Great Family Night Snack

Yesterday was "Family Night". And we always like to have something we can munch on.  I haven't made it in awhile, but thought I would try it again, it's a cheese, bean, and salsa dip.  Not sure exactly what to call it.  But this is how you put it together.....

1 - 8 oz. package of cream cheese
1 - can of refried beans
1 - jar of your favorite salsa
1 - bag of 2 cup shredded cheese

Just layer these items in a 8 x 8 dish.  I like to soften the cream cheese by putting it in the microwave for 1 min.  After this, smooth the cream cheese level on the bottom, then add the refried beans, smooth it out, then pour in the salsa and top with the entire bag of cheese.  Microwave about 6-8 mins (depends on the strength of you microwave), and presto!!!!  you have a quick and easy snack for you family night.

Apple Dumplings & Pumkin Swirl Cheesecake

This past week, we went out of town to visit all of our family.  My moms and dads, his mother's and grandmother's homes.  I fixed several different desserts for the dinners.  And two of the one's I fixed, I will be adding here.  The first one is Apple Dumplings.  So easy, yet soooo good.

APPLE DUMPLINGS

1 can of large flaky biscuits

1 large can of apple pie filler (or home made)

1 cup of sugar

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

flour

You'll want to pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a 10 x 13 baking dish (or similar), spray with some cooking spray or lightly coat with crisco. 

Put apple pie filler in a strainer with a bowl underneath to catch the "filler", and the apples will be left in the strainer.

Open your can of biscuits, cut each one in half.  On a floured surface, roll each half in a small flat circle (large enough to put a couple of apple pieces).

On your rolled out biscuit place 2-4 apple pieces in the center of the circle (it depends on the size of the apples).  You do not want to put to many, just enough for the dough to wrap around the apples completely.  I fold them one side at a time.  After I have all for side brought together, I start to fold over the any other gaps left.  I place the the "dumpling" with the gathered side down in the baking dish.  After all dumplings are completed, I mix the apple "filling", 1 cup of sugar, and the stick of butter (melted) together, then pour it on top of the dumplings.

I cook it for 20-30 mins, or until the tops are golden brown.  And wala, you have your Apple Dumplings.  They go great with a scoop of ice cream too.

The next item on the menu is a Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake.  I got the recipe from the Kraft Foods and Family magazine.  It is a really good cheesecake, and looks nice too.


PUMPKIN SWIRL CHEESECAKE

• 2 cups finely crushed ginger snaps cookies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, divided use
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) OR 1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. (300 degrees F. for a dark springform pan) and position the oven rack in the center of the oven.

For crust, mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans and butter; press onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 9-inch springform pan.  

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, combine cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla until well blended. On low speed, add eggs one at a time, mixing each time just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the plain batter and set aside.

To the remaining plain batter, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinniman, nutmeg, and cloves.   Continue to mix at low speed.

Pour pumpkin batter into springform pan.  Spoon plain batter in drops on top of pumpkin batter.  It will look like the cheesecake has chicken pox, but don't worry, take a butter knife, and gently swirl through cheesecake to give it the "marbled" look.

Bake for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Do not overbake. Use a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the crust. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove outer pan and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

ENJOY!!!!!

White Chili w/ Cornbread

This past weekend, my mother-in-law came to visit for the weekend.  She brought her cousin along with her (we live in a tourist are of the NC mountains, so we have more guest than most).  And she loves my white chili, so being the GREAT daughter-in-law that I am (LOL), I fixed some.  Her cousin told me he had never tasted anything so good.  And talked about my soup on there 3 hour drive home.  So, since I have had rave reviews about this soup, I thought I would pass along my recipe. 

Deda's White Chili and Cornbread

 1 1/2 pds chicken
4 cups chicken broth
6 cups great northern beans
(Insert:  I perfer to cook dried beans in the chicken broth and add 2 cups more chicken broth to the soup)
 1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat broth and beans together (after beans are tender), Saute' onion and garlic in oil.  Add to beans.  Boil chicken and cut up (large or small chunks depending on your taste).  Add chicken and spices to broth and beans.  Simmer.  If you would like thicker chili, add more beans that has been blended.  Serve soup with sour cream (optional).

I double the recipe for my herd. :D

~CORNBREAD~

This is the best cornbread I have ever made!  My family can never get enough of it.  Very light and tasty.  I will include the different veriations of it.

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 to 3 tbsp sugar (adjust for your taste)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil or melted  butter

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Mix.  Add 1 tbsp butter in iron skillet or dish and place in 400 degree oven until melted.  Swirl butter around to coat side and bottom of pan (can use can grease too). Combine eggs, milk, and oil, add this mixture to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened.  Pour into skillet.  Bake for 15 to 20 min.  I ussally bake it 25-30 minutes, but I am in a higher elevation.  You can double this recipe and use a 9 x 13 baking dish or stone.

DOUBLE CORN BREAD

Prepare as directed above, except fold in 1/2 cup of frozen whole kernel corn, thawed, into batter.

GREEN CHILI CORN BREAD

Prepare as directed above, except fold in 1 cup shredded cheese, and one 4 oz. can diced green chili's, drained, into batter.

Cornbread goes great with regular chili too!!!

Baked Potato Soup

This is one of my most requested recipes.  My family loves it, especially this time of year, when the air is getting cooler, and it rains more often.  It is also on the menu every year for our soups and stews diner at church during our fall fest.  And again this year, I will be making a 6 quart crock pot full (I triple the recipe).

2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
3 tbsp butter
1 cup diced white onion
2 tbsp flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp thyme
1 cup half and half

Garnish with
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon (or bacon bits)
2 green onions, chopped (green part only)

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake potatoes for 1 hour or until done.  when potatoes have cooked remove them from the oven to cool.  You can also nuke your potatoes in the Microwave.  Usually it's 8-12 mins per potato depending on how big.

2.  As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and saute onion until light brown.  Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux. 

3.  Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4.  Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon.  Discard skin.  Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2-inch in size.

5.  Add chopped baked potato and half and half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.

6.  Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with about a tbsp of shredded cheddar cheese, a half tbsp of bacon, and a tsp or so of chopped green onion.

Repeat for remaining servings.  Serves 6 to 8 (according to the recipe, but I double the recipe for my gang)

If you try it, please let me know what you think.