Jalapeno Popper Dip

I made this for Lucas's families Christmas Eve party, and it was a huge hit!! Everyone LOVED it! I have made it before for my family also, and the reaction was exactly the same. I am pretty sure you can't go wrong with one! It is a crowd pleaser for sure!

*I haven't gotten a picture of this yet, but I am making it again for New Years Eve so I will try to snap one before it gets eaten! No guarantees though! :)

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Recipe Courtesy of americanfood.about.com


Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temp
1 C mayonnaise
1 C shredded Mexican blend cheese (half jack, half cheddar cheese)
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 (4oz.) can chopped green chilies
1 (4oz.) can diced jalapenos
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 C panko bread crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:
In a food processor, add first 6 ingredients and mix until smooth. Do not drain either of the cans of peppers. Spread the dip into a 2 qt casserole dish, or a 9x13 pan. In a bowl, mix panko, butter and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the dip. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbly. Served with bite sized pieces of french bread or buttery crackers. Enjoy!!

Baked Potato Soup

We had this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! Lucas said it is one of his favorite soups of all time. And the best part is that it was so easy to put together!

Baked Potato Soup

from  http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!} 

Combine everything in pot and bring to a boil. Add cream cheese and let melt. We added some bacon to ours, and you could also do cheese, sour cream, green onions, or whatever suits your fancy! Enjoy!!

Frog Eye Salad

Sorry about the lack of recipes for the past few months! We found out we are having baby #2, which we are so excited about! But as a result of this new babe,  I have lost my desire to cook, poor Lucas. :) Good things these babes are worth it! 

I did manage to make this frog eye salad for our family Halloween party this year though, and I had a few requests for the recipe. It is so easy and yummy! It always reminds me of my Aunt Vicky- this was her signature dish she would bring to all our family get-togethers when I was growing up. 

Photo Courtesy of foodsnots.com

Frog Eye Salad

1 C Sugar

2 Tbsp Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

3 Egg Yolks, beaten

1 3/4 C Acini Pepe (Italian pasta in macaroni section of store)

2- 11 oz. Cans Mandarin Oranges

1- 13 oz Can Crushed Pineapple

1/2 - 1 C Mini Marshmallows

2 Bananas, sliced

1- 16 oz Cool Whip

Add Acini to 2 qt. boiling water and boil for 8-10 minutes until tender. Strain and let cool. Drain pineapple and reserve the juice. Add water to the pineapple juice to make 1 3/4 C liquid. Combine pineapple juice, sugar, flour, salt, and egg yolks and boil on medium heat until thick. Add acini to this mixture and let set in the refrigerator at least 3 hours, if not overnight. When completely cool, add oranges, pineapple, banana, marshmallows and cool whip. Fold together and serve. Enjoy!!

Healthy Brownies??

Yep! You heard me right! As far as I can tell, these brownies are gluten free and pretty diabetic friendly. I usually cringe at the thought of making a delicious dessert "healthy," but these were great! The ingredients aren't things that I usually have on hand, but I could get them all at walmart, so they are pretty available. 

1 C dark chocolate chips (if you want to use a bar, it's about 6 ounces)
½ cup coconut milk (either canned, or I used some from "silk" that I got by the milk)
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups almond flour (got in the gluten free section at walmart)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened dried dates 

White chocolate chips (optional

Blend dates and coconut milk in blender until dates are broken up in small pieces. Melt dark chocolate chips and coconut milk mixture in a small saucepan over very low heat. When chocolate is completely melted, remove saucepan from heat. Stir eggs into saucepan containing chocolate/coconut milk mixture. Next, stir in almond flour, salt and baking soda. Grease an 8x8 baking dish

with oil of your choice. Pour batter into baking dish, then sprinkle with white chocolate chips over batter. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cool and serve.  Enjoy!