Taco Soup

lb. browned hamburger (with onion if you'd like, yuck!)

2 cans if kidney beans

2 cans of chili beans

2 cans of pinto beans

2 cans of stewed tomatoes (I blend these in the blender)

2 cans of corn

1 can Rotel tomatoes (also blended to get rid of chunks)

1/2 pkg. of taco seasoning

1 pkg. ranch dressing

Combine and cook in crock pot until done, usually a couple of hours. I like to put it over lime tostitos then top it with a ranch and sour cream dip and cheese. To make the ranch and sour cream dip, mix equal parts sour cream and ranch dressing.

*I usually half this recipe so it fits in my crock pot. There is still enough to feed my family. You can also do it on the stove top in a big pot but then you can't just leave it unattended like you can with the crock pot.

Cranberry Nut Granola

1/3 c. pumpkins seeds
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/3 c. maple syrup
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cranberry juice
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. craisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, brown sugar, cranberry juice, and cinnamon over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and salt. Pour the maple mixture over the oat mixture and stir until combined. Spread the mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15, stirring occasionally. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Stir in craisins and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the mixture begins to brown. If you over bake it will be hard. Cool completely. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Cadbury Egg Cookies

***WARNING*** Do not attempt these cookies if you are trying to lose weight, or eat healthy. They are addicting and not very calorie friendly. But, oh so good.

Cadbury Egg Cookies
1/2 C Crisco (I use butter flavored)
1/2 C Butter
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 C flour
6T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 10 oz bag Cadbury Mini-Eggs*

Preheat oven to 350. You’ll need to chop up those Cadbury Eggs. I just put them in a ziplock bag and bang on them with a hammer.

You know the drill. Cream together the butter, crisco, brown sugar and white sugar. Add in eggs one at at a time and the vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture to combine and then mix in the candies. And a little secret…if you want your cookies to look pretty like the picture, save a few egg pieces and pop them on top of the cookies before baking so you get those colorful speckles on top!

Drop onto a cookie sheet and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Mine were done in exactly 9. They’re soft and fudgy in the middle and a little crisp on the edges with crunchy little candy bits throughout. Yummers.

Mine also made 36 quite large cookies(like the size of Subway's cookies), I even ended up tossing some of the dough because Lord knows I do not need 45 huge cookies. I think I will half the recipe next time.

Monterrey Chicken-for Lauren

Easy as pie. Just take chicken tenders or chicken breasts. Grill them or cook them in a frying pan with a little oil till done. Salt and pepper and seasoning salt for flavor. I used the George Foreman grill and cooked them. Grilled is way better. Place done chicken pieces on a baking sheet or pan and spread barbecue sauce over the top. Layer with small pieces of cooked bacon on top. Then top with a slice of monterrey jack cheese. Broil in oven until melted and heated through. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and diced tomatoes-optional.