Mandarin Orange Salad

This recipe was submitted by Katie Jensen

1/2 c. sliced almonds
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar

Cook over medium heat in a pan, stirring constantly until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Remove from heat then place almonds on wax paper and wait until cooled and break apart. Store in air tight container at room temperature until ready to use.

SWEET SOUR DRESSING:
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of Tabasco

Shake WELL in tightly covered jar.

1. Wash and tear 1 head lettuce into bite-size pieces - Place in large serving bowl
2. Add 2 medium stalks of celery, chopped
3. Add 2 green onions, thinly sliced
4. Add 1 small can mandarin orange slices, drained.
5. Just before serving toss with Sweet and Sour Dressing and add sugared almonds.

If you wish to turn this into more of a main dish, add some grilled chicken slices to the salad! Yummy.

Tortilla Soup

This recipe was submitted by Rachelle Kunkel

1 T olive oil
1 large onion chopped
5-6 cloves garlic chopped
1 ½ t oregano
1 ½ ground cumin
1 T tomato paste
4-6 c chicken stock
4-5 whole canned tomatoes + some liquid from the can
Up to ½ c salsa for heat
1 chipolte chili + a little adobo sauce
1 can of corn
1-2 chicken breasts, shredded or cubed

*Garnish w/ Cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, lime wedges, tortilla chips, and/or avocado.

Boil chicken in water w/ salt & pepper or use rotisserie chicken. Heat oil in large pan on medium-high, cook onions, oregano, & cumin 2 min., then add garlic & lower heat, cook covered about 10 min. Add tomato paste to onions & cook for a minute. Add chicken stock & tomatoes. Puree soup & return to pot. Add chicken, & corn to soup. Simmer a few more minutes.

Cooking Group Tonight!!

REMINDER!!! Cooking group tonight, 6:30pm at Danielle's house. Bring a SOUP or SALAD to share with everyone. If you can't bring anything we would still love to have you come! Happy cooking!

Red Chile Enchiladas

This super yummy recipe was submitted by Rachelle Kunkel.

1 can Rosarita's enchilada sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce + about 1 Tbsp. of adobo sauce
1/5 to 2 lb. ground meat (I use ground beef turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken)
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to tatse
16 corn tortillas, toasted on the stove top with a tiny bit of oil or warmed in the microwave in a towel
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Cilantro

Warm enchilada sauce over low heat with 2 cloves chopped garlic, chile in adobo, and adobo sauce. In a skillet, brown meat; add onion and remaining clove of garlic and season with salt and pepper. Warm tortillas. Fill tortillas and roll: Meat mixture, sauce, cheese.

Macaroni & Cheese

This cheesy recipe was submitted by Katie Jensen.


4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
2 cups grated Cheddar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese and crushed crakers if desired.

Note: If you like your mac and cheese super cheesy, try a combination of cheeses such as cheddar, jack, colby, swiss, and gouda.

February's Pics

We had a wonderful get together in February. Lots of yummy food and lots of friends visiting! Here are some pics of what we enjoyed that night!

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Delicious garlic & cheese focaccia bread.

Chocolate brownies with chocolate frosting!
Yummy chocolate cake.

Homemade pizza with garlic, cheese, and pineapple!

New Recipes Coming Soon!

We had a wonderful meeting last week at Jessica's house. Our theme for the night was "pantry cooking" and we had a wonderful demonstration on how to make chicken noodle soup using a whole chicken! We will post our recipes and pictures in the next few days for you to all try and enjoy! Until then, happy cooking!