Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:
4 TBSP unsalted butter, plus more for buttering hands
1 10 oz. bag miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
8 oz. semisweet chocolate (optional)
3 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup M&M's (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, if desired, and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Pour popcorn and M&M's, if desired, into large bowl, toss well. With buttered hands make 2 1/2 inch balls. Let dry slightly on parchment-lined baking sheet.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart. I have made this recipe several times and it is very good.

Bowtie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
2 boxes bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped small
16 oz. Coleslaw dressing
2 cups Mayo
Mix above ingredients together and refrigerate. Right before serving add...
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup diced celery
1 lb. green or red grapes cut in 1/2
2 cups sliced almonds

I had this at a friends bridal shower and it was SO YUMMY! It makes a lot so you could cut it in half.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
3 Chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 onion, diced small
4 TBSP butter
Garlic salt to taste
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups hot water
1 TBSP cumin
2 cups half & half
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced green chilies
Tortilla chips

Directions:
In a soup pan, mix chicken, onion, butter and garlic salt. Cook until chicken is browned and done. Add chicken bouillon, water, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add half & half, cheese, corn and chilies. Cook additional 10 minutes. I usually add some cornstarch and water to make it a little thicker. Crunch up chips and put in bottom of bowl then add soup. Optional toppings: diced tomatoes, avocado, green onions, sour cream...be creative!

Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:
8-10 Roma tomatoes, cut lengthwise, rinse all the seeds and juice out then dice small
1 white onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice from 1-2 limes
2 cloves garlic, minced
Garlic salt to taste

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together then add to a food processor and mix until desired consistency.

This recipe is from Robert Jaramillo, a friend of Spencer. It is by far one of the best homemade salsa recipes I have had!

Bacon Cheese Potato Soup

Ingredients:
6 large or 8 medium potatoes
1 pint half & half
2 cubes real butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 cans cheddar cheese soup
2 jars Hormel real bacon bits
2 TBSP dried chives
1 TBSP salt-free all-purpose seasoning

Directions:
1. Cut potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Boil until done but still firm. Drain the water but save 2 cups of the potato water in a separate bowl.
2. In a large pot, put in half & half and butter. Cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add cream of chicken soup and cheddar cheese soup, bacon bits, chives and the all-purpose seasoning. Stir until mixed.
4. Add potatoes and potato water. Cook for 2 hours on low, stirring occasionally.
5. Salt to taste. To thin: add milk

Classic Potato Dish and Chicken Fingers

Gratin Dauphinoise
Ingredients:
2 TBSP butter, room temperature
8-10 small potatoes
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 dried bay leaf
Pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (the recipe calls for Gruyere cheese but I can never find it)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 9x13 baking dish. Peel and slice potatoes into thin rounds. Place slices in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration. In a medium saucepan, combine garlic, milk, heavy cream, salt, nutmeg and bay leaf. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Drain potatoes and transfer to baking dish. Pour the milk mixture over potatoes and discard the bay leaf. Season with pepper and dot with with butter, distributing evenly over entire surface. Bake 40 minutes, remove from oven cover with cheese and bake an extra 10 minutes.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart.


Chicken Fingers
Ingredients:
6-8 chicken tenderloins
15 saltine crackers
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP Dijon mustard


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, crush saltine crackers until a fine crumb, add Parmesan cheese and thyme, season with salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl combine the olive oil and Dijon mustard. Dip chicken in Dijon mixture covering both sides then cover chicken in the saltine mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with all pieces of chicken. Bake for 25 minutes.

I don't remember where I got this recipe. I don't know why, but I always make these two dishes together. It's a great combination!

Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

Ingredients:
1 TBSP yeast
1 TBSP sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 TBSP rosemary chopped small
2 TBSP butter

Directions:
Place yeast, sugar and warm water in bowl and allow to become bubbly. Mix in 1 TBSP butter, salt and 2 cups flour. Add 1 TBSP rosemary. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a food processor or bread mixer until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and divide in half, let rest about 5 minutes. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape the dough into 2 small oval loafs. Sprinkle with remaining chopped rosemary, pressing in lightly. Let loaves rise again about 45 minutes. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven. Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter.

I forgot to sprinkle the top of the loaves with the remaining rosemary. Also, during baking I brushed a little egg white on the top to make them more golden. When they were done, I brushed butter on the top and sprinkled with salt. It was SO yummy. The flavor is almost exactly live Macaroni Grill. We loved it!