Cowboy Caviar

I do not like avocado at all but for some reason I just love this dip. Enjoy!

2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 clove minced Garlic
1 to 2 tsp Hot Sauce
1/8 tsp Pepper

1 Medium sized avocado (peeled and diced) - you can add more if you like a lot of avocado
1 - 15oz can of black-eyed peas, drained
1 - 15oz can of corn, drained
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped fine
2/3 cup green onions, chopped
salt to taste

Mix red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, hot sauce, and pepper in a separate bowl.

Mix remaining ingredients, gently coat with oil mixture, and mix again. Dig in with tortilla chips, or add cabbage and eat as a salad or stuffed pitas or tortillas. (it might need some time in the fridge to allow the flavors to come out more)

Bread Dip

• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• 2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach ( 10 oz), thawed, drained and patted dry
• 1-2 cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
• 5-6 cloves minced garlic

Mix together and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. It usually gets a little golden and slightly bubbly. Server with baguettes, french or sourdough bread or even tortilla chips.

I got this delicious dip recipe from someone I used to work with. It is one of my favorites and is always a hit!

* You can use light mayo and sour cream and it turns out fine. I also usually only use a bag of Parmesan cheese and it is 1 1/2 cups and it still turns out the same.

Easy Layered Taco Bake

Ok, I know this isn't a Christmas candy post, but I wanted to share this because its SOOO good. Then if I ever loose my copy, I'll know its on the blog.

What You Need!
1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Mild Salsa

Make It!
HEAT oven to 400ºF.
PREPARE Dinner as directed on package. Cook meat with taco seasoning.
LAYER seasoned meat, Dinner and salsa in 8-inch square baking dish.
BAKE 20 min.

The Recipe came from Kraftfoods.com - Hope you like it! :)

Fruit Pizza

To make the crust mix together :

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup Crisco
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream butter, Crisco and sugar. Then add remaining ingredients. Press dough for crust into pizza pan and bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow crust to cool completely.

For the topping mix together:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 4 oz Cool Whip
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

When crust has completely cooled spread mixture on top. Then add fruits of your choice, some examples are :

• apples
• bananas
• kiwis
• strawberries
• blueberries
• raspberries
• peaches
• pears
• Mandarin oranges
• pineapple

Then brush glaze on top of fruit with a pastry brush

Glaze:

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Dash of salt

Mix well, cook and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes until thick. Let cool and spread on fruit.

Carmel Bars

My sister Jaime wanted me to post this yummy recipe.

Cream together:
1 cup softened butter
1/2 C plus 2 TBS Sugar
2 C Flour
Press into cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until light brown at 350 degrees.

Carmel layer:
1 C Butter
3/4 C Sugar
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 TBS Karo Syrup
Cook above ingredients on stove top until light brown - soft ball stage (240). Stir constantly or mixture will burn on the bottom of the pan.

Pour carmel over crust. Spread carefully. Sprinkle milk chocolate chips (about 1 Cup) over top of carmel. Let melt and then spread carefully over carmel. Let chocolate harden on the top before cutting. (I always stick mine outside or in the refrigerator to speed up the process.) Enjoy!

English Toffee

2 sticks butter
5 tbls. water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate

Melt butter in large pan- add water and sugar. When it boils, wipe down the sides and cover for 1 minute. Then continuously stir in the same direction until it becomes the color of a brown paper bag. Pour onto a buttered cookie sheet. Top with choocolate chips or grated chocolate. Before totally cooled, remove from cookie sheet and place on wax paper. Break in pieces to eat. Yummy.

Creamiest Fudge

3 cups sugar
1 pint cream
2 cubes butter
3 large Symphony bars ( you can also use the ones with toffee- yum!)

Put the sugar and cream in a large sauce pan on medium heat. Stir while cooking to a boil. Once at a boil- DO NOT STIR and let boil for 7 minutes. Then remove from heat and add the butter cut up in chunks. DO NOT STIR- wait until the butter melts. Meanwhile break up the Symphony bars into chunks in a large bowl and butter a 8 1/2 x 11 pan. Once butter has melted, pour mixture over the Symphony bars and beat for 7 minutes. Refrigerate. This tends to be a softer fudge, so for best results, I store it in the fridge and then just remove when we want to eat it! Super creamy and easy!