Recipe(tried): Lake Living Recipes - BLT Dip, Fruit Dip, Easy Salsa, Sesame Chicken Shred Noodle Salad, Turkey Chili, Broccoli Cornbread, Chicken Fajitas

We just returned from a week at our little cabin on Little Bear Lake. Lots of swimming and fun for our daughters. Even on days when it was barely 70 degrees, they wanted to swim all day. I just wanted to sit on the beach and read, sew, and relax. But now I'm back to 10 loads of laundry and weeks worth of bills, and no food in the fridge! It's good to be home though. Everything always seems so different at home after being away for a week--the garden has a lot of new flowers, the house looks CLEAN (after being in a sandy cabin all week).

Anyway, here are some of the dishes we had while on vacation. Of course, we had burgers and hot dogs on the grill for a few simple meals, but I can only eat that way once in awhile, so I still cooked in our little cabin kitchen.

First, some munchies (because that's the best part of vacationing on a lake--eating all day long!):

BLT DIP

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 loaf bread, toasted and cut into toast points

Combine dip ingredients and serve with toast points. You won't believe how addicting this is.

FRUIT DIP

1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Serve as dip with apples, strawberries, bananas, grapes.

EASY SALSA

2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro
1-1/2 tbsp. jalapenos
2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt

SESAME CHICKEN SHRED NOODLE SALAD

10 oz. vermicelli, cooked
1 1/2 cups nappa cabbage, diced
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup scallions
1 dried chile pepper, torn
1/2 tsp. ginger
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
3 tbsp. peanut oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
12 tbsp. soy sauce
8 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. peanut butter

Spread noodles on platter. Top with cabbage, then chicken, then peppers, then sesame seeds and parsley.

Combine scallions, chile pepper, ginger, garlic, pepper, cayenne. Heat oils in pan. Add to oils and cook 5 minutes. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and peanut butter. Add to pan and cook until foamy. Pour over salad.

TURKEY CHILI

1 pound ground turkey
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper

Brown turkey with peppers, onions, carrots, and zucchini. Add remaining ingredients. Boil, them simmer 1 hour. Serve with cheddar or monterey jack cheese and tortilla chips crumbled on top.

BROCCOLI CORNBREAD

5 eggs, beaten
1 onion, chopped
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, melted
2 cups cottage cheese
2 (7 oz.) pkgs. Jiffy cornbread mix
2 tbsp. sugar

Combine all ingredients and pour into greased 12x9-inch pan or 11-inch skillet.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

CHICKEN FAJITAS

Combine boneless chicken breast cut into strips and veggies (sliced peppers and onions). Cover with marinade and refrigerate overnight.

Combine:
Juice from 6 limes
2/3 cups beer
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cloves garlic

Cook chicken and veggies in a skillet or on the grill and serve in warmed flour tortillas. Serve with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, etc.