Jalapeno Popper Dip

My friend made this wonderful Jalapeno Popper Dip for a pot luck and I had to make it for Christmas. It was sooo so yummy and was gobbled up. Definitely a keeper to be made again.


Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
Parmesan cheese

Directions

Stir together cream cheese & mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chiles, jalapeno peppers, and Monterrey Jack cheese. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish & sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Microwave on high until hot, about 3 minutes OR bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

Source: adapted from Allrecipes.com

Pizza Swirls

A yummy appetizer. I forgot to take pictures before it was all gone. Definitely something I will whip up again.

Pizza Swirls

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar of pizza sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

Roll pizza crust dough into an approximately 10x14 inch rectangle on the baking sheet. Layer with thin layer of pizza sauce, Genoa salami, pepperoni, and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese to within 1/2 inch from edges of the dough. Roll jelly roll style. Seal the edge with a fork.

Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, flip over and bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing into 1 inch pieces to serve. Serve with pizza sauce on the side.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Mac and Cheese

I made Mac and Cheese for a holiday party dinner. I decided to try a different recipe and I am sure glad that I tried this recipe out. This was definitely a good mac and cheese recipe, much better than the recipe I tried out last year. I think the dry mustard and egg made a difference. I didn't get a chance to get a picture, but it was quite yummy. I will make this one again.

Pioneer Woman’s Baked Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:
4 cups uncooked macaroni
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 lb. cheese, grated (I used all cheddar)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Dashes of cayenne, paprika, and thyme (optional) – (I used all three)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook macaroni according to package directions until slightly firm. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook the mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly and being careful not to burn. Add the milk to the pot, stir in the dry mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook the mixture for five minutes until very thick. Reduce the heat to low.

Add the beaten egg to a small bowl. Take 1/4 cup of the warm sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the egg. Whisk until smooth. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Mix in the cheese, reserving a handful for topping, and stir until completely melted. Add in salt and other seasonings. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Add the drained cooked macaroni to the pot and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a baking dish, top with reserved cheese, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top.

Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Pecan Turtle Bars

For my Christmas baking this year I tried a new recipe, Pecan Turtle Bars. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. It looked good and easy to make. I gave it a try and I thought they came out pretty yummy. I packaged them up and gave them as gifts to friends.



Pecan Turtle Bars

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/3 cups butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line 13 x 9 pan in foil.

Combine flour, 1 cup brown sugar and softened butter in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pat mixture evenly onto bottom of foil lined baking pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over crumb mixture.

Combine remaining butter and brown sugar in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until entire surface is bubbly. Cook and stir 1/2 to 1 minute more. Pour into pan, spreading evenly over crust.

Bake 25 minutes or until entire surface is bubbly. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes to allow chocolate to melt; use knife to swirl chocolate slightly. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Use sharp knife to cut into 48 bars.

Source: adapted from Allrecipes.com

Hot Chocolate Mix

This year, I made several homemade gifts. I decided to add homemade hot chocolate to my gift. This was pretty yummy to sip on a cold night.

Hot Chocolate Mix

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups granulated sugar
1½ lbs. good quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
9 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups Dutch process cocoa powder*

Directions:
Combine vanilla extract and sugar in a large bowl, let it dry, then break the sugar into small lumps.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the sugar, semisweet and bittersweet chocolate, and Dutch process cocoa powder. Process in 4-second pulses until the chocolate is very finely ground and the mixture is well combined. Store the mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Serving Instructions:
Combine 2 tablespoons cocoa mix with 8 oz. of very warm milk and stir to combine until well blended.

*I used a blend of natural and Dutch process cocoa.

This made 12 3/4 cup servings.

Source: adapted from Annie Eats

Toffee Pecan Pie

I had never made a pie before and I wanted to make a pecan pie for Thanksgiving. There are many recipes out there and I took a little from different ones to create my own. I was very pleased with how it turned out. The toffee bits add an extra crunch, which I love.

Toffee Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 frozen pie crust
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup of toffee bits

DIRECTIONS
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400º.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, and salt.
3. Cover the bottom of the piecrust evenly with the pecans and toffee bits. Pour in the filling.
4. Bake the pie, rotating it halfway through, until the crust is golden and the filling is set in the middle, about 45 minutes. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes.

Ward's Baked Beans

We made this amazing baked beans. It was soooo good that I made it for Thanksgiving. The recipe is from Ward. I never met Ward. He was a friend of a friend's dad and he's passed away awhile back. But this recipe has remained and our friend shared it with us. It was so good that I keep forgetting to get a picture before it disappears.

Ward's Baked Beans

1 large can of pork and beans
1/2 package of frozen corn
1/2 package of frozen lima beans
1/2 onion diced
1 jalepeno diced without the seeds
1/2 package of bacon cooked
1 kielbasa sausage

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients and bake for 2 hours.