Thursday, January 31, 2013

Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip
Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded colby-Jack cheese blend

1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 jalapeƱo peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprig
Tortilla and sweet potato chips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients until blended. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.

2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish, if desired. Serve with tortilla and sweet potato chips.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

7 Layer Bean Dip

7 Layer Bean Dip
Ingredients

3 medium ripe avocados, peeled, cored, mashed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
taco seasoning mix
2 (8 ounce) cans bean dip
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 (3 ounce) cans black olives ( sliced or chopped)
1 (8 ounce) packages shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Mix avocados, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and taco seasoning mix.
Layer ingredients as follows.
Bottom layer: Bean Dip.
Second layer: Avocado mixture.
Third layer: Sour cream mixture.
Fourth layer: Tomatoes.
Fifth layer: Onions.
Sixth layer: Olives.
Seventh layer: Cheese (I like to use Colby Jack cheese).
Top with extra sour cream/olives/salsa, etc. if desired

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Chicken Pillows

CHICKEN PILLOWS
2 c. cooked, diced chicken
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
1 c. diced or canned mushrooms
1T. minced onion

Mix these ingredients together. Use 2 packages crescent rolls in the can or roades frozen rolls thawed or your own bread recipe, dry bread crumbs and 1 stick melted butter.

Place heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture on each crescent roll and draw up corners of rolls to form pillow. Dip into melted butter and then bread crumbs. Place 3 inches apart on baking sheet and bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serve with Cream of Chicken Soup as a gravy over the top.

These can be made ahead and left in refrigerator for 24 hours before baking.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Soft Pretzels

Almost World Famous!
For 3 dozen 6-inch sticks or
For 1 dozen 6-inch Pretzels
1 tbsp Yeast
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp softened butter or softened margarine
1 cup warm (115-+ deg F) water
2 3/4 cups flour
Coarse Salt to sprinkle on Pretzels before baking
5 tsp baking soda mixed in 4 cups water in a non-aluminum saucepan.
1 large slotted spoon to "go fishing"
Greased cookie sheet
Preheat oven to 475 F
Put yeast, sugar, salt, butter/marg, water and ONE CUP of the flour into a medium mixing bowl and pour in the water.
Stir till all smooth, and yeast starts to bubble.
At this point add the rest of the flour, stir till it is mixed in.
When mixture is too stiff to stir with a spoon, begin kneading.
Knead dough till smooth and till it no longer sticks to the bowl and your hands Allow dough to rise to about double its height.
While dough is rising, grease the cookie sheet. and prepare the baking soda-water mixture and bring to a boil on stove.
When dough is risen enough, punch down, knead for a minute or so, then divide and roll the 6-inch sticks with your hands, to about 1/2 inch in diameter, or 12-15-inch long rolls to make into the pretzel shape.
Allow sticks or pretzels to sit for about 1-2 mins. Place them into boiling water-baking soda mixture one or two at a time.
Let the pretzels boil for 1 minute 10 seconds, then flip them over with the slotted spoon and boil on the other side for 1 minute and 10 seconds.
This boiling step gives them a firm skin and adds some flavour. Not boiling long enough leaves them too soft and allows them to rise too much. Boiling too long makes them tough.
Fish them out of the water, let them drip off and place them on the greased cookie sheet.
When all the pretzels or sticks are done, sprinkle the coarse salt on them.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or till sticks or pretzels are golden brown.
You can double the recipe in proportion.
ENJOY!!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Patato Soup

Potato Soup
6 slice(s) bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 pound(s) (about 5 large) russet potatoes
3 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) sour cream
1/4 pound(s) (1 stick) butter
2 2/3 cup(s) whole milk
1/2 teaspoon(s) black pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup(s) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook the bacon pieces over medium heat in a medium skillet until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper toweling to drain and set aside. Peel, rinse, and cut the potatoes into thirds. Place them in a large pot with water to cover, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very soft -- about 45 minutes. Drain the potatoes, discarding the water, and return them to the pot. Mash them with a potato masher until smooth. Add the sour cream and butter and stir until melted. Add the milk, pepper, and remaining salt and bring the soup back to a simmer. Divide among 8 bowls and serve the soup hot, garnished with scallions, cheese, and bacon.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Beff Stew

Beef Stew
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1
-inch pieces
1 cube beef bouillon
2 cups beef broth
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
salt to taste
Directions:
1. Cook and stir stew meat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
2. Stir beef bouillon into beef broth in a bowl until dissolved; pour over stew meat. Add onion, black pepper, and bay leaf; cover and simmer until stew meat is very tender, at least 2 hours. Add potatoes, cabbage, celery, and carrot; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 30 to 45 more minutes.
3. Stir tomato sauce and salt into the stew; simmer, uncovered, until tomato sauce is fully incorporated and flavors have blended, 15 to 20 minutes