Tomatillo Guacamole

I found this recipe on the internet and made for a party I had last night, it went over very well!!!  

This is actually 2 dips mixed into one, so your kinda getting a 2'fer today!  

First you need to make Roasted Salsa Verde and you will need the following:

4 medium sized tomatillos, husks removed, washed and halved ( I used green tomatoes)
2 poblano peppers
1 seeded and diced jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons of cilantro ( I do not care for that flavor I used parsley)
Juice of half a large lime
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Tomatillo Guacamole you will need:

2 large avocados
1 recipe Roasted Salsa Verde
1/4 cup diced purple onion
1 red tomato diced
Salt and pepper, to taste

First you are going to make the Salsa portion for this.

Begin by pre heating your over to 400 place your tomatillios and poblano peppers on cooking sheet and drip over them some olive oil, bake until the skins are blackened.

Once they are blacked remove let them cool a bit then peal off the skins.

Place them into a food processor with your other salsa ingredients   

Pulse until smooth.

Set a side

Mix your guacamole ingredients togeather.

Now mix the Salsa and guacamole together and chill.

Serve with tortilla chips, or maybe use in a taco.

It was fabulously fresh and good!

Ranch Cheese Ball

Here we go again another Pinterest nummie!
We are having people over tonight to have a game - appetizer night and this is a new cheese ball I decided to make as one of the munchies for the evening.

This is what you need:
2 softened blocks of cream cheese
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 of a small can of chopped black olives
7 green onions chopped
1 12oz of dry buttermilk ranch dressing
Mix all of the ingredients, roll into a ball and them roll into the chopped nut of your choice.
I rolled mine in chopped pecan's.
Chill and serve with crackers.

Hope you like it!

Cranberry Salsa

One of the fun things I like to do for the company I work for is write the company newsletters.
In one issue last fall or was it winter, one employee submitted a recipe for me to include and I'm going to share that with you.
So thank you Pamela!

This is what you need:

12 oz. chopped cranberries
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbs. of grated ginger
1 lime, juiced and zested

Mix all of your ingredients.
Serve with tortilla chips or as a side to turkey!

Note if you are using a food processor, chop cranberries in two batches by pulsing the processor in short spurts.
Don't over do it she says!
Fine tune the amounts of ginger, jalapeno and sugar to your liking.

Enjoy!

Chicken Dip

Oops I was so busy yesterday I forgot to blog!
This week I was given a TON of green tomatoes, so I have been busy making my family & others my fried green tomatoes.
But I'm going to need to figure out something else to make with them soon we can only eat so many fried green tomatoes in one week!
Ok lets get to the title of this blog entry the chicken dip.
When my mom lived with us for a couple of years she got so excited when I made this chicken dip, I think she could eat it everyday!
I got this from my neighbor Kim one Halloween.

This is what you are going to need:
4 chicken breasts
1Tbsp. of lemon juice
1 Tsp. garlic salt
12 oz. of cream cheese
12 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
2 small cans of 4 oz diced green chilis
1 cup of mayonnaise

What you do is:
Pre heat oven to 300
Fill a baking dish with enough water to cover your chicken breast
Add lemon juice and garlic salt
Bake until chicken is cooked, takes about an hour
Drain the water from the pan
Shred the chicken in the same dish
Add all your ingredients
Every 15 minutes stir
Bake for 40 minutes

You can serve with several things.
I like tortilla chips with it, mom likes crackers with this dip and my neighbor served these with a soft tortilla you would spread on the tortilla and roll up and serve.

Fried Green Tomato BLT Sliders

I've shared with you before I have become a Pinterest junkie.
This is my own variation of a recipe I read on there called Fried Green Tomato BLT Sliders.
I used what ingredients I had at home.
I may have changed a couple of things.

This is what you will need:
Oil for frying
1 large green tomato
1 cup of prepared coleslaw
1 Tablespoon of diced onion
1/2 of a limes juice
1/2 cup of Mayo
3 tsp. of Sriracha sauce
5 slices of bacon
5 dinner/dollar rolls

Wet Mixture includes
1egg
1/2 cup of buttermilk
Mix well in a bowl and set aside

Dry mixture
1cup of cornmeal
1/2 cup of flour
3 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning

First I cooked 5 slices of bacon, set that aside

Next you will fry the green tomato's

Slice the tomato into 5 slices

Dip into the wet mixture

Dip into the dry mixture

Place the slices into the oil until brown.

Dry on a paper towel

Mix the coleslaw and diced onion with the juice from a 1/2 of a lime together

Mix 1 cup of Mayo with the Sriracha sauce

I sliced 5 dollar/dinner buns in half, buttered and baked face up at 350 until toasted

Remove the buns

Spread on your Sriracha Mayo
Place the Fried Green Tomato
Now break a piece of bacon in half and place on top of that
Add some coleslaw and a little more of the mayo
Place your top bun on & Bite down!
These were awesome!

Creamy Onion Bruschetta

Ok honestly I don't remember making this one but it's in my recipe box and I have made everything that is in my recipe box.
So I'm betting I liked it! LOL

This is what you will need:

½ cup of butter
3 red onions thinly sliced
¼ cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 loaf of ½ inch sliced french of baguette bread
8 oz of softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of garlic salt

In a pan melt butter add the onions, cook until clear and tender.  Stir in sugar and vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes, while stirring.
Broil bread in oven until tops of bread are golden.
Mix together  cream cheese parsley and garlic spread onto bread slices and top with onions.
Bake bread slices at 300 degrees for 10 minutes
Hope you like it!
I mean how can you go wrong with cream cheese & bread?!  Am I right or am I right!?!

Prosciutto Bites

I'll admit I have become a Pinterest junkie and I need an intervention!
I found this appetizer on Pinterest and decided to make it for an impromptu get together at my house this past Friday.

This is what you are going to need:

1 loaf of baguette bread
1 package of prosciutto sliced
1 package of fresh mozzarella sliced
Olive oil
Parsley to garnish
Salt and pepper

Slice your baguette, lay it out on a baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the bread with olive oil.
Broil for 2-3 minutes
take out of the oven place a slice of prosciutto on each slice of bread.
Place a slices of the fresh mozzarella cheese on top of that.
Now sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Broil for another 2 minutes.
Top with chopped parsley

And serve!

Buffalo Chicken Strips

We love this one!  I started off making these for football parties at our house.
Then the turned into sandwiches for any old night of the week!
Your can really make it according to your heat liking!
My guys like them super spicy, me not so much so.
The trick is just dip them into more blue cheese!

Here is what you will need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups of Franks Hot Sauce
1 stick of butter
2 Tsp. of Cayenne pepper
2 Tsp. of Paprika
A healthy dash of salt and pepper

Now this is the amounts I use when I make it real spicy.
So if you don't want real spicy add less Cayenne & Paprika

This is how to make them:

Preheat your over to 400
Cut your chicken into 2 inch. strips, set a side
Take a 9x12 baking dish place the butter in the dish put this in the oven until it melts
Once the butter has melted carefully remove the dish, remember its hot you just took it out of the oven silly!
Now add the Franks Sauce and spices stir this in with the butter.
Place the chicken in the dish, make sure the sauce gets all over the chicken.
Now put the dish back in the oven and cook for 40 minutes.

I place these on a platter of large lettuce leafs and serve with home made blue cheese dressing & celery.
What you want my home made blue cheese recipe??!!  Oh ok I'm felling generous today.

So simple all you need is

1 tub of sour cream (full flavored as my husband would say)
1 tub of blue cheese crumbs
3 stalks of green onions thinly sliced.
Mix these all together and chill.
I like this blue cheese a lot because it is chunky!

Egg Rolls

I like to make Cream Cheese filled won tons and serve them with a Oriental dinner.

So I needed to learn how to make Egg Rolls I thought to myself, well you know they go hand in hand!

I read several different recipes and kind of combined a few of them.

But just reading how to make these did not help me, I was a little confused.

So I went to my trusty You Tube! 

You can find all sorts of demonstrations on how to make these, I really suggest doing that.

Here is what you are going to need:

½ cup of soy sauce

¼ cup of water

3 mashed garlic cloves

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 cup of shredded cooked chicken

1 14 oz bag of shredded coleslaw mixture

1 cup of chopped fresh mushrooms, washed

2 large onions chopped

a pinch of salt and pepper

1 lb of bean sprouts

1 package of egg roll wrappers

1 egg white

Vegetable oil for frying

Mix together soy sauce, water, garlic and lemon juice and shredded chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge for two hours.

Remove mixture and heat in oven for one hour at 400 degrees.

While chicken is warming in marinade.

Warm oil in wok or fryer on medium heat for frying.

Warm oil in another pan add coleslaw, onion and mushrooms. Cook until tender stir in meat mixture.

Lay out a egg roll wrap in a diamond shape facing towards you add 2 heaping tablespoons of mixture just below the center of the middle of the wrap.

Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, then fold in the two outside corners, roll closed and brush with egg whites.

Deep fat fry each egg roll for 3 minutes.

Remove and place on a paper towel to dry.

Serve with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.
 

Cranberry Delight Spread

This spread recipe I got from my mother in law.

She serves it at some get togethers,  and it does not last very long!

I don't really have a sweet tooth but this is real good!

This is what you need:

1 pack of softened cream cheese

2 tbs of frozen orange juice

1 tbs so of sugar

2 tsp grated orange peel

1/8 tsp cinnamon

¼ cup finely chopped cranberries

¼ cup chopped pecans

Mix all and chill.

Serve with crackers

Patrick McGovern's Pub

Ok third restaurant review!

Friday night the hubbie and I had our usual Friday night date night.

We really enjoy trying new places and the West 7th area in St. Paul MN has a lot of fun places to try.

So me being Irish the husband thought I would like this place called Patrick McGovern's Pub.

To start with the building was really cool!

Pretty old I'm going to guess, with great wood work and the layout was great.

A great big old fashioned bar right when you walk in.

And an upstairs that you can reserve for parties.

I didn't see that room there was a party going on.

Well you know I LOVE my appetizers.

So the hubbie said I'm going to surprise you and pick out an appetizer.

I agreed.

Ummmm wish I didn't!

We got a variety of different shaped fish sticks!  Triangles, squares to just your good old fashioned frozen fish stick!

I was BUMMED to say the least!

Then we ordered.

He got a burger, and liked it even though you could tell it was a frozen patty.  See a theme here yet????

I ordered a Ruben sandwich with fries, no seasoned sour cream :(

The sandwich was ok but the bottom of it was really soggy.  Did they let it sit too long???

The service hummm...

Well when we walked in we stood there for a few minutes so one sat us so I asked the bartender if we seat ourselves?

He said yes.  We pick out a table by the front windows, great view to people watch,

15 minutes go by no service yet, grrrrr mama is getting thirsty!!!

I go to the bartender again ask for a drink he apologizes (nice guy) sent the server over.

We place our order.  Oh & so you know they were not busy at all, so I'm not sure why it took so long.

Then after that she keep coming back to the table asking if that was all, I almost felt like she really wanted us to leave.

So needless to say I do not want to go back here unless its just for drinks.

Sorry Patrick's just my opinion!

Crock-pot BBQ Meatballs

This is my second Crock-pot recipe in a row now.

Well you know winter is right around the corner and the crock-pot is a working moms best friend!

These are super moist meatballs that are super nummy!

Here is what you need:

 

1 cup of barbecue sauce

½ cup of grape jelly

½ teaspoon of ground ginger

1/ 2 teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of garlic powder

32 oz of frozen meat balls

4 green onions sliced

Toothpicks

Super simple!

Use tooth picks to serve. 

Sweet and Tangy Chicken Wings

Crock-pot  = EASY

Here is what you will need for these delicious wings:

1 crock-pot
2/3 cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of honey
¼ cup of brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
½ of bbq sauce
12 chicken wings rinsed and dried

Stir all you ingredients in a bowl add your chicken wings.

Marinade in a zip lock bag in the fridge for one hour or a Tupperware.

Place wings and sauce in a crock-pot set to medium heat for 6-8 hours

Enjoy!

Ree Drummond's "The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip"

I'm sure you all know who Ree Drummond is right?!  The Pioneer Woman!

I have a ton of spinach artichoke dip recipes but I wanted to try Ree's dip.

And I'm so glad I did!  This dip has several kinds of cheese in there with a lot of kick to it!

You're going to want to try this one for sure!

Here are the ingredient:

3 Tablespoons Butter

4 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced

1 bag Spinach

Salt And Pepper, to taste

2 cans Artichoke Hearts, Rinsed And Drained

3 Tablespoons Butter (additional)

3 Tablespoons Flour

1-1/2 cup Whole Milk (more If Needed)

1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Crumbled Feta

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan

3/4 cups Grated Pepper Jack Cheese

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne

Extra Grated Pepper Jack

Here is what your going to do:

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Crank up the heat a bit and throw in the spinach. Stir around and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts. Remove the spinach from the skillet and put it in a small strainer. Squeeze the excess juice back into the skillet. Set the spinach aside.
Throw in the artichokes and cook over medium high heat for several minutes, until liquid is cooked off and artichokes start to get a little color. Remove the artichokes.
In the same skillet or a different pot, melt 3 additional tablespoons of butter and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until it makes a paste. Cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then pour in milk. Stir and cook until slightly thickened; splash in more milk if needed.
Add cream cheese, feta, Parmesan, pepper jack, and cayenne and stir until cheese are melted and sauce is smooth. Chop artichokes and spinach and add to the sauce. Stir to combine.
Pour into buttered baking dish. Top with extra grated pepper jack and bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I served this with tortilla chips.  But you can use pita chips or vegetables try different things!

Here is where I got this nummy dip!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/06/the-best-spinach-artichoke-dip-ever/

Goat Cheese Bruschetta Bites

I was just at my bosses house for a party and they served a few appetizers before dinner. 

They were all so good!

So today I made one of them for me hubbie, Mom and I. 

With left overs to nibble on this week.

They are so light and delicious.

And as easy as 1. 2. 3!

This is all you need:

Bruschetta Toasts

Goat cheese

Pesto

Here are your 3 easy steps:

1. Lay out your Bruschetta

2. Dab on some goat cheese

3. Put a small spoonful of Pesto on top

Now eat!

I just had to show you, because its football season right now. 

 My Football spreader I was using. 

 To fun right?!

Cheesy Olive Bread

Cheese and bread, how can you go wrong!?

Here is what you are going to need:


2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese
1 4 oz can of diced green chile's
1 5 oz jar of pimiento-olive cheese spread
½ teaspoon of garlic salt
1 small can sliced green olives and or sliced black olives.  Maybe both!
1 loaf of French bread sliced length wise

Ok you didn't eat all of the olives did you??  Good, this is how you make it :


Spread evenly on each french bread slice the pimento-olive spread
Sprinkle with garlic powder
Spread a layer of green chilies
Place one cup of sharp cheddar cheese on each slice of bread
Top with green olives
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes
Slice & serve!

You love it right???

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

These are a pretty classy appetizer I think and delicious too!

This is what you will need:

6-8 portobello mushrooms

1 red pepper diced

1 small purple onion diced

1 2 cloves of chopped garlic

1tbs of olive oil

A pinch of salt and pepper

1 cup of mozzarella shredded

1 diced avocado

Mix all ingredients except the mushrooms and avocado.

Wash the mushrooms and remove the centers.

Fry with mushrooms on both sides in olive oil for 2-3 minutes each side.

Lay the mushrooms on a paper towel to dry.

Scoop the mixture into the mushrooms except the avacado.

Broil in the oven until the cheese melts.

Top with avocado.

And serve!  NUMMY!!!!

Crab Cakes

These are SO good!!!! 

I love the texture of a good crab cake and this sweet dressing for them! NUM!

Ingredients are:

1 chopped onion white or green

12 oz of shredded crab meat

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tbs of dry mustard

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp of salt and pepper

A pinch of garlic salt

¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 eggs

2 cups of bread crumbs

Sauce

1 cup of mayonnaise

2 tbs of honey

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients for the crab cakes and freeze for one hour.

Form into small patties.

Brown the cakes on each side in an oiled pan.

Place cakes on tin foil lined baking sheet.

Then bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes

While they are baking mix your sauce.

Serve with the sauce on the side, drizzle on your Crab Cake if you would like.
 

Spinach Feta Tarts

What, me make a semi-healthy appetizer!?

Well not really :)

Here are your ingredients:

5 tablespoons of melted butter

1 box of frozen phyllo cups

3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

2 green onions sliced

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour

¼ cup of milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1 4 oz container of crumbled feta cheese

1 teaspoon of olive oil

2 large egg whites

1 10 oz box of frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained

Here is how you make them:

Brush phyllo cups with melted butter.

Place on baking sheet.

Heat butter in a pan at low heat add onion and garlic cook until tender.

Stir in flour add milk, salt and pepper.

Stir in feta cheese and olive oil.

Add spinach and egg whites. Stir for 3 minutes on medium heat.

Fill each cup ¾ full with the mixture.

Top with Parmesan

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees

Stuffed Banana Peppers

I just made these for the first time tonight because my husbands friend gave him a TON of banana peppers.

They really had some kick, my lips are still tingling!

I tried two different methods, and I'm sure you know what one I liked the best.

The cream cheese stuffed one, go figure!

What you will need:

10 large banana peppers

2 tbsp. of real bacon bits

1/2 of a block of softened cream cheese

1/4 tsp. of garlic

4 chives chopped

The other type I made you will need:

1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbsp of real bacon bits

For each different kind mix your ingredients into separate bowls

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Cut off the stems of the banana peppers

Cut them length-wise and scoop out the centers

Place onto a baking sheet

Scoop mixtures into the peppers

So you will have half with shredded cheddar mixture

And the other half with the cream cheese mixture

Bake for 10-15 minutes

Let them cool a bit before you bite into them.

And enjoy!!!!!

BLT Cups

These little guys are so cute! 

I think you have to eat them with your pinkie out.  Kidding!

A little time consuming with scooping out the cherry tomato centers, but oh so worth it!

Here is what you're going to need:

15 hollowed out cherry tomatoes

1 package of real bacon bits

½ cup of mayonnaise

½ cup of chopped green onions

3 heaping tbs of Parmesan cheese

2 tbs chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients excluding tomatoes.

Cut off the top of the tomato

Hollow out tomato center

Spoon mixture into tomatos

Chill for 2 hours and serve

Great for a summer party, or any occasion.

Amy's Bean Dip

My sister Amy does not eat meat so she gets very creative in her snacks and meals.

She brought this to a family reunion one year.

After a night out partying with my Irish family, this dip sure did hit the spot!

Thanks Amy, sorry I almost ate all your dip!

Here is what you need:


1 can of Northern Beans drained and rinsed
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves of chopped caramelized garlic

A pinch of oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

Blend all in a food processor until smooth.

Serve with celery, carrots, crackers or pita chips.

Nummy and pretty good for you too!

My Best Blue Cheese Spread

I was going to make this spread for Labor Day family get together but my extended family is not too fond of blue cheese.

I'm not sure what is wrong with them!

Here is what you're going to need to make this nummy spread!

1/4 cup + 2 tbs chopped pecans
2 packs of cream cheese
4oz blue cheese crumbled
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 drops Tabasco

Warm pecans in microwave for 2 minutes
Mix all ingredients
Sprinkle with pecans
Serve with crackers

Tomato Bruschetta

I have lots of different Bruschetta recipes.

This one is one of my favorite ones because it has cheese in it and you know I LOVE cheese!

Here is what you are going to need:


1 1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup of roasted red peppers

3 chopped garlic cloves

1cup of feta cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

A pinch of salt & pepper

1 tbs basil, chives or parsley

Mix and set aside

Arrange 20 baguette slices on a serving platter top drizzle with olive oil & top with tomato mixture.