Simple and Delicious Recipes for a Family Reunion?

I'm not sure what you call this but it is a dish we have every year at Thanksgiving.

Take jello (we use cherry) mix and add fruit to it (pineapple or fruitcocktail is what I've had). Put in refrigerator and let jell. One the jello has "jelled"(is that what you would call it) put some marshmallows on top. Then it's ready to serve.

This is a terrific dish that can be served either hot or room temperature. Have a great family reunion!

Zucchini and Summer Squash Casserole

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 pounds summer squash (about 6 medium), sliced into thin rounds

2 pounds zucchini (about 6 medium), sliced into thin rounds

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

3 large eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup crushed butter crackers

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon butter.

Heat the olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, and black pepper and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and zucchini and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in the thyme and remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to the prepared baking dish, reserving the cooking liquid.

Combine the eggs and cream in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Gradually whisk the reserved cooking liquid into the egg mixture. When all the cooking liquid is incorporated, pour the mixture over the vegetables in the baking dish. Using a spoon, gently shift the vegetables around so the egg mixture is evenly distributed. Bake until the mixture sets, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle first with the crackers and then with the Parmesan, if using, and return to the oven. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl by hand. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. The dough will be very stiff.

You can even use a Kitchen Aid mixer for this first step. I use the batter attachment and mix on a lower setting. Just be sure that the dough is well mixed before moving on.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand. You'll need to use a sturdy wooden spoon for this and a bit of muscle. You can add the pecans, or other nuts, at this time if desired. Keep stirring and folding the chocolate chips and nuts into the dough until they are evenly dispersed. (This makes sure you have enough chocolate in each cookie!!)

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. The chocolate chip cookies need to be this far apart because the dough spreads during cooking. No one wants to cut the cookies apart after baking.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. You may even think that the chocolate chip cookies are underdone, but they will finish cooking through out of the oven. If you leave them in too long, the cookies will be tough or crispy. (My kids eat them anyway. I always over cook at least one sheet because of the phone, a child wanting some attention or some other reason)

The centers will be soft. Let cool completely then remove from cookie sheet. I use a flat spatula to remove the cookies from the sheet. It helps to get them off quickly. If you try to remove the cookies while they are still warm, the chocolate chips are still very soft and this can cause a very big mess as well as messy looking cookies.

Raspberry Chicken Salad With Mangoes And Oranges

Ingredients

11 poached chicken breasts (bones removed), cooled, sliced in 1/2 inch strips about 2 inches long

10 ripe mangoes, seeded and diced

20 naval oranges, peeled and segmented

8 bunches of watercress, stems trimmed

10 bunches arugula, stems removed

10 heads of butter lettuce, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1-1/2 tablespoons salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon black pepper, or to taste

2-3/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1-1/4 cups raspberry balsamic vinegar

Directions

This can be done the day before the party.

Use a large roasting pan to prepare the salad.

Put the diced mangoes into the roasting pan.

Cut the orange segments into threes. Catch the juices and save them for the salad. Add the oranges and juices to the roasting pan.

Rinse and dry the greens. Tear greens into small pieces. Add the greens, rosemary, and chicken to the roaster. Cover the roaster and refrigerate.

This is done just before serving.

Season the chicken mixture in the roaster with salt and pepper.

Mix the oil and vinegar together. Drizzle the mixture over the chicken mixture. Mix well.

Let stand a few minutes and put mixture into large serving bowls for a buffet.

40 servings

If that broccoli, chicken and cheese casserole is something your family likes make it with the healthy soup (97% fat free) and a lower fat cheese and use skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Yummy and healthy! The same can be done with just about any veggie casserole. Or you can add a pack or two of lower fat hot dogs to the menu. Not everyone will want those, but I'll bet you'll be surprised how many people would appreciate having that option. You can wash and wrap baking potatoes in foil and put them onto the grill once it's hot. They need to be turned occasionally. Potatoes aren't inherently fattening, just go easy on the butter, sour cream and cheese you add to them. The same is true for corn on the cob. You can add that to the grill to cook and then either use a lower fat margarine or the spray butter flavoring.

Orzo salad

Easy peasy

You can also add other blanched vegetables and cubed cooked chicken to this dish.

Ingredients

Sesame dressing:

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup corn oil

1/4 cup dark [toasted] sesame oil

1/2 cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon orange zest, grated

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons scallions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fresh peeled ginger, minced

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, minced

Salad:

1 pound uncooked orzo

1 tablespoon dark [toasted] sesame oil

3 cups carrots, shredded

2 cups raisins

1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

Method

Dressing

Combine all the dressing ingredients by hand or in a food processor and set aside.

Salad

Cook orzo in rapidly boiling salted water until tender, 7 to 10 minutes or according to the package instructions. Refresh under cold water; drain well and let rest to finish draining, about 2 to 3 minutes. Toss with sesame oil. Cool completely. Combine the pasta with the carrots, raisins, pine nuts, and dressing. If you're making it in advance, add the carrots and pine nuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.

Serve at room temperature.

This salad keeps for several days in the refrigerator, which is good, because it makes a lot.

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Extra Easy Lasagna - very good and very simple to make! the instructions and ingredients at this site: http://www.bigoven.com/83279-Extra-Easy-Lasagna-re...

Monkey Bread - also very yummy:

1 container refrigerated biscuits

½ t. cinnamon

¼ c. butter

½ c. sugar

Preheat oven to 400˚. Put oven rack in the center of oven.

Lightly grease the pie pan.

Open the biscuits and cut into fourths.

Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a custard cup.

Melt butter in the microwave for approx. 20 seconds.

COVER with paper towel.

Dip each piece of biscuit in the butter.

Roll buttered biscuit in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Arrange the biscuits in a single layer on pie plate.

Place in the oven and bake for 8 – 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Coffee cake is always very good and there are some very simple recipes out there - here's one: Ingredients:

•1 1/2 cups flour

•1 1/2 tsp baking powder

•6 tbs white sugar

•1/2 tsp salt

•1/3 cup shortening

•1/2 cup milk

•1 egg

•1/2 tsp vanilla

•2 tbs butter, melted

•1/2 cup brown sugar

•2 tbs flour

•1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F. In a large mixing bowl, combine larger portion of flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening to pea sized pieces. In a smaller bowl, beat egg and stir in milk and vanilla. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just mixed. Pour batter into greased 9-inch cake pan. For the topping, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and last bit of flour. Sprinkle on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

some other ideas: mini sandwiches, hot dogs, fruit salad, brownies, cookies...

Have fun and enjoy!

okay i like to make these apples (there soooooo good and really simple)

Ingredients:

*apples (depends on the size your feeding)

*apple pie spice (a little bottle just enough to sprinkle on the apples)

*cool whip ( you need quit a bit)

*3 musketeer, or milkyway, or snicker (***OPTIONAL***)

first off your gonna need a couple of apples if you want a lot of it then your gonna need a lot of apples

*cut the apples any way you like (squares, strips..etc.)

*mix the apples with a lot of cool whip (the more apples the more cool whip)

*if you choose too you can get one mini bar of 3 musketeer, snicker, or milkyway...break it up in small pieces and sprinkle it on the top.

*then the last thing is too get the apple pie spice (too give it that great flavor) sprinkle the spice on the apples.

and then put them in the fridge and let them cool untill there cold..then there ready to eat!!!

or

you could get some fruit (best to use raspberry or blueberry's and strawberry's)

and get some white or milk chocolate (in bars or mini Hershey kisses)

melt the chocolate on a plate until its able to drizzle.

and then put the fruit in a bowl and drizzle the chocolate on the fruit and your done and ready to serve!!!!

Fried Chicken.