A-Mazing Punch...

(No picture necessary!)

Well ladies, I'm about to share with you something I swore I would never tell a SOUL! Why? It's just too good to be known by others.

BUT...

Today is your lucky day.

I'm in a good mood.

Can you believe it?

Seriously.

No joke.

In honor of this unexplainable good mood, go to the store RIGHT now, get the ingredients, and make this TODAY!

You'll be glad you did.

VERY glad!

I only give one small warning to those of you who are smart enough to make this

out-of-this-world-punch:

Do NOT under any circumstances cut this recipe in half! Yes, it makes a TON! However, you will need EVERY drop of it.

Luscious Slush Punch
Yeild: 50 (4 ounce) servings

Recipe: Good friend Kim

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups white sugar

6 cups water

2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin mix

1 (46 fluid ounces) can pinneapple juice

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 quart orange juice

2 (2 liter) bottles lemon lime soda

Directions:

In LARGE (and I mean LARGE) saucepan, combine sugar, water and gelatin. Bring to a boil. Let boil 3 minutes while stirring. (Ladies - don't take your little eyes off this pan. You will be sticking to your kitchen floor for a least a month if you do!) Take off burner and add pinneapple, lemon and orange juice. Pour mixture evenly into two bowls. Cover and freeze 8-10 hours. Over night is best! When ready to serve, get some forks, an ice-pick, hammer, an ax.....(you get the picture) and slush up that frozen goodness. Pour one container of slushed up goodness into your fancy, or not fancy punch bowl. Add 1 bottle of lemon lime soda and ENJOY! When punch is gone - which doesn't take too long in this family - pull container number #2 out of the freezer and surprise your guests with yet MORE delicious, slushy goodness!

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

Alright crock pot lovers, here's another easy peasy recipe for you!  My kids and hubby asked for seconds...and then thirds with this one.  Not to mention, it's the perfect meal after a long day in January (which I was having) when you just don't feel like doing anything but cuddling up with a mug of your favorite cocoa next to a warm fire.  But, that's beside the point...  the point is, try this!  You'll wish there was leftovers :)
 

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

Time: 20 minutes hands on + 4-5 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 8-10 Quesadillas
 
4 large chicken breasts
1 1/2 C water
1 T canola oil
1 envelope Fajita Seasoning Packet
1 can black beans
1 C corn
1-2 C Cheddar Cheese
8-10 flour tortillas

1. Place your chicken breasts inside a crock pot that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Mix the water, oil and the Fajita Mix. Pour it over the top of the chicken. Cover with the lid and cook for 4 hours on high.
3. When the chicken is cooked through remove it from the crock, placing it on a plate. Shred it up with a fork.
4. Put it back in the juices of the crock pot and let it simmer for 1 more hour.
5. Heat up a skillet. Spray it with cooking spray (or butter it....depending on how closely you are counting calories). Lay a tortilla out on the skillet. Cover just half of the tortilla with some chicken, black beans, corn and cheese. Cover the yummy filling up with the other half of the tortilla. Heat until the cheese has started to melt. Flip it over and to let the other side of the tortilla get crispy, and to melt the cheese fully.

Creamy Chipotle Dip
Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cup

1/3 C Chipotle Mayo
1/3 C Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1/3 C Sour Cream
2 T sugar
1 T lime juice
2 T cilantro, chopped fine
dash salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
The end. Fastest dipping sauce this side of  The Biggest Loser.

P.S. Another favorite found on Jamie Cooks It Up!

Baked or Grilled Salmon

Thank you, Seth! I'm posting this so I don't forget the ingredients. Our family loves fish! One of our favorite meals is salmon (when I find it on sale), mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and salad. It's super easy to fix, JP and the kids love it, and mommy scores points! Seth gave me tips on how to bake it, and it turned out yum-O.

1 TBS Olive Oil
1 TBS Butter (melted)
1/2 Lemon (save the rest for after it's cooked)
1 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Salmon Seasoning (I found this at Wal Mart & Maceys)

In bowl, whisk Olive Oil, Butter, and Lemon together. Place thawed Salmon in a 9 X 13 deep dish. Drizzle mixture over the salmon, then sprinkle the Grill Mates Salmon Seasoning evenly over the top. I also like to place a sliver of butter in the middle of the salmon. Bake or grill at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Sweet Lime Chile Enchiladas & Sweet Pepper Rice

I am actually making this tonight! I wanted to post the recipe on here before I forget it. I had it at a friends house and it was SO yummy. Give it a try, I think you'll love it!

{Corrine's Sweet Lime Chile Enchiladas}

4 chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1 12-15 oz. bottle salsa verde

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8-10 flour tortillas

5 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

in a large bowl, whick together honey, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder & salt. add shredded chicken to the lime mixture. let sit 10 minutes.
in a 9x13 pan pour 3/4 of the bottle of salsa verde, just to cover the bottle of the pan. reserve the rest.
take each flour tortilla & fill with a chicken & cheese. a couple of tablespoons of each. roll up & place, seam side down in the salsa verde. repeat process until all tortillas are filled.
after you remove all of the chicken, there will be remaining lime sauce in the bowl. to that sauce, add heavy cream & the remaining salsa verde. pour this mixture over the filled enchilada & cover with all the remaining cheese.
bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is brown & bubbly.
serve with sweet rice.

{Brit's Sweet Pepper Rice}

3 TBSP butter

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/3 cup long grain white rice

3 cups chicken stock

in a large saute pan, melt butter & add onion & pepper. cook until soft & onion is translucent. add cilantro & salt & garlic powder, cook another minute. add rice & brown. watch closely as not to burn.
dissolve sugar into chicken stock. when completely dissolve, add to rice. bring to a simmer, turn to low & cover. cook covered for 30 minutes. fluff with fork.

Candied Apple Cheesecake!

I make this EVERY time I need to bring a little dessert to a family event...and it is a HIT! I know...you are thinking it is going to be hard because it isn't a no-bake...seriously though, this is SUPER easy! Try it out!

1 cup crushed Nabisco Ginger Snaps
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup pie filling
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup toffee bits
Carmel and cool whip (OPTIONAL!)

Heat oven 325 degrees
Mix ginger snaps, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar, and press onto bottom of pan.
Beat cram cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one just until well blended. Stir in half each of pie filling, walnuts and toffee pieces. Pour into crust.
Bake 35 min. or until center is ALMOST set. (very important)
Refrigerate 2-4 hours before serving.
Top with remaining pie filling, nuts, toffee...and we add cool whip and carmel!!

Yogurt Pie

This recipe is so easy, and the kids love it!

1 graham cracker crust
2 individual containers yogurt (any flavor is great but we liked banana cream, key lime, and any of the berry kinds...like yoplait or dannon--the 6-8 oz kinds)
1/2 small tub cool whip

Mix yogurt with cool whip until well blended
Pour into pie crust
Freeze until set (about half an hour)

Eat with berries or whipped cream for any meal.
(Stays in fridge for about 2 days pretty well)