Easy Ham Sliders

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 12 mins | Servings: 12-24 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• Recipe:
• 24 Good Dinner Rolls (I used Costco rolls)
• 24 Slices of Ham
• 24 Slices Provalone Cheese (Cut to fit rolls)
• 1/3 C. Mayonnaise

• Sauce:
• 1 Stick of Butter, Melted
• 1 tsp. Yellow Mustard
• 1/2 tbsp. Poppy Seeds
• 1/2 tbsp. Minced Onions
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

Spread thin layer of mayonnaise onto both sides of rolls, then lay ham and then cheese on the roll. Repeat for all 24 rolls and lay closely together on a heavy cookie sheet.

Sauce:

Mix ingredients together and pour evenly over all rolls. (I like to spread a little sauce inside the sliders before I pour over the top). Cover cookie sheet with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove foil and bake an additional 2-5 minutes. To make with crispy tops cook without covering. Enjoy!

Hawaiian Haystacks- Best Sauce Ever!

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and it has forever changed Hawaiian Haystacks for me! This sauce is amazing.. I'll never go back to cream of chicken soup!

Sauce:

1/4 c. poultry gravy

1 1/4 c. water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

2 c. chicken broth

2 Tbs soy sauce

4 Tbs. corn starch

Mix first two ingredients over low-med heat. Add next three. Then slowly stir in corn starch. turn up your heat and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for a few minutes.. ready to serve! The sauce will be very watery until you bring it to a boil and the starch kicks in.. so don't panic :)

I like to add the chicken right in the sauce. In fact, your food storage canned chicken goes perfect in this and makes it almost entirely a food storage meal!

To assemble your haystack (everyone does it their own way):

Rice

Sauce

Chicken (if not in sauce)

Then any of the following: cheese, pineapple,chow mein noodles, slivered almonds, celery, coconut, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, scallions, etc!

YUMMY!!!

Just for fun here are the proportions doubled- in case you're feeding a few families:

1/2 c. poultry gravy

2 1/2 c. water

6 bouillon cubes

4 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. corn starch

Cream Cheese "Chicken" Soup

Adapted from Melanie's

*Warning*

This recipe will make you weep. Seriously.

I am not sure what it is about this recipe that makes is soooo yummy. Maybe it's the comfort food aspect of it. I don't know. But this is one of the best tasting soups I have ever encountered. We eat this at least 3 times a week. Yup. Seriously.

This recipe calls for chicken, yet I don't add it any more. After my dad had major surgery, his diet was temporarily limited to softer foods, which included chicken. I search one of my favorite recipe blogs, at My Kitchen Cafe, for all things chicken and found this gem. I quadrupled the cooking time on the veggies to make them softer for my dad. In doing this, I inadvertently made the potato the star of the show. The potatoes started to fall apart, making this taste like a yummy comfort food potato soup from childhood's past. Yum. So, just remember that this recipe does call for chicken. You can invite it...or not.

We are having this again tonight. I will take a picture and pass it along!

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
chicken broth, from a can, or from the cooking chicken (I have used a combo of both)
1 medium onion
1 TBSP butter
large handful baby carrots, sliced small
4-5 potatoes, diced
4 TBSP flour
1 cup milk
1 8 0z pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
salt and pepper

In your soup pot, saute the onion in the butter, until the onions become translucent (about 5 minutes). Put diced veggies in pot and just cover with chicken broth. Let this simmer. Melanie has them simmer for 10 minutes, until soft. I let them simmer for about 40 minutes, until mushy. However, with the longer simmer time, I do have to add a little more broth along the way, due to evaporation.

When veggies are cooked to desired softness, mix the flour and the milk in a separate bowl, then add to the soup, for thickening. At this point, you add the chicken, and the cream cheese, broken into small bits. Let melt and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste, and VIOLA! Easy, fast, and sooooooo delicious! Happy Eating! Thanks, Melanie!

Seven Layer Dip

• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (neufchatel- 1/3 of the fat)
• 8 ounces sour cream (light)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 avacado, chopped
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, avacado and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

Italian Sausage Bake

YUM YUM!

Ingredients:
one package of spiral noodles
1 lb. of Italian sausage, (cooked, chopped)
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 of a green bell pepper
1/2 of a red bell pepper
a lot of mozzarella cheese

instructions:
preheat oven to 350. & grease 13x9 pan
cook noodles according to package
cook sausage and peppers together until cooked thru.
in mixing bowl, mix drained noodles, sausage, peppers, & spaghetti sauce.
Pour into greased pan, and top with lots of mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 20 min.


VERY EASY, VERY CHEAP, VERY GOOD!
Even my toddler loved it!

Butterfinger Brownies

This is awesome. Very easy... We had them on Father's Day.

Ingredients:
Your favorite brownie mix
6 mini butterfinger bars or 2 full size bars
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Directions: Prepare the brownie mix as directed. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spray pan and pour batter in 9x13 pan. In a ziplock bag, put your butterfinger bars in. Take out your frustrations, and beat it with a rolling pin to crush them. :) Then sprinkle on the top of the brownie batter. Bake as directed on the box.. And wha-la, you have yummy butterfinger brownies!

Mini Sour Cream Biscuits

In the spirit of fairness, this isn't my recipe. I'm pretty sure it came from Taste of Home magazine. But it's a gem, double it, I promise, you'll wish you had. I've made these as drop biscuits for lack of mini-muffin tins--it works just fine but they aren't nearly as adorable.

1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine. Drop into Pam'ed mini muffin pan. Bake at 425. Check at 7 minutes, can go up to 15 minutes. They don't get really brown, just slightly firm---you know, like a....um...what is it?...a...right...a biscuit!

Also: Check out the recipe winners in the recent issue of http://www.scoutermagazine.com/. Muy Bueno! I also put these on http://www.theloneread.com/

Marie Calendars Corn Bread Muffins

Whoa! These are fantastic. Very simple and very yummy.

Ingredients:
Yellow Cake mix (plus what it calls for)
Jiffy corn bread muffin box (plus what it calls for)

Instructions:
Follow the cake mix instructions and mix. (using the eggs, water and oil it calls for)
Then dump in the jiffy corn bread mix, plus (whatever it calls for 1egg, and 1/3 c. milk)
Blend with the mixer for one minute.

Temp: 355'
Bake for 15 min.
Yields: 40 cupcakes or 24 cupcakes and 4 mini loafs.

ENJOY!

Banana Bread Muffins

I know everyone has their own favorite banana bread recipe, but I tend to think mine is pretty DELUXE! I thought I would share it, so try it...you'll see!

2 eggs
1/3 C. oil
1/3 C. applesauce ( I use unsweetened - 100% natural)
2 C. mashed ripe bananas (it's about 6 depending on the size)
2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. cinnamon
1/2 C. chopped nuts AND/OR 1/2 bag of chocolate chips (optional)

Topping (optional):
Melted butter
Cinnamon/Sugar mixture

Preheat oven to 350. Mix eggs, oil, applesauce and bananas. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in nuts and/or chocolate chips. Grease pans or use cupcake liners for muffins.

Muffins (about 24): bake 25-28 mins
4 mini loaf pans or 2 big loaf pans: 45-55 mins

Bake until knife comes out clean and bread is golden brown. All ovens vary, so check bread at minimum baking time. Do not overbake! Brush with butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture.

TIP: If you have bananas that are ripe, but don't have enough bananas to bake bread, store peeled bananas in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Thaw in microwave when you are ready to use.

Oreo Truffles

This recipe is SO easy and is a BIG hit! I made it for a party on Saturday and won the "best tasting" contest! They are Yummy.

Makes about 50 truffles 

• 1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves) (I like using Mint Oreos)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (using different extracts allows for subtle flavour changes...I've used mint extract, upped to 1 tsp) (optional)
• 1 lb milk chocolate
• 1/2 lb white chocolate

1. Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder.
2. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
3. Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet.
4. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
5. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.
6. In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate.
7. Dip balls and coat thoroughly.
8. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off.
9. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.
10. In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate.
11. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls.
12. Let cool.
13. Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.

Out of the World Chicken in a Crock Pot

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 packet dry italian dressing
1 8 oz package cream cheese

Dump all in a crock pot and cook! That easy! I am not sure of the time because I have done anything from tenders to fresh chicken to frozen chicken and it is all different. Try at least 5 hours on low and see if that works! Sorry my recipes are always so vague! We cheat because we have a meat thermometer...makes everything a little less scientific. Shred in crock pot with two forks before serving. This dinner is sooooo yummy. We serve on rice or mashed potatoes for the little taste buds. YUMMMM!

Alfredo With A Twist

Kielbasa Alfredo

Penne noodles (prepared according to package)

½ of a link of kielbasa sausage (they come in 16 oz. packages)

½ red bell pepper

½ orange bell pepper

Jar of alfredo ( I used Cheesy Ragu Alfredo)

1 T. salt

Preparations:

1. Cook pasta as directed on package with 1 T. salt
2. Slice kielbasa in bite size pieces, in a skillet lightly brown sausage.
3. In a small saucepan, heat jar of alfredo
4. Chop bell peppers, and then toss them in with sausage for last 3 min.
5. Combine all ingredients and serve.
6. (optional) for garnish, sprinkle parmesan cheese and a couple sliced peppers.

Total time: 20 min.

Really easy, really cheap, not too many ingredients! By Karen Brothersen

Lip Smackin Apple Dip

3 eight ounce pkgs cream cheese
1 pound brown sugar
2 T vanilla
Heath milk chocolate toffee bits (around 1/2 cup)

Mix together cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Stir in toffee bits to desired amount. Put into serving dish; sprinkle with more toffee bits.

TIPS: I use reduced fat cream cheese (neufchatel.) For easy measuring you can buy brown sugar in a 1 pound box. This recipe is a HUGE hit at parties. Be prepared to hand out recipe after serving!

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

Pork Chops
1 cut onion
1 lemon
Ketchup
Brown Sugar

This recipe is really a no-measure recipe. Just place enough pork chops to fill the bottom of a baking pan (we have used bone-in and boneless). Spread the onion to cover. I DO NOT like fresh onions and use dehydrated for all of my recipies. However, dehydrated do not work for this recipe and the fresh ones are yummy in it. Squirt the lemon over the chops (bottled lemon juice works fine). Sprinkle brown sugar and dot with ketchup, just eyeballing the amount. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Really scientific recipe, I know, but it is YUMMY and SOOO easy.

This recipe is great for the carnivour in your family and great when you have a bunch of pork chops you don't know what to do with. We like to serve the pork chops on rice, of course, and drench them and the rice in the sauce. YUM-O!

Peppered Beef Tips

2 lbs beef sirloin, cut in 1 inch strips

2 cloves garlic, minced

pepper

1 can french onion soup 

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Add beef to crockpot.  Layer with minced garlic, a sprinkle of pepper, and soups.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.

So easy and delicioso!

p.s. Kirk says this looks like dog food :( sorry! I usually use sirloin steak but used stew meat instead because the steak at Target was too expensive!  and I usually serve over noodles, but I was out so it was rice this time.. 'dog food' photo aside.. this is REALLY yummy!