May Meals

BBQ Chicken Pizza - Cheryl

Chicken Stirfry - Debbie

Raspberry Whole Wheat Waffles & Sausage - Kim

Sour Cream & Chicken Enchiladas - Michele

- Stacey

Spinach and Bow Tie Salad -Tamara

Chicken Stirfry

1 1/2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken

1 Cup grape jelly

3/4 Cup white vinegar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

2 TBS honey BBQ sauce

1 TBS lawrys teriyaki Sauce

1 TBS  lawrys Hawaiian Sauce

1/2 tsp Ginger

1/2 Tsp garlic

You can do in crokpot for 3-4 hrs or in skillet on stove for 30 min (cook Chicken before)

Add stirfry vegetables the last hour or last 15 mins on stove, serve over rice. 

Sprinkle chow mein noodles and coconut on top.

Spinach & Bow Tie Salad

Salad:

1 11 oz can of mandarin oranges

one bag of baby spinach

slivered almonds to taste

sesame seeds to taste

chopped green onions

chopped red onions

1 bag of bow tie pasta

 

Boil the pasta following package directions and let cool.  Mix the spinach and pasta together and then layer toppings as desired.

Dressing:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

 

Put all ingredients into a sauce pan and heat to a boil stirring.  Let boil, while stirring, for 2 mins.  Let cool completely.

April Meals

Idiot Pork Chops & Sweet Potato Biscuits - Cheryl

Breakfast Casserole - Debbie

Lemon Herb Chicken & Mexican Spoonbread - Julie

Mango Chicken Tacos - Kim

Beef Stroganoff - Michele

Biscuits and Gravy - Michelle W

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken - Stacey

Idiot Pork Chops

2 sticks butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
Italian bread crumbs, mixed with garlic salt & onion powder
6 pork chops

Mix the melted butter and the eggs being careful that the butter is not so hot it will cook the eggs. Dip your pork chops in the butter/egg mix, and then the Italian bread crumbs, and then dip it again in the butter/egg mix and again in the Italian bread crumbs. You have to dip it in each twice as it is not as good if you only do it one time. Bake the pork chops at 375 10-15 minutes.  Flip over and bake 10-15 more depending on the thickness of the pork chops.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 medium sweet potato

2 ½ C flour

½ C brown sugar

1 T baking powder

¾ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp allspice

½ C shortening/butter

½ C cream or milk

Microwave sweet potato until tender.  Peel and add with a little water to the blender & puree.  Combine all dry ingredients.  Blend in shortening.  Stir in 1 C sweet potato puree.  Add cream, gently stirring just until it forms a soft dough.  Turn onto floured surface.  Roll out ½ - ¾ inch thick.  Cut with biscuit cutter (or you can drop spoonfuls onto sheet.  Bake on greased sheet 375 20-25 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

1 pound breakfast sausage

4 cups shredded potatoes, drained and pressed

1/4 cup butter, melted

8-12 oz shredded cheese (mix of cheddar and colby jack)

1/4 cup Onion, shredded

1 cup (8 oz) small curd cottage cheese

8 Large eggs

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch square baking dish.

2.       Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

3.       In the prepared baking dish, stir together the shredded potatoes and butter. Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the mixture. In a bowl, mix the sausage, Cheddar cheese, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs. Pour over the potato mixture.

4.       Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the casserole comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Lemon Herb Chicken

½ C lemon juice

¼ C Vegetable oil (I used Canola)

¼ C minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon diced tarragon or ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon

¼ teaspoon pepper

Chicken tenders or breasts.

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and seal.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  Drain and discard marinade. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mexican Spoon Bread

1 C cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ C milk

1/3 C oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 (17oz) can creamed corn

1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies

1 ½ C Monterey Jack Cheese (I used cheddar jack cheese)

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Add eggs and corn and spoon half into 9x9 greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with half of the chilies and cheese.  Repeat layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Toothpick should come out clean when it is done.

Biscuits and Gravy

Gravy -  Brown 1 pound sausage in a large skillet.  Add 1/3 cup flour 1/2 t garlic, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper and stir until dissolved. Allow this to cook and brown for 2-4 minutes over medium-high heat. Stir constantly to prevent burning.  Browning the flour keeps the gravy from tasting like you are eating raw flour.  Add 3 cups milk all at once.  Mix well to incorporate, then bring to a low simmer and allow it to thicken to the desired thickness (may add more milk if it gets too thick).

Serve over hot fresh baked biscuits.

Biscuits - **I doubled this for the group**

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbls sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup milk  (you may add 1 Tblsp lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes)

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in the butter.  Stir in milk only until dry ingredients are moistened.  Roll out and cut into biscuits.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

For Cinnamon Biscuits - 

Before rolling out, sprinkle with cinnamon and fold over repeat 5-6 times.  Bake as directed and frost when they come out.

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 oz jar of pesto (3/4 cup)
1 pkg ranch dressing seasoning mix
1/2 cup chicken broth

Turn crock-pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a simple salad.

March Meals

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos - Angie

Herb Roasted Chicken - Cheryl

Rotini and Chicken Casserole - Debbie

Huevos Rancheros - Julie

Spicy Sausage Pasta - Kim

Mexican Pizza - Michele

Skillet Creamy Macaroni and Cheese - Michelle W

Turkey Muffins - Mindy

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes - Stacey

Pork Taco's with Cilantro Mayo - Tamara

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepper jack cheese

14-16 small corn or 10-12 flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Freezer Instructions: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Dipped in this:

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing
1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
(ignore directions on the packet)
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa*
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend ‘er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.
*A note about green salsa:
There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Herdez. Herdez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I’ve tried. Even their medium green salsa is way too spicy for my liking. There’s no way I could put the whole 1/4 C in my dressing like the recipe calls. I like to buy La Costena because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce. If you’re not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you’re getting into!

Rotini and Chicken Casserole

1 (16 oz) pkg rotini pasta
2 Tbs butter
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breats, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (6.5 oz) canned mushrooms
1 onion, chopped (small about 1-2 cups)
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen green peas, thawed and drained
1/3 cup milk
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp chicken seasoning

Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
Melt butter and seasoings in a large, deep skillet over med-high heat. Saute the chicken, onion, and mushrooms until chicken is no longer pink, and juices run clear. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, peas, milk, condensed soup and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir in the chicken mixture. Pour into a 3 qt baking dish or a 9x13 and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.

Huevos Rancheros

12 eggs

1 can diced tomatoes

1 T. Brown sugar

1 tsp. each chili powder, paprika, and garlic salt

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Ranch dressing, optional

Salsa, optional

Avocados, cubed or mashed, optional

Tortillas

In a large skillet, scramble eggs.  Add tomatoes when eggs are dry; blend.  Add sugar and spices to skillet; blend.  Add beans, blend, and then simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Top with cheese and let melt before serving.  Spoon onto tortilla, top with ranch, salsa, sour cream and or avocados.  Fold into a burrito and enjoy!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

1. Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings (I made 1 1/2 the recipe for the exchange)

Mexican Pizza

1/2 pound Trader Joe's Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz can Trader Joe's Traditional Style Fat Free Refried Beans
4 9-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Chunky Salsa, or your favorite salsa
2 cups Trader Joe's Lite 3 Cheese Blend
2 green onions, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup Trader Joe's Extra Large Black Pitted Olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place meat, onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until beef is evenly browned. Drain off grease. Season the meat with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Coat 2 pie plates with non-stick cooking spray. Place one tortilla in each pie plate and cover with a layer of refried beans. Spread half of the seasoned meat over each tortilla and then cover with a second tortilla. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Spread half of the salsa over the top tortillas. Top each pizza with half of the cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. Return the pizzas to the oven, bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice each pizza into 4 pieces and serve.

Skillet Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

3 ½ c water, plus extra if needed

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

12 oz (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cornstarch

½ tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp hot sauce

6 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (1 ½ cups)

6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 ½ cups)

1 Tbs butter, cut into small chunks

Ground black pepper to taste.

Bring 3 ½ cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and ½ tsp salt to a simmer in a 12” nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9-12 minutes.

Whisk the remaining ½ cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened,  about 1 minutes

Off the heat, stir in the cheeses, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I don’t need any additional water when I made it). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

2 lbs ground turkey 

3 egg whites

1 C quick oats

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dry yellow mustard

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 T garlic powder

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a muffin pan with non-stick oil.  Mix all of your ingredients together in one large bowl.

Roll the mixture into 12 balls and place in muffin pan.  Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.  Bake for 40 minutes.

If you make them into larger balls, you may only get 8-10.  You can also bake them in a regular 9x13 or any other pan.  Another variation

is to use the mixture and make a regular meatloaf.

I usually bake them for about 50 minutes, but I start checking them after 40 minutes of baking.  The baking time will vary because of the size

of the balls or loaf.

You can serve them with BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard etc.  Whatever your family likes.  Any sides will work.

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1lb ground beef
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 medium green bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
¼ cup steak sauce
1 cup beef broth
salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
6 hamburger buns
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone cheese (shredded) 

 

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook while breaking the ground beef up into chunks with a spatula or spoon until browned. Add the green bell pepper and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onions start to become tender. Drain an excess liquid. Stir in steak sauce and beef broth, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Step 2: While the meat is cooking, split the hamburger buns and butter each of the cut sides. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Place split hamburger buns cut side down into the skillet and cook until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 3: melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until it is melted and incorporated into the sauce.
Step 4: To assemble sloppy joes- pile the meat mixture onto the top of the bottom half of each bun, top with the provolone cheese sauce, and place the top half of the hamburger bun onto the sandwich.(I used provolone cheese instead of the sauce)

Pork Taco's with Cilantro Mayo

PORK RECIPE:
Pork Roast {I like the roasts from Costco that come in the 4 pack} But, I only cook one roast {unless we are having company for dinner, and then we make two roasts}.
Garlic Salt
Cumin
Basil Flakes
Oregano Flakes
Onion Powder
2 Cups Water
Thaw the pork roast and place in a crock pot. Pour in about 2 cups of water. Sprinkle roast and water with garlic salt, cumin, basil and oregano flakes and onion powder. I actually don't measure these, I just sprinkle them generously on the roast and water. Cook the pork until it starts to fall apart.
I cook the pork all 5-6 hours on high {depending on your crock-pot, you may need to adjust times}.

JALAPENO CILANTRO MAYO RECIPE:
2 cups mayo {a few friends have said that 1 1/2 cups is plenty, but I have always used 2 cups)
1/2 bunch of cilantro {leaves only}. Just wash your cilantro, and hold the bunch in your hand and pull off the top leafy portion. You do not need to pick off each leaf individually. 
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno {without seeds unless you like it hot}
2 Tbsp White Vinegar
2 Tbsp Water
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. salt
Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until it is smooth. Make at least 2 hours ahead of time and place in the refrigerator to thicken.

After the pork is done, remove the meat from the crock pot. Next, strain out the chunks of fat and sludge. I usually put a bowl in the sink {to catch the broth}and use a pasta strainer to catch the sludge. Discard the sludge and save the left over pork broth.

Next, put the meat back in the crock pot and shred the pork. I usually add some of the broth back in to add moisture and then pour in 1 jar of green Herdes Verde Sauce.  If your pork still seems dry, add more broth until it's as moist as you prefer.

OTHER INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

White Corn Tortillas
Shredded Green Cabbage
3-4 Limes cut restaurant style.

Warm your white corn tortillas on a griddle prior to eating. We warm up a bunch and wrap them in foil to keep them warm.

Serve with fresh squeezed lime juice, shredded cabbage, and cilantro mayo. ENJOY!

February Meals

Vegetable Lasagna - Cheryl

HoneyBaked Chicken and Rolls - Julie

Alfredo Chicken Pizza - Kim

Salsa Chicken - Michele

Parmesan Chicken Fingers - Michelle W

Cheesy Chicken, Bacon & Tater Tot Crock Pot Bake- Stacey

Honey-baked Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken

1 cup honey

½ cup chicken broth

¼ cup soy sauce

Place chicken in glass baking dish.  Mix remaining ingredients together.  Pour over chicken and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  This works well with chicken tenders, breasts or thighs.  Use whatever you have available.

Alfredo Chicken Pizza

3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 jar of alfredo sauce
2 c spinach
1 c grape tomatoes; chopped or diced
1 c grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Marinate chicken with with half of minced garlic, salt and pepper and leave for 15 mins. After that heat grill pan with 2-3 tbsp of oil and grill chicken over the grill pan until become completely done, it would take 8-10 min over medium-low heat. Then cut the grilled chicken into small chunks. Dust your pizza pan with flour to roll out the pizza dough. Pour the alfredo sauce over the dough, place the baby spinach, grape tomatoes, grilled chicken and mozzarella cheese. In the end brush the edges of the crust with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (if desired). Place the pan in preheated oven about 25 mins. until crisp and golden brown.

Salsa Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup salsa

1 taco seasoning packet

1 cup sour cream (I would start out with less and add to your liking)

1 can black beans, rinsed

shredded cheese

green onions

cilantro

rice

 

Put chicken, soup, salsa and taco seasoning in slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Shred chicken, if desired.  Stir in sour cream and heat until everything is combined. Serve over rice, top with cheese, black beans, green onions, and cilantro. Works great as a burrito, rolled in a tortilla shell or  served with tortilla chips.

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

2 1/2 - 3 lbs Chicken breasts cut into strips

1/2 cup sour cream (I use low-fat)

2 c. crushed cracker crumbs (I use Club crakers)

1 tsp. powdered garlic

3 Tbls parmesan cheese

1/4 c. melted butter

Mix cracker crumbs, garlic and parmesan cheese.

Coat chicken with sour cream.  

Dip chicken in crumb mixture.

Put single layer in baking pan and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 450 degrees until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken, Bacon & Tater Tot Crock Pot Bake

1 (32 oz) bag tater tots
3 oz bacon bits
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 c grated colby cheese
1 1/2 c Monterrey jack cheese
3/4 c milk
salt and pepper

Directions:

Grease the bottom of the crock pot.

Layer 1/2 the tater tots on the bottom of the pot.

Sprinkle with 1/2 of the bacon bits.

Combine the two cheeses, and sprinkle 1/2 of it over the bacon and tots.

Top cheese with the chicken breasts.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste.

Top chicken with another 1/3 of cheese.

Sprinkle with another 1/2 of the bacon bits.

Add remainder of the tater tots.

Top with final 1/3 of the cheese.

Pour milk over the top.

Set crock pot to high and cook 3-4 hours.

January Meals

Sausage & Rice Casserole and Dark Chcolate Mango Cookies- Angie

Pork Chile Verde - Cheryl

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole - Julie

Poppyseed Chicken & Potatoes- Kim

Hawaiian Haystacks - Michele

Lion House Porcupine Meatballs - Michelle W

Breakfast Casserole - Stacey

Sausage & Rice Casserole

1 lb. Sausage

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

2 1/2 cups rice

1 packet Onion Soup Mix

1 packet dry chicken noodle soup mix

5 cups water

Brown the onion, celery and sausage in a large pan. Add water, rice, and soup mixes. Cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and all the water is absorbed.

Dark Chocolate Mango Cookies

1 c butter

1 c white sugar

1 ¼ c packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

10 drops orange oil

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. hot water

½ tsp. salt

4 c all-purpose flour

1 (11.5 oz.) pkg Dark Chocolate Chips (or use less if the chips are a larger size). *I am using semi-sweet for the dinner exchange because I know some people don’t like dark chocolate*

10 dried mango pieces soaked and sliced into small strips (Soak in warm water for 20 mins to get the sugar off the outside and to make them pliable)

Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs on at a time. Add vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Spoon flour into measuring cup and level off with a knife. Stir flour, chocolate chips and mangos into batter until just blended. Chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a scoop and drop dough onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Do not press down. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden (centers will appear somewhat soft but dull not glossy looking). Allow cookies to sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.