Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

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Chocolate Marshmallow Fondue

Ingredients:
2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Pineapple or banana chunks, angel food or pound cake, strawberries, mini Rice Krispy Treat squares

Directions:
In a microwave or heavy saucepan, heat the first five ingredients just until melted; whisk until smooth. Transfer to a fondue pot and keep warm. Serve with fruit and/or cake.

Pear Sangria

Ingredients:
2 bottles sauvignon blanc
3 cups white peach cranberry juice
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 sliced pears
1 pint raspberries or blackberries (or combination)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and let sit overnight before serving.

Cheesy, Spinachy, Sundried Tomatoey Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
7 oz. whole wheat penne pasta
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garl5ic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 cups frozen spinach (actually 2-3 handfuls)
5 oz. sundried tomatoes, chopped
2/3 can black olives, chopped
2-3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar (a few splashes)
30 oz. spaghetti sauce (I used 2/3 of a large jar of Tomato/Garlic/Onion Chunky Ragu)
1/4 block cream cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 string cheese, cut up (Yes, I said string cheese!)
1 cup mozzarella, shredded

Directions:
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Boil pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onions and garlic. Drain any extra grease from the meat and add spinach, sundried tomatoes, olives, white wine vinegar, spaghetti sauce, and cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is melted. Add Parmesan, string cheese, and pasta; mix all together, and put into a medium baking dish. Cover with tin foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover pasta and sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top. Turn oven down to 375 degrees, and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Steak with Alfredo Sauce and Mushrooms

Ingredients:
Steak and seasoning of your choice
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream or half & half
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
olive oil

Directions:
Season and grill steaks according to your preference. Heat butter and cream in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and mixture starts to bubble. Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Saute mushrooms quickly in olive oil. Serve steak topped with mushrooms and spoonfuls of alfredo sauce.

Sour Cream Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. celery salt

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well. Use to accompany steak, or use as a spread for a roast beef sandwich.

Zesty Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and chopped
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 medium rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 medium flour tortillas

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add tomatillos, onion, poblano pepper, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the cream, and puree.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, tomatoes, 1 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomatillo sauce, and 1/2 tsp. each of the salt and pepper.
Spread 1 cup of the remaining sauce in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Roll the chicken mixture in the tortillas and place them in the dish, seam side down.
Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until it begins to brown, 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Strawberry Torte

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs, about 26 squares
1/4 cup sugar
12 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup sour cream
1 package (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
2-3 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Melt butter. In a bowl, combine melted butter, cracker crumbs and sugar. Press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan; refrigerate.
In a mixing bowl, beat the Cool Whip, sour cream and pudding mix until well blended. Spread half over the crust. Arrange the strawberries on top of this layer. Spread with remaining filling. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (about 30-40 seconds, stirring after 15). Drizzle over the filling. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 10-12 servings. (From Taste of Home Magazine)

Carnitas

Ingredients:
3 lb. boneless, fatty pork butt, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups water
1/2 orange, cut into 4 pieces
1 medium vidalia onion, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. kosher salt
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
tortillas
fresh cilantro, washed and chopped
queso fresco
limes

Directions:
Put all ingredients except tortillas, cilantro, queso fresco and limes in a wide 6 to 7 quart heavy pot (don't worry if pork is not completely covered) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and the liquid has completely evaporated, about 1 1/2 hours. Discard the orange and bay leaves. Lower the heat and continue frying the pork in the fat left in the pan, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve on tortillas with cilantro, queso fresco, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed pretzels
3 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 cup sugar
2 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
16 oz. fresh or frozen (thawed) sliced strawberries (if using fresh, I sprinkle a little sugar on them to create some juice)

Directions:
Mix pretzels, 3 Tbsp. sugar, and butter in a bowl. Spread on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Press into a large glass 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Cool completely.
Beat together cream cheese, Cool Whip, and 1 cup sugar. Spread this mixture over the pretzels. Chill well. Dissolve the jello with the boiling water. Add the berries. Chill the jello and berries for about an hour (before the jello begins to set), then pour over the pretzel and cream cheese layers. Top with additional Cool Whip if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce
Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing

Directions:
Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter to the hot pan with the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and sear for 2-3 minutes, then add hot sauce. Reduce heat a little and cook about 5 minutes more. Combine the lettuce and carrots; top salad with chicken and dressing.
(We liked this served with celery sticks and cheese quesadilla wedges.)
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Potato Sausage Soup (similar to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana)

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp. bacon pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb. sliced Russet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes)
1/4 bunch of kale, chopped

Directions:
Saute the sausage and red pepper flakes in a large pot. Drain and set aside in another bowl. In the same pan, saute bacon, onion and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions are soft. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil. Add sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add heavy cream, kale and sausage; heat through and serve.