Hors d'oeuvres

Here are a few hors d'oeuvres I served at my neighborhood book club.
They are always a hit! 

Hot Artichoke & Chili Dip
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 (12 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl until
smooth (I used my mixer).
3. Stir in the green chilies, cheese, artichokes and spinach.
4. Spoon the mixture into a baking dish.  (I topped w/more cheese)
3. Bake in preheated oven until slightly browned, about 30 min.


Britney's Bacon Tortilla Spins
1 pkg. 10-12 flour tortillas (not the huge wrap ones, but med. ones)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 pkg. bacon cooked crispy and crumbled or chopped small
3-4 small/medium roma tomatoes, diced small
2-3 stalks of green onion, chopped small

1. Let the tortillas and cream cheese sit to room temperature.
It makes the cream cheeseeasier to spread and the tortillas easier
to fold and wrap.
2. Mix bacon, tomatoes and green onion together in a small bowl.
3. Spread entire tortilla with a layer of cream cheese. Sprinkle
1-2 Tbs. of bacon mixture in a line down tortilla -- Do it off
center about 1/3 of the way into the circle)
4 Roll up and cut into bite size sections.

I wish I had pictures of these good treats but I forgot to take
some -- I guess you'll just have to trust me & try them!

Fudgy Peanut Butter Mousse Cups

This recipe won a holiday cookie contest in the Cook's Country magazine. They take some time to make but definitely worth it!

INGREDIENTS

1 (17.5 oz) package sugar cookie mix

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine

2 Tbsp. flour

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 cup peanut butter

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips

PREPARATION

1. Toast pecans on a cookie sheet (I did 350 for about 5-8 minutes). Chop.

2. Grease 12 cup mini muffin tin. Combine cookie mix, pecans, and flour in a bowl. Slowly stir in butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Press 1 Tbsp. cookie mixture into bottom and sides of each muffin cup. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in tin, then turn out cookies. Repeat with remaing dough.

3. With electric mixer on medium high speed, beat 1 cup cream to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. In another bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream.

4. Microwave chocolate and remaining cream in small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour 1/2 tsp chocolate mixture into each cookie cup, then fill the cups with 1 Tbsp peanut butter mixture. Drizzle remaining chocolate evenly over cookies and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (I put the chocolate mixture into a small ziploc bag and cut off a little on one of the bottom corners to make it easy for filling the cookie cups and drizzling on top.)

Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 cups oats

PREPARATION
Mix and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. I like to add chocolate chips or dried cranberries (so yummy!).

Chicken Cajun Pasta

This is one of my favorite pastas, it has great flavor!

INGREDIENTS
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced yellow squash
2 Tbsp. flour
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk
15 fresh basil leaves, finely minced
8 ounces penne or bow tie pasta, cooked, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley

PROCEDURE
1. Toss chicken in 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until nearly done, about 5 minutes. Add pepper, mushroom, onion and squash; cover and cook 5 minutes more.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour with remaining 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning, garlic, pepper and milk. Add flour mixture to chicken. Add basil. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, and cook 4 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. (If sauce is too thick, thin with hot water.)
3. Toss pasta and cheese with sauce. Garnish with parsley. Serves 6.

Edamame with Pork and Tomatoes

Matt got this recipe from the "Dining In" section of the New York Times. It's so simple, but really good. We get the frozen edamame at Costco. I've seen it at Wal-Mart too.

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion or 3 scallions, chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, oregano or marjoram or 1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (canned are fine, drained or not)

2 cups edamame, fresh or frozen and thawed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped parsley

1. Put oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add pork chunks. Cook, stirring, until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Halfway through, add herb and continue to cook.

2. Add tomato and cook at a gentle bubble until tomatoes begin to break apart, about 10 minutes. Stir in edamame and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until edamame are tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, stir in parsley, and serve.

Texas Sheet Cake

My friend Shauna requested this recipe so I thought I'd post it here. This is the cake we make for Cord's birthday every year -- it is so easy and so, so good! (the picture is from Stormy's blog)


Bring to boil:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
4 Tbs coco powder

In a large mixing bowl combine:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

Pour the chocolate mixture over the flour & sugar and mix.

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda dissolved in 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

When the batter is smooth pour into a greased jelly roll pan and bake for 25-30 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Icing
1/2 cup butter
6 Tbs milk
4 Tbs coco powder
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a sauce pan melt the butter with the milk and simmer. Add the coco powder & powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. Cool slightly and pour on the cake. When the frosting has set the cake is ready to enjoy!

m&m Popcorn balls

Lily made these for her class today. Here is the recipe in case you would like to make these tasty treats:

2 quarts popped popcorn
10 pkg large marshmallows
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 cup m&m's

1. Put the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan melt the marshmallows with the butter & brown sugar.
3. Pour the melted mixture on top of the popcorn and stir.
4. Add the m&m's
5. Butter your hands and for the popcorn into balls
6. Share with your friends!

Ina's Lemon Cake

I love this lemon cake. The lemon syrup makes it so moist and gives it extra zing. This cake is divine when served with fresh raspberries! This recipe make 2 8-inch loaves.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound butter @ room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs @ room temp.
1/3 cup grated lemon zest
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk @ room temp.
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease & flour two loaf pans (or use cooking spray).

Cream butter & 2 cups of the sugar for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In another bowl combine 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.

When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a rack set over a cookie sheet, and spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes. Allow to cool completely.

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3/ 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

Combine sugar & lemon juice and mix with a whisk until smooth. Pour over tops of cakes and let drizzle down the sides

Suprise Cake

I know that the "Udall" girls already have this recipe but this is for any of you who don't. Symonie introduced me to this cake -- I guess you could say that Matt actually was the one. It is super easy and I have to say that I love, love, love the topping. My kids request this cake all the time & my book club LOVED it.

1 chocolate cake mix, prepared as box directs
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips
dash of salt

Prepare the cake mix and pour the batter in a greased & floured 9x13 pan.

Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, egg & salt. Add the chocolate chips.

Drop the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls onto the cake mix. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Topping
1 small box vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 container Cool Whip ( 8 0z)

Mix the pudding and milk together then fold in Cool Whip. Spread on cake only when the cake is cool.