Hamburger Birthday Cake

For Jared's birthday this year I did a "Summer Grilling" theme. This was a really fun cake to make and it went along perfectly with the theme. This would also be a lot of fun to serve at a 4th of July party.

Here's what you will need:
1 yellow box cake, prepared in 2 8"-9" round pans
1 chocolate box cake, prepared in 2 8"-9" round pans
1 1/2 lbs. fondant (you can find this pre-made at wal-mart in the cake decorating section)
1 container chocolate frosting
1 container vanilla or buttercream frosting
Food coloring (the gel kind)

First, start with one of your prepared yellow cakes. This will be the bottom part of your bun.
Next, frost one of the chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting (sprinkle with cocoa powder to mix up the color if you want). You can use both of the chocolate cakes on the burger-cake if you want or you can frost the other chocolate cake and serve it separately. I did it separately because I thought a double-burger-cake would be a little too huge.Place the chocolate cake on the "bottom bun". Mix in some yellow/red food coloring into some of the fondant (about 3/4 c. worth) to make a nice orange cheesy color. Roll out the fondant really flat, cut into a large square, and place over the chocolate cake.
Mix some green food coloring into some of the fondant (maybe a cups worth) and roll it into a long roll (like a snake), flatten out and crinkle using a salad fork or anything you can think of to get that crinkle-y look. Circle it around the cake (as seen below). Color and roll out fondant to make the onions and tomatoes (see picture below) and place over the lettuce.Separate the vanilla frosting into 2 bowls. Color one bright red and the other bright yellow (ketchup and mustard), put in separate plastic bags and snip off a corner so you can frost the cake. Be generous with the "ketchup and mustard" and make it look nice and messy. Carefully place the second yellow cake over the top. Roll out some fondant to look like sesame seeds and sprinkle over the top. That's it! Pretty easy huh?

Rosemary Tri-Tip

This is another one that Beau made for us when we were up in Boise. It was delicious and grilled to perfection! The flavor in this tri-tip is so good, there is no need for steak sauce. Thanks Beau!

Marinade:
2 Tbsp. Whole grain mustard
2 Tbsp. steak sauce (A-1)
2 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tri-tip roast, 2 Lbs, 1 1/2 inches thick

In a small bowl whisk together marinade ingredients. Spread the marinade on the roast, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6-12 hours. Allow roast to stand at room temp for 20 minutes before grilling. Lightly season both sides of the roast with salt. Sear over direct medium heat for about 10 minutes turning once halfway through searing time. Continue grilling over indirect medium heat for 20-30 minutes longer. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices. Serve warm.

Trish's Pork Tenderloin

This is quite possibly the best pork tenderloin I have ever had. I made this for my family last week and they all LOVED it. Every person at the table was raving about how good and flavorful it was. It's great because it looks and tastes like a gourmet dish.. but it's REALLY easy to make! It's definitely a crowd pleaser.
I got this recipe from a friend that I met on a cruise ship. Whenever I meet someone, somehow the topic of recipes/food always comes up. I love finding out people's favorite recipes. This is the one that Trish was kind enough to share! Thanks Trish!! I hope we can cruise again soon!

1 large pork tenderloin (Trish suggested getting the large pork tenderloin from Costco, so that it what we got)
2 (8oz) pkg, cream cheese
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 pkg bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 pkgs. dried pesto seasoning (like Knorr brand, can be found by the gravy/dressing mixes)
Spinach leaves (to taste)
olive oil
salt & pepper
paprika

If you are using the large tenderloin from Costco, cut it almost in half, then cut the halves almost in half again so that you kind of unfold it a few times and try to pound it out flat. (If you are using another kind of pork tenderloin, try to spread it out and get it nice and flat). Once the tenderloin is flat and has a good surface area, spread the cream cheese all over the top. Lay the roasted red peppers over the cream cheese then sprinkle on the crumbled bacon. Evenly sprinkle on the packages dried pesto seasoning and lay the spinach leaves all over the top. Roll the pork up and tie it shut with 3 or 4 things of kitchen twine. Next, then rub olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper all over the pork and place in a greased baking dish (you might have to cut it in half for it to fit) or you can put it on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350-degrees about 60-90 minutes or until pork is cooked through. Once cooked, slice and serve!

**This makes quite a lot. After rolling, but before baking, cut it into thirds or halves. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze!

Kansas City Baby Back Ribs

Beau made these ribs for us while we were in Boise (he adapted the recipe from the Weber's Big Book of Grilling... you can find this book on my amazon.com list of favorite things>>>>). They were deee-licious and the sauce was awesome. Thanks Beau!!!

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
¼ c. finely chopped yellow onion (optional)
1 tsp. minced garlic
¾ c. ketchup
½ c. cider vinegar
¼ firmly packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. Worcetershire sauce
1 ½ Tbsp. Yellow mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp chili powder
Tabasco sauce

For the ribs:
2-3 Slabs baby back pork ribs (about 4 lbs.)
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Hickory chunks or chips soaked in water at least 30 min

To make the sauce:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, including Tabasco sauce to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Set aside. Pour some of the sauce in a small bowl for basting ribs.

Allow the ribs to stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before grilling. Season with salt and pepper. Follow the grill’s instructions for using wood chunks. Grill the ribs, rib side down, over indirect medium heat until the meat is very tender and has pulled back from the end of the bones (1 ½ to 2 hours). During the last 20 minutes of grilling time, baste generously with the small bowl of sauce. Serve warm with the remaining sauce on the side.

Chicken Azteca

I got this recipe from Debbie P., who submitted it to the Pace Salsa contest. This recipe was awesome. My husband was raving about it the whole time he was eating it! Thank you Debbie for a great family-pleasing recipe! (We halved this recipe--sorry Debbie! There are only two of us!)

(Makes 10-12 servings)

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups frozen corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 cups Pace salsa, divided (we used the black bean and corn salsa)
Tabasco sauce (or any other hot sauce), to taste.. (**optional.. this isn't part of the original recipe but we added it for an added kick)
10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, cubed
cooked rice (I made a Spanish rice of sorts by adding a little tomato sauce, cumin, onion, and garlic powder to the rice while cooking. I didn't spice it up a lot... I didn't want it to overpower the flavor of the chicken)
shredded cheddar cheese

Combine beans, corn, garlic, cumin and 1/2 of the salsa in slow cooker. Arrange chicken breasts over top. Pour remaining salsa (and optional hot sauce) over top of chicken. Cover. Cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-6 hours. Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Return to crockpot. Stir in cream cheese. Cook on high until it melts. Spoon chicken and sauce over cooked rice. Top with cheese.

Joosie Loosie

BEFORE: AFTER:We saw this show on the Travel Channel (Man vs. Food to be exact) where they showcased these restaurants both claiming to have the best 'cheese-filled' burger. One place calls the burger a "Juicy Lucy" and the other calls it a "Jucy Lucy"... I will go with "Joosie Loosie" so there is no confusion :)

Anyway-- My hubby was telling me how bad he wanted to have one so instead of paying hundreds for plane tickets to go whereever it was they had these burgers, I created my own version. They were amazing. Next time we will try it with blue cheese or pepper jack cheese (they stressed on the show to NEVER use cheddar cheese.. don't ask me why)!

(makes 4 burgers)
1.5 Lbs ground beef
1/2 c. oatmeal (optional)
3-4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp. garlic powder (or to taste)
salt & pepper (to taste)
parsley flakes (to taste)
Velveeta cheese, sliced and cut into little squares (so they look like mini cheese slices-- on the show they used American cheese, like Kraft Singles, but we wanted to use Velveeta instead)
hamburger buns
your favorite hamburger toppings/condiments

Combine beef, oatmeal, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley in a bowl. Separate into 8 parts and flatten out into thin patties. Place some cheese (we loaded the cheese on) on top of 4 of the patties and then cover with the 4 remaining patties. Press the edges of the patties to form a tight seal (you don't want the cheese oozing out before you bite into it). Grill or cook in a pan for a few minutes on each side-- just like you would grill/cook any other burger (use your best judgement for done-ness... you don't want to cut in it too much because you don't want the cheese coming out). Serve on hamburger buns and top with your favorite toppings.

Apricot Pork

This pork recipe is so easy to make (I got it from "Cooking Light"). You can slice it or shred it (as pictured above). You can put it over salads, in wraps, in sandwiches, or have it as your main Sunday dish. The possibilities are endless.

3/4 c. apricot preserves (or jelly)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (2-3Lb) boneless pork loin

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place the preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook 10 minutes or until melted. Keep warm over low heat.

Combine salt, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper; rub evenly over pork. Place pork on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Brush 1/4 cup preserves evenly over pork. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Brush remaining preserves evenly over pork. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink). Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Mud Pie

I love this recipe, it is pretty simple and can be altered how you like it.  I have had it with pistachio pudding in the middle and that is REALLY good too.

1 cup flour

1 cube butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix thoroughly and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for 15 to 20 min, then cool.

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

9 oz. cool whip (1/2 of carton)

Mix well and spread on first layer.

2 small pkgs. of instant pudding (I mixed 1 butterscotch with 1 chocolate)

2 1/2 cups cold milk

Beat for 2 minutes then spread on second layer.

Spread on remaining cool whip and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Butterfinger Cheesecake Bites

I got this recipe from Picky Palate. These are seriously little bites of HEAVEN. They are so addicting!

1 c. ground Vanilla Wafers
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp salt

8 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/8 tsp salt
4 Fun Size Butterfinger Candy Bars, crushed

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips (we used melted Marabou chocolate instead.. it isn't as waxy)
2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream

2 Fun Size Butterfinger, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie crumbs, sugar, butter and salt into a bowl; mix to combine. Spoon mixture into bottoms of mini cheesecake pan or mini cupcake pan and press. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.

Reduce heat to 300 degrees. In a stand or electric mixer, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Beat sugar, egg, cream and salt until well combined. Slowly stir in crushed Butterfinger. Evenly pour batter over baked crust. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Let cool for 2 hours, then remove from pan.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. Stir in cream until smooth and glossy. If needed, return back to microwave for 15 seconds or so until smooth. Spoon over tops of cakes then sprinkle crushed butterfinger over top.

Lasagna Roll-ups

There are many things I love about Lasagna Roll-ups.. probably my favorite is how easy they are to roll up and freeze! You can make a bunch of extra rolls and then just freeze the em' (without the sauce).. that way next time you make them you can just throw in some sauce, place the rolls in the pan, pour some more sauce over them and you are done! You can also easily make them vegetarian style and just not add meat to the sauce.

Sauce-
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. Spaghetti sauce (you can use your favorite spaghetti sauce or you can click HERE or HERE if you want to make your own)

Filling-
2 c. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper, to taste
9 lasagna noodles (cooked)
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion and garlic until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes. Spread half of the meat sauce on the bottom of a glass baking dish. In a bowl combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread a little of the cheese mixture evenly over each lasagna noodle.

Roll up and place seam side down in rows in the baking dish. Top with remaining sauce. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. About 5 minutes before the dish is finished cooking remove from the oven and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and cook until cheese has melted.

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

I got this basic recipe from Cooking Light. We really like this Lo Mein.. but we like it best (I know this is going to sound really weird, but trust me on this one) with chopped fried egg over the top. I didn't take a picture with the egg on it because I didn't want to weird people out.. but you should definitely give it a try. If you don't want to try it with egg the same night, do it over the leftovers the next day (it's really good on the leftovers).

1 pkg. spaghetti, cooked to al dente
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 c. onion, sliced thin
1 Lb. flank steak, cut into strips
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. chili paste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
*eggs (optional--see note below)
Cook pasta according to package directions (don't add salt), drain. Combine pasta and sesame oil, tossing well to coat.

While pasta cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients (minus the egg if you are going to use egg on the top); cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

**If you do it with egg: For each serving fry one egg until the yolk in the middle is no longer runny. Make it to your preferred doneness. Chop up the egg on a cutting board and serve over top the lo mein.

Reuben Sandwiches

These aren't exactly your typical Reuben Sandwiches (we like these better). First of all "traditional" Reuben sandwiches are made JUST with corned beef... but with corned beef about $9/lb. at our grocery store we decided to do a little corned beef and the rest sliced turkey. They turned out GREAT and ended up being a lot healthier!

2 slices bread (traditionally RYE bread.. but we just used what we had on hand)
Dijon mustard (to taste)
2 slices Swiss cheese
2 slices deli turkey
1 slice deli corned beef
Sauerkraut (heated a little in the microwave and to taste.. we love Sauerkraut and loaded it on)
Thousand Island dressing (to taste, we actually use fat free Thousand Island because we can't taste the difference.. plus it makes it healthier)
butter spray

Spread a little Dijon on each slice of bread. On one of the slices of bread layer one slice of cheese, turkey, corned beef, Sauerkraut, Thousand Island, and the other slice of cheese. Place the other slice of bread over the top. Spray pan with butter and grill like you would a grilled cheese sandwich (if you have a Foreman Grill, that works great too).

THE Easiest Potato Corn Chowder

This is the easiest Potato Corn Chowder you will ever make... but just because it's easy (I made this chowder in less than 10 minutes) doesn't mean it's not tasty! I wouldn't put it on here if it wasn't tasty... you know that :)

1/4 c. crumbled bacon (I just bought the pre-crumbled "real"
2 (10oz) cans Cream of Potato soup
2 c. milk
2 cans (11oz) corn
salt and pepper to taste
Crackers (optional)

Heat potato soup and milk in a sauce pan. Add corn, bacon, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Serve with crackers.

Pace Salsa Contest! -- Contest ENDS June 1st!!!

And the WINNER is... (I used the random number generator from Random.org)

Recipe #9... TRACI P.!!!!!

***A VERY special THANK YOU to all those who participated! Keep checking back for future contests!

Hey FavFamily Recipes Readers:

MAY is National SALSA month! So.. in celebration we are doing another

CONTEST!!!

All you have to do is submit your favorite salsa based recipe (preferably using pace salsa), along with a short personal story about the recipe to favfamilyrecipes@gmail.com OR LEAVE your recipe in a COMMENT below!

The winner of the contest will receive a PACE Salsa Prize pack including:

• Pace Picante Sauce
  
• Pace Specialty Salsas (3 different flavors)
• A Pace Cookbook
  

You may submit up to 2 eligible recipes. The winning recipe will be chosen at random. Only those who submit recipes are eligible to win.. so enter away!

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#1 - HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE: (submitted by Debbie P.)

2 large ripe avocados
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
2 green onions, finely minced
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup Pace Salsa
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup black beans, optional
1/2 cup corn, optional

Pit and peel avocados, or scoop out pulp. Mash with a fork. Add remaining ingredients, and mix well. Flavor is best at room temperature. If you are not going to serve it immediately, return avocado seed to bowl to help prevent discoloration. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with tortilla chips.

**I actually made this recipe yesterday for the first time. I had the ingredients in the refrigerator that needed to be used up soon, so I decided to try it. I had some leftover black beans and corn in the fridge too, so I decided to throw those in for some added texture. I tweaked the original recipe by adding cumin and extra salsa, and it turned out so good! I was very proud of myself for making guacamole from scratch, and that it was the best I've ever had!

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#2 - CHICKEN AZTECA (CROCKPOT RECIPE) (submitted by Debbie P.)

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups frozen corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 cups Pace salsa, divided
10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, cubed
cooked rice
shredded cheddar cheese

Combine beans, corn, garlic, cumin and 1/2 of the salsa in slow cooker. Arrange chicken breasts over top. Pour remaining salsa over top of chicken. Cover. Cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-6 hours. Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Return to crockpot. Stir in cream cheese. Cook on high until it melts. Spoon chicken and sauce over cooked rice. Top with cheese.

Makes 10-12 servings

This recipe is so delicious. My sister-in-law used to make something similar to it, and I stumbled upon the recipe one day while looking through a cookbook. It's a recipe that my whole family will eat, including my 3 and 2 year old children. I was never a big fan of black beans until I tried this recipe, and now I love them! Make sure not to cut the recipe in half, because you will want these leftovers!

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#3 - BACON-WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS (submitted by Julie)

We don't really have a name for these....we just call them the bacon wrapped water chestnuts....but it is a family favorite appetizer!

Ingredients:
1 can whole water chestnuts (drain water)
bacon, cut strips into thirds
1 bottle of Pace Salsa (small size bottle)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup brown sugar

wrap bacon around water chestnuts and secure with a toothpick. Line wrapped water chestnuts into a 9x13 pan. In a separate bowl, combine salsa, mayonnaise and brown sugar. Pour salsa mixture over water chestnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

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#4 - TAMALE ROUND ABOUT (submitted by Kelly)

My daughter loves what we call Tamale' Round About.

Layer in a bundt pan: chopped bell pepper, 1/2 of cheesy cornbread mixture, ground beef with salsa in it, the other half of the cornbread mixture and bake. Serve with sourcream and more salsa. Yummy!

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#5 - MEXICAN RICE SALAD (Submitted by Brenda C.)

Note: All these ingredients can be adjsuted up and down, depending on your personal tastes. This recipe is delish cold or at room temp. It travels really well (just serve the sour cream and guac on the side) and is always a fave!

Three cups brown rice, instant or regular, cooked and cooled
Two cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Two cans Niblet corn, drained and rinsed
One medium bunch cilantro, washed, dried well and chopped (reserve a small handful)
One medium bunch scallions, washed and sliced (reserve a small handful)
One large jar (24 oz) Pace Salsa in your choice of heat (can also use Pico de Gallo)
Two cups mexican blend shredded cheese, lowfat OK (reserve 1/4 cup)
One cup feta cheese
1 1/2 - 2 cups sour cream (amount will depend on serving dish)
1 - 1 1/2 cups guacamole (amount will depend on serving dish)
Black Olives, sliced

Mix together all ingredients except sour cream and guacamole. (Mixture can be chilled at this point until serving time.) Spread salad onto serving platter. Spread sour cream over top of salad, leaving border around edge to show salad. Spread guacamole over sour cream, leaving border of sour cream showing. Sprinkle all over with reserve cilantro, scallions, cheese and olives.

I am a total foodie, love to experiment and often don't write down recipes but shoot from the hip with good tasty ingredients. Many of my favorite recipes are adaptations of things I served in my café and catering business and I never get tired of experimenting. Fortunately for my family, most things turn out OK with some turning out fabu!

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#6 - MEXICAN MOUND (Submitted by Brenda C.)

This is another "make it as you like it" recipe. This should serve as more of a template for you to customize to your tastes. Serve this and stand back; you will be trampled once people try it!

Two cans refried beans (I use spicy no fat)
Two 16 oz jars Pace Salsa, your choice of heat (Pico de Gallo works, too)
Sour Cream
Gucamole
Shredded mexican blend cheese
Feta cheese or queso fresco, crumbled
Scallions, washed and sliced
Cilantro, washed, dried well and chopped
Sliced black olives

Pour one jar of salsa into a strainer and drain off the liquid. While it is draining, mix enough of the other jar of salsa into the two cans of refried beans in a large bowl until the mixture is spreadable and "dip-able" (the amount of salsa used will be determined by the brand of beans you use and how soft you want the mixture.); if you have leftover salsa, pour it into the strainer with the other jar. Spread the beans on a platter with a rim, leave a couple of inches around the edge of the beans (this is VERY important because the bean mixture spreads as you layer other ingredients on top!).

Spread sour cream to within two inches of the edge of the bean mixture. Spread the drained salsa over the sour cream to within two inches of the edge of the sour cream. Place the guacamole in spoonfuls on top of the salsa; gently spread the guacamole into a layer over the salsa, again leaving a two inch border. Sprinkle the whole thing with the cheeses, scallions, cilantro and olives. Serve with corn chips for dipping.

You can add anything you want to this; drained and rinsed corn kernels, drained and rinsed beans, sliced jalapenos, etc.

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#7 - FAT FREE HOT DIP (Submitted by Connie W.)

This is a favorite Dip recipe that I love to take to parties. Everyone always wants the recipe. I like to serve with Ruffles low fat chips.

Pace Chunky Salsa
2 8oz Fat Free Cream Cheese.

Whip cream cheese and add salsa. I personally like the Hot Salsa but you can use medium and it is just as good.

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#8 - CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE (submitted by Sara B.)
* 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
* 1 (16 ounce) jar HOT pace salsa
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1/4 cup diced onion
* 1 (8 ounce) can chili beans, drained
* 6 (12 inch) flour tortillas, cut into strips
* 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and shredded
* 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix sour cream, salsa, cream of chicken soup, onion and chili beans.
3. Layer the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with 1/3 tortilla strips. Top with 1/3 chicken, 1/3 sour cream mixture and 1/3 Cheddar cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Let stand about 10 minutes, or as long as you can stand it!!! You're done!

You can never go wrong with a casserole. These days we never know who is going to come by our house for dinner. Having a handy recipe such as this one makes everyone happy!

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#9 - TRACI'S 5 1/2 LAYER DIP (submitted by Traci P.)

Hi Favorite Family Recipes!!!

This is my Salsa recipe for the Pace Salsa Recipe Contest........

Everyone loves a great 7 layer dip, for our family it is a 5 1/2 layer dip. We have allergies and dislikes so this will work for the picky eaters......

To prep for your dip - mix taco seasoning with a 16oz container of sour cream, and you will need a rectangular clear glass dish and a spatula to spread your layers. (clear glass dish for presentation only :) )

First layer your glass dish with cold refried beans
Second layer prepared sour cream with taco seasoning
Third layer your favorite small jar of PACE SALSA
Fourth layer shredded cheese......we use the mexican threesome already shredded for you from the store.
Fifth layer tiny chopped scallions
1/2 layer sliced olives

ENJOY

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#10 - BLACK BEAN PIE (submitted by Beth J.)

Start with: 1 pre-made frozen pie shell (you can make your own
from scratch if you want)

Filling: Cooked or canned black beans--about 3 1/2 cups or so.

Mash half of the beans, and swirl in:
1/2 c. sour cream

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese,
1 can diced green chilies,
1/3 to 1/2 c. Pace salsa.

Mix in the unmashed beans. Pour
filling into pie shell. Top with shredded cheddar.

Bake 30 min. at 375 degrees or until the pie shell is done

*This is an easy budget friendly meal to make that tastes great.

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#11 - Mexican Style Deep Dish Pizza (submitted by Beth J.)

3 pkgs(7.5 ounces each) buttermilk biscuits
1 1/2 c Pace thick and chunky salsa, divided
3 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/3 c chopped green pepper
1/3 c chopped green onions
1/3 c sliced ripe olives
1 garlic clove

Preheat oven to 375. Cut biscuits into quarters; place in large bowl. Stir in 1 c of the salsa, 2 cups of the cheese, pepper, onions, olives and garlic; mix well. Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Pour remaining 1/2 c salsa and 1 cup cheese over top. Bake 30-35 minutes. 9 servings

*****Beths notes: The first time I made this I didn't have olives, peppers or green onions, so I used a yellow onion and used 1/2 can of chopped green chilies. I used my 9" deep dish baking/pizza dish. This is a great recipe that you can make as mild or as hot as you like.

I have been making this for years and it is a family favorite.

Huevos Rancheros

I love huevos rancheros. If you have been wanting to try something different for breakfast (or dinner)... look no further :)

4 tostada shells (or corn tortillas baked at about 400-degrees until hardened)
1 can black beans
1 chili in adobo sauce, crushed (makes the beans spicier--if you want it mild leave this out)
bacon, cooked
cheddar cheese, shredded
tomatoes, diced
4 eggs, cooked sunny side up (I like it to be runny so you can dip the shell into it)
salsa
optional: green chilies, olives, avocado, sauteed onions and peppers

Cook the black beans and chili in adobo sauce (optional) together in a small pot. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out and drain the beans. Layer the beans, bacon, cheese, tomato, eggs and salsa on the toastada shell and serve! You can also add the cheese on at the end at bake in the oven until the cheese is nice and melted. Add green chilies, olives, avocado, and/or onions and peppers to taste. :)

Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce and Cool Cucumber Salad

Beau made this for me for Mother's Day and it was so incredibly good!! 

Chicken Satay

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. curry powder

2 chicken breasts cut into long strips

2 Tbsp. peanut oil

Mix the spices together and set aside.  Toss the chicken in the peanut oil then stir in the spices.

Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Thread onto skewers and grill.

Peanut Dipping Sauce

3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic

1/2 tsp. oil

1/4 tsp. tabasco sauce

1/4 cup water

chopped peanuts to taste

In a small saucepan mix together the ingredients.  Bring to a simmer and cook 1 to 2 minutes to thicken.  Set aside and bring to room temperature. 

Cool Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber sliced and seeded

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

6 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

(you can also add onion if you really want)

Mix everything but the cucumber, then add the cucumber in.  Refrigerate and serve.

Mom's Famous Potato Salad

***This post is dedicated to my Mom. Happy Mother's Day Mom! Thanks for always taking care of us when we visit and for always making sure there is good food in our tummies. :) ***

My Mom always makes this potato salad at family picnics, BBQs, or other gatherings and it ALWAYS gets polished. It is my favorite potato salad in the world! Period. I actually have never had potato salad that even comes CLOSE to being as good as my Mom's. My Mom just knows how to make it right. :) Love you, Mom!!!

This is for a LARGE batch.. if you have a crowd of less than 8 people you might want to half this recipe:

10 medium potatoes
Dozen eggs, hard boiled
salt & pepper to taste
1 c. Mayo (or Miracle Whip)
1 c. sour cream
4 Tbsp. sugar
mustard, to taste (2+ Tbsp)
1/2 c. sweet pickle relish

Boil potatoes (do not peel) for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Peel and dice potatoes AND eggs. Add salt and pepper and toss. Mix remaining ingredients separately and fold into potato mixture. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6-8 hours).

Calzones II

I know I posted a calzone recipe before... but here is a different one (I got the idea from BlogChef). I guess they are pretty similar, they are just prepared a little differently. I like both recipes.. they are both good. Both favorites :)

(Here is the link to my other calzone recipe if you want to compare: "Calzones".)

We usually use frozen bread dough, thawed (because we are lazy).
If you want to make your own dough you can use the following recipe:

1 package yeast
1 cup water (warm)
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups flour

To make the dough- dissolve yeast in 1 cup of warm water. In a large bowl mix sugar, oil, salt, and flour. Add water/yeast mixture and mix together until smooth. Knead well and cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Ok now on to the CALZONE recipe:

Pizza dough
1lb Italian sausage
1 can sliced mushrooms (drained)
1 green pepper (diced)
2 slices of onion (diced)
1 jar pizza sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 small package sliced pepperoni
½ cup mozzarella cheese
butter (melted, for brushing)

In a large skillet, cook sausage. While sausage is cooking, add mushrooms, green pepper, and onion and saute. When sausage is cooked and veggies are soft add pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, garlic salt, and pepperoni.

Split the dough in half and roll out each half on a flour surface into a 10” circle. Place 1-2 cups of meat sauce in the center of each circle of dough. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Fold over and crimp shut. Place calzones on a greased cookie sheet.

Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. After 15 minutes into the baking remove from the oven and brush lightly with melted butter. Return calzones to the oven and allow them to finish cooking.

Cashew Chicken

This is a great cashew chicken recipe I got from good ole Martha Stewart :) Make sure you get a good hoisin sauce, it will make all the difference.

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts
1 T. cornstarch
salt and pepper
2 T. canola or vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves
8 green onions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T. rice vinegar
3 T. hoisin sauce
3/4 cup cashews (click HERE to buy some great cashews online)
White rice, for serving (optional)

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch until the chicken is coated; season with 3/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining oil and chicken to the skillet along with the garlic and the white parts of the scallions. cook, tossing often, until the chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Add the vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add the hoisin sauce and the 1/4 cup water; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens and cashews. Serve immediately over white rice, if desired.

Tomato Pesto & Chicken Cibatta Sandwiches

These sandwiches are SO GOOD. I found the recipe for it in Cooking Light and made a couple adjustments (nothing huge). According to Cooking Light they are less than 400-calories.. they are low-cal but VERY flavorful and really filling! Had we had lettuce and/or avocado we would have added it to the sandwiches. We will do it next time. :)

1/4 c. sun-dried tomato pesto
2 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise
3/4 Lb. chicken breasts
Montreal chicken seasoning
1 tsp. olive oil
4 ciabatta rolls
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. sliced bottled roasted red bell peppers
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
lettuce
avocado

Combine pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl, stirring to blend.
Sprinkle chicken with Montreal seasoning. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken to cutting board, and cool slightly. Cut chicken lengthwise into thin slices.

Preheat broiler. Cut ciabatta rolls in half horizontally. Place bread, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan. Spread pesto mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Arrange the chicken slices evenly over bottom half. Top chicken evenly with cheese. Place bottom half on baking sheet, and broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Arrange bell pepper, tomato, and lettuce over cheese, and cover with top half of bread (if you are using avocado, spread it on the top half of the bread before covering). Cut each sandwich in half diagonally and serve.