Our Recipe Compendium

{Ingredients} 3 chopped roma tomatoes 1/2 diced yellow onion 1 diced banana pepper or jalapeno 1/2 diced bell pepper ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro 1 clove garlic minced 1 tsp salt 1 lime juiced {Instructions} In a small bowl stir together the tomatoes, onion, peppers, garlic, and cilantro.  Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl, add salt, and stir to combine. Chill.

{Ingredients} 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup orzo pasta 1 minced garlic clove 1¾ cups chicken broth  ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 Tbsp fresh minced thyme leaves 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp lemon zest ¼ tsp salt fresh ground pepper shredded cooked chicken {Instructions} Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet. Pour the orzo in and stir until it is toasted. Add the minced garlic. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil on high heat. Then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, chicken, thyme, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper. Serve.

{Ingredients} boneless skinless chicken breast bacon barbecue sauce Monterey jack and cheddar cheese tomatoes green onions {Directions} I've made this copycat version since the first time we had Monterey Jack Chicken at Chili's. It's not exactly the same but almost everyone who has tried it loves it. 

{Ingredients} ¾ cup softened butter ¾ cup brown sugar ¼ cup sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2¼ cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cornstarch ¼ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans ¾ cup caramel pieces {Instructions} Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix. Next add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and mix. Gently stir in chocolate chips, pecans, and caramel. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place balls of cookie dough on cookie sheet and bake for 9-12 minutes. One day I picked up some chocolate chip turtle cookies from kroger and my family has been hooked ever since. Thought it was time to make them ourselves. 

{Ingredients} 2 ¼ c. warm water 2 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp yeast 1 Tbsp salt 2 Tbsp oil 5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured {Directions} First dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well (At this point I switch to my dough/kneading attachment on my Bosch mixer) Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too sticky. Knead for a few minutes. Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and knead it 2 or 3 times to coat with flour. Divide into 2 equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for bot...

{Ingredients}  (10 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach, shredded 1 (13.75 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped and drained 1 (8 ounce) brick low-fat cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 cup sour cream  1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup feta cheese 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. salt {Directions} Throw together in a crockpot or pot in the oven and cook until bubbly.

{Ingredients} work in progress macaroni shells milk butter brie cheddar Monterrey jack Colby Gruyere dijon mustard pepper onion powder {Directions}

{Ingredients} 6 strips bacon, crumbled 2 chicken breasts, shredded 5 ounces spinach 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 5 cups milk 1 lb dry pasta 1 cup Parmesan cheese {Directions} Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Add the chicken and cook until done. Remove the chicken. Saute the spinach, garlic, salt, and pepper with the bacon until the spinach has wilted.  Put the chicken back in, add the milk, then stir. Bring the milk to a boil, then add the pasta.Stir constantly for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked. Add the Parmesan, then mix until the cheese has melted. Serve!

We have a little toaster oven that the kids love to use and this is one of their favorite things to concoct. {Ingredients} bread toppings (pepperoni, sausage) cheese sauce {Directions} Lightly toast each slice of bread so the sauce doesn't soak through. Then add sauce, toppings, and cheese. Bake at 375 for five minutes then broil until bubbly and as browned as you want it to be. Enjoy.