Chicken Salad

A basic chicken salad recipe - one of the only ways I can get my husband to eat fruit.

1 small or 1/2 large apple
2 stalks of celery
handful of grapes

1 can chunk chicken breast (or 1-2 chicken breasts)
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c sour cream
salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste (start with just a little)

optional: crispy chow mein noodles

chop the apple, grapes and celery into slightly smaller than bite size pieces. stir in chicken, mayo, sour cream, and seasoning.

best served on croissants with the chow mein noodles mixed in, but also great alone or with pita bread or hamburger buns.

Avocado Salsa

I love guacamole, but here is a healthier version that's still great for parties - or using as a topping for tacos, nachos, chicken - and it's so delicious!

2 diced avocados (unlike when making guacamole, you want them to be slightly firm rather than super mushy)
2 diced tomatoes
1 can corn (drained and rinsed) - fresh or frozen would also be delicious!
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
Fresh chopped cilantro
Italian Dressing to taste - I usually use 3/4 c.

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping.

Easy No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

Another great recipe courtesy of my MIL. The perfect amount of lemon flavor - and you can try different varieties by using a different jello flavor (e.g., strawberry or lime). This one's so easy my husband even helped me with it!


Graham Cracker Crust:
Crushed Graham Crackers - About 1/2 packages or 16 whole GC's
1/2 c melted margarine or butter
1 Tbs sugar

Cheesecake Filling:
1 8oz pkg softened cream cheese
1 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 small package lemon jello
1 can chilled evaporated milk

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted margarine and sugar. Press into a 9x13 pan in an even layer. Set aside.

Cream together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Set aside.

Dissolve jello in 1 c boiling water. Allow to cool (close to room temperature, but don't let it solidify!) and whisk together with evaporated milk. Add jello mixture to the cream cheese mixture until smooth and even. Pour filling on top of the crumb crust. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Got this recipe from a cookbook compiled by my mother-in-law's congregation. I happily took the chance to double the recipe for you. You'll thank me later.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c butter or margarine (I use unsalted butter)
3 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla
5 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 c chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in wet ingredients (egg, pumpkin and vanilla). Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Gradually mix dry ingredients in. Drop spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Blueberry Almond Muffins

One of Kevin's favorite foods is blueberry muffins. I like to buy a huge amount in the summer and then freeze the rest to use throughout the winter. Here's a good recipe that I adapted from a basic muffin recipe.


Blueberry Almond Muffins

1 3/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg
3/4 c milk
1/4 c orange juice (whatever you have on hand - could also use lemonade)
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

almost a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 c chopped or slivered almonds

Stir first 3 ingredients together in large bowl. In small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and mix. Don't over mix - lumps are fine. Fold in almonds and blueberries. Drop into greased muffin tin or muffin liners with an ice cream scoop. Bake 15-16 minutes at 400 degrees.

Mini Quiches

I made these for Katie's bridal shower. Yum!

Pie Crust
(Buy refrigerated or make your own)

2 eggs
1/2 c cream, half and half or whole milk
1/2 c 2% or skim milk

1 c shredded cheddar (or swiss) cheese

1 c diced mushrooms
1 c or 1/2 diced green pepper
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (i use turkey bacon, gasp)

Start with a mini muffin pan and preheat your oven to 350. Use a circle cookie cutter to cut circles out of your uncooked pie crust. Use little circles to line each muffin cup in the tin; then bake for about 10 min (check at about 8). Take out of oven, and sprinkle a little bit of shredded cheese in the bottom of each "pie".

Now to saute the veggies. Start with about a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. When hot, saute peppers and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper. When veggies are soft, add in bacon (you could also use sausage or some other meat). Turn off heat, and add mixture by small spoonfuls to the mini pies. Make a custard mixture by mixing eggs, cream and milk. Pour the custard over the veggies by spoonful - don't overfill. Sprinkle a little more cheese on the tops, and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Makes 24 mini quiches.

Mrs. Fields Cookies

This recipe is courtesy of my Mother-in-Law, who has been a Cook much longer than I have.

Cream together:

1 1/2 c sugar
2 c brown sugar
1 lb (2 c) margarine
2 tbs vanilla
3 eggs


Mix together in separate bowl:
6 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt


Mix in dry ingredients to margarine/sugar mixture. Add 3 c chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Makes a gazillion cookies. VERY yummy.