My Life as Mama Jodi

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

Broccoli Tortellini Salad

4 cups broccoli florets
2 pkgs (9 oz ea) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c raisins
1/2 c reduced fat mayonnaise
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp cider vinegar
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 c unsalted sunflower kernels

In a large saucepan, cook broccoli in 6 cups boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water. In the same saucepan, cook tortellini according to pkg directions. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the red onion, raisins, broccoli and tortellini. Combine the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over tortellini mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in bacon and sunflower kernels.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

I am sharing my favorite all time recipe! Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies. These are oh so yummy!!

These delicate shortbread-style cookies are made with chopped, roasted pecans, rolled in powdered sugar and are an elegant addition to any fiesta. They are also known as Wedding Cakes, Pecan Balls, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs, Pecan Sandies, Swedish Tea Cakes and more.

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 cups flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup pecans, chopped, roasted (see below)
* An additional 3/4 cup powdered sugar to roll cookies in
* An additional 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Add butter, powdered sugar and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Mix at medium-high speed until completely mixed. In a seperate bowl, mix flour and salt. Mix the flour into the butter about 1/2 cup at a time until well incorporated. Carefully fold in the nuts.

Take a small amount of dough and roll it into a one inch ball. Continue and place the balls on a lightly greased cookie sheeet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Mix additional powdered sugar and salt. Roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar/salt mixture.

Roasted Pecans-
Place pecans on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This is a yummy dessert!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

1 tube (16- 1/2 oz) refigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 c confectioner’s sugar
1 carton (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
3 cups cold milk
1 pkg (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

Let cookie dough, stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 14-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls if desired.

Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm.

Yield 15 servings.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

Broccoli Tortellini Salad
4 cups broccoli florets
2 pkgs (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP cider vinegar
5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower kernels

Preparation
In a large saucepan, cook broccoli in 6 cups boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately rince in cold water. In same saucepan, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the red onion, raisins, broccoli and tortellini. Combine the mayonise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over tortellini mixture: toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in the bacon and sunflower kernels.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This week its all about Pasta

Supreme Pasta Salad

1 pound spiral pasta, cooked
3 1/2 cups veggies : cucumbers & tomatoes
pepperoni (I like to get the stick kind and cut it up into chunks)
2 TBSP Salad Supreme spice
16 oz Italian Dressing

Cook the pasta, allow to cool. Cut up the tomatoes and cucumber in to chunks (I seed the tomatoes as well), mix together, add the spice and dressing, mix well. Chill before serving.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This week its all about Mexican… Mmmmm

Wet Burritos

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can chili without beans
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 6 (12 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS

1. Crumble ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Add onion, and cook until translucent. Drain grease, and season with garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in the green chilies and refried beans until well blended. Turn off heat, but keep warm.
2. In a saucepan, combine the chili without beans, tomato soup and enchilada sauce. Mix well, and cook over medium heat until heated through. Turn off heat and keep warm.
3. Place a warmed tortilla on a plate, and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture onto the center. Top with lettuce and tomato to your liking. Roll up tortilla over the filling. Spoon a generous amount of the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This week Trista says: “Now we all now that about 90% of us women made a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight or at least eat healthier in the New Year. So, I figured what better way to help that along than getting everyone to share their “Tried and True” recipes that are HEALTHY!!”

Chicken Berry Salad

1 (.75 ounce) packet honey mustard salad dressing mix
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
8 ounces sugar snap peas
1/2 cup toasted pecans

1. In a medium bowl, prepare the dressing according to package directions, using vinegar and oil, and substituting orange juice for the water; set aside.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill the chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice into strips.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, salad greens, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peas, and pecans. Pour in the prepared dressing, and toss to coat.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This is our go to recipe for a late night munchie…

Nacho Bean Dip
a package of taco seasoning
16 oz sour cream
16 oz salsa
16 oz refried beans
shredded cheese
chips

Start off with a layer of bean dip, then mix the sour cream and the taco seasoning together in a bowl, the layer over the beans, then add the salsa as the next layer, top with cheese (as much or little as you like ~ we usually add a whole package and then some). Bake in 350 oven until cheese is bubbly.

Enjoy with chips!

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This week I am posting some yummy cookie bars

Caramel Cookie Bars

A crispy chocolate chip cookie base topped with creamy caramel and more chocolate chip cookie dough.

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 box (16.6 oz) chocolate chip cookie mix
2 cups crisp rice cereal
1 bag (14 oz) caramels (about 50)
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 11 x 7 in baking dish with cooking spray. Beat ½ cup butter and the eggin med. bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Add cookie mix; beat 1 1/2 min., or until well blended. Gently stir in cereal. Remove 1 ½ cups of the dough; set aside for later use. Press remaining dough onto bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Place remaining ¼ butter, the caramels and heavy cream in medium sauce pan. Cook low heat 10 min, or until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Poor over crust. Drop reserved 1 ½ cups dough by tablespoons evenly over caramel mixture. (Do not spread dough.)

Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 hours in pan on wire rake.

Makes 32 bars.

Trista over at The Pumpkin Patch has started a Tasty Thursday meme that I think is a great idea! Now grab the button and share one of your “Tried and True” recipes with us.

This week I am posting a yummy snack that I came across a while back. Very easy to make!! Enjoy!!

CINNAMON APPLE POPCORN

2 cups Chopped dried apples
10 cups Popped popcorn
2 cups Pecan halves
4 Tbsp Butter, melted
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2 Tbsp Brown sugar
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place apples in a large shallow baking pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and stir in popcorn and nuts. In a small bowl

Combine remaining ingredients. Drizzle butter mixture over popcorn mixture, stirring well. Bake for 30 min, stirring every 10 min. Pour onto waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container. Makes 14 cups mix.