Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

1/2cup chopped onion;1/2cup chopped celery;2 garlic cloves,minced;1/4cup butter;1/2cup all-purpose flour;2t.sugar;1t.salt;1t.dried basil;1/2t.pepper;4 cups chicken broth;1pkg.(10oz.)frozen green peas;4 cups cubed cooked chicken.Dumplings:2 c.buttermilk biscuit mix;2t.dried basil;2/3c.milk.
In a lg.saucepan,saute onion,celery and garlic in butter until tender.Add flour,sugar,salt,basil,pepper and broth;bring to a boil,cook and stir for 1 minute;reduce heat.Add peas and cook for 5 minutes,stirring constantly.Stir in chicken.Pour into a greased 13-in. by 9-in. by 2-in. baking dish.For dumplings,combine biscuit mix and basil in a bowl.Stir in milk with a fork until moistened.Drop by tablespoonfuls onto casserole(12 dumplings).Bake,uncovered,at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.Cover and bake 10 minutes more or until dumplings are done. Yield 6-8 servings-huge ones!!!ENJOY!!!

Southwestern Stew

2 lbs. beef stew meat,cut into 1-inch cubes;2T.cooking oil;2 cups water;1-1/4 cups chopped onion;1 cup salsa;2 garlic cloves,minced;1T.dried parsley flakes;2t.beef bouillon granules;1t.ground cumin;1/2t.salt,optional;3 med.carrots,cut into 1-inch pieces;1 can(14-1/2 ounces)diced tomatoes,undrained;1-1/2 cups cut green beans(asked for frozen but I have always used canned);1-1/2 cups frozen corn;1 can(4 ounces)chopped green chilies;hot pepper sauce,optional.
In a 4-qt. dutch oven over medium heat,brown meat in oil;drain.Add the next 8 ingredients;bring to a boil.Reduce heat;cover and simmer for 1 hour.Add carrots;return to a boil.Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.Add tomatoes,beans,corn and chilies;return to a boil.Reduce heat;cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until beef and vegetables are tender.Season with hot pepper sauce if desired.This stew is good served over rice! Yield 8 huge servings!

Texas Taco Platter

2 pounds ground beef;1 large onion,chopped;1 can(14-1/2 ounces)tomatoes with liquid,cut up;1 can(12 ounces)tomato paste;1 can(15 ounces) tomato puree;2 T.chili powder;1 t.ground cumin;1/2 t. garlic powder;2t.salt;1 can(28 ounces) ranch-style-(pinto,etc.)beans,undrained;1 pkg.(10-1/2 ounces)corn chips;2 cups hot cooked rice.TOPPINGS:2 cups(8ounces)shredded chedder cheese;1 medium onion,chopped;1 head iceburg lettuce,shredded;3 medium tomatoes,chopped;1 can(2-1/2 ounces)sliced ripe olives,drained;1 cup picante sauce,optional.In a large skillet or dutch oven,brown beef and onion;drain.Add next seven ingredients;simmer for 1-1/2 hours.Add beans and heat through.On a platter,layer the corn chips,rice,meat mixture,cheese,onion,lettuce,tomatoes and olives.Serve with picante sauce if desired.Yield 10 to 12 servings. ENJOY!!!!!

Hamburger Cheese Dip

1 lb. hamburger;1 small onion,chopped;Fry together and add- 1 can salsa,your favorite;1t. chili powder;1t. Worcestershire sauce;1/2 t. garlic powder;1 lb. velveeta cheese.Mix all together in a pan until cheese is melted.Serve warm with taco chips.
This is a very simple recipe YET so very YUMMY good!!!!!

Choc. Covered Cherries

2 pounds pd. sugar; 1 can sweetened condensed milk;1 stick butter(1/2 cup);1t. vanilla;about 3 small jars marsh. cherries;1 pkg.almond bark chocolate. Drain cherries about 15 minutes.Mix pd. sugar,condensed milk,melted butter & vanilla in a large bowl.Mix well till smooth.Pinch off small amount of dough and roll into a ball in the palm of your hand.Roll the dough around cherry.Place wrapped cherries on waxed paper lined cookie sheet and freeze for about an hour.Melt choc. in double broiler and dip the frozen cherries and place back on cookie sheet.Let set till chocolate hardens.ENJOY! Yields-around 75.

Lone Star Pot Roast

1 boneless beef chunk roast(3 to 3-1/2 pounds);2 T. cooking oil;1 can(14-1/2 ounces) tomatoes with liquid,cut up;1 can(4 ounces) chopped green chilies;2 T. taco seasoning mix;2t. beef bouillon granules;1t. sugar;1/4 cup cold water;3 T. all-purpose flour;I add a small chopped onion.In a dutch oven,brown roast & chopped onion in oil.Combine tomatoes,chilies,taco seasoning,bouillon and sugar;pour over the roast.Cover and simmer 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.Remove roast to a platter and keep warm.For gravy,pour 2 cups pan juices into a saucepan.Combine the cold water and flour;stir until smooth.Add to juices;cook and stir over high heat until thickened and bubbly,about 3 minutes.Slice roast.Serve with gravy.Yield 6-8 servings.

My thots were to just make the regular roast but....

...as I was saying,yesterday I got our last roast beef out of the freezer(time to butcher that beef,brother Duane)and my thoughts were bake the roast with the usual potatoes and carrots,which by the way is so yummy!!! Than changed my mind this morning,the aroma of what i did is filling the air,we can't wait to dig into this roast!!! I will be posting the recipe with a picture,I am so sorry that I can't send the smell with it,but hey why not try the recipe yourself!! And for tonite while we watch the Colts kill the Saints we will be enjoying a dip & chip recipe,which i intend to post also.I will be posting with a picture the recipe for choc. covered cherries that I made the other day.My husbands favorite candy.So you wonder why am I making candy in January and February,I always ask myself,why do we make it only for holidays when its so good!! And we are really enjoying it more now than during the holidays.Don't we tend to have so much food to taste & we overeat and never really get the enjoyment out of all the hard work that goes into making the sweet goodies. So do yourself a favor and this year make the goodies through out the year,surprise your loved ones just because!!My last recipe I want to post today and won't have a picture to add till later is a family favorite of ours as well.One time,back when our children were still at home,I made this taco platter,it can be used for a meal,as we did or when entertaining guests.When I made the dish I didn't realize the children loved it so well,especially our daughter,Krystal.Which by the way is an awesome cook,even their newly adopted son Jake thinks shes the best!!!So within the week of me having made it, when I was at work one day,Krystal called me(remember no cell phones :)and was making this for our supper and had afew questions on the recipe.She did this without me telling her to make supper,Do you remember that Krystal? So even up to today we will share recipes that we tried and liked.
I believe it is time for me to bring this to a close for now.Oh by the way,all of your beautiful snow pictures that are posted from my ohio friends are AWESOME!!! I have to admit,I miss that white fluffy stuff and how when we got snowed in,I could wrap myself in a blanket snuggled up on the couch reading a Debbie Mccomber book and not feel guilty for not doing a thing of importance that day! Or when the children were home,we'd play board games till 3 a.m.They soon figured out when we played monopoly,that daddy always won!!!So they liked clue or life better and once in awhile they gave daddy the pleasure of playing monopoly and let him win once again! :) :)
So be looking for my recipes to try for yourself! BE blest today and be a blessing to someone! as always -karen