Pineapple Orange Cake

This cake is delightful... Emphasis on the "light"! For a dessert, it's pretty guiltless- but no one would ever know! I have made it several times to take to my grandparent's house... I am pretty
9sure there has never been a piece left for me to take home! (Until I can get my own picture up, this is the one from the Taste of Home website... But yours will look this good too!)

Pineapple Orange Cake

1 pkg. (18 1/4oz.) yellow cake mix
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, undrained
4 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
Topping
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 pkg. (1 oz.) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 oz.) reduced fat cool whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, oranges, egg whites, and applesauce on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour in a 13x9" baking dish coated in cooking spray. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. In a bowl, combine the pineapple and pudding mix. Fold in whipped topping until just blended. Spread over cooled cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Easy Breadsticks

These simply little breadsticks make the perfect pairing with some yummy soup, spaghetti... Anything really! They are so easy, you can throw them together in a snap, and so good you will be making them again, and again!

Easy Breadsticks- The Sister's Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
butter for pan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, let mixture sit and bubble for a few minutes. Add the salt, and flour. Knead the dough for 3 minutes, let dough rest for 10 minutes. (This can all be done in a Kitchenaid Mixer) Melt 2-4 tablespoons of butter, and pour most of it on a large cookie sheet. Roll dough to the approximate size of cookie sheet. Cut dough to desired width, then twist or lay flat on cookie sheet. Brush remaining butter on sticks, and sprinkle with garlic salt, parmesan cheese, and parsley (Or whatever seasonings you like!) Raise breadsticks 10-20 minutes on cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. You can roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and they will come out puffy and soft. Ori you prefer a crunchier breadstick roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and a jelly roll pan. Either way, they're delish!

Frosted Banana Bars

Everyone loves a good treat, especially when you can use up some getting old, blackish bananas in the process! These Banana Bars are seriously to die for good- I may never make banana bread with my black bananas ever again! Try them out, you may convert yourself.

Frosted Banana Bars- My Kitchen Cafe

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup ripe, mashed bananas
frosting, recipe below

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x15 jelly roll pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the ripe bananas. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick instered in the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat whipped cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, frost cooled bars, and enjoy!

Chicken Parmesana

This was a favorite recipe we had in our house growing up. It is so good, even the picky eaters will gobble it up. Being a slow cooker recipe, it also has fix it and forget it appeal. I hope you give it a try. Served over spaghetti with a large green salad, who needs the Olive Garden?! 5 stars!

Chicken Parmesana- Fix it and Forget it, Slow Cooker Recipes

1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2-4 tbsp. butter
14 oz. jar pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Beat egg, salt, and pepper together. Dip chicken into egg, and coat with breadcrumbs. Saute chicken in butter in a large skillet. Arrange chicken evenly in slow cooker. Pour pizza sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top of chicken, cook an additional 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Fiesta Beef Fajitas

Who doesn't love a delicious, and easy slow cooker recipe? Honestly, this one is as simple as it gets, and rarely leaves much for leftovers!

My mom first made this amazing shredded beef for dinner while my grandparents were here in Utah for a visit. It was amazing! So tender, so flavorful, and completely simple! It was a unanimous keeper! We had it on tortillas, served in the traditional fajita style, but it would also be fantastic over lettuce for a taco salad.

Fiesta Beef Fajitas

2 lbs. flank steak
14-1/2 oz. can tomatoes with chilies (Ro-Tel)
2 1/4 oz. pkgs. fajita seasoning mix
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
8 to 12 10 inch flour tortillas, warmed
Garnish- guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, shredded lettuce

Place meat in slow cooker. Mix tomatoes with chilies and fajita seasoning together in a bowl; pour over meat. Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours; reduce to low and cook for an additional 2 hours. Add onion and green pepper; cover and continue to cook on low setting for an additional hour. Shred meat serve on warm tortilla with garnishes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.