My New Favorite GO TO Appetizer Recipe!!

Compliments of my good friend Cindy!

 

COWBOY CAVIAR

1- 15 OZ CAN BLACK BEANS DRAINED AND RINSED

1-11 OZ CAN SHOEPEG CORN DRAINED

1 AVOCADO DICED

1 LARGE TOMATOE DICED

2/3 CUP GREEN ONIONS THINLY SLICED
(USE SOME OF THE GREEN TOPS)

2/3 CUP FRESH CILANTRO CHOPPED

1- 4OZ CAN CHOPPED BLACK OLIVES (IF DESIRED)

Toss all of the above in a medium sized bowl until well combined.

Dressing-

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp minced Garlic

3/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

Pour Dressing over the contents of the bowl and mix well.

Chill at least 4 hours before serving.

*I have even left the Cilantro out and it's still Yummy!

Some people just plain don't like the taste*

Serve with Blue Tortilla Chips or Regular ones.

Happy Halloween!

Wow! Did October fly fast or what?! It's Halloween today....one of my favorites days of the year. When I was married we lived on a corner lot and had anywhere from 120-175 kids every year! Sure kept me hopping but I loved it! Seeing all the little kids dressed up so darling was so much fun. Everytime the doorbell rang our Lab Willie thought they were sure to be there to play with him! He would always pick up his ball and wag his tail patiently waiting.....

I have always spoiled the "Boys" at work with "Treats" on Halloween and as it worked out today is my 1 Sunday a month to work! I tried something new this year...Candy Corn Cookies! Aren't they frickin cute?

I got the Recipe from "Taste of Home" Magazine. Here it is......

30 Servings

Prep: 20 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Yellow and orange paste food coloring

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Divide dough in half. Tint one portion yellow. Divide remaining dough into two-thirds and one-third portions. Color the larger portion orange; leave smaller portion white.
• Shape each portion of dough into two 8-in. logs. Flatten top and push sides in at a slight angle. Place orange logs on yellow logs; push the sides in at a slight angle. Top with white logs; form a rounded top. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 4 hours or until firm.
• Unwrap and cut into 1/2-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 165 calories, 9 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 174 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Our Plant Manager is allergic to butter of all things, so I substituted Margerine instead and  sprinkled a little extra sugar on top before baking. Now they are calling Me Julia Child! They think I totally outdid my self with these. LOL If they only knew how easy they were......but I'm keepin tight Lips on that!

I hope everyone has a Super Halloween Day. I can't wait to go home and take in a spooky movie after work!

Ta Ta for Now.....

The BEST Pumpkin Bread there EVER was

So I had a little mishap today....

seems somebody threw away the rotten Bananas I had stored in the freezer.

So instead of Banana Bread, Miss Shelby and I whipped up a batch of my all time

FAV Pumpkin Bread. I always add some semi/sweet choc chips to one loaf as it IS yummy too.

Let it sit overnight wrapped in plastic wrap and OH! You have the moistest bread ever!
Here's the recipe I have used for years.......It's out of Family Fun Magazine.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

 

See larger photo

• Any way you slice it, this pumpkin spice bread won't last long once your kids sample it. That's why this recipe makes two loaves.

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. ground cloves

X

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, water, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat until well mixed.
2. Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and ground cloves into separate bowl, then stir until combined (a great job for kids). Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth.
3. Grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans and dust them with flour. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove from pans by inverting them onto a rack and tapping the bottoms. Slice and serve plain, buttered or with cream cheese.

Breakfast anyone?

Overnight Blueberry French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

French Toast:

•12 slices bread, cut into cubes (french or Texas toast work well)

•1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut in cubes

•1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

•12 large eggs

•1/3 cup maple syrup

•2 cups milk (I use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream)

Syrup:

•1 cup sugar

•1 cup water

•2 Tablespoons cornstarch

•1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

•1 Tablespoon butter

1.Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

2.Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.

3.Top with remaining bread cubes.

4.Mix together eggs, milk, and syrup.

5.Pour over bread cubes and cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.

6.Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with sauce. Serves 8.

Sauce: Cook water, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. Stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve over the french toast.


This is the "BOMB" :-) I hope you give it a try!

Photo and recipe from real mom kitchen

Almond Soapapilla Cheesecake Bars

These bars are FANTABULOUS (Is that a word?!)

I know you can't possibly eat just one :-)

Almond Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

2 packages crescent rolls

1 ½ cups sugar, divided

2 tsp almond extract

1 stick butter, melted

2 tsp cinnamon



1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and then line the bottom of the pan with one pkg of crescent rolls.

3. Pre-bake the bottom layer of crescent rolls for approximately 10 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bottom layer of crescents cool while you are making the cream cheese mixture.

5. Mix 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and 2 tsp of almond extract.

6. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the pre-baked (somewhat cooled) crescent rolls.

7. Cover the cream cheese mixture with the other package of crescent rolls.

8. Melt the butter and pour it over the top layer of crescent rolls.

9. Mix the remaining ½ cup of sugar with the 2 tsp of cinnamon and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top of the butter-covered crescent rolls.

10. Bake @ 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cinnamon sugar/butter mixture becomes bubbly.

11. Remove sopapilla bars from the oven and let cool.

12. When cool enough to handle, cover and put in the refrigerator so the filling can firm up.

13. Store bars in the refrigerator, but the bars taste best at room temperature.

14. Cut into squares to serve.