Halloween 7 Layer Dip

Bean Layer:

• 2 can(s) (16 oz each) lowfat refried black or pinto beans
• 1/4 cup(s) chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoon(s) lime juice
• 1 tablespoon(s) hot Mexican chili powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) minced garlic
• 3 large plum tomatoes, sliced

Middle Layer:

• 1 1/2 cup(s) thick and chunky salsa
• 1 cup(s) (4 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend

Guacamole Layer:

• 4  ripe Hass avocados
• 3 tablespoon(s) lime juice
• 2 tablespoon(s) minced red onion
• 2 large jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt

Web:

• 1 cup(s) reduced fat sour cream
• Decoration: a clean plastic toy spider
• Serve with: blue, yellow, red corn tortilla chips

Directions

1. Make Bean Layer: Scrape the mixture onto a 12- to 14-in. round serving plate and smooth into a 10-in. circle with a spatula. Arrange tomato slices around edge of bean layer to make a border.
2. Make Middle Layer: Drain salsa in a strainer to get rid of excess juice. Spread over bean mixture, leaving some of the bean layer showing around the edge. Sprinkle cheese over salsa, leaving some of the salsa layer showing.
3. Make Guacamole Layer: Halve avocados; remove seeds and spoon flesh into a medium bowl. Add lime juice, onion, jalapeños and salt, and mash until fairly smooth. Spoon over cheese layer and spread into an even layer.
4. Make Web: Place sour cream in a ziptop bag; seal bag and snip a small tip off one corner. Pipe a spiderweb design over guacamole and onto the plate. Decorate with toy spider. Serve with tortilla chips.

cupcakes to die forT

Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Cream Filling and Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Make your favorite chocolate cupcakes or prepare purchased cake mix. Let cupcakes cool.

Creme Filling

1 – 7 oz container marshmallow cream

1/2 cup softened butter

1/3 cup powder sugar

1 tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon salt

With electric mixer beat ingredients together until fluffy. Add in a few drops of red food coloring if you like pink filling like we do!

Attach a large tip to pastry bag and fill with cream. Insert tip into cupcake and fill until cupcake slightly expands.

Ganache Frosting

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream (must be heavy cream — half and half will not work)

Place chocolate chips into a bowl and pour cream over the top. Heat in microwave until chips are soft.  Allow mixture to sit a minute to continue melting the chips. Stir well. Let mixture come to room temperature.  With electric mixer beat until fluffy. Fill pastry bag with large star tip and pipe onto cupcakes.

Enough frosting and filling for 12-15 cupcakes depending on your frosting and filling style.

Enjoy!

Thank you  http://www.sweetbakingsupply.com/blog/2010/07/cream-filled-chocolate-cupcakes-with-chocolate-ganache-frosting/

Worth a repeat, again Worth a repeat..

Everything in this bacon-spiced,tummy-warming one-dish dinner can be made ahead and reheated. Serve it in a wide shallow bowl with a big spoon and a fork. This is the recipe I served at my V.T. Dinner, you might want to double the recipe because it is that good.

Corn Chowder:

8 strips bacon, thickly slice

1 Lg. yellow Onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 c. fresh corn (cut off the cob) I used frozen corn

2 Lg. carrots, 1/2 inch slices

1 14-oz. can creamed corn

3 c. milk

1/3 c. heavy cream

1/4 to 1/2 t. red pepper flakes to taste

1/4 t. ground sage

3 T. chopped chives- save for garnish

Scallops:

2 lbs. sea scallops 3 to 4 per serving

1/4 canola oil

salt and pepper

In a large heavy saucepan, slowly cookbacon until very crisp, drain on paper towels, cut with scissors into 1" pieces and set aside. Pour off all but 1T. bacon fat. Put onion and celery into bacon fat & cook over med. heat till softened about 10 min. Stir in corn,carrots, creamed corn & mild. Simmer gently for about 25 min., stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender. Mean while make 1/2 recipe for Mashed Buttermilk Potatoes, (recipe to follow) To milk & corn mixture add cream, red pepper flakes, sage & half the reserved bacon pieces. Stir & Keep warm while you make the Scallops.

Scallops:) Rinse off scallops & dry well. Heat oil in Lg. skillet to med hot. In batches (do not crowd or you won't get color) Saute scallops 1 1/2 min, each side til very golden. (if overcooked, they will be tough & dry :(

Salt and Pepper them.

To Serve: Put a scoop ofmashed potatoes in the center of each shallow bowl & ladle chowder around potatoes. Top each w/ 3 or 4 scallops & garnish each dish w/reserved bacon & chives. Salt andpepper to taste.

Mashed Buttermilk Potatoes:) or just use your own recipe.

5 med. baking potatoes peeled andhalved

5 whole cloves garlic, peeled

3/4 c. buttermilk

1/2 minced parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Drop potatoes & garlic into a lg. pot of boiling water & cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain & mash potatoes & garlic together with remaining ingred.

Enjoy a autumn dinner that will rock your socks off! (have I sold you yet)

This Patty Melt will Melt your Heart..and make you Smile..

Ingredients

• 1 stick Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, Halved And Sliced
• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 5 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• 8 slices Swiss Cheese
• 8 slices Rye Bread

Preparation Instructions

In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Throw in the sliced onions and cook slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and soft.

In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, salt & pepper, and Worcestershire. Form into 4 patties.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties on both sides until totally done in the middle.

Assemble patty melts this way: Slice of bread, slice of cheese, hamburger patty, 1/4 of the cooked onions, another slice of cheese, and another slice of bread. On a clean griddle or in a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and grill the sandwiches over medium heat until golden brown. Remove the sandwiches and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Turn the sandwiches to the skillet, flipping them to the other side. Cook until golden brown and crisp, and until cheese is melted.

Slice in half and serve immediately!

If you love Patty Melts like I love Patty Melts, you are going to thank me for posting this recipe from the Pioneer women..she knows what she's doing and you can trust me when I say..this is YUMMY for your TUMMY..

Greek Yogurt Frozen Blueberries

Yummy For my Tummy and Healthy too..
Here you go..your welcome!

Rice Krispy Squares with a twist..

If you love Rice Krispy Squares you'll love this recipe:
you don't even have to be a coconut fan..

all you do is replace the butter to coconut oil and it gives it a  different taste..a bit creamer  texture.
Josh doesn't like the taste of coconut and when he tasted one, he said "what is different" to which I replied "different good or bad?" Good he said ..success, I didn't tell him my secret ingredient.
I have purchased my coconut oil at amazon but now buy it at trader joes, but look in any health food store and you should have no problem finding it, I buy 2 bottles because I use one for cooking and one as a moisturizer, make up remover, massage oil, foot cream, I love this stuff, it smell wonderful and it makes your skin soft..So go buy two, you'll be happy you did, you can  replace any recipe with butter or oil for coconut oil,  even frying with it..just experiment with different recipes.  ENJOY!


3 T. Coconut Oil
1 Package (10oz, about 40) regular marshmallows, or 4 cups miniature marshmallows.
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Melt coconut oil and Marshmallows on low heat, Stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Mix in Rice Krispies cereal, Stir until well coated
Spread the mixture using a buttered spatula or waxed paper evenly into a 13x9x2 pan coated with cooking spray.
Cut into 2 inch squares when cool
Best if served the same day or store in air tight container for 2 days. 

Quick and Easy Spicy Orange Chicken..Love me some orange chicken..so refreshing and good!

Quick and Easy Spicy Orange Chicken

makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 oranges)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. finely grated orange peel
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small red onion (or 2 shallots), thinly sliced
a large pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lbs. chicken cutlets or chicken breasts, thinly cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips
salt and pepper to taste
1 8 oz. package of snow peas or stringless sugar snap peas

Instructions

1. Prepare rice according to the package directions. Set aside, cover, and keep warm until serving.

2. In the meantime, whisk the orange juice, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), and cornstarch in a medium bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add the orange peel and mix.

3. Heat the canola oil over high heat in a large non-stick skillet or wok. Add onion (or shallots) and crushed red pepper. Stir fry for 1 minute.

4. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet or wok and stir fry until the onion is crisp-tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Add snow peas (or sugar snap peas) and the orange juice/cornstarch mixture.

5. Toss until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil and the peas are crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with rice.