BEST Caramel Apple Dip -

Ingredients:

2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. real butter
1 c. corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Directions:

1.  Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.  Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and boil for 7 minutes.  Stir consistently so it doesn't burn.
2.  After 7 minutes, reduce heat to low.  Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.  Cool until warm.
3.  Meanwhile pre-stir the sour cream and cream cheese together to get out any large lumps.  Add sour cream and cream cheese to cooled caramel.  Stir until smooth.
4.  Store in the fridge in an air-tight container.  This caramel dip stay soft, so you will not have to reheat it each time you eat it unless you want it warm.  Dip apples, bananas, or other fruit in it.

*** From sofestive.com

Bruschetta

Ingredients:

2 -3 c. Meaty tomatoes, chopped small
1/2 c. Onion, chopped fine
2 T. Garlic
2 t. Balsamic vinegar
2 T. Olive Oil
12-15 Basil leaves, chopped
1 t. Sea salt

Combine all ingredients.  Let rest a couple hours.  Serve over toasted baguette bread.

Huli Huli Chicken

Ingredients:

Serve with grilled pineapple and coconut rice.

• 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, chicken breasts also work
• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, grated
• 1½ teaspoons minced garlic
• green onions, sliced for garnish

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, ginger and garlic. Reserve 1 cup sauce for basting. Add the chicken thighs and sauce to a ziplock bag and marinate at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions if desired

Italian Sausage Zoodles

Ingredients:

2 - 4 pre-cooked sausages, any flavor
2-3 medium/large zucchini (no kiddin')
1-2 T Olive Oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. black pepper
6 marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1 c. fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 T. toasted pine nuts
1 T. feta cheese

Directions:
Slice and warm sausages in a pan or microwave, set aside. Cut or spiralize zucchini noodles and set aside. Saute garlic in olive oil in a large saute pan 20-30 seconds.  Add zucchini, saute about 2 minutes, add spinach and stir to wilt slightly.  Remove from heat and stir in artichokes and sausages.  Divide into two plates and top each with feta and pine nuts.

***This recipe is on Our Best Bites and they use a spiralizer to make the zucchini noodles.  It costs about $29 so I just use my large grater.  You can also remove the water from your zucchini using salt if you start early.  I buy the pre-cooked sausages from Sam's that come in different flavors.  This isn't a recipe you want every week, but twice in the summer is yummy.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 c. Wesson oil
2 c. sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 1/2 Tbs. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t salt
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
2 c. grated zucchini
Nuts

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Makes 2 loaves.

***Katie loves this recipe and adds chocolate chips.

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
4 lbs potatoes, peeled
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese grated
12 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 c. green onions, sliced

Directions:
Boil potatoes in salted water until done.  Drain well and mash. Add sour cream, butter, milk, salt, pepper, bouillon, and garlic.  Stir in Parmesan cheese, 1 c. cheddar and half of the bacon.  Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 25 min at 350 degrees.  Top with remaining cheese and bacon and bake 5 more minutes.

Garden Veggie Alfredo Pasta

Better known as "One Pot Pasta"

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
1 pt mushrooms, sliced
2 zucchini squash, quartered and sliced
2/3 c. peas, fresh or frozen
2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c.  Cream or milk
2/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Put 4 1/2 cups of water on to boil in large pot.  When water is boiling, add first six ingredients.  Boil on medium heat 8-10 minutes or until water is reduced and pasta is done. Stir in cream and cheese.Yum!