My Cooking Adventures

I created this guacamole recipe this past weekend while staying at my cousin Andrea's house. My sister & I lost power for an entire 6 days in our apartment due to Hurricane Ike's winds coming through Louisville and knocking down tons of trees! So we shacked up with Andrea and her 2 year old daughter all week, and had tons of fun. Another cousin drove down from Cinncinnati with her two daughters and we had a Mexican themed dinner night. I was in charge of guacamole! I took a recipe from Andrea's friend, and tweaked it a bit to my taste (basically I just threw a bunch of stuff in until it tasted good). I have no idea if it was any good, because it was my first taste of guac! So here is my very own recipe, and hopefully it's a decent one!

2 medium avocados, pitted and peeled

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 tomato, chopped

1/4 can rotel

5 squirts of lime juice

2 tablespoons Mexican spices

Optional: sour cream (I didn't add this, but it can be added if you so desire!)

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Serve with tortilla chips.

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup canned or frozen peas
1-1/2 cups water
2 cups instant white rice
1/4 cup OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.
ADD soup, peas and water; bring to boil. Stir in rice; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes.
STIR in bacon bits and Parmesan cheese.

Cookies
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg yolk
2 cups all purpose flour

Frosting
2 tbsp butter (do not sub margarine)
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 to 5 tsp milk

In large bowl, beat brown sugar and 1 cup butter until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk; blend well. Stir in flour; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 15 minutes for easier handling.

Heat over to 325 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten to 1 1/2 inch circles with fork dipped in flour. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Heat 2 tbsp butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until light golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining frosting ingredients, adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency; blend until smooth. Spread 1 tsp frosting between 2 cooled cookies. Repeat with remaining frosting and cookies. (If frosting becomes too stiff as it cools, add enough additional milk for desired spreading consistency.)

Yields 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Source: Pillsbury Baking Cookbook

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup pecan halves

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 prepared pie crust

Beat together eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in pecan halves and chocolate chips, and pour into pie crust.

Bake at 375 degrees for 55-60 minutes, or until set. Remove pie and place on a cooling rack to let cool completely before serving. Refrigerate any leftover pie.

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:25 min
Makes:4 servings, 2 cups each

8 oz. angel hair pasta (capellini), uncooked
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. each: ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts

COOK pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time.

MEANWHILE, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta mixture; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon evenly into four serving bowls; sprinkle with the peanuts.