients together and add 2C cold water and mix well.  Pour into molds and freeze.  Use any flavor of jello and kool aid!

Garden Fresh Pasta Salad

I get such gratification from going outside to my garden and picking fresh produce to create meals with to feed my family.  It's like going waaaaay back in history and living like people use to, before there were Walmarts. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy today's modern conveniences, but I also enjoy not having to depend on any. Plus with a garden, I control, for the most part, what goes into my food. No pesticides and no chemicals.  This is a fun recipe to use all of that seasonal produce during the summer months. You can sub any veggies for the ones listed.
Garden Fresh Pasta Salad-recipe from my wonderful mother-n-law
1 large bottle italian dressing
1 whole bottle of McCormicks Salad Supreme
1/2 onion, red is best, diced small
11/2green peppers, diced small, I use less, or use a combo of red,yellow,orange,green
2 cucumbers, diced small
2 tomatoes, I use lots of cherry tomatoes,cut up small
11/2small pkg extra thin spaghetti, cooked, I have used just one package and it works fine
Cook spaghetti and rinse and drain with cold water. Chop all veggies and add to the pasta, along with the dressing and salad supreme. Refrigerate atleast a couple of hours. Stir before serving.
*if you don't serve this right away, add 1/2 the dressing before refrigerating and then the rest of the dressing before serving
*this is also good served warm

Sugar Snap Peas and Mushrooms

Why, oh why, oh slimy snakies, do you have to bother me? I don't know why snakes like to find me, maybe I'm a snake whisperer and I just don't know it yet? Maybe if I let them live long enough they would tell me what they are wanting, but I just don't give them a chance.  It doesn't matter where I have lived, or where I am walking, the snakes always find me.  I have learned to keep my trusty shovel or hoe near by so I can chop their little heads off when they sneak out of nowhere to scare me.  I know it is not their fault, they are just being snakes, trying to make their way through the world(without some woman chopping their head off!).  But, I can't take it when I'm trying to water my plants or garden and they want to surprise me,or they surprise my kids and then they won't play in the backyard again until they see mom kill it and see the proof of its dead body.  It really is a tough world for the poor things, not many people like them.  I don't mind them really, it is more about their sneaky snake appearances that bother me....you never know where and when they will appear...like yesterday when I was headed out to the garden and I stepped on one! About a two footer and I stepped on it just right to make it go up in the air! About the same time my sandal flew off while I was trying to kick it(out of pure reaction)it took off under the fence, which was fine, but I know the summer is young and I know I've got to go out to that garden a million more times yet, and I do NOT want to think I'm going to step on that slimy snake every time I walk out to the garden! So, I watered and weeded the garden and then headed back to the house, knowing any step I take may send a slimy snake up in the air again if I step on it! So, I was being oh so cautious, I guess too cautious, because there was that darn snake again and I only missed stepping on it by a few inches....again! I swear I was looking intently before each step I took, but somehow those slimy critters are right in front of you and you can't even see them down in the grass until they move.  Darn things, why do they have to be so sneaky? Like last summer, my daughter was outside playing at my grandparents house in the country and I knew something was wrong when she was on a dead sprint toward me, with a look of terror on her face. Sure enough, up by the water faucet at the house, a 4-5 foot bull snake was cooling himself off.....which was bad news for me, because this momma wasn't going to let it get away so that later on one of my kids could find it again and get bit while playing..SO, off to get the shovel I went(and my grandpa!) and between the two of us with shovels trying to chop its head off, I'm sure it was pretty comical to watch! That 4 foot snake put up a good fight and boy the bigger ones sure have tougher skin, we couldn't even break its skin! But, with sheer mommy determination and about 30 minutes time, grandpa and I got it....pure teamwork! Each summer I end up killing a few, and a few get away, I guess this summer will be no different, ugh! I guess I will just have to hang moth balls off my clothes when I go outside!
Very soon my sugar snap peas and brussel sprouts in the garden will be making their way to our dinner table, so I have rounded up some of my favorite ways to eat them to share with you.  Sugar snap peas are one of those veggies that you don't tend to think much about, they aren't like the popular corn and green beans.  But, they are so very good and crunchy, with the perfect combo of tart and sweet. They are great by themselves(year around you can find them prepackaged by the bagged salads) or to put in salads or pasta dishes.  There is a huge difference between snow peas and sugar snap peas....in the store they are right next to each other. Snow peas are not as sweet, and in my opinion, not as good, so I always get the sugar snap peas.  You just eat them whole, you don't crack them open like regular pea pods and only eat the pea.  I hope if you have never tried them that you will very soon, I think you will like them. And if you don't like them raw, here is a great way to eat them with added flavor.  It is so fun trying new foods and trying new ways to cook foods. Fresh produce is always better than canned....and very often has a totally different taste than canned. Enjoy the summer and all the seasonal flavors that are out there....go taste something new, you just may like it! Go find your local farmers market and support the local farmers, and buy fresh!
Sugar Snap Peas and Mushrooms
1T olive oil
1/2pound sugar snap peas
8oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2T, more or less, soy sauce
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the peas and mushrooms and cook until they are tender, 4-6minutes or so.  Turn off the heat and add in soy sauce and stir to combine.  Taste and add more sauce if desired.

Creamy Frozen Fruit Cups

This is a refreshing and cool and somewhat healthy dessert for those hot summer days! My mother-in-law served this a few years back and I fell in love with its yumminess.  It is elegant enough to serve compay and kids love it.  Enjoy!
Creamy Frozen Fruit Cups
8oz cream cheese, can use light
1/2C sugar
10oz jar cherries,drained
11oz can mandarin oranges, drained
8oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2C chopped pecans, optional, but very good!
8oz cool whip, light
Halve 9 cherries and set aside, along with 18 slices of mandarin oranges, for garnish.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together.  Place cupcake liners in 18 muffin tins.  Pour mixed ingredients into 18 liners and top with the cherries and slices of oranges you had set aside for garnish and then freeze.  Remove from freezer atleast 10minutes before serving.

Peachy Fruit Salad

I actually got to sit a bit yesterday and catch up on my food blogging! I love when that happens. Although the reason I got to sit was because I was under the weather, but atleast something good came out of it and I got to browse through tons of recipes and catch up on some of my favorite food blogs.  I got this easy and delicious recipe from a very wonderful blog, Real Mom Kitchen.  Laura has the best pictures and recipes and even has a cookbook out...my pictures on my blog are terrible and when you visit this blog you will know just what to compare them with..oh, to have a nice camera and be able to take pictures like this gal does....and to have a cookbook! To have my own cookbook, well, that would just be a dream of mine, how fun and exciting!  This fruit salad is just perfect for hot summer days and the pie filling makes a wonderful sauce for the fruits, yum!
Peachy Fruit Salad-Real Mom Kitchen
1 (21oz)can peach pie filling
1 (20oz)can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (11oz)can mandarin oranges, drained
2 firm bananas, sliced
1C mini marshmallows
1C sliced grapes(I didn't use grapes)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix and refrigerate until serving.

Fresh Green Bean Pasta Salad

This recipe comes from Kraft foods, but I switched it up a bit.  Use those garden fresh green beans and tomatoes! Nothing better than that!  This is so simple to throw together and light and full of flavor and the colors are beautiful too!
Fresh Green Bean Pasta Salad
1C penne pasta, uncooked
1/2pound fresh green beans, cut into 1inch pieces
1medium tomato, chopped
1/4C zesty italian dressing
1/4C parmesan cheese
cubed cheese
Cook pasta and add beans to the pasta cooking water for the last two minutes.  Drain; rinse with cold water.  Place in medium serving bowl.  Add rest of the ingredients and mix lightly.  Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate.  If refrigerating, add more italian dressing before serving because the pasta tends to soak up the dressing.

Corn and Broccoli in Cheese Sauce

This is another recipe for the crockpot....I'm all about keeping the heat out of the house while I'm cooking during the summer.  Kids will eat their broccoli with this dish because it has velveeta on it! This recipe comes from a Healthy Cooking magazine.
Corn and Broccoli in Cheese Sauce
1(16oz) pkg frozen corn
1(16oz)pkg frozen broccoli florets
4oz reduced fat velveeta, cubed
1/2C shredded cheddar cheese
1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
1/4C milk
In a 4qt slow cooker, combine the corn, broccoli and cheeses.  In a small bowl, combine soup and milk;  pour over veggie mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4hours.  Stir before serving.

Salsa Rice

This is a super simple side dish and very good.  It comes together very quick and perfect results every time.  It's very good served next to some enchiladas!
Salsa Rice
11/2C water
11/2C salsa
2C instant rice, uncooked
1C shredded cheese
Bring water and salsa to a boil.  Stir in rice.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in cheese, cover and let sit for 30 seconds or until cheese is melted.

Dreamsicle Salad

This is a lot like my Orange Fluff Jello that I have on this blog, but this is even quicker to make.  You can use any combo of fruit and jello. I got this quick recipe from a very cute blog, One Crazy Cookie.  Tiffanee has some wonderful recipes on her blog and she is so nice!
Dreamsicle Salad
1large box, or 2small boxes, instant vanilla pudding
1small box strawberry jello
13/4C water
2C strawberries, cut up
8oz cool whip light
Boil the water. In a large bowl add pudding and jello mixes and stir to combine.  Add boiling water and mix well.  Add fruit and stir and then cool a bit.  Add cool whip and stir well and refrigerate.
You can use raspberries with raspberry jello, mandarin oranges with orange jello, etc etc

I think this is my worst picture yet! LOL We had bad lighting and I just couldn't get a good one...sorry!
It tastes MUCH better than this looks! I'm hoping someone will feel sorry enough for me for the camera that I own
and send me a nice one!

Tortellini Pasta Salad

I love tortellini in pasta salads, yummy! This is refreshing and cool and colorful, perfect for a summer dish! And healthy to boot!
Tortellini Pasta Salad-Taste of Home(adapted)
1pkg(9oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1pkg(16oz) frozen corn
2C cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
1/4C finely chopped green onions
1/4C finely chopped fresh basil
2T grated parmesan cheese-use fresh
4tsp olive oil
1/4tsp garlic powder
1/8tsp pepper
Cook tortellini according to package directions and add the corn to cook the last five minutes, drain and rinse under cold water.  In a large bowl,  combine the tortellini mixture and the remaining ingredients and toss to coat and refrigerate.

The Best Baked Beans

We thankfully made it through many rounds of storms the last couple of weeks.  We had lots of wind and  rain, but thankfully no large hail and tornadoes like so many other places.  Living in Kansas you somewhat expect this weather this time of year, but nothing ever quite prepares you for a tornado. I've seen several over the years and they are some kind of amazing force! Our prayers are with those that lost loved ones and homes.  There are many small towns that had damage and even deaths, but no media coverage, because bigger towns had more damage and more deaths.  So remember those towns that are so small that no one hears about because they still need help as well.  It is awesome to watch how a community comes together, and even complete strangers, to help one another through these terrible trajedies.  I remember when I was young there was a huge tornado that killed many people and demolished miles of houses and we didn't live that far away from it, and my parents got my brother and I in the car and we spent many hours helping to clean and go through wreckage that the tornado left.  That was one of the first times when I was a kid that I learned that you put others first, especially in times of need.  I saw what devastation those poor people had gone through and they literally had nothing left, not even a pair of shoes or a toothbrush.  I remember finding old pictures and old love letters that a married couple had written one another during the war and I made it my mission that day to track down who they belonged to and I finally found the old lady they belonged to and she just cried and cried and thanked me.  I'm so thankful that my parents always found ways to get my brother and I involved in helping others, it really helped open my eyes that there is a huge world of people in need and there is so much more to life than being selfish and only focusing on what I want.  We each can make a huge difference in people's lives if we just take the time to look and listen to others.  One of the best things we can teach our children is to do for others, this helps them to be thankful and thoughtful and to really see how blessed they are.

This recipe is wonderful and I like to make it ahead a couple days so it can sit and mingle flavors together.  You can cook it in the oven or the crockpot.
The Best Baked Beans
6cans pork-n-beans, or 3 large Bush's baked beans
1 chopped onion, optional
2T mustard
1C ketchup
1/3C brown sugar
1pd cooked and crumbled bacon
I love to add around 2-3T liquid smoke, but this is optional
I also save around 2T bacon grease and throw it in
Combine all of the ingredients and bake at 350 for one hour, or place in a crockpot on low for a few hours to heat through.