Beer Cheese Dip

Another dip recipe that is sooooo easy and sooooo yummy. I am all about easy and yummy when it comes to entertaining.

Ingredients:

16 oz of cream cheese
16 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 c beer

Directions:
1. Put cheeses in a sauce pan and heat over med/low heat until melted
2. pour cheese mixture, beer and garlic powder in a large bowl and blend with an electric mixer until smooth. (you can also skip step one and just mix every thing in a large bowl with a mixer until smooth, doesn't get much easier than that.)

You can garnish with green onions and shredded cheese. Its great served inside of a bread bowl, with pretzels or even fresh veggies!

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

This dip is so easy and so great! People often ask me for the recipe. I love putting this in a bread bowl :)

Ingredients:
1/2 c frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 c artichoke hearts, chopped
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t salt
1/8 t garlic powder
dash ground pepper

Directions:
1. Simmer the spinach and artichoke hearts in a cup of water in a small sauce pan over med heat until tender (about 10 minutes)
2. Drain in colander when done
3. Heat the cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave for one minute (high setting) or use a sauce pan to heat the cheese over med heat just until soft.
4. Add spinach and artichoke hearts to the cream cheese and stir well
5. Stir in the parmesan cheese, pepper flakes, salt, garlic powder, and ground pepper combining well.

Serve hot with crackers, or toasted bread for dipping. Works great with untoasted bread too.

San Remo Seafood Dip

Here is another good party recipe.

Ingredients:

6 oz can of tiny shrimp, drained, reserve the liquid
6 oz can crab meat, drained, reserve the liquid
2 oz cream cheese, room temp and cubed
2 T olive oil
2 T flour
1/4 t salt
1/8 t crushed garlic
1 t prepared horseradish
1/3 c asiago cheese, grated
2 T parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 - 3/4 c half and half
1 1/2 c pasta sauce, drained to remove excess liquid
1/4 c fresh parmesan cheese, finely shredded for topping

Directions:
1. Put the pasta sauce in a colander to drain and preheat the oven to 325 F
2. In a 2 qt sauce pan over med/low heat olive oil and blend in flour.
3. Add the reserved liquid from the shrimp and crab, stir well.
4. Add cubed cream cheese, salt, crushed garlic, horseradish, and stir until smooth
5. Add shrimp and crab, blend well
6. Simmer until heated through
7. Add half & Half a little at a time until it starts to simmer and begins to resemble warm pudding.
8. Continue to simmer for an additional 12-15 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't scorch on the bottom.
9. Spray a shallow 9" baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
10. Add drained pasta sauce and then carefully spoon the seafood mixture on top.
11. Sprinkle with fresh parmesean and place in oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until heated through. (Dip should not brown on top)

Serve with bread.

Boneless Hot Wings (like Applebees)

I am in love with the hot boneless wings at Applebees and wanted to find a way to make them at home. I found this recipe and it's pretty dang close and oh so good. My whole family loves them :)

Ingredients:
1 c butter
1/2 c Louisiana hot sauce
1/8 t ground black pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
2 c flour
1 t paprika
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt
15-20 chicken tenders cut into 1 inch pieces (or you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts)
vegetable oil, for frying

For the coating you will need:
1 c butter
1/2 c hot sauce
1/8 t garlic powder
1/8 t ground black pepper

Directions:
1. If your wings are frozen make sure to defrost
2. Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a LARGE bowl.
3. Mix together in a seperate bowl 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup hot sauce. a dash of garlic powder and a dash of pepper. Heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds stir to mix well. Set aside.
4. Put the wings into the large bowl of flour mixture, coating each wing evenly.
5. Dip each wing into the butter mixture then back into the flour mixture.
6. Place all the wings on a plate or baking sheet and place them in the fridge for 60-90 minutes (this helps the breading stick to the wings when fried)
7. Heat oil in the deep fryer to 375 F (you want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely)
8. Fry the wings for 10-15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown.
9. Remove the wings with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. (don't let them sit too long as you want to serve them hot)

For the coating.
10. Combine the other cup of butter, 1/2 cup of hot sauce, ground pepper and garlic powder in a low sauce pan over low heat. Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well blended.
11. Quickly put the wings into a large bowl or plastic container with a lid
12. Add the coating mixture and stir, coating all the wings evenly or you can shake them if your container has a lid.

These are great for that Super Bowl party you have coming up :)

Lime Chicken Chimichangas with Sweet Rice, Green Chile Chutney and Mango Salsa

So I was craving Bajio, which they obviously don't have down here, and I thought why not make my own so I went on a hunt for some recipes. I didn't exactly duplicate it but it was mmm mmm good.

Ok... For the CHICKEN you need:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 c freshly squeezed lime juice
1/3 c oil
2-3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
black pepper
salt

1. In a bowl whisk together everything but the chicken.
2. Place chicken in a ziploc bag or shallow baking dish
3. pour marinade over chicken and seal bag or cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
4. grill or broil for about 2-4 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.

SWEET RICE

You will need:
1/2-1 Tbs oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1-1/3 c white rice
3 c chicken broth
1/4 c white sugar

1. heat oil in a pan over med/high heat.
2. Add chopped onion and cook until tender
3. Add chopped cilantro and cook for about 1 minute more
4. Add white rice and cook until light brown, be careful not to burn it
5. Combine chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar dissolve. Stir into the rice and let it come to a boil
5. Cover and reduce heat. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.
6. Fluff with fork before serving.

GREEN CHILE CHUTNEY

You will need:

3 large Anaheim Peppers, halved, seeds removed
2 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeds removed
5-7 tomatillos, husks removed
1 large white onion, halved
4 oz can diced green chiles
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1 c sugar (it was really sweet I may suggest reducing this by half)
dash chili powder
dash cumin
dash salt

1. Place peppers, tomatillos, & onion on baking sheet/rack. Roast at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Place tomatillos & 1/4 onion in a blender and process until smooth
3. Dice peppers
4. Add all ingredients except the remaining onion into a large pot and cook over med/low heat for about 20 minutes or until thickened and reduced.

Now for that remaining 1/4 onion you roasted slice it up and saute it with a bit of the green sauce and you will get nice carmelized onions you can top your chimi with or even place inside.

ENCHILADA SAUCE (for those that like it a bit more spicy and not as sweet)

You will need:

2 c chicken broth
4 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 heaping tsp of garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 pinch cinnamon
1/3 tsp sugar
5 Tbsp cold water
5 Tbsp white flour

1. Combine all ingredients except the cold water and flour in a pot on the stove.
2. Heat to a boil while whisking frequently to avoid lumps.
3. Reduce heat and continue with a low boil for 3 minutes, remember to keep whisking often.
4. While the sauce is on a low boil combine your flour with your cold water in a small bowl one Tbsp at a time making sure to whisk vigorously to avoid lumps.
5. Turn the heat back up on your sauce and SLOWLY add the flour mixture into the sauce making sure to whisk vigorously the entire time to avoid lumps.
6. After the flour mixture is in continue to whisk for one minute while the sauce is still boiling.
7. Remove from heat and serve.
*depending on how thick you want your sauce you don't have to add all of the roux. I only use about half or less but it's up to you*


MANGO SALSA

You will need:

1 Mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 c red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp sugar
1/2 limes juice
1/8 tsp chili powder

Combine, let stand to let flavors mix. Store in an air tight container in fridge.

Phew..... Ok once you get all of that made which sounds like a lot more than it is you need your tortillas, cheese, and your hot oil.

Take a warmed tortilla and put a little bit of cheese on it, a small bit of the rice and some of the chicken and roll it on up and fry in the oil until it's a golden brown.
Let it drain on a paper towel and then top with the green chutney, sour cream, salsa, enchilada sauce, a little bit more cheese, whatever you want. I know the chutney is really sweet so I put regular salsa on mine too and it brings the flavors together nicely.

Put a little more of the rice on the side and some refried beans and you have your self a YUMMY meal. Next time I will take pics LOL

Stuffed Burgers

So I got this recipe from my mom and it was oh so delicious.... but I decided to put a new twist on it :)

You will need:

1.5 pounds ground beef
4-5 good sized strawberries
1 jalapeno
8 slices of pepper-jack cheese
creamy horseradish
canned mushrooms
diced green chiles
any seasonings and garnishes for your burgers you may want
4 buns


1. Take your strawberries and jalapeno and dice them really fine and combine them with your ground beef in a bowl


2. take a bit of the beef mixture roll it into a ball in your hand and then pat it out to make a patty. Repeat. It helps it you kind of make a lip around the bottom patty.


3. Spread a a bit of the horseradish on both patties and then add a slice of pepperjack cheese, a little bit of green chiles, and a few mushroom pieces. I did put two pieces of cheese in mine which is fine if you are planning on grilling them on a regular grill or even in a pan but if you are cooking them in a george foreman I don't recommend putting the other slice of cheese in but waiting until after and topping it. My grill kind of squished them and the cheese ran out :(


4. Slap the two patties together and seal them all up, season them if you would like, and throw them on the grill.

5. Top with whatever garnishments you want. Salsa is a great one. Tonight we just did lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, avocado, ketchup, mayo and mustard.

Ta-Da :)

Some may wonder why the heck I put strawberries in but they make the burgers really juicy and they give it just a bit of a sweet flavor. I know it sounds weird but seriously try it. When I use them with the jalapenos I don't season at all and they are oh so yummy.