Moab Salsa

I'm not sure why this is named Moab salsa, but it's sure good!

4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2-1 small red onion, diced
1 can corn, drained
1 can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained (by canned pinto, black beans at any grocery store)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 bottle of zesty Italian dressing

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate a few hours or overnight to let the flavors mix. Add another squirt or so of the zesty Italian and stir just before serving. Sometimes we add avocado before serving. We love it with tortilla chips and Frito scoops!
Enjoy!

Green Salsa

I am so ready for food out of the garden!  I've been looking for more recipes with tomatillos.  I love this sweet/spicy salsa so much that I can drink it!  I'm not even kidding!  It's also good in burritos or on top,  tacos, enchiladas, and straight up!

8-10 tomatillos
1 small bunch of cilantro
4 jalapenos (seeds removed if you don't want spicy)
1 T. lime juice
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c water
Blender

Peel off the husk around the tomatillo and wash.  Put them in your blender and blend them all up with cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, sugar and water.
Eat right away or refrigerate for later. 
{I've never had any left to refrigerate so I'm not sure how long it keeps.}

Peanut Butter Carmel Apple Dip

3/4 cup caramel sauce
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
1 Tbsp chopped peanuts as garnish (optional)

Combine the caramel sauce and peanut butter until smooth.Fold in the marshmallow fluff. Spoon dip into serving bowl and top with optional chopped peanuts. Serve with sliced apple.

Onion Rings

1 large onion, cut into thick slices

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 cup dry bread crumbs, Italian if you have them

1 quart of oil for frying, or as needed

Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees if you have one.  Watch the oil if you do it on the stove that it doesn't get too hot!

Separate the onion slices into rings and set them aside.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are coated.  Set aside.  Whisk the egg and the milk into the flour mixture using a fork.  Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat.  Then into the bread crumbs to coat.

Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from grease and onto paper towels to drain.

Serve with ranch dressing!

Chicken Won Tons

Chicken Won Tons
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 small bunch of green onions
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-2 chicken breasts or 1 can of cooked chicken
won ton wrappers

Boil breasts, then chop up into small pieces.  (I usually use canned chicken)
Slice green onions in the amount that you like.  Mix all the other ingredients and fold into a won ton wrap.  Deep fry til golden brown and dip into sweet and sour sauce.

Sweet N Sour Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 T. pineapple juice
Mix well in saucepan and let simmer til thick.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

This recipe has to be one of my favorites! I found it over at Our Best Bites. This is the original recipes but here's the thing- I don't think I have actually followed this recipe exatly, or even ever made them the same way twice. So since I don't have a real recipe I will give you the original and you can play with it. You can change the filling however you want and use whatever you have. I have used chicken in a tomatillo sauce, or carne asada... you really can't go wrong.

3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup cheese (whatever you like- monterey jack, cheddar, pepper jack)

About 15 corn 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.

Heat a couple tortillas in the microwave at a time 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 and roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray 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.

Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas with Pepper Jack Cheese

1/3 cup frozen corn kernals, thawed
2 tsp. oil
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/3 cup black beans
2 tsp. lime juice
salt
2 plain flour tortillas, eight inch
2/3 cup pepper jack, or cheddar, or Monterey jack, or a combination
1 Tbs. minced pickled jalapenos

Heat corn in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until kernels begin to brown and pop, 3-5 minutes;transfer corn to medium bowl. Heat 2 tsp. oil in empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering, add red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Return corn to skillet and toss to combine. Gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans. Transfer mixture to now-empty bowl, stir in lime juice, and season to taste with salt.

Assemble quesadillas by spreading half the corn and bean mixture, half the cheese, and half the jalapenos over half of tortilla. Fold in half and repeat with second tortilla. And cook it up!

Guacamole is a must have on these!

Chip Dip in the Crock pot

1 lb sausage, cooked and drained
2 tomatoes, diced
2 green peppers, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 can green chili
1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1-8 oz. container sour cream

Put in crock pot on LOW for a couple hours. Stir well and serve warm with your favorite tortilla chips. This is great for a crowd.

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip

1 16 oz. container of sour cream
1 3 oz. jar Hormel bacon bits
1 8 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 small bunch chopped green onions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In bowl, combine ingredients. Spread in baking dish. Cover with foil. Heat 25-30 minutes or until hot and cheeses are melted. Serve with Ritz or Club crackers.

Yummy Fruit Dip

1 package cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. white sugar
1 t. vanilla

Cream together and refrigerate.

Jalapeno Pepper Poppers

You will need:
8 jalapeno peppers
1 block of cream cheese
8 slices of "cheap" bacon
toothpicks
knife
cookie sheet
oven preheated to 350 degrees
What you will do:
Wash jalapeno peppers. Slice lengthwise across one side. Cut off stem. Scrape out seeds and rinse peppers. Cut block of cream cheese into 8 pieces. Can do 10, but we love cream cheese! Stuff pepper with cream cheese and wrap a slice of raw bacon around the pepper and insert toothpick! Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes. When pepper looks wilty and bacon is cooked... it's done! Drain on paper towels and cool a bit before you bite into jalapeno pepper poppers!

House smells good! Get ready to eat!

This is my daughter enjoying a jalapeno pepper popper!

The wonderful part about this is you never know if you have a "hot" one! Not all jalapeno peppers were created with exact hotness!

Southwest Eggrolls

Last year at the Ray cousin Christmas party my dad & I made these eggrolls and they were gone before the opening prayer! I make them all the time. I made them last time and all my roommates (and my fiance) were amazed! The secret is: they are so dang easy!

Southwest Eggrolls

1 can black beans
1 can corn
2-3 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded
1/2-1 pack frozen chopped spinach (depending on how much spinach you want)
Chopped green peppers
Chopped onions
Seasonings—we use "essence of Emeril" seasoning (which has paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme) but you really can season it however you prefer!

Won Ton Wrappers
Vegetable oil for cooking

Combine all ingredients in large pan; cook on medium-high until everything is hot. Season to taste.

Remove from heat. Wrap eggroll mix in won ton wrappers (approximately 1 tablespoon filling per wrapper). Heat oil (deep enough to half-submerse the eggrolls) over medium; when oil is hot fry eggrolls for a minute or two on each side (until golden brown).

For dipping: Mix 1 part salsa and 1 part Ranch dressing; enjoy!

This recipe is far from exact—you really can adjust it to make as much or as little as you want. The chicken, beans & corn should be roughly proportional to one another; other than that it's pretty lenient and INCREDIBLY delicious!

Toffee Apple Dip

I know there is already another apple di[ recipe on here from Heather that is really good but I like this one a lot too. We got the recipe from David's aunt Marilyn.

8 oz. cream cheese
7 oz. marshmallow cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together with a hand mixer. then stir in 1/2 a bag of toffee pieces!

Spinach Dip

This is great with tortilla chips, or french bread. (And, the recipe is on the back of the vegetable dip:)... Also, I only use about 2/3 cup of the Mayonnaise (we have tried using Walmart brand mayonnaise and it's not as good).

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 1 pkg. 10 oz of fresh spinach, chopped)
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Best Foods Mayonnaise
1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
3 green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours.

Spicey Cheese Dip (Way easy appetizer for a group)

1 can Rotel tomatoes, I like the mild best but the cilantro and lime one works too
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 LB ground pork sausage, Jimmy Dean mild pork sausage works the best
1 long brick of velveeta cheese, the 2% works well, store brand imitations do not work well

Cook sausage in frying pan and drain well and rinse to remove as much fat as possible, place into large microwave safe bowl, add drained can of mushrooms, velveeta cheese sliced into one inch thick slices and the whole can of rotel tomatoes with juice. Microwave for 6 minutes, stopping every 2 minutes to stir well. Serve with tortilla chips and/or warmed flour tortillas. Ideally you can serve this in a small chafing dish or small crock pot to keep it warm.

Great football game treat or for a heavy appetizer

Spinach Dip in bread

10 oz. pkg frozen chopped spinach
8 oz. cream cheese
1 C. grated cheddar cheese
1 T. finely chopped fresh dill weed
1 C. mayo
1 C. sour cream
1/4 C. chopped green onion
1- 10 oz. can water chestnuts, chopped and drained
1 large loaf (french, Italian round, pumpernickle, sourdough, paizano (sp?!)) bread

Thaw spinach; drain, squeeze dry and chop finely. Cream cheeses together. Stir in the spinach and remaining ingredients. Cut a thick slice from the top of the bread loaf. Scoop out inside, leaving 1/2" shell. Cut or break scooped part into small pieces & reserve. Fill hollow portion with dip.
Serve with reserved bread pieces. (I also buy a few baguettes from the bakery (ask them to slice it for you) and serve that with it too)
You can also break lid apart and dip those!

DELICIOUS!!

Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread

I've tried a few different wheat bread recipes, and this one is our favorite.

3½ cups whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups water
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
¼ cup nonfat dried milk
1 ¼ tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast in 2 Tbs. water

Mixing:
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for “dough” or “manual.”) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Shaping:
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into in 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 ½ x4 ½-inch loaf pan. Cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, or until it’s crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Baking:
Bake the bread in a preheated 350 oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should read 190 at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread and cool completely before slicing. Store in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Black Bean Salsa

This is the BEST! But it makes a ton. You can save it for awhile, but it really does make a ton!

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can shoepeg corn (vacuum packed)
3-4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
cilantro
Good Seasons Italian dressing (follow package directions)

Mix all ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips!

I don't really know what to label this as.... :)

Salsa

6 Tomatillas
4 Serrono Peppers
2 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Onion
Boil it all together until they're dark green. Strain everything out and put in the blender. Add a little salt and blend together.
*This is pretty hot...you can put in less peppers to make it more mild.

Apple Pie Dip

Okay after much demand here it is. I love this because it is easy but soooooo good and it gets Patrick to eat a lot of fruit (even if it is sugar coated)

Apple Pie Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened (make sure it is really soft or this doesn't work so well)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilaa

Cream together and serve with slices of Granny Smith apples (I think any apple works but Patrick and his step-mom both agree that it has to be Granny Smith)