70's Dip

I know what you're thinking - but seriously! This is a fabulous recipe. The ingredients are strange, but work together wonderfully. I dare you.

Dissolve one 3oz. box of lemon jello into hot tomato soup (do not add water to either). Fold in one carton of Miracle Whip. Gradually add one 8oz. package of softened cream cheese and beat until smooth. Cool.

Add one small onion and 1/2 green pepper, chopped fine and one cup of chopped celery to the mixture.

Use as a dip with crackers, chips, Bugles, and veggies ( I like Bugles the best with it).

Tzaziki

I like my Tzazaiki garlicky, with a lemon zing. I'll eat it with a spoon it's so yummy!

Grate an English cucumber (seedless) and squeeze out as much water as you can. Spread out on a plate with lots of sea salt on top to dry it out even more. Let it sit and then squeeze any more liquid you can from it.

Combine the fattiest yogurt you can find (low milk fat versions just don't taste as flavorful) with a splash of olive oil, the juice of one lemon (I cheat and use lemon juice already squeezed) and about 3 cloves of minced garlic. Fresh garlic works the best because of the oils that give the flavour. Some may think this is too much garlic bite. So perhaps only 2 cloves if you're not a big garlic fan like me. Let this sit at least overnight to let the flavours mingle.

Add the cucumber whenever and voila - yummy Tzazaiki!

Mexican Lasagne

Tired of lasagna? Don't want all those carbs from pasta? Try this recipe...

Brown 1 1/2 lbs of beef. Add 1 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp pepper, and 16 oz of salsa. Heat.

Cover a rectangular glass dish with tortillas, pour in beef, cover with tortillas.

Combine 2 cups small curd cottage cheese (drained), 1 cup grated Monterey Jack and 1 egg. Pour over the tortillas.

Bake at 350 F for 30 min.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 2 cups shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup salsa, 3 green onions (chopped) and 1/4 cup sliced olives.

Orange Chicken

This recipe I got from my best friend. It's so easy - it's laughable. Easy dinner tonight.

Take your chicken. Dump orange juice concentrate ( don't add the water) and Italian salad dressing on the chicken.

Cook at 375 F for approx 45 min. Ta da!

Beef Squares

This is one of my favourites. But I'm not the only one - this is one meal that I very rarely have leftovers.

Sauté approx 1 lb of beef and put in a bowl.

In the same pan sauté 1 chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic (minced) in 1 tbsp of oil. Once the onion is transparent, return the meat and add 1 cup of water, 4 tbsp of lemon (I like to add a little more than this, but it's up to you), 1/2 tsp each of allspice, nutmeg and pepper.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 min.

After, cool in a bowl, add egg yolk and 1/4 cup of parsley.

Place beef mix on spring roll wrapper. Whisk the egg white and use it to brush the edges of the spring roll wrapper. Fry in oil until light brown. Serve with lemon.

Pork Chops

I made pork chops for dinner tonight. It was really easy, I just threw it together!

Heat your pan ( cast iron works for me) on med- high heat ( closer to high). Add oil once the pan is hot, not before. Gently lay chops in the oil with tongs. Careful! It will splatter! Cook until it 'unsticks' itself from the pan ( the edges will curl a bit) and then flip.

Oh, season the meat how you like... I just used sea salt and pepper.

Once both sides are done, remove chops and pour in some wine. Once it stops bubbling and has evaporated some, throw in some butter to make some sauce in the bottom of the pan. Add the chops back for approx a minute on each side.

Through the process, try to cook the meat the least amount possible so it doesn't dry out.

Salsa Chicken

This is my husband's favourite meal. It helps that it's so easy to throw together. I got this recipe from an amazing book I got for Christmas called "Dinner Survival".

Heat a frying pan on med- high heat and brown 1/2 cup pine nuts (or I use almonds). Set aside.

In same pan heat 1 tsp of olive oil and brown approx 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken cut into pieces.

Add 1 tbsp fresh garlic to the pan.

Add 1 3/4 cups salsa, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon. Mix into chicken and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 min.

Before serving, sprinkle pine nuts (almonds) over chicken.