Quinoa Salad

This is my new favorite recipe! I love it! I make it and eat it as a snack or a light lunch, it is so yummy and the quinoa adds protein so it is filling and refreshing. Love it! :) It takes me about 5 days to eat it all, but it is good till the last drop! I get my quinoa in bulk at Winco, or Sunflower market. It is cheaper that way. I have made it in all different varieties of veggies, sometimes with whatever I have in my fridge.
Quinoa Salad Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup snow peas, shell peas, celery or green beans
- 1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/2 green or red pepper, sliced thin
- 1 medium rip tomato
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted sunflower seeds, or cashews
- Options: dried unsweetened cranberries, raisins or apricots, jalapeno pepper, fresh mint

Dressing
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
Options: pinch of cayenne, garlic powder or fresh minced garlic, minced fresh or dried ginger.

Directions:
The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated if you like.
- Cook quinoa according to package directions, fluff gently with a fork.
- Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk
-gently combine veggies, walnuts, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
- cover and chill (2-3 hours)

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Crust: 3 C. crushed Graham Crackers
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. + 2 T. melted butter
Mix graham crackers and sugar, add melted butter and mix well. Press into bottom and up sides of 9X13 baking dish. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Filling: 2 small pkgs. instant French Vanilla Pudding
3 C. Milk
8 oz. cool whip
15 graham crackers (not crushed)
1 (15oz) chocolate frosting

mix together pudding and milk, fold in cool whip. Pour 1/2 onto graham cracker crust. Top with one layer of Graham Crackers. Pour remaining 1/2 of pudding mixture on to Graham Crackers. Top with another layer of Graham Crackers. Melt frosting in microwave for 30 seconds and pour onto top layer of Graham Crackers. Cover and Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Can be refrigerated overnight.
*Chocolate Fudge Frosting was recommended, but I couldn't find it, so I just used milk Chocolate Frosting ....

Fresh Fruit Pie

A Yummy summer refreshing treat!
1 pkg. (.6oz) sugar-free gelatin
2 cups boiling water

Place gelatin in a medium bowl, add boiling water and stir to dissolve

1 pkg. (5.1oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups milk

In a large bowl mix together with an electric mixer. It will be thicker than usual, add the dissolved gelatin and mix until smooth.

2 lg (9oz) graham cracker crusts
1 quart fresh strawberries
2 bananas
4 fresh peaches or nectarines
1 pint blueberries

Place fruit in crust to fill
Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over each pie
Refrigerate until firm about 2 hours.

Pumpkin Pie Cake (Todd's Favorite)

Crust:
1 box Yellow Cake Mix (remove 1cup)
1/2 C. margarine
1 egg
Filling:
1 lg. can pumpkin
2/3 C. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
3 eggs
1/4 C. milk
2 t. vanilla
Topping:
1 C. reserved cake mix
1/4 C. margarine (soft)
1/4 C. sugar
1 C. chopped walnuts

Mix cake mix, 1/2 C. margarine, and 1 egg well. Pat evenly in 9X13 greased and floured baking dish. Set aside. In a large bowl mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 3 eggs, milk and vanilla well and pour onto cake mixture. In small bowl mix topping ingredients and crumble over filling. Bake @ 325 for 55-60 minutes. Serve with cool whip. Keep refrigerated.

Carmel or Cinnamon Rolls

Carmel Rolls

-- Rhodes Roll (or any frozen dough roll)
-- Butterscotch COOK and SERVE pudding
-- 1 stick of butter melted
-- 1 Cup brown sugar

- Spray the bottom of the bunt pan with a none stick spray
- place rolls in the bottom of the pan 15-25
- pour the melted butter all over the rolls
- pour the powdered package of butterscotch cook and serve pudding
- Add brown sugar

Let rise about 3-4 hours
cook at 350 degrees for 30-60 minutes depending on how many rolls you put in. 15 rolls is closer to 30minutes. The rolls on the top should be dark brown and almost look burnt. If you want to make cinnamon rolls you add cinnamon (keep the brown sugar) and use Vanilla Cook and Serve pudding instead of the butterscotch.

Crock-Pot Fajitas

1 pound beef, boneless chicken breast, or pork tenderloin

1 Large Onion cut vegetables into stripes and place in slow cooker
1 Green bell Pepper
1 Red bell Pepper
1 Yellow bell Pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 jalapeno or hot pepper rings from jars.
1 can pinto, kidney, or black beans drained and rinsed
2 T Lime juice or 2 envelopes "true lime"
4-5 T or 1 package taco seasonings

Add all above to slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW 7-8 hours

12 6" flour tortillas
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 Cup Shredded lettuce
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Warm tortillas in microwave. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove contents from slow cooker. Assemble fajitas with toppings of your choice.

Apple Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 C. Sugar
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 t. vanilla
toffee chips
apples

Mix cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar well. Add vanilla. Spread in pie plate or other shallow dish. Sprinkle toffee chips on top. Serve with sliced apples. YUMMY