Author: Jill

1-2-3 Mexican Dip

My sister-in-law, Laurel, is one of the best cooks that I know. She introduced me to this fabulous dip as well as the cookbook that it came from. I am forever indebted! Not only is this one of the best and most unique Mexican layer dips that I’ve come across, it is also an amazing book! I highly recommend it for the newly weds in your life or anyone for that matter! This comes from Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford’s Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook.

1 can (16 oz.) refried beans – I prefer Taco Bell’s brand
1 1/2 cups medium salsa – Santa Fe chunky is my pick for the salsa
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. onion powder
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
1 cup (2 oz.) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 fresh jalapeño chile, cut into rounds (about 20)
Tortilla chips for serving

Combine the refried beans, 1/4 cup of the salsa, the chili powder, cumin, and oregano in a medium bowl. (I have substituted 3 tsp. taco seasoning for the seasonings in this step and it turns out great.) Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch round ceramic casserole dish (at least 2 inches deep) or an 8 by 8 glass baking dish.

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, red onion, cilantro, and onion powder in a small bowl. Spread over the top of the beans mixture.

Combine the bell pepper and the remaining 1 1/4 cups salsa in a small bowl. Gently spread over the sour cream mixture, being careful to not mix the layers.

Top with the cheese and jalapeño and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips
Serves: 10 to 12

The dip can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

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Chihuahuas

The good folks at the Sky-Vue Drive-In, in Lamesa, TX, came up with the brilliant concept of Chihuahuas. They are pure nostalgia and are legendary around here and they bring so many great memories to mind for many families who spent lots of fun summer nights out at the Sky-Vue! Sadly, the Drive-In is closed now, but luckily, these unique little sandwiches are easy to throw together. Have a movie night at home and make Chihuahuas! You’ll be glad you did!

What you need:

Corn tortillas
Vegetable oil for frying
Kosher salt
Prepared, seasoned taco meat
Price’s Pimento cheese spread
Fresh cabbage, shredded
Canned, whole jalapeños

Fry your tortillas in hot oil until they begin to stop sizzling in the grease and turn a pretty golden color. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Spread a thin layer of pimento cheese on one side of each fried corn tortilla. To each tortilla, add some taco meat, fresh cabbage, and top with another corn tortilla, pimento cheese side first. You are essentially making a sandwich!

Serve with hot peppers and lots of napkins! ….And prepare for greatness.

Make toy chihuahuas…..use a small circle cookie cutter and make little ones as appetizers. Set them out on a pretty platter at Christmas time. I bet you can’t make enough for the masses!

Ultimate Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

This drop cookie recipe is delicious and so amazing dipped in coffee! While I’m writing this, we are just 1 day away from Thanksgiving, so since Christmas is around the corner, make a batch and put in your freezer. They truly do make a great addition to a holiday cookie tray or would be great to take to your next cookie swap, as they make so many. Along with dipping in coffee, the complete opposite end of the spectrum is that they taste fantastic enjoyed straight out of the freezer too! You may need to make two batches for the freezer now that I’m thinking about it…

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour plus 2 T.
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips

Beat butter, peanut butter, and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. (I personally can’t bake on ungreased baking sheets… sticking scares me! My mama always taught me to “Pam my pan!”)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Yield: 5 dozen.

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Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe is perfect for a chilly fall night and I love that it is very simple to throw together, especially if it has been a long day! Your loved ones will be so happy with the smells coming from the kitchen. My friend, Nelda Harris, shared this soup recipe with me. She had many of us to her beautiful cabin in Ruidoso, NM for a watercolor art retreat. It was so much fun and she fed us the most delicious food as well! Thanks for the good memories, Nelda!

2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 pound boneless chicken, cut into bitesized cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10oz.) can mild Rotel
1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 T. A1 steak sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp.ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3/4 pound Mexican Velveeta cheese
Garnishes:
diced avocados
paprika
crushed tortilla chips

In a dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, and chicken in 2 T. hot oil. (Tip: add a little chicken fajita seasoning to the meat as it cooks to add extra flavor to the chicken.) Add the rest of the ingredients except the Velveeta, chips, avocado and paprika.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer. After 30 minutes to an hour, add the cheese; simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Serve the soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with diced avocado and a sprinkle of paprika.

Cheesy Sausage Manicotti

This Italian dish is a nice warm bowl of comfort in my book. The cheese is gooey, the sauce is creamy, and the sausage just makes it! Serve it with a salad and garlic toast. Yum! This recipe was adapted from The All New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook.

1 (8 oz.) pkg. uncooked Manicotti
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano, and basil
2-3 T. heavy cream
1 pound Italian sausage (I like to use Owen’s breakfast sausage in case some don’t like the fennel flavor in Italian sausage….turns out good!)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 cups (16 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley (no substitutions, just leave it out if you can’t find any.)

Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain. (I lay out sheets of foil on my counter to place the cooked pasta on to keep them separated. In my mind, it helps with them not sticking together.)

Process tomato sauce, tomatoes, and heavy cream in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.

Remove and discard casings from sausage if you are using Italian. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, if using.

Spoon into manicotti shells; arrange stuffed shells in a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish.

Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Assemble casserole and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer use 2 (11 by 7 inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

*This is a good dish to take to a friend in need, as well. Just add some garlic bread, a bag Caesar salad kit, and Key Lime Pie.


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Key Lime Pie

I’m being a little misleading here. This is actually a regular lime pie. We can also make it fancier by calling it a Persian Lime Pie. But seems to me, everyone loves to call these pies, key lime. It just rolls off the tongue nicely, don’t you think? We don’t have them sometimes in this small west Texas town, so regular limes are what I purchase. Persian Lime Pie, anyone?
Whatever you call it, I call it soooo good!

3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup Key Lime juice (I use regular limes.)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 (6-oz) ready-made graham cracker crust
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, lime slices

Whisk egg yolks until blended; whisk in lime juice. Add condensed milk, vanilla, and salt, whisking until blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack. Chill until ready to serve. Top pie with whipped cream and lime slices before serving.

MY SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM
1 small carton whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip until soft peaks form.
And yes, this can just be dessert on its own!

Yield: 8 servings

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*This makes a nice dessert to take to a friend in need as well. Pair it with Cheesy Sausage Manicotti, French bread, and a Caesar Salad kit.

Beef Stew over Potato Casserole

This recipe is Paula Deen’s Old-Time Beef Stew out of her Savannah Country Cookbook. My favorite way to serve it is to leave out the potatoes and pour it over her Potato Casserole. This is insanely delicious! Over the top madness and completely indulgent, when you feel like a major dose of comfort and utterly delicious craziness, go for it! Just do it! Prep your potatoes ahead of time and bake them during the last 25-30 minutes of the stew’s cook time.

2 pounds stew beef
2 T. vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
Dash of ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 red potatoes, quartered (leave out if serving with the Potato Casserole, recipe follows)
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 T. cornstarch

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, if using, and celery. Cover and cook 30 40 minutes longer or until tender.

To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly. (I generally do not have much cooking liquid left, so I skip the remove 2 cups liquid part and just mix the 1/4 cup water and cornstarch together and add to the meat.)

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Potato Casserole

This recipe is from Paula Deen’s Savannah Country Cookbook. This casserole has to be the Gran and Grandaddy and potato casserole of all potato casseroles! So good on its own to serve with a steak or amazing with Beef Stew poured over the top, everyone is sure to enjoy it!

*2 cups leftover mashed potatoes or 1 (4.7 oz.) pkg. Betty Crocker Creamy Butter instant mashed potatoes cooked to the packages directions.
*1/2 cup sour cream
*House Seasoning to taste (1 cup table salt, 1/4 cup black pepper, 1/4 cup garlic powder), I use a steak seasoning that has those same flavors such as, Bob Tallman’s Steak Dust
*1 small onion, sliced thin
*1 small bell pepper, sliced thin
*8 T. butter
*1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
*4 medium potatoes, cooked (I prefer red with the skins)
*6 slices bacon, cooked crisp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the bottom of a casserole dish. I use the whole package of instant potatoes, if using. Layer sour cream evenly over top. (Each time you add a layer, sprinkle on a little House Seasoning or your preferred steak seasoning.)

Sauté onion an bell pepper in butter; evenly layer over top of sour cream. Yes friends, pour that good flavored butter over the sour cream as well.

Next, layer with 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Slice potatoes and layer over cheese until top is completely covered with potatoes.

Finally, top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and crumble bacon over the top.

Chorizo Queso

My kiddos are really into chorizo right now. They think chorizo and egg burritos are the best things going, so these days, I have had a little of it stashed in the fridge for their cravings. Between having some on hand and being inspired by the Pioneer Woman’s recipe out of her new book, Come and Get It!, we enjoyed a nice warm bowl of queso on a chilly fall Sunday night. Pretty yummy and pretty good timing, if I do say so myself! Thanks Ree!

1 (9 oz.) pkg. fresh chorizo
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 packet Sazon Goya seasoning mix
2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 (10 oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 fresh tomatoes, diced

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the fresh chorizo, crumbling the sausage with a spoon as you go, about 5 minutes.

Add the diced onion, garlic, and Sazon seasoning packet. Cook, stirring occasionally another 3 to 4 minutes by Ree’s directions…. (I went longer because sometimes, er, most times…. chorizo puzzles me.) until the onion is starting to soften and the sausage is totally cooked.

Drain on paper towels, blotting the top as well. Add the chorizo mixture, Velveeta, Rotel, and milk back to your large skillet and melt on low stirring often.

When melted, add the fresh tomatoes before serving.

This can also be made in the slow cooker after you cook your meat. PW says to cook this on high in your crockpot for 45 minutes, stir, and cook another 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

I absolutely love the classic version of Broccoli Salad with the raisins and sunflower seeds. It just doesn’t get much better in my opinion. But…..this version has swapped out the raisins for the grapes, the sunflower seeds for the pecans, and added bow tie pasta and it is totally delicious! It’s fun for a change and pretty on the table. This recipe is in my Recipe Revival Cookbook by Southern Living.

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 (16 oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. table salt
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the pecans on a baking sheet 7 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli florets from the stems, and separate the florets into small pieces.

Whisk together the mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add the broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes; stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir the bacon and pecans into the salad just before serving.

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Crescent Breakfast Casserole

A super simple breakfast casserole, make this when you accidentally buy the sheet of crescent roll dough instead of the cutout rolls. You’ve done it, haven’t you? I know I have, more than once! Truth be known, this recipe is good enough to intentionally buy that sheet of crescents. Pop this in the oven quickly and enjoy your coffee!

1 pound bulk pork breakfast sausage
1 (8-count) can crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, mild works well too
6 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk

Brown the sausage in a skillet, stirring until crumbly; drain. Unroll the crescent roll dough. Place in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, stretching the dough to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer the sausage over the dough. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese. Beat the eggs, milk, and a little salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour over the layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set.

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