Friday, May 13, 2011

Swiss Vegetable Medley

We had this as a side dish with dinner last night.  Yummy!

Swiss Vegetable Medley

(Serves 6-8 as a side dish)

16 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed  (We used broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 (2.8 oz) can fried onions, divided

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine the vegetables, soup, sour cream, pepper, and 3/4 c of the cheese in a bowl.  Stir in 3/4 of the fried onions.  Pour into an ungreased 1 qt. casserole dish.  Cover.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly around the edges.  Uncover;  sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes. 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

My Favorite Cookies

These are my all-time favorite cookies.  One reason is that they're not very healthy so it's not very often that I make them, which makes them a rare treat.  Second reason I love them?  They're delicious!!!  Something else wonderful about this dessert?  You can layer all of the dry ingredients into a jar to give as gifts!  This is how I first tasted these cookies - the dry ingredients given to me in a jar.  :)

Cowboy Cookies

(Makes about 3 dozen)

2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c vegetable or canola oil
1 c packed brown sugar
1 c white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 c flaked coconut
2 c quick-cooking oats
1 chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together butter, oil, sugars, and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well.  Stir in coconut, oats, and chocolate chips.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or using baking stones.  Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden.

Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Easy Orzo Salad

On Mother's Day all of us Moms got to request what was on the menu, of course.  This is what I wanted.

Easy Orzo Salad

1 pkg. orzo
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4 oz. (1/2 of small package) mushrooms, quartered
1 c fresh broccoli
Italian salad dressing

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Rinse under cold water, and drain well.  Combine pasta and vegetables, then coat with dressing to taste.  Chill for a few hours before serving, adding more dressing if pasta becomes dry.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Menu Plan Monday

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  My parents, my sister & her family, my two uncles, my daughter and I went to my Grandma's house.  We are very blessed to still have her with us at 85 years of age!

Here's what we have going on this week:

Monday - Chick-fil-a date with our friends
Tuesday - Spaghetti (Yes, we love this.  I could eat it a couple of times a week, probably!)
Wednesday - My nephew has a baseball game, so I'm packing a veggie wrap for myself and a pb&j for the munchkin
Thursday - Almond Crusted Tilapia, steamed broccoli, wild & long grain rice
Fri, Sat & Sun:
Burgers
Probably another vegetable dinner (We tend to have at least one fresh-veggie-only dinner a week when gardens start to come in)
Fish Fry at the local Fire Department

Have a joyful week!