Coconut Lime Chicken *Lauren Perry*

this is super easy and very yummy! I make this for a lot of my friends who have babies. It isn't spicy (though you can make it spicy if you want), it is very flavorful and mild and always a hit.

Ingredients
2 cans of coconut milk
1 small can of diced green ortega chili's
1 tbs+ of lime juice
1-2 tbs of sugar
few good shakes of salt or garlic salt (adjust to taste)
fresh ground pepper to taste (like 1/4 tsp)
4 chicken breasts (bbq and slice in strips.... its best to bbq the chicken because you want the smokey bbq flavor)
rice


Directions
Boil rice
-in a sauce pan, bring to medium heat 2 cans of coconut milk and green chili's. Then slowly add to simmer. Add sugar, salt, pepper and lime juice. Stir every 10 minutes or so for about 40 minutes (it will thicken...do NOT bring to boil)
-bbq chicken and slice. Add to your coconut lime sauce and let simmer a few minutes
adjust seasoning
in a bowl add rice and top with the chicken and sauce mixture

Yummy Queso *Lauren Perry*

Ingredients

1 brick of plain velveeta (I used the largest one)
1 brick of cream cheese
1 small can of diced green ortega chili's
1 can of chili beans (do not drain)
1 lb of ground beef
1 cup of fresh salsa (pace works as well)
1 tbs ground cumin
a dash of pepper

Directions
brown and crumble meat with garlic salt and pepper
drain fat
add cheese, cream cheese, chili's, beans, salsa and mix
add cumin and mix by hand until it melts. Serve hot with tortilla chips

Crab Wontons *Lauren Perry*

Ingredients

oil for frying
crab meat or imitation crab meat
brick of cream cheese
bunch of green onions chopped
wonton skins (these can usually be found in the produce section by the salads)
sweet red chili sauce
pinch of garlic salt


Directions
heat a cup or 2 of oil in a frying pan or wok
leave cream cheese out at room temp and put in a bowl
chop up crab meat and green onions, throw into bowl with cream cheese
add a dash or 2 of garlic salt and mix bowl of crab mixture by hand
spoon out a teaspoon of mixture and put in 1 corner of the square wonton
wet finger and make an L shape along wonton skin. Fold dry corner of wonton to the wet corner (it will look like a triangle at this point) and add pressure to the ends to make sure that it is sealed off.
Add the wontons (about 2-4 at a time) to the hot oil, use a spatula or tongs to flip them after about a minute until each side is golden. Let the oil run off of the wonton back into the pan/wok. Remove from heat and add to a plate with paper towel.
Serve warm with a red thai chili sauce, it is wonderful!

Candied Bacon Salad *Lauren Perry*

Without fail- every.single.time I make this or one of my friends (who I shared the recipe with) make this, it is always a hit. I have had many many requests for this recipe :) Salads aren't too hard to make yummy!

Ingredients
Romaine hearts
green onions (I use a whole bunch), chopped
candied bacon (I've posted the recipe before, I LOVE this in the salad)
feta cheese (just half of a container...go off of your love of feta... if you love it, add more!)
2-3 avacado
craisins (same as the feta, go with your gut! I find that more is better)
sliced almonds (I buy the honey roasted)
and Girards Champagne Salad Dressing, it is tangy and a MUST HAVE for this salad

Strawberry Shortcake *Lauren Perry*

I did a fun little 4th of July treat with mason jars and strawberry shortcake :)

First, I am going to tell you the easy/quick way to make this. Later, I am going to post a homemade (to die for) pound cake recipe that you can use instead of the box (if you really want to be delicious and fancy)...

Easy Pound cake- Betty Crocker box... quick and easy... :)

Strawberries- wash and slice 1 container, add 1 tbs sugar and drizzle half a can of sweetened condensed milk (strawberries and cream effect)... let sit in fridge for an hour so the juices mix

Whipped cream- 1 quart heavy whipping cream, about 3/4 cup of sugar (go off of your taste preference), 1 tsp vanilla..... i also sliced and got the seeds out of a vanilla bean. I can taste a difference, but I don't think it is a must have ingredient (since vanilla beans can run you $10). Blend or mix in a mixer until stiff peaks form... refrigerate if serving immediately (within an hour or 2, otherwise put in freezer so that it doesn't melt)

Optional topping- I used The Pampered Chef Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle mix. You can also make your own little topping with about 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbs brown sugar, 1 tbs white sugar and 1 tbs raw sugar (the chunky crystals) and a dash of nutmeg..... mix in a bowl by hand and sprinkle a bit on the top

Layer cubed pound cake, strawberries with the cream/syrup, whipped cream and top with your optional mixture :)