Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I am sure many of you have this recipe.  I have been enjoying it for years.  My mom makes Strawberry Pretzel Salad often -  a new favorite at many of our holiday gatherings.  If you have not made this salad, or indulged in this "salad" - I highly recommend giving it a try.  The combination of the sweet, salty, creamy is amazing!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

1/4 cup sugar
11/2 sticks butter
2 cups crushed pretzels

Melt butter, mix with sugar and add crushed pretzels.  Spread in 9x13 buttered casserole.  Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees....let cool completely.

1 8oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 (8oz.) cool whip


Mix cream cheese, cool whip, & sugar.  Spread on cooled crust.

16 - 20 oz of frozen sweetened strawberries, with juice
2 pkgs. (3oz.) strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Add strawberries including juice.  Refrigerate gelatin mixture until partially set.  
( place in freezer for 20 minutes or so for faster thickening).  When partially thickened and a little "globby",spread over the cream cheese layer.  Chill several hours or preferably overnight before serving.


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Cowboy Corn Casserole

This is a great recipe from a cookbook called "Cooking the Cowboy Way" by Grady Spears.   Grady is an amazing TEXAS chef.  This particular recipe was in the newspaper and I believe my mom sent me this recipe.

My family loved this recipe.  They ate every bite.  I didn't use jalepenos  - instead I used a can of chopped green chiles.  I was worried the jalepenos would be too hot for the girls even though I know Chris would have loved it. There was no zip to this recipe with the green chiles - good flavor but no zip.  You might try a combination or do what you think would work best for your family.  Chris also thought it needed a little salt - the rest of thought it was perfect!

Cowboy Corn Casserole


1  15 oz can creamed corn
1  15 oz can whole kernal corn, undrained
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 to 1 cup corn bread mix ( I used a cup or even a little more)
1/4 cup butter,melted
2 jalepenos, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Stir together in a bowl the corn, eggs, sugar, corn bread mix, melted butter jalepenos and just 1/2 cup of the cheese.  Transfer mixture to a buttered 8 x 8 baking pan.  Bake for 40 minutes, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes longer.  Allow to cook 5 minutes before serving

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Prom 2012

Elkhorn South High Prom 2012 - My girls had a wonderful evening.  We were so blessed with amazing March Prom weather here in Omaha - 75 and sunny and with..... NO WIND!

 Cole and Annie (senior)

Danny and Jenna and Abbey and Jay (juniors) 

 Brittany, Annie and Alyssa

 Jenna and Jake at Coronation

Jenna and Annie

Easy Sausage-Shrimp Gumbo Soup

When I was home Christmas, my sister-in-law Stacy, was making this for a New Year's Even Party.  I have never made gumbo before and since this was such an easy version, I decided to try it for my family.  A few loved it - maybe too many chunky vegetables for two of my girls.  It was quick and easy so that is always a plus.  I did add a little precooked chicken and probably too many veggies so I had to use two cans of broth.  Also, I had difficulty finding a frozen gumbo mixture of vegetables.   I just used a blend I found in the store and threw in some frozen okra.  I also used raw, frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp to throw in the last minute or two.  Enjoy!

Sausage-Shrimp Gumbo Soup


1 (16 oz) pkg smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16 oz) pkg frozen vegetable gumbo mixture
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1  (14 oz) can chicken broth
2 tsp creole seasoning ( I used Tony Chachere's)
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb peeled, medium size fresh shrimp
1 Tbsp file' powder
hot cooked rice

Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until browned.  Add garlic, stirring for one minutes.  Add vegetables and next 4 ingredients.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 5 minutes.  Add shrimp, cook 3 minutes or just until shrimp are pink.  Remove from heat and stir in file' powder.  **Can always add some extra hot sauce if desired....Serve over rice.

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