Wednesday, November 21, 2007

World's Best Peanut Butter Fudge

4 cups white sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup butter
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow crème
12 oz. Peanut butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugar, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the marshmallow crème and peanut butter. Gradually stir in the flour. Spread into the prepared pan, and let cool.

This is so yummy! Prep time: approx. 5 minutes. Cook time: approx. 20 minutes. Ready in approx. 1 Hour 25 minutes. Makes 3 ¾ pounds.

Fudge tips: will store at room temp for 7-14 days in an airtight container, separate layers with waxed paper. Or store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks in airtight container.

From: www.allrecipes.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

7 Layered Bean Dip

2 16 oz. cans refried beans
16 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
8 oz. avocado dip, or homemade guacamole
1 large tomato
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cans olives, sliced
3/4 lb. shredded cheddar cheese

Spread refried beans on bottom of 9x13" pan. Mix sour cream with 3/4 pkg. taco dry mix, spread over beans. Spread on guacamole, then add cheese, chopped onions, olives, diced tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.

I've heated mine before, with just the bean and cheese layers, then add the other ingredients. You can also substitute the beans and taco mix for the canned bean dip. I've also added lettuce before.

Murie's South of the Boarder Salsa

1 handful cilantro
1/4 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
3 banana peppers or 1/4 c. jalapeno peppers
1/8 tsp. sugar
1-2 T. vinegar
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes with liquid

Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes, including liquid in blender. After blended, add tomatoes and blend to desired consistency. Serve with chips.

Sausage Dip


1 lb. regular sausage tube
1 lb. maple sausage tube
2 cans diced tomatoes with chili's (or Mexican tomatoes)
1 small can diced chili's
2 packages cream cheese

Turn crock pot on, put cream cheese in to melt. Brown sausage, drain, add to crock pot. Add tomatoes, and chili to crock pot & stir. Heat until bubbling (about 1/2 hour). Serve with tortilla chips, or Frito's.

You can make this dip hotter by substituting the maple sausage for hot sausage, and add 1 more can of chili's.

Recipe from: Angie F.

Cool Lime Napoleons

1 8 oz. pkg. refrigerate crescent rolls
3 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 11 oz. can mandarin orange segments, drain, pat dry
2 large limes
1 8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray cookie sheet. Unroll crescent dough across pan; pinch seams to seal. Lightly sprinkle dough with flour, roll dough evenly to cover bottom of pan. Prick dough with a fork. Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. Using pizza cutter, cut pastry crosswise into six rows and lengthwise into for rows to make twenty-four 2 1/2" squares. Place one sliced kiwi and one orange segment onto each pastry square. Zest 1 lime to measure 1 tsp. (then, finely snip zest) Juice lime to measure 2 T. In bowl, combine whipped topping, powdered sugar, juice, and zest; mix until smooth and slightly thickened. Place one spoonful of mixture on each square, sprinkle with almonds, & powdered sugar; serve immediately.


The original recipe says to place one square on top of another (to make it a double decker), but I left this step out because it makes it harder to eat & will give you 24 squares instead of 12.

recipe from Pampered Chef/Season's Best 2003

Alpine Village Seasoned Cottage Cheese

2 lbs. cottage cheese, small curd
1/2 tsp. caraway
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Accent
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 T. dried chives
1/2 tsp. celery salt

Mix all ingredients together and chill for several hours or overnight. Serve as a condiment or as a dip.

Alpine Village was a restaurant in Las Vegas that closed years ago. I've recently gotten a hold of this "much sought-after" recipe. We bought the seasoning all the time so I've tasted it, but I've never actually made it. We ate it with crackers (wheat thins).

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps


Fruit Salsa:
1 c. finely chopped strawberries
1 med. orange, peeled & finely chopped (1/3 cup)
2 large or 3 small kiwifruit, peeled & finely chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh pineapple, or 1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions (2)
1/4 c. finely chopped yellow or green sweet pepper
1 T. lime or lemon juice
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped (optional)

In a mixing bowl stir together the strawberries, orange, kiwi, pineapple, green onions, sweet pepper, lime or lemon juice, and if desired, jalapeno pepper. Cover and chill for 6-24 hours. Serve with cinnamon tortilla crisps. Makes about 3 cups salsa. If you plan to chill this salsa more than 6 hours, stir in the strawberries just before serving.

You can also use other fruits (whatever you like). Scott prefers it fruity,without the onions & peppers. We've made it in the blender too. (It's not chunky, but quicker to make).And we don't chill it.


Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps:
12 7-or-8 inch flour tortillas
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon.
1/4 c. butter, melted

Brush butter over tortillas. Combine sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle mixture over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Spread 1/3 of the wedges in a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake @ 350 5-10 minutes or till crisp. Repeat with remaining wedges; cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 weeks. Makes 96 crisps (24 appetizer servings).

We don't melt the butter first, we just spread it on. Also, you don't have to make the full batch of tortillas if you have a smaller group. We do a batch (pan) at a time and go from there, so we don't have to store any.

recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Monday, November 12, 2007

Veggie Bars

2 pkgs. Crescent rolls
2 pkgs. cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch (3 Tbsp.)
3/4 c. shredded broccoli
cauliflower
carrots
green peppers
cheddar cheese
tomatoes
Line cookie sheet with rolls.
Bake 350* for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Mix cream cheese, dressing, and mayo and spread on cooled crescent rolls. Put veggies and cheese on. Tomatoes on top.

Little Smokies

1 pkg. of Hillshire Farms little smokies
bacon
brown sugar
toothpicks

Cut the bacon into thirds. Take the uncooked bacon and wrap one piece around a smokie, then place toothpick in it until you have all the ones you need. Then, sprinkle a lot of brown sugar over all the smokies.
Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Cheese Ball

2 (8 oz.) softened cream cheese
1 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 sm. can crushed olives
1 cube butter
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 pkg. chopped pecans

Mix and form into a ball, except for the pecans. Crush pecans on outside of ball. Chill and serve with crackers.

Chicken Quesadilla Jalapenos

20 medium fresh jalapenos
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar and jack cheese blend
1/2 cup mild Rotel tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise. Remove and discard seeds and membranes. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture evenly into jalapenos; place on prepared baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Jalapenos can be stuffed up to two days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bake as directed.

BLT Appetizer

Ingredients:
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 lb. lean bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
2 large tomatoes, chopped
iceberg lettuce, shredded
Sea salt bagel chips

Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, and half of the bacon in a small bowl with a snap-on lid. When well mixed, refrigerate until serving time. When ready to serve, place the lettuce in a large serving bowl. Place the mayo mixture on top of the lettuce. Top with the tomatoes and the remaining bacon. Serve with bagel chips.

Parmesan cups

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place a silpat mat on a baking sheet.  Place 6 (1/4 c) mounds of  grated parmesan cheese on the mat and gently tap down until each mound is flat and 41/2 to 5 inches in diameter.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden and bubbly.  Working quickly, use a thin spatula to transfer the parmesan cups to a muffin tin.  Gently place a small drinking glass on top to mold it into a cup shape.  Let cool until firm, about 5 minutes.  

Put a yummy salad inside the parmesan cups such as a caesar or spinach and serve.

This is Giada's recipe.  

Mexi-style bean dip

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 med. tomato, seeded
2 T lime juice
2 large garlic cloves
2 scallions
1/4 C cilantro
1/4 jalapeno pepper
salt and pepper

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Serve dip with chips, or veggies.

Guacamole

3 small avocados
1/2 small onion minced
2 large garlic coves minced
1 medium tomato finely chopped
3 TB lemon juice
1/4 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

White bean dip with pita chips

1 (15oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
2 TB fresh lemon juice (I use more)
1/3 C olive oil
4 TB olive oil
1/4 c fresh Italian Parsley leaves
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas, wheat or white
1 tsp dried oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 C oil and parsley in the food processor.  Pulse until desired texture.  Season with salt and pepper

Cut pita into 8 wedges.  Arrange on a large baking sheet.  Pour with 4 TB of oil.  Sprinkle oregano, salt and pepper.  Toss and spread evenly.  Bake 8-12 or until toasted and golden.

Serve the pita warm or room temperature alongside the bean puree.

This is Giada's recipe.

Jen Astin's cream cheese dip in a bread bowl

4 (80z) packages of cream cheese, softened
little splash of milk
1 pkg pastromi, chopped fine
chives, chopped
G onions, chopped
Garlic salt, to taste
onion salt, to taste
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and put in a big bread bowl that has been hollowed out.

Bake 400
20-30 minutes or until brown

Use the bread from the inside to dip with.

Shanelle's Bean dip

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can drained corn
2 tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, diced
1/8 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix into above:
3 TB lime juice
1 TB Red wine vinegar
2 TB olive oil
Salt and pepper

Refrigerate and serve with chips.

Deviled eggs

In a medium saucepan, cover 6 eggs with water.  Bring to boil.  Turn off stove and let eggs sit in hot water with a lid, for 20 minutes.  Crack and cut eggs in half.  Scoop out the egg yolks in a bowl and add:

2 TB Mayo
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper
Sprinkle of dried minced onion

Mix well and top the egg whites.  Sprinkle with paprika.



Sunday, November 11, 2007

Peanut Butter Popcorn

Boil ½ cup Karo, when boiling add ½ cup sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add 1- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla. Sitr in ¼- ½ cup peanut butter.
Pop a bag of microwave popcorn while waiting for the Karo to boil. Pour into a bowl, removing unpopped kernels. Coat popcorn with peanut butter mixture.

From Kristie Waldron

Bruschetta

Cut one 18-in loaf of French bread into 36 (1/2 in thick) slices; place in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown on both sides.

Mix 1 lb. chopped plum tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil and 2 sliced green onions in medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup Kraft House Italian Dressing, mix lightly.

Spoon tomato mixture evenly over toast slices. Sprinkle with Kraft 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese.

From Kraft Food and Family Magazine or kraftfoods.com

Notes: I often substitute a baguette or other artisan bread and I brush the bread with olive oil before broiling it. The Italian dressing is easy, but I sometimes use olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette for a stronger flavor.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 cup parmesan cheese
1cup mayonnaise
1 large can diced chilies
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and diced

Mix together and place in small casserole dish. Bake at 325° until bubbly-approximately 25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.