Mac's Wedding Slush (Used at Amy's & Mallory's baby showers)

2 c. sugar
5 c. water
1 (6 oz) box Jello
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice (buy at Costco in three pack)
2 bottles lemon lime soda or ginger ale

Bring water to boil, stir in sugar until dissolved. Add Jello, stir until Jello is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add approximately 12 ice cubes to cool sugar/Jello mixture. In an empty 5 quart ice cream bucket (1.25 gal) or freezer container combine pineapple juice and lemon juice. Add sugar/Jello mixture and freeze.

When ready to use, defrost slightly, combine with soda until slushy. Serves 15 to 20. It is easier to serve at a reception by combining the slightly thawed slush with the soda directly into the punch bowl. You can make this weeks ahead of time. Ten buckets serve about 150-200 people. You can choose the color of Jello so the punch matches your color scheme. Peach is great, so is pineapple, lime and strawberry-banana.

(I let the slush sit out an hour before the time of the party so I could slush it up, it is possible to add too much soda too. So don't just pour both liters in. Start with one and stir and then add more as needed to keep it slushy. Amy's shower was peach flavored and Mallory's was raspberry.)

Father's Day - Sweets on the Grill

Cupcake Base - Brownies (silver cupcake liners would make this look more grill-like)

Orange Sprinkles for fire

Grey/Black Frosting for Grill - put frosting into bag and cut tip of corner

Kabobs - Cut up Dots and quartered caramels with creme center.

Hotdogs - Hot Tamales with small black stripes from small black icing.

Steaks - Caramel with creme center molded into steak shape with black stripes from small black icing.

Fun for kids to help and tasty treats to share with Dad!

Lion House Chocolate Pudding Dessert

1 cup flour 1 cube butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix thoroughly and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 to 20 min, then cool.

8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
9 oz. cool whip (1/2 of carton)

Mix well and spread on first layer.

2 small pkgs. of chocolate instant pudding
2 1/2 cups cold milk

Beat for 2 minutes then spread on second layer. Spread on remaining cool whip and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Broccoli lo mien

1-2 pkgs. chow mien noodles-fresh in produce section, cooked
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp. peanut oil (or canola oil)
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 c. onion, sliced thin
1-2 lbs. beef steak, cut into strips
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. chili paste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine noodles and sesame oil, tossing well to coat. While noodles cook, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

White Enchilada Soup

3-4 Chicken Breasts cooked and chopped
2 cans Chicken Broth
1 cube Cream Cheese
1 16 oz jar of Mild Green Chili Verde salsa
1 Can sweet corn
1 can white beans drained and rinsed
1 can black beans drained and rinsed

Soften cream cheese. Add cream cheese to broth and warm slowly while blending. Heat mixture slowly. Add all remaining ingredients. Serve with tortilla strips, corn chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, or avocado.

Tara's Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes

Home made Vanilla/or whatever flavor you make-em cupcakes
makes 24 standard cupcakes

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 cup milk or half-n-half
1/2 cup canola or veg. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract (omit is using different flavor, if using an essential oil 2-3 drops is more than sufficient!)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened (8 tbsp. butter, REAL BUTTER, don't use margarine please, and if all you have is reg. salted butter, use it :)
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. In another bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. In liquid measuring cup mix together milk and oil.

4. Add eggs to butter and sugar one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add all dry ingredients alternating with the milk and oil, beginning and ending with the flour mixture just until blended. If you beat the mixture too much your cupcakes will be chewy and tough.

5. Spoon half the batter into a gallon size Ziploc bag. Snip 1/4 inch off one bottom corner of the bag and fill the liners about 2/3 full. Repeat with rest of the batter. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 12-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove cupcakes from baking pan immediately so they stop cooking. Place on wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Homemade Buttercream Frosting
2/3 c. butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla, or preferred flavoring
2-4 tbsp. milk, or half-n-half
coloring (optional)

(if you have problems with dairy this recipe also works well with Earth Balance butter and rice milk)

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well.

2. Beat in vanilla or flavoring, and coloring if desired, and enough milk for desired consistency. If using to decorate, leave stiff. If you add in too much milk, don't be afraid to add in more powdered sugar to thicken it up again.

Rumbi's Mango Chicken Salad

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
1 mango diced
1 can mandarin oranges
1/2 C feta cheese
1 T sesame seeds
1 bag tortilla chips
2 chicken breasts (cooked and seasoned with lemon pepper and salt)

Dressing:
1/4 C Dijon Mustard
2 T lime juice
1 t chili powder
3/4 C Mayo
1/2 C white sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
1/2 C white vinegar
2 T minced garlic
2 T ginger powder

1. To make the dressing place all ingredients in a jar and shake.

2. When serving, set out all of the ingredients and let each person layer his or her own. Top with chips and dressing and serve immediately. Optional: Serve with rice.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 cucumber,peel, core out seeds, and dice
2 chicken breasts, cooked cubed, seasoned with the lemon pepper
1/2 c. green onion, chopped
1 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. peanuts
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. Yoshida Sauce
2 t. ginger
1/4 t. red pepper
Iceberg or roumain Lettuce leaves.
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, season to desired taste. Place in lettuce cups and sprinkle with peanuts. Enjoy!

***I make a kids version on the side: cucumbers, chicken, celery, mixed with a little ranch. Serve in lettuce cups. Optional, sprinkle with peanuts.

Gecko Grill Shrimp Mango Quesadillas

***For those of you who are not lucky enough to live near Gecko Grill, this is a close second. This was just enough to feed my family of 5.

Ingredients1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, tails removed and chopped into 1/4″ pieces1 large, ripe mango, peeled and diced1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, grated6 10″ flour tortillas2 TBS honey3 TBS butter1 limeS & PSour cream
Directions: In large skillet, melt 1 TBS butter. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add to melted butter and cook until bright pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and drain any juices that were released. In same skillet, melt remaining 2 TBS butter and honey together, cook 2 minutes until thickened. Add shrimp back to pan, squeeze lime over shrimp, toss together and remove from heat.
In a clean preheated skillet, sprinkle one side of the tortilla with 1/4 cup cheese, 1/6 of mango chunks and 1/6 shrimp mixture. Fold over and cook until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut into wedges and serve with additional lime wedges and sour cream.

Very Berry Southern Pie

by Amanda Conway

I bought lots of berries at the farmer's market and was anxious to try to replace apples with berries in a recipe my mom and dad make for a delicious apple pie. It turned out great and since I was proud of myself for actually making a pie, I wanted to share!

So get lots and lots of berries...Get a iron skillet (adds a southern touch I think) and load it up with some melted butter and brown sugar!Make a pie crust or buy Pillsbury Pie Dough in the cookie dough section at the grocery store...I made mine following a recipe because it was cheaper! And to my surprise, pretty easy. Also since the skillet is pretty big, double up on the recipe or buy two boxes of dough.Add the fruit after you have mixed it with sugar and a little flour. Add the top dough and rub with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar.Cook!But don't cook too long, about an hour. The berries need to be bubbling, but then my crust got a little too dark...Still good either way...Enjoy with ice cream!

Recipe Assignment:

Delectable Desserts