Mexican Roll Ups™

Need a quick appetizer for your get together, game night or anytime, this recipe is for you. 

1 c. cream cheese softened
1/2 c sour cream
5 green onions chopped
1/4 c. picante sauce, or jarred salsa
4 - 6 flour tortillas
1 T. Lime juice
1/8 - 1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper, granulated garlic. 

In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, green onions, salt, pepper, garlic, lime juice, mix well. 

Spread a thin layer over the tortillas. Roll the tortillas up. Trim off any ragged edges with a knife.

Wrap rollup in plastic wrap or wrap paper and place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight to chill. 

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and cut into pieces.  Serve with the picante sauce.

Serves 4 - 6.

Debate Night Martini™

Here is a great recipe to drink while watching the last debates of 2015. 

Take a sip when the candidates attack each other, or when Donald Chump says make America great again.

4 - 6 oz. vodka or gin

1/2  oz. olive juice 

1 - 1  1/2 oz. dry vermouth 

squeeze of lime 

ice 

salt, pepper

8 olives

With a wet napkin, wet the rims of 4 martini glasses. 

Sprinkle some salt and pepper on a shallow dish. 

Place the glasses rim side down on the salted dish to coat.

Place the glasses in the freezer to chill for a few minutes. 

In a cocktail shaker combine: gin or vodka, ice, olive juice, lime juice, vermouth. 

Shake for a few seconds to mix. 

Remove glasses from freezer, strain martinis into glasses. Thread olives through 4 toothpicks.

Garnish martinis with the olives.

Serves 4. 

Everything's Better With Butter Banana Cake™

What makes this cake taste amazing, it's butter. This is perfect for a holiday, a get together or anytime. 

2 - 3 c. flour
1 - 1  2/3 c. sugar (regular or dietetic. 
1  1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. each: butter (cut up) , ripe bananas cut into pieces and smashed, milk or (buttermilk)
1 - 2 tsp. lemon juice (if using buttermilk, omit lemon juice)
2 eggs
Non stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. 

Grease a baking pan with non stick cooking spray. Place some of the flour in bottom of baking pan and tilt pan to spread flour around.

In a measuring cup combine milk and lemon juice. Stir to mix. 

In a mixing bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda.

Add butter, milk and bananas and mix with a spoon until flour is coated. 

Beat mixture with a hand electric or stand mixer for a couple of minutes. Add eggs and beat for a couple of minutes more or until mixed. 

Pour cake mixture evenly into baking pan. Place into oven and bake for 30 - 35  min or until done.

Remove from oven when done and let cool before frosting or serving.

Serves 10.

Asian Turkey Salad™

This is a great way to use leftover turkey from the holidays. You can use leftover chicken too.

1 orange sliced in half and zested 

2 c. sliced cooked turkey

3 c. romaine lettuce

1 c. each: chopped onions, chopped cucumber, snow peas

1 - 2 T. low sodium soy sauce

1 can water chestnuts sliced

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1 clove garlic crushed, chopped

1 tsp. oil

1 - 2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)

1/8 c. sliced green onions

Rinse, zest and cut orange in half.

Peel, rinse and chop garlic. 

In a measuring cup, combine oil, garlic, soy sauce, salt, pepper, orange zest. Squeeze juice of 1/2 orange through strainer into cup. Stir with fork to mix well. 

Place cooked turkey in a clean bowl. Pour soy sauce mixture over turkey and toss to coat. Place in refrigerator to marinate for a few hr.

When you're ready to assemble salad, rinse and pat dry lettuce. Place lettuce in a serving bowl.

Peel, rinse and chop onions. Arrange onions in bowl over lettuce. 

Open can of water chestnuts, drain, chop and arrange in bowl over lettuce.

Rinse and chop cucumbers, green onions and arrange in bowl over lettuce.

Remove turkey from refrigerator and arrange in bowl over lettuce. 

Snip end off of snow peas and cut in half (bias cut). Arrange in bowl over lettuce

 Peel and section other half of orange and arrange in bowl over lettuce. 

Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Just before serving, sprinkle sesame seeds over salad.

Serves 4 - 6. 

So Easy Chicken Scallopini™

This is an easy recipe for dinner or anytime. 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/3 - 2/3 c flour (regular or gluten free)
1/8- 1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper
2 - 4 T olive oil
1/3 - 1/2 c. chicken stock (low sodium)
lemon zest
1 c. mushrooms
1 - 1  1/2 T fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)
1/4 - 1/3 c dry white wine
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1 tsp. each: dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil, cornstarch 

In a dish combine: flour, salt, pepper, lemon zest, half of: basil, parsley, oregano. Mix with fork.

Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat pounder until chicken is thin. 

Dredge chicken lightly in flour mixture.

Heat skillet to medium high heat, Lower heat to medium, add some of the oil. Add chicken to pan and cook on 1 side for 4 - 8 min. Flip over and cook chicken on other side for 4 - 8 min or until done. Remove chicken from skillet and place on serving plate to let rest.

In a measuring cup, combine chicken broth and cornstarch. Mix until cornstarch is dissolved.

While skillet is on medium heat, add chicken broth mixture, lemon juice, mushrooms, rest of herbs, rest of oil and garlic to skillet. Reduce heat to medium low and carefully add wine. Stir sauce with whisk for 5 - 8 min or until reduced.  

Spoon reduced sauce over chicken.


Serves 4 

PTA Potluck Chicken Salad™

Fall is the season for get togethers. This recipe is perfect for potlucks or anytime. 

1 pkg.  (16 oz) elbow macaroni 

2 stalks of celery chopped 

1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks drained

1 c. Red or green grapes halved

1 - 2 c. light mayonnaise 

1 can (12.5 oz.) chopped cooked chicken drained

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

Cook macaroni according to package instructions, drain well. 

Rinse and cut: grapes and celery. 

Open and drain cans: chicken, pineapple chunks. 

In a serving dish: combine all ingredients, mix well and place in refrigerator to chill.

Serves 4. 

A Sunny Day Fried Egg™

Would you believe that I've mastered many egg dishes, but I could never master a simple fried egg until now.

2 eggs
1 T. butter
1/8 -1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper 

Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

 Lower heat to medium to medium low.

Add butter. 

When butter is melted, crack egg on the edge of pan and put eggs into pan.

Cook for 2 - 3 minutes on 1 side. Sprinkle salt, pepper over egg.

Flip eggs over with a clean spatula and cook on other side for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Remove eggs from pan and place onto a plate.

Serves 1