Jell-O Homemade Pudding Pops

 

Prepare your favorite Jell-O Instant Pudding with milk as package directs.  Pour into paper cups.  Insert wooden craft stick or plastic spoons.  Freeze 3 hours or until firm.  Fun for the kids to help with.

 

BBQ Burgers with Avocado-Roast Corn Salsa

 

Burgers

  1 1/4 lb lean ground beef sirloin

   1 (4oz.) can whole green chilies, drained, diced

   1 tsp each ground cumin and salt

    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

   1 Tbsp olive oil

   4 hamburger buns split

   4 (1 oz.) slices Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

   1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded, cut in thin strips

Spicy BBQ Sauce

   1 cup bottled smoky BBQ sauce

   1 large canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

Avocado-Roast Corn Salsa

   1 grilled or oven-roasted ear of corn, kernels removed from the cob

   1 ripe Haas avocado, diced

   3 ripe plum tomatoes, diced

   1/2 small red onion, diced

   1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

   2 Tbsp each olive oil and rice wine vinegar

   Juice of 1/2 lime

   1 small jalapeno chile, finely diced

   1/4 tsp each ground cumin and cayenne pepper

 

1.  Salsa:  In medium bowl, combine corn, avocado, tomatoes, onion and cilantro.  In small bowl, mix remaining salsa ingredients; add to tomato mixture.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2.  Sauce:  In small bowl, combine sauce ingredients.  Can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated.

3.  Burgers:  Prepare outdoor grill with medium-hot fire.  In large bowl, gently mix with hand the beef, chiles, cumin, salt and cayenne (do not over mix).  Shape into 4 (3/4 inch thick) burgers.  Brush with oil.  Toast buns on grill 1 to 2 minutes; remove to platter.  Grill burgers 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Before end of grilling, top burgers with cheese to melt.

4.  Serve burgers on buns, topped with Spicy BBQ Sauce and bell-pepper strips.  Serve with salsa.

  

 

Cowboy S'Mores

 

Flavored or regular marshmallows

Fudge covered graham crackers

 

For each s'mores, place 1 marshmallow on skewer or on thin stick; roast over fire or grill until soft and charred.  Sandwich between 2 fudge covered graham crackers.  Eat immediately.

 

 

 

Smoked Turkey and Jack Cheese Quesadillas

 

1/4 cup each sour cream and plain yogurt

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice   

1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper

8 (8 inch) flour tortillas

16 thin slices smoked turkey breast (about 3/4 lb)

3/4 lb shredded Monterey Jack cheese (3 cups)

Vegetable oil

1/2 cup bottled smoky BBQ sauce

 

1.  In blender, puree sour cream, yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.

2. Heat outdoor grill to medium-high.  On 4 tortillas, layer turkey; sprinkle with cheese.  Top with tortillas.

3.  With oil, brush grill rack.  Grill quesadillas 3 minutes, turning once, until cheese is melted and tortillas are crisp.  Transfer to 4 plates; quarter each quesadilla.  Drizzle each with barbecue sauce and sour-cream mixture

 

Magic Cookie Bars (This was my mother's recipe, and my absolute favorite!!)

 

1 1/2  Cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 Cup butter or margarine

1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand condensed milk

1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips

1 (3 1/2 oz) can of flaked coconut (or you can find it in bags)

chopped nuts (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass dish)  Melt butter and pour into 13" x 9" pan.  Sprinkle crumbs over butter.  Pour milk over crumbs.  Top evenly with remaining ingredients.  Press down gently.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool thoroughly before cutting.  Store loosely covered at room temperature. 

TIP:  A combination of chocolate chips and Reese's Peanut Butter chips, or butterscotch chips tastes great too!