Aunt Bonnie's Fresh Apple cake

1 1/4 cups cooking oil
2 cups Sugar
3 Eggs, well beaten
3 cups chopped Apples
2 t. Vanilla
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 t. Salt
1 t. Baking Soda
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix as listed. Bake in well greased pan at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Topping
1/2 cup Oil
1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 t. Vanilla

Cook until thickened and pour over cake.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I found this recipe online here.  I have made this several times and have made some changes.  I leave out the jalapeno and I double the amount of sour cream and mayonnaise for a creamier consistency.  I also use frozen spinach.  I simply thaw it, then squeeze as much liquid out as possible.  We always serve it with tortilla chips, but I have had other versions served in a bread bowl with bread cubes and it's just as good.  I like to let it cook for at least 2 hours before serving.

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 T jalapeno slices, chopped

Drain and chop artichoke hearts, and add to the crockpot. Scrunch the spinach and chop it the best you can---mostly try to get the long stems off if you can. Add to the crockpot. Add mayo, sour cream, and chopped jalapenos. Top with 1/2 cup each shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, or high for 1. Stir. The spinach should begin to welt. If it hasn't, cook some more. When the spinach is totally wilted, take the lid off and add the other 1/2 cup of each cheese, and let it melt while the lid remains off. The spinach will have created some liquid that doesn't really need to be in there.

Serve with your favorite chips, sliced veggies, or bread cubes.

Confetti Yogurt Pops

Once again, I haven't tried this recipe, but it looks like a really tasty yet healthy snack!
~Christy Lynn

Ingredients

• 2  cupslow-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1  cupassorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
• 5  pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers

Directions 1. In a large bowl gently stir together the yogurt and fruit. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving.
2. Store for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

   
                                                      1 stick butter            3 c oats - 1 minute quick cook                        
                                                      1/3 c cocoa              1/2 c peanut butter
                                                      2 c sugar                   1 tsp. vanilla
                                                     1/2 c milk                    1/2 tsp. salt
Boil butter, cocoa, sugar and milk for 1 minute. Make sure to boil for no longer than 1 minute or cookies will be hard! Remove from heat and blend in remaining ingredients. Spoon onto wax paper, let cool and enjoy!!!

I got this recipe from Mom (Cherri) but I thought I would share it for her.
~Christy Lynn

Vera Cruz Tomatoes

So, I haven't actually tried the recipe yet, but it looks amazing! Bacon, spinach, tomato and cheese! I mean, what's not to love!! I'll give an update after I try it, but thought I would go ahead and share now!
~Christy Lynn


Original Recipe Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 firm ripe tomatoes
• 3 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 8 ounces fresh spinach, stems snipped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
2. Cut tops from tomatoes; remove seeds and membranes. Place tomato shells upside down on paper towels to drain until filling.
3. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, reserve drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. Return 2 tablespoons of drippings to skillet.
4. Cook onion in the bacon drippings until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, reserved crumbled bacon, and hot pepper sauce.
5. Sprinkle tomato shells with salt; fill evenly with bacon and spinach mixture. Place tomatoes in prepared baking dish.
6. Bake in preheated oven until hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove, and top evenly with the shredded cheese. Return to the oven; bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 262 | Total Fat: 21.3g | Cholesterol: 43mg

Pineapple Mango Salsa

This stuff is amazing. I got the recipe from a friend (Thanks Beth!!) and we've made it 3 or 4 times in the past month. It's just that good! And SO easy to make...unless you happen to get jalapeno in your eye. If you do that, rinse it out with milk. It really works! (Not that I've ever done that or anything!)

Pineapple Mango Salsa

1 large can of pineapple tidbits, drained

2 ripe mangos, cubed*

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, minced

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Serve over grilled chicken or with tortilla chips. Even better the next day!

*Here's a great tutorial for cubing a mango.

Black Bean Salsa

2-15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed, drained
1-15 1/4 oz. can whole kernal corn ,drained
1-10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1-7 1/2 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro, (: I put one whole bunch of cilantro in the salsa. It was good.:)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup orange juice
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. grated orange peel
1/8 t. coarsley chopped green pepper
Tortilla Chips

Combine the first thirteen ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve with tortilla chips