{easy beef stroganoff}

Remember this recipe fro BBQ Pulled Pork? It was a McCormick seasoning packet that was the secret, and now I've stumbled onto their seasoning packet fr Beef Stroganoff. It tastes just like you made it from scratch, and because the stew meat is simmering all day long in the crockpot, it it is incredibly tender, and just falls apart. Yum!! I do not include the mushrooms...I am not a fan. :)

Beef Stroganoff

You Will Need:

2 lbs. stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mushrooms, halved or sliced
½ cup chopped onion
1 pkg. McCormick® Slow Cookers Beef Stroganoff Seasoning
1 cup water
1 cup sour cream (I use light, or Fat-free)

Place beef, mushrooms and onion in slow cooker.

Mix Seasoning and water until blended. Pour over beef and vegetables; toss to coat well. Cover.

Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Stir in sour cream until well blended. Cover. Cook 10 minutes longer on LOW. Serve over noodles, if desired.

Makes 10 servings.

{summer salads}

Summer = Salads!! Here are a few of my favorites...

Chicken Pasta Salad

Everyone has a favorite chicken salad, and this is just one of mine. It takes a little more time to make, but definitely worth the effort.

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, marinated overnight in:

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. thyme

Grill the chicken, then cut up into 1/2 inch cubes.

Salad:

20 oz. multi-colored corkscrew pasta
1 c. broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. purple onion, diced
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. red pepper, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1/4 c. + 1 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Grilled, marinated chicken

Dressing:

1/2 c. olive oil
4 T. lemon juice
1/2 c. mayo
2/3 c. sour cream

Combine salad ingredients, toss with dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

----------

Hawaiian Chicken Salad

Talk about refreshing!

3-4 cooked chicken, cubed
3 c. cooked rice
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 c. slivered and toasted almonds
1 1/2 c. red grapes, halves

Dressing:
2 T. orange juice
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Mix dressing together and pour over chicken. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well, and chill at least 2 hours.

-------------

Peanut Thai Noodle Salad

1/4 c. lime juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. unsalted peanuts

Place in blender; blend until smooth.

2 carrots
1 c. pea pods
1 small red pepper

Cut into matchsticks.

8 oz. fusilli pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions, add vegetables to water during last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain water from pasta and veggies, then toss with sauce. Sprinkle peanuts on top to serve.

-----------

Frog Eye Salad

I have loved this salad since I was a child, despite its name. :)

1 1/3 c. (8 oz.) Acini Pepi pasta, uncooked
1-20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/4 c. juice)
1 3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. sugar
1-3.4 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
2-11 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 c. Cool Whip, thawed
3 c. mini marshmallows (optional)
1/2 c. flaked coconut

Cook pasta 11 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain well. In a large bowl, beat reserved pineapple juice, milk, sugar, and pudding 2 minutes. Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients; cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours. Makes 12 servings.

{creamy salsa chicken}

I honestly can't remember where I got this recipe, but I'm glad I did! Can I tell you how much I love crockpots?

CREAMY SALSA CHICKEN

4-6 chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. fresh salsa
1/2 c. sour cream

Layer chicken breasts in the bottom of your crock pot, then sprinkle taco seasoning over them. Combine salsa and soup in a bowl, then pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours. Stir in sour cream right before serving. Serve over rice.

{chewy caramel corn}

I am a CARAMEL CORN LOVER. It is my most favorite treat, hands down. The only catch? It has to be chewy. The chewier and gooey-er the better. So, I went on a hunt to find the best recipe, and I think I've found it. This is so delicious--and totally addicting. Just thought I would warn you.

CHEWY CARAMEL CORN
-www.cooks.com-

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c. Karo
8 quarts popped popcorn

Put all ingredients except popcorn into a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat. Boil and stir until mixture reaches soft ball stage, 234 degrees. Pour over popcorn and stir until coated. Let cool, then eat and enjoy!

P.S. I would have taken a picture, but it was gone too fast. :)

{penne arribiata}

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you! It came from my good friend, smartmama. It's one of my personal favorites, and my family loves it too. I love it for so many reasons--it's yummy, only has a few ingredients, and doesn't take long to prepare or cook.

PENNE ARRIBIATA

1 T. olive oil
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (increase or decrease for more/less spiciness)
1-28 oz. can petite dice tomatoes
1 package penne (16 oz.)

Saute onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes in the olive oil. When onions are clear/soft, add the tomatoes, and simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, cook penne according to package directions, then drain. Mix with the sauce, and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Enjoy!

{french fried onion chicken}

I happened to see this in a magazine, but wasn't able to write it down at the time. I went home and decided to try it anyway, based on what I could remember. It is delicious, and SO easy. It was a definite hit at our house!

FRENCH FRIED ONION CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 package French Fried Onions
1 c. buttermilk

**You can use eggs, instead of buttermilk, but buttermilk is a natural tenderizer...making the chicken especially tender.

Crush the French Fried Onions into small pieces, then pour in a pie plate. Pour the buttermilk into another pie plate. Dip each chicken breast into the buttermilk first, then roll in the French Fried Onions. Place on a cookie sheet, lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. We like to serve these with honey mustard and ranch dressing.

Enjoy!

{caramel shortbread bars}

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the doctor's office, and ended up waiting for some time. I found myself thumbing through quite a few magazines, and stumbled across a recipe that I could not wait to try. I pulled out the notebook and pen from my purse, and hastily scratched down the recipe. Unfortunately, I did not document the name of the magazine, so if anyone knows, please let me know so I can give them credit!

This afternoon I had a chance to try them, and holy moly, they are fantastic! If you are a caramel lover, these bars are for you. The crumbly goodness of the shortbread crust, combined with the rich chewiness of the caramel = DIVINE.

CARAMEL SHORTBREAD BARS

Crust:
10 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk
1 2/3 c. flour

Mix ingredients well, then press into a 9x9 pan that has been layered with foil or parchment paper and goes over the edges of the pan about an inch. Prick with a fork, then freeze for 5 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely.

Caramel:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. sugar
6 T. Karo syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 T. heavy cream

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour over the cooled crust, then refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares.

ENJOY!