5- Minute Southwest Layered Salad - Budget Wise!!!

This is a great weeknight meal, especially when your in hurry to get to the little league game or dance class. Not to mention, it's real easy on the wallet!

What You Need

6 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup  Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup  Three Cheese Crumbles
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 cup broken tortilla chips

Make It


COVER platter with lettuce; top with layers of next 4 ingredients.

DRIZZLE with dressing; top with chips.

Mountains and Forest Sandwich

They may not admit it, but kids really love a creative lunch. It's just fun to open a lunch box and have a little surprise!

What You Need

1 KRAFT 2% Milk Singles
1 slice OSCAR MAYER Bologna
1 Hot dog bun
1 Tbsp. MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1 Leaf lettuce leaf

Make It


CUT 2% Milk Singles and bologna in half, using knife to make zig-zag cut.

SPREAD inside of bun with dressing; fill with lettuce, Singles and bologna.

Thanks Kraft for sharing!

Helpful Household Hints with LEMONS!!!

• Packaged whipped cream mixed with a little lemon juice becomes sour cream in a pinch.  Let it sit 30 minutes before serving.
• Here's another substitute for sour cream: In a blender or food processor, combine 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 1/3 cup buttermilk.  Blend 2 minutes
• Alleviate sticky rice by cooking it in water mixed with 2 Tbsp. lemon juice.
• Rub a wedge of lemon over chicken before cooking.  You'll have a juicier and more tender entree
• Clean the inside of a teapot by adding 1 lemon peel per 2 cups warm water.  Soak overnight.
• Toss a little lemon peel in your fireplace for a lovely fragrance when a fire is lit.
• Add 4 tsp. lemon juice to the water in your humidifier to eliminate stale Oder's

Back-to-School Cookies!

These hearty treats are great for an after-school snack or to share with friends. With a glass of cold milk, they’re an irresistible snack. —Frances Pierce, Waddington, New York Ingredients


1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups crisp rice cereal
1-1/2 cups chopped nuts
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup quick-cooking oats

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the cereal, nuts, coconut and oats.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a fork, forming a crisscross pattern. Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 6-1/2 dozen.

Editor's Note: Reduced-fat or generic brands of peanut butter are not recommended for this recipe.


Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 103 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 49 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Thanks to Back-to-School Cookies published in Taste of Home August/September 2007, p39  for sharing!

White Sangria

This is honor of my New Bunko Friends!


Ingredients


•Apple juice, for ice cubes
•1 1/4 cups (10 fl. oz) water
•1 small bunch fresh mint
•1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar
•3 cinnamon sticks
•3 1/4 cups (26 fl. oz) dry white wine
•2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
•2 small pears, cut into chunks
•2 medium oranges, sliced crosswise
•2 small lemons, sliced crosswise
•3 cups (24 fl. oz) sparkling apple cider
•Mint leaves, to garnish (optional)

Preparation

To make the apple juice ice cubes, pour the apple juice into two ice trays and freeze until the sangría is ready to serve.
Combine the water, mint leaves, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, remove and discard the mint and cinnamon sticks.
Transfer the remaining mixture to a large serving bowl.

Add the wine, peaches, pears, and the orange and lemon slices to the serving bowl. Mix well, and refrigerate overnight. Immediately before serving, mix in the sparkling apple cider and the apple juice ice cubes.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.

Recommended Wines

Martinsancho Rueda 2002
Fragrant and crisp, with a citrusy core of grapefruit and herb. It's a bit like a very lean sauvignon blanc, refreshing and palate-cleansing.

Comments on the 2001 vintage: From the Martinsancho’s brilliant golden, green-tinged robe to the purest, longest, most natural tasting finish, the 2001 Martinsancho Verdejo is indeed unique and nothing short of remarkable. “Aromatic, delicious, succulent, creamy, delicate, rare, and rich” are just some of the many adjectives that have been used to describe the Martinsancho Verdejo, but, perhaps, the following comment by wine critic Robert Parker Jr. says it all:

“This is the best dry white table wine I have tasted from Spain.” Enjoy this one of kind gem cool, moderately chilled or frosty. We love it any way we can get it. Let’s just hope there is enough of the 2001 Martinsancho Verdejo to go around.



Provided by: http://www.spain-recipes.com/white_sangria.html

Choco-Caramel Turtles

Don't these look adorable!

INGREDIENTS


6 oz (1 1/2 cups) pecan halves (about 120 pieces)
8 caramels, unwrapped
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
3/4 cup chocolate creamy ready-to-spread frosting (from 1-lb container)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Arrange pecans in groups of 5 on ungreased cookie sheets to resemble head and legs of turtle.

2. Cut each caramel into 3 equal pieces. Wrap 1 tablespoon cookie dough around each piece of caramel. Press dough lightly onto pecans, covering half of each. (Tips of pecans should show after baking.)

3. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Spread about 1 rounded teaspoon frosting on each cooled cookie.

Try this choco-caramel cookie recipe made with Pillsbury® Cookies and Treats from Pillsbury.com

Wings for a night of Football

Ingredients:
1/3 cup of soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons of oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of ginger
18 chicken wings
and 1/3 onion, minced

Add Ingredients to CrockpotIn a crockpot we're going to add the wings the garlic the onions the ginger the honey the soy sauce and two teaspoons of oil. We'll go ahead mix the wings up with the other ingredients to make sure the garlic and onions cover all the wings adequately.

Cook 6-8 Hours

We'll cover the crock pot and turn it on low for six to eight hours. After about six hours the wings are done. And you can see the wings have soaked up all the flavors, they've turned a nice golden brown and they're ready to eat. This is really good and are easy to make ahead of time so your not cooking during the game!