Ultimate Queso Dip

This is quick, easy and popular!

Ingredients:
1 lb (16-oz) Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, undrained

Directions:
Mix ingredients in crock pot for 2 hours on high, stirring occasionally.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Cheesy Potato Soup

One of the best comfort foods!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp margarine
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 can chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
3 large potatoes
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pepper

Directions:
Boil & peel potatoes.  Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Saute carrots & onions with margarine until tender.

In large pan, add cooked vegetables, cut potatoes, chicken broth, flour & milk.  Gradually add cheddar cheese until melted.  Add salt & pepper (add more to taste).  Serve with crackers or biscuits.

Caramel Puff Corn

Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
2 bags corn puffs (we use Old Dutch brand)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250*

Put first three ingredients info medium saucepan & melt.  Bring to boil.  Add 1 tsp baking soda; stir until foamy.

Pour sauce over puff corn in pan (may use big roasting pan).

Bake at for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Let cool on wax paper & break up chunks.

Rueben Dip

Ingredients:
1-16 oz jar sauerkraut, drained
1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
2-cups shredded Swiss cheese
2-cups shredded corned beef
1/2-cup thousand island dressing

Directions:
In crock pot, combine all ingredients.  Cook on high for 45-minutes.  Serve with crackers or chips.

Baked French Toast

This recipe needs to be prepared the night before baking.  It's great for company and would be an excellent choice for brunch!

Ingredients:
1 stick margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
5 large eggs
1-1/2 cups half & half
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange juice
1/3 tsp salt
1 loaf of bread

Directions:
Mix butter, brown sugar & corn syrup in saucepan, stirring over moderate heat until smooth.

Pour mixture into bottom of cake pan & sent bread on top of it (should get approximately 2-3 layers, depending on what type of bread you use).

Whisk all other ingredients together & pour over bread.  Cover pan with lid & refrigerate overnight.

In the morning...
Preheat oven to 350*

Take lid off of pan & bake for 30-40 minutes or until edges are light gold/brown in color.

We serve this with fresh fruit and sprinkle pieces with powdered sugar.

Cheeseburger Chowder

One of the best comfort foods...and of course, easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can diced, green chiles
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
1 Tbsp chili powder

Corn chips, chili powder & shredded cheddar cheese for topping.

Directions:
Brown ground beef.  In separate saucepan, add remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium heat.  Add browned hamburger.  Use additional chili powder to taste.

Serve with corn tortilla chips (we use Fritos), and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Corn Dip

Here is another easy appetizer--great for tailgating!

3 cans shoepeg corn (11-oz cans), drained
16 oz Mayo
1 small red onion, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp pickled jalepenos

Mix all & serve chilled with tortilla chips.

Bagel Dip

This is one of the best--and most addicting--dips ever!

• Ingredients:
• 1 (6 ounce) container sour cream
• 15 oz mayonnaise (small jar)
• 1 Tbsp Accent
• 1/2 Tbsp dill weed
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 3/4 Tbsp ground onion
• 2 (2 ounce) packages dried beef, chopped into pieces
• 1 package bagels
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Directions:

Mix all ingredients, except bagels.  Chop bagels into bite-sized pieces (toasted bagels are even better).  Serve dip chilled with bagels.

Warm Winter Lemon Cake

'Tis the season--this dessert is perfect for all your winter parties.  I love it best while it's still warm.

Ingredients:
1 pkg yellow cake mix

2 cups cold milk
1-1/4 cups water
2 pkgs lemon flavor pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350*
-Prepare cake batter as directed.  Pour into greased cake pan.
-Pour milk & water into mixing bowl.  Add pudding mixes and sugar.  Pour over cake batter (does not need to be an even layer, just drizzle it all over the batter).
-Bake 55 minutes.  Sprinkle top with powdered sugar.

Cookie Salad

A great addition to a meal...and you can *almost* consider it dessert :-)

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 pkg vanilla pudding
1 8-oz container cool whip
2 cans mandarin oranges
10 striped shortbread cookies (AKA "zebra" cookies)--crushed & crumbled

Directions:
-Stir buttermilk & pudding.
-Add cool whip
-Sprinkle cookies on top

Warm Artichoke Dip

1 word: YUM

Ingredients:
1 can drained & cut artichoke hearts
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup mayo
3/4 tsp dillweed
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl.  Place in greased 8x8 square pan.  Bake at 400* for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with crackers (we use the specialty crackers from Trader Joe's).

Beef Stew

Everyone has a variation of this, but this is ours...one of our favorite fall/winter dinners!!  And--best of all--it takes 10 minutes to prepare :)

Ingredients:
2 cups carrots (cut into bite-sized pieces)
1 cup sliced onion
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 can beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 lb boneless chuck pot roast, thawed
2 Tbsp lowry seasoning
1 packet brown gravy mix (powder)

Directions:
Add all ingredients into crock pot, cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve with biscuits, toast, or garlic bread.

S'mores Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick), melted

Topping

• 2 cups marshmallows
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 
  
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• Directions

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients; stir in melted butter. 

Press into a greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. 

Take pan out; top with marshmallows and chips. Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until marshmallows begin to brown.

Lemon Pasta

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp margarine
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp parsley
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
2 cups bowtie pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)

Directions:
-Boil pasta until cooked & drain water
-In separate saucepan, melt margarine.  Then, add all ingredients in order listed, stirring well.  Once cheese has melted well into the sauce, add the mixture to the pasta.  Allow 3-5 minutes to set before serving, so sauce can thicken on pasta.

Enjoy!