Sheet Pan Nachos

1 large can refried beans (29 oz)
1 lb hamburger browned with onion, salt & pepper
1 pint sour cream
Taco seasoning
2-4 cups Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

Spread refried beans in a jelly roll pan. Heat them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. You are just warming them up. Remove from oven and evenly sprinkle with the browned hamburger. Sprinkle the sour cream with taco seasoning to taste. I don't like a lot of the taco seasoning... I probably use 1/4 of the packet. So start out with a little. You can always add more. Drop the seasoned sour cream onto the hamburger and spread as much as you can. You can use more sour cream too. Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese. I like a lot of cheese but you can adjust according to your taste. We like mild but can use whatever you have. Colby/Jack works well too. Return to oven just until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips. Nacho cheese Doritos are our favorite! You could also top with diced tomatoes, olives or anything else you would put on nachos. This was one of our favorite meals when our kids were growing up. Enjoy!

Frito Chili Cheese and Corn Salad

3 cans (15 ounce) corn, drained
4-5 green onions, chopped
4-5 mini bell peppers, chopped (the colorful ones)
4 small tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped (optional)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 c. mayo (full fat mayo is best - not Miracle Whip)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 (14.25 ounce) bag Fritos Chili Cheese Corn Chips

Mix mayo, cumin, and chili powder.  Set aside.

Put all remaining ingredients, except Fritos, into a bowl.  Mix and add the mayo mixture.  Stir well.  Add the Fritos chips just before serving.  You can also place the Fritos in a separate bowl and let people add the chips themselves.

I got this recipe from my friend Jesie Canning.  We all really like this one!

English Muffin Bread

2 pkg. active dry yeast
6 cups unsifted flour
1Tbl. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup water
2 cups milk

Cornmeal

Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, soda.  Heat liquids until very warm (120 to 130 degrees); add to dry mixture.  Beat well by hand.  Stir in rest of flour to stiff batter.  Spoon into two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans that have been greased with shortening and sprinkled with cornmeal.  Sprinkle tops with cornmeal.  Cover; let rise in warm place for 45 minutes.  Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.  Remove from pan immediately and cool.  (I have found that when I spoon the batter into the pans, if I sprinkle a little cornmeal on top, I can spread the batter more evenly.  Then sprinkle more if you want.)

I got this recipe from my boss, Linda Mariotti.  We love it.  Especially toasted with lots of butter!

Party Delight

1 cup spam diced
2 hard boiled eggs diced
1/2 tsp onion minced
1 Tbl sweet relish
1/2 tsp mustard
3 Tbl mayo
Butter to spread
1 c grated cheese
Hamburger buns

Mix first 6 ingredients. Spread buns with softened butter. Put a spoonful of spam mixture on top of each bun half. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake on a cookie sheet in 350 degree oven just until cheese melts and buns are slightly toasted.

My mom made this for us when we were kids. It was one of my favorite dinners when I was growing up. I love it still!

Sugar Cookies

3 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
4 eggs well beaten
1 pint sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
Mix together.
Add:
8 c flour
1 tsp soda
6 tsp baking powder

Mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Roll about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 to 7 1/2 minutes on the upper middle rack.

This recipe came from Carol! She makes the best sugar cookies!

Taco Soup

1lb. Hamburger browned
1/2 c diced onion
2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
2 (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 pkg taco seasoning
Cook for 2 hours in crock pot.
Then add:
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
Let cook for 1 more hour

Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

• 2 tbsp. Butter
• ½ c. Celery, washed and thinly sliced
• ¼ c. Grated Onion
• ⅓ c. Grated Carrots
• 2 tbsp. Garlic, minced 
• 2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
• 6 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
• 8 c. Whole Milk
• ⅛ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
• ½ tsp. Ground Thyme
• 4 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 2 c. Cooked Chicken (roasted or grilled), small dice
• 2 c. Heavy Cream
• 16oz. Gnocchi, frozen or fresh.  

1. Melt butter in large pan, add onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until celery softens.  
2. Whisk in the flour; then add the Milk and chicken bouillon cubes.
3. Next, add the chicken, nutmeg and thyme; stir well. Increase heat and bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan; then add it to the soup along with the spinach and gnocchi.
5. Simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes or until gnocchi is cooked. 

*I have found Gnocchi at Smiths and World Market. You can also make your own if you want.  :)

Chewy Choco-Oat-Chip Cookies- Shaurie's recipe!

1 c. butter (2 sticks) softened
1 1/4 c. Packed brown sugar
1/2 c. Sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbl milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c. Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt
2 1/2 c. Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 (12 oz) pkg chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 c. Chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Best together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla, beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt, mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9-10 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Move to wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Bar cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake 30-35 minutes.

High Altitude Adjustment: Increase flour to 2 cups,

Chili Cream Cheese Dip

1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 (14 oz) can chili (no beans)

Heat together and stir. This is delicious with Nacho cheese Doritos!

Bacon Cheeseball

1 (8 oz) cream cheese softened
1/2 cup mayo
5 slices bacon crumbled
4 sliced green onions
1 dash dill weed
1 sprinkle pepper
1/2 cup chopped nuts (inside)
1/2 cups nuts (outside)

Mix cream cheese and mayo until smooth. Add in rest of ingredients except for the 1/2 cup of nuts for the outside of the cheeseball. Form into a ball and roll in remaining nuts. Chill. Serve with crackers. Almonds or pecans work well in this cheeseball.