Sweet Pumpkin Dip

16 oz Cream Cheese
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

Whisk the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and ginger, mixing until well blended. Put a lid on the dip and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with apple slices, ginger snap cookies, or small pretzels. Can also serve dip in a small, hollowed out pumpkin shell.

Salsa

My friend brought this over to our house the other night and it was really really good!!

1 can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can whole kernal corn (drained)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 bundle cilantro leaves (chopped)
2-3 bundles green onions (chopped)
2 peeled and choped avacadoes
1 packet Italian dressing mix (prepare as directed then add in)

I also think it would be good with a little lime juice.

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Alex and I always get this when we go to Olive Garden. It's really good! Mom and I made it while she was here and it is really good if you chop up some tomoatoes and put them on the top.

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
4 cloves garlic
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft.

Remove from heat.
3. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins.
4. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style

pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
5. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly.

Serve warm

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored

and diced

8 ounces raspberries

1 pound strawberries

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

butter flavored cooking spray

2 cups cinnamon sugar

1.	In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3.	Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

These were really good dipped in the Cafe Rio Salad Dressing.

Hummus

Yes, I have returned to the blogging world again. Here is the recipe for hummus that Mary and Suzy and I were talking about when we were all in St. George in March, how's that for lag time. :)


1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved for later
1 clove garlic
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients. Cover and puree until smooth. Blend on low speed, gradually adding reserved bean liquid, until desired consistency is achieved. Hummus can be served immediately, or covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
You can also add spinach, artichokes, feta cheese, basil, etc, (but I haven’t tried that yet).

7 Layer Taco Dip

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix 
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans 
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream 
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa 
1 large tomato, chopped 
1 green bell pepper, chopped 
1 bunch chopped green onions 
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded 
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained 
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter. 
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans. 
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives. 

Notes: Matt made the layers a little differently. He put refried beans first. Then he mixed cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning together. After that he put layers of tomatoes, green peppers, onions and lettuce. On top of that goes salsa, cheese and olives.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

I bought a huge jar of sundried tomatoes from Costco to make Wendy's Garlic and Sundried Tomato Pasta and needed another recipe to use them with. Then I remembered this one. This dip is good - they served it at a YW activity a while back.

• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
• 10 dashes, hot red pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

Easy Homemade Salsa

I made this the other night and used it with Wendy's chimichanga recipe. It is really yummy. I can't stop eating it! I love salsa!

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes
1 Can diced green chilies
Juice from 1 Lime
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Fresh Cilantro, chopped (I used about 1/4 of the bunch but you can adjust to your liking)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Pepper seasoning
Salt to taste

Put it all in the blender and blend away! Then it needs to sit in the fridge for at least a couple hours so that all of the flavors can blend. It might look a little frothy right after you blend it but it will settle down in the fridge.

BBQ Smokies

1 cup bbq sauce
1 cup grape jelly
1-2 lbs. lil' smokies

Mix all in crock pot and cook on high for 2 hours. Yes, it looks chunky and gross when you first mix it. :)

Cheese Ball

8 oz cheddar (I actually used colby-jack)
2 green onions
1/4 bell pepper
1 rib celery
2-8oz cream cheese (I used reduced fat kind)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
dash pepper
chopped pecans (optional)

Shred, chop (very small), mix all. If using pecans, shape mixture into a ball, then roll in pecans and wrap in plastic wrap. If not using pecans, line a bowl with plastic wrap, put in mixture and fold plastic wrap over the top. When ready to serve, unwrap the top, turn over onto serving dish and remove plastic wrap.

Sauteed Asparagus with Dijon Vinaigrette

I saw this recipe in Martha Stewart's Living magazine. I like asparagus and thought that this recipe is easy and fast so i should give it a try. And i am sharing it with you guys! :)

• 2tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 1/2-inch lengths

1. Whisk together mustard, vinegar, and 1 Tbsp oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring frequently, until asparagus are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (If the spears begin to brown, reduce heat to low.)

3. Transfer asparagus to a serving dish. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, toss and serve immediately.

serves 4.

Hot Bean Dip

I don't know how this didn't make the original recipe book (I didn't see it in there) but this is a Wilson family favorite.

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
• 1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 5 drops hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix in the refried beans, taco seasoning, hot pepper sauce, parsley, green onions, 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the Monterey Jack cheese. Transfer the mixture to an 8x12 inch baking dish. Top with remaining Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is slightly browned.

Garlic Butter

This is a Dalton family recipe from my Grandma that I grew up with and it makes my favorite garlic bread!

1 cup butter
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp summer savory (I have only seen this herb in the Spice Islands brand)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp garlic salt

Soften butter slightly (just enough to be able to mix other ingredients into it). Add all ingredients and stir to combine. It tastes best if you can let the flavors mingle for awhile, but it is great right away too. Spread on your favorite bread and broil until done as much as you like - the first batch often ended up burned at our house because we would always forget about it! If you don't use it all, just cover and store in the fridge - it keeps for a long time. My grandparents always toasted rye bread with it, but I prefer good old french bread.