Oatmeal Cookies {raisin or chocolate chip}

Ingredients:
2 cubes butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon (if making cinnamon & raisin variety)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. old fashioned or quick oats (uncooked)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cream the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins/chocolate chips. Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. 

Variations
* 2 cups raisins and 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 2 cups chocolate chips
* 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut and 2 cups butterscotch chips
* 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries and 1 1/2 white chocolate chips



NOTE: When I made them today, I put in about a 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and used chocolate chips (no raisins). They turned out really yummy! 

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Over Rice

PREP TIME:  10 MINS

COOK TIME:  5 HOURS

TOTAL TIME:  5 HOURS 10 MINS

SERVES: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 14oz can cream of chicken soup
• 14 oz can cheddar soup
• 14 oz can chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 Cup sour cream
• 1 12 oz frozen bag broccoli florets or 4 cups fresh broccoli lightly steamed
• 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spray crockpot with cooking spray and put cream of chicken soup, cheddar soup, chicken broth, salt, cajun seasoning, and garlic salt into the crockpot. Stir the soups and seasonings together until smooth. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high 3 hours. The last 30 minutes of cooking, shred the chicken with two forks and add the broccoli, sour cream, and cheese. Cook for about 30 more minutes until the broccoli is tender and heated through.
3. Serve over white rice and garnish with more shredded cheese if desired.

{http://therecipecritic.com/2014/01/slow-cooker-creamy-chicken-broccoli-rice/}

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, sliced thin

1/2 cup carrots, sliced thin

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

Dried or fresh parsley flakes

1 cup half & half (or cream)

2 cups cooked and diced chicken (i used canned chicken)

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice 

Paprika

Directions:

Prepare wild rice according to package instructions (I used a rice cooker). Saute onion, celery, and carrots in butter. Blend in flour and stir. Cook 1 minute. 

Add chicken broth and parsley flakes. Stir until thick.

Stir in half & half, chicken, and rice. Sprinkle in some Paprika. Mix all together. Put in Crock Pot until ready to eat. 

Fresh Peach Pie

Ingredients:

Crust  

1 1/2 c. flour

2 T sugar

1 t salt

1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil

2 T milk

Pie filling

3 T cornstarch

3 T Peach flavored Jello powder (about half of a 3 oz pkg) - Raspberry is also a good alternative if you want to change it up a bit!

1 c. sugar

1 c. boiling water

3 c. sliced peaches (we used 3 peaches)

Directions:

1. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together.  2. In a measuring cup, mix the oil and milk together and then add to the dry ingredients. 3. Using a fork, mix ingredients together right in the dish until moist enough to where you could form a ball with the dough. 4. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of your pie dish and bake for about 12-15 min @ 350 degrees.  

5. Mix dry filling ingredients together and then add to boiling water.  Stir until thickened.  6. Remove from heat and add peach slices. Pour into cooled crust and chill for about 2 hours.  7. Serve with whipped cream!

{original recipe from: http://clavinharper.blogspot.com/2014/09/fresh-peach-pie.html }

Mexican Fiesta Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 2 Hours 30 Minutes Servings: 16

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package dried rotini pasta 1 1/2 cups medium chunky salsa 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (11 ounce) can Mexican-style corn with red and green peppers, drained 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 green onions, sliced thin 1 (4.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro, or to taste 1 teaspoon salt ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil; cook the rotini in the boiling water until the pasta is cooked through yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold running water until completely cooled; drain thoroughly.
2.	Whisk the salsa, mayonnaise, sour cream, black beans, Mexican-style corn, red bell pepper, green onions, black olives, garlic powder, cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl; add the cooled pasta and stir to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours to overnight before serving.

{original recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-fiesta-pasta-salad/ }

My friend made this for our LunchBunch today and used half the mayo, left out the olives, added more green onions and used fresh cilantro