Frozen Mud Pie

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs

2 tsp sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 gallon chocolate chip ice cream, softened

(or coffee flavor, well, or any flavor you'd like!)

Chocolate syrup

Additional Oreos for garnish (optional)

Combine cookie crumbs and sugar and stir in butter. Press into a ungreased pie plate. (go up the sides) Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 the ice cream into crust. Drizzle with chocolate syrup, in stripes across the pie. Carefully top with remaining ice cream. There is enough here for everyone to have one bite if you have little helpers, as I did. Drizzle with chocolate syrup again on top, in stripes, then take a knife and swirl with a knife. place extra cookies on top for garnish. Freeze until firm.

Remove from freezer 10-15 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti with Zucchini and Yellow Squash

Whole grain spaghetti

1 medium onion, diced

1/3 cup olive oil

1 minced garlic clove

2 cups yellow squash, diced

2 cups zucchini, diced

10 medium leaves fresh basil, chopped

Black pepper and salt to taste

1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (at least)

cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for 6 minutes, Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add yellow squash and zucchini and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Stir in basil and pepper and salt. Toss sauce over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

I really, really liked this dish. I did need to add quite a bit of pepper and salt for more flavor and lots of Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Quesadillas with Corn Salsa

Chicken Quesadillas

4 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans green chilies, drained

4 cups co-jack cheese

12 tortillas of your choice (I used whole grain with flax seed)

light sour cream for garnish

corn salsa (recipe below)

Saute onion and garlic in oil in large skillet. Cook until onion is tender then remove onion and garlic from pan. Add chicken and chili powder and stir-fry until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet and add to the onion and garlic. Add cheese and green chilies and mix well.

Clean skillet and spray with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Place equal amounts of chicken mixture onto tortilla halves and fold over and brown. Spray pan again as you are turning and flipping. Heat until nice and brown and cheese is melted. Garnish with sour cream and corn salsa.

Corn Salsa

I never really quite follow the recipe, not measuring perfectly, but here it is, you can adjust it any way you like. I pretty much double this. My hubby likes leftovers of this whole meal and often shares it at work! If you have leftovers of this meal, re-heat quesadillas in oven. (otherwise the microwave will make them soggy)

1 1/4 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed (I just run cold water over them in a strainer)

1/4 chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice

2 tsp chopped, seeded jalapeno chili

Salt and pepper to taste

Don't forget to use rubber gloves to chop that jalapeno!! It does not feel good to get it in your eyes hours after washing hands, trust me, it does not feel good!

Monster Cookies!

This makes a monster batch! These are the cookies we make when going "up north" to a cabin. They are great frozen and everyone loves them!

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups white sugar

1 cup butter

9 cups of oats

1 lb M&M's (nibble as much as you want on these)

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

6 eggs

4 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking soda

1 pkg chocolate chips (you can do more if you'd like)

Beat together the sugars, peanut butter and butter until well mixed. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Stir in oats, vanilla and soda. Stir in chocolate chips, then M&M's. Drop by tablespoons full onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes. (I bake them for 16 minutes) Do not overbake. (duh!)