Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Yields: approx. 8 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup drained diced tomatoes
• 4 oz frozen spinach thawed, dried off
• 1/2 cup diced sweet red peppers
• 1 1/2 cup minced yellow onions
• 1 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 3 3/4 cup grated pepper jack cheese (I use the brand Tillamook)

• Snacks to serve with the dip, such as: carrots, celery, chips, breads, and crackers

Steps

1. Place minced sweat onions in a medium saucepan.
2. Add half-and-half and bring to a boil.
3. Slowly add grated cheese, stirring until melted and smooth.
4. Blend in spinach.
5. Mix in tomatoes and peppers, stirring to remove lumps.
6. Refrigerate until needed.

Change it up! Try this dip as a sauce, pouring over something like nachos and chicken, or over shrimp.

I’m sure there’s other possibilities. Any ideas? Let me know what you come up with!

Prep: 10 minutes
Freeze: 5-7 minutes
Serves: approximately 15 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. of semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate squares or 12 oz. bag of baking chips
• 1 pkg. of white chocolate squares or 12 oz. bag of baking chips
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 10 Oreo cookies, crumbled and divided

Steps

1. Microwave each type of chocolate separately until melted.
2. Add peanut butter to white chocolate and mix. Make sure not to over mix the chocolate or it will start to become runny.
3. Add half of Oreo crumble mix (five cookies each) to each chocolate mix.
4. Place a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet.
5. Add a spoon drop of each chocolate alternately. Use a knife to swirl the chocolate around to create a marble effect.
6. Place in your freezer for five minutes or until completely hardened. Then brake into pieces and store in airtight container in your fridge until ready to serve.

Credit! Thanks to Kraft Foods for inspiration for this recipe.

Prep: 1 hour and 15 minutes (including brine time)
Grill: appox. 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours
Feeds: approx. 4 people per loin

Ingredients

• 2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of silver skin
• 1/3 cup of salt
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup Tex-Mex rub (recipe below)

Tex-Mex seasoning

• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons Chile powder
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chipotle powder (or cayenne pepper)

Note! This recipe contains no salt since it is assumed you’ll brine the pork in salt.

Steps

1. Dissolve sugar and salt into one and half quarts of cold water to make brine, add tenderloins and let soak for about an hour.
2. Preheat one side of grill. If desired, add some apple or maple wood chips to the fire for smoke flavouring. If grilling on a gas grill, place wood chips inside tin foil pouch, poke a few holes, and stash under the grate. After removing pork from brine, pat down dry and apply rub.
3. Place tenderloins over direct high heat and grill about two minutes per side.
4. Afterwards, move to indirect heat and cover with grill lid. Grill until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
5. When finished, the pork will be light pink in the center. Take off grill and allow meat to rest five to ten minutes before slicing and serving.

Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 4 hours
Makes: 20 servings

Ingredients

• 1 quart strawberries
• 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) strawberry flavoured gelatin
• Ice cubes
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 pkg. (10.75 oz.) pound cake or angel food cake, cut into small slices
• 1-1/3 cups blueberries
• 1 tub (8 oz.) whipped cream

Steps

1. Slice approximately one cup of strawberries and halve the remaining three cups.
2. Boil one and half cups of water, and stir into dry gelatin mix in large bowl for at least two minutes or until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure two cups. Add to gelatin and stir until ice is completely melted.
3. Refrigerate for five minutes or until gelatin is slightly thickened. Meanwhile, place cake slices 13 x 9 inch dish. Add sliced strawberries and one cup of blueberries to gelatin, and spoon over cake slices.
4. Refrigerate for four hours or until set.
5. Spread whipped cream over gelatin. Arrange strawberry and blueberries on whipped cream.

Change it up! To make this dish extra special, you can make a cream cheese topping by whisking two 8 oz. packages of softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, and the whipped cream.

Prep: >5 minutes
Cool: 15 minutes
Makes: 15-17 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 2 cups chow mein noddles

Steps

1. Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
2. Melt butterscotch chips in a double boiler, saucepan or in the microwave. Stir until smooth (makes sure not to burn). Remove from heat and stir in nuts and noodles until coated.
3. Drop by spoonfuls of the mixture onto the waxed paper to make a tiny haystack. Let stand for ten minutes.

Change it up! You can substitute the butterscotch chips for chocolate chips. Also, you can use pecans or walnuts instead of peanuts (or use 3/4 cup peanut butter). You can even add a cup of marshmallows for a lighter taste.

Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 60 minutes
Makes: about 10 cups

Ingredients

• 4 cups mezzo rigatoni or penne pasta, cooked
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 12 slices (about 1 1/2 cups) pepperoni or salami, chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing

Steps

1. Toss all ingredients.
2. Pour into serving bowl, cover, and chill for at least an hour to allow flavours to blend.

Credit! This recipe is a variation of one found at Kraft Foods.

Prep: 5 minutes
Chill: 15-60 minutes
Makes: about 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 16 oz. sour cream
• 1 package dry ranch dressing (3 tbsp.)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup bacon bits

Steps

1. Mix all ingredients.
2. Pour into serving bowl and cover.
3. Chill for at least fifteen minutes (an hour is best).

Credit! I got this recipe from the Hidden Valley Ranch website.