POMEGRANATE AND CRANBERRY BELLINIS

1 cup of ice
1 1/2 cup simple syrup
( 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in saucepan, combine, boil, reduce heat to simmer....cool)
1 1/4 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice, chilled
1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
1 25.3 oz bottle sparkling water, chilled
2 limes thinly sliced
1 bunch of fresh mint for garnish
pomegranate seeds
Combine all ingredients.

Pour into champagne flutes garnish with limes, pomegranate seeds and mint
Enjoy!

RED PEPPER PASTA

2-3 red peppers.  (you can also use the roasted red peppers from a jar we use 2 12 oz jars when we do it this way.)

2  12 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

1  16 oz. sour cream

1 12 oz can tomato sauce

1 pkg. penne pasta whole grain or regular (boil to al dente)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 Tbsp. dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

Saute' sliced peppers in a few Tbsp. of water and olive oil with basil,salt and pepper until soft.  Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce  and bring to a boil. Allow sauce to cool for a few minutes then add the sour cream.  Serve over penne pasta. Garnish with shredded Parmesan and fresh basil.
This is a family favorite that my husband came up with, everyone loves it.

PIZZA CRUST AND SAUCES

3 cups warm water

3 heaping Tbs yeast

2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs salt
6 Tbs
6 cups flour (give or take)

Mix and knead for 8 minutes.  Cover and let raise at least 35-40 minutes.  This makes three sixteen inch pizza crust.  Top with sauce (see below) and all of you favorite meats or vegetables.
Bake at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

PIZZA SAUCE

1 large can of tomato puree
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder
Combine all ingredients.  Heat and simmer while crust raises. Do not boil.

Now if you so busy you think what a waste of time, do what I do and just mix it up and put in on the pizza. It is delicious either way.

ALFREDO SAUCE
1 pint of heavy cream
3 Tbs butter
2  Tbs cream cheese
1/2 -3/4 shredded Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream and cream cheese. Simmer until melted and mix well.  Add Parmesan and garlic powder.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes on low.  Makes sauce for 3-4 sixteen inch pizzas. Top pizza with sauce, Mozzarella cheese  and all of your favorites.

Some we love are: Chicken strips, green onion, zucchini, tomato, basil, etc.

If you have some left over dough.  We like to make a dessert pizza.  It is so easy: rub the dough with a large pat of soft butter then sprinkle it with brown sugar and Cinnamon.  Then cook it let it cool and mix up some powdered sugar with water  to make a yummy frosting.  Drizzle over the top, cut and enjoy.

RED BEANS AND RICE

1 pound of small dry red beans1 polish Kielbasa sausage (I use the Hillshire Farm lite)
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 cloves of  garlic
1 Tbsp of Cajun seasoning or more if you like the heat. Yummy! If you don't care for Cajun seasoning just add one packet of Lipton onion soup and it is also tasty.
1 Tbsp brown sugar

add salt to taste (it is usually more that you think.)

4 cups cooked rice
1 cup of shredded jack cheese
Slice the sausage and pan fry it until it gets some nice brown edges.   Then add the onions and peppers, cook until tender.

You can prep this meal several different ways. First rinse your beans and sort them, be sure to check for rocks.
Crock pot.  Start your beans early set for 6 hours on High When your an hour or two from serving your meal add the sausage, pepper, onions and seasonings and cook on low.

My favorite is the Pressure cooker,  add your beans with 6 cups water  and 1 Tbsp of Olive oil and cook as your pressure cooker recommends once it reaches max pressure.  Let the beans cool and add your sausage mixture and seasonings.

After your beans are done serve over rice. We always love to top with some Jack cheese over the top.
I got this recipe from Mrs. Audrey whom we adore, it has become one of our family favorites.

FOUR LAYER DESSERT

CRUST
1 cup flour
1/2 cup margarine melted or soft
1/2 cup nuts chopped (pecans or walnut)
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes let it cool.

LAYERS
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup cool whip (you can use homemade if you like)
Mix this together with beaters and until creamy
then spread over crust.

1 Large package of instant pudding with 3 cups milk
mix well and spread over cream cheese layer.

When the pudding is set up spread cool whip over the top.
Shave chocolate over the top if you want it fancy.

DEVILED EGGS

1 dozen boiled eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp pickle juice
1 tsp mustard
Cut all of you eggs in half length wise. Mix yokes and all of the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pipe into the eggs and sprinkle with paprika.

JACK IN THE CROCK

2 10 oz.can of cream of Cream of Mushroom
1 16 oz.tub of sour cream
8-12 chicken breast
2-4 cups Monterrey Jack Cheese (I use pepper jack cheese because we love the spice)
1 pound of Mushrooms if you like them

This is one of my husbands favorites he grew up eating however we have changed the name for our pure entertainment! If you want to make the chicken look fancy just brown both sides before you toss them in to your crock pot.

In a saucepan over stove top melt the Cheese with the sour cream and Cream of Mushroom Soup.
This happens fast so keep stirring.  TRUST me on this step you will not want to just put it all in the crock pot because in fact the cheese will not melt.

Remove from heat, layer chicken breast in crock pot then spread some cheesy sauce over the top
Then continue to layer until the sauce is gone. If you would like to add  mushrooms, One hour before your chicken is done add the mushrooms. Or if you are like me and cannot be bothered to calculate I just saute them in a pan with a little butter and toss them in before I serve.

Cover and cook in crock pot on high for 4hrs or low for 6 hrs. Serve over rice or potatoes.

CAF'e RIO CHICKEN

Chicken
1 small bottle of Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs cumin
3 cloves garlic-minced
5 lbs chicken
Cook all together in a crock pot for four hours on high—shred meat and cook additional hour

Rice
3 cups rice
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
½ tsp salt
1 Tbs butter
½ onion chopped
Put all ingredients in pan and bring to a boil, cover and turn to low heat for 30 minutes.

Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make per recipe)
2 tomatillos (tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)
½ bunch of cilantro
1 clove of garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno
Use a food processor or blender to blend ingredients well. Refrigerate

This is one of our family's favorites.  It is great for entertaining and so delicious.   I will often make black beans and salsa to go with it. We also love a little sour cream,fresh slices of avocado and jack cheese.  It is best to us the Grande Burrito size tortilla when you load up this massive taste of goodness.
Thank you to my sweet Cousin Jan whom first fed it to us over a wonderful family dinner.