Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I use frozen)
1/3 cup water
1 can of cream of mushroom
8 oz. cream cheese
1 pkg. zesty italian dressing
4-5 cups of cooked pasta

Place water, frozen chicken, mushroom soup, and italian dressing into sprayed crock pot on low for 3 hours or until chicken is cooked. Shred chicken and add cream cheese to pot with it remaining on low. When you are ready to eat, serve over pasta. Serves 4-6

Sometimes I even add frozen peas or other vegetables to the sauce. My kids love this one!!!

Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from my sweet sister Sherilee

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown Sugar
1 cup butter (2 cubes)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In large mixing bowl cream together. Then add:

2 c flour
2 1/2 c oatmeal
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3 cups raisins/craisons/ chocolate chips or what ever you want. I usually do all three (a cup of each) and it turns out so yummy.
Blend all ingredients, spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool for 1-2 minutes then place on a cooling rack to cool again. Yields approx. 3 dozen.

Pork & Potatoes in Mushroom Sauce

6 1 1/2" thick pork chops
1 tbs olive oil
3-4 russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 can cream of mushroom
1/3 cup milk

Brown pork chops in oil on both sides. Place chops in a sprayed 9x13 pan and place potatoes on top. Mix cream of mushroom and milk and pour over potatoes. Cover and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.
Serves 6

I love this recipe because it is so simple and the kids love it. It's one of my favorite ways to do pork chops. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Crust:
1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:
5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts

• In a small bowl, combine pretzels and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. spring-form pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Stir in chips. Pour over the crust. Return pan to baking sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 15 minutes (leave oven on).
• For topping, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, peanut butter and sugar; spread over filling. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 5 minutes longer.
• Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-14 servings.
  

It also freezes well. I just place the cheesecake in the freezer in the springform pan and freeze it. Then when it's frozen I take it out and wrap it like crazy in plastic wrap. When you are ready to use it just take it out the morning before and thaw in fridge.

Homemade Salsa

6 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 white onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
½ tsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 small Jalepeno (if you don't have a jalepeno, just use 1/8 - 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper depending on how much kick you want)

Mix all ingredients. So easy in a food processor, start with onions first then tomatoes.

Tomatillo Creamy Café Rio Dressing

1 package Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
2 tomatillos (peel outer skin layer)
1 clove minced garlic (1 tsp of pre-packaged stuff)
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ tsp lime juice
1 sm jalapeno (seeds removed)

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Add extra mayo if dressing is too thin. Refrigerate.

Café Rio Lime Rice

2 Tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
6 2/3 cup water
8 tsp chicken bullion (7 cubes)
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp lime juice
½ tsp salt
3 cups long grain rice

Sauté butter, onion, and garlic. Boil everything else except rice in a large pot.
Add onion and garlic—then add rice. Cover and simmer. Makes 6 cups.

I like to use my rice cooker with this recipe. All I do is turn on the cooker and wait until it gets warm enough to saute' butter onion and garlic. Then I add everything else and set it to which ever rice I use- brown or white- it taste great with both. Enjoy.

Machaka

1 small pot roast
1 pkg boneless pork loin roast (I use a third of the Costco's pork loin roast)
1 28 oz can of Green Enchilada Sauce
2 small cans of diced green chili's
shredded cheese
sour cream
flour tortillas

Cut off fat and place roasts in a sprayed crock pot and cook overnight on low. In the morning shred the meat with a fork. Then add enchilada sauce and green chili's. Cook the rest of the day. Serve with tortillas, cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy. Serves 10-12

When I make this there is a lot left over. I usually have people over when I make this. It is always a hit. I like to serve it with Cafe Rio's tomitillo dressing and lime rice. But it does well on it's own. I also freeze any of the left overs since it makes a lot and when I get ready to use the left overs I just pop it into the crock pot again on low, but I usually put it in around 12-2pm because it doesn't need much time to heat up, otherwise you will burn it in the crock pot.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

2 cups of cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
1 cup of sliced deli ham cubed or ham chunks (I prefer the deli ham)
4 oz swiss cheese (approx. 1/2 cup or 4 long slices)
4 cups cooked pasta

Mix together everything together except pasta and place in saucepan. Heat until low boil stirring occasionally. Serve over cooked pasta or rice. Enjoy. (you can also cook it in a casserole dish at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Top with some bread crumbs or crackers and bake an additional 5 minutes. I prefer the stove top because its faster.) Serves 6-8

I love this recipe because it is simple and everyone loves it. It also freezes well. (without pasta of course). I like to freeze it in a disposable casserole tin. Then when I get ready to use it I can just place it in the oven at 350 for 35-40 min uncovered. Top with some bread crumbs or crackers and bake an additional 5 minutes. Then serve over pasta or rice.

Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding

3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
Dash of salt
2 tsp. cocoa
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. butter

Mix cornstarch, sugar, salt, & cocoa together in sauce pan. Add milk gradually. Heat to boiling over medium heat stirring constantly. Boil 1-2 minutes. Add butter and vanilla. Pour into custard cups and cover and chill. Serves 4.

I like to top it with marshmallows and serve it warm. It makes for a yummy dessert for those cooler nights. It's also a winner with my kids.