Mimi's Taco Salad

 Taco Salad

4 tomatoes
1 head lettuce
1 lb ground beef
1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 can kidney or black beans drained and washed
2 cups shredded cheese
1 bag Doritos crumbled

Brown meat, drain fat and wash with hot water in strainer.  

Stir in taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon water.  Refrigerate to cool. 

Chop remaining ingredients.  

Keep everything separated and toss together with French onion dressing just before serving.

French Onion Dressing

2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder

Blend together

"It's a Good Thing" 2013 - tips and tricks!

“Trust in God and believe in Good Things to come”

Michele H.

1) Pour 1 cup of distilled white vinegar in your load of laundry to remove unwanted odors.

2) You can store up to 10 onions in your panty hose and hang them up somewhere exotic-like your garage.

3) Visit www.cooks.com to look up all of your favorite recipes.

4) Stop crying over spilled milk! Go to the dollar store and pick up a bottle of Awesome. It works on carpet, the hood of your stove, fabrics, etc.

5) ERA detergent can conveniently be used as a stain remover.

6) A mixture of vinegar and dish soap gets yellow pit stains off of white shirts.

7) Save a little cash on dryer sheets by making your own. Put a drop of dish soap on a towel, roll it up and throw it in the dryer.

Annie K.

1) Just in time for Easter: Using Kool Aid to dye your easter eggs will not only produce brighter looking eggs but will also leave your kitchen smelling fruity.

2) Freeze aloe vera for instant access in case of nasty sun burn.


Staci R.

1) 2 tablespoons of glycerin, 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 2 cups of water work together to remove grease stains.

2) Say No to scrubbing your pots and pans. Pour milk into your pan, leave it there for a while and the crud will magically come off. (Heating the milk is unnecessary).

3) Nylon (tights, stockings) cleans smudges off of pages of your books.


Trina B.

1) Cut ¾ inch tubing in half and attach it to a bobbin (Found tubing at Lowe’s)

http://www.sewsweetness.com/2011/09/tame-your-bobbins.html

2) Pour a concoction made up of half vinegar and half dish soap into a spray bottle. Spray your bathroom walls while in the shower, then scrub and rinse.

3) A frosting trick

http://thefarmgirlrecipes.blogspot.com/2012/02/frosting-trick.html


Young Sook K.

1) If you don’t have a sprinkler system, dig a hole and fill it up with water…(check with her on the exact details)

2) Take a picture of small labels or anything you can’t read with your smart phone then zoom it in to read what the label says OR take a picture of a tiny space that you can’t get to in order to see what’s under there.


Sharon C.

1) Substitute honey for sugar. Use ¾ the amount of honey for sugar and decrease liquids by a smidge.

2) Gardening-If there’s green, there’s hope.

3) If you sit too long in the woods, real quiet, something will eat you!

4) Put vinegar in a bowl and put it in the microwave for 20 seconds. It makes cleaning your microwave fast and easy.

5) Put duct tape on warts.


Edith G.

1) Take a picture of your license plate for hotel check-ins so you have that information readily available.

2) Oxy clean gets blood out of everything (grass stains too).

3) Cut a lemon into quarters and run one piece through your garbage disposal to get rid of smells

Sherry I.

1) Peroxide takes blood off of fabric

2) Dab a little bit of Preparation H under your eyes to decrease the appearance of bags.

Edwina Y.

1) Buy a lanyard and hang it around your neck to keep track of your keys.

Kelly N.

1) Favorite floss: Crest Glide

2) Favorite gloss: Blistex Silk and Shine

3) Favorite comfy shoe: Earth Spirit Brand from Wal-Mart. Very reasonably priced.

4) Put cooked chicken in your kitchen aid mixer with the beater bar and it shreds the chicken.

5) The smell and taste of bread while cutting will take away the sting.

6) A cup of sugar and a tablespoon of molasses to make your own brown sugar.

7) Put vinegar in a baggy and attach it to your faucet if water isn’t spraying out.


Kristen G.

1) Blend up vegetables and put it into the sauces to entice your kids into eating their veggies.

2) Place panty hose over the small part of the vacuum cleaner and it will suck up small pieces of jewelry behind sofas and dressers.


Lisa D.

1) Take a big file and gently exfoliate your cracked heel in the shower. Rub a small amount of Aquaphor (Vaseline-like jelly) on your heels to make them soft and smooth. Heel checks will be performed in August.

2) Revlon Color Stay Ultimate with chapstick on top of it creates beautiful lips.


Kari D.

1) Put a paper bag over spilt wax on carpet. Iron the paper bag and the wax will come right off.

2) Put the used candle in the freezer, pop it out and reuse the candle.


Nola R.

1) Wet tea bags will stop bleeding on the inside of your mouth

2) Rub your hands on a chrome faucet to get rid of the onion and garlic smell

3) Put a corn bag in the microwave and use it as a heating pad.

4) Heavy whipping cream can be churned into butter using a kitchen aid.


Meghan S.

1) Tape gentle reminders on the front door

2) Make budget adjustments to only spend money on gas and milk in January.


Jaimie B.

1) Remove metal blinds and hang them on your fence in the backyard. Buy a bottle of scrubbing bottles and spray generously onto your blinds. The dirt slides right off.

2) Place a handful of popcorn kernels in a Pyrex glass bowl with a glass lid and nuke it in the microwave for 5 minutes with or without oil.

3) Disolve It from BiMart takes off wax or crayon.


Geneve S.
1) Put cherry tomatoes between 2 lids slice them all in half at the same time

2) How to remove the labels off of No.10 Cans: Do not get the labels wet. Fill up the can with hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes. The label will peel right off. Lighter fluid or Shout will get off the stubborn parts.

3) http://sugru.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82_mFqRlE6g

4) Johnny Horton’s CD’s


Annabelle A.

1) Aquanet gets ballpoint and car grease off of cloth


Shellie C.

1) Wal-Mart has copies of Who Knew 10,001 solutions to every day problems.

2) Add Lipton’s Tea in bath water for sun burns

3) Drink some Gatorade to get rid of migraines.

4) Super glue on paper cut

5) Sugar on burnt tongue.


Debbie M.

1) If you tear something apart, take pictures of every step so that you know how to put it back together.

2) Use old socks for dusting. Put the sock on your hand, fold it over so it creates a double layer, throw the sock away after dusting.

3) To quickly de-clutter a room, grab a laundry basket and put everything in it then distribute the things back to where they belong.

4) www.shawnrideshare.com


Crista H.

1) A load of laundry will dry faster if you put a dry towel in with it.


Sue H.

1) Spray your dry pot with Pam before poaching eggs

2) Put veggies in your smoothies – the fruit will mask the flavor.


Shanna N.

1) Hold a slice of bread in your mouth (tast and smell it) while cutting onions to avoid tears.

Cinnamon Rolls - Updated Version - Trina B.

Stir together in mixer bowl:

1/2 c sugar
2 T yeast

Pour in:
2 c baby-bath-warm water.

Let it sit and foam for 10 minutes.

Add:
5-1/2 c flour
(fluff up your flour first or lightly spoon the flour into the cup so you're measuring loose but level cups)

1/2 c oil (canola or vegetable)
2 t salt

Knead with dough hook until smooth and then gradually add approximately 1/2 cup more of flour by heaping tablespoons, allowing each addition to mix in before adding more, until the dough is smooth and just barely not sticky (if you touch it, no dough should come off on your finger - stop adding flour as soon as it gets to this stage).

Preheat your oven for 1 minute, then turn it off (you want it just barely warmish). Cover the mixer bowl with a dish towel and put it in the oven for 15-30 minutes until the dough rises to about double.

While the dough is rising, stir together:
3 c brown sugar
1 generous T cinnamon
1 generous T cornstarch
1 small package vanilla instant pudding (just the powder)

Cut in until crumbly:
3/4 c butter or margarine

Set sugar mixture aside.

Turn the risen dough out onto a floured counter. (You can make your counter “non-stick” by wiping it with a damp cloth, then immediately sprinkling it with flour and spreading the flour with your hand.) If the dough is too sticky to handle, knead a little bit more flour in. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, maybe 15x20ish? (Or you can do a longer, narrower rectangle for smaller but more numerous cinnamon rolls.)

Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly onto the dough, then roll up the dough, seal the edges by pinching them closed, and cut into about 18 cinnamon rolls.

Place cinnamon rolls on two sprayed jelly roll pans (11x17?) and cover with towels. Let them rise at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes, until double.

Preheat oven to 350, then place uncovered pans into the oven on two racks. Bake for 7-8 minutes, then switch racks and bake for 7-8 more minutes until just golden. (If using a convection oven, there’s no need to switch racks.)

For the glaze, stir together:

1 c melted butter or margarine (Margarine actually combines better. The butter stays oily.)
1 t vanilla
2-3 c powdered sugar.

Add more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin until glaze is desired consistency. Spoon over hot rolls.

Two more Bread Pudding recipes

http://carolinesbakeshop.blogspot.com/2012/05/cinnamon-toast-bread-pudding.html

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/creme-brulee-french-toast/detail.aspx

(You can substitute frozen orange juice concentrate for the liquer.)

Salsa on Cukes - Anabelle A.

1/4 red onion
1 clove garlic
1 tomatillo
1/2 lime
4 roma tomatoes
cilantro
1 large cucumber (peeled and cut in thick slices)

Chop the first three ingredients and squeeze in the lime juice. Add chopped-up romas and then chopped cilantro to taste. Spoon small amounts of salsa onto cucumber slices and serve.

Anabelle's Potato Salad (with gluten-free option) - Annabelle A.

5 pounds white rose potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cut up
6 large sweet pickles, diced
1 medium brown onion, diced
6 large eggs, hard boiled and sliced
3 large ribs of celery, diced
2 - 2.25oz cans sliced olives
1 pint mayonnaise
3 T sweet pickle juice
2 rounded teaspoons mustart
salt
pepper
paprika

In a large bow, combine potatoes, pickles, onion, eggs, celery, and olives. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet pickle juice, mustard, salt to taste, and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over potato mixture and stir to combine. Pour into serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika.

For special occasions, either prepare one extra egg or reserve one and garnish salad with egg slices. Can also reserve some of the olive slices for garnish.

For gluten-free salad, use the following:
Use French's Mustard, Gluten-free olives and Best Foods Mayonnaise. Substitute the sweet pickles and juice with one 10 oz. (approx.) jar of Del Monte Sweet Pickle Relish. Squeeze out the juice for the dressing.

Whole Wheat Waffles - Kelly N.

2 c whole wheat flour
1 t salt
1 T baking powder
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c powdered milk, non-instant
3 T ground flax seed
2 c water
1/4 c oil
2 eggs, separated

Mix dry ingredients. Mix in water, oil, and egg yolks. Beat eggs whites to a stiff peak. Gently fold in the beaten whites into the batter. The batter is light and fluffy and makes delicious waffles and pancakes.

My Favorite Whole Wheat Bread Recipe - Kelly N.

3 c very hot water
1 c applesauce
2 T honey
1/4 c oil
7 c whole wheat flour
2/3 c gluten flour
1 T salt
3 T rounded ground flax seed
3 rounded T saf-instant yeast
1/2 c non-instant powdered milk or whey powder

Put ingredients in your kitchen-aid bowl in the order listed. There's no need to mix anything until all ingredients are added. Mix a few minutes and if dough is too dry, add a little water and if too sticky, add a little flour. After 4-5 minutes the dough will pull away from the sides in a smooth ball. Mix for ten minutes. Grease 4 loaf pans. Shape dough into 4 loaves. Let rise till double in bulk. Bake at 350 degrees for 27 minutes.

Bread Pudding - Nancy T.

3 slices white family-size bread with crust
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
3 eggs, beaten well
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 stick butter

Melt butter in baking dish and add crumbled bread. (Bread can be torn into small pieces.) Add sugar to beaten eggs, add salt and vanilla and mix well. Add to bread and milk mixture and blend well.

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, depending on stove. You want a lightly browned top.

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Melt butter, sugar and salt. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in milk and vanilla. Mix well.

Smith House Squash Casserole - Lisa D.

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup saltine cracker crumbs – divided
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 pound yellow squash, cleaned, boiled, and mashed
¼ cup (1 ounce) shredded cheddar cheese

Combine mayonnaise, onion, ¼ cup cracker crumbs, eggs,
sugar, salt and pepper. Add mashed squash; mix well. Pour
squash mixture into lightly greased 1-quart casserole dish.

Sprinkle remaining cracker crumbs over squash mixture.
Bake, uncovered at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.
Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake an additional 5 minutes or
until cheese melts. Yields 4 servings.

Hassells' Peanut Butter Cups

Mix together:

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (one package)

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup peanut butter

1 pound powdered sugar

Pat into a 9x13 pan.

Melt in double boiler or microwave until smooth:

12 oz chocolate chips

1 T shortening

Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and allow to cool just until set, then cut into squares.

Corn Salsa Salad

1 bag frozen corn, thawed

1 can black beans, drained

2 tomatoes, diced

2 avocados, diced

½-1 bunch of cilantro

½-1 bunch green onion

¼ red onion, diced

¼ cup white vinegar

1 envelope Italian seasoning

Salt/pepper to taste

Prepare all ingredients and add to large bowl. Add vinegar and Italian seasoning. Mix well and serve as topping to taco salad or as a side dish to any meal.

Café Rio Shredded Chicken

2 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken breast

8 oz Zesty Italian salad dressing

½ TBS minced garlic

1 pkt ranch dressing mix

½ cup water

½ TBS chili powder

½ TBS ground cumin

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8 hours. When finished cooking remove chicken and shred with two forks. Remove marinade from crock pot and place in medium bowl. Place shredded chicken back in crock pot, pour about 1 cup of marinade back over chicken and serve.

Mary's Party Potato Casserole

2 lbs hash brown potatoes, thawed

½ C melted butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ C chopped onion

1 can (10 ½ oz) cream of chicken soup

1 pint sour cream

2 C grated cheddar cheese

¾ C. crushed corn flakes (or Raisin Bran!)

¼ C melted butter

Combine all but the last two ingredients in a casserole dish and mix well. Mix cornflake crumbs with the melted butter and spread this mixture over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Serves 12. For variations you may use cheese whiz, cream of mushroom soup, add ham to make it a breakfast casserole, or even some veggies!

Enjoy! Mary Holbrook

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

Here is the yummy recipe for Debbie Robinson's Chicken Salad Sandwiches that was served at Heidi's reception.

4 c. chicken, cooked and cubed

1 c. celery, sliced

1 c. seedless green grapes, halved

1 c. seedless red grapes, halved

¼ c. dried apricots, chopped

¼ c. green onions, sliced

¾ c. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Recipe makes 12 sandwiches.

Pizza - Wes Read

Ingredients:
2 cups of "*bread* flour"
1 tsp. instant yeast (pizza yeast works also)
1 1/2 tsp. of salt
1 cup of water @ 110 degrees
1 1/2 Tbsp. of sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Cornmeal


Sauce:
Hunt's tomato sauce
Add:
Oregano
Rosemary
garlic salt

Also need

Pizza pill
Pizza stone
Can purchase these from Bed Bank and Beyond.


Instructions:
This will either form two ovals or 1 large circle. Mix sugar, flour, and
salt. Dissolve instant rise yeast into cup of warm water. When yeast is
dissolved add olive oil to water. Then mix with dry ingredients. Mix wet
and dry ingredients until just combined (dough will be shaggy). Knead onto
a floured surface until it just forms a ball. Do not over knead, maybe
8-10 times. Let the dough rise until it is double in size ( about 1 1/2
hours).
Preheat oven to 500 degrees with the pizza brick in the oven. When dough
has doubled, punch it down to form the crust shape as desired (add flour
underneath and around the dough so it isn't so sticky. Once it's in a flat
circle, sprinkle pizza peel generously with cornmeal so the pizza can
slide of the peel. Place the dough on the peel. Add sauce, cheese,
pepperonis.
Open oven and pull the rack with the pizza stone out partially. Carefully
slide pizza off the peel onto the brick with quick side-to-side jerks.
Close and bake for 8-10 minutes on a pizza stone. The edges will be
brownish when the pizza is done.

Instructions for Sauce:
heat up till boil, then simmer

Chili Cornbread Salad (Jill Walker)

From the Recipe Shoebox.

The ingredients:
1 pkg. (8-1/2 oz.) Jiffy cornbread muffin mix

1 can (4-oz) chopped green chilies

1/8 tsp. oregano

1/8 tsp. cumin

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 envelope ranch dressing mix

2 cans (15-oz. each) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed, dried

2 cans (15-1/4 oz. each) whole kernel corn, drained

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

10 bacon strips, crumbled

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Prepare cornbread mix as indicated on box, then stir in chilies, cumin, and oregano and spread in greased pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  

In a bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and dressing mix.  In a separate bowl, mix corn, tomatoes, green pepper, green onion, bacon, and cheese.  

Crumble 1/2 of cornbread into 9X13" pan.  Then layer 1/2 beans, then 1/2 mayonnaise mixture, and 1/2 corn/bacon mixture.  Repeat layers.  Refrigerate 2 hours.   Serve with a fruit salad and corn bread.   Makes 8-10 main dish servings.

Oatmeal Cake

Mix together and let sit 20 minutes:

1 cup quick rolled oats

1-1/2 cups boiling water

Cream together:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

Add oatmeal mixture, then beat in:

2 eggs

Add and mix in:

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Pour into a 9x13 pan. Bake 40 minutes at 350.

While the cake is baking, combine in a saucepan:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

Stir over medium heat until boiling. Boil 1 minute. Let cool to spreading consistency while cake is baking, stirring occasionally. Spread over warm cake.

Bread from the Relief Society Conference

10.5 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, three TBS of instant yeast, three TBS of liquid lecithin (which is an emulsifier), one TBS salt, and four cups of "hot tap water." Use mostly hard red wheat flour and a little white flour.

Mix dry ingredients. Then you are supposed to add liquid lecithin which is basically an oil. Don't ask where it comes from ;you do not want to know! ( I use the granules+ 1 T olive oil which do not have a high level of triglycerides...0.) Instead of 4 c of water add 3 c. water + 1 cup applesauce.

Mix for 1 minute. If dough is too dry and pulls away from sides of bowl-it is too dry. Add a little water. The dough should be very sticky. Sray pans and hands with PAM Shape loaves and cover with a dry towel.

If grinding wheat just prior to mixing, let rise 15-18 min.; the flour is warm and dough will rise faster. If using room temp. flour, let rise 25 min.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min. Makes 4 loaves

Apple-Cinnamon Scones - Meghan Schwanke

APPLE-CINNAMON SCONES

1/2 c flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/3 c oil

2 egg whites

2 T apple juice

2 T sugar substitute or honey

1 small apple , peeled and cored

1 c rolled oats

skim milk

In bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir in oil. Chop apple. Stir apple and oats into flour mixture. Add egg whites, apple juice or milk and honey or sugar substitute. Mix well. Dough will be a bit sticky.

Spray baking sheet with nonstick coating. With floured hands, pat out dough onto baking sheet into about a 7-inch circle. Cut into12 wedges,separating the wedges leaving 1/4 inch between each. Brush with milk. Bake in a 400 F oven 10-12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Great for breakfast with skim milk. If you like, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking.