How About Some New Recipes?

This is not a new recipe, but I have never shared it before. We have a little tea room type restaurant here called The Picnic. They have the BEST chicken salad of all---and there are a lot of good chicken salads around town. I like many of them, but this is by far my favorite! 

I made it last week. I hadn't made it in a long time. It was just as delicious as always. Plus it's so easy. I'm all about easy. I did not have celery seed, so I left it out. My note on the recipe is typical of my recipes. Every time I make something, I'll make a note on it. If I didn't like it, I just get rid of it. I do it mostly because it's a way of knowing if I've ever made it before. I forget easily these days---or pretty much forever.

When we scrapbooked at the farm a few weeks ago, I got the next two new recipes from Pam.

The first one is a recipe for margaritas. I do not like margaritas---I know I'm about the only one. I always thought it was because of the salt. Then I thought it was that I just didn't like tequila. Then, Pam made these. They are sweet. I like sweet drinks. Now don't get me wrong, my favorite "go to" cocktail is an extra dirty martini. And, I like gin & tonics. Neither of those are sweet. But since I've never liked margaritas, turns out I like them sweet!

Pam's Margaritas

1 cup Epsolon Tequila 

1 cup Santa Cruz lime juice 

1 cup simple syrup (boil 2 cups sugar with 2 cups water until dissolved, cool)

Mix it all together and serve. I decided to take it a step further and freeze them to use as pool drinks. I made them the day before and they didn't freeze up very well--I guess because of the alcohol. I filled individual glasses and froze them that way. They froze up that way. 

I had a hard time finding that lime juice. It's from Sprouts. Publix carries it in a smaller bottle, but both places were "out" when I looked. Pam surprised me with a couple bottles. I plan to try a different one to see if that makes a difference. 

When I tried my second batch, I used some tequila we already had. There was this:

I screamed! I forgot that tequila has a worm in it. It kind of grosses me out. The Epsolon did not have a worm. 

Another recipe that I got from Pam was this. It makes a lot!! I'm going to include the original recipe that Pam gave me and then what I changed. I'm all about quick and easy.

Peanut Butter Banana Pudding

Step 1:

1 1/3 cup milk (I used 2%---she used whole--I couldn't tell the difference)

1 (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding (I used the big box because I thought it needed a little more pudding)

1 (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Mix together and chill about 5 minutes to thicken.

Step 2: 

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in to pudding mixture.

I skipped Step 2 and just used Cool Whip---8 oz. light. I couldn't tell the difference in the taste. Plus it was much quicker.

Step 3:

1 box family size Nutter Butters

16 oz. jar peanut butter 

3-4 sliced banans (I used 5)

Build trifle by layering nutter butters, pudding, bananas, melted peanut butter (just put the jar in the microwave). Repeat. Can add more Cool Whip on top and drizzle with peanut butter. I had a couple extra nutter butters, so put those on top too.

Delicious!! Huge hit with the family. Pretty rich too.

I do not have pictures for the next two recipes.

Skillet Corn

3 cups corn cut from cob (I used frozen)

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 T. sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients above, cover and simmer 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

1 T. flour

1/4 cup milk

Whisk together until smooth. Stir in to corn. Cook 5 minutes stirring until it thickens.

This was a huge hit too. Basically, it's creamed corn except not all schmushed up. 

This last recipe was quick and easy. I wouldn't say it's fabulous, but it's pretty good. Butch felt like it needed more meat and could have been a little juicier. Still, it's nice to be able to cook everything in one pan. Easy cleanup.

Taco Pasta

1 lb. ground beef chuck

Brown and drain.

1/2 cup chopped onions

Add and cook until translucent.

1 pkg. taco seasoning

2 cups water

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce 

3 cups small shell pasta, uncooked

Add all ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on medium for 10 minutes until pasta is cooked and water is absorbed.

Remove from heat and add. 

1 cup cheddar cheese (I used Mexican)

Crushed tortilla chips.

That's it for new recipes this week. Let me know if you have anything awesome to share!!