Texas Caviar

Before we moved to Texas, our friends threw us a Texas themed going away party. 

There was amazing BBQ food, cowboy hats, boots, badges and sweet tea. 

All of the food went with the country & cowboy theme.  

My favorite dish of the night was Texas Caviar.  

I couldn't stop eating it, none of us could.  

The next day, I asked for the recipe.  

I kid you not, I've made it once a week since. 

I usually have it for lunch with pita chips or all by itself. 

I do have to say, it's the best with Fritos though.  

This would be a great football party appetizer, although you may want to keep it home for yourself.

Enjoy! 

Texas Caviar 

Adapted from All Recipes 

Ingredients:

1 can of corn (drained)

1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can of black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)

1 cups of petite tomatoes, quartered 

1 bell pepper chopped 

1 8oz bottle of italian dressing 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Mix the corn, beans, peppers and tomatoes together.  

Add dressing little by little to coat.  Taste as you go, you may not need the entire bottle.  

I think about 6 oz of dressing is perfect.  You can always add more if you need it.  

Add Salt and pepper to taste.  

*You can add fresh cilantro to the dish.  Since I eat it leftover for a few days at a time, I don't add it* 

*You can also try different variations with onions, red and yellow peppers*

Cheddar Bacon Dip

We went to the Fl Keys this past weekend for our annual vacation with friends.  We always bring food to make with us, since there is a full kitchen at the beach house.  When planning the appetizer I was going to make, I looked for one that didn't take long,  would be easy to make with few kitchen utensils and had ingredients that would travel well in the cooler.  

This recipe met all the criteria.  

I made it in the morning, about 10 hours before we enjoyed it.  

The dip was a hit, especially with the men. 

They devoured it. 

 I will definitely be making this again for football season. 

It's a quick and easy recipe that will be perfect for tailgates! 

Enjoy!

Cheddar Bacon Dip 

Courtesy of Plain Chicken 

Ingredients: 

16 oz sour cream

1 packet Ranch dressing mix

3 oz bacon bits (in the bag not jar)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: 

Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours. 

Serve with chips and/or veggies.

Cucumber Hummus Tart

This is my new favorite lunch.  If you're looking for something healthy and filling....look no further.  

I could eat this every. single. day and not get tired of it.  It's that good. 

Cucumber Hummus Tart

Courtesy of Pillsbury 

Ingredients: 

1 can of pillsbury pizza dough

1/3 cups of plain hummus

1 cucumber (sliced) 

3 Tbs red bell pepper (chopped)

1 Tbs fresh dill weed

Directions:

1. Bake pizza dough according to packaging.  Let it cool. 

2. Spread hummus evenly over the crust.  

3.  Place cucumber even in rows over the top. 

4. Top with the red pepper and dill seasoning. 

5. Chill until it's time to serve.  Cut into squares. 

Shrimp Cups

This year hubs and I stayed in for NYE with the baby. We decided to have a nice dinner at home.  Appetizers, Main Course, Dessert...the whole 9 yards.  

Last weekend, I started planning the meal.  Right away I noticed that finding a dairy free appetizer was extremely difficult.  Most appetizers involve some sort of cheese.  Think about it.  I bet if you think about your favorite apps, they have cheese.  After a lot of searching, I found these shrimp cups.  The original recipe tells you how to make the cups that the shrimp go in.  I already had mini phyllo cups at home and decided to use those.  I used the filling ingredients and followed that part of the recipe.  This appetizer took about 20 minutes to make

Results: They were big one bite appetizers.  I loved the sweetness of the fruit combined with the shrimp.  I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out. 

Shrimp Cups

Adapted from Sunshine and Smile 

*I bought 14 already cooked shrimp and had 14 phyllo cups already baked*

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 cup finely chopped pineapple
• 1 cup finely chopped green apple
• 1 tbs finely chopped cilantro
• white head less shrimp, one for each cup (keep the shrimp tail)
• 1 tsp dry parley leaves
• salt
• pepper

Directions :

In a bowl, mix the shrimp with salt, pepper and dry parley leaves.

Line the shrimps in a baking pan and roast them for 10 minutes at 400 F.

In another bowl, mix pineapple, green apple and cilantro with some salt and pepper.

Pour a spoon of salad mix into the cup and then, place the shrimp on top.

Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs

Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs

                                                          Recipe Courtesy Paula Deen


Ingredients 
7 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Salt and pepper, for taste
Paprika, for garnishing
Sweet gherkin pickles sliced, for garnishing Pimentos, for garnishing


Directions
Halve 7 eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl.

Mash yolks with a fork and stir in mayonnaise, pickle relish, and mustard. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Fill egg whites evenly with yolk mixture. Garnish with paprika, pickles and pimentos. Store covered in refrigerator.

*I didn’t add the pickle and pimento garnish because I didn’t have them at home.

Creamy Crab-Filled Potato Nests- Pampered Chef

This is another NYE appetizer.  Hubs prepared this dish.  It was very tasty.  If I could change one thing it would be to cook the potato cups longer.  But, there weren't many left at the end of the night so that is always a good sign! Enjoy!

Creamy Crab-Filled Potato Nests

Ingredients:

3 cups (750 mL) shoestring potatoes (see Cook’s Tip)

1 egg white

1/2 medium red bell pepper

3 green onions with tops, divided

1 lemon

1 can (6 oz/175 g) lump crabmeat, drained

1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1/4 cup (50 mL) light mayonnaise

1/2 tsp (2 mL) Dijon mustard

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Spray cups of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place shoestring potatoes into large resealable plastic bag; gently press bag to break potatoes into smaller pieces. Place into Classic Batter Bowl; add egg white and toss to coat using Small Mix 'N Scraper(R). Using large Adjustable Measuring Spoon (about 1 tbsp/15 mL), divide potato mixture evenly among cups of pan. Press tops with Mini-Tart Shaper to make indentations; bake 3–5 minutes or just until edges of nests begin to brown. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack.

2.  Meanwhile, on Cutting Board, finely chop bell pepper using Food Chopper; blot dry with paper towels. Slice green onions, reserving green tops for garnish. Cut lemon in half crosswise; using head of Stainless Whisk as reamer, juice lemon to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL). In clean batter bowl, combine bell pepper, onion bottoms, lemon juice, crabmeat, 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the cheese, mayonnaise and mustard; mix well.

3.  Divide crab mixture evenly among nests using clean large Adjustable Measuring Spoon (about 2 tsp/10 mL) and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5–7 minutes or until crab mixture is hot and cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven to cooling rack. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.

Yield:  12 servings

Cheesy Artichoke Cups- Pampered Chef

These little cups were made for our New Year's Eve party.  I've said it over and over again, I just love bite sized appetizers.  Well really, bite sized anything.  I picked out this recipe because I love the green olive/ artichoke combination.  It's the first time I've used the wonton wrappers in a recipe and it was much easier than I imagined.  I make the filling earlier in the day and kept it in the fridge.  All I had to do was use my small pampered chef scoop to fill each cup and popped them in the oven.  This recipe did not disappoint. Enjoy! 

Cheesy Artichoke Cups

Ingredients: 24   small wonton wrappers (3-inch squares) 2   jars (6.25 ounces each) marinated artichoke hearts 1/4   cup chopped red bell pepper 1/3   cup sliced ripe pitted olives 1/4   cup (1 ounce) fresh grated Parmesan cheese 1   garlic clove, pressed 1/2   cup mayonnaise Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Press wonton wrappers into Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan using Mini-Tart Shaper. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving marinade for later use. Pat artichokes dry with paper towel. Chop artichokes and red pepper using Food Chopper. Slice olives using Egg Slicer Plus®. Grate cheese using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Press garlic using Garlic Press. Combine chopped vegetables, olives, cheese, garlic and mayonnaise in Classic Batter Bowl. Fill prepared muffin cups with artichoke mixture using Small Scoop (1 scoop per muffin cup). Bake 12-14 minutes. Let cool in pan 2 minutes. Carefully remove and serve warm. Yield: 24 servings Nutrients per serving: Calories 79, Total Fat 6 g

Brie- Apple Pastry Bites

I'm pretty sure I've shared my love of anything and everything bite sized before.  You just cant go wrong with an appetizer or dessert that you can "one bite".  Which is exactly the reason I ripped this recipe out of the December/ January Taste of Home magazine last year.  I've been wanting to make them every since, but I never got around to it...until recently.  Last Sunday, I hosted a cookie exchange at my house. I was looking for a few appetizers to serve that weren't too heavy.  I knew these would be perfect...and they were.  I have to give my wonderful mother for making them while I was running around like a mad woman to get last minute things done for the party done.  They looked pretty easy to make...but I can't tell you for sure.  What I can tell you is that I could not stop eating them.  You'll definitely want to add these to your holiday party appetizer list. Enjoy! 

PS.  I used the Pampered Chef mini muffin pan to make this recipe =-)

• 48 Servings
• Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min.

301545

Ingredients

• 1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 round (8 ounces) Brie cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium apple, chopped
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• Ground nutmeg

Directions

• Unfold puff pastry; cut each sheet into 24 squares. Gently press squares onto the bottoms of 48 greased miniature muffin cups.
• Combine the cheese, apple, nuts and cranberries; spoon into cups. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Yield: 4 dozen.

Pampered Chef: Artichoke Tapanade

As soon as I got my new manual food processor, I could not wait to use it.  There are tons of new fall and winter recipes using the processor that I have on my list to make.  I decided on this one first because I love artichokes and green olives.  I made it for our football party and couldn't believe how easy it was.  It took less than 10 minutes and made a good amount of dip.  I served it with pita chips and had the leftovers for the next week.  Delish!

Ingredients:

1  lemon

1  can (14 oz or 398 mL) artichoke hearts in water

1/4  cup (50 mL) loosely packed fresh parsley

1  garlic clove, peeled

1/2  cup (125 mL) pitted green olives

1  tbsp (15 mL) capers

5  tbsp (75 mL) olive oil

Toasted Baguette Slices (optional, see below)

Directions:

1.  Zest lemon using Microplane(R) Zester to measure 1/2 tsp (2 mL). Juice lemon using Citrus Press to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL) juice. Drain artichokes using small Stainless Mesh Colander; pat dry using paper towels.

2.  Combine parsley, garlic, lemon zest, juice, artichokes, olives, capers and oil in Manual Food Processor. Cover and pump handle to process to desired consistency, removing lid and scraping down sides of bowl as necessary using Mini Mix 'N Scraper(R). Serve with Toasted Baguette Slices, if desired.

Yield: 10 servings (about 2 cups/500 mL)

Toasted Baguette Slices

20  slices French bread, cut 1/4 in. (6 mm) thick

2  tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Bread

I searched high and low to find some different recipes for the first football game at our house.  I found this recipe on Pinterest, originally from Plain Chicken.  I looked like it would require minimal time and effort.  Which is exactly what I look for when it comes finding recipes and throwing a party.  This bread was addicting and delicious.  Probably one of the most talked about recipes from the party.  Add this guy to your next football party & enjoy! 

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls 
1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Restaurant Style Salsa

I'm loving football season.  I'm especially loving all of the football parties and tailgates.  And, what football party is complete without chips and salsa?  I decided to make my own this past weekend and used a very popular Pioneer Woman recipe.  The salsa was super easy to make with my large food processor and provided lots of leftovers.  I over pulsed mine to get rid of all the chunks.  I would make this again instead of buying the jar, just to have salsa without chunks! 
When you buy the ingredients, make sure to get one can of mild Rotel.  I used original for both cans and I thought it had a little too much of a kick.  Use one mild and one original, I'm sure it will give you the perfect amount of heat.  Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman Salsa 

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• ¼ cups Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
• ¼ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
• ½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• ½ whole Lime Juice

Preparation Instructions

Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.