Cold Pasta and Shrimp Salad

Here is another great COLD SUMMER RECIPE!
This is a recipe that we love to eat in the summer time with Chris's family. This recipe was made famous by Chris's Grandma B. It's cold and I think it's the only salad that actually leaves me feeling full. We serve this salad with hot rolls and homemade jam and slices of cheddar cheese. It's great if your on a diet and want something that will fill you up! Enjoy!

4 cups cooked shell macaroni (cooled completely)
1 cup finely chopped celery
Ranch dressing mix made up according to pkg. directions
1 Lb. marinated shrimp, drained (recipe below)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion

Mix pasta, shrimp and vegetables. Add enough ranch dressing to make it very moist. You can use bottled ranch but I promise it's not nearly as good as freshly homemade ranch. When you dish it up, we drizzle extra ranch dressing on the top of the salad....sooooo yummy!


MARINATED SHRIMP RECIPE:
1 Lb. salad shrimp (these are the really tiny ones)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1-1 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2 Tbsp. olive or canola oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh and chopped OR dried dill weed

While you are preparing all the other ingredients. Fill a bowl with hot water and let the shrimp soak in it for a few minutes. drain the water. Do this 2 or 3 times, and the last time soak them in cold water. This will take away the strong fishy taste, leaving a nice tender, not so strong flavor of shrimp for the salad. All shrimp should be nicely pink. Place shrimp in large shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, dill, vinegar, and lemon pepper until blended. Pour over shrimp, tossing until coated. Cover and chill at least one hour to overnigh, stirring occasionally. Drain before serving. Can be used as an appetizer, main dish, salad, etc.

When we make this we double or triple the recipe that way you can eat it for lunch the next day, and you have a healthy lunch.

Fruit Pizza

Chris and I were trying to decide what treat to take to our Superbowl Party. All the appetizers are filling, so I wanted to cook something light for a dessert, so this is what I will be taking to the party.



1 pkg. store bought sugar cookie dough. (18oz.)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. Cool Whip
Fresh fruit (your choice)
Coconut (opt.)

Press cookie dough into large greased pizza pan. Cook dough according to pkg. or until light brown. Cool.

Whip cream cheese and cool whip until fluffly. Spread over cookie dough.
Add coconut (you can toast your coconut to make it look really pretty).

In a fun pattern arrange your fruit slices. I think this time I am going to buy strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, and blueberries. Enjoy!

Chicken and Shrimp Egg Rolls

Are any of you on Diets for your New Year's Resolutions? This is a great recipe that is Healthy and won't leave you starving 30 minutes later. We get together with Chris's whole family and make these. Usually we get together and make several batches. It's a fun get together activity and we freeze half the batch to pull out for emergency dinner nights. This is a great Light Recipe as long as you don't deep fry them. Although they are beyond delic if they are deep fried, I actually loved the baked version



1 6 oz. can chicken or 1 c. chopped chicken (I prefer the fresh cooked)
1 6 oz. can shrimp, or 6 oz. cut up cooked shrimp (We just buy the big bags of tiny deveined and cooked shrimp from Sam's CLub)
1 clove garlic
1/2 c. finely chopped snow peas (opt.)
1 Tbsp. oil
1 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. egg roll skins
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts

Mix well and place in egg roll skins. Seal with egg mixed with water. Deep fat fry to golden brown or drizzle with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crisp and brown.

To serve we drizzle Soy Sauce on Top! It's soo good!

Ham and Cheese Roll ups and Cheese Dip

Here is the recipe for the scary Skeleton Ham and Cheese Roll ups and the Orange Cheese Ball. These are so tasty!



HAM AND CHEESE ROLL UPS
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Thinly sliced cooked ham (deli ham)
1/2 c. chopped green onions

Combine all ingredients except ham and spread thinly on the ham slices. Roll up and put flap side down. Chill atleast 2 hours, covered. Just before serving, cut across the roll into thin slices.


CHEESE PINE CONE
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup mayo or sour cream
5 slices diced crisp bacon
1 1/4 c. whole unblanched almonds

Mix everything together except almonds. Chill overnight. Form into ball. Starting at one end, press the pine cones in at an angle.
(NOte: I don't think my brother in law added the almonds, in the picture above, he just died the cheese ball orange and put it in a cute container and sat it on dry ice.) These are great served with wheat thins or your favorite crackers.

Christmas Package cheese snack

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Scallion
Red bell pepper
1. Mix the dried dill, garlic powder, and salt into the softened cream cheese.

2. Pack the mixture into a rectangular container lined with plastic wrap (you can reuse the cream cheese box).

3. Refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. Before serving time, set the unwrapped block of cheese on a platter and decorate it with a scallion bow and red pepper polka dots and gift tag.