Cowboy Caviar (Salsa)

3-5 Roma Tomatoes
2-3 Avocado's
1 Can of White Shoe Peg Corn
1 Can of Black Eye Susan Beans
3 Green Onions

Dressing
3 Tbs of water
1/4 cup of vinegar
2 Tbs of olive oil
1 package of Italian dressing

It tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours. Add the avocados right before serving. Serve with tortilla chips

Chicken Cassoulet (from my mom, Laura, everything she makes is yummy)

Description:
For the crockpot. Improvise ingredients as necessary. Don't let the long list of ingredients discourage you. This is a very easy and good tasting dish.

Ingredients:
1 cup dry beans (white)
3/4 pound Polish sausage, sliced in 1/2 inch chunks
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, split or use chicken parts and debone
1 cup tomato juice or 1 can of tomato sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 t or 2 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 t dried basil, crushed
1/2 t dried oregano, crushed
1/2 t paprika
1/2 c finely chopped carrot
1/2 c chopped celery
1/2 c chopped onion

Directions:
Put beans in crockpot with 3 cups water. Cook on high for 4 hours. Then layer the following on top of beans: carrots, celery, onion, sausage, chicken. Stir together tomato juice or sauce, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, basil, oregano, paprika. Pour over all in crockpot. Cook 4-5 more hours on high. Cut up chicken into chunks. Add a little more water if too dry. Stir all together before serving.

Apple Snickers Salad

Serving a salad with an identity crisis like this one (part salad, part dessert) is always a crowd pleaser.

4-5 medium Granny Smith apples
3-4 Cold Snickers bars
8 oz Cool Whip

Slice apples into bite size pieces. Crush or blend Snickers bars into pieces. Stir everything together. Serve and graciously except the compliments.

Toasted Almond Salad

If you want a salad that is always a hit, try this one!

2 bunches Romaine Lettuce

4 oz fresh parmesan cheese

½ pound Bacon-fried and crumbled (can use pre-cooked)

4 oz sliced almonds-toasted

1 bag craisins

Dressing

¼ cup chopped red onion

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dry mustard

Blend these ingredients well in a blender. Then while blending, slowly add 1 cup vegetable oil.

Put Romaine lettuce in a large bowl. Sprinkle cheese, bacon, almonds, and craisins on top. Right before serving, slowly drizzle dressing over the salad a little at a time. Mix and add more dressing as desired.

You can half the recipe if your family is smaller

Creamy Zucchini Soup

My friend Caroline sent this to me last summer (Zucchini Season). Thanks Caroline!

When I made it for the first time (to use up "gifted" zucchini of course) I thought my family, husband included, would flip and not in a good way. I was pleasantly wrong. They loved it.

3 cups zucchini, peeled and grated
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon dried onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (celery salt or what ever you've got)
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
2 teaspoon chicken bouillon

Place all ingredients in saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. While it is simmering make the following white sauce.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
2 cups half and half

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking until smooth and thickened. Stir in half and half, simmer for 5 min stirring occasionally. Pour into zucchini mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.

This is my Go To recipe. It is honestly the best recipe to ever happen to me. I use the outline of it all the time. We love the original, especially in the Summer. Sometimes I add chicken.

I've discovered this works with most vegetables. The only thing that needs to be adjusted is the water (zucchini naturally has a lot of water in it). In fact just the other day I made Creamy Spinach Chicken Noodle and we loved it.