Cheesy Chicken and Bacon Ranch Pasta

8 slices Bacon, cooked and chopped up

• 2 lbs Chicken (I used canned chicken) 

1 tbsp Garlic (I used fresh and minced it)

• 1 cup Ranch dressing

1 box Rotini noodles1 packet Ranch dressing mix, dry2 cups Monterey jack cheese (I used Colby/Jack shredded mix)

Instead of the cup of ranch and the dry packet. I used 1 cup of Mayo 1/2 cup of milk and mixed it with a Western Family Dry ranch packet.  

• Heat a pan to medium heat on the stove. Drizzle oil on you pan.You can use which ever type of cooking oil you prefer, I used coconut oil.
• Dice your chicken into bite sized pieces, then sauté them in a pan on the stove until cooked.
• About mid way of cooking the chicken add in the garlic.
• While cooking the chicken boil the noodles. When they are done drain them and set aside.
• While cooking noodles and chicken also cook your bacon, you can do it in the microwave or you can do it on the stove just make sure it is cooked crispy! I prefer cooking it on the stove.
• Once chicken is done add chicken to pasta, then add the bacon.
• Then add the ranch dressing and the dry ranch mix. stir well to make sure everything is good and coated.
• Get out a big baking dish and spray with non stick spray, pour mixture into your pan top with cheese.
• bake at 350 for about 15 minutes (until the cheese is melted)

Adapted from a recipe on Midgetmomma.com

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients:
1 medium tomato, diced

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 green onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

     1/8 teaspoon pepper

Seasoned Crackers

Lynaya Hernandez (Wendy's friend)

1 box of large-sized Cheezists (the 1-inch square ones)
1 box of Ritz crackers
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 rounded teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons dill weed
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
1 rounded teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

Gently mix crackers in a shallow 9x13 inch roasting pan.  Melt butter, then add oil and all other ingredients.  Mix well.  Pour mixture over crackers and gently stir to mix well.  Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour.  Gently stir crackers every 15 minutes.  Spread on a paper towel to cool.  Serve with cheese and dip.

Crock Pot Green Beans & Bacon

From: Lynaya Hernadez (Wendy's friend)

Ingredients

2 lb fresh string beans, cut into 1-inch lengths ( OR leave whole, cut ends)

12 slices bacon

2-4 tablespoon garlic, diced

2 medium onions, chopped

2 tablespoon olive oil

1teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper

Directions

Place bacon at the bottom of the crockpot. Place other ingredients on top of the bacon in crock pot. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. If you have a large crock pot, you can double the recipe.

Avocado and Tomato Salad

4 cups avocados, diced medium
2 cups grape tomatoes or 2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups cucumbers, peeled and diced medium
1 cup red onion, diced small
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
fresh black pepper
Lettuce (if you want)

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and top on a bed of lettuce (if desired)
Makes 8 servings
Calories 201.9 Total Fat 17.9 g Sodium 10.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 11.6 g Dietary Fiber 5.8 g

Red Lobster Cheddar type Biscuits

Ingredients:

Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups Bisquick

4 Tbsp cold butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Butter Glaze:

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or line one cookie sheet with parchment; set aside.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter (I just used 2 forks). Don't worry about mixing too thoroughly; there will be small chunks of butter in the mix about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

Drop 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto the lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes in preheated oven or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

While the biscuits are baking, melt butter is a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread the garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the freshly coated biscuits. Makes one dozen.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 packet dry Ranch salad dressing mix
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. milk
2-3 tomatillos, remove husk, cut in 1/2
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (cut off most of stems)
1 generous tsp of minced garlic
juice of 1 lime (I use two!)
1 jalapeno ( remove the seeds)
Put it all in the blender and BLEND! Refrigerate.

Cilantro lime Rice (like costa vida)

1 cup. uncooked rice
1 T oil
1 tsp minced garlic (I use the jarred kind)
1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 cups chicken broth
1 T fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp sugar
3 T fresh chopped cilantro
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a bowl combine lime juice, sugar and chopped cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing!

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 bunch of cilantro

1 small jalapeno (remove seeds)

1 cup mayo

1 tsp. lime juice

2 tomatillos (remove papery skin)

1 clove garlic

Blend in blender until mixed really well. Chill in fridge.

Black Bean Salad or Chip Dip or Burrito filling

Found this on All recipes.com but I changed a few things to our liking.  Wendy
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, I buy the peeled and then dice it myself
3/4-1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, (I use 3 cans)  RINSE WELL and drain!
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, I used a small frozen bag
1-3 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped very finely
2 tomatoes, FRESH not canned, chopped
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or up to a cup

1.Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.   Refrigerate for a few hours and the add right before serving.  Shake well and pour.
2.In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Stir well and cover, refrigerate for a few hours until ready to serve.  The colder the better! 
3. Remove salad bowl from Refrigerator, add avocado, tomato and pour dressing over mixture... serve, can be served with chips or eaten as a salad, or in a tortilla as a burrito.

Garlic, lemon and oil Salad dressing

4 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
1/4 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-5 fresh lemons, squeezed (1/2 cup)

Mix all ingredients into a container with secureable lid, or use a whisk to blend very well.

Use with Romaine Lettuce mixed with fresh spinach and tomatoes, fresh grated parmessan cheese, croutongs if desired for a wonderful salad. Great with soups!

Crockpot Chili

1 - 2 lbs Ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 onion chopped
1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 can Light Red Kidney beans
1 Can pinto beans
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Garbonzo beans
1 can diced tomatoes
Diced Green peppers (if desired)
2 cloves garlic, minced (if desired)

2-3 cans tomato paste (to thicken as desired)
2-4 T Chili powder (I add a few shakes every time I stir the chili during the day)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with onion (pepper and garlic should be added to this mixture as well). Add all beans include all juice from the cans to the crockpot, tomatoes, Add meat mixture once cooked, stir in Tomato paste (add for thickness, it should thicken a little as it boils) and season with Chili powder and Salt and Pepper. Cook for 3-6 hours

This recipe can easily be doubled or changed... add more of whatever kind of beans you like best, I usually add more of the kidney beans... just keep adding the chili powder as you stir occasionally while it is heating. Really good with my corn bread recipe!!