Food and Features

I know it's early for soup, but this is wonderful. You can make it as mild or hot as you like.
Enjoy! This makes a lot, so either invite friends over or shorten the recipe.

Ingredients:

2lbs. ground turkey or beef
1 chopped onion
Two 1/2 oz. pkgs. of Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing
Two 1.25 oz. pkgs. of taco seasoning
16 oz. can of black beans, undrained
16 oz. can of pinto beans, undrained
16 oz. can of kidney beans, undrained
10 oz. can of Rotel tomatoes
16 oz. can of stewed tomatoes, chopped
16 oz. can of white corn, undrained
2 cups of water

Cook meat and onion together until meat is browned. Drain off grease. Stir ranch dressing and taco seasoning mix into the meat. Add remaining ingredients with juices from all. Add water. If mixture is too thick, add more water. Simmer 2 hours. A crock pot works very well with this recipe. Garnish with sour cream, cheese, sliced onion and jalapenos if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.
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This is a new twist on spaghetti. This is definitely a keeper.

Ingredients:

1/2 stick margarine
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 8oz. pkg. spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 sm. jar or can of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. chili powder
shredded cheddar cheese

Saute chopped onions and celery in margarine until tender. Combine all ingredients and spread mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350' until warm and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.

I used whole wheat spaghetti and I only used about 1/3 of the can of chicken soup. I also used Smart Choice butter and 2% milk cheddar cheese. [Full Story »] 

Here is a quick recipe for jambalaya. It is not spicy. You can always add peppers to spice it up.
Enjoy!

2.25 cups water
1.5 cups uncooked regular rice
1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 can French Onion soup, undiluted
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 lb. sausage
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Meanwhile cut sausage in 1/2 inch sizes and brown in skillet. After 40 minutes, stir in sausage and shrimp. Cover and bake additional 20 minutes. [Full Story »] 

Yet another recipe for you grill masters.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1.5 tsp. garlic powder
1.5 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
2 racks baby back ribs (about 1/2 lb. each) membrane removed
1 cup wood chips, soaked

Sauce Ingredients:

1.25 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp. liquid smoke

For the ribs:
Combine all the spices in a bowl. Wash ribs and pat ribs dry with paper towels and massage spice rub into both sides of ribs. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
Grill or smoke for 1.5 hours with bone side down. When grilling or if your smoker does not have a water pan, place a small disposable aluminum pan filled with 2 cups water under the burner. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat over 250 degrees. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet or pan and add just enough water to cover pan bottom. Arrange ribs on wire rack, cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook until ribs are completely tender, about 2 hours. Transfer to serving platter, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Brush ribs with 1 cup of sauce and place on the remaining on the table.

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Here is a simple yet flavorful rub and marinade for a pork tenderloin. We have grilled this on a charcoal and gas grill. I prefer the charcoal grill for this recipe.

Rub:
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. minced garlic

Marinade:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil

Heat the marinade before using it so the ingredients can incorporate together. [Full Story »] 

Here is a recipe for one of my favorite summer side dishes. This goes great with ribs or steaks on the grill. You could also add an egg if you would like. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained
1/3 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomato (optional)
1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper.

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, onion, parsley and tomato, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Store covered in the refrigerator and serve when chilled. Can be stored for up to 3 days.
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The tomatoes in our garden are still green with a few starting to turn red. Now is the time to make a piping hot batch of fried green tomatoes. Enjoy this with any dipping sauce you like. I prefer ranch dressing. [Full Story »] 

We have had an abundance of red potatoes this year from the garden. I can't think of a better way to utilize them than by making a wonderful potato salad. This recipe is easy and will go great with anything on the grill.
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