taco salad

ingredients: pretty much what ever you want but here are suggestions

- tortilla chips

- taco meat (ground beef, fajita meat, chicken, etc.)

- beans (refried or black, pinto, etc)

- shredded lettuce (or lettuce in bite size pieces)

- diced tomatoes

- salsa

- gaucamole

- sour cream

- shredded cheese

- olives

- green onions

- ranch dressing 

directions:

- starting with the chips, layer your favorite taco/burrito ingredients, topping with dressing

- eat like nachos, scooping the salad onto chips or with a fork.

milk rice

* aka rice pudding, arroz con leche, milche ries, etc.

ingredients:

- 4 cups milk

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 tablespoon butter

- 1/2 lb uncooked rice

- cinnamon to taste

directions:

- boil milk, sugar, vanilla and butter.

- add the rice and boil again

- lower temperature and simmer for 25-30 minutes

- don't forget to stir and watch it carefully. the milk will burn!

- you can either boil cinnamon sticks while the rice cooks, or sprinkle ground cinnamon afterwards. or both!

berry smoothie

*recipe from the package!

ingredients:
- 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 cup strawberry yoghurt
- 1 package (12 oz) frozen unsweetened whole mixed berries
- 1 banana, sliced

directions:
- put all ingredients in a blender.
- blend until smooth

strawberry sauce

*better homes and gardens cook book

ingredients:

- 3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

- 1/3 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon cornstarch

directions:

- thaw the berries, if frozen. do not drain. place half the berries in a blender or food processor. cover and blend or process till berries are smooth. repeat with remaining berries.

- in a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. add berries. cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. cook and stir for 2 minutes more. remove from heat.

- cool to room temperature before serving. makes about 1 cup sauce.

*you can use raspberries too, just press the blended/processed berries through a sieve before adding to the saucepan.

jell-o poke cake

* from a jell-o recipe book

ingredients:

- 2 baked (9-inch) round white cake layers, cooled

- 2 cups boiling water

- 1 package (4-serving size) jell-o gelatin, any red flavor

- 1 package (4-serving size) jell-o lime flavored gelatin

- 1 tub (8 oz) cool whip whipped topping, thawed

directions:

- place cake layers, top sides up , in 2 clean 9-inch round cake pans. pierce layers with a large fork at 1/2 inch intervals

- stir 1 cup of the boiling water into each flavor of the dry gelatin mix in separate bowls at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. 

- carefully pour red gelatin over 1 cake layer and lime gelatin over second cake layer. 

- refrigerate 3 hours.

- dip 1 cake pan in warm water 10 seconds; unmold onto serving plate. 

- spread with about 1 cup of the whipped topping.

- unmold the second cake layer; carefully place on first cake layer.

- frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped topping.

- refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

- decorate with fresh raspberries, if desired. or sprinkle top of cake with holiday-colored sprinkles just before serving.

- store leftover cake in the refrigerator.