From the kitchen of Sarah Collins

These recipes came from my friend Sarah Collins. We went to high school together. I hope you give them a try and enjoy them! Thanks for sharing Sarah!

Coffee Punch
2 oz. instant Taster's Choice coffee
Dash of salt
2 cups boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 gallon milk
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream

Dissolve coffee, salt and sugar in boiling water. Use mixer to combine ice creams. Add milk and vanilla; mix again. Stir in coffee mixture. Serve in punch bowl. Yield: about 25-30 punch cups.
Amazing Mashed Potatoes!
2 to 2 1/4 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes 1/4 cup sour cream 2 cups shredded Cheddar 3 tablespoons chives, chopped or snipped Salt and black pepper Cut potatoes in half and place in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Work on other dishes while you are waiting for the water to boil. When water boils, add the potatoes and some salt, 2 big pinches, and boil for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and return potatoes to the hot pot. Smash potatoes with masher and combine with sour cream and cheese. When cheese melts into potatoes, add chives and salt and pepper and re-smash. Taste the potatoes and adjust seasonings TACO SOUPcombine the following in a large pot or crock pot:1 to 1 1/2 pound ground beef or turkey - browned, drained2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)2 cans whole kernal corn (undrained)2 cans pinto beans (or your favorite bean - black, kidney, red) (undrained)1 can rotel tomatoes1 package Ranch dip1 package taco seasoningadd water to the consistency you likeCook as little or as long as you have time for. The longer, the better, as the seasonings and vegetables have time to soak up.Serve with Fritos and shredded cheese.Recipe can easily be doubled for mass quantity.Shrimp Queso ( quick and Easy )1 Pound of American Cheese ( Land Of Lakes - Yellow )1/2 Cup Chopped Onions1/4 Cup chopped Cilantro1 Large Can Chopped Green Chili's1/2 Cup Chopped fresh Tomatoes1 Small can evaporated milk3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic1 pound Shrimp- Diced in halvesPut all ingredients into crock pot, cook on low....Serve with Fresh Flour/Corn Tortillas or chips....

Margarita Chicken
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken breast
1 can of frozen Bacardi margarita mix
2/3 cups of tequila
2 tbsp chicken seasoning (I like McCormick brand)
fresh chopped Cilantro

Mix Bacardi, tequila, seasoning & cilantro in pan. Place chicken breast in pan with marinade. (I sprinkle a small amount of chicken seasoning on chicken once in marinade.) Marinate chicken for 3-4 hours. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is done. (I use a meat thermometer so I don't over cook chicken) on 350 degrees.

I serve this with mashed potatoes that I mix in a small amount of mexican velveeta. Just enough to make the potatoes cheesy! They are yummy!

Tortilla Soup

Yields 10 cups: Ingredients:

2 (4-ounce) skinned & boned chicken breast halves, cubed

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 large carrots, cut up

3 ribs celery, diced

2 (141/2 -ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato puree

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes & green chilies

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 tablespoon hot sauce

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped ( or to taste)

1 teaspoon salt and lemon pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons chili powder

1 bay leaf

4 ( 51/2-inch) corn tortillas

Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro Heat butter and oil in large stock pot over medium high heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, carrots, celery and chicken; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt, lemon pepper, hot sauce and flour. Add tomatoes and chicken broth; stir well and simmer 1 hour.While soup simmers, heat oil to 375 degrees in a deep skillet. Drop tortilla strips into hot oil and fry until crisp; drain on paper towels.To serve, put a few tortilla strips in the bottom of bowls, fill with soup and top with a spoon each of the toppings. Hope you like the results. Have fun with this one, we do. Out of this world EASY cobbler Ingredients: large lasagna baking dish 2 frozen pies (cheapest ones you can find) Any flavor. Cherry, peach, ect 1 cup water 2 cups sugar pecans cinnamon Spray pyrex wish with pam. Crush up thawed pies and put into pan. Cover with water and sugar. chop pecans and sprinkle desired amt on top. Finish off by sprinkling cinnamon on top. Cover and bake @ 350 for am stated on pie box. Uncover and bake about 5-6 minutes longer to get a nice golden brown color. Serve and no one will ever know that it was originally store bought frozed pies!!!

Cheeseburger Meatloaf - Mike's FAVORITE!

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon House Seasoning (garlic powder, black pepper, and salt mix)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grated Cheddar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup crushed crackers (recommended: Ritz)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (recommended: Lawry's)
2 slices white bread
Sauce, recipe follows

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together, except the bread slices and Sauce. Shape into a loaf. Line a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan with the bread slices. Place meatloaf on top. Bake loaf for 45 minutes. The bread absorbs the grease and should be discarded after loaf is removed from oven.

Sauce:
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
Chopped onions, optional
1 bunch fresh parsley leaves, chopped, optional Heat the soup and milk over medium heat; add the cheese. Add the chopped onions and parsley to the sauce, if desired. Pour Sauce over the meatloaf or pass at the table.

Pecan Pie with Chocolate-Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Ingredients
2 cups whipping cream
1 shot orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier) (buy a tiny bottle, a nip, if you like)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, eyeball it in your palm
2 pinches chili powder or ground cayenne
1 (3-ounce) baking bar semisweet chocolate, chopped (recommended: Ghiradelli brand)
2 store bought pecan pies, serve warm or chilled, as you like

DirectionsWhip cream, liqueur, cinnamon and chili powder together until stiff peaks form. Melt chocolate in a medium bowl in microwave until smooth, check on it every 10 seconds over 45 seconds, cooking on high. Cool to the touch. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate until totally combined then fold in the rest of the whipped cream in small batches. Cut pie, top with cream and serve immediately.

Combat Steak

Ingredients
MCB Camp Pendleton Rub:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bone-in rib steaks, about 10 ounces each, 1-inch thick
3 large portobello mushrooms, about 4 ounces each, or 1 pound button mushrooms
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup crumbled blue or feta cheese, optional

DirectionsIn a small bowl mix the rub ingredients together. Massage the rub into both sides of each steak. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms. Remove the mushroom stems and discard. Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel. If using portobello mushrooms, use a teaspoon to scrape out the dark gills.. Cut each mushroom in half, and then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1/4 cup of the butter. Add the mushrooms and garlic, spreading the mushrooms in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are barely tender, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times with a spoon. Add the wine and cook until nearly all the wine has evaporated, about 3 minutes, stirring once. Set aside. With the lid closed, grill the steaks over direct medium-high heat, 450 to 500 degrees F until cooked to desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning once with tongs or spatula. If flare-up flames occur, move the steaks temporarily over to indirect medium-high heat. Remove steaks from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, reheat the mushrooms over medium heat, adding in the remaining 1/4 cup of butter and heating until the butter has melted. Serve the steaks warm with the mushroom and butter mixture spooned over the top. Add crumbled cheese, if desired.

Pork Chops with Onions & Apples

2 tsp coarsely ground pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 bone-in pork loin chops (8oz each)

2 medium onions - thinly chopped

2 medium tart apples, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp butter2 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat Grill In small bowl combine the pepper, salt and garlic power. Rub over pork chop. Grill chops, coverd over medium heat 8-10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onions and apples in butter until tender. Stir in brown sugar; cook until thickened and bubbly. Serve with pork chops.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

8 oz uncooked penne pasta

1 lb ground beef

6 bacon strips, diced

1 can condensed tomato soup,undiluted

1 cup shredded cheddar chesse

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over med heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain discarding drippings. Drain pasta; add to the skillet. Stir in the soup, beef and bacon; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook until the cheese is melted. Serve with barbecue sause and mustard if desired.

Soft Chicken Tacos

1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes ( I soo do not have time for that, so I use two cans of white chicken, drained & chopped!)

1 cup salsa

1 tablespoon taco seasong

1 can whole kernal corn, drained.

In large skillet, coated w/ nonstick cooking sprat, cook chicken over medium until juice runs clear (or until the can chicken is heated through as it's precooked!). Stir in the salsa, taco seasoning and corn. Spoon the mixture in a tortilla and add your favorite taco ingredients. Rolls and enjoy! (I always double this recipe and it makes great lunches later in the week)

The Famous Rick Burger

For the longest time Rick was always saying how he thought a burger with the bacon mixed in the meat with cheese in the middle. So one day he decided to make some. They are the best burger that I've ever had in my life. So I hope you enjoy this recipe that my sweetheart came up with.

• 3lbs of LEAN hamburger meat


• 1 pkg of bacon chopped up


• 1/2 c. of finely chopped red onion


• 1 block of sharp cheddar cheese


• salt & pepper

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. Slice your cheddar cheese and set aside. Mix your hamburger meat, chopped bacon, and finely chopped red onion in a bowl together. You will make your patties, just like you normally would for any other type of burgers you would make. Make sure you have an even number of hamburger patties. Set each patty on the wax covered cookie sheet and put in the fridge for about 10 mins. After you take the patties out of the fridge, take one slice of cheese and put in the middle of a patty. Then take another patty and place it ontop of the cheese topped patty. You will need to press the edges together to ensure a good seal, otherwise the cheese will melt all out on the grill or your skillet. Whether you are cooking them on the grill or in a skillet you will need to make sure you don't have the temperature up too high or you'll cook the outside and not the inside as well.

Bacon Potatoes

This is probably one of my favorite newest recipes. A family in our church had their second baby and I was trying to find something to take and saw a recipe for roasted potatoes that looked really yummy, but it had lots of cayenne pepper and garlic in it and those are big no-no's for a breast feeding mom. So this one is for the Eastepp's who we've come to love dearly since our move to Borger. So here's my recipe for Bacon Potatoes

1 med bag of red potatoes - rinsed and cut into quarters - Don't peel them
1/2 pkg of thick sliced bacon - coarsely chopped
1 bunch of green onions - chopped and set aside
olive oil
salt
pepper

• Pre-heat your oven to 400 and line a cookie sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray
• Put your red potatoes on the cookie sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Take a wooden spoon or use your hands to "toss" the potatoes to get them coated with the olive oil. Salt & pepper them and put them in the oven for about 35-40 mins or until fork tender
• While the potatoes are cooking put all your bacon in a sauce pan and cook it. Make sure you cook it till its done and not dead. You want to have chewy bacon. Once it's done, set it aside till the potatoes are done.
• Once your potatoes are done take them off the cookie sheet and put them in your serving bowl and then pour the bacon over the top of them and gently stir the bacon in with the potatoes, then top with your green onions.

We have come to love eating this and a couple of times I have just chopped up the whole thing of bacon and made a few extra potatoes and we've had that as a meal. It's easy and goes great with anything off the grill.

Crusted Pork Chops

One of my dad's most favorite meats to eat is pork chops. So anytime I'm make pork chops whether they are grilled, fried or baked I always think of him and can hear him say, "Son, that's good". That's probably one of the greatest things about cooking is the memories it can make and bring back. So here's my Crusted Pork Chops.

• 3 lbs boneless pork chops or country style ribs - THAWED ( again the amount of meat you need is determined by the number you are feeding - I try to always use boneless cause it can really cut down on your cooking time)



• 3 c. of crushed corn flakes (you can measure them out and put all 3 c. in a 1 gallon Ziploc bag and then gently crush them---LEAVE THEM IN THE BAG, IT WILL SAVE YOU SOME HASSLE)



• 1/2 tsp of salt



• 1/2 tsp of pepper



• 1/2 tsp of garlic salt



• 1 tsp of paprika

Pre-heat your oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine the salt, pepper, garlic salt, and paprika in the Ziploc bag that you have your crushed corn flakes in. Seal it and shake gently to mix. I can't stress enough to make sure you have sealed the Ziploc bag before you go to town shaking it.

You can get 4 -5 chops or ribs in the bag at a time. Seal the bag and shake them to coat the meat with the corn flake mixture. Repeat this until you have gotten all the chops coated.

Place them on the foil lined cookie sheet and put in the oven for about 35 mins. Depending on your oven it may take a bit longer. Make sure you don't over cook them cause then they will be dry. If your pork is thawed out then you are less likely to over cook them.

You can serve them with whatever you family's favorite side dishes are. We ate ours with white rice and a spinach salad. Actually, Rick and I ate our with white rice and a spinach salad. My kids ate theirs with white rice and ketchup. Gotta love the ever presence of ketchup on your kids plates.

Since I started posting what I was making for supper on my Facebook, I couldn't keep up with getting recipies out to all those who were requesting them via FB and e-mail. So I've decided to venture out into the blogging sphere and share my love for cooking. In the days and weeks to come I will putting my recipies on my blog. I will do my best to put up pics of each dish. I'll blog on tips that I've learned from my mom, who with out a doubt is the best lady and cook on the planet. Some of the recipes are hers that I have put my own spin on over the years. She is always willing to get on the webcam and watch and guide me through making 7 minute frosting. For those of you who have ever tackled it know what a process it is. I hope your family will enjoy these dishes as much as mine do.