Snack Mix

This is a simple snack mix that is easily adaptable to whatever your family likes. I got the idea from our chidren's minister at church. It's great for munching at home or on the road!

Ingredients:

1 box Cinnamon Toast Crunch

1 bag pretzels

1 large bag regular M&Ms

1 regular box Cheerios

1 small back chocolate covered raisins

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large tub. Enjoy!

Other ideas for mix-ins: goldfish crackers, teddy grahams, peanuts. It's up to your imagination and taste!

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Crockpot Pollo Loco (Crazy Chicken)

One of my favorite local Mexican restaurants serves Pollo Loco, Crazy Chicken. I decide to try to recreate it in my crockpot. It was a huge success!

The usual vegetables are: onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli. But I used whatever I had in the freezer, which was green beans and broccoli. You can also use fresh veggies. It's a great dish to use up odds and ends.

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Crockpot Pollo Loco

chicken for 4-6 servings (I used chicken legs that were on sale)
1 jar of salsa
vegetables of your choice, or whatever you have on hand

1. Place chicken in crockpot. Cover with salsa. If your vegetables are fresh, layer them over the salsa.

2. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high 6 hours. If you cook on low, the flavors will come together more.

3. At one hour before serving time, turn crockpot to high. If using frozen vegetables, add them at this time.

Grilled Pizza Wraps

This meal is courtesy of a weekly sale and a little ingenuity! Wraps were on sale. I wanted pizza (I LOVE pizza, even craved it during my first pregnancy). And I love using my grill pan.

This meal is very flexible as to the ingredients. Use what you like and what you have on hand. I made extra wraps so all I had to do was reheat them for lunch the next day. Yum!!!


Ingredients:
wraps, any flavor (I used Italian)
your favorite pizza sauce (I use Ragu)
mozzarella cheese
your favorite pizza toppings (I used ground beef and sauteed peppers and onions)

Directions:
Heat grill pan to medium high. If you don't have a grill pan or panini press, you can use a skillet weighted with a soup can to press the wrap.

Spread a tablespoon or so of sauce on each wrap. Sprinkle with cheese. Then add toppings. Don't overfill!

Roll wrap carefully and place on grill pan with seam side down. Squash with top thingy that goes with your grill pan (sorry for getting all technical on you!). Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until you have beautiful looking grill marks!

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Chicken Panzanella

I made this dish this past weekend when my in-laws came over. This is an Italian dish; panzanella is a bread-salad. This was absolutely delicious! I doubled the dressing mixture because I added extra bread and a fresh zucchini. There was nothing left - we all had seconds!


Chicken Panzanella

1 c chicken stock
1/2 lb boned chicken breast

2 T lemon juice
1 t olive oil
1 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1 clove of garlic, minced

Pumpernickel cubes (about 4 slices worth, left out on countertop to dry)
1-1/2 c tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3/4 c celery, chopped
1/2 c purple onion, diced

In a skillet, simmer the chicken in the stock until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into pieces and reserve the liquid: chill both while you do the rest.

In a large serving bowl, mix together the lemon juice through the garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, one at a time, and toss each.

When ready to serve, toss in the chilled chicken pieces, and drizzle the mixture with the reserved liquid.


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Andes Creme de Menthe Chunk Cookies

Is anyone else a huge fan of Andes Creme de Menthe candies? I remember that these were my Aunt Mary Jo's favorite, and that we would get them at restaurants after dinner when we were with her. She passed away when I was twelve, so memories like that are special.

Aunt Mary Jo was the sister next in line after my mom, third daughter of my grandma, to whom this site is dedicated.

My mom found this recipe on a bag of Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips and made them last year. She saved the bag for me so I could have the recipe too. So here it is, straight off the bag...

Andes Creme de Menthe Chunk Cookies

1/2 c salted butter, softened

3/4 c dark brown sugar

1/2 c white granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 pkg (10 oz) Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips

2 2/3 c sifted all-purpose flour

Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed. Stir in Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips and then flour.

Chill approximately one hour in refrigerator. Measure out approximately 1 oz of dough. Form ball and slightly flatten. Raise oven rack one level above middle and bake on non-stick baking pans.

Bake at 350 F for approximately 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans for two minutes before removing.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

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