5 cups oatmeal
4 t. baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup butter softened
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded coconut
(Opt.) 1/2 cup brown sugar (if not adding coconut or fruit)
1 diced apple
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cherries, apricots)
2 t. cinnamon

Whisk eggs and butter together with fork. Add oatmeal and milk and mix. Add remaining ingredients.
Grease 9x13 pan. Spread oatmeal evenly in pan and cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or till golden brown. Can leave in oven overnight for time-bake.

• 24 medium to large strawberries
• 8 ounce light cream cheese
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1. Remove the tops of all the strawberries and and cut out a cone shape from inside the middle of each strawberry with a paring knife - a little well to be filled with cream cheese mixture.
2. Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Fill a ziploc bag with the cream cheese mixture (filling it into one of the corners). Twist the top of the bag and snip the corner of the bag with the filling.
3. Squeeze filling into each strawberry and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream (half & half or milk)

Cook butter and sugar till grains disappear. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate chips. Whisk in cream till smooth. Can reheat.

Chicken Marinade:
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Black Bean Salsa:
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
Yellow Pepper Salsa:
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded, and diced
• 1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 can large olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced
Avocado Salsa:
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Toppings:
• 4-5 large eggs
• 6-8 slices thick-cut bacon (I used turkey bacon – it was delicious)
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces
Green Goddess Dressing:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
• 2 green onions, white and green parts, cut into thick chunks
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1. For the chicken marinade, in a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
2. Heat a grill to medium-high heat (an indoor grill pan or skillet could be used also). Grill the chicken until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Cool the chicken completely then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 13 minutes then rinse them under cold water until they are completely cooled. Peel and coarsely chop the eggs. Set aside.
4. Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the yellow pepper, tomatoe, olives, and 1/2 of the sweet onion. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. In another bowl, combine the black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and onion. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
7. In another bowl (don’t worry, we are almost done with the excess of bowls), combine the avocado, 1/4 cup cilantro, juice of 2 limes, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
8. On a large platter (or large bowl), arrange the romaine lettuce. Arrange the chicken in a strip down the middle of the romaine. On either side, make piled strips of the eggs, bacon, yellow pepper mixture, black bean mixture and avocado mixture. Drizzle with dressing or serve it on the side. The easiest way to serve this on a platter is with a pair of tongs. If using a large bowl, gently toss to combine all the ingredients before serving.
9. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together in a blender. Process until smooth. Thin with additional buttermilk (adding it one teaspoon at a time), if desired. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
1 16 oz. can black beans
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 T. lime juice

Warm corn in hot butter. Add beans, cilantro and lime and heat just till warm.
Made 3/26/13 with excellent results!

1 cup sour cream
1 cup Mayo
1 T. Dill Weed
1 T. Parsley
1 t. Beau Monde

32 oz. hash browns
1 stick melted butter
Press into 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 min.

Mix:
1 1/2 cups of shredded swiss or mozz
1 1/2 cups cheddar
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups diced ham or sausage
1 1/2 cups milk
Pour over hash browns
Bake 40 min.

Spicy Chicken
Brown Rice
Black Beans
Fresh Salsa
Guacamole
Black Beans and Corn

Mexican Tomato and Corn Salad

Salad:
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 c frozen corn
2 c grape tomatoes, halved
1 c feta cheese
2 T cilantro, chopped
1 head Romaine chopped in 2 inch pieces
Salt and Pepper to taste

Dressing:
1 T lime zest
1 T lime juice
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T olive oil
1 T minced garlic (3 garlic cloves)

Heat corn in hot oil. Cool in Fridge. Whisk Dressing and toss with all salad ingredients.

Slow-cooker Tomato Soup
Croque Monsieur - Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Easy Meatballs
Make ahead and freeze!

Ok, the dealio with homemade croutons is that they are 100 times tastier than store-bought and require minimal effort. I don’t stress over what kind of bread to use. I open up my freezer and pull out baked rolls or homemade hamburger buns I’ve been storing there. A delicious rustic ciabatta loaf works well, too. Basically, I don’t think you can go wrong if you use a hearty, sturdy loaf or roll that won’t fall apart on you. For today’s purpose, I am using some homemade buns I used with this recipe (subbing whole wheat for half the flour). Start by cutting them into about 1/2-inch strips.

My rolls were thick enough that I then took those strips and cut each slice in half again lengthwise, as shown.
Cut each strip into about 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes.
You’ll end up with a big pile of yummy bread cube goodness.
Place the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and oh yeah, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Drizzle the bread cubes with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss well with your hands so the cubes are evenly coated, for the most part.
Next, take about a teaspoon of coarse/kosher salt and sprinkle it over the bread cubes.
Do the same with about 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Toss again until the spices are evenly distributed. Then pop the croutons in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, checking often and baking until the cubes are golden brown and toasted.
Serve them on this gourmet green salad or your favorite salad and try not to let your kids eat too many as a snack or your salad will look a little sparse.
Find Pictures here.

Yield: Serves 6-8
 Note: You can use regular diced tomatoes if you don't have or can't find petite diced, but if you have the option, go for the petite diced. The smaller size of the tomatoes meshes better with the finely diced vegetables.
(Made 3-12-13, absolutely delicious!)

• 2  jars tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1 1/2 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 1/2 cup finely diced onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaf
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2  cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups whole milk, warm
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Croutons for serving (homemade version here)

1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, oregano, basil, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until the vegetables are tender.
2. About 45 minutes before serving, melt the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden, about 3 minutes. The mixture will be crumbly, but that's ok.
3. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle in 1 cup (or a ladleful) of the hot soup from the slow cooker. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Add another cup or ladleful and stir again until smooth. Add another cup or two and stir until smooth.
4. Stir the creamy, hot mixture back into the slow cooker. Add the Parmesan cheese, milk, salt and pepper, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
5. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes until ready to serve. Serve with homemade croutons, if desired (and trust me, you'll want to desire it).

 Recipe Source: adapted from Leigh Anne at Your Homebased Mom, originally from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

We used a combination of fingerling and tiny new potatoes, but this dish would be just as delicious with quartered or halved new potatoes.

Ingredients