This is my very favorite Spring dessert! It's called "Dirt Pudding," and it makes a great "edible" centerpiece :) Kids and adults love this tasty, fun dessert! Enjoy :)

“Dirt Pudding”

1 large package Oreo cookies

2 large boxes instant vanilla pudding

5 cups cold milk

1 large container Cool Whip

½ stick butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Crush Oreos and set aside.   Mix pudding and milk and set aside.  Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter until smooth and fold in Cool Whip.  Add this mixture to pudding.  Layer ingredients in a 10” new flower pot, starting with half of the crushed cookies, the pudding mixture and then ending with crushed Oreos.  Place some silk flowers into the mixture to create a spring floral arrangement.  Sometimes I like to place a few gummy worms on it, too J

Recipes from today's show! King Ranch Chicken Casserole, Mexican Salad, Chicken-Cheese Ball & Pecan Pie Bars :) Enjoy!

KING RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE

CHICKEN CHEESE BALL

MEXICAN SALAD

PECAN PIE BARS

CHICKEN CHEESE BALL RECIPE

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

2 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

½ cup chopped onions

1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

½ package of Ranch dressing (the powder kind)

2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix together first 5 ingredients plus ½ cup of the chopped nuts.  Divide the cheese mixture in half and form into 2 balls.  Roll each ball into chopped nuts.  Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.  These also freeze well.  Serve with your favorite crackers.

KING RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE

1 whole chicken, cooked and shredded

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup each of onion, celery, and green pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 teaspoon each of oregano, cumin and Mexican-style chili powder (1 t. chili powder +1/8 t. cayenne pepper)

3 cups sharp cheddar, shredded

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas cut into small squares or strips

Place the butter and olive oil in a skillet and sauté the vegetables in the skillet for 6 to 7 minutes.  Next add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add the dry seasonings to this mixture.  Remove from heat and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, soups, Rotel, cooked vegetables, 1 cup of the cheese and the corn tortillas.  Mix well and pour into a greased 13x9x2 casserole dish.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  Remove from the oven and add the remaining 2 cups of cheese and bake for 5 minutes more or just until cheese melts.  Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MEXICAN SALAD

1 bag lettuce

1 tomato, chopped

½ can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

½ can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small can corn, drained

1 small can chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 small avocado, chopped

Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup crushed Doritos or tri-colored tortilla strips

Russian dressing or Thousand Island

Toss all together and serve.  Delicious!

PECAN PIE BARS

Crust:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 stick butter, softened

¼ cup brown sugar

Filling:

3 large eggs

¾ cup light Karo syrup

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

1 ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13.x9 pan.  For the crust:  Beat flour, butter and brown sugar in a bowl until crumbly.   Press into the pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.    For the filling:  Beat the eggs, Karo, sugar, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Pour evenly over crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool completely before cutting. 

Easter Sunday is just around the corner, and here are some of my favorite recipes :)

COCA COLA HAM

1 3-lb. boneless, fully cooked ham

8-ounces coca cola

½ cup yellow mustard

1 cup brown sugar

Mix brown sugar and just about 1 to 2 tablespoon coke until it makes a paste.  Place ham in a shallow baking dish and rub paste over ham.  Pour coke all around ham, and bake 50 minutes. 

MELISSA’S CORNBREAD SALAD

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix, baked according to directions

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup Hellmann’s mayo

1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained well

2 cans whole kernel corn, drained well

½ cup each of red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix the 2 boxes of cornbread up and bake in a black skillet according to directions on the box.  Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.  Meanwhile, in a medium –size bowl, mix Ranch dressing mix, sour cream, mayo and Creole seasoning well.  Using a whisk works well.  Now you are ready to layer!  In a large bowl OR a 13x9x2 pan, crumble half the cornbread and place it on the bottom.  Now place half the corn, beans and veggie mix on top of the cornbread.  Carefully spread half of the dressing mixture over veggies using a butter knife and/or spoon.  Top this with 1 cup of the cheese.   Now, repeat a second layer ending with cheese.  It’s important to let this sit in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours.  Serve with a large spoon and dig deep! J  Enjoy!  Any time I make this, the people who are hesitant to try it always, always end up loving it and ask for the recipe!

BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained well

1 red bell pepper, chopped

½ onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (I suggest wearing gloves when you do this)

Place all veggies and peas in a bowl.  Mix oil, vinegar and sugar together and pour over veggies and peas.  Refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving.  Stir well before serving.

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

3 cups pretzels, crushed (I place them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a glass)

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

2 (16-ounce) containers of frozen strawberries, thawed

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip

1 large box strawberry Jell-O

1 ½ cups boiling water

In a 13x9 ovenproof dish, stir together crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter.  Stir well and then press down and up the sides of the pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes then let it cool completely.  While crust is baking, stir together cream cheese and sugar and then stir in the Cool Whip until mixed very well.  Spread this mixture over the cooled crust.  Next combine Jell-O, and boiling water until mixed well.  Stir in the strawberries and pour this mixture on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Cover and place in the fridge for about 3 hours or until Jell-O is set.  It’s best the next day J

My recipes from this past Sunday's show: White Chicken Chili, Mexican Cornbread and Apple Enchiladas :)

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

MEXICAN CORNBREAD

APPLE ENCHILADAS

White Chicken Chili

1 onion, chopped

2 T. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups water

1 teaspoon each of salt, cumin, chili powder, oregano, white pepper

2 teaspoons garlic powder and onion powder

2 T. chicken granules

4 (15 -ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and divided

2 cans (14 ½-ounce) chicken broth

2 small cans green chilies

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 block pepper jack cheese, grated

Sauté onion in oil for 5 minutes and add the garlic and chicken.  Cook until chicken is lightly browned for about 4 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in 2 cups water and all the seasonings.  Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes.  Place 2 cans of drained and rinsed beans in a blender, add broth and blend until smooth.  Stir the bean puree,  remaining 2 cans beans and green chilies into chicken mixture.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook 30 minutes to an hour, stirring often.  Mix the cornstarch and water together and add to the chili.  Lastly, and add grated cheese; simmer until cheese is melted then serve.

OLD-FASHIONED MEXICAN CORNBREAD

A black skillet is a must for this recipe J

2 cups self rising cornmeal

2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 ½ tablespoons more

3 tablespoons sugar, optional

1 small can chopped jalapenos or diced green chilies

¼ cup onion, chopped

1 small can mexicorn, drained

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups whole milk or buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

Place the 1- ½ tablespoons vegetable oil in a black skillet and heat on a burner for 2 to 3 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix cornmeal, 2 tablespoons of oil and the remaining ingredients together well.  Turn the heat off the skillet and carefully pour the cornmeal mixture over the hot oil.  Place in a 425 oven for 25 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

APPLE ENCHILADAS

1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling

6 (8”) flour tortillas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

Vanilla ice cream

Spoon the apple pie filling down the middle of each tortilla and sprinkle each evenly with cinnamon.  Roll up and place seam side down on a lightly greased baking dish.  Bring butter and next 3 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat and simmer on low for 3 minutes, stirring often.  Pour over the enchiladas and let sit for 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream and ladle the syrup over the ice cream.  Delicious!

Recipes from today's show :) You've got to try my Cauliflower Pizza Crust!

Lasagna Meatloaf

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Nutella Cookies

LASAGNA MEATLOAF

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs. ground beef chuck

4 ounces mushrooms, chopped

2 tablespoons coconut brown sugar or regular brown sugar

¾ cup of your favorite marinara sauce

2 eggs

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ cup chopped, fresh basil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 teaspoons each of salt & pepper

1 cup each of marinara and mozzarella cheese for the top of the meatloaf

Place parchment paper or nonstick foil on a jelly roll pan and set aside.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté’ the onion for 5 minutes then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  In a large bowl, mix the ground beef and next 8 ingredients together.  Now add the onion and garlic and mix very well.  Turn the mixture out onto the parchment-lined pan and shape into a rectangle about 1” high.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Take out of the oven and pour 1 cup of marinara over the top of the meatloaf and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.  Return to the oven and bake 15 more minutes.  Let the meatloaf sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  For a gluten-free meal, serve with spaghetti squash.

CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST

2 (12-ounce) bags of bagged cauliflower, riced (you can find this by the bagged salad)

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400.  “Riced” just means placing the cauliflower in a food processor and pulsing it for a few seconds until it looks like rice.  Place riced cauliflower into a large bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Divide the mixture and turn it out onto a large parchment-lined cookie sheet or jellyroll pan.  You MUST use the parchment paper or it will not bake properly.  Shape the 2 crusts gently into a round crust, creating edges—just as you would regular pizza dough.  It’s going to feel like a strange consistency, but I promise, it will bake up like real pizza crust J Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Start watching it after 15 minutes.  Take out of the oven and let it cool completely.  Now add your favorite sauce and pizza toppings and bake for 10 minutes.

NUTELLA COOKIES

1 cup Nutella

1-cup oat flour

1 egg

½ cup white chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together.  Take a teaspoon full and roll it up in a ball.  Place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.  Makes about 14 cookies. (Note: they need to completely cool before removing from the pan)