Charleston Cheese Dip

by Melissa Coombs // July 14, 2014 // No Comments

This is the most amazing dip! The original recipe comes from Trisha Yearwood, and she knew what she was doing when she put this recipe together! How can you go wrong with cream cheese, cheddar cheese and BACON? YUM!

Charleston Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 – 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
Dash of cayenne pepper
8 Ritz Crackers or any buttery cracker, crushed
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

My Variation: I used sharp cheddar cheese and Colby cheese, and then threw in a little shredded Pepper Jack cheese. I did not have any Cayenne pepper, so I used a little Chipotle Seasoning and some black pepper. I also used my freeze dried Green Onions and Chopped Onions from Thrive. I thought about adding some bacon bits to the cheese mixture and then decided not to, but I think that would make it even better! I will definitely do it next time! The thought of that warm bacon mixed in with the cheese…ahhhh…pure heaven!

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, cheeses, onions, and spices. Spread this mixture in a small baking dish. (I doubled the recipe and used a 9″ x 13: pan, so you might want to try a 8″ x 8″ dish or a pie pan or something small like that.)

3. Crush your crackers and sprinkle on top of cheese mixture.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Then top with the bacon and serve warm with crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, or whatever sounds good to you.

Ham Delights! A Party Favorite!

by Melissa Coombs // May 19, 2014 // No Comments

These are soooo delicious! I made 2 huge pans of these for a party, and every single one of them were eaten! Definitely a PARTY FAVORITE! And they are are so simple to make!

This picture does not even show how yummy they were…once they came out of the oven, they were quickly devoured, and I almost didn’t get a picture! Someone laid down their plate to get a drink, and I snapped a quick picture!

Ingredients:

1 Pkg of King’s Hawaiian King Rolls

2 sticks melted butter (1 cup)

2 tsp poppy seeds

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

3 TBSP yellow mustard

1 TBSP of finely minced onions, or freeze dried onions

a little salt – maybe 1/4 tsp

Ham slices

Swiss cheese slices

Directions:

1. Open the package of rolls. With a long serrated bread knife, slice the whole pack of rolls in half, so that you have a top and a bottom. Place inside a large casserole dish or put on a cookie sheet.

2. Mix the butter, poppy seeds, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard, onions and salt in a bowl. Spread about half of butter mixture over the bottom part of the rolls. I just pour it on and take the back of a spoon to spread it out edge to edge. Then do the same with the underside of the top half. Reserve a little butter mixture to spread on top of the rolls when finished.

3. Layer ham slices on the bottom. I like at least two layers of ham. Then layer with plenty of Swiss cheese. Place the top of the rolls to make the sandwiches, and spread on any remaining butter.

4. Cover with tin foil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the rolls are warmed through and the cheese is melted. Be careful to not burn the bottom of the rolls.

5. Take out of oven, and slice into separate sandwiches. Better grab one fast before they are all gone!

Notes: I have made these without poppy seeds and less butter before. You can also use cheddar cheese if you would like, and omit the onions if you don’t care for those. And I have not found any good substitute for the Worcestershire sauce! Just go buy some! : )

Source: My mother has made these for years!

Stuffed Mushrooms

by Julie // May 12, 2014 // No Comments

This is a great party recipe and is really easy. I served these at a baby shower and was really happy with the result. Next time I make these I will listen to the original recipe’s advice and scoop out a little mushroom flesh with a melon baller instead of just popping out the stems so there’s more room for the stuffing.

Ingredients:
20 fresh mushrooms
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. very finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. very finely chopped red pepper
14 Ritz crackers, finely crushed (about 1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms and finely chop enough of the stems to measure 1/4 cup. Discard the rest or save for something else. Use a melon baller to remove a bit more of the flesh to make room for the stuffing.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Saute the chopped mushroom stems, onions, and peppers until they are tender. Remove from heat and add the cracker crumbs, cheese, and seasoning.
3. Spoon this mixture into the mushroom caps. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

You can stuff these in advance and just refrigerate until you’re ready. Bake them for 20 minutes though (or until warmed through).

Mushrooms that are 1 1/4″ to 1 1/2″ wide are best. Itty bitty mushrooms will just be frustrating to stuff!

Source: Kraft Recipes

Cranberry Punch

by Julie // April 28, 2014 // 1 Comment

I recently threw a baby shower for a dear friend of mine and wanted to try a new punch recipe for it. After stumbling across this one, I decided to give it a try but I have to admit to you that I really didn’t expect much. I mean, punch is punch, right? WRONG! One sip of this punch and I was in love….this, this would be my new go-to punch recipe!! And I got so many compliments on it that I just knew I had to share it with you. Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
4 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. almond extract
2 quarts ginger ale, chilled

1. Combine all ingredients except the ginger ale. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Combine juice mixture and ginger ale in punch bowl or beverage dispenser. Garnish with orange slices if desired (you could freeze these in advance to keep the punch cold). Serve and get ready for the compliments!

Source: adapted from the recipe I got on Pinterest (but I think it linked to DrinkedIn)

Caliente Chili Dip

by Anna // March 27, 2014 // No Comments

I made salsa one day and it was a bit spicy. So, thinking that I could speak a little Spanish to my Hispanic friend, I told her that the salsa was muy caliente.

“Is it hot or spicy?” she asked.

“Spi-cy.” I said, slowly.

“Then it is muy picosa,” she said.

Ahhh….there is a difference. So that is why the name of my recipe is Caliente Chili Dip–because it is a heated dip; no picosa. Decades ago I attended a women’s conference and this item was one of the many finger foods served to us that day. Everyone loves it and it was requested for our recent Super Bowl Bash–well, if you call me, my husband, my daughter, and my two grandsons who are 4 and almost 2 a BASH. Yeah. But it was still fun.

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can Chili with Beans

1 15-oz. can Chili, No Beans

8 oz. cream cheese

1 small can diced green chilies

1. Put all the ingredients in a non-stick skillet or pan. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the cream cheese is completely melted. Stir to mix well.

2. Serve with Fritos Scoops, to get more dip in your chip.

TIPS: For a healthier version, use Turkey Chili and neufchatel cheese (low fat cream cheese). When serving, I like to use a chafing dish, so that the dip stays hot (caliente).

Barbacoa Pork Taquitos

by Becca Robinson // March 20, 2014 // No Comments

This recipe is a combination of 2 of my family’s favorites.

Cafe Rio Pork and Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

One of my favorite things is a barbacoa pork quesadilla. It is what I order if I ever go to Cafe Rio. It’s made with sweet pork and colby jack cheese. It’s what I make when I cook my own sweet pork at home.

One day I had a light bulb go off in my head and decided to make my favorite taquitos with the pork and colby jack, rather than chicken and pepper jack.

Barbacoa Pork Taquitos

1/3 C. (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C. green salsa
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions
2 C. prepared Barbacoa Pork
1 C. grated colbyjack cheese
small flour 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 pork and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

Place 2-3 T of pork mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite dipping sauce.

I normally triple this recipe and freeze a bunch. Just fill and roll your tortillas and place them on your baking sheet. Omit the spray and salt. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the taquitos are frozen. Then transfer them to a plastic freezer bag. To cook them, just put them on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for about 25 mins.

Savory Ham & Cheese Sliders

by Anna // March 13, 2014 // No Comments

Another Super Bowl indoor tail-gating favorite at our house are these tasty morsels. I had something like this at a friend’s house for dinner once. This recipe was the closest I could find via the all-knowing Pinterest. The grandsons didn’t even take this one apart, like they did the Reuben Pigs in a Blanket.

Ingredients:
2 12-roll packages of sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls
1 1/2 lbs. smoked ham (not honey)
12 slices Swiss cheese
1 stick of butter–NOT margarine. Seriously.
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1. Slice rolls in half, horizontally. Place the bottoms of the rolls in two 9 x 13 pans or a large jelly roll pan works really well.

2. Place about 2 shaved slices of ham on each bottom. Cut the cheese slices into 4 parts and place 2 pieces on each sandwich. Place the tops on each sandwich.

3. In a small saucepan, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and poppy seeds. Heat until butter is completely melted. Stir to incorporate ingredients.

4. Brush the melted mixture over the ham sandwiches. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. These can also be baked right away.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Source: Heather Pettit, via Pinterest.

Reuben Pigs in a Blanket

by Anna // February 27, 2014 // No Comments

I needed to make Super Bowl food like I needed another hole in the head. This wreaks havoc on trying to lose weight, but man, this stuff is yummy. I got this recipe from Our Best Bites and it was a favorite at my house. My husband said I hit a home run with the pairings this year. Well, it wasn’t in football terminology, but it was appreciated. My grandsons even liked it–of course, they had to pull the pig out of the blanket. Purists…

Do you see that square-ish little part of a sandwich in the bottom right corner? Yeah, that one. Future post. Stay tuned!

Ingredients:

8 all-beef hot dogs (Oscar Mayer has some great choices here)

2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup sauerkraut, well-drained (about a 15-oz. can–I used the Bavarian style with the caraway seeds)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cut the hot dogs in half, cross-wise.

3. Divide the crescent rolls at the perforations.

4. On the wide end (opposite of the pointy end) of the crescent roll dough, place 1 tablespoon drained sauerkraut, 1 tablespoon of the Swiss cheese, and a hot dog half. Roll it up, being careful to tuck in the edges to hold things in. Place on lined baking sheet; repeat with the rest of the dough.

5. Brush the beaten egg over the tops of each “pig” and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.

6. Makes 16 wrapped up piggies.

7. I served these with Thousand Island Dressing and Spicy Brown mustard for dipping. OBB also suggests Creole mustard.

Source: www.ourbestbites.com

How To Make Melissa’s Yummy Cinnamon Rolls – Photo Tutorial

by Melissa Coombs // December 16, 2013 // No Comments

I originally posted this on my own blog, but wanted to share it here also since so many people are enjoying this recipe! Perfect for Christmas morning, or to take to Christmas parties! I promise they are easy to make, and they are sooooo delicious!

(I know this picture is obnoxiously large, but I wanted you to be able to get up close and personal with these cinnamon rolls. ha! ha!)

1. Start with the 30 Minute Roll Recipe
Note: This recipe makes about 50 cinnamon rolls! You might want to half the recipe!

Mix and rest 10 minutes:

3 ½ cups warm water

¾ cup sugar (OR 1/2 cup honey)

1 cup oil

6 TBSP Yeast (Less yeast may be used, but rising time will be longer)

Add:

1 TBSP Salt

3 eggs (can use egg powder and water)

10 ½ cups flour (wheat flour turns out really light and fluffy)

Mix in mixer or knead. Shape into rolls. Raise 10 minutes. *Bake at 425° for 10-12 minutes or until done.

2. Here’s How to “Shape into Rolls”

Cut dough in half. Roll out one of the sections into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick (or so!) Spread soft or melted butter over the dough. Spread a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon over the butter. (I use about 4 cups of brown sugar to 3-4 TBSP of cinnamon. I go heavy on the cinnamon and never really measure. I just dump it in until it taste the way I want it to.) Roll up. Cut into 1 inch sections and place on cookie sheet. Let rise for about 10 minutes or so. Repeat with other section of dough, or just make them into dinner rolls.

*I prefer to bake them at 375 degrees until they are starting to lightly brown and dough is done in the middle. Take out of oven and let cool for about 5 minutes or so. Spread on or drizzle on the frosting.

Photo Tutorial:

Start off by shaping the dough roughly into a rectangle.

Roll out the dough about 1/4″ thick. This will take practice.

Spread soft or melted butter over dough.

Put cinnamon sugar on the dough.

Spread it out smoothly – feel free to use your hands.

Roll up the dough.

Cut into 1 inch slices.

Place them neatly on a cookie sheet and let them rise. This is a “jelly roll pan”, which is half of a sheet cake. You can put them on smaller pans that just hold 12 cinnamon rolls.

Bake them in the oven and look how beautiful they are!

Oh. My. Yumminess!

Spread on your cream cheese frosting. (Recipe below)

I wish you could smell these and taste them! Make some! YUM!!!!

3. Here’s How to Make the Frosting

Okay, I have to admit that I never measure! But here is an estimate….Soften about 8 oz of cream cheese and 3 tablespoon of butter in a large plastic bowl. Add 3-4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a few (maybe 4??) tablespoons of milk. Mix with hand mixer…you may need to add more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency you like. I like it kinda thin like a cake batter, not thick like cake icing.

4. Enjoy!

Eat immediately with a glass of milk and enjoy! They are good for a few days, but you will want to warm them up for about 8 seconds in the microwave!

Pumpkin Bars

by Melissa Coombs // December 2, 2013 // No Comments

This is such a moist and delicious cake! Every time I make it for church or family activities, it is eaten down to the very last crumb!

Ingredients:

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups canned pumpkin

Directions:

1. With wire whisk or electric beater, blend together oil, sugar and eggs until creamy.

2. Combine baking soda, flour, salt, and baking powder. Then add to creamy mixture. Add cinnamon and pumpkin. Stir until well mixed.

3. Pour into jelly roll pan. (Or two 9×13 casserole dishes.)

4. Bake 350° for 25-30 minutes, making sure center is done. Let cake cool before frosting.

Frosting:

3 oz cream cheese

6 TBSP butter

1 tsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

dash of salt

Cream together and spread on cooled cake. ENJOY!!