Apple Dip

8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. bag of Heath Bits

Mix together well and enjoy!

Keep in the refrigerator

Joe's Valley Stew

In a 12” Dutch oven:

1 lbs. sirloin steak/ cubed

2 T oil to brown

1 lbs. baby carrots

10-15 potatoes cut to bite-size

1 chopped onion

Salt & pepper

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

Add 1 lbs. chopped, uncooked, link sausage

Cook 1 hour, stir & rotate occasionally

Add cheddar cheese on top

Melt cheese & serve

Serves 8-10

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Energy Bites (Naturally Sweetened)

YIELD: ABOUT 20-25 BITES

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NO-BAKE ENERGY BITES (NATURALLY SWEETENED)

These chocolate peanut butter no-bake energy bites taste just like a cookie, although they are full of protein and naturally sweetened.

PREP: 15 MINS COOK: 0 MINS TOTAL: 15 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats, although use gluten-free oats if making this GF)
• 2/3 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, to make the mix easier to handle and mold.
2. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
3. Makes about 20-25 balls.

*If the mix seems to dry, add in an extra tablespoon or two of honey or peanut butter.  If the mix seems too wet (which may happen if you use natural peanut butter), add extra oatmeal.

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Avocado Chicken Salad

This is by far our most favorite meal. We often fight over licking the bowl! And it's healthy and SO simple!

We just make about how much we'll need depending on how many people it's serving, because avocados doesn't stay good for long.

For 2 adults:

1- 1 1/2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup shredded chicken (sometimes we use canned if we're short on time)
fresh lime
cilantro
green onions (optional)
salt to taste

Pour the chicken into a bowl, mash it up, so it shreds a little. Start with less, you don't want it too chicken-y. I probably start with about 1/2 cup and add more if needed. Add avocado and mash up a lot, add as much cilantro as you wish and squeeze on the fresh lime. I've added green onions before, but we prefer it without. Add salt to taste.

Mix it all up and serve over lettuce, tortilla chips, plain or our favorite (but least healthy) over toasted sourdough bread (open-faced).

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

We recently discovered this divine salmon recipe. It's a very healthy and is a Whole30 recipe too! This is probably our favorite way to eat salmon. If we don't feel like grilling, we just line a baking sheet with foil, spray it, place the salmon skin down, cover with foil and bake at 425 for 12-18 mins. So delicious!!

GRILLED SALMON WITH AVOCADO SALSA

 

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Whole30 approved grilled salmon with avocado salsa

Author: the cookie rookie

Recipe type: main course

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tbs olive oil (I used light extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• for the Avocado salsa:
• 1 avocado, sliced
• ½ small red onion, sliced
• Juice from 2 limes
• 1-2 tbs finely chopped cilantro (depending on how big of a cilantro lover you are)
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and this seasoning mix
2. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Pre-heat the grill.
4. Combine the avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.
5. Grill the salmon to desired doneness. (I grilled for about 5 minutes)
6. Top with avocado salsa and enjoy!

Adapted from The Cookie Rookie

Super Easy Chocolate Fondue

-1 bag of chocolate chips (your choice of milk, semi-sweet, dark chocolate. I recommend a fine milk chocolate like guittard or ghirardelli)
-heavy whipping cream

Melt the chocolate down in 30 min increments (or follow the melting instructions on the packaging) in the microwave. We just add as much whipping cream as needed to get a smooth consistency. If you heat the whipping cream up a little, it will mix nicely with the melted chocolate. If it's cold it'll make the chocolate harden up and becomes difficult to work with.

 I have a crock pot like the one shown below. After we cook up our fondues we just transfer them to the crock pot to make it easier for serving to a party. All fondues I have posted transfer and stay warm and smooth just as well in the crock pot.

Queso Dip (or another easy Cheese "fondue")

RO*TEL® FAMOUS QUESO DIP

Prep Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 10 minutesServes: 2-1/2 cups or 20 servings (2 tablespoons each)

3.62 of 5 (358 ratings)

A creamy, cheesy and spicy dip made with just 2 ingredients--a Ro*Tel signature recipe. Velveeta® is a registered trademark of Kraft Foods, Inc.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
• 1 pkg (16 oz each) Velveeta®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine undrained tomatoes and Velveeta in medium saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until Velveeta is melted completely and mixture is blended, stirring frequently.
3. Serve warm as a dip with tortilla chips, crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables.

COOK'S TIPS

1. To make in microwave, combine undrained tomatoes and Velveeta in 1-1/2-quart microwave-safe dish; cover. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or just until Velveeta melts, stirring after 3 minutes. Remove from microwave; stir until mixture is blended. CAUTION: Dish will be hot; use hot pads. For a double recipe, microwave on HIGH 8 minutes or until Velveeta melts, stirring after 5 minutes. Drain 1 can of tomatoes if a thicker dip is preferred.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 68Serving Size: 2-1/2 cups or 20 servings (2 tablespoons each)

Adapted from Ro*Tel's website.

Chili Con Queco (Chili Fondue)

1 can (about 1 lb) chili con carne
2 jars (1 lb ea) processed cheese (or velveeta)
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp. minced jalapenos (or 4 oz can green chilis)

Combine all ingredients in top of a large double broiler. Heat over simmering water, stirring several times until cheese melts and mixture is hot.
Pour into chafing dish. Serve with corn chips, tortilla chips, rolls or veggies.

Makes 8 cups.

Note-as jalapenos stand they become hotter, add according to taste.

Pizza Fondue

This is a New Year's Eve tradition!

1 lb. ground beef/turkey
1 med. onion chopped
1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp garlic
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
2 cans (10 1/2 oz) pizza sauce
10 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese

Brown meat and onion until meat loses color and onion is clear.
Mix cornstarch and seasoning in pizza sauce, add sauce to mixture.
Cook until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese by thirds, allow cheese to melt
between additions. When cheese is melted and smooth transfer to fondue pot on heat stand.

Serve with carrots, celery, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, tortilla chips and rolls.