Vanilla Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

It's been so hot lately that I don't want to bake or turn my oven on ever! So when I'm craving cookies, this recipe is great. It's pretty simple to make and it doesn't require any baking. These cookies were so yummy!

Printable Recipe

Vanilla Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large pan, mix together sugar, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add pudding, oats, and vanilla and mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drop by Tablespoon onto wax paper. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Adapted from Aunt Peg's Recipe Box

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Oreo Ice Cream Pie
Two years ago: Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Monterey Chicken

Printable Recipe

Monterey Chicken
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4-6 bacon strips, cooked crisp and chopped
1 cup bbq sauce
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Smother both sides of chicken breasts with bbq sauce and return to oven for 5 minutes. Top chicken with bacon and cheese. Place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Top with tomato and green onion.

Recipe from The Open Pantry

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Spaghetti and Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
Two years ago: Oriental Chicken Bake

Zucchini Bites

Since it's summertime, a lot of people have an overabundance of zucchini. It's really easy to get tired of eating it. That's why it's always nice to try different zucchini recipes. These little zucchini bites were great. My kids loved them!

Printable Recipe

Zucchini Bites
1 cup grated zucchini
1 egg
1/4 onion, diced
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 and spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray. Place grated zucchini in a clean dish towel and squeeze to release excess water. Combine zucchini, egg, onion, cheese, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Fill muffin cups to the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until tops are brown and zucchini bites are set.

Makes 12-15

Recipe adapted from The Curious Country Cook

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Baked Southwest Egg Rolls
Two years ago: Lasagna

Chicken Enchilada Pizzas

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe

Chicken Enchilada Pizzas

BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing

It's been so hot lately that I just want to eat something light. A big salad like this hits the spot. The day that I made this, my husband came home from work and said that a salad actually sounded good for dinner. I was shocked! He usually doesn't think salads are sufficient for dinner. But he loved this. This is a lot like my recipe for BBQ Chicken Salad. The only difference is the homemade dressing. It was delicious! The only thing it was missing was the crispy tortilla strips. I'll make sure to add those next time.

Printable Recipe

BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing


salad:
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
2 avocados, chopped
shredded cheese
*tortilla strips

Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Combine all ingredients for dressing in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the salad, combine cooked chicken with BBQ sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together iceberg, romaine, green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, beans, corn, avocados, and cheese. Place salad on plates and top with BBQ chicken, tortilla strips, and dressing. 

*Tortilla strips:

Slice 10 corn tortillas into narrow strips. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt. Spray with cooking spray. Place under broiler until crispy and brown.

Serves 8

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Past Recipes:

One year ago: Key Lime Pie

Two years ago: Sour Cream Enchiladas