Mexican Dip

I had a ton of people at my house this weekend and we did Mexican Food night. We were running late so I busted out with the old "go to" dip when I need a quick appetizer. I'm not sure where or when our family first started making this dip but every single person in my family tries to claim this dip as their own....even Jana! So today, it's just the "Mexican Dip" and not Jaime's Famous Mexican Dip...unless of course you really want to call it that because it's really my dip and no one else's. Whatever it's called...it's AWESOME and pretty tasty. Try it out...it'll be gone before you know it!

Mexican Dip

2 packages cream cheese, softened

2 cans Hormel chili NO BEANS (I have no idea why there are 3 in the pic)

1 jar salsa

Monterey Jack or Colby Cheese or both, shredded

In a 13x9 pan, spread the cream cheese evenly.


Pour the chili over the cream cheese smoothing it out evenly.

Pour the salsa over the chili, smoothing it out evenly.

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or so or until cheese is all bubbly and melted.

Bloggin Break

I have family in town and I've been a cookin fool. I'm exhausted (can you tell from my picture) and have gained about 10 pounds (can you also tell from the picture) because we've been eatin good in the neighborhood. We'll see you back bloggin in a few days. Enjoy your long weekend!

Peanut Butter Fudge

I LOVE Fudge, but really don't make it that often as I can't find a recipe that I just love or can make really good. I usually just buy it. My favorite fudge years ago was the fudge from Disneyland but it's not that good anymore. I love the fudge at the Arizona State Fair, as well, but taking a bullet for fudge doesn't sound like that much fun so I've been trying some other recipes. I found this one somewhere, I can't remember. It was pretty good. In fact too good. After my third piece, I boxed it up and sent it to work with Scott...there I'm safe.

Peanut Butter Fudge

3 cups sugar

3 Tbls cocoa

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup evaporated milk

3 Tbls light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Step 1: Butter a 13x9 baking dish. In a 3 quart sauce pan, add cocoa, sugar and cream of tartar. Add evaporated milk, corn syrup, and butter. Cook over medium high heat stirring until mixture boils.

Step 2: Reduce heat to medium. Using a candy thermometer, continue to cook stirring until temperature reaches 238 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, just let it boil for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well and fold in nuts. (My kids don't like nuts, so I didn't put the walnuts in the mixture, I just sprinkled them on one side...press them in when you do this...I didn't and half the nuts fell off when I cut them.)

Step 3: Pour mixture into pan. Allow to cool

Alfredo Sauce

This taste was very similar to Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce. I've been looking up copy cat recipes but this one seemed the easiest (which it was) and used the least amount of ingredients but didn't fall under any of the copy cats. I thought I'd try anyways. It was really good. Next time I'm going to make breaksticks with it and try to duplicate the salad at Olive Garden. Then I'll feel like I'm eating out for about a 1/3 of the cost.

Alfredo Sauce

1 pint of Heavy Cream

1 stick of butter

2 Tbsp. Cream Cheese

1/2 - 3/4 C. Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Garlic powder

In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and Garlic powder. Simmer this for 15 - 20 minutes on low. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper.

Jana Banana's Bruschetta

I made Jana's bruschetta. Because the brat won't send me the recipe, I had to come up with it on my own based on her ingredients in the picture. I did my best and burnt the crap out of my mouth. I put WAY to much garlic in there. Scott loved them but me...not so much. Jana, send me the RIGHT recipe...thanks!

Go Go Goat Cheese Pesto & Artichoke Dip, oh my!

Oh my for sure!! This dip is unreal and it's perfect to keep in your fridge, the perfect snack with crackers or even as a dip with your favorite veggies. The texture is perfection and the taste is even better!

-Jenifer

Ingredients:

16 ounces of Goat Cheese (room temp)

1 package of Neufchatel Cream Cheese (room temp)

6 ounces of Pesto

1 cup of half & half or whipping cream

2 cans of Artichoke Hearts (chopped)

Parm cheese to top the dish off

Mix the goat cheese, cream cheese together and then add the half & half, mix well again.

Add the pesto to the mix and mix well. Also, add salt to taste.

Drain the liquids from the cans of artichokes and chop. I like to quarter them so the dip has big chunks of artichoke in it.

Add the chopped artichokes to the dip and use a spoon to incooperate.

Add the mix to a baking dish and cover with parm, bake for 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees. Always serve warm. Pita, crackers and veggies work well with this dip.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love cheesecake and I love pumpkin, so when I found this recipe for a Pumpkin Cheesecake, I knew I had to make it and it was so simple! (Thanks More Than Burnt Toast) When I baked this beauty, our home smelled like a pumpkin/cinnamon candle, it was amazing. If you have never made a cheesecake, try this, it's so easy and delish.

-Jenifer

PIE CRUST:

2 cups of Graham crackers, crushed

6 tablespoons of melted butter

3 tablespoons of sugar

FILLING:

3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese

softened3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

5 large eggs

1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin filling)

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

4 tsp Ground Cloves

¼ tsp Ground Allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie crumbs, and 3 T sugar in a food processor and pulse 3 - 4 times until incooperated. Add butter and pulse 4 - 5 times, or until crumbly.

Wrap the outside of a 10-inch spring form pan with aluminum foil, then press cookie mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Cool crust completely on a wire rack.

Reduce oven heat to 325F.

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed 3 minutes, or until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar and the 3/4 cup granulated sugar, beating 4 minutes, or until blended. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Remove and set aside 1 cup of batter. Add pumpkin, whipping cream, and cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Beat on low speed of an electric mixer just until blended. Do not over beat. Pour batter over prepared crust. Dollop reserved batter in a circular fashion and draw a knife through to create a marbled effect. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until almost set (it will jiggle in the centre).

I added the Walnut topping to the center of the cheese cake only.

If you choose to add the topping, this is what you do, it's simple:

6 T softened butter1 cup brown sugar1 cup chopped walnutsCombine ingredients. Sprinkle baked cheesecake with walnut topping. Bake cheesecake an additional 10 minutes.Remove from oven; run a knife around edge of pan. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour with a large bowl inverted on top of cheesecake in pan to prevent cracking. Chill 8 hours or overnight. Serve with caramel sauce if you wish or whipped cream.

READER SUBMISSION FRIDAYS

T.G.I.F...because that means it's READER SUBMISSION FRIDAY! First let me say that I'm really happy that every one is getting into this foodie blogging that Jen and I just recently started doing. It's turned into such a fun hobby and I love all the participation...thanks folks! Keep the recipes (and if you want..pictures as well) coming...we LOVE them! Now on to business....Today we are featuring none other than my crazy and fun loving cousin Jana Murphy... and her family...from the pictures it looks like this was a team effort.

I really need a clearer pic of you Jana...this is all I could find. Sorry!

I don't have the recipe yet (um, er, Jana...you actually have to send the most pertinent information...the actual recipe would be really helpful), but as soon as she emails me I will update this post.

Quick Bio by Jaime: Jana is my first cousin...my aunt Marti's daughter. She is more like our adopted sister though. She is an only child and has always kinda been like one of us kids....the Guill kids that is. We torture her mercilessly and deep down, she know she loves it. She is better known as Jana Banana and I'm really trying to get her to patent that name...no such luck yet!

She is married to Ken who is good friends with my dad...it's frightening how much they look and act alike...it's like Jana married my dad...eeeewwwwww.

Just kidding Ken, we love ya! They have one absolutely zany fun loving crazy adorable daughter...River McKenna Maggie Murphy...now that's Irish for ya folks.

I cannot say enough about Jana. Not only is she sooo beautiful (my son Gavin gets his beautiful blue eyes from her...she told me say that), she is kind and generous. She has so much love to give. Everytime she comes to visit from Cali, she never comes without gifts for everyone (and they are always wrapped!). She writes letters, emails, sends pictures and calls weekly. She is one of those people that you know will always have you in her thoughts come rain or shine. So with out much further ado, I give you Jana Banana's Bruschetta.

Great Mother Daughter Team!

I love kids that like to help cook.

Good job River!

Ken thinks "WOW, Jana, can cook and it's GOOD!"

That's all folks...BON APPETITE!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Bart, Triston (our son) and I were able to visit North and South Carolina over the past week - we wanted a little vacation before baby GIGI (Gillian Grace) arrives in a few weeks. Many of you know that a lot of my recipes are from my mother-n-law and her friends who are all from the Carolinas, gotta love the south. I dined on SO many dishes it wasn't even funny, it was a pregnant women's dream come true.

As soon as I get the pictures developed, I'll show you pics of the dishes I ate while I was in the Carolinas and YES, call me crazy, I took pictures of my food, with pride, despite the locals looking at me like I was crazy.

When we were driving to Cherry Grove (Myrtle Beach) in South Carolina, my father-n-law stopped at a veggie stand where low and behold, I saw something truly beautiful, a basket full of green tomatoes! I bought a few pounds and was so thrilled knowing that I would be making some fried green tomatoes at the beach-house.

The recipe is truly so easy and if you haven't had the chance to make it, and you run into green tomatoes, GO FOR IT!!

I brought some green tomatoes home, gave a few pounds to my sister Tammy and kept a few for Bart and I.

Here's the recipe, enjoy!

-Jenifer

Green tomatoes, eggs, flour, salt and oil (olive oil works great)

Slice the tomatoes, not too thick, not too thin.

Dip a slice into the egg and then cover with flour. I repeat the step for a crispy tomatoe.

Place in a hot pan of Olive Oil, medium high heat and cook until nice and golden brown.

After golden brown, lower the heat to low and let cook until tomatoe starts to soften inside. Once they are done place on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt or Kosher salt.

Enjoy!