Easiest and Best Homemade Salsa!

I love this salsa so much, I make it almost weekly! The best part is, I usually have everything on hand, except the jalapeno, and they're only 5 cents a piece! =) I got the recipe here

Ingredients:

2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 -1 jalapeno, seeded ( 1/2 will give you a mild salsa, and 1 medium)
1 small yellow onion, quartered (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp  sugar
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp lime juice (I just use a packet of crystalized lime by True Lime)

Directions:
1. Place all of the ingredients together into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

African Peanut Stew

African Peanut Stew...

1 lb. beef cut into small pieces
1 green pepper
2 lg. tomatoes (blanch and chop fine)
3/4 can tomato paste
1/4 tsp garlic
1 small onion
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 c. peanut butter 
whole peanuts if desired

Cut beef, pepper, onion and garlic into small pieces. Brown meat, add onion, garlic and then add peppers, tomatoes, paste and water.
Simmer for 20 minutes. Add peanut butter, simmer 20 min. Thicken with flour (if necessarey) to make gravy consistency. You can add whole peanuts as well if you want. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

This dip is incredible!!

For extra fun, you Have to serve it in a pumpkin! =)

Make it!  (recipe from: iheartnaptime.net)

Ingredients:

2 (8oz blocks) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup cool whip, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl mix cream cheese with a beater.  Add powdered sugar and sugar, then beat until smooth and fluffy. Fold in pumpkin puree, cool whip, pumpkin pie spice, all spice and cinnamon. Stir until smooth.

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Optional toppings: salted caramel, chopped pecans or whipped cream.

Serve with pretzel crisps, graham crackers, gingersnaps or apples.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

These are my favorite apple thing I've made so far. They are sooo good!   The recipe is here

A layer of shortbread, a layer of spiced apples, a layer of streussel topping... and then Salted Caramel Sauce.  Oh yeah...

All drizzled and ready to cut

YUM

Here you can see the layers.

Sweet, salty, crunchy, deliciousness!

Salted Caramel Sauce

Salted Caramel Sauce.   This may be the most amazing thing I have ever come across.

Easy to make, four ingredients... and the possible uses are endless!   I found the recipe here:

Get your ingredients, make this and EAT IT!!

Liquid. Gold.

I originally made it for a recipe, but it is good on: a spoon, ice cream, apples, banana bread... anything really!   I'm going to try it on cupcakes soon...

It hardens a little on ice cream and is sooo awesome!

Homemade Kettle Corn!

So, I'm a little behind the times, but I Just made my first stove top popcorn!   I decided to try out this recipe for homemade kettle corn!  (from pbs.org)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn and sugar. Give the kernels a quick stir and then cover with a lid.
2. Once the popcorn starts popping, carefully pick the pot up and give it a quick shake every few seconds until the popping slows down, between 3-4 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and pour the kettle corn into a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Do not make the mistake of removing the pot from heat without transferring to a bowl. Due to the high heat of the pot, if you don’t transfer the popcorn it will caramelize and perhaps burn.

SO GOOD!!!

Go make some and eat it now! =)

Meatball Sub on a Stick

You may have heard about these or seen them on Facebook.   I think it's a genius idea and I decided to try it while Mom and Jeff were here:

I found the recipe here, but made a few changes of my own.  Instead of making the meatballs myself (who has time for that??) I bought the frozen Italian meatballs and thawed them before using.   I couldn't find the Pillsbury breadsticks, so I just used the pizza dough in a can and cut it into nine strips.   I also thought the dough needed a little "something", so I melted butter and added garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Season Salt and brushed that on before baking.   They were delicious!

Hint:  These are easier to assemble with two people.   Mom and I actually made them twice and perfected the process together =)

Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

Found on: creationsbykara.com

If you have ever had the biscuits at Red Lobster, you've probably wondered HOW they make them so amazing!!  I know I have!   I was Delighted to find this copycat recipe that is as good or better than the original.  I also love that it uses all "regular ingredients", nothing weird.

Our whole family LOVED these!   I will be making them again soon - I think they'd be fantastic with Any kind of soup!

Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (sharp is best)
1 cup milk

Garlic Butter Glaze:
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the shortening into the dry ingredients till shortening is about the size of peas. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Add the milk and stir lightly, till just barely combined. Don't overmix or the biscuits will be tough. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop to place balls of dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 425° for 13-15 minutes or till golden brown. Combine all glaze ingredients and whisk well. Brush over hot biscuits.

Crab (or Lobster) Rangoon Wontons

I've had these at several restaurants and Really liked them! It wasn't until quite recently that it occurred to me that maybe I could make my own!   I googled them and ended up watching this tutorial.  They are pretty easy!

Terrible picture - will replace when I get a better one =)

Ingredients:

1 pkg of cream cheese

Small package of imitation crab or lobster

Half a medium onion

Tablespoon of white sugar

Small wonton wrappers

One egg

Oil for frying

Directions:

Heat oil in a pan (it is ready when you flick a drop of water in and it spatters a bit - you don't want it too hot!)

Soften the cream cheese in the microwave.  Chop the onion as fine as you can and mix with the cream cheese. Add in the sugar - this takes the edge off the onion.   Chop up the lobster or crab into very small pieces and mix in.

Beat the egg in a small bowl and add 1 Tbsp of water to make an egg wash.

Using a brush, lightly cover All sides of a wonton wrapper with the egg wash (make sure you just have one wrapper, not two stuck together).

Place about 1 Tbsp of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of the wonton wrapper.  (The video shows you how to fold them the way I did, but you can really do whatever you want, just make sure all the edges are sealed).

Drop the filled wonton into the oil.   It should sink at first and then rise to the surface as it browns. Philip determined that two minutes is perfect.  (If it immediately floats and boils wildly and browns right away, it is too hot!)

Dip in duck sauce or sweet and sour sauce.

Makes about 20.

Enjoy!