Taco Dip

Len's mom gave me several fantastic dips...which I confess, we don't make up nearly as much as I should for how much the kids love to snack!

8oz cream cheese
8oz sour cream
1pkg taco seasoning

Mix together & spread onto pizza pan

Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced cucumber, diced onion (all are optional based on your family's preference)
Finish the creation by topping it all off with shredded cheese
Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips

Broccoli - Cauliflower Salad

This recipe comes from my husbands grandma.  He adores broccoli salad so this is one of his all time favorites any time of year.


1lb broccoli-bite size
1lb cauliflower-bite size
1lb bacon-cooked & cut up
1 sm red onion-diced
1 rib celery-diced
8oz shredded cheddar cheese

DRESSING:
1 c mayo
2 Tbs vinegar
1/2 c sugar
sunflower seeds

Mix salad ingredients in large salad bowl.
in a sm bowl mix together all the dressing ingred except the sunflower seeds
Combine the dressing with the salad & mix well.
Chill until ready to serve
Sprinkle top with sunflower seeds if desired

Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs

Everyone loves deviled eggs...they are like a right of passage to the warmer weather, picnics, family parties, cook outs, 4th of July...this is a delicious twist on the "normal" deviled eggs for when you want a fun & spicy pick me up!

Yield One Dozen

6 hard cooked eggs, peeled
1 Tbs diced green onions
1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 sm jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped
1/4 c mayo
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
Chili powder

Cut eggs in half crosswise;  carefully remove yolk
In a sm bowl, mash yolks, stir in green onions, & next 5 ingredients
Spoon into egg whites; sprinkle with cheese & chili powder
Cover & chill

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is a big time favorite for get together family meals.  Gma is always asked to bring this one & its gone before you can blink!  The only way you have any left overs to enjoy when no one is looking is if you sneak them before the crowd hits the kitchen!!  Definitely a kids favorite too.  I know there are those who have issues with the strawberries, and sometimes you just don't have fresh ones around, in which case, make it w/o them & enjoy!!

2 c finely crushed pretzels
1/2 c sugar, divided
2/3 c butter, melted
12oz (1 1/2 8oz pkgs) Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbs milk
1 c thawed Cool Whip
2 c boiling water
1 pkg (8 serving size) Strawberry flavored gelatin (like Jello)
1 1/2 c cold water
1 qt (4c) strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven 350
Mix pretzels, 1/4 c sugar & butter.  Press onto bottom of 13x9 pan.  Bake 10 min.  Cool.
Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/4 c sugar, and milk until well blended.  Gently add cool whip.  Spread over cooled crust.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
Stir boiling water into gelatin in lg bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved.  Stir in cold water.  Refrigerate 1 1/2 hrs or until thickened (spoon drug through leaves a definite impression)
Stir in strawberries (IF USING THEM).  Spoon over cream cheese.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.
Cut into 20 squares to serve.  (gma just brings it as is & we spoon out our servings, trying to be fair so everyone gets some of course)

Rich Biscuit Shortcake

SO...sometimes you just want a great desert that doesn't require you to bake & toil in the kitchen...if that is you, here is a quick way to enjoy a shortcake...if its not you, feel free to bake up your very own biscuits!!

Buy (or make) as many biscuits that you need
If they are cold, warm them up in the oven, split then spread one half with a little butter.
Use about 1/2-3/4 c sliced, crushed, or sweetened berries for each serving.
Put fruit between halves, top with other half of biscuit, then more fruit on top
Top with a dollop of whipped cream

***If you had made up the pound cake also on this blog & frozen it, you would use the same amount of fruit over one slice topped with whippped cream***

Chewy Picnic Brownies

This recipe comes from VEGETARIAN TIMES magazine, July/August 2009...a fantastic brownie recipe for those who like to stay on the vegetarian side of things...though it does contain dairy by way of butter & eggs

1 c flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
6oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
6oz (1 1/2 sticks) nonhydrogenated butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 c light brown sugar
3 lg eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325
Coat 9" square baking pan with cooking spray
Whisk together flour, cocoa, and powder together in lg bowl.
Melt chocolate and butter in double broiler (or two saucepans, bottom one with an inch of water, top one cocked so it doesn't touch the water where you melt the chocolate & butter)
Remove from heat, and whisk until smooth
Stir brown sugar into chocolate mixture.  Fold in beaten eggs. 
Spread in prepared baking pan.
Bake 25-30 minutes, or until brownies look set, still soft in center.
Cool, then slice into squares.

Pound Cake

It is inevitable that just when I need a pound cake to go with the fresh berries & cool whip, I have none in the freezer...this cake is a fantastic cake to make up then pop into the freezer, wrapped well, for those surprise guests, or even more for those times when you are dying for a great dessert but don't have time to make it, or energy...as is often the case around here!

1 1/2 c butter, room temp
5 eggs, room temp
3 c sugar
3 1/2 c sifted cake flour OR 3 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 c milk
1 tsp vanilla

Grease & lightly flour 10" tube pan, set aside.
Beat butter and sugar in mixer on med speed 10 minutes or until fluffy. 
Add 1/2 the flour and 1/2 the milk.  Beat well.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add remaining flour, vanilla, and milk.  Beat batter until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 350 for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

**If freezing, it helps to slice then wrap, so that you can eat the cake with less time needed to thaw.**

Fudgy Mocha Toffee Brownies

One should always have several fantastic brownie recipes within reach for those moments when you just need some chocolate!

2 Tbs instant coffee granules                                    1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1/4 c hot water                                                        1 tsp baking powder
1/4 c butter                                                             1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c semi sweet chocolate chips                             1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour                                                            2 lg eggs
1 1/3 c sugar                                                          1/4 c toffee chips

Preheat oven to 350
Spray bottom of 9" square pan
Combine coffee & hot water, stir till granules dissolve
Combine butter & choco. chips, melt till smooth
Combine flour through salt with a whisk
Combine, butter mixture, coffee mixture, vanilla & eggs in med. bowl with a whisk
Add in flour mixture just until moist
Spread evenly into the 9" square pan
Sprinkle with toffee chips
Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes
Cool on wire rack...but not too cool because everyone knows a warm brownie is the BEST brownie!

Brownies n Cream Sandwiches

Like whoopie pies...like brownies???  this fabulous recipe combine both into one easy to make dessert!  Great for traveling, these will go quick so come prepared!!

1 box Fudge Brownies
1 lg egg
2 Tbs water
1/3 c veg. oil
1 can creamy home-style classic vanilla frosting

Preheat oven to 375
Grease cookie sheets
Mix brownies, oil, egg, water
Drop by even Tbs 2" apart on greased sheets
Bake 7-8 minutes or until set
Cool, then frost & top with a second brownie to make a sandwich

Fantastic way to bring brownies to work, school or any get together.  Each is wrapped in plastic wrap, making them easy to toss into picnic baskets, lunches or into the snack basket for trips!