Cowboy Pot Roast

1 1/2 t. salt, divided
1 1/2 t. pepper, divided
1 (14.5 oz) can petite-cut diced tomatoes, drained
1 can Rotel
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 T. chili powder
1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb) eye of round roast, trimmed (I use what was on sale!)
2 T. veggie oil
2 cans of Pinto beans, drained
1 can of Black beans, drained

Combine 1 t. salt, 1 t. pepper, and next 4 ingredients in bowl.Sprinkle reast evenly w/remaining salt and pepper. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil.
Transfer roast to a crock pot. Pour tomatoe mixture over roast. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 to 6 hours.
Remove roast from the slow cooker and cut into large chunks; keep warm
Skim the fat from the crock pot. Mash 1 1/2 cans pinto beans and add to the crock pot. Stir in black beans and remaining pintos. Add the roast pieces back to the crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 25 more minutes. Top w/jalapenos, if desired.

Now add some cornbread - if ya know what's good for ya!

Easy Fruit Salad

by Roxanne
I'm a fruit salad purist (no nuts please) and was skeptical of this one. . .it's more like really sloppy fruit salad but is also really yummy and fast to make.

Easy Fruit Salad
1 Can Comstock peach pie filling
1 lg. can pineapple tidbits drained
1 sm. can mandarin oranges
2 bananas sliced
1 pkg. frozen strawberries thawed

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Carolyn's Carrot Cake

(by Roxanne)

(Makes one bundt or two 9" layers)
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2-1 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
4 eggs
1 C. oil
4 C. grated carrots (about 8 lg.)
1/2 C. chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 C. raisins (optional)
Beat eggs 'til frothy, add oil and mix, add dry ingredients and mix (batter will be VERY thick), add carrots and mix (batter will get thin), stir in raisins and nuts. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes for layers and 50 minutes (or so) for bundt. Cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out.

Cream Cheese Frosting (good for whatever ails you. . .also delicious on any baked good)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 C. powdered sugar, sifted

Cream 1st 3 ingredients together, add powdered about a cup or so at a time. You can add more or less sugar to make it creamier or stiffer.

Glenda's Oatmeal Cookies

by Roxanne
This is my mom's recipe. . .I've had them all of my life and they are great--if in doubt (on whether they are done or not), pull 'em out--of the oven that is--and they will be chewy. Hope this one works for you.

OATMEAL COOKIES
1 C. butter or margarine
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 C. oats
1/2 C. chopped nuts or raisins
Cream butter and sugars, add eggs and beat in, add dry ingredients, then stir in nuts or raisins. Bake at 350 15 minutes or until light brown at edges.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Request

I need a good recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies. I'd like it to use butter, not shortening. The recipes I have tried recently have made a really dry, crumbly dough, which means the cookies don't flatten out when they bake, resulting in dry, crumbly cookie balls. Ick.

Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

I got this from the Flylady website. So easy and DELICIOUS!

Put 1 or 2 whole chickens in the crockpot and sprinkle them with Lemon Pepper seasoning. Cook them on high 6-7 hours, or low 8-10 hours.

Hawaiian Roll Sandwiches

This recipe is from Rene Owens and she served these in our potluck last night. They are so yummy, my kids will go crazy over these. O.k. they are not real low fat, but they are worth the splurge.

Hawaiian Roll Sandwiches

2 Pkg. Hawaiian Rolls
1 1/2 lbs. Thin Sliced Ham or Roast Beef
10 Slices Swiss Cheese or American Cheese

Slice rolls in one piece all the way across to make a top and bottom layer. Place meat and cheese on bottom layer.

Sauce:
1 stick butter
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire
1 1/2 Tblsp. Brown or Regular Dry Mustard
1 1/2 Tblsp. Poppy Seed
1 Tblsp. Onion Flakes

Melt, mix, and pour 3/4 of sauce over meat and cheese on sandwiches. Replace the top of the sandwiches. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the sandwiches. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Easy Chocolate "Mousse"

Not really Mousse, but a great way to fake it.

1 3/4 c. skim milk
1 pkg. instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 8 oz. container non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Pour the milk into a large bowl and add the pudding mix. Beat on the lowest speed of a mixer for about 3 minutes. Carefully fold in the thawed whipped topping until the color of the mixture is even. Spoon into dessert glasses and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Pea Salad

This is from Jim's grandmother. I've made it several times and someone usually tells me that their grannie made it.

1 can LeSuer peas
1 can French Cut green beans
1 can Shoepeg corn
1 small jar of chopped pimento
1 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 sliced red onion

Dressing:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup salad oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

Bring the dressing to a boil and pour over the vegetables. Let it sit overnight - it will keep in the frig for a long time.

Strawberry Ice Pops

I lifted this from another Sarah's blog b/c I wanted to be able to find the recipe when I have strawberries!

2 pints fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled (cut out the stem and the surrounding white stuff)
1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
8 wooden popsicle sticks
8 large dixie cups

Mash strawberries coarsely with a fork, or pulse briefly in a food processor, leaving some chunks. Stir in undiluted apple juice concentrate. Spoon into ice-pop molds or small cups and partially freeze; then push a wooden stick into each. Freeze for at least 6 hours. Unmold (dip mold or cup into warm water for a few seconds if needed) and serve. Makes 8 ice pops.

Easy "Beck" Chicken

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup, Healthy Request works great
1/2 soup can full of water
4-6 chicken breasts
1 or 2 cans of canned biscuits, baked

Place chicken breasts in crock pot, pour mixture of soup and 1/2 can of water over the top. Cover and cook. I use frozen chicken breasts, cook on low, and it takes about 8 hours. (Cook the chicken until it can be shredded with a fork) Take a fork and shred up the chicken in the crock pot and serve with the sauce over biscuits. Salt to taste.
This was so easy. My whole family liked it, I served it with veggies. You could mix stuff in, like veggies, and make it an all in one meal. Thanks to Jana Beck for this recipe, it's a household favorite.

White Chocolate Butterfinger Ice Cream

Remember my friend Laura, that makes up recipes while laying in bed at night?

by Laura
Here's a recipe I came up with in bed one night:

White Chocolate Butterfinger Ice Cream

2 cans Eagle Brand Condensed Milk
2 cans evaporated skim milk
2 boxes white chocolate pudding (I use sugar-free instant)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons vanilla (or vanilla rum)
5 eggs (optional)
6 Butterfinger bars, crushed
Milk, to fill

Mix first 6 ingredients. Cook if desired, then cool (this can be done the night before; I don't cook the mixture, therefore a fugitive from the egg police.) Add candy bars and pour into your ice cream maker. Fill to the line with milk and freeze according to your ice cream maker.

Tomato Basil Soup

I was asked to post this from Monday night's Bunco:

Rich and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
8 tomatoes- peeled, seeded, and diced
8 c. tomato juice
28 leaves fresh basil
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 lb. butter
salt and pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes and juice in stock pot. Simmer 30 min. Puree along wiht basil leaves in food processor. Return to stock pot, add cream, butter, salt and pepper. Serves 10

Susan changed the recipe somehow- If you heard her say how, post it in the comment section

Tortilla Soup

Another current favorite! And so, so easy.

1 can cooked chicken or a couple of cooked chicken breasts (leftover chicken without skin works great!)
1 can corn, drained
1 can Ro-Tel
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
onion powder to taste
salt to taste
2 cloves minced garlic
chicken broth
Monterey Jack cheese
tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients except broth and cheese and heat while mixing well. Once ingredients are completely mixed, add chicken broth to achieve desired consistancy. Let simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of Monterey Jack cheese. Serve soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with additional cheese.

Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is my current favorite. Sounds fancy, but very simple. My little picky eaters like it, too. I haven't had great luck getting the sauce to thicken up, but it tastes really good, so nobody seems to mind if it's a bit runny.

Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
4 thin slices smoked ham
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tbs. butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
oregano, garlic, salt and pepper to taste

Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken. Bake at 350 degrees fro 35 minutes or until juices run clear (It's been my experience that it can take up to an hour to cook if you don't get the chicken thin enough). Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine broth and whipping cream; season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Simmer on low, stirring until thickened. Pour over chicken.

Chicken and Rice

by Tammy

1 box of Uncle Ben's Fast Cook Long Grain Rice
2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 can of golden mushroom soup
1/2 soup can of water.

Mix up uncooked rice, soup, water then mix in the chicken. Put in a 9x9 pan and cook for about 45 minutes at 350.

This is my absolute favorite chicken and rice recipe. I tweaked it from my 4 ingredient cook book. For my family I double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan. Easy and very yummy.