Garlic Shrimp Crostini

This is both beautiful and delicious. It's a great appetizer to serve as a host.

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. mayo
5 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 Tbsp. minced green onion
1/4 C. butter
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
24 med. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
24 toasted french bread rounds
Garnish: halved cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley leaves

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, 2 cloves garlic and a green onion. Set aside.

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining 3 cloves of garlic and minced parsley. Cook for 3 min. Add shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 3-4 min.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over french bread roudns. Top each with 1 shrimp. Garnish with tomato halves and parsley leaves.

Rice Krispy Dessert

Tastes like fried ice cream!

3 C. Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cubes butter or margarine
1 1/2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 C. coconut
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
fresh strawberries, sliced

Melt butter and sugar. Pour over rice krispies, walnuts and coconut and mix.
Put 1/2 the mixture into greased 9x13 pan. Slice ice cream and lay on top of this mixture. Add the other half of the mix on top of the ice cream and press down firmly. Store in freezer.

Serve topped with berries.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

1 C. chopped chicken
1/2 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped red bell pepper

Combine those ingredients and cook. When chicken is fully cooked, add:

2Tbsp. gren onion, chopped
1/2 C. corn
1/4 C. black beans
2 Tbsp. chopped spinach
1 Tbsp. jalapeno, chopped

Cook until warm, then add:

3/4 C. cheese


Cut a raw flour tortilla in half. Place a spoonful of filling near the straight cut. Fold in the sides and roll it closed. Repeat until chicken mixture is gone.
Place rolls on baking sheet sprayed with Pam

Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. Turn them over halfway through the baking time.

Dressing:
Favorite ranch dressing
A couple tomatillos
small bunch of cilantro
lime juice

Blend together and dip rolls in. Yum!

Creamy Chicken Soup

Here's one I want to try but haven't yet.

Cook and shred 4-6 chicken breasts (or one whole chicken)
Add 8 cups of water to the chicken and simmer with:
2 cans chicken broth (optional-- but add a few extra cups of water if you don't use it)
6 carrots, sliced
6 stalks of celery, sliced
1 chopped onion
1/2 t. black pepper
Add chicken bouillon to taste (5-6 cubes or 6 tsps.)

Simmer until veggies are tender yet still crisp. Then add:

2 large cans cream of chicken soup (less if you wish)
2 C. sour cream (one 16 oz. container-- or less if you wish)
1 pound extra wide egg noodles-- cooked al dente

Serves about 12.

Hints: I cook the chicken with a few tsp. minced garlic and a bit of seasoning salt.
This recipe can easily be modified to make more or less, or to be less creamy.
When I make this, I taste it often so it doesn't get too salty. Add the bouillon gradually,
and at the very end.

White Chili

A friend gave me this recipe. It's delicious. All three kiddos even loved it. It was one of those dishes where I was really full but just kept eating because I loved the flavor. Better yet, it's super easy and most of the ingredients are probably sitting in food storage so you don't even have to plan it out beforehand.

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp. oil
small onion, diced
about 6 garlic cloves, minced

Cook those together in a pot on your stove top. Then add:

1 can diced green chilis
2 15 oz. cans white beans, undrained (pinto, navy, etc.)
4 C. chicken broth (This is what it calls for, but I use about half that much b/c I like thicker soups)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Simmer those together for about 1/2 hour. When you're ready to eat, add:

1 C. sour cream
3 C. monterey jack cheese, shredded

Heat through and serve.

Top with:
dallop of sour cream
fresh cilantro
chopped tomatoes
crushed tortilla chips

Coconut Cake

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 1/2 C. unsweetened coconut milk (I just use one whole can)
4 large egg whites

Beat together. Pour into 2 round 8" greased and floured cake pans or double recipe and pour into 3 round 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 for 22 min.

Frosting
3 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

Combine and frost cake. Then press flaked coconut on top and sides.

I made cupcakes, baking them for 18 min. I frosted them, then dipped them up-side-down into a bowl of flaked coconut. They came out really pretty and were so very easy!