Blanco Bean Dip

1 can of white beans, drained
5-6 slices jarred jalapenos
1 1/2 Tbsp brine from jalapenos
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 fresh jalapeno, sliced
1/2 c cheese, I used pepper jack and queso fresco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor, except cheese. Save 1/2 of the fresh jalapeno for the topping. Place in an oven safe dish and top with cheeses and sliced jalapeno.

Bake until completely heated through, approx. 15-20 minutes.

I sprinkled with a little black pepper and hot sauce. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Bloody Mary Seasoning

Who doesn't love a Bloody Mary?  They make it acceptable to drink in the morning! But I've found it's difficult to make a quality one at home without using a store bought mix . This seasoning turns plain tomato juice into tasty homemade Bloody Mary mix.

Ingredients:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/8 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper

-This makes enough seasoning for several drinks. Add 3/4 tsp to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe.

There are many ways to make a Bloody Mary and everyone has their own preferences on taste and spiciness. I played around with a few recipes and came up with this one; it has a ton of flavor, but you can tone it down a bit by adding less juices:

5.5 oz V8 juice
2.5 oz vodka
3/4 tsp bloody mary seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp pickle juice
1 tsp olive juice
few dashes of hot sauce
optional 1/2 tsp horseradish

Combine everything in a shaker with ice. Shake until well mixed, and pour into a pint glass over ice.
I used pickle, olive, and jalapeno slices for garnish.

I like them spicy!

Wasabi Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 large red potatoes
2 cloves garlic, pressed
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp wasabi mayo (or 1/2 Tbsp wasabi paste)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper
green onions to garnish

Recipe:
Cut the potatoes into large chunks (leave the skin on). In a large saucepan, put in the potatoes, garlic and salt, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork.

Drain off the water and add the butter, milk, wasabi, and soy sauce. Use a potato masher and mash until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with green onions if desired.

Meatless Meatball Sub

TVP is textured vegetable protein, and it is very versatile as a meat substitute. It may seem like this recipe has a lot of ingredients, but it is fairly easy to make. TVP doesn't have much flavor on its own so there are a lot of seasonings added to make it taste more like real meat. 

Ingredients:
Meatballs
1 1/4 c. TVP
1 3/4 c. water
1 small onion
2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp liquid smoke
1tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
1/4 c oil for frying

Sandwich
Sub style bread loaves
Mozzarella slices
Pesto
Marinara sauce

Recipe:
Bring the water to a boil. Add the TVP and let it sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile saute the onion and garlic in oil. Add all the spices and liquids. Combine this mixture with the TVP.

In a separate bowl add flour, bread crumbs, and wheat gluten. Mix the dry ingredients with the TVP. Heat oil in a frying pan. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls and fry until all sides are golden brown.

Spread pesto onto the bread, fill with meatballs, and top with cheese and marinara sauce. Place the sandwich under the broiler until cheese is melted.

Painkiller

The painkiller cocktail was said to be created at the Soggy Dollar Bar on the island of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. Alex and I tried this famous cocktail on that very island on our honeymoon!!

With a generous dose of nutmeg sprinkled on top, you get a bit of the spice with every sip making this a perfect fall cocktail.

Ingredients:
3 oz rum
3 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
1 oz cream of coconut*
dash of nutmeg

*make sure to use "cream of coconut" not "coconut cream" there is actually a difference. 

Recipe:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until well incorporated. Pour into a pint glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.

 

Cheesy Jalapeno Artichoke Bread

I've posted a recipe for the artichoke bread a while back. This time I decided to make it spicy. The recipe is pretty much the same but with a few extra ingredients to add a kick!

Ingredients:
1/4 c. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 c. Italian blend cheese
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 loaf French bread
2 Jalapenos
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:
Melt the butter in a pan on the stovetop. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add artichokes, cheeses, yogurt, and spices. Stir to combine.

Set oven to broil. Slice the bread lengthwise and spoon mixture onto bread. Arrange jalapeno slices on top of mixture.

Broil 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cararmel Pecan Carrot Cupcakes

I made these gems for Father's Day. They were absolutely decadent.

Ingredients:
Cakes
1 c. sugar
1c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cinnamon
3/4 c. oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. crushed pineapple, drained
1/2c pecans

Frosting
1 stick butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 c. caramel sauce
sprinkling of chopped pecans

Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a pan with paper liners.
Mix the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Make a well in the middle then add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine until well incorporated. Stir in the carrots, pineapple, and nuts.

Fill the cups 3/4 full and bake for 15-16 minutes. Cool cupcakes before frosting.

To make frosting, cream butter, sugar and salt for 2 minutes on low speed. When fluffy add the cream cheese and mix until smooth. Frost cupcakes, drizzle with caramel, and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

White Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. plain almonds, processed
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 Tbsp Amaretto
Cake
3 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp Amaretto
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
2 c. white chocolate
1/2 c. half and half
Topping
1 (16 oz) plain Greek yogurt
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. To make the crust combine the cracker crumbs, processed almonds, sugar, melted butter, and Amaretto. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 in. springform pan or a 9x13 for bars. Bake the crust for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese, sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and Amaretto. Melt the chocolate chips with half and half over a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Blend the chocolate mixture with the cream cheese until well combined.

Bake for 55-65 minutes. To make the topping, mix the yogurt, sugar, and almond extract. Set aside until cake is done baking.

Let the cake stand for 5 minutes before spreading the topping on. Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cool for 4 hours or overnight.

 

 

Margarita Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick of butter, room temp.
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 limes zested and juiced (3 T juice)
1/4 tsp vanilla
2/3 c. plain yogurt
1/3 c. milk

Frosting
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 stick of butter, softened
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. Tequila
1 Tbsp. Triple sec

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a separate bowl combine the butter and sugar and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time blending between each egg. Next, add the lime zest, juice, and vanilla. Mix in half of the dry ingredients with the butter mixture. Then pour in the milk and yogurt mixing the whole time. End with the other half of the dry ingredients until the batter is well combined.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Brush the tops with tequila and triple sec, and let cool before frosting.

To make the frosting, whisk the butter for one minute. Add the sugar then the liquid, and beat for 3-5 more minutes until smooth. Keep beating if the frosting looks too soupy. Use right away or keep at room temperature. If you need to refrigerate it, let it come to room temp. when ready to use, and use your mixer to beat it until it becomes smooth again. Otherwise it will look like a curdled mess. I added a couple drops of food coloring to make it light green.

Smokey Bastard

Ingredients:

1 c. mozzarella cheese

3/4 c. smoked Gouda

smoked salmon shredded into bite-size chunks

handful of fresh spinach, chopped

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 c. soy milk

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

dough for 1 pizza crust

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it's heating up. 

Caramelize the onion in a small amount of olive oil. This takes about 25 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes until the onions are golden brown. To make the garlic butter Alfredo sauce, saute the garlic in the butter and olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the milk until thickened, and season with salt and pepper. 

Spoon the sauce over the crust and top with cheeses and salmon. Sprinkle the chopped spinach over the pizza, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Apple Chips

Ingredients:
3-4 apples
Cinnamon, optional

Recipe:
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.

Slice the apples very thin. Thicker slices may need to be baked longer. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and arrange the apple slices on the paper. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon if desired. Bake for 2 hours flipping the apple slices after one hour. Let cool. Apple chips should be crisp, if some are still soft, bake those a little longer.

After storing mine they got soft again, I think some of the thicker slices still had moisture in them. I popped them back in the oven though and they crisped back up again.

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

1 c graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
4 Tbsp melted butter

2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
cherry pie filling

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Line muffin cups with liners. Makes about 15 cakes.

To make crust, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until well combined. Divide the mixture among the liners and press down. Bake for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile (with a handheld or standup mixer) beat the cream cheese with sugar. Add the eggs one at a time mixing between each egg. Add vanilla, salt, and yogurt until smooth. Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust completely filling the cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops begin to crack. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover them or place them in a container and refrigerate for a few hours. Spoon cherry pie filling onto the cheesecakes before serving. 

Coconut Dream Bars

This is a simple yet delicious dessert that lives up to its name.

Ingredients:
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of butter, melted
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
2 c. coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 in. pan with parchment paper.

Combine the melted butter and cracker crumbs. Pour them into the pan and pack down. Mix together the chips and coconut and sprinkle over the crust. Next, pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan before cutting.

Apple Pie

Months ago I went to an orchard and made so many apple recipes with the fresh apples that I hand picked. I decided to make a pie, but I wanted to save it for later. I froze the unbaked pie and recently baked it so now I get to enjoy apple pie in January with the same fresh apples picked in the fall.

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Stars!

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter
5-7 Tbsp ice cold water
6 c. thinly sliced, peeled apples
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Recipe:
Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter and shortening until you get coarse crumbles. Add the water a tablespoon at a time until the mixture clings together. Press into a ball and divide the dough in half. Shape each into a 1/2 in. thick round, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 10-15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the apples with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Roll out one dough round to fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Fill with the apple mixture and roll out the other dough round to place over filling. Trim and flute the crust edges.

Cut several slits near the center to let steam escape. I cut out leaves and overlaid them on the holes.
Bake 45-50 minutes.

*I froze the unbaked pie and it kept for several months. Just make sure to wrap it tightly before freezing. Bake frozen pie at 475 degrees F. for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 45 minutes longer.