Ranch Chicken Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 can jumbo biscuits
  
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 envelope ranch dressing
• 3 chicken breasts sliced and cooked
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheet by spraying with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine oil and 1 Tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix. Combine until well blended. Separate biscuit dough into 8 rounds. Using a rolling pin, roll each biscuit into a 6 inch oval. Spread about 1 teaspoon of ranch mixture onto dough. Arrange 3-4 pieces of chicken into center of biscuit. Bring long ends of biscuit together and pinch to seal or use a toothpick to secure. Brush each biscuit with melted butter and sprinkle tops with about 2 teaspoons dry ranch dressing powder. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown. In a small bowl, prepare dipping sauce by mixing sour cream, mayonnaise and any remaining ranch dressing mix. Serve warm wraps with prepared dipping sauce.

Simple Corn Salad

Use some of your garden produce in this yummy salad!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed


• 4-5 Roma tomatoes, diced


• 2 ribs celery, chopped


• 1/3 cup chopped red onion


• 1/3 cup chopped green pepper


• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper


• 4 cups bagged lettuce, assorted kinds

Method:

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently. Combine oil and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over corn mixture; stir gently. Add lettuce, toss gently to coat. This is a delicious portable side salad; mound lettuce on top of the dressed salad; then toss just before serving to keep the salad crisp. For salad in a jar, layer corn salad into pint jars, top with lettuce. Invert on plate to serve. (Dressing can be doubled for extra drizzling if desired).

Cranberry Lime Cooler

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups light cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
• 4 (12 oz) cans Fresca
  
• 4 lime wedges
  

Method:

Combine cranberry juice cocktail and Fresca in a pitcher. Pour into 4 tall glasses filled with crushed ice, and squeeze a lime wedge over each glass. Makes 4 servings.

For individual serving, fill glass half full of crushed ice. Fill 3/4 full with Fresca then top off with cranberry juice cocktail. Squeeze lime wedge on top.

Lemon Drop Cookies

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups flour
  
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Extra powdered sugar for finished cookies

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and powdered sugar. Cream with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla. Mix to combine. In another bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, mixing well to combine. Divide dough in half and using parchment paper, roll dough into 2 logs. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and slice in ¼ -inch slices. Place cookie slices on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for about 8 minutes. While cookies are still warm, sprinkle with powdered sugar or toss cookies in a re-sealable bag with powdered sugar. Makes about 2 dozen.

Stuffed Pizza Burgers

Ingredients:

• 6-8 pre-made uncooked ground beef patties
  
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
  
• 4 hamburger buns
  
• ¼ - 1/3 cup pizza sauce, warmed
• 2 green peppers, slices into rings
  

Method:

In a large bowl, combine beef patties, garlic, bouillon, Italian seasoning, and salt. Combine well and re-shape into 8 patties. Place a slice of cheese between two patties and press edges to seal. Grill, uncovered, over a medium-high flame for 6-8 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink. Serve on buns with warmed pizza sauce and topped with green pepper rings. Serves 4.

Cinco de Mayo Treats...

Cinco de Mayo Layer Salad
1 pkg. (16 oz.) torn iceberg lettuce
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups broken baked tortilla chips
Freshly chopped cilantro, optional
Fresh limes, sliced, optional

Layer lettuce, beans and tomatoes in 4-1/2-qt. serving bowl. Combine salsa and sour cream; spread over salad to seal. Sprinkle with cheese and onions. Refrigerate several hours. Sprinkle with chips and fresh cilantro just before serving; toss lightly. Garnish with fresh lime.

Salsa Snack Roll-Ups
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. salsa
4 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 tsp. chili powder
Fresh Cilantro, optional

In a bowl, combine cream cheese and salsa; spread onto tortillas. Top with remaining ingredients. Roll up tortillas tightly. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut each crosswise into 5 slices. Serve as an appetizer.

Black Forest Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coarsely crushed Oreos
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip, as garnish, if desired
• Coarsely chopped nuts, as garnish, if desired

Method:

Place Oreos in the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan. In a bowl, whip cream cheese, sour cream and powdered sugar until combined well. Pour mixture over Oreo cookies. Pour pie filling over the cream cheese layer and garnish with whipped topping and crushed nuts.