Jell-O Applesauce Salad

This one is going to be quick. Along with the chicken pot pie, I also made "Jell-O Applesauce Salad" last night for my grandparents. This recipe was given to me by my Grandma Pauline, and was something I grew up on (along with the ham and cheese rolls that I posted a couple weeks ago). It's super easy, and looks pretty if you put it in a mold...

And the recipe...

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Jell-O Applesauce Salad
from the kitchen of Pauline Fowler

1 package Jell-O, any flavor
1 cup boiling water
1 cup applesauce

Combine all ingredients. Pour into a mold (or pan if you don't have a mold), and chill. Easy to double.
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See--easy! :) I chose lime Jell-O, and it was also sugar-free. The box of Jell-O I used was the smaller box, and honestly I'm not sure which one is supposed to be used. But the recipe turned out just fine, and tasted really good. If you're going to make it for more than just a couple people, I would definitely double the recipe. I didn't double it, and there was barely enough for the three of us last night. And it also looks much better if you put it into a mold. I didn't have one, so I just used a small pan.

I'm off to get my beauty sleep, lol! Stay tuned for more yummy recipes!

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

Chicken Pot Pie

Mmm..."Chicken Pot Pie!" This was another recipe that was given to me by my mother-in-law (she also submitted the beef enchiladas recipe, which I am making again on Friday evening for her and my brother-in-law, John). I am sure to master many Mexican dishes with her by my side--but I am yet to master "Mexican Rice!" Each time I make it, I either get the consistency right, and the flavor doesn't turn out, or vice versa. But that's another story for another day. Here's the chicken pot pie!

And the recipe...

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Chicken Pot Pie
from the kitchen of Alma Flores

2 deep pie shells, thawed
1 can mixed vegetables
1/2 can corn (optional)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cooked chicken, seasoned (diced or shredded)

Mix together vegetables, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and chicken in large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into one pie shell. Carefully remove the second pie shell from its pan and cover the chicken/vegetable mixture, crimping the edges together to seal the pie (if the top crust breaks while removing it from its pan, gather it into a ball and roll it out with a rolling pin into a circle large enough to cover the pie). Make a couple of slits on top of pie crust. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place pie in middle of sheet. Bake pie at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until top crust is golden brown.
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This recipe is very easy, and not very time consuming. The part that takes up the most time is cooking the chicken, and you can easily do this by boiling it while you're preparing the rest of the ingredients. You can also get creative with this recipe, and add other ingredients that you like.

I made this recipe last night for my grandparents, Mom-O and Papa (aka Beverly and Herbert Pagan). They have been here in South Texas since the end of November, and are leaving tomorrow back to Arkansas. It's been so wonderful having them here, and I am sad to see them go. :( Mom-O was kind enough to help me get the living area of my apartment decorated very nicely, so, to show my appreciation, I invited them over for dinner. They graciously ate everything I prepared, and even had seconds. :) They will definitely be getting another invitation to dinner next time they are here. Safe travels tomorrow, you two!

Onto one more post...

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

Asparagus Soup

Well here I am again! Tonight has been a very quiet and relaxing night, so I figured I'd better get some recipes posted. This recipe, again, comes from my Grandma Bonnie (aka Nanu). She submitted quite a few of her recipes into my recipe book, so there are many more to come in the future. I've had my eye on this "Asparagus Soup" for awhile because I love soup--especially cream based soups. It's a super easy recipe, and not very time consuming. Here's a picture of it...

And here's the recipe...

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Asparagus Soup
from the kitchen of Bonnie Campbell

1 quart chicken broth
1 cup asparagus pieces
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste (the original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons salt, but I don't like things very salty, so I used much less)

Boil asparagus slowly in stock. Make white cream sauce with milk, butter, flour, and salt in large saucepot with cover. Add asparagus, broth, salt, and pepper slowly to cream sauce and let simmer 15 minutes. Serve hot.
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I had four servings of the soup left over after I ate a bowl for dinner the other night, and two of the servings are sitting in my freezer for future consumption. :) The recipe is pretty straight forward, but, as I said above, I would go easy on the salt at first--you can always add more later if you think it needs more.

So that's about it! I have two more recipes to post tonight, so we'll see if I can get both of them done.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Beef Enchiladas

Here's another recipe that I made last week, but am just now posting..."Beef Enchiladas!" My mother-in-law, Alma Flores, submitted this recipe into my recipe book. The first time I ever made the enchiladas was about two years ago when I was living in Michigan, and somehow I did something that made the tortillas hard and chewy. So before I made them this time, I talked to my mother-in-law about the little problem I had, and she said I probably left them in the oven too long. Therefore, this time I left them in the oven just until the cheese melted, and then quickly took them out to avoid the same thing happening again...and voila!

And here's the recipe...

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Beef Enchiladas
from the kitchen of Alma Flores

1 lb ground beef (chicken or cheese can be substituted)
12 corn tortillas
1 small bag shredded cheese
1 can enchilada sauce
1 cube bouillon seasoning
cooking oil for lightly frying tortillas

In large skillet, brown ground beef and drain. After draining, add seasoning to meat; cover and set aside. Prepare a glass pan; line with foil and set aside. Heat a skillet with cooking oil until hot. Lightly fry one tortilla at a time, leaving them soft. Turn over after a couple of seconds, then set aside, stacking them like pancakes until all are done and ready to be filled. Fill each tortilla with meat, roll into a taquito, and place side by side into glass pan until full. Pour sauce over taquitos, liberally. Top with shredded cheese, spreading lightly or liberally, depending on your love for cheese. Cover with foil, and bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
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After these came out of the oven, I scarfed two of them down like there was no tomorrow! I also made rice (that recipe also came from my mother-in-law) and warmed up some refried beans to go with my meal. Needless to say, I had a delicious meal that night, and for lunch the next day too. :) And I still have two servings in my freezer for another day. I don't have many tips for this recipe except, as I stated above, only leave them in the oven until the cheese melts. Otherwise, you will have chewy tortillas, which isn't fun for anyone. Other than that, it's pretty easy, and very tasty!

I would like to thank my wonderful mother-in-law for providing me with this recipe, and many others. And for teaching me how to make tortillas a few months ago. That was a very fun experience! :) We didn't make them completely from scratch since we used a pre-made mix, but we did roll them out and cook them ourselves! Here are some pictures from that day...

Well folks, I'm off to bed! Once again, I'm not sure what I'll be making this week, but I know I'll have fun doing it! Nighty night!

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2

Ham & Cheese Rolls

Oh my goodness, I'm behind on my posting! I made this recipe over two weeks ago, and am just now getting it posted. Last weekend Victor was here, and this past weekend was spent at church helping lead a group of 9th grade girls for Storm Weekend. Yesterday I took a 5 hour nap...most consider that to be an entire night's sleep, but for me it was a nap. :) After being sleep deprived over the weekend, and running around at 100 miles an hour, it was definitely needed. But it was worth the fatigue because I was able to spend the weekend worshiping God with 100 teenagers. All I can say is GOD IS GOOD!

This recipe is a family favorite that my Grandma Pauline has been making for years. It's a very interesting concoction of different foods, but the end result is delicious. I made "Ham & Cheese Rolls" for a get together at my friend Valerie's house, and everyone there felt the same way my family has felt for years...the rolls are yummy! Here's one of them...

And the recipe...

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Ham & Cheese Rolls
from the kitchen of Pauline Fowler

1/2 lb cubed ham
1/2 lb cubed cheddar cheese
2 sliced hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup thinly sliced stuffed green olives
1/3 cup sliced green onions
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup Heinz Chili Sauce
12 split hot dog buns
aluminum foil

Mix together ham, cheese, eggs, olives, onions, mayonnaise, and Chili Sauce. Spread mixture into hot dog buns. Wrap each hot dog bun in aluminum foil, twisting ends securely. Bake 10 minutes on oven rack at 400 degrees.
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As I said above, this is an uncommon mixture of ingredients, but the end result tastes so good! When I made them, I was unable to find the Chili Sauce so I ended up using the "hot dog chili sauce" that comes in a can (it definitely wasn't the same). However, I've recently found the Chili Sauce at the grocery store and bought two bottles for future use. You can find the Chili Sauce in the same aisle as the ketchup. Here's a picture of it, just in case...

You can buy the cheese and ham already cubed in the package, which is definitely the way I recommend going (it's a lot less work). Also, I didn't use the green onions, as I am not a big fan of them. Here's a picture of the rolls once you've rolled them into the aluminum foil...

I urge you to try these yummy delights! Each time I take a bite of one, a wonderful feeling of nostalgia comes over me and I feel as though I'm back at my Grandma Pauline and Grandpa Keith's condo in Richland, WA. :) You can freeze them too, and save them for a rainy day.

Onto my next blog...

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:17

Hershey's Kiss Cookies

Ahh, it's been over a week since I've posted anything! Victor came home on Wednesday, and just left today, so my focus has definitely been elsewhere and my cooking and baking have come to a halt. :) And even though I've been a ball of emotions all day today, I wanted to jump back into some baking...so in honor of Valentine's Day, I made "Hershey's Kiss Cookies." Or, you could also call them "Victor left so now I'm sad and will eat chocolate" cookies...haha. Either way, they taste delicious! There are different versions of this recipe, and this particular one was given to my mother by a family friend, Vicki Chamberlain. Here are the cookies...

And the recipe...

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Hershey's Kiss Cookies
from the kitchen of Vicki Chamberlain (via my mom)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (could use chunky if desired)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 - 14 oz can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2 cups Bisquick
small bowl of sugar
1 - 11 oz pkg Hershey's Kisses

Mix together the peanut butter, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. Add the Bisquick. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and then roll the dough balls in the sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven, place a Hershey's Kiss in the center of each cookie and press down lightly. Let cool for a few minutes before moving to cooling rack. Makes approximately 4 dozen.
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Mmm...isn't your mouth salivating as you read this? I only ate two cookies, pinky swear! :) And I didn't use the entire bag of Hershey's Kisses, but it was close (I also ate a few before making the cookies). I also didn't use the "Eagle Brand" sweetened condensed milk, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter either way. The cheaper stuff will work just fine. This is a pretty basic recipe...I'm not sure how you could mess it up. I was even able to catch up with my wonderful friend, Bri, while baking these yummy delights. And, I will definitely be using them as Valentine's Day gifts to friends and family tomorrow.

So while I'm on the subject of Valentine's Day, I must brag on my husband a bit. Since we knew we weren't going to be together on Valentine's Day, we decided to celebrate on Thursday. I knew we were going to go out to eat that night, but I didn't know the surprises that awaited me throughout the day. He started the day by bringing donuts to my work...this is a tradition that he started a couple years ago, and it goes over great with my co-workers. With the donuts, he brought me a Starbucks coffee too (tall, non-fat, extra hot latte with one Splenda, please). Then, as I was with a patient, he snuck into the documentation area at work and decorated my desk with a single red rose, Valentine's bear, balloon, and a card. Here's a picture...

THEN, if that wasn't sweet enough, he surprised me at home with a dozen pink roses, two more balloons, chocolate covered strawberries, wine, and a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure...all with rose petals scattered and candles lit. Here's a couple pictures...

And to follow up all that sweetness, he treated me to dinner at "House Wine." Can I just say that I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!!!!!!!! God has truly blessed me by bringing Victor into my life. Here's a picture of us at dinner...

Somehow Victor always "out-does" me when it comes to holidays. Then I always end up feeling guilty, and he follows up my guilt-filled words with, "I'm supposed to 'out-do' you...that's the point." I love that guy! :)

We also went to the wedding this weekend of Victor's best friend, Fabian, and that was a blast. It was nice to actually be able to attend an event together as a couple. Here's a picture from the wedding...



And here's one more picture of us saying good-bye at the airport this morning...

Well, it's 12:30am and I have to be at work by 8:00am tomorrow morning to see a patient, so I'd better scurry off to bed. I have one more recipe to post that I made last weekend, so hopefully I'll get that posted tomorrow. I'm not sure which recipes I'll be making this week, but I know they'll be yummy!

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Deviled Eggs

It's almost 12:30am, so this one will be short. I wasn't going to post it tonight, but I figured if I didn't do it tonight then I'd keep putting it off. Along with the scalloped potatoes, I also made "Deviled Eggs" this evening, and boy was I happy that I did!

Here they are!

And the recipe...

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Deviled Eggs
from the kitchen of Diane Pagan

1 dozen eggs, hard boiled
1/2 cup Miracle Whip and/or mayo (a combo of mostly Miracle Whip and a little bit of mayo seems to work best)
mustard to taste (a tablespoon or so)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
dash pepper to taste
dill pickle juice to taste (a tablespoon or so)

Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Gently remove yolks and place in a small bowl. Finely crumb yolks with a fork. Stir in rest of ingredients, tasting as you go. When the filling suits you, pile into egg whites. Or you can put the filling in a zip-loc bag, snip off a corner of the bag, and pipe the filling into each egg. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Eggs can be garnished with olive slices, paprika, pimento, mint leaves, green onion, etc.
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These are the best deviled eggs I have ever had. The recipe was originally from a Good Housekeeping cookbook, and my mom and I tweaked it a few years ago. And tonight I halved the recipe because I didn't have a full dozen of eggs. I had to limit myself to two halves (one whole egg), as it would've been way too tempting to eat all of them! I garnished my eggs with paprika, since that's all I had in the house. Maybe next time I'll get creative and use mint leaves, or something fancy like that. :)

I'm off to bed...and my time will be consumed with positive thoughts of snow.

"He provides food for those who fear Him; He remembers His covenant forever." Psalm 111:5

Auntie Kynda's Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Two days of cooking in a row...not bad! I'm really starting to like this cooking/baking thing. I get home from work, and I just start cooking. I used to get home from work, check Facebook, turn on the TV, check Facebook, eat dinner (usually something microwavable or from a drive-thru), check Facebook, watch more TV, check Facebook, talk to my mom and Victor, check Facebook...well, you get the idea. And now, I still watch TV and check Facebook, but a lot less often (which is good)! And the way my living room/kitchen is set up makes it easy to catch up on my TV and cook at the same time. It's great! :) AND I'm doing something productive at the same time.

I've decided to start freezing some of the leftover food that I've been ending up with. My Mom-O (grandmother) and my Mom both helped me come up with some ideas on how to freeze the food, so what I've come up with is that I'm going to freeze the leftovers in portion sizes and then I can easily grab something to eat when I'm in a hurry or too tired to cook. Or Victor can have some when he comes home to visit. :) It's really too bad I came up with this idea while he's not here to enjoy it, but I'm sure he'll reap the benefits when we do finally get to live together. Now all I have to do is refrain from gaining weight with all this yummy food around me all the time!

Tonight I made my Auntie Kynda's "Easy Scalloped Potatoes." And they live up to their name...they're easy! And really yummy too! This was a good recipe to make for this evening, as we are currently under a "Winter Storm Warning." No, I didn't make a mistake. The entire Rio Grande Valley is under a "Winter Storm Warning"...not a "Winter Storm Watch," but a "Winter Storm Warning!" For those of you who don't know the difference between these two terms, here are the official http://www.weather.com/ definitions: "Winter Storm Watch" refers to "A significant winter weather (i.e., heavy snow, heavy sleet, significant freezing rain, or a combination of events) is expected, but not imminent, for the watch area; provides 12 to 36 hours notice of the possibility of severe winter weather"; "Winter Storm Warning" refers to "A significant winter storm or hazardous winter weather is occurring, imminent, or likely, and is a threat to life and property." See? Totally different! I'm ecstatic! I just hope I don't miss it...it's one of those rare things that if you blink at just the wrong moment, you'll miss the whole thing.

Enough about the weather...let's talk about food. Here are the potatoes...

And the recipe...

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Auntie Kynda's Easy Scalloped Potatoes
from the kitchen of Kynda Lemiere (via my mom)

2 lb pkg frozen cubed hash browns
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cans cream of potato soup
1/2 pint (1 cup) sour cream
chopped onion (optional)
grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread frozen hash browns evenly in a 9x13 pan. Heat soups, sour cream, and onion on the stove. Spread over potatoes and mix slightly until all potatoes are moistened. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours. Take cover off during last 15 minutes of baking to brown the top a bit. You can add more cheese at this point if you desire.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe, and I now have potatoes to last me at least a week (or even longer in the freezer). This is a great dish to make if you're expecting company, or around the holidays. I did choose to incorporate the onion, but I only used about 1/4 of a large yellow onion. My mom doesn't usually add the onion, and says it's still just as good without it. I guess you could also use cream of mushroom soup instead of the cream of potato, but I went with both cans of the cream of potato. So that's about it! Try it next time you have a family get together.

Next: Deviled Eggs!

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

Better than Sex Cake

AH HA...I caught ya! I know you're only viewing this blog because of the title of the recipe! ;) But that's okay with me. :) And, as Victor said, the name makes quite a bold statement. Let's see if you can guess who submitted this recipe into my recipe book.......come on, guess! Give up? It was MY MOTHER!!! Surprised? Me too! :) She said she originally got it from her friend Ann Cowan. And I would like to thank you, Ann, for sharing this recipe with my mother because it's REALLY good! Just ask any of my co-workers and they'll agree. I took the cake to work today because I knew it would be very detrimental (to my hips) to leave it here at home. Let's just say there wasn't a crumb left...here it is...

And here's the yummy recipe...

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Better than Sex Cake
from the kitchen of Diane Pagan

1 chocolate cake mix (and whatever ingredients the cake mix calls for--usually oil, water, and eggs)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 - 14oz pkg Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
chopped nuts (if desired)
coconut (if desired)

Heat oven to 350 degrees (or whatever the chocolate cake mix specifies). Mix chocolate cake according to directions on package. Pour half the batter in a 13x9 pan. Bake for 18 minutes. In double broiler or in the microwave, melt the evaporated milk, butter, and caramels. Melt SLOWLY and stir often. Pour this mixture over the cake when it comes out of the oven. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel, and the nuts and coconut if desired. Pour remaining batter on the top. Bake 15 to 20 more minutes or until done. (It's a little tricky to tell when it's done, since there's so much gooey stuff in the middle. Use the "spring" test on the top of the cake--test to see if the cake "springs back" when you press down on it with your finger. If the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan, that's a good indicator as well). Top with Cool Whip or ice cream.
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See! It's good! It takes a little while to unwrap all of the caramels, so plan ahead. I didn't incorporate the chopped nuts or coconut because I'm not a fan of either, but if you like them I'm sure they would be good in this recipe. Also, I don't own a double broiler, so I melted the evaporated milk, butter, and caramels in the microwave, heating in 30 second intervals and then stirring. And for the cake mix, I used "Devil's Food." How can something possibly taste bad with this much chocolate and caramel!?!?! I rest my case...now I just need to remember to take the recipe to work tomorrow. :) (And if you want to know if the title of the recipe stands to be true, I guess you'll just have to make it yourself and devise your own opinion.)

Tomorrow night I'm making Auntie Kynda's "Easy Scalloped Potatoes," so stay tuned!

"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun." Ecclesiastes 8:15

Lemon-Blueberry Salad

It's been over a week, but here I am once again! There's definitely been cooking and baking going on, but the blog posting has been delayed. I started this recipe on Sunday night, and finished it off yesterday after work (it needed time to "set up")...it's called "Lemon-Blueberry Salad." This has been one of my favorite recipes ever since I was young. My mom shared with me that she found it in a cookbook she received from my Aunt Irene (her older sister) and Uncle John on her 23rd birthday. When you read the ingredients, it sounds a little weird...but don't let that deceive you! It's so good!! My mom even won an award when she submitted it into a contest once (okay, she was one of three contestants, but she still won). :) Here's the yummy result...

And here's a side view...

And now I shall reveal the recipe...

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Lemon-Blueberry Salad
from the kitchen of Diane Pagan (aka...my mom)

1 - 3oz pkg lemon Jello
1 - 3oz pkg black raspberry Jello (or any red flavor)
1 cup boiling water; 1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 - 21oz can blueberry pie filling
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

Dissolve both boxes of Jello in the cup of boiling water. Stir for at least 3 minutes as this is a lot of Jello for the small amount of boiling water. Add lemon juice and 1/2 cup cold water. Gradually stir in pie filling (watch out for splashing). Pour into 8x8 (or similar size) dish. Chill until firm. Blend sour cream and sugar (make sure you sift the powdered sugar into the sour cream so it won't be lumpy). Spread over firm gelatin. Serve or chill until time to serve.
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TA DA! As I said before, this recipe does need some "set up" time. So that makes it easy to make the night before you have a potluck or event to go to, then finish it off the next day with the topping, and you're good to go! I don't know what it is about the combination of sour cream and powdered sugar, but it's delicious (yes, I licked the spoon after I was done spreading it over the gelatin...healthy, I know). The final product looked so pretty that I didn't even eat any until today. Speaking of eating some, I'll be right back!........yep, it's yummy alright! Mmmm mmmm good! Oh, and I didn't use the black raspberry Jello because they didn't have it at Wal-Mart. I think I used regular raspberry Jello, but I can't remember for sure. However, as the recipe states, any red flavored Jello will work.

Well, on to my next blog..."Better than Sex Cake!" ;)

"The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time." Psalm 145:15