Mango Salsa

1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 mango, cubed
1/2 - 1 bunch cilantro (use how much you like. I say the more the better, i love the stuff).
sometimes I will also add a chopped jalapeno, just depends on the crowd.

Combine ingredients and sprinkle with some lime juice to taste. You can serve it with chips, or as a topping for breaded chicken, or with quesadillas. This is just what i use it for, but the options are endless!

French Dip

I got this recipe from a neighbor. It's very easy and VERY delicious. I don't think I've had a better french dip.

In a crockpot, combine on low for 10-12 hours:
3 pound roast (I just buy whatever is cheapest - it cooks so long it will fall apart)
2 packets au jus
1 packet dry onion soup
7-8 cups water

Shred beef, serve on a 6-inch roll of some type, and use the juices the beef cooked in as the dipping sauce. (You might want to strain the juice so all the beef bits aren't floating in your dipping bowl.)

Thai Chicken Pizza

We love this recipe. I usually make it at least every other month. Do you see a trend in my submissions? We obviously really like Asian food.

Thai Chicken Pizza
1 pizza dough, any brand or recipe (see below for a pretty simple, but tasty one)
1/2 C duck sauce or plum sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 C shredded provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 rounded tbsp full peanut butter
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning)
4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, chopped
1 C bean sprouts
Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 C chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 425º. Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce and peanut butter with hot sauce and grill seasoning. Use the microwave to loosen up the peanut butter if it is too cold to blend into sauce (10 seconds ought to do it). Add chicken and coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes. Form pizza crust on pizza pan or cookie sheet. Top with duck or plum sauce—spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with some crushed red pepper flakes then top with cheese and peppers. Bake until golden and bubbly (15-17 minutes). Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Grill the marinated chicken cutlets 2-3 minutes each side, until firm. Slice chicken into very thin strips. While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly. Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Pizza dough:
1 Tbsp dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
2 1/2 to 3 c. flour
1 c. very warm water

Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl until dissolved. Add other ingredients and knead for 5 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not punch down. Roll out to 14-16 inches round.

Oreo Peanut Butter Truffles

36 Oreo Cookies (1 package)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Take out 16 cookies and finely crush them, set aside. Chop the remaining oreo's. Combine the chopped Oreo's with the peanut butter. Roll the pb and oreo mixture into 1-inch balls. This can be kind of tricky on account of peanut butter being one of the stickiest substances on earth. I find that I have rinse my hands about every 3-4 balls rolled. And actually, it is quite helpful to keep your hands a little wet. Ok, after the balls are rolled, the need to be frozen until solid. Melt chocolate. Dip the frozen balls into the melted chocolate to coat. Then, roll them in the finely crushed oreo's to coat. Put on wax paper. Refrigerate 30 minutes before eating. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
I got this recipe about 6 years ago off of the back of an oreo package. It is seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten. I mean, oreo's, pb and chocolate, you can't really go wrong with that combination of goodness. My friend Lindsay raised a good question after trying one yesterday. She said, "why have I never had anything like this before?" My answer to her is, "I don't know Lindsay, but now that you have, today is the first day of the rest of your life." Well, not really... but they are pretty great.