Spinach Dip
Submitted by Linda

1 10 oz package of frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
1 16 oz container of sour cream
1 cup Mayo
1 package dried Vegetable soup mix (Knorr makes a good one)
1 8 oz can of water chestnuts drained and chopped
3 green onions chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with veggies to dip or sourdough/French bread broken or cut into bite sized pieces.

9 Layer Mexican Dip(Seriously addicting!)
Submitted by Linda

I am all about Mexican food... even if some of it is very American! I could eat this as a meal... and have! Especially when I can use fresh garden tomatoes and homemade salsa!

2 small or 1 large refried beans
1 small jar salsa or picante sauce
1 1/2 cup guacamole (2 ripe avocados pitted and mashed with a little salt, pepper and garlic to taste)
1 large container of sour cream mixed with 1 package taco seasoning(taco seasoning optional)
2-3 diced tomatoes
2 cans chopped olives
grated Jack and Cheddar cheese
Green onions chopped

Layer ingredients in order listed in 9 x 13 pan. Serve with tortilla chips or flour tortillas.

Swiss Broccoli Soup
Submitted by Kay

Kay sent me this recipe when I lived in Colorado way back when she was still eating cow! I have always liked it and so does the rest of my family!

2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
10 oz frozen Broccoli
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ cup flour

In saucepan heat 1 ½ cup water and bouillon. Add broccoli, cover and cook 8-10 minutes. Add milk, cheese, nutmeg and a dash of pepper. Cook till cheese melts. Mix flour and ½ cup cold water. Stir into broccoli mixture, cook until thick and bubbly.

White Chili
submitted by Mary

48 oz jar Great Northern Beans
4 cups cooked chicken chopped
1 TBLS Oil
2 medium onions
4 cloves garlic (I use minced jar kind)
3 tsp. Ground cumin
1½ tsp. Oregano
¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2- 4 oz. cans green chilies
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup precooked chopped celery

Sauté onion and garlic in the oil and then add all other ingredients with the chicken broth.

Ya Hey Sisterhood Soup
Italian Harvest Vegetable Soup
submitted by Mary, Kay, and Linda

Kay, Mary and I enjoyed this together when we were out visiting in January of 2006! It was a fun bonding experience and I decided to call it our Ya hey Sisterhood Soup.

2 -32 oz cans of Vegetable Broth
1 large onion, chopped
2/3 cup long grain brown rice
1 tsp olive oil
2 ribs celery sliced
2 carrots sliced
1 cup tomato chopped(you can used diced canned tomatoes)
2/3 cup thinly sliced coarsely chopped fennel (anise)
1/2 cup chopped turnip
2 cups coarsely chopped green chard
1 tsp salt
pepper
Shredded Parmesan Cheese(Optional)

Bring broth, onion, rice and oil to a boil in large pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add celery, carrots, tomato, fennel and turnip: cook for 20 minutes more. Stir in chard and cook for 5 minutes or until chard is very soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and sprinkle Parm. Cheese if you like. Serves 6-8
Nutritional breakdown: 1 serving + 150 calories, 3 gram protein, 5 grams fat, 26 grams carbs, 3 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, 0 Cholesterol, 870 mg sodium

Sunday Stew for Weeknights
submitted by Linda

Again something "my good friend Rachel Rae" taught me how to make!

1 TBLS olive oil
24 ounces red meat(any kind of red meat... I use elk or venison), trimmed and cut into bit sized pieces
Salt and Pepper
1 onion
2 TBLS butter
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 carrots, 1/2 inch slices
2 ribs celery,chopped
1 LB small red potatoes quartered or regular potatoes cut up
2 Tsp Thyme leaves
2 Bay leaves
2 TBLS flour
1 cup red wine(optional)
2 cups beef stock or you can substitute beef bouillon
2 cubes veggie bouillon
1 TBLS grape jelly(optional) Cook meat with salt and pepper in olive oil over high heat for two minutes on each side. Remove meat from pan and reduce heat to medium high. Add butter to pan and onions, garlic, carrot, celery and potatoes. Season veggies with salt and pepper. Add thyme and bay leaves, Sauté veggies for 10 minutes. Add flour, cook one minute. Whisk in red wine and reduce 1 minutes. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Stir in jelly. Add meat, simmer for 7-10 minutes. Serve will good bread! Eat up!

Potato and Sausage Soup (Olive Garden Soup)
submitted by Linda from my Bunko Sisters

I had this soup for the first time at Bunko. I would never have thought I would like it with the sausage and bacon but that's what was on the menu for supper so I gave it the old Bunko try! It has become one of our favorites! It is kind of a light creamy potato and sausage soup. Very Yummy!

1 pkg. hot Italian sausage
4 slices bacon cut up small
1 chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
8 red potatoes cubed
2 cups finely chopped kale or Swiss chard
4 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes(or substitute water with chicken broth)
2 vegetable bullion cubes(optional)
3 cups cream (I use fat free half and half)

Fry sausage and bacon in pan until about 1/2 done, add onion garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until onion is done while breaking up sausage into smaller pieces. Drain fat. Add the rest of the ingredients except for cream. Cook until potatoes are done. Add cream, heat through and serve with yummy bread!

Susie's Potato Salad
Submitted by Sue

5 medium potatoes cubed and cooked till done but still firm, cooled
4-5 hard boiled eggs cut up
1 onion diced
small 1 stick celery or celery salt
1 tsp. Sugar
½ - 1 teaspoon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt (easy on the garlic)
Paprika
Miracle whip

I mix everything but the eggs and spuds first. Then mix them in when cool. Put paprika on top to just look good. I mash the eggs too because I hate big chunks

Susie's Tuna Salad
Submitted by Sue

1 can tuna drained
½ cup peas
1 big box of elbow macaroni (cooked and cooled)
1 small onion diced
1 stalk celery diced (or celery salt)
1 tsp sugar
½ -1 tsp mustard
Salt
Pepper
Garlic salt
Miracle Whip

I mix everything but the macaroni, peas and tuna first. Then mix them in when cool. Put paprika on top to just look good. You can put eggs if you want but I don't.

Chicken Grape Salad
Submitted by Linda

This is a great meal to serve in the summer when it is hot and you don't feel like eating much of anything. It is light yet satisfying. I like to serve it with warm French bread. I keep thinking I could serve it in those little round sourdough bread bowls but that is always so much bread to eat and I prefer to have the bread warm and slathered with butter!

3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 1/2 cup green or red seedless grapes cut in 1/2
1/2 c shredded carrot
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 1/2 c Mayo or miracle whip
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 TBL lemon juice
1 c apple cored and chopped in pieces about the size of the grapes(optional)

Mix all ingredients. Serve on a bed of lettuce with French or sourdough bread or place in a baked pie shell and serve.