Chocolate Berry Freeze

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and chopped
2 TBSP strawberry ice cream topping
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 TBSP chocolate syrup

Line the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3" loaf pan with foil. Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press half of the mixture into prepared pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Pour half of the milk into a small bowl; stir in strawberries and strawberry topping. Fold in half of the whipped cream. Spread over crust. Sprinkled with remaining crumb mixutre. Freeze for 45-60 minutes or until firm.

In a small bowl, combine the almonds, chocolate syrup and remaining milk. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spread over crumb layer (pan will be full). Cover and freeze for several hours or overnight. May be frozen for up to 2 months.

Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Using the foil, lift dessert out of pan. Invert onto serving platter. Cut into slices. Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

This is a virtually no-fail cheesecake, but also a real crowd pleaser.

CRUST: 1/3 C. melted margarine
3 T. sugar
1 1/4 C. crushed graham cracker crumbs

Mix together and pat evenly into a 9 x 13 pan

CHEESE CAKE: 3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened (I use the reduced fat)
1 C. sugar
1 t. vanilla

Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread on crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool completely.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE: 2 envelopes (one box) of Dream Whip
1 C. + 1 3/4 C. milk
1 t. vanilla
2 small boxes of chocolate instant pudding

Whip the Dream Whip, vanilla, and 1 C. milk for 6 minutes with an electric mixer. Then, add 1 3/4 C. milk and puddings. Continue to eat until blended and thick (about 2 more minutes). Spread over cooled cake.

Top with Cool Whip and grated chocolate.

Apricot Chicken

This isn't technically a 30-minute meal, but it only takes about 5-10 minutes to put together, just an hour or so to cook, so it averages out....

1 cup Catalina dressing
1 cup apricot jam
1 packet onion soup mix
dash of soy sauce
cut up, uncooked chicken

Put uncooked chicken (maybe 4-6 chicken breasts?) in a 9x13 pan. Mix other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook uncovered at 350 for about an hour and 10 minutes. Great over rice! Even the kids like it...

(I often do half a recipe in an 8x8 pan)

Recipe Swap Tonight!

Just a reminder - the Recipe Swap is tonight at Mendy's at 7pm and the theme is "30 minute meals".

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
1 ½ Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 can coconut milk
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

Directions
In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and lime zest. Set aside in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend.Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and chicken stock. Season with cumin, chili flakes and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.Puree the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. If using a counter top blender, puree in small batches, filling the blender just a bit past half way to avoid spillage. Whisk peanut butter into the soup, and heat through. Stir in lime juice, and salt.Ladle into warm bowls, and top with a dollop of the reserved sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro. If you have it, adding diced avocado is also wonderful. Enjoy!

Potato Cheese Soup

6 Large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Onion, chopped
1 Chicken bouillon
1 T. salt
1/2 C. Butter
9 T. Flour
6 C. Milk
2 C. Shredded cheddar

Place potatoes and onion in a large soup pot. Add water to cover potatoes plus one inch. Bring to a boil. Add salt and bouillon. In a separate pot, melt butter on medium heat. Let butter bubble, then add flour, stirring constantly. Let bubble again. Slowly add milk and cheese, continuing to stir constantly. Keep cooking on medium heat until thick and bubbly. Once thick and melted, pour into the potatoes, onion and water. Bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with shredded cheddar, bacon crumbles, chopped green onion, or anything else that sounds good to you!

Taco Soup

Also known in my house as Welfare Soup...  (because everything in it is pretty inexpensive and is generally on hand).

1 lb Hamburger

1 onion

1 can stewed Tomatoes

1 can Kidney Beans

1 can corn

1 can tomato sauce 

1 pkg taco seasoning

serve over the spiciest Doritos you can find, with Sour Cream and Cheese on top.

Brown hamburger with chopped onion.  Add all the other ingredients and 3-5 cans of water.  You don't drain anything,  the only thing that I like to do is chop up the stewed tomatoes, because they are too big straight out of the can for my taste.

Simmer together for as long as you want.  Longer the better, you can even leave it all day in the crock.  

Crunch up the spicy chips (my kids don't like spicy so they crunch up tostitos)  Top with Sour Cream and Cheese.  So yummy, and good for everyone.  Also good for hubby lunches, just pack cheese and chips in zip locks.   ENJOY!