Green Beans with Bacon and Onion

4 c. fresh green beans, ends removed
4 slices of bacon
1 small sweet onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper

Fill a large shallow pan with an inch of water and bring to a boil. Add beans, reduce heat to medium high, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir once or twice. Saute onions in a little olive oil until translucent and crisp bacon in the microwave and crumble. Drain cooked beans. Combine all ingredients and toss.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

2 cucumbers, partially peeled, halved, and sliced
6-7 tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges
1/2 c. white onion wedges, separated
1/2 c. Italian salad dressing
Salt and Pepper

Combine all ingredients and chill. Toss before serving.

Michelle's Birthday Fettuccine with Broccoli and Bruschetta

Alfredo's Fettuccine Sauce from The Cook's Encyclopedia of Pasta by Jeni Wright

1/4 c. butter
scant 1 cup panna da cucina or heavy cream
2/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
12 ounces fresh fettuccine
salt and ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or skillet. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, then add the Parmesan, with salt and pepper to taste, and turn off the heat under the pan. Serve over pasta and steamed broccoli.

Candice's Caprese Bruschetta

8 slices french bread baguette, cut 1/2 inch thick, on the diagonal
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed garlic
6 Tbsp. Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
1/2 c. tomatoes, finely chopped
Pesto or chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
Red pepper flakes, optional

Place baguette slices on a cookie sheet. Combine olive oil and garlic and brush on bread tops. Broil on the highest rack for 1 minute. (Watch it! You only want it slightly toasted.) Top with finely shredded Mozzarella cheese. About 2 tsp. per slice. Broil again for 30-45 seconds until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown. Top with chopped tomato, pesto, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes (just a few each, for a little extra kick), and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Michelle's Blueberry Pancakes with Special Syrup

Easy Blueberry Pancakes

Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix
Fresh Blueberries
Butter

1. Heat griddle or pan to hot.
2. Whisk together Krusteaz pancake mix, follow box directions for the amount of pancakes needed.
3. Using a ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter onto the hot buttered griddle. Place blueberries on top of the batter right after it's poured onto the griddle. When pancakes have bubbles on top and some have begun to break, flip pancake over.

4. Stack 'em high, slide butter in between each pancake, then drizzle warm maple syrup in a cascade over the top and down the sides.



Special Syrup

1 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cube Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla

Melt butter then add other ingredients and bring to a simmer until sugar is dissolved.

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

Jennifer's favorite:


2/3 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt or Garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted


1. Heat oven to 450ºF. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.
3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

Apricot Preserves

4 1/2 c. apricots, chopped
1/3 c. water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until tender.
Add:
3 c. sugar
Bring to a full rolling boil and cook until desired thickness (about 20-30 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and put into clean, hot jars within 1/8 inch from rim. Wipe rims clean. Put on lid and band. Invert for 5 minutes. Let cool 24 hrs. It might take a few weeks to set.

* Don’t forget to put your lids in almost boiling water before starting to soften them.

Apricot Jam
8 c. apricots, chopped
1/4 c. lemon juice
6 c. sugar
Makes 9 half pints

Candice's Apricot Fruit Leather

1 1/2 c. apricot purée
1/3 c. pineapple juice OR 1 tsp. frozen pineapple juice concentrate + 1 Tbsp. water
1/3 c. sugar

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Line a jellyroll pan with two pieces of plastic wrap overlapped in the middle that extend over the edges by at least 3 inches. Pour on apricot mixture and spread evenly. Set in direct sun, covered with an old window screen, until dry to the touch. Remove from pan.
Roll and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 1 year.

Cherry Leather
1 1/2 c. cherry, puree
1/3 c. sugar