#862 - Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 - 14oz. box Kraft Deluxe macaroni and cheese dinner
3 cups frozen (thawed) or fresh mixed vegetables (whatever you like)
1 TBSP butter

In a saucepan over medium heat add milk, salt and water--stir and bring to a boil. Add the dry macaroni to the boiling water and reduce heat to low. Cook and stir until macaroni is cooked to your taste. Add the fresh or thawed vegetables to the macaroni--cook and stir until vegetables are hot and liquid is almost gone. Move saucepan to an unheated burner--add the cheese sauce and the butter to the macaroni mixture--stir well. Let stand for 2 minutes before serving to give the sauce time to thicken.

#861 - Pina Colada Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained but reserve juice)
1 cup flour + 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup softened butter
3 TBSP Domino's powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. rum extract (optional)
Glaze: 1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar, 3 tsp. of reserved pineapple juice

Drain the pineapple but save the juice for later. In a large bowl add 1 cup flour, softened butter, 3 TBSP powdered sugar--stir with a wooden spoon until flour is wet. Spray an 8 x 8 square pan with Pam and press the flour mixture into the bottom the the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes--remove from oven and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the drained pineapple, white sugar, macadamia nuts, coconut, baking powder, salt, rum extract, and 1/4 cup flour--stir until well mixed. Spread the pineapple mixture on top of the baked crust in the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes--it should be golden brown. Cool completely, then glaze: in a bowl add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 3 tsp. pineapple juice--stir. If glaze is too thick add more pineapple juice. If glaze is too runny add a little more powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over the top. Refrigerate, then cut into bars or squares.

#860 - Brown Caramel Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter (NO substitutes)
2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Frosting: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed), 1/4 cup milk, 2 cups Domino's powdered sugar

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the 1 cup butter--melt. Keep stirring and cooking the butter until light brown. Cool the butter for 10 minutes. In a mixer add the cooked butter, 2 cups brown sugar, and eggs--beat. Add milk--beat. Add baking soda and salt--beat. Add flour slowly--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 9-11 minutes--they should not indent when you touch one to test. Cool 1-2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, then frost. Frosting: in a saucepan over medium heat add 1/2 cup butter--melt. Add 1 cup brown sugar--stir and bring to a boil. Add 1/4 cup milk--stir and heat again until boiling. Once boiling with milk already added, remove from heat. Cool about 30 minutes until warm, then add 2 cups powdered sugar--stir well. Frost the cookies.

#859 - Shrimp Pasta

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
1lb. fresh or frozen shrimp (thawed, de-veined and peeled)
4 chopped tomatoes
1 - 4oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (1/2 of an 8oz. package)
3/4lb. fettuccine (cooked and drained according to box directions)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Clean and drain the shrimp--place them in a Ziploc bag. Pour the balsamic vinegar in with shrimp--zip the bag and let them marinate for 30 minutes. Remove the shrimp pieces and throw away the marinade and the bag. In a skillet over medium heat stir and cook shrimp on both sides until they turn pink. Remove the shrimp and place in a bowl--set aside. Cook fettuccine according to box directions--drain when finished. In the same skillet you cooked the shrimp, add the chopped tomatoes over medium heat--cook and stir for 3 minutes. Cube the cream cheese, then add to the tomatoes in the skillet. Add the shrimp to the tomato/cream cheese mixture--stir and cook over medium heat until well heated. Serve pasta on plates with shrimp sauce and Parmesan cheese.

#858 - Mozzarella Cheese Quiche

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 - 10oz. box chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1/3 cup Miracle Whip
1/3 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 - 9" frozen pie crust dough
1/4 cup real bacon bits

Spray a skillet with Pam--add the mushrooms and onions. Cook until tender. Add the thawed/drained spinach over medium heat--stir and cook until warm. Turn off the burner. In a separate bowl add eggs--beat with a whisk. Add Miracle Whip and milk to the eggs--beat. Add the spinach mixture and the mozzarella cheese to the egg mixture--stir until mixed. Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam. Place pie dough shell into the pie plate and flute the edges. Spray the inside of the dough with Pam. Pour the entire egg mixture into the pie dough. Sprinkle the bacon bits over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until browned and set.

#857 - Barbeque Chicken Caesar Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 bottle Caesar salad dressing
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bunch romaine lettuce (washed in cold water and broken into bite sized pieces)
1 box Caesar salad croutons
1/2 cup real bacon bits
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bottle Kraft (or your favorite brand) barbeque sauce
salt and pepper to your taste

Poke the chicken breasts with a fork all over and on both sides. Place the barbeque sauce in a Ziploc bag with the chicken breasts--zip the bag and shake to coat. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator a few hours, then cook chicken on a grill. Make sure as you're grilling the chicken to pour the extra barbeque sauce left in the bag on the chicken as it grills. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper as it cooks on the grill. When done, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a large salad bowl add the romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing (as much as you like)--toss to coat. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and real bacon bits on top of the salad. Sprinkle the croutons on top. Arrange the chicken pieces on top.

#856 - Macaroni and Cheese Tuna Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 16oz. bag mixed frozen vegetables (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower)
1 - 14oz. box Kraft deluxe macaroni and cheese dinner
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 - 12oz. can white albacore tuna (drained)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place a colander in your sink--dump the frozen vegetables from the bag into the colander--leave them there. Cook the macaroni dinner according to the package directions but don't add the cheese sauce. Pour the entire pot of cooked macaroni and its water over the top of the vegetables in the colander. Once drained, place the vegetables and macaroni back in the pot you cooked the macaroni in. Add the cheese sauce, milk, Italian dressing--mix well. Drain the tuna and flake it into the mixture, and add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese--mix well. Spray a 2qt. casserole with Pam. Pour the entire macaroni/vegetable/cheese mixture into the casserole. Cover the casserole with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top and return uncovered until cheese is melted.

#855 - Italian Hamburgers and Rice

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 frozen hamburger patties
1 medium chopped onion
1 green pepper (cut into strips)
1/2 red pepper (cut into strips)
1/2 yellow pepper (cut into strips)
1 - 26oz. jar of your favorite pasta or spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
2 cups Minute white rice (uncooked)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Spray Pam on the inside of a skillet. Add the chopped onions to the skillet. Salt and pepper each side of the hamburger patties and cook them in the skillet with the onions over medium heat until done to your liking. Make sure you brown both sides of the patties. Add the green, red and yellow pepper strips and cook until tender. Add the spaghetti sauce and water--bring to a boil. Add the uncooked rice, place a lid on the skillet, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until the rice is done and all ingredients are hot. Remove skillet from the burner, add the cheese to the top and put the lid back on until the cheese has melted.

#854 - One Pot Chicken Fried Rice

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP canola oil
2 eggs
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 - 14.5oz. can Swanson chicken broth
4 tsp. soy sauce
3 cups frozen stir fry vegetables
2 cups Minute white rice (uncooked)

In a skillet or a wok, add oil and turn heat to medium. Crack eggs into a cup--whip with a fork. Add raw eggs to the oil--stir until just starting to cook. Break cooked egg into small pieces using your spatula. Add chicken and cook/stir until chicken is browned. Add broth and soy sauce--stir and bring to a boil. Add vegetables and rice--stir, then cover the skillet or wok. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 more minutes or until chicken is done and other ingredients are hot.

#853 - Seafood Salad Croissant Sandwiches

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 lb. pre-cooked lump crab meat (OR imitation crab meat)
1 cup pre-cooked baby shrimp
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup Hellmann's mayo
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 TBSP lemon juice
3 hard boiled eggs (peeled, washed and chopped)
Croissants

Flake the crab meat into a bowl. Add the shrimp, celery, mayo, green onion, lemon juice and chopped eggs--stir until mixed. Refrigerate at least a few hours, then serve with lettuce on croissants or bagels. If you use real crab meat, don't keep it too long or it will spoil.

#852 - Crab Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups pre-cooked lump crab meat
1 cup diced celery
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP Hellmann's mayo
Optional--a little Old Bay Seasoning

Flake the crab meat into a bowl. Add celery, red pepper, green pepper, salt, pepper, lemon juice--stir well. Add mayo--stir well. Optional--add a little Old Bay seasoning--stir well. If it seems too dry add a little more mayo. Serve in a sandwich or on top of a bed of lettuce. If you're going to eat it right away, you can use fresh lump crab meat, but it doesn't stay fresh very long.

#851 - Apple Cranberry Crisp

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 tart baking apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
1 1/2 cups cranberries (frozen OR fresh)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Spray a glass baking dish with Pam. Make a layer of apples, then sprinkle some of the white sugar. Make a layer of cranberries, then sprinkle with some of the white sugar. Continue until you have used all of the apples, cranberries, and white sugar. In a bowl add flour, brown sugar and cinnamon--stir. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs on top of the entire mixture in the baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-40 minutes or until the apples are tender.

#850 - Quick Chicken Parmesan

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 frozen breaded chicken breasts or cutlets
1 - 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes (Italian style or plain)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups any style pasta (cooked according to package directions and drained)

Spray a baking dish with Pam--arrange breaded chicken pieces in a single layer. Spread diced tomatoes over each piece of chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Cook and drain pasta--set aside. Remove chicken from oven, sprinkle chicken pieces with mozzarella cheese and return to oven. Bake until cheese is melted. Serve chicken over the hot pasta.

#849 - Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 6oz. Stove Top Stuffing mix (for chicken)
2 cups cooked chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 8oz. Velveeta cheese (cut into bite sized pieces)

Make the stuffing according to the package directions. Add the chicken, chicken soup and cheese pieces to the stuffing--stir until mixed. Spray a 2qt. casserole dish with Pam. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until well heated.

#848 - Puffed Pastry Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 10oz. box Pepperidge Farms frozen puff pastry shells (NOT sheets)
2 TBSP butter
1lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast (cut into strips)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1 OR 2 TBSP Dijon mustard

Prepare the puff pastry shells according to package directions. Cut chicken into strips. In a skillet over medium heat add 1 TBSP of the butter--add chicken pieces and cook until browned. Set chicken aside, but use the same skillet--add the other 1 TBSP butter and cook the mushroom and broccoli over medium heat until all of the liquid is gone. Turn heat down to low. In a bowl add soup, milk and mustard--stir. Pour soup mixture in with the mushrooms and broccoli--turn heat back to medium and stir. Add chicken strips to the skillet mixture--stir. Heat until hot and all ingredients are done to your liking. Place a puff pastry shell on each plate and spoon soup mixture over the top of each.

#847 - Perfect Pizza Bagels

(by Shirley McNevich)

"everything" bagels or Thomas' Mini-Squares Everything Bagel Bread
pizza or spaghetti sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
oregano or Italian seasonings

Set toaster oven to 400 degrees and place setting dial on "toast". Separate bagel(s) or bagel bread into halves, then place on a plate. Spoon pizza or spaghetti sauce on the top of each bagel then place each bagel on the rack of the toaster oven (right on the rack--NOT on the toaster oven pan). Watch them carefully and remove when edges of the bagels start to brown. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each bagel. Turn the toaster oven setting dial to "bake" but leave the temperature at 400 degrees. Cover the toaster oven pan with foil, place the bagels on top and slide toaster oven pan into the toaster oven. Bake until cheese is melted. By toasting them first, they won't come out soggy.

#846 - Quick Cheese Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup Hellmann's mayo
1 - 4oz. jar pimentos (do NOT drain)
1/4 cup chopped onions (optional)
1 - 8oz. bag Sargento's shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 - 8oz. bag Sargento's shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to your taste

In a large bowl added mild cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, chopped onions and pimentos (whole jar--do not drain). Add the mayo and carefully mix with a spoon. Add salt and pepper to your taste--stir. Serve immediately.

#845 - Pecan Cheesecake Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup softened butter
1 - 3oz. package Philadelphia cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer add cream cheese, softened butter and white sugar--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer, add chopped pecans and stir with a wooden spoon. Make dough into 1" dough balls with your hands. Drop dough balls on to ungreased cookie sheets. Spray the bottom of a drinking glass with Pam, then press down on each dough ball to flatten into a 2" round cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Cool the cookies at least 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before removing with a spatula. Cookies should be chewy--if they are not, you baked them too long. Good idea to do a test cookie on this one.

#844 - Lemon Sheet Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1 - 15.5oz. can lemon pie filling
1 - 3oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add cake mix and eggs--beat. Remove from mixer and add pie filling--fold into the batter using a spoon. Pour batter into a greased jelly roll pan (about 10.5" x 15.5" x 1"). Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer add butter and cream cheese--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add powdered sugar--beat until smooth. If frosting is too thick add a little milk. Frost the cake and keep refrigerated.

#843 - Taco Dip

(Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15.4oz. can refried beans
1 avocado (optional)
1 - 6oz. or 8oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped onions
1-2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup taco sauce
sliced black olives
1 bag tortilla chips

Spread the refried beans on a pie plate. Mash the avocado and spread on top of refried beans (optional). In a bowl add sour cream and taco seasoning--stir. Spread the sour cream mixture as the next layer on top of the avocado. Spread the chopped onions on as the next layer, then the lettuce. In a bowl add the diced tomatoes and taco sauce--stir. Add tomatoes as the next layer. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese as the next layer. Spread as many sliced black olives on top as you like. Serve with the tortilla chips.