Sweet Corn Chip Dip

Sweet Corn Chip Dip
2 packages cream cheese
2 cans diced green chiles
1 large bag frozen sweet petite white corn
1/2 stick of butter
salt & pepper to taste

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Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Microwave until corn is cooked through and stir. Serve while warm with chips.

3 Bean Chip Dip

A friend brought this to work one day and I was instantly hooked!

4 cans Pork and Beans
1 can kidney beans, drained
2 cans black beans, drained
1 package little smokies, cut into pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 ketchup
1/4 cup mustard
1/8 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
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Fry onion, green pepper and smokies in a pan until the onion is tender. Put it all together in the crock pot. Add the brown sugar until it is as sweet as you want it. (We just did 1/8 cup.)

Heat up until warm. Serve with chips

Valentine's Chex Mix

 

Valentine's Chex Mix

4-1/2 cups Rice Chex Cereal

1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 Tbsp. butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup red, pink & white M&M's

2 Tbsp. red or pink sprinkles

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Microwave vanilla chips, peanut butter and butter, until melted. Be sure to stir every 30 seconds. This will take 1 to 1-1/2 minutes.

 

Pour cereal into a large bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal and stir until evenly coated. Remove half of the cereal mixture to a large, resealable bag. Pour in powdered sugar. Close bag and shake until cereal is evenly coated. Spread onto tinfoil or wax paper until cooled, about 15 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, stir candies and sprinkles into remaining cereal mixture. Spread out on tinfoil or wax paper until cooled, about 15 minutes.

 

After both mixtures are cooled, stir all back together in a large serving bowl.

Monster Mash Bites

I wasn't going to include these in my Halloween dinner because they didn't look Halloweeny enough, but the recipe looked so good, I decided to do them anyways. They were DELISH!

Monster Mash Bites
4 cups instant mashed potatoes, cooled
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. chopped chives
3-6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumpled
6 eggs
1-3/4 cups plain bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
2 tsp. dry ranch dressing mix
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In large bowl, mix mashed potatoes, cheese, 2 Tbsp. chives, bacon and 1 of the eggs until blended. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls.

In shallow bowl, place bread crumbs. In another bowl, beat remaining 5 eggs. Coat potato balls with bread crumbs, then dip into eggs and coat again with bread crumbs.

In deep fryer, heat 2 inches oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, in batches, in hot oil 1 minutes to 1-1/2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

In small bowl, mix sour cream, 2 Tbsp. chives and the dressing mix. Serve warm potato bites with sauce.

7 Layer Jello

This jello could be made for any occasion in any color variety, but this time I decided to make it in red for Valentine's Day. I used Raspberry and Strawberry jello in mine. Then I used some heart shaped cookie cutters to cut it out. I LOVE how it turned out. You could also do more or less layers as desired. The website where I found the recipe did a 5 layer jello and it was just as cute.

7 Layer Jello
4 pkg. 3 oz Jello (lemon, orange, lime, strawberry)
4 pkg. Knox unflavored gelatin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
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Mix 1 pkg flavored jello with 1/2 pkg of unflavored gelatin. Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Cool to room temp and pour into 9 x 13 glass pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup boiling water. In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 pkg unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand a few minutes and then add 1/2 c boiling water to dissolve gelatin; add to milk mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temp and pour 1 cup of milk mixture over first layer of jello. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Repeat for next three flavors. Let jello set. Cut and serve!

Recipe found on The Food Librarian.

Candied Popcorn

Candied Popcorn
16-18 Cups Popped Popcorn (unflavored, unsalted)
1 14-oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 3-oz. box Jello--flavor of your choice
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Preheat oven to 250°. Place Popcorn in a large, clean paper grocery bag and set aside.

Mix the Sweetened Condensed Milk and the Jello in a small saucepan; heat over medium heat until the Jello is dissolved, stirring often. Watch carefully, as this can scorch! When the Jello has fully dissolved, pour over the Popcorn and still well until all Popcorn is evenly coated. Transfer Popcorn to a large, deep roaster which has been well coated with butter or non-stick spray (I use a deep foil lasagna pan).

Bake on the lowest oven rack for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Watch carefully; if the oven runs too hot or if the Popcorn is too close the element, it can scorch.

Turn out the baked Popcorn onto a sheet of foil which has been well coated with non-stick spray. Enjoy when cool. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Recipe taken from Gift of Simplicity

Pretzel Pumpkin Grahams

I'm not a fan of pretzels, but these were so cute I HAD to make them. I hate our small town grocery stores, I couldn't find chocolate graham crackers, so I went with regular instead. It was just as good, but in the magazine, they look so much cuter on the darker colored graham crackers. I prefered the pumpkins filled in, but I ran out of candy coating.

Pretzel Pumpkin Grahams
12 whole chocolate graham crackers
1/2 pound white candy coating, chopped
24 miniature pretzels
Orange colored sugar or sprinkles
6 green gumdrops, cut into four lengthwise slices
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Cut graham crackers in half, making square. In a microwave, melt white candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip one pretzel in candy coating; let excess drip off.

Place on a graham cracker square. If desired, fill pretzel holes with candy coating. Decorate with orange sugar or sprinkles. For stem, dip the back of one gumdrop piece into candy coating; place above the pumpkin. Repeat. Let stand until set, about 30 mins.

Ham Cheese Rollups

Growing up, these seemed to be a family dinner staple when we got together with my dad's family. I haven't had these in years, but was craving them last night, so I rolled some up for my lunch. The problem was, I would eat 2 for every one I set aside.

Ham Cheese Rollups
Thinly sliced deli ham
Whole pickles, sliced into spears
 Cream cheese, softened
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Cut slices of ham in half. Add a small portion of cream cheese (about 1/2 tsp.). Top with pickle spear. Roll up all together.

Carrot Supreme

Every year my employer does a Thanksgiving lunch the a few days before Thanksgiving. They provide the turkey and rolls and then everyone else signs up to bring a dish. A few of the employees don't get to choose what to bring because in years past they brought something so amazing that no one would forgive them if they didn't bring it the next year. Before the sign up sheet even gets to their desk, their names and signature dish have been added. I am one of the employees who gets to bring whatever I want each year because I've never made something THAT amazing. But one of the dishes that is a must each year is my supervisors Carrot Supreme dish. It is so YUMMY! Each year I ask him for the recipe, but then I usually loose it. So here it is so I can be able to find it and so you can enjoy it.

Carrot Supreme
2 cups carrots, sliced and cooked
3/4 cup liquid drained from carrots
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1-1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. green pepper, cut fine
1 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. cream or canned milk
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Cook onion and pepper in butter. Add flour, cream and liquid. Stir well until it boils (salt to taste). Place carrots into buttered casserole dish. Pour cream sauce over carrots. Cover top with buttered bread crumbs and bake at 20 minutes at 375°.

Blood 'n' Guts Dip and Pretzel Bones

Blood 'n' Guts Dip
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 cup Dijon mustard
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In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, honey and water; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Stir in mustard. Refrigerate until serving.

Pretzel Bones
1/4 cup honey
2-1/2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 pkg. (15 oz.) pretzel sticks
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In a Dutch oven, melt honey and butter; stir in chili powder and onion powder. Add pretzels; toss to coat. Spread in a single layer in 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300° for 5 minutes, stirring once. Cool in pans on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Pumpkin Cheese Ball
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 carton (8 oz.) spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 celery rib or broccoli stalk
Sliced apples and assorted crackers
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In a small bowl, beat cream cheeses until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, paprika and
cayenne. Shape into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.

With a knife, add vertical lines to the cheese ball to resemble a pumpkin; insert a celery rib or broccoli stalks for the stem. Serve with apples and crackers.

Goblins with Pumpkin Dip

Goblins with Pumpkin Dip
GOBLINS:
1/2 cup sugar
1 to 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
20 flour tortillas (10 inches)
PUMPKIN DIP:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
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In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Cut tortillas with a ghost-shaped 3-1/2 in. cookie cutter; place on baking sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz goblins with nonstick cooking spray; sprinkle with reserved cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Gradually add the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve warm or chilled with goblins. Refrigerate leftover dip.

Spiderweb Dip with Bat Tortilla Chips

Spiderweb Dip with Bat Tortilla Chips
20 chipotle chili and pepper tortillas or flour tortillas (8 inches)
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. pepper
DIP:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup prepared guacamole
1 to 2 Tbsp. sour cream
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Cut tortillas into bat shapes with a 3-3/4 in. cookies cutter. Place tortillas on baking sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz tortillas with nonstick cooking spray. combine the garlic salt, coriander, paprika and pepper; sprinkle over tortillas. Bake at 350° for 5-8 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and salsa. Spread into a 9-in. pie plate. Carefully spread guacamole to within 1 in. of edges. Place sour cream in a small resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe thin concentric circles an inch apart over guacamole. Beginning with the center circle, gently pull a knife through circles toward center edge. Wipe knife clean. Repeat to complete spiderweb pattern. Serve with tortilla bats.

Strawberry Ghosts

Strawberry Ghosts
30 fresh strawberries
8 oz. white baking chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. shortening
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
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Wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening at 50% power; stir until smooth. Stir in extract.

Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form the ghosts' tails. Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes. Freeze for 5 minutes.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each face.

Peter Pumpkin Cheese Puffs

Peter Pumpkin Cheese Puffs
2 Tbs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 drops yellow paste food coloring
1 drop red paste food coloring
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
2 eggs
20 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, stems removed
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In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the yellow and red food coloring; stir cheese and food coloring into dough. add eggs, one at a time; beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop by level tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Using a star tip and reserved cream cheese mixture mixture, pipe the stems onto puffs. Add parley sprigs. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pepper Popper Fingers

Pepper Popper Fingers
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
12 medium jalapeno peppers, stems removed, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1/4 cup sliced almonds
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the chesses, bacon and seasonings. Spoon about 1 tablespoonful into each pepper half. Dip tops of stuffed peppers into bread crumbs.

Place a small amount of ketchup at the end of each popper; top with a sliced almond to resemble a fingernail. Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 300° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Monster Curried Cheese Ball

Monster Curried Cheese Ball
1/2 cup mango chutney
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (4 oz.) crumbled blue cheese, softened
Coarsely shredded red cabbage, green pepper pieces, baby carrot and radish
Assorted crackers and apple slices
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In a blender, cover and process the chutney and curry until pureed. In a small bowl, combine the cheeses and chutney mixture; beat until blended. Shape into a ball; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Place on a plate. Add the monster's hair and face, using the cabbage, green pepper, carrot and radish. Serve with crackers and apple slices.

Wiggly-Worm Baked Apples

Wiggly Worm Baked Apples
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
4 large tart apples
Gummy worms
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In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Core apples; fill with pistachio mixture. Place in a greased 8-in. square baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350° for 50 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until tender. Spoon pan juices over the tops. Garnish with gummy worms.

Cheesenstein

Cheesenstein
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
3 green onions
2 cartons (4 oz. each) whipped cream cheese
Moss-green paste food coloring
1 can (4-1/4 oz.) chopped ripe olives, drained
2 pepperoncinis
2 slices peeled parsnip
3 colossal ripe olives
Black decorating gel
1 pretzel rod
1 small cucumber
Assorted fresh vegetables
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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and pepper sauce until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, bacon and onions. Shape into a 5-in. x 4-in. x 3-in. rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled.

Unwrap rectangle, place on a serving platter with a 3-in side on top. Tint whipped cream cheese green; spread over top and sides of rectangle.

Add chopped ripe olives for hair and pepperoncinis for ears. Cut one colossal olive in half; add parsnip slices and olive halves for eyes. With black decorating gel, pipe the brow, mouth and stitches.

Break pretzel rod in half; add a colossal olive to each end. Press into sides of head for bolts. Cut a small piece from end of cucumber for a nose. Serve with vegetables.

*Look for pepperoncinis (pickled peppers) in the pickle and olive section of your grocery store.

Ghastly Pear Ghosts

Ghastly Pear Ghosts
9 medium ripe Bosc pears
9 Popsicle sticks
2 pkg. (14 oz. each) caramels
1/4 cup water
2 lbs. white candy coating disks
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. shortening, divided
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup orange candy coating disks
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Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. Wash and thoroughly dry pears; insert a Popsicle stick into the top of each.

In a microwave, melt caramels and water; stir until smooth. Dip each pear into caramel mixture; turn to coat. Place on prepared pan; let stand until set.

In another bowl, melt white candy coating and 2 tablespoons shortening at 70% power for 1 minutes; stir. Microwave at additional 10 to 20 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Dip pears into coating; allow excess to drip off. Return to pan; let stand until set.

In another bowl, melt chocolate chips and 1 tsp. shortening; stir until smooth. Repeat with orange candy coating and 1 tsp. shortening. Decorate ghost faces; let stand until set.