Sesame Chicken Salad

This makes a huge salad!! It would work great for neighborhood BBQ's, family party's, Baby showers, etc.. if you wanted to make it for your family I would suggest you scale it back unless you intend to eat leftovers for a week. The flavor on this one is awesome! I love oriental salada and this one is up there at the top, next to my mom's Chinese Chicken Salad.

1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cans (8 ounces each) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1-1/3 cups honey-roasted peanuts
1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach, torn
1 package (6 ounces) dried cranberries
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a very large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, teriyaki sauce, sugar and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Just before serving, add the remaining ingredients; gently toss to coat.

Yield: 22 servings (1 cup each).

Garden Squash ravioli

I got this from the Taste of Home website when looking for ways to use my squash and Zucchini. I love the ragu sauce with the chunks of zucchini in it, and this was a great way to add more and to create my own. Love it! You could use the sauce over any pasta you like!

• 1 package (24 ounces) frozen miniature cheese ravioli
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cans (one 15 ounces, one 8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook ravioli according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a 1-1/2-qt. microwave-safe dish, combine the squash, zucchini, tomato sauce and seasonings. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain ravioli; top with sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

Too Much Chocolate Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate.

Glaze

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.
2. Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts with fresh Tomato & Basil. Potatoes with Peppers & Onions

This one sounds tricky, but it's not. It's a Rachael Ray recipie that I love, especially this time of year when I can gather most of the fresh ingredients from my own garden or the local farmers market. Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds red baby potatoes
• 1 small red bell pepper,cut into thin strips
• 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 2 cups shredded Parmesan, available in tubs near deli (not grated, shredded)
  
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 plum Roma tomatoes or small, vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 15 to 20 leaves fresh basil, pile leaves, roll then thinly slice

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Cut potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on thickness.

Cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Place potatoes on cookie sheet. Combine with peppers and onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Coat the potatoes, peppers and onions with extra-virgin olive oil just enough to coat vegetables in a thin layer, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Place potatoes in the oven and roast 20 to 22 minutes, until potatoes are just tender and peppers and onions are crisp at edges. Toss mixture with tongs, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a serving dish.

While potatoes cook, prepare chicken. Roll out a 2-foot piece of waxed paper or foil near the stove top. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat -- your pan must be very hot when the chicken is added. Pile the shredded cheese on the work surface created with the waxed paper or foil. Season your chicken breasts with black pepper but no salt; the cheese will add enough salt to the taste of the dish. Press the breasts firmly into the cheese. Coat both sides of breasts with as much cheese as possible. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet, 1 turn of the pan. Set breasts into the skillet and cook 7 minutes on each side, until cheese forms an even, golden casing around the tender chicken breasts.

While chicken cooks, combine chopped tomatoes with basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Drain off any excess oil from chicken as you remove it from the skillet. Top chicken with big spoonfuls of raw sauce and serve with potatoes, peppers and onions.

Grilled Zucchini

This is another simple but delicious way to enjoy some home grown goodness. You can toss this on the grill with whatever you're cooking up! Last night we enjoyed it with grilled chicken and ripe beefsteak tomato slices. Mouth watering, I know.

Ingredients
2 small zucchini cut into spears, wedges or 1/2 inch slices.
3/4 cup Yoshidas marinade (any teriyaki marinade will do)

Cut zucchini into desired shapes. (Smaller zucchini is more tender and has less seeds, save the big ones for baking.) Marinate for 1-2 hours in a ziploc bag, flip the bag over occasionally to make sure every thing gets coated. Grill over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side. Watch them carefully and adjust the heat as needed so they don't burn, you want them to be tender, not dried out. Serve with your favorite grilled meat and enjoy!

Watermelon Blaster

Super Simple, Refreshing and Delicious! Thanks Martha.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 cup ice cubes
• Sugar, to taste

Put watermelon, strawberries, lime juice and ice into the pitcher of a blender, blend for 15 seconds on high speed. (Always put the top on the container before processing.) Stop machine, and stir ingredients with a long wooden spoon. Blend for 15 seconds more on high speed.

After processing the watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, and ice, taste before adding sugar; you may not need any. For the star garnish, press a cookie cutter through the rind with the back of a wooden spoon.

Top it off with a little whipped cream if you so desire!

Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Salad

This time of year you have to enjoy what's coming out of your garden. This is a simple yet delicious way to enjoy those sun ripened tomatoes, one of my favorite parts of summer.

Ingredients

* 4 large tomatoes or 4 cups cherry tomatoes
* 2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese
* 8-10 leaves fresh basil
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* salt and pepper
* 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into bite size chunks. Loosely chop the basil.
2. Gently toss tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil in serving dish.
3. Drizzle with olive oil (and balsamic vinegar if desired).
4. Salt and pepper to taste.

Girl Scout Samoas

I found this recipe on gourmet mom on the go and couldn't help but give it a try, and if I do say so myself these are better then the real girl scout cookies, so if you are a fan, give them a try, and if you aren't a fan give them a try you will not regret it!!

Ingredients
1 box shortbread cookies
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-4 cups toasted coconut (depending on how much you want)
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
(Optional) To make handling easier you can dip the bottoms of the cookies in melted chocolate first and let them sit to thoroughly dry.
Place each shortbread cookie in cup of a greased muffin tin.
In 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Heat to a full boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly. Continue cooking over low heat until candy thermometer reaches 200-210 degrees.Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Beat until creamy. Immediately stir in toasted coconut and mix well. Spoon mixture by teaspoonfuls over shortbread cookies. Cool completely. Remove cooled cookies from muffin tin onto waxed paper.
Melt chocolate chips and drizzle thinly in stripes over cookies and let chocolate harden at room temperature. Store in airtight container

Dutch Apple Crisp

	Filling		Topping
10	cups granny smith apple slices	2	cups brown sugar
2	Tbs. lemon juice	2	cups flour
3/4	cup sugar	1	cup oatmeal
1/2	cup brown sugar	1/2	cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3	cup flour	1	cup butter; melted
2	tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4	tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4	tsp. ground cloves
3/4	tsp. salt

Prepare Filling: In a 12" Dutch oven add apples and lemon juice; stir to coat apples. In a separate dish combine remaining filling ingredients and stir to mix. Pour dry ingredients over apples and stir until apples are well coated.

Prepare Topping: In a separate bowl combine brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and walnuts; stir to mix. Using a fork, mix in butter. Spread topping evenly over apples.

Bake: Cover Dutch oven and bake using 12-14 briquettes bottom and 16-18 briquettes top for 60 minutes.

Serve topped with whipped cream.

Serves: 12-14

Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes

This is another fabulous recipe my sister made for us camping. She got the recipie from her husbands aunt who lives in Hawaii. They were easy to make and a delicious variation on a family favorite.

Ingredients
2 Cups Krusteaz buttermilk or whole wheat pancake mix
(You can substitute your favorite pancake recipie)
2 Bananas diced
1/2 Cup macadamia nuts finely chopped
Maple Syrup
Butter

Directions

Start with your favorite pancake recipie or mix. I like Krusteaz buttermilk and their whole wheat variety. Follow the package directions and mix 2 cups of batter. Dice 2 bananas into tiny chunks. Chop 1/2 cup nuts into small pieces. Mix well with Pancake batter. Cook on medium to medium high griddle until browned on both sides. Butter and serve with warm maple syrup. You can garnish with additional bananas and nuts if desired.