Nutella S'mores Bars

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 13oz jar Nutella
1 13oz jar marshmallow fluff

Preheat the oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Mix dry ingredients together and slowly add to the creamed sugar until well incorporated. Divide dough in half. In a greased 9x13 baking dish, gently mash half of the dough in the bottom. Spread the marshmallow fluff on top. Spread the Nutella on top of the marshmallow. Use the remaining dough to form a crust for the top - I found it's easiest to take golf-ball sized pieces and mash flat and place them over the Nutella to form the crust. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.

(The original recipe was for an 8x8 pan - however, that is never enough for us! Half all the ingredients except the Nutella and the marshmallow fluff. Use 1 cup Nutella and 1 7oz jar marshmallow fluff.)

Grandma's Beef Patties

1 lb ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
small chopped onion
1 small can evaporated milk (use just enough to mix)

Combine and shape into patties. Brown.

1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 can of water

Combine. Pour over patties and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Zupa Toscana

5 1/2 cups chicken broth (we use No-Chicken Broth)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 bunch Kale, chopped
1 lb mild Italian sausage, browned (may use spicy if prefer more heat - the red pepper flakes provide enough heat for our family)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours or bring to a simmer on the stove for approx 1 hour. (My crock-pot doesn't hold all the ingredients so I always just do it on the stove. You just have to simmer long enough for the potatoes to be cooked through, but may simmer longer.)

Serves 4-5

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing (Cafe Rio Style)

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
2-3 tomatillos, remove husk, cut in 1/2
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (cut off most of stems)
1 generous tsp of minced garlic
juice of 1 lime (I use two!)
1 jalapeno (I’m a wimp so I remove the seeds, leave them in if you like it SPICY!)

Throw it all in the blender and BLEND!  Refrigerate.

(For a party of 10, we doubled pork, rice, and dressing. We had plenty of everything except the rice - so triple the rice next time, and way too much dressing - one recipe is plenty! So for a party of 10 - double pork, triple rice, single dressing.)

Cilantro Lime Rice (Cafe Rio style)

1 cup uncooked rice
1 TBS oil
1 tsp minced garlic (I use the jarred kind)
1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 cups water (or chicken broth – leave out bouillon)
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules (or 2 bouillon cubes)
1 TBS fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp sugar
3 TBS fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a bowl combine lime juice, sugar and chopped cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

(For a party of 10, we doubled pork, rice, and dressing. We had plenty of everything except the rice - so triple the rice next time, and way too much dressing - one recipe is plenty! So for a party of 10 - double pork, triple rice, single dressing.)

Sweet Pork Barbacoa (Cafe Rio style)

2 pounds pork (I like to use the pork butt/shoulder)
2 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso 14 ounce can)
1 c. brown sugar (this was too sweet for my taste, next time I'll only use 1/2 cup)

Put the pork in a reclosable bag to marinate, pour in one of the cans of Coke and 1/2 c. brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. 

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours. Remove pork from crock pot, drain off liquid, shred pork. (I use two forks because I’m too impatient to wait until it’s cool.)

Mix together (in a bowl or in the blender) other 1/2 can of Coke, can of chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot, cover with sauce, heat just until warmed through.

(For a party of 10, we doubled pork, rice, and dressing. We had plenty of everything except the rice - so triple the rice next time, and way too much dressing - one recipe is plenty! So for a party of 10 - double pork, triple rice, single dressing.)

Green Beans with Balsamic Butter

(From Our Best Bites)

2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup salted butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 green onions, chopped (whites and greens)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine the onions, garlic, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes - until most of the vinegar is reduced into a thick syrup and has been absorbed by the green onions. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butter to the vinegar mixture - combine and set aside.

When water boils, add green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes - until beans are crisp-tender. Drain and toss with the balsamic butter sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.