Ravioli Soup

I got this recipe from Parents magazine and it is really good (and healthy). My kids also seem to enjoy it so extra bonus!
-1/2 lb. ground turkey
-1 Tbs. Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
-1/8 tsp. ground sage
-1/8 tsp. pepper
-1/8 tsp. salt
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz) Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes
- 1 can no-salt-added tomato sauce
-1 cup chopped celery
-1 cup chopped carrots
-1 cup frozen cut green beans, thawed
- 1 pkg (7 oz.) refrigerated mini cheese ravioli
1. Heat oven 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and coat with vegetable cooking spray. Combine turkey, bread crumbs, sage, pepper, and salt in bowl; shape into 48 meatballs. Bake for 12 minutes, or until browned.
2. In saucepan, combine broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, celery, and carrots. Boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir green beans and ravioli into broth. Cook covered, for 5 minutes. Add meatballs to serve.

Delicious Summer Salad

I had this salad at Panara Bread while Mom Peterson was visiting we decided to make it at home and modify it just a bit. It was delicious! It is like a meal and desert all in one.
- strawberries
-blueberries
-small can of pineapple tidbits
-small can of mandarin oranges
-2 cooked and seasoned chicken breasts chopped
-bag of baby spinach
-2 oz bag of pecans
-poppy seed dressing
Toss all the above ingredients, except the dressing, in a salad bowl. Serve and top with poppy seed dressing. This salad is so good and so easy, you should try it.

Chocolate-Cherry Fudge Bars

These are so good. Jared even likes them and he doesn't really like chocolate.

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries with 7 Tbsp. of the juice reserved, divided
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil. Set aside.
MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add granulated sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and dry pudding mix; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cherries and 1/3 cup of the reserved cherry juice; spread into prepared pan.
BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack.
MIX cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining cherry juice until well blended. Drizzle over cooled dessert; top with remaining 1/4 cup cherries. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into bars. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Polynesian-Glazed Meatballs

These are great! Landon and Jared love them.

1 tsp. oil
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans (8 oz. each) pineapple chunks, drained, liquid reserved
12 oz. (3/4 of 1-lb. pkg.) frozen cooked meatballs
2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.
STIR in barbecue sauce, ginger, garlic powder and reserved pineapple liquid. Add meatballs; mix lightly until evenly coated. Cook 10 min. or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.
STIR pineapple into meatball mixture. Serve over the rice.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies and Butter Frosting

Cookies:
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese at room temp
1 cup real butter at room temp
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. baking powder

1. Cream together cream cheese, butter, sugar, egg, flavorings, and baking powder with a mixer on medium speed until well blended
2. Gradually add flour and mix well
3. Refrigerate overnight
4. Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Frosting:
1/3 cup cold real butter (I found out the hard way you don't want to use margarine)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Food Coloring

1. Beat butter till fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar and slowly beat in milk and vanilla
2. Slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar.
3. Add food coloring

This recipe makes soft delicious sugar cookies.

Homemade Mac and Cheese

-2 cubs dried elbow macaroni
-2 tablespoons margarine or butter
-2 tablespoons flour
- dash of Pepper
-2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ( more or less to taste)
-1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (more or less to taste)
- 4 oz cream cheese

1. Cook macaroni in water for about 10 minutes until tender but still a little firm. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, for cheese sauce, melt margarine in a medium saucepan. Stir in flour and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till slightly thickened and bubbly. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in cooked macaroni. Transfer mixture to a casserole.
3. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*you do not have to use mozzarella and cheddar cheese, use whatever cheese you have or whatever cheese sounds good.

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
3/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients until well blended.
SPOON into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.

I was going to make this Thanksgiving morning to munch on before the big meal, but I got hungry and decided to make it last night. It was so yummy and so easy. I added more mozzarella cheese then recommended and I served it with pita chips. So good!!!

Favorite Thanksgiving Jell-o Salad

Cranberry Jell-O Salad
-1 lg. pkg. Cherry Jell-o
-1 pint sour cream
-2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup pecans

1. Dissolve jell-o with hot water in a large bowel. Refrigerate for about an hour until the jell-o is about half way solid. Be sure to check on the jell-o every now and again to make sure the jell-o doesn’t get too solid.
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Refrigerate until solid.

Favorite Thanksgiving Pie Recipe

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

-4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
-1 tablespoon milk
-1 tablespoon sugar
-1 (8 ounce) tub Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
-1 prepared Pie Crust
-1 cup milk
-1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
-2 (3.4 ounce) packages JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Mix cream cheese, 1 Tbsp. milk and the sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spread onto bottom of crust.

2.Pour 1 cup milk into large bowl. Add pumpkin, dry pudding mixes and spices. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Spread over cream cheese layer.

3.Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining whipped topping just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.