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My sister makes the best salsa and it’s really easy. Take a jar of your favorite salsa and mix in one can of black beans and one can shoe peg corn. Chill and serve with your favorite chips. You can also top with a little shredded Parmesan.
Oh, I like that idea. Sounds yummy!
And add avocado. The salsa keeps it from turning color. I actually throw leftovers back in the jar and it keeps with no problem, so no waste!
JELLO cake. It is so simple and easy to make and is THE BEST cake, really moist.
Here are the instructions.
One box yellow cake mix
one small box strawberry banana JELLO gelatin
Follow the mixing directions on the cake box then add one extra egg and 1/3 cup extra of oil. Bake according to cake box directions. I use an 8 X 13 cake pan. My mother uses a bunt pan.
Easy and requires NO icing.
Hey, I have those ingredients in my house (well, just plain strawberry jello), but that could work, yes?
You can usa any flavor you’d like but I would stay away from Grape because it looks gross and tastes funky. LOL
:rotfl1:
We do this with lemon Jello – & then serve w/ sliced strawberries & maybe some whipped cream
I made up my own chili recipe last year, and my family likes it better than all the recipes I had tried before that. The best part is that it is VERY SIMPLE! The quick recipe is to cook lean ground beef, red and green peppers, and ketchup in a large pot on your stovetop, then top with cheese on your plate. The detailed recipe is below:
Brown lean ground beef in large pot on stovetop. (I usually cook 1 or 2 lbs at a time, but for a potluck, I’d go with two big pots with up to 3 lbs each in them. One lb feeds three or four people if they aren’t eating anything else.) Drain ground beef. (I usually dump into a sieve and pour hot water over it while washing out the large pot/s, before dumping all the meat back into the pot/s and returning it/them to the stove.)
Add green and red pepper bite-size pieces. (Mine is usually frozen first, so I thaw it in the microwave before adding to the pot. You could also use other peppers or add whatever you wish here, but we like this just fine as it is.) Make it colourful, if possible. (I would guess that each pot could contain one or two or even more peppers each, depending on your preference.)
Squirt in tons of ketchup to make a sauce. (I use Heinz.)
Mix on the stovetop for as long or as little as you like. We don’t even add chili powder or other spices to the recipe, as the ketchup is potent enough.
For a potluck, I would then place the mixture in a large crockpot to keep it hot during the party, stirring occasionally.
I also like to provide shredded cheese for topping the chili on your plate.
In years gone by, it would take several hours to make a good chili. Nowadays, I am finished in less than 15 minutes and everyone raves about how it is “a little spicy but not too spicy”. I have never made it without someone complimenting me on it. Even my family continues to thank me, as they moan in pleasure while eating it.
That sounds like an awesome meal for winter time, too!!!
Yup. I realized after hitting Send that many people might automatically think it’s a wintertime recipe only, but I’m always amazed at how many people like to eat a hot supper in the summertime too. A little chili goes well with salad, buns, or by itself.
Real easy dessert….
1 box of yellow cake mix and ingredients to make it
1 can of lemon pie filling
powder sugar for sprinkling
small tart size paper wrappers
Make tart sized cupcakes. Should be done baking when tops are golden brown. I’m thinking it was about 15 – 20 minutes.
After cooling, cut out the tops of cupcake (like you would a pumpkin). Add one little spoonful of lemon pie filling and put top back on. Sprinkle a little powder sugar on tops just before you serve them (or leave for party).
Easy to make. Great taste. Looks great!
Patriotic Parfait –
Blue Jello, Red Jello, tub of Cool Whip. Make the jello and chill according to directions, in a square or oblong baking dish. Once chilled, cube jello. Alternate layers of each color of Jello and Cool Whip – red, white, blue, white, red, etc. in a large glass bowl. Keep cover and refrigerated until served. (You can make this in advance and just keep covered in the fridge.)
Love the red, white and blue idea for the 4th!!!!
Fruit Salad is a delicious and easy way to go. You can go simple with berries tossed together (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc) or you can go the melon route with cubes of honeydew, cantalope and watermelon with some grapes tossed in.
Love a good fruit salad!
I would go to bettycrocker.com and look at the red, white and blue trifle. supper easy to make. I brought it to a BBQ yesterday and it was devoured.
Will check it out!
These are all great ideas. I just always bring a bag of cheetos (to satisfy my Oldest who doesn’t eat a lot of bbq choices) and a salad from the deli….Eager to hear everyone’s ideas!
LOL. That’s me, too, Katie. But I really wanted to make something this year. Lots of great idea above!
Keep ‘em coming!
A good tossed green salad is always good at a BBQ & easy to make. Lots of good ideas here from those that have posted. I love to cook so I never have a problem making something.
Have fun at the BBQ & let us know what you take. :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag:
I like to make this tropical cake as it’s refreshing for summer
Yellow cake mix
1 small can mandarin oranges w/juice
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until done (I use a 9×13 pan)
Topping
Cool whip
1 can crushed pineapple w/juice
1 sm pkg vanilla instant pudding
Mix all together and spread over cooled cake’
Easy and delish!
I make this cake! It’s my mom’s favorite. I’ll be making it this year for her birthday, as I do every year. So cool and delicious. Perfect for summer!
I simply do the ever popular coleslaw salad. Put the cabbage in the blender and shred, red too if you enjoy; same for carrots and onions. Then add your spices, salt, pepper and of course mayo to taste!!! Enjoy!!!
M&M cakes are easy. Take your favorite box cake recipe and bake it. Then take your favorite icing and coat the cake. While the cake is in the oven take a couple bags of your favorite M&Ms and separate by color. To make it festive, I would use a white, vanilla icing, and place the red and blue M&Ms on top of the rectangular cake. Now you have an American Flag M&M cake. Enjoy your 4th!!!
Here are 2 easy pie recipes for you. They are basically NO FAIL recipes.
Pudding Pie
2-1/2 cups of milk
2 packages of Instant Pudding & Pie Filling (your choice of flavor)
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip Topping, thawed, divided
1 pie crust – Oreo if using chocolate or Graham if using other flavor
1. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk (fork also works) for 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping.
2. Pour into pie crust.
3. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and your choice (cookies, bananas, chocolate chips, etc) just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
1 pkg (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip chocolate Whipped topping, thawed
1 Oreo pie crust
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk, fork, or electric mixer until well blended. Stir in the Cool Whip. Spoon mixture into crust.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
I make a Pina Colada cake that’s always a hit. Make a boxed yellow cake mix in a 13 x 9 pan. When cool, prepare 1 small box of “instant” vanilla pudding and smooth it over the cake. Over that, spoon a well-drained can of crushed pineapple. Then cover all with Cool Whip. For the 4th, I usually make a “flag” design on the top: Blueberries in the top left corner, red stripes made out of sliced strawberries. Coconut in between the berries for the white. YUMMMY!
:flag: I make an easy peach cobbler.
ingredents: 1 butter cake mix (your favorite brand)
2 cans peaches in syrup (not juice)
stick butter
9 x 13 baking dish
Preheat oven 350. Place peaches evenly in the bottom of the 9 x 13 dish. Put dry cake mix on top of the peaches and then pour the peach syrup over the batter. make sure all the batter is mixed evenly. Slice stick butter on top. Cook the length of time mix box states. (approximately 30-45mins)
Simple and good:
Cook half a bag of small shell pasta till done. About 3 minutes before the pasta is done add a half bag of frozen small peas, when done drain and chill. When chilled add a bag of bacon bits, a drained can of diced carrots, 1 envelope of ranch dressing mix and as much mayo as needed to make a creamy pasta salad.
I was going to suggest either Ambrosia Salad (basically fruit salad w/coconut & mini-marshmallows), Spinach Salad w/mandarin oranges, sliced red onion, crumbled bacon & sliced mushrooms (just add a basic french dressing just before serving.
Lots of other good suggestions – I’ll be back to take notes – I love easy recipes – less chance of messing up.
:flag:
Here’s a really easy and pretty dessert. it has a secret ingredient in it (write me back and I will tell you what it is)
purchase or make an angel food cake. Slice and pour over the following- fresh strawberries that have been mashed and the secret ingredient added to it. Top with whipped cream just before serving. your guests will be pleasantly surprised.
:winner: :party: :bananaangel: The easist Zucchini Bread recipe as follows:
1 cup zucchini with skin
2 eggs 1 tsp, salt
Vanilla to taste
Cinnamin to taste I like a lot
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Janelle check out http://www.thecookingmom.com
Amy Hanten has a cookbook out by this name and this website features some of her delicious recipes!!
Rice Krispy Treats. This is my go-to thing to bring b/c everyone likes them for the most part. And whenever I bring them people are like “Oh, I haven’t had these in so long….” and then they eat them all b/c they are like potato chips — you can’t eat just one. But the key is don’t buy cheap off brand marshmallows or rice krispies — you need the name brands i.e. Jet-Puff and Kellogg’s.
PS: The recipe is on the box and the only other ingredient you need besides the cereal and marshmallows is butter.
How about an appetizer Artichoke dip, really easy.
2 cans artichoke hearts inwater chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup parmesan or romano grated cheese.
Mix above ingredients together place in baking dish sprinkle with breadcrumbs bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until warm. Serve with crackers or pita bread. can also be served cold.
Yummy