Best Ever Mexican Dip

A friend gave me this recipe several years ago. It's quick and easy to make and is always a big hit.

  

1 8oz cream cheese, softened

1 heaping Tbls Mayo

1 small jar of your favorite Salsa ( I like Sting-N-Linger's Flame Roasted)
1 cup shredded Mexican style cheese (blend of Monterey Jack, Mild Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla & Asadero Cheeses)
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
Your favorite white corn chips

1. In medium bowl blend cream cheese and mayo. Spread onto serving plate.
2. Top cream cheese with desired amount of salsa.
3. Top with cheese.
4. Next layer with (in order) tomato, green pepper, and scallions.
5. Dip with white corn chips.

Quick and Simple Baked Potato Soup

The Tastefully Simple Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix already has potatoes in the mix, but I like adding just a little baked potato to the recipe. I served the soup with Tastefully Simple's Perfect Parmesan Biscuits. Try drizzling a little melted butter mixed with Seasoned Salt on the biscuits while they're still warm.


1 package of Tastefully Simple Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
2 medium potatoes
Shredded medium cheddar cheese
1 scallion, chopped
5-6 slices of bacon, fried and chopped

1. Wash potatoes and place on plate. Cover with cling wrap and cook in Microwave for 5 minutes.
2. Let potatoes cool and then dice. Set aside.
3. Mix Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix according to package.
4. Add diced baked potatoes.
5. Simmer according to soup mix package.
6. Spoon soup into individual bowls and top with desire amounts of shredded cheese, scallion, and bacon.

Orange Roughy with Peach Tarragon Salsa

I haven't cooked a lot of fish, so I wanted to experiment a little and expand upon what little I know about preparing it. Michael and I found the original recipe in "Entertaining at Home with America's Top Chefs," which was foreword by Emeril Lagasse.  We made a few changes of our own and, I must say, was quite surprised at how well we both liked it. I was worried that the peach salsa wouldn't taste good, as it does have a strong tarragon taste, but coupled with the fish, the flavors really went well together. We served the fish with steamed asparagus, which added to a great combination of flavors.


2 Orange Roughy fillets
4 white peaches
1 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 egg
Flour, for breading
Italian bread crumbs, for breading

Peach Salsa

1. Cut peaches in half and remove pits.
2. Chop peaches into 1/4" pieces and place in medium bowl.
3. Add tarragon leaves, lime juice, and cracked peppercorns.
4. Lightly toss and set aside.

Orange Roughy

1. Heat oil, butter, and garlic in medium frying pan.
2. Add shallots to pan and saute until tender.
3. Whisk egg in a small to medium bowl.
4. Roll fish in flour.
5. Dip floured fish in egg and then roll fish in Italian bread crumbs.
6. Place fish in pan and cook approximately 4 minutes per side or until desired doneness.
7. Place fish on plate and top with peach salsa.

Apple Turnovers

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
3 Fuji apples, peeled and sliced
3 tsp butter
4 oz brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp water
1 piece puff pastry (can be found in grocer's freezer section)
8 oz cream cheese
2 oz walnuts, chopped
Powdered sugar
Honey

1. Saute sliced apples, with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until apples are tender, but not mushy.
2. Pour apple mixture into bowl and let cool.
3. Roll puff pastry out on floured surface and cut into 3-1/2" to 4" squares. You will need 2 squares per turnover.
4. Place 1/2 of the squares on a greased baking pan. On each square place 1-2 tbsp of the apples, 1 tbsp of cream cheese, and top with about 1 tbsp of the chopped walnuts.
5. Place the other half of pastry squares on top of pastry with filling. Crimp edges with fork.
6. Whisk egg yolk and water in small bowl.
7. Brush pastry with egg.
8. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of pastry.
9. Bake in 350 degree pre-heated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Place pastry on serving plate and top with powdered sugar.
11. Drizzle honey on top of pastry.
12. Enjoy!

Broccoli & Swiss Cheese Quiche

1 lb. broccoli florets
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and sliced
4 mushrooms
2 tbsp. butter
1 9" ready-made pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. cream
1-1/4 c. milk
Salt & pepper to season
1/2 lb. Swiss cheese, grated

1. Clean and cut broccoli.
2. Saute broccoli and onion in butter until tender.
3. Place vegetables in the bottom of pie crust.
4. Mix eggs, cream, milk, salt and pepper.
5. Pour mixture over vegetables in pie crust.
6. Top with Swiss cheese.
7. Bake in 375 degree pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
8. Cool and enjoy.

Oreo Pie (also known as Dirt Pie)

This recipe was submitted by my great friend and co-worker, Dessi. It's simple and easy to make. If you're in a rush you can buy and use ready-made Oreo crust. Also, instead of using the 13x9x2 pan, you can use a trifle bowl and make multiple layers - no crust needed, just use all the crushed cookies for your layers. For Halloween, try adding a few gummy worms!

1 lb of Oreo Cookies
2 cups of sugar
2 8 oz of whipped cream
1 8 oz of cream cheese whipped
1 package of instant chocolate pudding (vanilla pudding is good too)
1 cup of margarine (I really use only half a cup)
1 13x9x2 pan

Crush 1 pound of Oreo cookies.

Set aside 1 cup crushed cookies. Put the rest of the crushed cookies in the pan and add margarine. Press cookies to make the crust in the pan (refrigerate for 30 min to an hour).
In separate bowl mix 1 cup of sugar, 8 oz of whipped cream, and 8 oz of cream cheese.

Layer the mixture over cookie crust. Mix chocolate instant pudding for 5 min and layer over the cream cheese mixture. Then, spread the other bowl of whipped cream over the layer of pudding and sprinkle the 1cup of cookies over the whipped cream.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

Quiche is one of the easiest dishes to make. Simply combine ingredients for the filling, pour into a pie crust, and bake. Be creative with the filling. Try using some of your favorite foods. Broccoli, ham, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, asparagus, garlic, sausage are just a few examples of items that can be used.


6 oz Frozen Spinach, cooked and drained well
1/2 lb. Bacon, cooked & crumbled
5 Eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1 c. Milk
1-1/4 c. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
2 Scallions, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 9" Pie Crust, uncooked


1. Combine first 7 ingredients.
2. Pour mixture into pie crust.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until middle is done.

Beef Bourguignon

While my daughter was visiting we watched the Julie/Julia movie which is about a woman, Julia, cooking through Julie Child's entire cook book and then blogging about her successes, mishaps, and down right disasters. The movie inspired me to try my hand at Beef Bourguignon, which was the first major meal Julie Child cooked. With Michael's help, the meal was a great success. We served it with garlic mashed potatoes and french-style green beans.


2 lb topside or round steak, cubed
Plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. oil
4-5 slices of bacon
12 small pearl onions
1-1/4 c red wine (I used a Merlot)
2 c beef broth
1 tsp dried thyme
6 oz button mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion salt

1. Heat oil in large pan and fry bacon until crisp. Take out of pan and crumble into medium-sized pieces. Set aside.
2. Toss the beef in the seasoned flour shaking off excess and brown each side well in same pan that you fryed bacon in. Remove and set aside.
3. Add onions to the pan and cook until golden.
4. Add remaining ingredients, still leaving beef and bacon aside.
5. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding the beef and bacon the last 15 minutes.
6. Enjoy!