Avocado Salsa

3 avocados diced chunky
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 roma tomatoes diced
1/8 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine the avocados, onion, tomatoes and cilantro  in a medium bowl.  Add lime juice, pepper and salt.  Toss and lightly stir to combine flavors.

Strawberry White Chocolate Pie

Crust:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
dash of salt

Filling:
12 oz cream cheese, softened (1-1/2 packages)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 cups cool whip
dash of salt

Topping:
1 pound sliced strawberries
3 Tablespoons white chocolate chips

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and salt.  Pour the crumbs into a pie dish.
2. Press the crust firmly into the pan along the bottom and sides.
3. Pour 1/2 cup white chocolate chips into a small bowl.  Microwave the chips for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval until melted.  Set the bowl aside and allow the chocolate to cool slightly.
4. Beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
5. Add cool whip, orange juice and melted white chocolate.  Add a dash of salt and mix well, until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
6. Carefully spoon filling over the crust.
7. Lay the sliced strawberries on top of the filling.  Start along the outside edge and work your way toward the middle.
8. Melt the rest of the white chocolate chips.  Drizzle the chocolate over the berries.
9. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Southwest Sliders

1 lb ground beef
slices of cheese
1 (8oz) can refried beans
shredded lettuce
sliced tomatoes
guacamole
sour cream
10 small buns or King's Hawaiian rolls

1. Divide beef into 10 small patties.  Grill until done.
2. Melt cheese on top of patties.
3. Cut buns in half.  Place a small amount of refried beans on the bottom of each bun.  Top with shredded lettuce.
4. Place beef patty on top of lettuce.
5. Add tomato and guacamole.
6. Top with sour cream and place other bun on top.

(Adapted from a Six Sisters' Stuff recipe)

Pumpkin Crunch

I got this recipe from my aunt Candace.  The original recipe called for 1 cup of melted butter to be poured over everything right before the cake goes in the oven.  We omitted the butter entirely and the dessert turned out great.  You can add the butter if you want.  This tastes like pumpkin pie and is great served warm with vanilla ice-cream.

15oz can pumpkin
3 eggs
12oz can evaporated milk
1/4 cup milk
1 cup white sugar
4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped walnuts
white chocolate chips (optional)

1. Combine pumpkin, eggs, milks, sugar, and all spices.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
2. Sprinkle dry yellow cake mix over the top.
3. Sprinkle walnuts over that.
4. Bake 1 hour at 350 or until set.
5. Sprinkle 1 cup white chocolate chips on hot cake if desired.
6. Serve warm with ice-cream.  It is also good cold.

Root Beer Cake

I love this frosting.  When I made this cake I used ghiradelli cocoa powder and ghiradelli dark chocolate.  We made this to celebrate Doug finishing the Colorado bar.

For Cake:
2 cups root beer (don't use diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

For Frosting:
1 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

• Preheat oven to 325.  Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray.  Dust with flour, shaking out the excess.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. 
• Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt.
• In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into cooled cocoa mixture until combined.  Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture.  The batter will be slightly lumpy.
• Pour the batter into bundt pan and bake 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time.  Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack and then gently loosen the cake from sides of pan and turn it onto the rack.
• Make frosting:  put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix on medium-low until combined and satiny smooth.
• Frost the cake.  Let the frosting set before serving.

Caesar Tortellini

I love this main dish salad.  It is so simple and delicious.  I feel like I'm cheating since it uses a bag of Caesar salad mix, but at this point in my life I need a few easy recipes.

1 package (9oz) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 bag complete Caesar salad mix
1 large tomato chopped
1/4 cup bacon bits (you can omit this if you don't like bacon, but it's really good)

• Cook and drain tortellini as directed on package.  Rinse with cold water; drain.
• Toss tortellini, salad mix ingredients, tomato and bacon. 
• Serve imediately.  It makes 4 servings.

Chocolate-Orange Trifle

1 package devil's food cake mix
1-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

• Mix on low for 1 minutes. 
• Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
• Cool completely, then cut into small pieces.

2 packages (3.4oz) vanilla instant pudding
4 cups milk
4 teaspoons grated orange peel

• Beat together until thick. 
• Set aside

1 cup chocolate syrup
2 cups mandarin orange segments
1 (8oz) tub cool whip

• Arrange in glass trifle bowl as follows:
• Place half of the cake pieces in bottom of bowl.
• Drizzle chocolate syrup over cake.
• Spoon 2 cups pudding over that.
• Lay half of the oranges over the above.
• Repeat layers.
• Last, top with cool whip.
• Garnish with oranges and drizzle chocolate syrup over top for effect.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, so that flavors can blend.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

1 container (16oz) Low-Fat cottage cheese
1 package (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce
1 large tomato, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix cottage cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning until well blended.
3. Combine spaghetti sauce and chopped tomatoes.
4. Spoon half of the sauce into a 9x13-pan. 
5. Spoon 1 heaping Tablespoon of the cheese mixture evenly into the pasta shells.
6. Place shells, filled sides up, in baking dish.
7. Spoon remaining sauce over the shells. 
8. Cover with tin foil.
9. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through.
10. Uncover; top with remaining cheese.
11. Bake, uncovered 2-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers

Ricky made this for dinner tonight.  Even Merrick, our vegetarian, ate it.  He hasn't eaten meat in over 6 months and especially hates chicken - so this recipe is definitely a keeper for our family.

1 cup coconut
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breats halves cut into 1-inch strips
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix coconut, flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in medium bowl.  Dip chicken strips in egg, then coat with coconut mixture.  Place on cookie sheet to bake.  Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is browned, turning after 15 minutes.  We dipped the strips in teriyaki sauce.  Yum!

Asian Turkey Wrap

4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
4 teaspoon teriyaki sauce
4 lettuce leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
6 Tablespoons shredded carrots
4 flour tortillas
4 slices Smoked Turkey Breast
4 slices cheese

Mix mayo and teriyaki sauce in medium bowl. Add lettuce and carrots; toss to coat.  Set aside.
Top tortilla with turkey, cheese and lettuce mixture; roll up.  Eat.

This makes 4 servings.  We had this for lunch today and loved it.  I normally hate mayo, but it was good in this recipe.  This will make it into our lunch rotation.