BAKED BEAN DIP

One of the things I have realized lately that is I have become TOO precise in my blogging. Some days it just seems to be a struggle to get the words out so I write my recipe precisely and get it posted without the commentary. Well, that needs to end. Not only do I need to add more commentary to the recipe, I need to get back to regular blogging.

I LOVE cooking and only post those recipes that are successful so I need to use more words and tell you WHY we love the recipe and WHY it works and WHY I use certain flavor combos and cooking dishes. I promise to try and get better starting with this recipe.

It’s fall y’all and tailgating season for NFL and NASCAR on top of that was what I wanted to be able to and intended to write, but time got the best of me and now we’re having it as an appetizer for New Year’s Eve 🙂

Who couldn’t resist this warm to the touch AND the taste buds creamy, cheesy, mouth watering re-fried bean dip???? It is so easy to make AND ALWAYS a crowd favorite, even if that crowd is just the two of us,  when you add your favorite tortilla chips and garnishes for that extra crunch.

BAKED BEAN DIP

16 ounce can of FULL FAT re-fried beans
1/2 cup Mexican sour cream
4 ounce can diced mild green chiles, drained WELL
1/4 cup of your favorite salsa
1-2 tablespoons Pampered Chef Tex Mex seasoning
FRESH ground sea alt and black pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, divided

GARNISHES
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
chopped cilantro,
copped avocado,
sliced jalapeños
chopped grape tomatoes
chopped olives
a dollop or two of sour cream
sliced limes
Cotija cheese sprinklings
Tortilla chips, for serving

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• In a large bowl, combine the re-fried beans, sour cream, salsa, seasoning, salt and pepper.
  
• Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

• Spread the bean mixture into a 2-quart baking dish (8×8). Personally I like a nice enameled cast iron to retain the heat, but also make it easy to clean.
• Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
• Bake 20-30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven.
• Top with garnishes of choices
• Serve warm with tortilla chips.



NOTE:

• You CAN use low fat ingredients, but I truly believe the flavor suffers if you do! You can also substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt, but again I feel that the FULL fat sour cream works best.
• You can also add a protein if you want to load it up

ALTERNATIVE SEASONING BLEND
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika

GARLIC DILL PICKLES

Hubby loves pickles!  I mean he reallllllllllllllllllllllly loooooooooooooooves pickles.  Unfortunately I am deathly allergic to mustard and just don’t make them enough for him because of my allergy.  But, the other day we ran across some awesome pickling cucumbers at the local farmers market produce and he begged (really, he did) so I gave in and made my super secret Garlic Dill Pickles for him.  Now I’m going to share them with you.

GARLIC DILL PICKLES
2 pounds cucumber pickles, washed
2 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt
2 tablespoons fresh dill*
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large Vidalia onion, whole

• Chill the cucumbers in a bowl of ice water for 30 minutes or more.
• In a medium non-reactive pan heat the water, vinegar and salt over a medium high heat until the salt is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Cut cucumbers to desired size.
• Place cucumbers in large jar.
• Stir garlic, dill and mustard seed into vinegar mix.
• Pour cooled mixture over pickles.
• Place whole onion on top to weight pickles to keep them submerged.
• Set in a cool place for 3-4 days at room temperature and then move to refrigerator for crisp pickles.

*you can use dehydrated, but I prefer not to when at all possible – fresh gives such a better flavor!

PICKLE BRINED FRIED CHICKEN with BUTTERMILK CREAM GRAVY

PICKLE BRINE FRIED CHICKEN 
1 jar Zucchini relish
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups buttermilk
Flour for dredging
salt and pepper to taste
coconut oil for frying
garnish

• Poke each piece of chicken with a fork.
• Add chicken and zucchini relish to a large ziploc bag.
• Chill 3 hours.
• Remove chicken from brine, scraping off chunks of relish. Chill until ready to fry.

• Heat oil in large skillet.
• Dredge chicken pieces through the buttermilk and then the flour, patting the flour into all the crevices.
• Add chicken to oil cooking until golden on both sides.
• Serve with mashed potatoes and buttermilk cream gravy.

***Original recipe called for:
1 tablespoon toasted yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon toasted brown mustard seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted coriander seeds
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/ cup chopped fresh dill

BUTTERMILK CREAM GRAVY
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Wondra flour
1 container KNORR chicken gel bouillon
1 cup water
1 cup buttermilk
Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste

• Whisk together the bouillon gel and water until smooth.
• Add buttermilk until well blended. Set Aside.
• Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
• Add flour, whisking until golden and smooth.
• Gradually add buttermilk mixture and bring to a SLOW boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer until thickening begins.
• Salt and pepper to desired taste.

ZUCCHINI RELISH
5 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1 cup red pepper
1 cup green pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 cups water
1 tablespoon celery seed
2 1/2  teaspoons turmeric
2 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar

• Whisk together the spices and sugar. Set aside.
• Toss together zucchini, onion, red and green peppers.
• Sprinkle with salt and toss again.
• Pour 2 cups water over top.
• Soak over night.

• Drain and rinse WELL! (I use a cheesecloth to gently wring out remaining water from the veggies.
• Add veggies to a large pot.
• Add spice mixture and vinegar, stirring to coat.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes until veggies are soft.
• Pour into hot sterilized jars and water bath 10 minutes.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP with BUTTERMILK BISCUITS with MAPLE BUTTER

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP
3 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups hot water
1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
6 large Yukon potatoes, peeled 3 potatoes diced and 3 potatoes finely grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced thin

• Whisk together the hot water and bouillon base.
• Melt butter in a skillet and saute onion until tender.
• Stir in flour until golden.
• Gradually add 1 cup of the broth.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cook and stir until thickened.
• Transfer to slow cooker.
• Add the remaining broth and blend well.
• Add in the bacon, potatoes, salt, pepper, basil and thyme.
• Cook on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
• Stir in heavy and sour cream and heat through.
• Garnish each bowl with green onions and cheese.
• Serve with buttermilk biscuits and maple honey.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS with MAPLE BUTTER (a little lighter and sweeter with the maple butter)
BISCUITS
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons Crisco
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 egg
BUTTER
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Spray an 8 inch cake pan with PURE.
• Sift together the 1 cup of the flour, cake flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
• With a pastry blender cut in butter and Crisco until mixture is coarse and crumbly
• Stir in buttermilk.
• In a mixing bowl add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
• Drop the dough 1/4 cup at a time into the flour.
• Shape into balls.
• Arrange all the balls in the pan.
• Beat egg with water. Brush tops of dough.
• Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
• To make this ahead of time do all steps except the buttermilk, cover and refrigerate until needed.

• Stir syrup into butter.
• Transfer to wax paper.
• Top with another sheet of wax paper.
• Press into a 1/4 inch thickness and freeze for 10 minutes.
• Using a rolling pin roll smooth.
• Remove top sheet of wax paper and sprinkle with brown sugar.
• Using small cutouts, cut butter into desired shapes.
• These can be made ahead of time and frozen.

SWEDISH PANCAKES with LINGONBERRY BUTTER and LINGONBERRIES

I don't eat out much, especially for breakfast, but I do have a soft spot for IHOP's Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries and Lingonberry butter. It took me awhile, but I have finally created a recipe so similar most people would not be able to tell the difference. These are thin pancakes. I make them about 8 inches round and then fold over once or twice.

SWEDISH PANCAKES with LINGONBERRY BUTTER and LINGONBERRIES

1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 JUMBO eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup 4% small curd cottage cheese

• Preheat griddle* or crepe pan
• Sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and maple extracts together.
• Add the oil and beat again until sooth.
• Add cottage cheese and beat until completely smooth.**
• Gradually add the flour until a smooth consistency.
• Pour 1/4-1/3 cup of batter onto griddle or crepe pan.
• Cook a minute or two on each side.
• Top with Lingonberry butter and Lingonberries.

NOTE:
*I used a third cup measure and my large griddle. This made 5 at a time.
**I used my mini food chopper to grind the cottage cheese and it worked great and much faster.

LINGONBERRY BUTTER
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup lingonberries

Beat butter until creamy.

Add berries and beat again until well blended.

Chill.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

 CRANBERRY SAUCE
1/2 cup orange juice with pulp*
1/2 cup pineapple juice*
1 bag cranberries
2 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange peel

• Wash cranberries and drain in colander. 
• Mix orange juice and sugar in saucepan until dissolved. 
• Add cinnamon and orange peel. Stir well.
• Add the cranberries and simmer over medium high heat until bubbling, stirring often. 
• When the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat. 
• Cook uncovered or until all cranberries have ’popped’. 
• Sauce will thicken as it cools. 
• Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for future holidays.

Yields: 2 cups
*You can use ALL orange juice if you prefer

***I like to make a double batch at Thanksgiving and freeze half for Christmas.

 

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1 tablespoon of chili powder
2 teaspoons of onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup water

• Mix all the dry ingredients together and use with your taco meat. 
• Pour the water in the pan and cook just like you would for tacos. 
• The amount above is the same amount that is in one packet of taco seasoning mix at the store.

TOASTED CREAM CHEESE CROUTONS with MIXED GREEN SALAD

I found the recipe for the croutons in some magazine. It was from Kraft, but fell in love with it and immediately adapted to our favorite salad. You can also make lots of the cream cheese croutons in advance and just pull out as many as you need each meal.

Romaine hearts, chopped

grape tomatoes, halved
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
English cucumber, sliced & chopped
kiwi, chopped
pomegranate seeds
Philadelphia cream cheese
walnuts, finely chopped (I used my mini food processor)
cream cheese croutons

• Cut the cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Coat cream cheese cubes with the walnut pieces.
• Freeze overnight or up to 2 months.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare salad.
• Spray cookie sheet with PURE.
• Remove as many cream cheese cubes as you need 5 minutes before baking them.
• Spread out the cream cheese cubes.
• Bake for 5 minutes until golden brown.

• Toss salad with vinaigrette and top with croutons.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green onion, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
3/4 cup olive or peanut oil

• In a dressing bottle combine the garlic and onion. sugars, salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, oil, sugars, salt and pepper.
• Pour over the garlic and onion.
• Shake well to combine until well blended.

HERB BUTTER

HERB BUTTER
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
dash cayenne pepper

• With an electric mixer blend together until well blended.
• Form into shape and chill until firm.  (I use an old Tupperware butter tray lined with plastic wrap)
• Transfer to your decorative tray and serve.