Miguel's Jalapeno Cream Sauce

This is a copycat recipe of a white queso dip from a yummy little restaurant called Miguel's on Coronado Island in CA.  It's pretty much the best thing ever created to dip tortilla chips in or pour over any Mexican dish. 

2 c. whipping cream
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. chicken boullion
2 TB clarified butter (I just used regular butter and it was fine.)
1 TB flour
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds and ribs removed)
1 TB jarred jalapeno juice
1 ounce Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat whipping cream over high heat.  Stir in sour cream when it's ready to boil.  After sour cream dissolves, reduce the heat to medium.

Stir in boullion and jalapeno juice, and simmer.

Meanwhile, make a roux by adding the flour to melted butter in a small sauce pan.  Whisk until the mixture turns a pale gold.

Increase the heat on the cream mixture until almost boiling and add the roux.  Whisk briskly and constantly until the roux is incorporated. 

Remove from heat and stir in minced jalapeno and the cheeses.

Notes:  I added about double the jalapeno juice than the recipe calls for (depending on how hot your juice is) and some chopped up jarred jalapenos too.  Just play with it until it's as spicy as you like. 

Shelly's Salsa

This makes a ton, so I usually half the recipe for just my family.  

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 ounce) Whole Tomatoes with Juice

2 cans (10 ounce) Rotel Tomatoes with Juice (mild or any other variety)

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 Jalapenos, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed for less heat!)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (less if you use table salt)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Black Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons Ketchup

1 cup Cilantro, rough chopped

1-2 Limes, juiced (depending on size of lime)

Splash of white vinegar 

Directions:

Combine all of the above ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until you get the desired consistency you like. Test for seasonings and add some more if needed. Let the salsa sit for at least an hour or so in the refrigerator to let the flavors blend. This will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Dip

1 (8oz) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBS. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup toffee bits

Instructions:
Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined.
Serve with apple wedges.

Hot Corn Dip (or Casserole Main Dish)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1/2 c. diced red pepper
1 T. minced jalapeño
2 T. sliced olives
1 c. mayonaise
1 c. grated Monterey or Pepperjack cheese
1/2 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Mix corn, chilies, jalapeño, olives and  red pepper in a medium bowl.  Add  mayo and stir well.  Add cheeses and stir.  Pour/spoon mixture into small casserole dish and bake at 350 until hot.  Serve with corn chips.

You can add cooked, shredded chicken to this to make it a main dish.

Caramel Crispix

18 oz Crispix Cereal
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. lite karo syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
small can cashews

Boil sugar, butter and karo for 2 minutes.  Add baking soda.  Pour cereal in a brown paper bag and add the caramel.  Roll top of bag to close and shake. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes and shake again. Microwave another 1 1/2 minutes and shake again.  Microwave another 1 1/2 minutes and shake again.  (Watch carefully...no fires!)  Pour out in single layer onto wax paper to cool.

Crispy Peanut Butter Treats

Peanut Butter Balls:

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1lb. box of powdered sugar
2 cups crunchy peanut butter
3 cups rice crispies

Mix with hands (or I just put it in my Kitchen Aid Mixer) and mix until crumbly and well incorporated.  Pack into 1" balls.  Roll in powdered sugar and chill until ready to serve.  These are great to serve as a dipper for a chocolate fountain, or dip them in chocolate and serve them as a cookie.

Rice Chex Treat

1 bag marshmallows

1/2 cube butter

1 bag mini m&m's (put in freezer night before)

2 TBS. peanut butter

6 cups rice chex

Melt butter and marshmallows together and add peanut butter.  Remove from heat and stir in 6 cups rice chex.  Put in greased 9x13 pan then sprinkle with m&m's.

Christy's Carmel Popcorn

7 bags microwave popcorn
2 cubes butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup karo syrup
1 can eagle brand milk

Melt butter.  Add brown sugar and karo syrup and bring to a boil.  Stir continuously and add eagle brand milk.  Bring to a boil.  Let sauce cool for 5-10 minutes and then poor over the top of popcorn and mix.  Spread on cookie sheet and continue to mix.

Oreo Popcorn

1 C. White chocolate chips
Oreos
Popcorn (Either 1 bag popped or 1 batch in the air popper)

Directions: Make your popcorn, set aside. Take out a row of Oreos and crush them in a ziploc bag using your fingers (you could also use a rolling pin), set aside. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds and then in 15 second increments until all chips are melted. (Note: If you use too much heat the chips turn into dough...I, of course, didn't ruin half a bag by doing this...).

Place popcorn in a fairly large bowl, pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn, add the crushed oreos, mix carefully until the popcorn and oreos are coated. You can then either leave it in the bowl or pour it out onto a cookie sheet for the chocolate to harden. Voila! You are done!

Carmel Popcorn

Pop 1/2 bag of air pop popcorn

1 cup dark karo

2 2/3 cups brown sugar

1 can eagle brand condensed milk

1 cube butter

Bring sugar, karo and butter to boil. Add milk and cook to softball stage. Pour over popcorn and set on wax paper to cool.

Amber's Peach Salsa

Recipe from Amber Cragun



Peach Salsa

20-25 small peaches peeled and chopped

12 large tomatoes peeled and chopped

3 cups chopped sweet onion

4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (I just used 1 small can)

3 red peppers (I used red and green)

1 cup finely chopped basil or cilantro

1 cup white vinegar

4-6 cloves garlic finely chopped

3 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 T. lime juice

salt and pepper to taste (I like a lot of pepper)

3 1/4 cups sugar

You could also add a package of pectin if you wanted it a little less soupy. I also added a couple of drained cans of chopped tomatoes because I like a lot of tomatoes. I boil everything for about 20-25 mins. and then place in warm jars with warm lids and set upside down until the next morning.

Chocolate Chip, coconut, peanut butter bars

I left my boys with my friend the other day and when I picked them up she shared one of these bars with me. They were delicious and my boys loved them too!

2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

2 cups old fashioned quaker oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup packed coconut

1/4 mini chocolate morsels

1/4 peanuts

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the rice cereal and oatmeal. Grease or line a 9x13 baking dish. (I prefer to line the pan with saran wrap because it makes for easy clean up).

Mix brown sugar, honey and peanut butter in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until just boiling. Add to cereal mixture along with vanilla, cinnamon, salt, peanuts, coconut and chocolate chips.

Press into prepared pan using a spatula, spoon or your hands. Set aside to cool, then cut into bars.

TIPS:

*To keep chocolate from melting into mixture try freezing them first as well as adding the morsels towards the end of the mixture process.

*Once the bars have cooled I place a cutting board on top of my pan and then flip the pan upside down on to the cutting board. I can then lift the pan off, remove the saran wrap, and cut into bars.

*Bars taste great if frozen. Once thawed they retrain the chewy texture however, I would avoid refrigerating the bars as this seems to dry them out.

*To keep fresh store at room temperature in a sealed container.

*Try swapping out the crispy rice cereal for something you already have one hand. Corn flakes, cherrios etc.

Fun "ADD INS" to experiment with:

Chocolate morsels, M&M's, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, dried cranberries, raisins, dates, dried apricots, coconut, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, toffee pieces....

Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Sausages

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 14-oz. package Lit'l Smokies

1 12-oz. package lean bacon

3/4 c. brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the slab of bacon into thirds.

Repeat with remaining sausages and bacon. When I was making these, the stars somehow aligned and this package of Lit'l Smokies and Hormel Black Label bacon matched up completely--no leftover bacon, no leftover sausage. Sprinkle brown sugar over sausages and bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes or until bacon has cooked and is starting to brown.If you're serving these at a party, they taste even better after a little time in the slow cooker on low heat.

Hot Cheesy Bacon Dip

1 c. sour cream
1 1/2 cups mayo
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 c. shredded Vermont white cheddar cheese
2 green onions finely sliced

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve on sliced, toasted baguettes.

Smooth as Silk Fudge

FUDGE....SMOOTH AS SILK!

2 cups cream
4 cups sugar

Stir cream and sugar together in large pot. Put on medium heat and while stirring, bring this cream/sugar mixture to a boil. Now place the lid on your pot for 3 minutes. (This means you will not stir, because the lids on!)

Take the lid off now, and continue to cook this mixture to a Soft Ball Stage (228). I also do the cold water test: Drop one tablespoon of fudge into a cup of COLD Water....with a spoon, try to form a ball that will hold a ball shape in the water.

Take off the heat and add 1 cup butter that you have cut up in chunks. DON'T Stir it in...let it sit for about one minute untouched while the butter starts to melt.


Now...pour this mixture over 3 big broke up Symphony bars (the 6.28 ounce bars) that you have placed in another large bowl. DO NOT SCRAPE the pan of hot mixture. Just pour it in, without scraping the sides.

Beat this entire mixture with your hand mixer (or KitchenAid) until nice and smooth and creamy...a good couple of minutes. You can add walnuts as well, once it's creamy. Pour into greased or parchment lined 9x13 pan. I like to line my pan with parchment paper, then it's really easy to pull the entire slab of fudge from the pan, and cut it up nicely. Keep between layers of wax paper or saran wrap, in well sealed Tupperware container. I keep mine in the fridge, because I like it cold. It will keep for a long time, if kept sealed well.

Chunky Artichoke Salsa

This is more of a "throw it all together and call it good" recipe. The amounts listed below are just a rough estimate!

Chunky Artichoke Salsa

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 c. chopped olives
2 T. chopped red onion
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.

Granola Bars

Granola Bars

5 c. old fashioned oats, roasted at 350 degrees for 15 mins. or until golden
5 c. mini marshmallows
6 T. butter + more for pan
1/2 c. honey
1 c. chunky peanut butter
1 c. coconut
2 c. raisins or craisins
1 c. whole almonds
1/2 c. sunflower seeds

Combine butter, honey, peanut butter, and marshmallows in saucepan over med-low heat, stirring until melted and combined. In a large bowl combine oats, raisins, coconut, nuts, and sunflower seeds. Pour melted mixture over ingredients in bowl and mix well. Press the mixture lightly into a large buttered pan. Allow the mixture to set up and cool, then cut into bars and store in a tightly sealed container.