Pork Burritos

2-3 lb. Pork Tenderloin Roast
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 cups FRESH Salsa (very important to use fresh salsa)
20 oz Vanilla Coke (I usually only use about half of this)

***Adjust any of these ingredients to your liking.

Combine all ingredients together in a crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Once the pork has cooked through (usually for me this is somewhere between 4-5 hours) remove the roast and shred it. Return shredded pork to the crockpot and continue cooking.

Serve in warm tortilla shells (we like the ones you cook yourself from Costco) with your favorite fixings. Our favorites are cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Tortellini Soup

1 T butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

1 (9 oz) pkg. cheese tortellini

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

½ bunch fresh spinach

3t fresh basil or 1t dried basil

Melt butter in a large saucepan and sauté garlic over med heat for 2 min.

Stir in broth and tortellini. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 5 min. Add tomatoes, spinach, and basil into soup.

Simmer 10 minutes more. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.

Fruit Dip

Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese (room temp)

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

Mix together, and enjoy with any kind of fruit.

You can add walnuts if you like. I don't like nuts so I don't

Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Pasta with Blackened Chicken

1 T. olive oil
8 oz. gemelli or penne pasta
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dry basil (or 3 T. fresh)
1 tsp. sugar
2/3 cup cream
Handful of spinach (optional)
Parmesan cheese

• Cook pasta according to directions; drain and keep warm.
• Pour tomatoes into a small sauce pan and add dry basil and sugar. (If using fresh basil stir in at the end.) Reduce the tomatoes over medium-high heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Once the tomatoes have thickened, reduce heat and stir in cream. Heat through but do not boil. Toss with pasta (and spinach if you are using it.)
• Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve with grilled chicken.

***This recipe reminds me of the penne rosa from noodles & co.

No Bake Cheesecake

No Bake Cheesecake

1 8 oz package cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 cup sour cream (room temp)
3/4 cup sugar
8 oz cool whip (thawed)
1 pre-made graham cracker crust

Using a hand mixer cream sugar and cream cheese. Then mix in sour cream. Fold (use a spatula) in cool whip. Put cream cheese mixture into crust and let set in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Kabob Marinade

Awesome Kabob Marinade

1 1/2 cups oil

3/4 cup soy sauce (can use low-sodium)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste I use seasoned salt)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dry parsley flakes

1 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

1/2 cup wine vinegar

1 -2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or to taste, I use lots!)

1/3 cup store-bought teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup honey 

2 small green onions, chopped (optional)

Put all ingredients into a blender (except the green onions, if using add them in after blending). Blend for 30-40 seconds. Mix in in green onions. This recipe makes 3-1/2 cups of marinade, but may be stored in the refrigerator tightly covered in a glass container for up to 3 weeks.

*NOTE* marinate the beef, pork or lamb for 8 hours or up to 24 hours chicken up to 8 hours.

Mindy's Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

2 pkgs refrigerated French Bread dough (I used 1 store bought French bread)
2 Tb olive oil, divided
3 Tb grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, or use kettle cooked turkey breast or rotisserie chicken
salt and pepper
2 medium red bell peppers
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
1/4 tsp Lemon Pepper seasoning
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and stemmed

Place dough, seam side down on a large baking stone or silpat covered cookie sheet. Use serrated knife to make 4 diagonal cuts, 1/2 in deep, on top of each. Using a pastry brush lightly brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 26-30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove bread to cooking rack and cool completely. (If you use store bought French bread, you can skip all of this.)
If grilling the chicken heat grill to medium temperature. Brush chicken with 1 tsp of olive oil season lightly with salt and pepper. Slice bell peppers into 1/2 inch strips and toss with remaining 1Tb of oil. Place chicken and bell pepper slices on grid of grill. Grill uncovered for 12-15 minutes turning as needed until chicken is cooked and bell peppers are tender. Remove from grill and cool slightly. Cut chicken into thin strips. Combine mayo, pesto and lemon pepper. To assemble sandwich, cut bread in half horizontally. Spread half of the presto mixture over cut side of bread bottom, cover with spinach leaves. Arrange chicken evenly over spinach; top with bell pepper strips. Spread remaining pesto mixture over top half. Cut each loaf into 4 sections. Enjoy!