Stacie Allred's Broccoli Salad

Stacie Allred via Lisa Riding

Ingredients:
Salad:
4 C Broccoli tops, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 C Green Onions
1/2 C Sunflower Seeds
1 C Craisins
1 C Red Seedless Grapes, sliced in half
1/2 lb Bacon, cut up, fried and drained

Dressing:
1 C Mayonnaise
1/3 C Sugar
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

1. Mix salad ingredients well.
2. Mix dressing in a separate bowl.
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss well.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour prior to serving.
5. When ready to serve, stir well again.

Awesome Potato Soup

FB Source: Julie Morgan

Ingredients:

Soup:
1 lb potatoes diced, red potatoes are best
5 slices of bacon, uncooked and finely diced
1 small onion diced
2 celery stocks diced
4 cups milk
1 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes (dissolve these in 1 cup water, this is in addition to the 1 cup above)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/8 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1/2 cup whipping cream

Garnish:
Shredded cheese
fried bacon bits
chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside
2. Cook bacon until crispy, drain fat and set aside
3. Cook the onion and celery until celery is tender 
4. In a large saucepan add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper and cook on medium for about 8 minutes until mixture it hot. Do not let the mixture boil
5. In a small saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and mix well. Cook over low heat until the mixture bubbles, continue to stir for 2 to 3 minutes to make the mixture roux (thick)
6. While stirring the soup in the large saucepan add roux mixture slowly and continue stirring until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes
7. Stir in parsley, potatoes and cream
8. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three. Serve hot!

Guacamole Dip

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 green onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
½ small tomato, chopped
Pinch of salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel avocados. 
2. Place them in a bowl and mash with a fork. 
3. Add lime juice, green onion, garlic, tomato, and salt stirring well.

(from Dr. Susan's Kitchen)
Serve with low-fat corn chips, sliced vegetables, and entrees such as burritos. Delicious!

Stacie says: "Save the avocado pit, and keep it in the bowl of guacamole. It helps to keep the dip from oxidating (going brown) as quickly."

World’s Best Cheeseball

FB Source: Hilary Weeks

Ingredients:
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (5-oz.) jar Kraft Old English Cheese
4 T. crumbled blue cheese
2-3 green onions, diced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Pecan, chopped
Crackers of choice

Directions:

1. In mixer, thoroughly combine cheeses, green onions, and Worcestershire sauce. 
2. Form into ball and place on a pretty plate. 
3. Cover in chopped pecans. 
4. Serve with favorite snack crackers

This is hands down, the best recipe I own. My Aunt Gayle made this at all our family holiday gatherings and now I make it for all of mine. After tasting it, people think I’m a hero. Trust me, make this for your next special occasion and you will be a hero too. (Don’t be surprised if someone breaks out singing… “Did you ever know that you’re my hero…”) It’s that good.

Fall-Off-the-Bone Chicken Soup

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Original Source: Eat Drink Paleo

Ingredients:
1 whole free range chicken
2 celery sticks, washed
2 carrots, washed and peeled
2 spring onion bulbs (go for the green onions with more developed white bulbs) or 1 brown onion, cut into quarters
3-4 bay leaves
A few coriander (cilantro) stems and some leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 litres cold water
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes*
2 tsp Celtic salt or sea salt

1-2 large pots

Directions:

1. Firstly cut your chicken into 4 pieces. Use kitchen scissors to cut through one side of the spine and along the breast bone on the other side. Cut off the thighs from each half and you will have quarters. Place chicken in a large pot and cover with two litres of cold water. Place on the stove and turn the heat to high.
2. While the water is coming to boil you can prepare the rest of ingredients. What I do next is add bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns to the chicken stock. I then cut one of the celery sticks and one of the carrots into 3-4 pieces and add to the stock along with the white onion. I tear coriander leaves off the stems and save those for later; I add the stems as well as a few fresh leaves to the stock. The rest of the vegetables will be added in the second part of cooking. That’s it! Bring it to boil, then bring the heat down to low simmer and cover with a lead. Every now and then you can skim off the foam but we are going to strain the liquid so don’t worry too much about it. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Make sure it doesn’t boil or cook on high heat, low and steady is a secret to super soft chicken.
3. While the stock is cooking you can prepare the rest of the vegetables. Peel and cube the potato, slice the second halves of celery and carrot, and wash the coriander leaves.
4. By this stage the smell of chicken soup would have filled your house and you’re now ready for phase number two. Remove chicken pieces on to a bowl or a chopping board and let them cool down so we can work with the meat. Strain the rest of the liquid into another pot. You can use some of the cooked veggies but I like to discard those and use freshly chopped ones for some crunch.
5. Add salt, potato, celery and carrot to the strained stock. Bring to boil, then turn down to low simmering and cook for 10-15 minutes or until potato is soft to bite. While cooking, remove chicken skin and separate the meat. Tear the meat into thin strips and return to the soup at the end. Turn the heat off, throw in a handful of coriander leaves and some diced green onion and cover with a lid to set for a few minutes before serving.

Smothered Pork Chops

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 thin pork chops
2 Tbsp bacon fat
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups buttermilk
Chopped fresh parsley or green onions, for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper, salt, and black pepper in a pie plate. Coat pork chops in flour mixture; shaking off the excess.
2. Over medium heat in cast iron skillet, melt bacon fat and oil together well. Gently lay pork chops in skillet; fry about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove pork chops from skillet.
3. Mix ½ cup flour mixture and buttermilk together well; pour into skillet, stir into hot fat; bring gravy to boil then reduce heat to simmer until nice and thick, stirring often. 
4. Return pork chops to skillet; cover with gravy. Simmer for 5 minutes or so until pork chops are cooked through. 
5. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with chopped parsley or green onions if using, before serving.

Variation: May sauté onions and or mushrooms with pork chops and add to gravy mixture.
Granny's Favorites Cookbooks

Amy's Cheese-Ball

FB Source: John M Simmons

Ingredients:

Cheese Ball:
16 oz cream cheese
4 oz onion dip (like for potato chips)
2 cups shredded colby and monterey jack cheese combined
(you may substitute cheese of your choice)
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp A-1 steak sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash* original salt substitute.
1 celery stalk finely chopped
1 green onion finely chopped
1/4 cup carrots finely chopped or shredded
Ritz cracker crumbs or seasoned bread crumbs.

Turkey:
small piece of red bell pepper or tomato (for turkey wattle)
Pepperidge Farms Cracker Trio

Directions:

Cheese Ball:

1. Set aside cracker crumbs. (They will be used to coat the outside of the finished cheese ball.)
2. Mix together Worcestershire sauce, A-1 and lemon juice. Combine ingredients and cream together by hand. Form into desired shape. Coat with cracker crumbs, or more shredded cheese. 

Turkey:

1. Shape your cheese ball into a turkey shape, using the picture as a guide.
2. Use cracker crumbs to coat body and use Pepperidge Farm Cracker Trio for tail feathers and wings. Use chopped nuts for the eyes, a sliver of cheese for the beak and red bell pepper or tomato for the wattle.

*For our friends outside the U.S.- Mrs. Dash is a salt free seasoning blend of herbs and spices.

Amy said I could share her cheese ball recipe with you. It's awesome. Today she made it in the shape of a turkey.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

FB Source: Heather Armstrong

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 package taco seasoning
4 oz cream cheese
16 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese
3 green onions

Black olives, sliced

Sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a pan brown the ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
3. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Stir together and mix well. Set aside and cool completely.
4. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.
5. Pour salsa on bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Evenly cover shells with taco sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes with the foil removed. Top with green onions or olives if desired. Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa!

Yield: 16 shells

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

FB Source: Pampered Chef with Cathy Zastoupil

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature 
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)
6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. 
2. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: I like to dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.)
3. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. 
4. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.
5. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. 
6. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. 
7. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.

Yield: 6 wraps

BLT Macaroni Salad

FB Source: Lauren Weido

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp chili sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
3 cups macaroni, cooked
1/2 cup tomato, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
3 cups lettuce, shredded
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients; mix well.
2. Add the macaroni, tomato and onions; toss to coat.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Just before serving, add lettuce and bacon; toss to coat

This cold salad is the best I have ever made. It will fly right off of the table. This is perfect to take to parties or get-togethers.. You will love this..

Chicken Enchilada Dip Roll-Ups

Sherri Butler to Hillbilly Recipes.

Ingredients:
2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1⅓ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced (I used my garlic press) 
1½ Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 Rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded - If you can find a southwest flavored chicken, that would be even better.
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
1 package jalapeno cheddar tortillas

Directions:

1. Mix cheeses together until well blended.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. 
   Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Place one heaping spoonful onto tortilla. Spread to edges using a metal spatula.
4. Roll and cut into slices.

Baked Potato Casserole

Jarron Remington

Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes (about 2 ½ to 3 lbs total weight, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup light sour cream
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
6 slices bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
sliced green onions

Directions:

1. Place the potato chunks in a large pot. Fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Preheat the oven to 350⁰F. Grease a 2 ½-3 quart casserole dish.
3. Return potatoes to the pot. Add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Beat with a hand held mixer until smooth. 
4. Stir in 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese and half of the bacon.
5. Spoon the potato mixture into prepared casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.
6. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese, remaining bacon, and green onions.
7. Bake for an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Cheesy Baked Dip

Anita Maria

Ingredients:

8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
16 oz. cheddar cheese, grated (sharp or mild)
4 oz. chopped green chilies
Green onion (suit your own taste)
1 c. chopped ham
1/2 pound chopped bacon
1 round bread loaf, hollowed out

Directions:

1. Mix first seven ingredients together and put into the hollowed out bread loaf.
2. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for one hour. 
3. Serve with leftover bread or chips.

Source: triedandtasty.com

If you ever have to bring something to a potluck or if you are asked to bring an snacky type dish to someone's house...this Everyone would LOVE!!
(not exactly low cal...but ok for low carbers if they used pork rinds for dippers...and of course all the guys out there )

Roasted Garlic Chicken Puffs

Hillbilly Recipes.

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts
2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
2 Tbsp fresh chopped garlic
2 tsp chives
1/2 cup green onions
4 cans Refrigerated crescent roll dough

Directions:

1. Cook chicken and shred into fine chunks. Add minced garlic to cooking chicken and cook until garlic is browned/reduced.
2. Place remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, add warm chicken mix and incorporate.
3. Spoon approximately 2-3 tbsp of filling into canned crescent roll and cook as per directions. It is better to over-stuff the rolls and have it ooze from the sides.

I recommend buying at least 4 cans of the large flaky rolls as the mixture goes a long way.

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheese Potatoes

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheese Potatoes

Ingredients:
1/4 pound bacon, diced – I bake it first in the oven so that it is “done” and browned then I dice it and place in the crock pot.
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (or if you use a new potato or Yukon gold then halve)
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, thinly sliced (shredded is fine)
salt and pepper
butter
Green Onions (optional)

Directions:

1. Line slow cooker with foil, leaving enough to cover the potatoes when finished – this will help to not stick and to steam the potatoes – also to keep them from getting discolored or mushy.
2. Layer half each of the bacon, onions and potatoes in the crockpot.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and dot with (real) butter.
4. Repeat layers of bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese. Dot with butter.
5. Cover with remaining foil.
6. Cover and cook on low for up to 6 hours (check at 4 hours – depending on your crock pot).
7. Add cheese for the last 20 – 30 minutes and enjoy!

Dragons Breath Dip aka Cheesy Garlic Dip

Confessions of Crafty Witches

Dragons Breath Dip aka Cheesy garlic Dip  ~Frisky

There are two heads (yes, entire heads) of garlic in this dip! (That's why it's called Dragon's Breath). But I assure you, when garlic is roasted, it becomes sweet and nutty. This is one of the most popular dips I have ever served.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 heads garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. Brie cheese
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
dash white pepper
optional parsley or green onions for decoration on the top

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut top 1/2" off the top of the garlic heads. Remove some of the loose papery skin, leaving the heads intact. Place each on a square of foil, drizzle each with the olive oil, and wrap well. Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes, until the garlic is very soft and begins to brown. Cool until easy to handle. Squeeze each head to remove the soft roasted cloves.
In a food processor, process Brie cheese and cream cheese with the seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic cloves. (You can also cream these ingredients together using the back of a spoon and a lot of energy.) Refrigerate several hours to blend flavors. Serve with crackers, crostini, and sliced French bread.

Sliced Baked Potatoes

Kaye Watts

SLICED BAKED POTATOES!!! YES!!!!!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (Can also do in Microwave for 6 plus minutes)
Brush both side of potato slices with butter; place them on a cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated 400 degrees F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides, turning once.

When potatoes are ready, top with bacon, cheese, green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted;

Add a dollop of sour cream when done and enjoy!!

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Sheri Lynne McDaniel

OH HOLY SMOKES!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!
This is what I really want Saturday!!!

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Ingredients
2lbs chicken breast
8 potatoes
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS fresh Ground Pepper
1 TBS Paprika
2 TBS Garlic Powder
6 TBS Hot Sauce

{Toppings}
2 cups Shredded Cheese
1 cup crumbled Bacon
1 cup diced Green Onion

Instructions**
Preheat oven 500F
In a large bowl mix Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder & Hot Sauce
Cube the potatoes & add to the bowl
Coat a 9x13 dish with cooking spray
Add potatoes, allow for excess sauce in the bowl
Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes, stir every 15 minutes
Cube the chicken & add it to the bowl with the left over sauce
Mix together cheese, bacon & green onion in a small separate bowl
Once potatoes are done, add the uncooked marinated chicken
Then layer the toppings over the chicken
Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked

**Stacie's notes: This recipe is eerily similar to another recipe I posted a while back, but the instructions in this post were a little hard for me to interpret. If you're having a hard time with these instructions, check out this page: 

http://nowyoucanpinit.blogspot.com/2013/04/loaded-potato-and-chicken-casserole.html

Baked Crab Rangoons

Donna Crawford Sullivan

Why didn't anyone tell me these were so easy!

Baked Crab Rangoon

1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small green onion
4 oz imitation crab
3 oz cream cheese
14 wonton wrappers

Cut up the crab and mix it in with garlic salt, worcestershire sauce, green onion and cream cheese (i would microwave the cream cheese for about 40 seconds to soften)
Spoon into wontons.
Bake at 425 F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown
By: I love showing my personality in my cooking

PF Chang's Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Jasmine Pace

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
8 oz white mushrooms, chopped
1 lb lean ground chicken
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup green onions, sliced
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
8 large lettuce leaves
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3/4 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp honey
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat canola oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Place mushrooms in a large bowl, set aside.
2. Add chicken, garlic and ginger to skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes or until chicken is brown, breaking the meat up as it cooks.
3. Combine the chicken mixture with the bowl of mushrooms; add green onions and water chestnuts; toss together.
4. Combine sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, lower-sodium soy sauce, honey and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl; whisk to mix well.
5. Divide chicken mixture evenly between each lettuce leaf and top with sesame oil mixture.

Optional: Garnish with fun, bright extras, like the red peppers and scallions seen above.
Serves 4