January 2011

Don’t be afraid of this dip!  I know it sounds strange but that’s the beauty of it!  The strange ingredients when mixed together become amazingly delicious!  Serve this with raw veggies!  You should make this dip at least the night before your party…better yet – make it at the beginning of the week and you’ll have at least 1 thing off your “to do” list at party time!

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese, softened
8 ounces Catalina dressing
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbl. chopped parsley
1 tbl. horseradish

Blend all ingredients with a fork.  Refrigerate at least overnight.

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Do you have a houseful of guests in the morning?  Don’t spend your time making omelets to order!  This wonderfully quick and spicy egg dish will satisfy all of your guests…even those with a hangover!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 small can green chilis, drained
12 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a casserole dish.  (I use a square one.)

Sprinkle casserole dish with cheese. Make sure tomatoes and chilis are drained and spread on top of cheese.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and milk together.  Pour over the tomatoes and chilis.  Bake for 30 minutes to an hour.  The eggs will slightly brown and spring away from sides of casserole dish.

Cut into squares and serve as breakfast appetizers or as the main feature of your breakfast!

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When you are making the chicken enchiladas or stuffed pablano peppers, you almost always have some extra red sauce from those recipes. Here is a wonderful, quick and delicious appetizer you can make for your next fiesta!  The tamale balls can be made ahead and frozen – a great timesaver when you’re stressed out in full blown party execution mode!
You’ll want to use cornbread that you bake in this recipe.  Don’t use boxed cornbread or dressing mix!  Just quickly bake one of those envelopes of cornbread you find in the baking section.  Hey — better yet…bake  a large batch of cornbread, crumble it and save it in your freezer!  Be sure to take a look at my “Grandma’s Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread” recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups crumbled cornbread
10 oz. enchilada sauce (use canned or use the red sauce from your chicken enchiladas!)
½ tsp. garlic salt
8 oz. tomato sauce
4 oz. Monterrey Jack or Fiesta Blend shredded cheese
1 ½ lb. ground beef

1.    Cook the ground beef.  Salt and pepper to taste.

2.    Preheat oven to 350.

3.    Combine cornbread, ½ of the enchilada sauce, garlic salt and ground beef.  Shape into 1 inch balls.

4.    Place in shallow baking pan and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes until done.

5.    Meantime, in a saucepan, heat tomato sauce and remaining enchilada sauce.  Pour over meatballs in chafing dish and top with shredded cheese.   Melt cheese under a broiler if you need to.

6.    Serve on wooden picks.

This makes about 80 tamale balls

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When I’m hosting larger parties and there could be guests I don’t know that well, I always like to make sure to have a fresh veggie tray on hand.  You never know when that vegetarian will show up when you’re cooking venison steaks!  This dip is really easy to make and it’s best to make ahead to allow the flavors to meld.  You can substitute fresh herbs and onion if you’d like – but be sure to make well ahead if you do.

Makes:  1 ¼ cups

Ingredients:

•    1 cup mayonnaise
•    2 tsp. tarragon vinegar
•    1 tsp. salt
•    1/8 tsp. ground thyme
•    ½ tsp. curry powder
•    2 tbl. Chili sauce
•    1 tbl. Chopped chives
•    2 tbl. Minced onions

Combine all ingredients, blending well.  Refrigerate for at least a few hours and overnight if possible.

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Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Another favorite!  Remember the chicken and sauce for the chicken enchiladas?  We’ll do the same thing but the stuffing will be a little different and we’re stuffing peppers, not tortillas! Sometimes I change this recipe up a little by taking the stuffed poblano peppers and dredging them in egg and flour and bread crumbs and […]

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Tamie’s Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is an absolute favorite of family and friends!  A really cool thing about this recipe is that the filling and sauce for the enchiladas is the same filling and sauce for my stuffed poblano peppers!  Many times when I cook this recipe I double it – and take half the chicken and sauce […]

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Mamaw Kahanek’s Christmas Cookies

I am transcribing this recipe from a handwritten note from my (now) 95 year old grandmother. She no longer lives in her own home and she no longer cooks.  But I will always remember my grandmother for her cookies.  Even when I was grown, I felt like “Little Red Riding Hood” when I left her […]

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Ritz Chocolate Topped Toffee Cracker

These delicious Ritz crackers topped with rich choclate toffee give the perfect balance of sweet and savory and are very easy to make. Ingredients: 1 sleeve Ritz crackers 3/4 cup pecans finely chopped Additional 1/4 cup pecans finely chopped – set aside 16 tablespoons butter 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 […]

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Easy Caesar Salad Dressing

You may as well have this recipe printed out for all of your guests when you serve this at your next dinner party!  It’s so delicious and so easy to make – and there’s no raw eggs involved but it’s just as tasty!  I highly recommend making a double batch because it keeps for weeks […]

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4 Quick Practical Tips When Home Buying

When choosing a house, be careful to choose one that your family can make a “home.”  After all; “A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” unknown There are many beautifully decorated, impressive floor plans out there but not every decorating style or floor plan will suit […]

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