Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Found on http://www.mommysavers.com/2012/01/olive-garden-salad-dressing-copycat-recipe/

Lets be real who doesn't love their salad dressing but do I really have to buy corn syrup??? Hmmm maybe if I use Miracle Whip.

 Olive Garden Salad Dressing
 1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. white vinegar
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

One of the best things about the Olive Garden is their never-ending salad bowl. They sell the house dressing right there at the restaurant, but I thought it would be easier (and more frugal) to try and duplicate the Olive Garden salad dressing at home. A quick internet search turned up dozens of recipes, most of which were exactly like the one above.

 What’s nice about the Olive Garden salad dressing recipe is that the ingredients are readily available. In fact, you may already have them in your refrigerator/pantry. Toss with fresh tomatoes, Vidalia onions, black olives, croutons, pickled pepperoncini and freshly grated Parmesan cheese to give you a true Olive Garden restaurant experience.

The Best Crock Pot Chicken Tacos Recipe

Found here http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/04/crock-pot-chicken-tacos-recipe/

 Serves: 4

 Perfect Recipe Ingredients

1.5 – 2 pounds of skinless chicken breast – frozen or thawed
1.5 ounces of taco seasoning (about one packet worth) or use homemade seasoning HERE
1 can ( 10) ounces of Rotel
All your taco fixings – corn or flour tortillas, cheese, sour cream, Chipotle guacamole , lettuce, tomatoes 

Instructions
Set your crock pot to low and place taco seasoning, chicken, Rotel together – mix.
Cook for about 6 hours if chicken is frozen if thawed it will be done in about 3 -4 hours.
Take two forks and pull-apart the chicken, remove bones and mix into the awesome juices.
If there is not enough liquid use a little chicken stock.
Enjoy — Simply scoop up the chicken in that tortilla and go topping crazy

1 Minute Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix

Found http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/05/1-minute-homemade-ranch-seasoning-mix-recipe/
1 Minute Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix

 Prep time: 1 min
Total time: 1 min

Ingredients
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix.
Place your mix in a baggie or mason jar.
Print instructions on bag with Sharpie using making tape or other tape if desired

For Ranch Dressing
Whisk – 1 Tablespoon of Mix + 1/3 Cup of Mayonnaise ( or 1/3 cup non fat Greek yogurt) + 1/4 Cup of Milk + Salt to taste

You can use the ranch mix to make Ranch Dip by mixing in sour cream.

No-Knead Bread

November 8, 2006

Recipe: No-Knead Bread

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons sal
tCornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

Crockpot Lemon Chicken
 Put cube of butter in bottom of crock pot.
Lay chicken in pot.
Sprinkle Italian dressing packet over chicken, drizzle with lemon juice, pop the lid on. 
Cook on High 4-5 hours, or Low 6-8 hours.

 How easy is that? Add potatoes first to the crockpot, if you want to round this menu out and a few minutes for vegetables in the microwave while you set the table. Great for a long day to come home and dinner is served!

Caramel Spiced Cider

From Angela
4 cups apple cider
3 tablespoons caramel syrup (the ice cream topping)
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream (optional; I leave it off for my kids)

Directions Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Now this is sweet---I've modeled it after the stuff they serve at the store. After making it this way a few times, I've successfully cut back on the syrup without my kids (and their friends!) knowing---do what is right for your own family.

 Mix it all in together---stir, and cook on low for about 4 hours. I like to put it on after I clean up the breakfast dishes and then leave it alone until our after-school snack. I've also made a large pot for Girl Scout events and playdates. The kids really like it, and it's a nice change of pace from hot chocolate with marshmallows. Leftovers refrigerate and reheat well (in the microwave).

Spicy Potatoes

2 lg potatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil,
 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt Parmesan cheese

 Slice potatoes into very thin slices (1/4 inch)
Mix ingredients except Parmesan cheese in a ziplock
Toss potatoes in the ziplock bag to coat.
 Place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil.
 Bake at 450 for 15 -20 minutes, until lightly brown.
 Top with Parmesan cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Easy Fried Rice

Easy fried rice, better than takeout! 

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!) 

3 tbs sesame oil 

1 cup frozen peas (thawed) 

1 small onion, chopped

 2 tsp minced garlic 

2 eggs, slightly beaten 

1/4 cup soy sauce

Heat oil. Make sure your rice is cold when you put it in the pan or it will stick. Toss together till warmed though and fully mixed add leftover cooked meat, chicken or shrimp if desired

Slow Cooker White Chocolate Raspberry and Cream Cake

Slow Cooker White Chocolate Raspberry and Cream Cake found http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-white-chocolate-raspberry-and-cream-cake/2da2875a-fca3-4148-b558-85754de695cc 

PREP TIME 15 Min
TOTAL TIME 2 Hr 15 Min
SERVINGS 6

INGREDIENTS
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 box (4-serving size) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 whole eggs
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1 box (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS
1 Spray 4 1/2-quart slow cooker with baking spray with flour.
2 In large bowl, dump cake mix, removing and setting aside 1/2 cup of the dry mix. Add pudding mix, melted butter, 2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk and water to cake mix in large bowl. Stir until well mixed.
3 In small bowl, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the reserved cake mix over frozen raspberries. Stir to coat. Fold raspberries into cake mix mixture. Pour batter into slow cooker.
4 In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup cake mix, the sugar, and 1 egg white. Use knife to fold cream cheese mixture into batter in slow cooker, leaving ribbons of cream cheese running through batter.
5 Cover; cook on High heat setting 2 to 3 hours or until cake is set in center. Turn off slow cooker; remove cover. Cool completely before serving.