Texas Caviar

I am such a huge fan of Mexican food!  It is my go to for dinner, snacks and just about anytime!  I came across this recipe and couldn't get enough! I found the recipe here. And no, it doesn't have fish eggs in it!

Texas Caviar

1 (15 oz) can black eyed peas for black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can corn

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced

1 jalapeño (2 if you want it spicer)stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 1/2 T fresh squeezed lime juice

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t salt

1/4 t paprika

1/8 t pepper or cayenne if you like the heat

Whisk together oil, lime juice, paprika, salt and pepper.

Toss all the other ingredients together in a bowl.  

Pour the dressing on top and toss until mixed together.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Herbed Sliced Potatoes

We harvested about 60 pounds of potatoes from our garden this year!  So I am always looking for new ways to cook up these beauties!  I found this recipe here and LOVED that I got to use fresh herbs from my garden to season them! They were so easy, beautiful and delicious!  They will be gracing our table time and again!

Herbed Sliced Potatoes

4 large potatoes or 6 smaller ones
4 T butter (about 1 T per potato)
1 t course sea salt
2-3 T chopped, fresh herbs (I used thyme, basil, rosemary, and flat leaf parsley)
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan, I used asiago, romano and parmesan mix

Preheat the oven to 400.  Wash potatoes and peel if desired (I used Yukon Gold, very thin skin, and left the skin on). Place each potato between two wooden spoons and slice until you hit the spoons.  This will cause the potato to be sliced but still hold together on the bottom.  Mix the herbs into the melted butter and brush onto the sliced potatoes making sure to get the butter and herbs between the slices.  Sprinkle with the sea salt.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Once or twice while cooking, spoon the butter that has dripped off back onto the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with the grated cheese and put back in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the cheese is melted.

Kale Chips

I have seen these all over the internet lately and since we LOVE kale in our house (we even grow it in our garden), I just had to give them a try.  They have been given the stamp of approval, even by my 4 year old! They are quick and easy and super tasty!

Kale Chips


1 bunch of kale, washed and dried
1-2 T olive oil
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350. Once the kale has been washed and dried, remove the big stems and tear the kale into large pieces (the size you want your chips to be).  Toss the kale with the olive oil until it is coated.  Place the kale in a single layer on a cookie a sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt, be careful not over salt it, a little goes a long way!  Bake the kale at 350 for 15-20 minutes until the kale is crunchy.  Serve warm or cold, be careful the kale is super delicate.

Pizza Factory Breadsticks

When my husband and I lived in Provo, UT we LOVED going to the Pizza Factory, we went for the breadsticks mainly, but their food was good too!  They make their breadsticks all twisted on tall dowels and serve them in a big vase.  So fun!  So, when I spotted this recipe over at Six Sisters Stuff, I just couldn't resist!  I have made them a couple of times now and my husband has declared them his new favorite!  They are super yummy and also super fast, bonus! Here is my take on them...

Pizza Factory Breadsticks

(15-20, depending on how fat you make them)

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 T sugar

1 T yeast

Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 t salt

To brush on top:

1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup), melted

garlic salt

Mix until smooth and then let rise for 10 minutes.  Roll the dough into a large square on a floured surface. Mix together the melted butter and garlic salt and brush half of it onto the dough.  Fold the dough in half and cut into 15-20 strips (about 1 inch each).  Twist each strip and place on an UNGREASED cookie sheet.  Let the twists sit for 15 -20 minutes to rise (I just let them rise while the oven is preheating).  Bake the breadsticks at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  As soon as they come out, brush the tops with the remaining garlic butter. 

Olive Garden Bread Sticks

My kids LOVE Olive Garden for their bread sticks and Alfredo sauce.  So, when I came across this recipe on this blog, I thought why not give it a shot.  To be honest, I wasn't really that hopeful, but I was pleasantly surprised!  And I love surprises, so it was a win/win for us! They even had that yummy butter crust on the bottom just like Olive Garden's do! I did alter the recipe a bit, I have made enough bread to know a thing or two about the flavor I like, so here is what I did...

Olive Garden Bread Sticks

(24 bread sticks)

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 1/4 t yeast

4 cups flour (I used bread flour, but all-purpose would work fine)

2 T butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 T sugar

1/2 T salt

topping:

4 T butter, melted

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t salt

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.  Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes until it gets frothy.  Add the flour, salt and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Mix in a stand mixer or by hand until fully combined.  The dough should be moist but not sticky and should hold in a ball.  Knead the dough for a few minutes until  it is smooth.  Divide dough into 24 pieces and roll with your hands into bread sticks (like making a snake). Place them on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the over to 400 and once it is hot put the bread sticks in.  While they are in, melt 4 T butter and mix it with 1 t garlic powder and 1/2 t salt. After the 5 minutes are up, brush the bread sticks with the melted garlic butter.  Pop them back in the over for an additional 5 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove them from the oven and brush them once more with the garlic butter.  Serve them warm.

Poppy Seed Dressing

I got this recipe from my SIL Adena.  It is wonderful! I altered it slightly but will put the original on here with my modifications in parenthesis.  This dressing is quick and easy and I LOVE having it in my fridge!

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 1/2 T poppy seeds

3/4 cup rice vinegar (I used 1/2 cup rice vinegar and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar)

1 1/2 cups oil (I used canola)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 t grated onion

1/2 t salt

3/4 t dry mustard

1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion (I omitted this)

1 lb. Mushrooms, sliced (I also omitted this)

Mix all the ingredients together in a salad shaker or whisk in a bowl.  I served this over Spring mix, crumbled Feta cheese, craisins, and candied pecans (recipe coming soon!).

Ranch Potatoes

I LOVE this super easy, super fast way to do potatoes! It is from the back of my Hidden Valley Ranch box, so maybe I am the last to hear about it. These are such a great side to go with grilling!

Ranch Potatoes

(4 servings)

2 Pounds of red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil)

1 (1 oz) packet Ranch Dressing mix

Place potatoes into a large storage bag.  Add the oil and toss to coat. Now add the ranch dressing mix and shake to coat.  Spread evenly onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 (stirring every 15 minutes, so they cook on all sides) for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and crisp.  

60 Minute Rolls

When I found this recipe over at Lick the Bowl Good, I just knew they were for me! I am a huge procrastinator, especially when it comes to making dinner, I usually put off even thinking about it until 4:00 pm and by then I have to scramble. So, you can imagine my relief when I found these, LIFE SAVER! And it doesn't hurt any that they are super yummy!

60 Minute Rolls

(24 good sized rolls)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 t salt

3 T butter

3 packages (0r 6 3/4 t) active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

5-6 cups flour

In a small sauce pan, stir together milk, sugar, salt and butter.  Heat over low until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.  Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl.  Add the lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture and mix, using the dough hook, on low for about a minute.  With the mixer still going, add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. (I didn't need to add all of it, so just add until the dough starts to clean the sides of the mixing bowl).  Continue mixing for another couple of minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. (The dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.)

Place the dough into a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.  Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place for 15 minutes.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 24 equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball and place in a greased muffin tin or 9x13 pan. Each 9x13 pan will hold 12 rolls.  Cover the pans with a clean dish towel and let the rolls rise for 15 minutes.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.  Brush the tops with melted butter when you take them out of the oven.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These little yummies are so easy and such a fun party food. I used ready made and frozen Italian meatballs from Sam's Club and these literally took about 3 minutes to throw together and then about 2 hours in my crock pot! My kids thought they were great too!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1(15 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar or cider vinegar

1 T molasses

1 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t chili powder

25 frozen Italian meatballs (or homemade meatballs, cooked through)

Mix all ingredients in your crock pot, except meatballs, until smooth. Add meatballs and cook on low for at least 2 hours (or until meatballs are heated through). You can just let these babies simmer while you party on!

Bean Dip

This bean dip has been a staple in our house since I was in high school. It is quick, easy and oh so good! My kids love this as a snack and can devour the whole thing in a matter of minutes. This is also a really good way to dress up plain old refried beans as a side dish.

Bean Dip

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

1/2 cup of your favorite salsa

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

Mix together the beans, salsa and cheese in a sauce pan and heat until the cheese is melted, stirring to keep from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the cheese is melted, remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve warm with chips or as a side dish.

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is another recipe from my sister-in-law. I absolutely LOVE spinach and artichoke dip and this is my favorite recipe for it! It makes me like it even more that it doesn't have mayonnaise in it. Not that I have anything against mayonnaise but putting it in desserts and eating it in a big glob on top of crackers or bread just makes me want to gag. It is a mental thing. Anyway, you won't miss the mayo one bit in this, it is wonderful!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1-10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1-14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2-8 oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper until combined. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbling.

Lion House Rolls and Honey Butter

I have always heard that Lion House Rolls were the bee's knees, so I figured I would see for myself. Now, I have never tasted a bee's knee but these rolls were super yummy and when you put honey butter on them, lets just say they turn magical! So next time you want to impress someone, bring out the big guns and whip up a batch of these.

Lion House Rolls

(18 BIG rolls)

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)

2 T yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 t salt

1/3 cup butter, softened, but not melted

1 egg

5 to 6 cups flour

In a large bowl or electric mixer, combine water and milk powder. Stir until the milk dissolves. Add the yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low until the ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 2 more cups of flour, mixing on low speed, then for 2 minutes on medium. Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough is soft, not overly sticky, and not too stiff. (You may not need to use all the flour.)

Coat a clean bowl with oil and place dough in it to rise. Turn the dough over in the bowl so the dough is coated (this will prevent the dough from drying out). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until double in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and flip the dough once to flour both sides. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 18 inches long and about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the dough with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough in half length wise so you have two very long strips each about 4 inches wide. Cut the strips every 2 inches to make 18 pieces of dough.

Starting with the short end, roll up one piece of dough with the butter on the inside. Place the roll on a parchment lined pan seam side down. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Be sure all the rolls face the same direction on the pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double. Bake rolls at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the tops of hot rolls with melted butter.

Honey Butter

(1 cup)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 cup honey

Whip the softened butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and honey gradually. Beat for 10-20 minutes or until whipped and light.

Zucchini Gratin

I found this recipe over at Food Network. I altered it a little to fit with the ingredients that I had on hand. It was totally yummy! I know I can always count on Ina Garten. This made a great side dish and it gave a fun new spin to plain old zucchini!

Zucchini Gratin

(6 servings)

6 T butter, plus 2 more T for topping

2 yellow onions, cut in half and then sliced

4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t ground nutmeg

2 T flour

1 cup hot milk

3/4 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned bread crumbs)

3/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (I used a combination of Parmesan, asiago and Romano)

Preheat oven to 400.

Melt the butter in a large (12 inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes or until they are tender but not browned.

Add the zucchini and cook, covered for about 10 minutes or until they are tender.  Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Stir in the flour and then add the HOT milk. Cook over low heat until it makes a sauce, this takes a few minutes.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan .

Combine the bread crumbs with the shredded cheese and sprinkle over the top of the zucchini.  Dot this with the remaining 2 T butter that has been cut into small bits.

 Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Cheddar and Garlic Biscuits

Abby is the one I got this little concoction from. It couldn't be easier. I don't know if I would actually call it a recipe, just more a list of things you throw together. So here it is...

Cheddar and Garlic Biscuits

(makes about 9-12 biscuits)

2 1/4 cups Bisquick mix

2/3 cups milk

garlic powder (to taste, I put about 1/2 t)

shredded cheddar cheese (as much as you like, I usually put about 1/2-3/4 cup)

3 T butter, melted

garlic salt (I like the one with parsley)

Preheat oven to 450. Mix together Bisquick, cheddar cheese, garlic powder and milk until a dough forms, do not over mix. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. While they are in the oven, melt the butter and add a dash of garlic salt. When the biscuits come out brush the tops with the garlic butter.

Homemade Croutons

These are so easy and such a great way to use stale bread! I used this Artisan Bread recipe. But I think any french bread would work just fine. I don't think I will ever buy croutons again, these are just too good! I looked at quite a few different recipes but in the end took what I liked from each one.

Homemade Croutons

day old or stale french bread (I used Artisan bread)

extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup per half a loaf)

kosher salt

dried oregano

dried basil

garlic powder

(any other spices you like...thyme, rosemary)

Preheat oven to 350. Cut bread into one inch by one inch cubes or any size or shape you want. (It would be fun to use small cookie cutters and make shapes). Put the bread cubes on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the bread. Sprinkle with the salt and spices. Toss with your hands until the bread is evenly coated. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the bread is very crusty and golden brown. Make sure to stir the bread once or twice as it cooks to ensure even cooking. Cool completely. Use on salad, soup or anything else you can think of. These will store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

My Favorite Pasta Salad

I love this salad because it is SO easy, quick and yummy. It is really more of a list of ingredients than a recipe. But hey, easy is good and maybe I am just LAME but I didn't make pasta salad forever because I had no idea how easy it really was. So if any of you out there are like me, well, let me save you the hassle and give you the list right here!

Pasta Salad

16 oz spiral pasta (I like the multi colored) cooked and drained

red onion

broccoli

squash (zucchini or yellow)

carrots

tomato

olives

1 bottle of Italian dressing

fresh grated Parmesan cheese

I just take whatever veggies I have on hand or feel like and chop them to bite size pieces. Now mix these with the pasta and pour the bottle of dressing over the top. Mix it well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or over night. The dressing seems to soften the veggies a little so leave them raw. Make sure to toss the salad before serving as the dressing settles at the bottom. Sprinkle with Parmesan right before serving.

Adena's Rolls

This is the same recipe that I use for Cinnamon Rolls But this is the way the were originally introduced to me. My wonderful sister-in -law Adena has made these rolls a tradition in our family and I have since passed it on to many others. They are even great as sandwich rolls the next day. These are THE BEST!

Adena's Rolls

(36 rolls)

2 cups warm water

3/4 cup melted butter, plus more for brushing on the dough
3/4 cup sugar
1 T salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 T yeast
6-7 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add the rest of the ingredients and two cups of the flour. Mix until smooth. Continue adding more of the flour until the dough holds together but is still sticky. Use this dough as sticky as you can handle. Knead until smooth. It should be the consistency of play dough. Let rise until double, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the temperature in your kitchen. Knock down. Divide into 3 balls. Roll each ball, one at a time, into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Brush the circle with melted butter. Cut each circle into 12 slices like a pizza. Roll each slice, starting at the fat end, into a crescent shape. Place the rolls on a greased cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let them rise until they are about the size you want eat them. Bake them at 400 for 8-10 minutes. I brush the tops of the warm rolls with MORE melted butter just for good measure!

Hummus

I got this recipe from www.dedemed.com. I have tried a number of Hummus recipes and have never liked them very much, I guess I am just picky! (Shhhh, don't tell anyone!) But...then I found this one! I love this recipe! It is JUST what Hummus should taste like in my opinion. So, give it a try and see what you think!

Hummus

1/4 cup greek yogurt, plain

1 can garbonzo beans (chick peas) drained

1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/2 cup lemon juice

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t salt

3-4 fresh mint leaves

Put all of these ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Garnishes (please don't leave these off, they make hummus well, hummus!)

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

1 t paprika, or more

1/4 cup olive oil

Mexican Rice

I found this recipe on the internet, I don't remember the site. I modified it a bit to my liking. It turned out so great and I loved how easy it was to make!

Mexican Rice

1 cup Basmati rice

1 T olive oil

1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup salsa, the fresher the better (I love Chuck and Dave's from Sam's club)

1 t ground cumin

1/2 t minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice in oil on high until white or opaque, be careful not to let it burn. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.

Mac and Cheese

I got this recipe off of the The Pioneer Woman (love her!) and it is really good! But then again, I am a succor for good, fattening comfort food. Especially when it is something that my kids like too!

Mac and Cheese

4 cups dried macaroni (I used penne)

1 egg

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 t dry mustard

1 pound cheese, grated (I used sharp cheddar)

1/2 t salt

1/2 t season salt

1/2 t pepper

Cook macaroni until still firm. I bite into one and if it is still a little white inside than it is good to go. Drain noodles. In a small bowl, beat egg. In a large pot, melt butter and whisk in flour. Continue whisking over medium low heat for 5 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Pour in milk, add mustard, and stir until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes until it is thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of sauce and slowly, while whisking, add to egg. Pour egg mixture into sauce again whisking constantly so as not to cook the egg. Stir until smooth. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add salt, seasoning salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt if needed. Pour in cooked, drained noodles and stir to combine. You can eat it just like this, it will be pretty creamy. I put it into a greased 9x13 and topped it with bread crumbs and more cheese and then baked it for about 20 minutes at 350. It should be lightly browned and bubbly around the edges.