Pasta Salad

This recipe is so easy, and so delicious! It makes a large batch, so feel free to halve the recipe.

Pasta Salad
2 pkg. corkscrew noodles
1 can corn
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 can olives, sliced
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1.5-2 cups Italian dressing (I like to use creamy)
1.5-2 cups ranch dressing (I use light Hidden Valley)

1. Boil noodles until soft. Drain and rinse. Put aside to cool (you could use this time to cut up vegetables).
2. Once noodles are cool, place them in a large bowl and toss in vegetables.
3. Pour equal parts Italian and ranch dressing over noodles/vegetables. Add as much dressing as desired. Make sure the dressings get mixed all the way through the salad. Serve chilled.

French-Fried Onion Chicken

French-Fried Onion Chicken
1 1/2 cups french-fried onions
2 Tbsp. flour
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400*.
2. Crush onions in ziploc bag and add flour. Line cookie sheet or 9x13 pan with foil.
3. Dip chicken in egg; place chicken in ziploc and cover with onions.
4. Place chicken on the foil and bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 egg
1/4 c milk
1/4 c oil
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1 T baking powder
3 medium over-ripe bananas*
1 3/4 c flour
1 c chocolate chips
*You can freeze over-ripe bananas until ready to use.

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Combine egg, milk, and oil. Add brown sugar, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix.
3. Throw in bananas and flour; mix. Add chocolate chips and mix.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.
Yields 2 dozen muffins.

Seven-Layer Dip

This is one of my husband's favorite things I make- a really easy dip. Go figure.

Seven-Layer Dip
1- 16 oz. can refried beans
1-1.5 cup scallions or chives, chopped
2 cups guacamole
1 can black olives, sliced
1- 16 oz. container sour cream
2-3 roma tomatoes, diced
1.5-2 cups Cheddar cheese
1 whole big bag of tortilla chips :)

1. Spread the can of beans on the bottom of a 9x9 pan.
2. Sprinkle scallions/chives evenly over beans
3. Spread guacamole over scallions/chives.
4. Sprinkle olives over guacamole.
5. Spread sour cream over olives.
6. Sprinkle tomatoes over sour cream.
7. Top with cheese.

This was a 6-layer dip (sans tomatoes), but you get the idea. :)

Tortilla Soup

This is hands down the best tortilla soup recipe. I promise you have never had a better bowl of tortilla soup in your life. My mom made this one up. She's incredible.
Feeds 4-6 people.

Tortilla Soup
2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
1-2 jalapenos, diced (opt.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T salsa
1 can beef broth
1 can tomato soup
3 c chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles
1 t ground cumin
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 T lime juice (or juice from one lime)
.5 c freshly chopped cilantro
2-3 c chicken, cooked and shredded
sour cream (opt.)
cheese (opt.)
avocado (opt.)
tortilla chips (opt.)

1. In a large pot, saute oil, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and salsa. Cook over medium heat until onions are semi-soft.
2. Slowly add ingredients from beef broth to chicken.
3. Simmer all ingredients for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, some grated cheese, a few slices of avocado, and some crushed tortilla chips on top.

See's Fudge

See's Fudge
1 cup butter
2.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1- 16 oz. pkg. large marshmallows
1.5 cups chopped nuts (opt)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 sm. can evaporated milk
4.5 cups sugar

1. Mix everything from the butter to the vanilla in a large bowl, and grease a 9x13 pan; put both aside.
2. Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Pour milk/sugar combination over the ingredients in the bowl. Hand-mix everything together for 6 minutes.
4. Pour batter into 9x13 pan and cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight.

Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies

I got this recipe from Megan Burke. It's super easy and super delicious.

Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies
1 package little smokies
1 package uncooked bacon (I wouldn't recommend using thick-sliced)
Brown sugar, to taste
Toothpicks

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Cut each strip of bacon widthwise into three equal-sized pieces. Wrap one piece of bacon around each little smokie. Stick a toothpick through to keep the bacon on and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar (the more the better) over the meat and bake for 15-20 minutes.