Easy Summer Menu

Tips:

• When traveling with food, spray the lid or the foil covering with non stick cooking spray to keep things from sticking to the covering.
• Your pizza cutter is not just for cutting pizza. Use your pizza cutter to cut lattice strips for pies or to trim the edges you need removed from things like sponge cakes or hard brownies.
• Make your life easier. Find and use as many cooking shortcuts as you can. For example, if you cook ground beef ahead of time and keep packets of it in your freezer, your prep time for many meals will be 15 minutes or less. This works great for spaghetti, lasagna, tacos, enchiladas, casseroles, taco salads, etc.
• If you are tired or in a hurry and a recipe calls for chopped onions or minced garlic, you don’t need to take time to chop and mince all of that. Just pull out the garlic powder or onion powder and use it for seasoning instead. Some gourmets may have a heart attack over this, but they probably haven’t been juggling a colicky baby and 2 toddlers all day, so give yourself a break. Forget the chopping if you need to.

Quick and Easy Menu:

Barbecue Taco Platter*
Fruit Plate
Fruit Dip*

Recipes:

If you double this recipe, it makes a large batch (big enough to feed a party of 20 guests or 2 teenage boys.) 🙂 🙂

Barbecue Taco Platter

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
1/4 cup water

Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1/4 cup milk

Mix and spread on a plate. Top with ground beef mixture and toppings listed below. Then drizzle with barbecue sauce. Serve with tortilla chips.

Toppings

Lettuce
Chopped green chilies
Chopped green onions
Cheese
Tomatoes

 

Here’s an even faster version of the above recipe from my mom:

Taco Platter

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Fiesta Dressing Mix

Mix everything and spread on a platter. Serve with tortilla chips.

Toppings to add:

Refried beans
Hamburger
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Olives
Green onions
Chopped green chiles
Cheese

 
This fruit dip is a little different, but if you like hot things, you should enjoy it. If you prefer your dips cool and sweet, try the second recipe. Both recipes are quick and easy!

Spicy Fruit Dip

1 (8 oz.) jar strawberry or raspberry preserves
1 (16 oz.) jar picante sauce
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

Mix preserves and picante sauce. Pour over softened brick of cream cheese. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Easy Fruit Dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. lemon juice

Take cream cheese out the night before so it is very soft. Whip with a mixer, add milk and lemon juice and whip together.

 

photo by: jeffreyww