Tortilla Wrap-Ups

Posted by Lori:
Appetizers are fun to make and even better to eat! These Tortilla Wrap-Ups are easy because they can be made the day before then sliced and served the next day.

Tortilla Wrap-Ups
1 - 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 - 8 ounce carton sour cream
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 - 4 ounce can chopped green chilis
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup thin-sliced ham, chopped
1 pkg. burrito-sized flour tortillas (You will only use 5 or 6 of them)
Dash of pepper, optional
Salsa, if desired

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add onion, green chilis, cheese, and ham, mixing a few times in between ingredients. Spread mixture over the tortillas; roll up tightly. Wrap each with plastic wrap, twisting ends. Refrigerate for several hours or over night. Unwrap and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch slices. Discard ends (or eat them!). Place back in fridge (covered) until ready to serve or serve immediately. Serve with salsa, if desired. May also be served with a toothpick in each wrap-up or with a small bowl of toothpicks on the side.

I usually make this recipe and the Cheese Ball I've posted before (here) at the same time. It makes it easy because several of the ingredients are the same. When I do them at the same time, I use a tablespoon of the green chilis for the cheese ball and then just use the rest of the can for these wrap-ups, instead of the whole can called for in the ingredients.
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Tallerina

Posted by Lori:
This is one of my mother-in-law's recipe, but also one of my kids' very favorites. Years ago when I worked part-time, she babysat them and the oldest two would help her cook. This was a regular dish they would help her prepare. One of my sons still wants to help when I make it now.

I've seen this recipe in other cookbooks with different names, such as "Tallerilla" and "Tallyrila". Wonder where the name came from? Maybe someone's last name...

TALLERINA

1 pound ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1 small jar chopped olives and juice (I mince them even smaller in the food processor to "hide" them for my youngest two children!)
1 can whole kernel corn and juice
1 - 1 pound pkg. egg noodles
1 can diced tomatoes and juice
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

Brown meat and green pepper in large skillet. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper. While this cooks, cook noodles until tender and drain. Add noodles to meat mixture. Add diced tomatoes and juice, corn, and olives and juice. Mix all together and pour into large casserole dish. Cover with shredded cheese.

This is always served with crackers. It really doesn't need anything anything else because it has all of the food groups, but a salad would be good to serve with it, as well. Last year I added a lot of beef broth and made it into a soup. It was really good, as well.
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Festive Cranberry-Pineapple Salad

Posted by Donna:

With the holidays quickly approaching, I thought this gelatin salad recipe would be good to have on hand. My aunt shared this with me last year, and I made it for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple
2 pkg. ( 4-serving size each) JELLO-O Raspberry Flavor Gelatin
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 medium red apple, chopped
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Drain the pineapple, reserving the liquid in a 1 qt. liquid measuring cup. Add enough cold water to the reserved liquid to measure 3 cups; pour into a large sauce pan. Bring the liquid to a boil; remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir at least 2 minutes, or until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir until well blended. Because of the whole berries in the cranberry sauce, the gelatin mixture willl not be completely smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the pineapple, the apples and pecans; stir gently until well blended. Pour into a medium serving bowl. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

It was hard for me to change from just a plain can of jellied cranberry sauce to serve with my holiday meals. I love the canned sauce. Since I have a standard menu for my holiday meals each year, this was a nice change.
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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Posted & Created by Lori:

This soup was created many years ago as I was preparing for Wednesday night meals for our church family. Using a huge roaster pan, I just began dumping cans of soup, tomatoes, beans, broth, tomatoes and green chilis - plus the chicken - into it until the mixture "looked about right". Since that time I've made it countless times and had numerous requests for the recipe. Most people are really surprised that it's so simple to make. I serve this soup with Garlic Cheese Biscuits. (I use the Bisquick recipe (on the outside of the box) except I use more milk than is called for.)

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
(This is a 3cherrycokes' original recipe)

2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and chopped or shredded)
2 family-sized cans cream of chicken soup (*see note below)
1 or 2 cans chicken broth (*see note below)
1 can tomatoes and green chilis (ex. Rotel or other brand)
1 can ranch beans (Ranch Style or other brand)
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. cumin
8 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
1/2 cup sour cream, optional

Place all ingredients, except tortillas and sour cream, into large stock pot or crock pot. Heat thouroughly. Before serving, add tortillas and sour cream. (Sour cream would be pretty as a garnish on top, then put a little bit of cheddar cheese.)

Basically, it's still the same as from it's beginning (except I added the evaporated milk a few years ago to make it extra creamy and the cumin for extra flavor)...just dump everything together and the flavors do all of the work! (*NOTE: These ingredients are for a very large crock pot size (6 quart); you may need less of the cream of chicken soup and broth for your crock pot and for your desired preferences of thickness.) It's still a great recipe for large groups. Just pull out your roaster pan and double or triple.

**Tip - Do you use frozen chicken breasts? Frozen chicken is much cheaper than fresh chicken and can be great to keep on hand for quick and easy meals. You can still boil the chicken, chop or shred it, then freeze it to use later on...such as in Chicken Tortilla Soup!
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Dreamy Apricot Salad

Posted by Donna:

This is a recipe I "procured" from a co-worker. I had signed up to bring a jello salad to a funeral meal and my mind went blank as to which one to take. I found this one that I had marked as a "to do" recipe and decided to try it. I think you would really enjoy it as well.

2 (3 oz.) pkgs. apricot gelatin
2/3 cup sugar
2 ( 4 3/4 oz.) jars apricot baby food
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Combine gelatin, sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve gelatin and sugar. Remove from heat and add fruit. Cool. Beat cream cheese and condensed milk in a bowl until smooth. Combine with the gelatin mixture and pecans, mixing well. Pour into a 3 qt. dish. Chill until firm.

It is very rich, but women really like it. A friend of mine took some of the leftovers home when I took it to the funeral meal, and her husband gave it thumbs up, also.
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Macaroni and Cheese

Posted by Donna:

This may seem like a strange recipe to post, or a very simple recipe to post; but, I visited with a lady one day, and she told me about the wonderful homemade macaroni and cheese she had eaten recently at a family get-together. I've always made homemade macaroni and cheese instead of buying the boxed. Not that the boxed isn't good. Some of my grandchildren prefer it over the homemade. I decided I should post my grandmother's recipe---it is definitely a wonderful homemade sidedish. It's the only one I ever make.

Macaroni and Cheese

Boil, then drain the macaroni--I always use a 16 oz. pkg. for our family of thirteen.

Butter the bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish. Put a layer of macaroni in the bottom of the dish. Put dollops of butter on top of the macaroni. Lay slices of sharp cheddar cheese on top of the macaroni and butter. ( I like the Sargento cheese. I usually buy two 8 oz. pkg.) Put another layer of macaroni on top of the cheese. This time I put the cheese on top of the macaroni first. Then I put my dollops of butter on top of the cheese. Pour a can of Carnation Evaporated milk over the macaroni and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is brown.

There are times I have to add just a little more carnation milk. You want your milk to come to the bottom of the TOP layer of macaroni. Usually one can is enough, but sometimes the macaroni soaks up the milk and you have to add just a little more. I'd rather have too little than too much.

If you have a special macaroni and cheese recipe, please share it with us. When I was teaching school, we would always say how we "stole" a certain idea from another teacher. One teacher told me we don't "steal" our ideas, we "procure" them. I think that's what most of us do with recipes---we "procure" them!!!!!!!

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Okra Salad

Posted by Lori:
This is one of my very favorite salads.

OKRA SALAD
1 large pkg. frozen breaded okra (fried in oil per package directions)
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 of a green pepper, chopped (optional)
4 green onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped

DRESSING:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 CUP sugar
1/8 CUP vinegar

Cook oil, sugar, and vinegar long enough to dissolve sugar and then cool mixture. Mix vegetable together and pour dressing on just before serving.

I've made it myself, but since my children don't care for it, I don't very often. But, I have several friends who bring it for church fellowship dinners and ladies' luncheons. I always look forward to it at those events. Yippee! We have one in two weeks!!
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