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)

Sweet & Sour Chicken

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
(Mix together)

3 or 4 beaten eggs
4-6 bonless, skinless chicken breasts-cut into chunks

Dip chicken in beaten eggs and then in flour mixture. Brown lightly in oil in frying pan on medium heat. Place in oblong glass baking dish. Pour sweet & sour sauce over chicken. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, turning once or twice.

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
8 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. soy sauce

Bring all ingredients to a low boil. To thicken sauce, use cornstarch and water.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I love cream soups!  And I've just added this to my "favorites".

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
2 TB butter
3/4 c chopped onion
6 c chicken broth
12 oz extra wide egg noodles
2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped broccoli
1 clove crush garlic (or garlic powder equivalent to one clove)
6 c half and half (hey I didn't promise it was a healthy soup)
1 lb Velveeta Cheese cubed
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add chicken brother and heat to boiling. Add noodles and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Stir in broccoli and garlic; cook for 4 minutes. Add milk, cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese is melted.

Irene's Barbeque Sauce

A mixture of tangy ingredients, onion and brown sugar creates one tasty sauce! This will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
  

1. In a medium saucepan, mix lemon juice, onion, distilled white vinegar, water, brown sugar, prepared mustard, ground black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper and vegetable oil. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 20 minutes.
2. Stir ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke flavoring into the mixture. Return to boil, then remove from heat. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Oven Kalua Pork

I make this recipe all the time because it is so yummy, it is so quick - I am done before the oven even finished pre heating, I have all the ingredients on hand all the time (I only have to buy the roast) and because it makes a lot! We'll eat it the first night with rice and steamed veggies. For the rest of the week we use it to make different dinners (i.e. BBQ sauce, serve it on hamburger buns with a salad or corn on the cob if it is corn season one night. We will use it with beans, rice, guacamole and salsa the next night in burritos. I will use it with sweet and sour sauce, add pineapple tidbits and chopped green peppers over rice another night). Pretty much anything goes. But then it only takes 15 minutes to make dinner the rest of the week - which is how I roll.

1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small piece of fresh ginger root, crushed (or 1 tsp. ground ginger)
1 clove garlic, minced
5-6 pounds boneless pork roast
1 tsp. liquid wood smoke flavoring

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, salt, Worcestershire sauce, ginger and garlic. Mix well. Lay 3 sheets of aluminum foil out, one on top of another. Place roast in center of aluminum foil; rub with soy sauce mixture and sprinkle with liquid smoke. Fold all 3 sheets of aluminum foil over top of roast and secure tightly. Place wrapped meat in a baking pan. Roast at 375 for 5 hours. Shred the pork before serving.

** Recipe from the Lion House Entertaining Cookbook**

Taco Soup

You all know this is one of our family favorites...
My sister in-law, Racquel, made this and I had to have the recipe!

Taco Soup
Cut up 2 chicken breasts into small cubes (or more if you like more meat) and cook in a little olive oil. Add seasonings. (and remember to taste the soup during the process and add more seasoning if necessary)

To season the chicken, I use about:

1 Tbsp. chile powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

A little salt

Garlic powder

Toss the following into the blender and blend until fairly smooth:

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

2 large garlic cloves

In a stock pot, combine the following:

1 large (32 oz) can chicken broth

1 to 2 Tbsp. sugar (this reduces the acidity of the tomatoes and enhances flavor)

Blended mixture

Seasoned Chicken

1 can black beans (optional)

1 can corn (optional)

Salt to taste

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Place any or all of the following in your individual soup bowl and ladle hot soup over the top:

Tortilla chips

Monterey Jack cheese

Chopped cilantro

Chopped fresh tomato

Diced avocado

Chopped green onion

Olives

Sour cream

Chile sauce (like Tabasco, etc.)

Squeeze over the top:

Lime wedges (this is what really makes the soup, I think!)