Floatas.

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken
4 TBS flour
4 TBS grated cheese
4 TBS salsa
Corn tortillas
Oil

Directions:

In bowl combine all ingredients except tortillas and oil.  Mush together really well with hands to make filling.  Heat enough oil in frying pan to fry the floutas.  Dip each corn tortilla in oil long enough to wilt the tortilla.  Take out of oil and put desired filling in tortilla and roll tightly.  Take rolled tortilla in tongs and hold under hot oil until it holds together.  Let it continue to fry until golden brown, turn over and brown.  Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.  Serve with desired toppings.

Submitted by Bev

Poke Cake.

Ingredients:

1 box white or yellow cake mix (and ingredients called for on box)
1 small box (4 serving size) any flavor gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 container frozen whipped topping (about 3 cups)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350º
Make and bake cake as directed on box for 13x9 inch pan.  Cool completely in pan, about 1 hour.
Pierce cooled cake all over with fork or straw.  In a small bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until smooth, stir in cold water.  Pour over cake.  Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake.  Refrigerate 2 hours.  Frost with whipped topping.  Store covered in refrigerator.

Submitted by: Renee

Story:

When my children were younger, they enjoyed "helping" to make this cake.  Their job was to poke the holes in the cake.  I gave them both a straw to do so.  While I would be pouring the jello on the cake they would be trying to suck the cake out of the straws.

This is still my eldest's favorite cake because it is so moist and she really likes the cool whip as frosting because it's not too sweet.

Easy Bread.

Ingredients:

3 cups hot water
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1/3 cup sugar or honey
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix above ingredients until moistened and allow to sit for 30 minutes until bubbly.  Then add the following:

1 Tablespoon salt
1/3 cup sugar or honey (optional depending on how sweet you want it)
1/4 cup oil
2-4 cups flour (whatever type you want, I've done white, wheat, rye, and oat all with delicious results)

Directions:

Knead for 10 minutes on low speed with a dough hook and then allow to rise for 1 hour.  Punch down and divide into 3 loaves.  Place in greased 9x5 inch loaf pans and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch or so.  This last part is one of the most important I think, giving it enough time to rise properly (I would say at least an hour).  Bake at 350º for 30 minutes!

I usually start the bread around noon and it's ready in time for dinner.  I love this recipe because it is so versatile and I have never once had a problem with it.  I have made it whole grain, white, or a combination, I've made it sweeter or saltier and used it for pizza, rolls, or pigs in a blanket, etc. and enjoyed it every time.  I also love that it has very few ingredients so I always have what I need to make it.

Submitted by: Meggan

French Bread.

Preheat oven to 400º

Add: 

2 TBS of yeast
2 TBS of sugar
3 cups warm water
Let rest 5 minutes

Add:

2 TBS oil
2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
Mix Well

Add:

2-3 cups more flour until nice soft dough forms that does not stick to the sides of mixer.

Directions:

•Let rise in warm place until double (1-1/2 hours)
•Shape dough by cutting in half, rolling dough out the shape of a cooke sheet and rolling it up long ways.  Cut 5 slits in top and let rise 1/2 hour.
•Bake for 25-30 minutes.
•Let Cool.
•For crispy top, add ice cubes in a bowl to the oven when cooking

Submitted by: Tasha

Breakfast Burritos.

Ingredients:

1 pkg medium tortillas
chopped onion and green pepper (sautéed)
cooked, chopped leftover meat (chicken, sausage, lunch meat)
shredded cheese
eggs
salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small frying pan very lightly cover the bottom with oil, place on medium heat.
Crack and scramble one egg, pour into pan and roll pan so egg covers the bottom, it cooks very quickly.
With a wide spatula, flip egg and remove from heat, cut the cooked egg in half.
Place one half on one tortilla, the other half on another.
Salt and pepper egg.
sprinkle top of egg with green pepper and onion, meat and shredded cheese.
Fold ends over edges of egg on two sides.
Rollup and place in a sandwich baggy.
Freeze.
When ready to eat, take out of freezer, microwave a minute or so, grab and go.

submitted by: Renee

Story:

As a single mom this was one way I could make sure my children had breakfast on the go with our busy lifestyles.

On a day when all three of us were together we would make an assembly line of these.  Dorothy would clean off the table and lay all the tortillas out.  While I was chopping and sautéing, Erika would be grating the cheese.  Then I would cook the eggs.  Erika would put the toppings on them.  Dorothy would roll them up and stuff them in the sandwich baggies.

Working together like that, we would be finished in a short amount of time.  They were glad to know that their favorite breakfasts were ready for them in the freezer.  This is rather economical and helps to use leftovers.

Gluten Free Quinoa and Black Beans.

Ingredients: 

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups gluten free chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup black beans
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 medium green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

•Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water until water runs clear, drain well.
•In 2 quart saucepan, heat broth to boiling.  Add quinoa, reduce heat to low.  Cover, simmer 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
•Fluff quinoa with fork.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook uncovered about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Submitted by: Renee

Story: 

As my girls became busy, active teenagers, they liked it when I had a quinoa salad in the refrigerator.  They showed an interest in eating healthily (salads are good for you they thought, but in reality not very filling). I had taught them how nutritious and satisfying quinoa was for them to eat.  I mixed it with vegetables, put it in small containers, and they had a healthy dinner on the go.  All I had to do was run out to their friends' cars from time to time to collect my empty containers.