Carmel Crunch Corn Puffs

This works great on regular popcorn too. Just be careful when you make it, it is addicting and you won’t be able to stop eating it.

1 bag puff corn
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanillapinch salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt in saucepan. Boil 4-5 minutes, stirring continually (I usually only do 4 minutes.) Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Mixture will foam. Pour over puff corn in a large roaster that has been well greased. (I use a cookie sheet and try to be careful not to dump to much over the edge when I turn it). Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on a cookie sheet or wax paper. (I am usually not patient enough to wait the whole hour. It still turns out great if you only do 30 minutes in the oven and turn twice.)

Chilli and Bean Taco Meat

I am always trying to figure out how I can add a little more nutrition to my meals and also keep them cheap and tasty. Beans are a great source of fiber and protein and make a great filler for things like chili and taco meat. I use this meat mixture for Navajo Tacos and for Haystacks. Haystacks are just like Navajo Tacos but you put corn chips on the bottom instead of a scone. You can just use chili for the meat mixture on the tacos, or even just plain homade refried beans, but this is our favorite way to eat them.

1 can of your favorite chili or 2 cups of leftover homade chili
1/2 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 can refried beans or 2 cups homade refried beans

Combine cooked ground beef, taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add chili and then stir in the refried beans. You may need to add more water. You want it to be the consistancy of chili. Once it is all combined heat through and serve as haystacks or navajo tacos.

Scone Dough (Navajo Tacos)

Okay people. I am a sucker for a good scone! And these are the bomb. Got the recipe from my sister Merry.

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. powdered milk (if you don’t have powdered milk just do 3/4 cup warm milk and 3/4 water instead of 1 1/2 cups warm water. I put the milk in the microwave to warm it up.)
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour (I use at least 1 cup wheat flour)
Deep pan for frying with 1-2 inches of oil.

Let yeast disolve in water and milk, add honey, stir in dry ingredients, let rise until doubled. Pull off pieces, pat flat with floured hands and fry in oil, in a frying pan until golden brown on both sides. Serve as Navajo Tacos by layering with, cheese, Chili mixture, Lettuce, tomato, sour cream, green onions, salsa, and anything else you like. You can also just serve them with soup or with butter and honey, or butter and cinnamon and sugar. YUMMMMO!!!

Party Slush

3 packages any flavor koolaid
3 cups sugar
3 quarts of water
1 cup of pinapple juice
Sprite or 7-up

Combine all the ingredients in a freezer safe container. Ice cream buckets work well. You can split it into two things if you don’t have a large enough container. Mix it really well until all of the sugar is dissolved. Freeze until solid. Usually takes at leat 24 hours so you need to make it in advance. Take it out 2-3 hours before you need it and start chopping at it to break it up. Once it is slushy, add Sprite or 7-up and serve. I like a 3:1 ratio of slush to sprite because I like my slush thick. You are supposed to do 2:1.
You can use all one flavor of Koolaid or mix them to make a specific color or flavor. Lime by itself is really good. We also like strawberry, orange and lemonade mixed together (that is what I had at my wedding). Tropical punch, orange and lemonade are really great together too. This is super fun for b-day parties, baby showers or just a refreshing summertime drink.

Spinach Salad

I do a variation of this salad at least three times a week. The best part is you can add or subtract about anything and it is still going to taste fabulous. I buy the huge bag of spinach at Costco and it lasts a week or two. It is also way easy to take to dinners or pot lucks.

Spinach
1 small Johnny Gold apple, chopped
1/2 and english cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup grated motzarella cheese
1/3 cup craisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup thin sliced red onion

VARIATIONS:
Add cubed cooked chicken or canned chicken to make it a meal
Add a couple chopped hard boiled eggs
Use sliced grapes instead of craisins
Crush pistachios instead of sliced almonds
Add halved grape tomatoes
Add skinned grapefruit or orange chunks
Add chopped avacado
Add diced pear instead of apple
Basically look in your fridge, see what you have, and throw it all together.

Fill a LARGE salad bowl 3/4 of the way with spinach. Add toppings. Dress salad with poppy seed dressing (just enough to coat) and toss. See recipe in post below for poppy seed dressing.

Poppy Seed Dressing

I just love love love this dressing. Did I mention I love this dressing. I have always been a ranch girl but I have to admit I think I am starting to prefer poppy seed. The best part about this dressing is it is so easy to make and as long as I have poppy seeds around I always have all the ingredients.

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard (If you don't have dry mustard, just squirt a little regular in there.)
If you have a handy dandy tupperware salad dressing shaker thing just put all the ingredients in and shake well. If you don’t you can use a quart jar and do the same thing. Just shake really well each time before you use it because the oil seperates.

Easy Crock Pot Fajitas

This recipe couldn’t get any easier. And to top it off it is super good! If you feel like you don’t know how to cook, start with this recipe and you will feel pretty proud of yourself. You could also use this meat mixture for a yummy taco salad.

2-3 large chicken breast
1 can pinto beans (Don’t drain) or two cups cooked pinto beans + 1/3 cup water
1-1/4 cup salsa (I like to use 1/2 red salsa and 1/2 green salsa)
1 large onion sliced wedge style (optional)
1 green or red pepper sliced wedge style (optional)
Tortillas
In a large crock pot add chicken (may be frozen,) beans and salsa. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or high 4 hours. You want the chicken shred easily. If you want onion and green pepper in it, add them about 1-2 hours before you plan on serving the meal. You can put them in earlier they just get soggy. Using two forks shred the chicken. Serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings. We like: Sour cream, salsa, grated cheese, tomato, lettuce, and olives.