Oatmeal Fudge Bars (from Rebecca Widdison)

Oatmeal Fudge Bars 

1 cup shortening 

2 cups brown sugar 

2 eggs 

1 t vanilla 

1 ½ c flour 

1 t soda 

1 t salt 

4 cups oats 

1 cup nuts (optional) 

Mix above ingredients together. Take half of the mixed ingredients and press into a greased 9 x 12 cake pan. Save about 2 cups for the top. 

1 large pkg chocolate chips 

2 T butter 

1 can sweetened condensed milk 

½ t salt 

2 t vanilla 

Melt together and pour over oatmeal mixture, sprinkle remainder of oatmeal mixture on top. 

Bake @ 350 degrees for 18 minutes.

Sloppy Joes (from Tawnie Oliverson)

Sloppy Joes

This recipe is a family favorite!  I never really liked sloppy joes until my mother-in-law showed me how she made them when I was first married.  I have made them this way for years now!  It’s quick, simple and very tasty!

1 lb. Hamburger

1 can of Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup

1/3 cup Ketchup

1 tbl. Mustard

Hamburger buns 

Brown hamburger and drain fat.  Mix in the Chicken Gumbo soup.  Add the ketchup and mustard to the mixture and stir well.  Let simmer on low for 10-15 minutes and it’s ready to serve!  Makes approx. six sloppy joes.

Stuffed Pepper Soup (from Natalie Chamberlain)

Stuffed Pepper Soup

from Cookingclassy.com

Servings: 6 Servings

Prep Time10 minutes

 

Cook Time40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion chopped (1 cup)
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (a little over 1/2 of a medium)
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5 oz) can low-sodium beef broth
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp dried basil*
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice (I love both options)
• Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, once hot add beef to pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally while breaking up beef, until browned. Drain beef and pour onto a plate lined with paper towels, set aside.
2. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pot then add onions, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. 
   
3. Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth and add parsley, basil, oregano and cooked beef, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring just to a light boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

4. While soup simmers, prepare rice according to directions listed on package, then once soup is done simmering stir in desired amount of cooked rice into soup.** 

5. Serve warm topped with optional cheese and garnish with fresh parsley.

Recipe Notes

• *For more flavor double up on the herbs. This is also good with 2 tsp Italian seasoning in place of basil and oregano.
• **For a thinner soup don't add all of the rice and for a thicker heartier soup add it all.
• **Also, if you plan on having it for leftovers the next day then don't add the rice to the pot of soup, just add it to each individual bowl, then reserve the rice in a separate container in refrigerator to add to the soup the next day (otherwise it would turn into mush).

Easy Chicken Nachos (Instant Pot or Crockpot) from Emily Child

 Easy Chicken Nachos (A Child Family Favorite)

3-4 chicken breasts

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 cup salsa (any kind)

Place chicken in Crockpot or Instant Pot. Drain corn and black beans and pour on top of chicken. Pour salsa on top.  Cook in Crockpot for 4 hours or in an Instant Pot for 18-20 minutes if chicken is thawed or 23-25 minutes if frozen.  When chicken is cooked, shred it. Serve with chips and cheddar cheese melted on top. It can also be served on a salad, in a tortilla as a burrito or for use within a quesadilla. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Laura Dewsnup)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin

Add:

1 package chocolate chips(I like to use semi-sweet)

Stir in:

4 1/2 - 5 cups flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

Bake at 375 for 13-15 minutes.  This is a big batch.  It makes a lot of cookies and they are delicious!

Cream of Chicken Soup (from Annette Corry)

Cream of Chicken soup

One rotisserie chicken--Costco-(I used Bowman’s)--pull off meat and set aside.

Boil bones in water with 4-5 TB chicken bouillon.

Saute 3 stalks of celery, ½ onion in olive oil.

Add to chicken broth mixture.

Simmer 35-45 minutes.

Strain bones, celery and onions out of the broth.

6 Yukon gold potatoes, diced

3 c. carrots, diced

2 c. frozen peas

Add:

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp garlic salt

½ tsp pepper

2 TB dry mustard

1 TB parsley

Can add more chicken bouillon, if needed.

Simmer 25 min--season to taste. Make sure potatoes are somewhat firm for Todd.

Mix 4 TB cornstarch and 3 TB cold water in a bowl.  Add to soup to thicken.

Add shredded chicken.

Chili Lime Chicken (Grill or InstantPot) and Mango Salsa

Chili Lime Chicken and Mango Salsa

(from Melskitchencafe.com)

CHILI LIME CHICKEN:

•  2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•  1 tablespoon chili powder
•  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
•  1 teaspoon paprika
•  1 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1 teaspoon onion powder
•  1 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
•  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2-3 limes)

MANGO SALSA:

•  1-2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced (for about 1-2 cups chopped mango)
•  1/2 cup small diced red pepper
•  1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
•  1 jalapeno, seeds and membraned removed, finely diced
•  1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
•  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
•  Pinch of salt and pepper
• 
  
• For the chicken, place the chicken in a ziploc bag or in a dish. Combine all the marinade ingredients (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne and lime juice) and pour over the chicken. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (up to 8 hours). Grill the chicken until cooked through (about 6-7 minutes per side on a grill preheated to medium-high heat). Alternately, the chicken can be pressure cooked at high pressure for 8 minutes; on an InstantPot, add the chicken and marinade ingredients PLUS 1/2 CUP LOW-SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH OR WATER, secure the lid and press manual --> 7 minutes (let the pressure cooker naturally release pressure when finished cooking). Let the chicken rest for 5 or so minutes before slicing into strips or shredding
• 
  
• For the mango salsa, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and give it a good stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve; can be made a day or so in advance if you have the willpower not to eat it all before you serve it with the tacos.
• 
  
• Make Ahead: this recipe is so dreamy because all of the components can be prepped ahead of time. The chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours (conversely, I've also been pressed for time/lazy before and forgot to marinade and thrown all the chicken/marinade ingredients in the pressure cooker without marinading beforehand). The mango salsa can be prepped a day or so in advance and refrigerated, and the avocado cream can be made a couple hours ahead of time, too (even a couple days ahead of time if you don't mind the color darkening a bit).
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