Orange Creamsicle Cookies

ORANGE CREAMSICLE COOKIES

2 1/2 Cups Flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Cup softened butter

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbs orange zest (about 2 oranges)

2 Cups vanilla chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Cream butter and sugars and then beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in orange zest and chips. Bake on cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes. YUMMY!!!!

Ice Cream in a Bag

Did you ever make "homemade ice cream" in your junior high science class? While I very much wish I had an ice cream machine, unfortunately I do not. So, how could we make homemade ice cream as a family activity?? I thought back to my 8th grade science class, and thought that my family might enjoy doing this:

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM (in a bag)
1/2 cup reduced-fat (I used 1%) or whole milk
2 Tbs sugar
1 quart sized resealable bag (1 for each person making ice cream)
1 gallon-sized resealable bag (1 for each person making ice cream)
1/4 tsp vanilla or 1/2 Tbs cocoa powder
About 2 trays ice cubes
6 tablespoons rock salt

Optional: peanutbutter or chocolate chips, flavored syrups, flavorin extracts

Put milk and sugar in quart sized bag and seal it. For vanilla ice cream, add vanilla extract; for chocolate ice cream, add cocoa powder. Throw in 1/4 chocolate chips if desired. You could also experiement with other flavors by using about 1/2 tsp flavored syrpus like strawberry or caramel, or extras like lemon, mint, or almond.

Put ice and rock salt in gallon-sized bag. Put smaller bag inside bigger bag and seal it. Shake larger bag vigorously for 7-10 minutes. Wear gloves if you want, or wrap the bag in a towel...because it's going to be cold!!! Remove the small bag, which is now ice cream!! Snip a hole in corner of the bag and squeeze it into a dish. Makes one serving of soft-serve consistency ice cream! Enjoy! We sure did!!!

Olive Garden bread machine Breadsticks

This recipe taste SOOO close to the real thing, we love it. Not the healthiest, but sometimes you have to indulge:)

Makes 30 breadsticks

1 cup plus 2 tablespoon water
3 tablespoon butter
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

(Have garlic salt and butter on hand for after breadsticks are out of oven)

Put ingredients in a bread machine on a manual dough cycle. When done, divide into 30 pieces. Roll into thin ropes. Let rise 20-25 minutes. (I usually have to let them rise longer than this, until they look a little smaller than the size of the olive garden breadsticks.) Bake @ 350 degress for 15-20 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.

Easy, blender salsa

This is such a quick, easy, fresh tasting side dish to bring to all the holiday parties coming up soon. It makes a lot, but almost always is gone by the end of a party.

2 cans Rotel tomatoes (check to see how spicy the cans you are buying, I usually use one mild and one medium for some added spice)
1 can stewed tomatoes
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped

Put tomatoes in the blender and blend for a few seconds. Add the garlic powder, salt and lemon juice, blend for another few seconds. Add the cilantro and onion, blend until it reaches the consistency that you desire. Refrigerate at least a half an hour before serving.

Honey-lime sauce for salmon

This is a fast, easy recipe to make a sauce for salmon. It is good on grilled salmon or cooked in a pan! Enjoy!

In a small saucepan combine:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Cook on medium/low until bubbly and thicker.

Honey grilled Salmon

This is a copy-cat recipe from Applebee's. It is very good, one of my favorite salmon recipes. it really good when accompanied with almond rice pilaf. This is just the recipe for the sauce you pour on top of the grilled salmon. A hint when grilling salmon, make sure the grill it oiled up or the salmon with stick. I like to soak a paper towel in olive oil and rub it on the hot, clean grill with long tongs.

Hint: This makes A LOT of sauce, because a little goes a long way. I just freeze the leftovers so it is ready to go next time.

3/4 honey
1/3 soy sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup pineapple juice
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combing all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Stir occasionally until sauce begins to boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until syrupy. WATCH SAUCE CLOSELY so it doesn't bubbly over or burn.

Chili

This chili is NOT fast, but because you simmer it for a couple of hours makes it SOOO good. It is a little spicy, it is called Chili you know, I just adjust the chili powder amount and green chilies if I know I am serving it to people who don't like spicy food. Enjoy!

1 lb ground beef (I sometimes substitute this for Smart Ground, a veggie protein, you can't even tell the difference! Don't diss it until you try it people)
14.5 oz. tomato sauce
14.5 oz. kidney beans, undrained
14.5 oz. pinto beans, undrained
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/4 cup green chilies (I use the canned, use less if you don't want so much heat)
1/8 cup celery, diced
1 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped (I like to use a little more)
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder (less if you don't want so much heat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

1. Brown meat, drain fat.
2. Combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil, simmer for 2-3 hours.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

This is a light, refreshing, delicious, fast and easy soup. Everyone asks for the recipe, and I think that is a good sign. People always remark about how it looks like it belongs in a restaurant because it looks so good. Enjoy.

Hint: I think a good tasting broth makes all the difference in soups.

4 servings (2 cups each)

2 cans (14 oz. each) fat-free chicken broth with 1/3 less sodium
3 cups water
5 to 6 medium green onions, sliced (1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb precut chicken breast chunks or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (1/2 lb), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini (I use frozen and just adjust cooking time)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach (I double this usually)
1 cup frozen sweet peas

1. In 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, mix broth, water, onions, basil and garlic. Heat to boiling. Stir in chicken and tortellini. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 4 minutes.

2. Add spinach and peas; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, tortellini is tender and chicken is no longer pink in center. If desired, season to taste with pepper.

Source: Pillsbury good for you: fast and healthy family favorites

White Gummy Jamba Juice Smoothie

6 Ounces Peach Juice
4 Ounces Soymilk (I use about a cup)
1 med Handfull of strawberries
-1/4- 1/2 C RASPBERRY sherbet
-1/4- 1/2 C ORANGE sherbet
-1/2- 3/4 C PINAPPLE sherbet


Pour juices
Add Strawberries
Add Sherbets

Blend until very smooth and enjoy

ps if too thick add more soymilk or peach juice whatever you like more

Carribean Passion Jamba Juice Smoothie

2 Cups of Frozen Strawberries

1 Cup of Frozen Peaches, chopped

2 Cups of Orange Sherbet

1 Cup of Ice, crushed (I didn't use the ice it called for the frozen fruit and sherbet work great)

12 ounces of Passion Mango Juice

Blender

Cup

Straw

Add your juice then the frozen fruit and then the sherbet. If it is too runny add more sherbet

Read more: How to Make a Jamba Juice Caribbean Passion | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5205806_make-jamba-juice-caribbean-passion.html#ixzz11QRksxW7