Candy Bar Smoothie

Ok, so this is one of those recipes that comes in handy after Halloween, when theres SO Much extra chocolate you dont know what to do with it :) (or.. you just want to borrow your kids candy).

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 c. chocolate ice cream
2 (2-3 ounces EACH) candy bars (of whatever kind you have) broken into pieces
2 c. ice cubes
In a blender combine the ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately. But being the "food having to be visually attractive" person that I am... I always squirt some whipped cream and put shredded chocolate on top :) If you're like us.. you'll have to double the recipe too :) adpt. from mrfood.com

Deep Dish Pizza...Casserole?

1 lb ground beef
1 (15 oz) can chunky Italian style tomato sauce
mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. parmesan cheese (grated)
Pepperoni
Pizza dough recipe (here) or (10 oz) store bought refrigerated pizza dough

(Its best to have your pizza dough done first, I like to make it a day or two before and leave it in the refrigerator... they're just better that way) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cook the ground beef in a skillet until the meat crumbles. Drain. Add the tomato sauce into the ground beef and cook until heated through. Find a 13 x 9 pan and lightly spray it with cooking spray. Unroll your dough into the 13 x 9 pan and press into the bottom, as well as halfway up the sides of the pan. (If you dont press it up the sides when it cooks it will spill its contents over the side of the dough.. and we dont want that). RIGHT on top of the pizza dough put half of the cheese (yes on the bottom) and then pour your meat/sauce mixture on top and spread evenly. Bake LIKE THIS uncovered for about 12 minutes. Place the last half of the cheese on top of the pizza and add your pepperoni to the top of the cheese. Then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Bake for about 5 more minutes, or until the cheese melts and the crust is browned. Adapted from mrfood.com

Roasted Pecans

2 T butter
1/2 c. honey
sugar in the raw
pecans

On the stove bring the butter, and honey to a rolling boil (stirring frequently so it doesnt burn.) on a cookie sheet (preferable one with a rim on it) place your pecans (I normally use about a whole bag for this... enough to fill up the cookie sheet with minimal space between nuts.) on the cookie sheet and cook at 225 Degrees for about 10-15 minutes. (Check at 10 minutes, you want them to have that "I've been  baked taste." When the pecans are done in the oven pour the whole batch of nuts INTO the pot on the stove with the warm butter and honey (make sure you turn the heat off) and stir until fully coated. On your cookie sheet sprinkle some raw sugar. Spread the nuts/honey/butter mixture back onto the cookie sheet and coat with more raw sugar. You want there to be enough nuts to honey ratio that they are coated but not TOO coated with the honey. Sugar to taste.

Easy Fish Tacos

6-7 tortillas (corn or flour)
8-10 fish fillets, battered and fully cooked (frozen store bought kind work if you don't know how to make them)
1 c. shredded cabbage
pico de gallo (below)
sauce (below)
feta cheese to taste
cilantro to taste


Sauce:
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. diced jalapeno
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne
1 Tbsp. lime juice
salt & pepper to taste


Pico de gallo:
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. FRESH cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, diced
dash salt
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. lime juice


For pico de gallo: Toss all ingredients together and let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
For sauce: Mix all ingredients together until blended well.


Place a piece of fish into each tortilla shell and top with cabbage, sauce, pico de gallo, feta and cilantro.

Pecan Crusted Salmon

1 large salmon fillet (cut into sections)
2 c. milk
1 c. pecans (finely chopped)
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. Lawry's seasoning salt
1 t. pepper
vegetable oil

In a large ziploc bag place the salmon and milk together to soak for 10 minutes. Take the salmon out and get rid of the milk. Combine all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Coat the salmon completely in the dry mixture. At medium-high heat brown both sides of the salmon in a small amount of vegetable oil. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and then bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps

2 lb chicken
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. buffalo wing sauce
3/4 c. ranch dressing
8 flour tortillas
3 c. shredded lettuce

In a 1 1/2 quart crock pot place the chicken, and sprinkle with salt. Cover. Cook 6-7 hours on low. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker onto a cutting board. Dump juices out of crock pot. Mix the buffalo wing sauce and 1/4 c. ranch dressing and pour it into the crock pot. Shred the chicken (I use 2 forks to do this.) Return the chicken to the crock pot and stir. Spread each tortilla with remaining ranch dressing. Place chicken onto tortillas and lettuce. Secure with toothpicks. (Cheese is also good in here :) )

Caramel Dip

2 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 c. Karo syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla

Bring brown sugar, butter, and karo syrup to a boil. Boil just until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and then add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Serve with anything! Ice cream, apples, cheesecake etc.

Easy Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 chicken breast halves pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
6 string cheese sticks (or other cheese)
6 slices of ham
1/2 cup butter melted
1 c. seasoned dry bread crumbs
toothpicks

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees. Lay the pounded chicken breasts out. Place a slice of ham on each piece and then the cheese on top as well. Roll the chicken up around the.. innards and secure with toothpicks. (Should be all rolled up like a cinnamon roll.) (If you dont want to roll them up you can also slice a little pocket into the chicken and put the ham and cheese inside the pocket, and then secure that with a toothpick.) Dip each roll or pocket into melted butter, and then directly roll in the bread crumbs. Place in a baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the oven, or until the chicken is browned and the juices are clear.
For the sauce: In a small sauce pan mix together the soup, sour cream and lemon juice. Heat over low hear stirring occasionally until hot, and then pour over the (already baked) chicken rolls. Makes roughly 2 cups of sauce.