Monday, June 22, 2009

Watermelon Pops



What You Need!
1 cup sugar, divided
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Lime Flavor Gelatin
2 cups boiling water, divided
ice cubes
1 cup cold water, divided
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
3 Tbsp. miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
MIX 1/3 cup sugar and lime gelatin mix in medium bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to 1/2 cup cold water to measure 3/4 cup. Add to lime gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 25 min.
MEANWHILE, repeat Step 1 using strawberry gelatin mix and omitting the refrigeration step. Pour into 16 (3-oz.) paper cups. Freeze 20 min. Stir 1/2 tsp. chocolate chips into gelatin in each cup
BEAT cream cheese and remaining sugar with mixer in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in COOL WHIP; spread over gelatin in cups.
POUR lime gelatin over cream cheese mixture. Insert wooden pop stick into gelatin in center of each cup. Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Remove pops from cups just before serving.

Whole Barbecued Chicken



2 whole chickens (3 lb. each)
2 small lemons
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Make It
PREHEAT both burners of gas grill to medium-high heat. Trim the excess fat from the chickens and discard. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice into a small bowl. Reserve lemon halves for later use. Add barbecue sauce and seasoning to the lemon juice; mix well.
PLACE 2 each of the lemon halves and garlic cloves inside the cavity of each chicken.
TURN off the burner on one side of the grill, then place the chickens, breast sides up, on that side. Cover grill with lid. Grill 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the chicken juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs registers 180°F, occasionally turning and brushing the chickens with the barbecue sauce mixture during the last 20 min. of the grilling time. Remove and discard lemon halves and garlic cloves from chicken cavities before serving.

Baby Back Barbecue Ribs


What You Need!
3 lb. pork baby back ribs
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup BULL'S-EYE or KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
Make It!
HEAT grill to medium heat.
PLACE half the ribs in single layer on large sheet heavy-duty foil. Mix sugar and seasonings; rub half onto both sides of ribs. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and one end to seal packet. Add 1/4 cup water (or 3 to 4 ice cubes) to packet through open end. Double fold remaining end, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Repeat to make second packet.
GRILL on covered grill 45 min. to 1 hour or until ribs are done. Remove ribs from foil; discard foil.
RETURN ribs to grill; brush with barbecue sauce. Grill 15 min., turning occasionally and brushing with sauce.

BBQ Ribs



1 bottle (18 oz.) KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup water
4 lb. pork baby back ribs
Make It
MIX 1 cup of the barbecue sauce, lime juice and water. Place ribs in large shallow glass dish. Pour barbecue sauce mixture over ribs; cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight to marinate. Drain; discard marinade.
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place ribs in foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake 30 minutes.
PREHEAT grill to medium-hot coals. Grill ribs 10 minutes on each side or until cooked through, brushing frequently with the remaining barbecue sauce.

KOOL-AID Kool Pops



2 qt. (8 cups) prepared KOOL-AID Grape Flavor Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Mix
Make It!
POUR prepared drink into 16 paper or plastic cups.
FREEZE 2 hours or until almost firm.
INSERT wooden pop stick or plastic spoon into center of each cup. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove from cups before serving.

Dill Potato Salad



2/3 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups quartered new potatoes, cooked
1/4 cup green onion slices
Make It!
MIX mayo and seasonings in large bowl.
ADD potatoes and onion; mix lightly. Cover.
REFRIGERATE several hours or overnight.

Pineapple-Chicken Kabobs



1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 each red and green pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup KRAFT Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
Make It!
THREAD chicken, peppers and pineapple alternately onto 4 skewers.
BRUSH with 1/4 cup dressing. Refrigerate 1 hour.
HEAT grill to medium heat. Grill kabobs 12 to 15 min. or until chicken is done, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining dressing.

Easy American Flag Cake



2 pints of strawberries

1 recipe of your favorite white or yellow cake (mix or from scratch, your choice)

1 1/3 cup of blueberries

1 tub of whipped topping
Instructions:
Mix up and bake your favorite cake mix or recipe. Let cool.
Slice 1 cup of strawberries, set aside. Halve remaining strawberries, set aside.
Top cake (in pan) with 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1 cup blueberries and all of the whipped topping. Arrange remaining strawberry halves and blueberries on whipped topping to create a flag design. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chicken and Cheese Steaks (J&K+8)


Ingredients
1 loaf French bread, cut in half and split open
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 lb chicken breast, skinless, boneless, cut into strips
1 small bell pepper, green or red pepper, cut into 2-inch strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (I used Hunts sauce Basil, Garlic & Oregano 8 oz. can)
1 package of sliced mozzarella cheese
Directions
1Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet.
3Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often.
4Remove chicken.
5Add pepper and onion and cook until tender.
6Return chicken to skillet and heat through.
7Spoon chicken mixture on bottom bread half.
8Then cover with tomato sauce.
9Finally top each half with mozz. cheese.
10Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
11Top with remaining bread half if desired.
12Cut into quarters.
13Makes 4 sandwiches.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Carne Asada Soft Tacos


Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 lbs skirt steaks
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 10-inch flour tortillas or 10-inch corn tortillas (I use the mini, plain tortillas as well as larger tomato or spinach flavored)
1 (16 ounce) jar chunky salsa
2 avocados, pitted peeled and sliced
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1Additional toppings to taste (I use jalapenos, pepperoncinis, tomato, spinach/lettuce).
2Preheat grill.
3Sprinkle lime juice over steak and season both sides with salt and pepper.
4Grease rack with olive oil before placing steak on grill.
5Grill until desired doneness is reached.
6Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
7Thinly slice across the grain.
8Quickly warm tortillas on grill, about 5 seconds per side.
9Serve meat in tortillas with salsa, avocado, onion and cilantro.
10Note: these can easily be done on the stove top!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Taco Baked Potatoes


Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
4 hot baked potatoes
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onion
salsa (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Directions
1In a skillet, brown beef; drain.
2Add taco seasoning; prepare according to package directions.
3With a sharp knife, cut an X in the top of each potato; fluff pulp with a fork.
4Top with taco meat, cheese and onions.
5Serve with salsa and/or sour cream, if desired.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken


Ingredients
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper (optional)
Directions
1Place chicken breasts in the crock pot.
2Mix the undiluted soups together with the garlic powder and pour over chicken.
3Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours , until chicken is tender.
4Serve with the delicious sauce over rice or noodles.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy


Ingredients
1 (16 1/3 ounce) can Pillsbury Grands refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage (Maple or Spicy)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
1Bake biscuits according to package directions.
2In a large frying pan, fry sausage. Break the sausage into small pieces using a potato masher as it is frying.
3Melt butter in frying pan and stir well.
4Sprinkle browned sausage with flour and stir until well mixed.
5Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until thick and creamy.
6Add salt and pepper and stir until mixed.
7For each serving: Cut 2 biscuits in half and butter each half. Lay the halves on a dinner sized plate. Spoon sausage gravy over the biscuits. Serve.

Cheeseburger Kabobs


I made these the other night and they were really good!

What You Need
2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Cheddar Cheese Cubes
13 cherry tomatoes
1 small each green and red pepper, cut into chunks
1 lb. mushrooms, stems removed
26 wooden skewers
Make It
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix meat, dressing, bread crumbs and garlic powder in large bowl. Shape into 52 meatballs, each about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Place in single layer in 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
BAKE 25 minutes or until cooked through.
ARRANGE meatballs, cheese cubes, tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms evenly on skewers.