Cafe of Life

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:08:47 GMT

(Image from www.idahopotato.com).

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

8 potatoes, cubed (half peeled or half with skin).
2 teaspoons of salt
6 slices of bacon
6 green onions
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
16 oz. sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup Miracle Whip

Directions

1. Cube and boil potatoes with salt.
2. Drain
3. Crumble bacon and slice onions
4. Combine sour cream, pepper and Miracle Whip.
5. Add to potatoes
6. Add bacon, onions, and cheese (reserve some of each for top).
7. Mix with potatoes.
8. Pour into baking dish
9. Top with reserved cheese, onions, and bacon.
10. Bake 350 for 10-15 minutes (until cheese melts).

(Note: I did not want to heat mine up to melt the cheese - I just served it cold like potato salad). I thought it would be weird to heat it up frankly.

Tags: loaded baked potato salad

Ham N Cheese Ball

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:15:23 GMT

Ham N Cheese Ball

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1/2 lb. shredded charp Cheddar
2 teaspoon minced onion
2 teaspoon Worcesterhire
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can deviled ham
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tbsp. pimento

Combine all ingredients. Form into a ball and chill. Roll in chopped walnuts.

Tags: Ham and Cheese Ball

Apple Dumplins

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:39:24 GMT

Apple Dumplin's

1 Package of Crescent Rolls
2 Granny Smith apples
1 stick of margerine
1 cup of orange juice
3/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 scoop ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Peel and core apples and cut into fourths.
Open crescent rolls and separate into individual pieces.
Wrap the apple pieces in the crescent rolls.
Place in a pan and sprinkle with cinnamon.
In a sauce pan, melt butter.
Add sugar and orange juice and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Pour over apple dumplin's.
Pop in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Spoon juice from pan over the top of the dumplin's and serve warm.
Best served with a scoop of ice cream!

Tags: Apple Dumplings, Apple Dumplin's

40 Tips for a Better Life

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:26:28 GMT

40 Tips for Better Life - 2008

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9 . Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, and your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUESaway.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28.REMEMBER, GOD heals everything.

29 . However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful , beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________ Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to b e stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life, so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about. I just did.

May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door...

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37 (New International Version)

Tags: Better Life Tips

Ritz Bitz Dill Crackers

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 00:24:10 GMT

Such an easy recipe......you gotta try it.

RITZ BITZ DILL CRACKERS

1 box Ritz Bitz (the mini crackers with the cheese in the middle)

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 tsp. onion powder

1tbs. dill weed

1 pkg. orignal Ranch House dry dressing mix

Mix all but crackers with a rubber spatula. (You can also mix ingredients in a bag and do the shake and bake method. LOL) Then add the crackers and stir (or shake, but not too hard to crush the crackers.)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 3 minutes. (I baked mine for 5 and they turned out fine.)

They are very tasty.

Tags: Ritz Bitz Dill Crackers

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 00:29:39 GMT

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

1 lb. white chocolate

1 9 oz. bag mini pretzels or reg. pretzels

Melt white chocolate in top pan of double boiler (we have our double boiler in storage as we rarely use it...LOL... so I just put a metal mixing bowl atop the stove top pot and it worked fine. If you have it too close to the heat it will burn.) I used medium heat.

Dip pretzels in chocolate. Allow exess to drip off. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Put in a cold place until chocolate hardens.

Then....enjoy...

Tags: white chocolate covered pretzels

Taco Soup With Black Beans

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 14:11:55 GMT

TACO SOUP with BLACK BEANS

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

15 1/4 oz. can corn, undrained

15 oz. can black beans, undrained

15 1/2 oz. can red kidney beans, undrained

1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Dressing mix

1 envelope dry taco seasoning

1 small onion, chopped

Tortilla or Corn chips

Shredded cheese

Sour Cream

1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT: chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream in slow cooker.

2. Cover. cook on Low 4-6 hours.

3. Garnish individual servings with chips, cheese, and sour cream.

This was taken from our Fix It and Forget It cookbook, which we love....Get you one if you don't have one. We enjoy our winters with lots of these crock pot recipes.

Tags: Black Bean Taco Soup

Honey Glazed Cornish Hens with Rice Stuffing

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:59:18 GMT

1 package (6 oz) of white and wild rice mix
1/3 cup slivered almonds
4 cornish game hens (each 20 to 24 oz)
salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

This recipe is for use in a clay pot cooker, but any covered roaster should work also.

1. If you have a clay pot, soak the top and bottom of it (at least a 4 3/4 quart cooker)
in water about 15 minutes and drain.

2. Cook rice mix according to package directions, using 1/4 cup less water; cook uncovered during last 5 minutes and stir in almonds.

3. Rinse hens and pat dry, reserving giblets for other use. Sprinkle hens inside and out with salt. Fill cavities with rice stuffing; close openings with small skewer. Place hens, breast sides up, in cooker.

4. Place covered cooker in cold oven. Set oven at 475 degrees. Bake until hens are tender and legs move easily, about 1 1/4 hours.

5. Heat honey, butter, mustard, curry powder and ginger in small saucepan stirring until melted and bubbly. Brush hens with honey glaze. Bake uncovered until shiny and dark brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove hens to serving platter. Skim and discard fat from cooking liquid; spoon over hens.

And then enjoy b/c it is sooo good!

Tags: Cornish Hens

Spinach Dip

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:55:23 GMT

1 pkg. frozen spinach (thaw and drain before using)

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained

1 (8 oz). pkg. cream chese

2 cups shredded monterrey jack (mozzerella also works well)

Splash of milk

Garlic Salt, salt, and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the first five ingredients in a baking dish, with the spinach on the bottom. Cover. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, stir to combine ingredients and distribute cream cheese. Add splash of milk, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir until well blended. Bake for an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

Serve warm with tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, or gourmet crackers.

Tags: Spinach Dip

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:19:04 GMT

3 (15 oz) cans of no-salt added black beans, undrained
2 (13 3/4 oz) cans low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cup water
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt added chopped tomatoes, undrained.
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1/4 lb. extra lean cooked ham, diced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper

Directions:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large Dutch oven; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add tomato and remaining ingredients to bean mixture. Cook, uncovered, over low heat 30 additional minutes, stirring occasionally.

Hmmmm....Hubby and I loved this recipe. Hubby says "let's have this again".

Tags: Cuban Black Bean Soup