Chili Cheese Dip

This dip is great for parties or for when you're feeling lazy and want chili.

Chili Cheese Dip
You will need:

• 1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened
• 1 can no bean chili
• 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese
• nacho cheese doritos for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8x8 or 9x9 pan spread cream cheese all over the bottom. Layer the chili on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle on desired amount of cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and chili is bubbling. Serve hot with Doritos.

Grandma's Egg Noodles

Just in time for Thanksgiving! One of the greatest foods I remember growing up is my Grandma Mather's noodles. They were always one of the things I most looked forward to eating.

Grandma's Egg Noodles
You will need:

• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp water
• 2 cans chicken broth or chicken stock
• dash of salt

In a large pot, start broth boiling. Whisk eggs, water and salt together. Mix in the flour. Roll flat on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4 of an inch to 1/8. Let rest (very important!). Roll flat again. Loosely roll dough up (like sushi or a cinnamon roll) and cut desired width of noodles. Add noodles to to boiling broth for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Season to taste with pepper. Enjoy!

Nacho Spuds

A potato take on the always delicious nachos.

Nacho Spuds
Serves 4
You will need:

• 2 large baking potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 can of black beans, drained
• 2 T taco seasoning
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• sour cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potato slices with the olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper and a little salt. Arrange potatoes in a single layer and bake until golden brown, around 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet brown the ground beef. Once cooked through, add the black beans, taco seasoning and 2 Tablespoons of water. Stir well. Simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to an oven safe baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top. Then spoon on the meat and bean mixture. Top with the remaining cheese, green onions and tomatoes. Return to the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand 3 or 4o minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream. If desired you can also serve with tortilla chips to scoop up the extra goodness.

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

I love to have a baked potato every now and then, but my husband dislikes potatoes. He does however love sweet potatoes. Enter compromise that is oh so delicious.

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes
Makes 4 servings
You will need:

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1/4 Cup sour cream
• 3 T butter
• 2 to 3 green onions
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• pinch of cinnamon
• olive oil for brushing
• salt
• pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place all of the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 30 minutes. Pierce each potato a few times and then continue to bake for another 20 minutes. Let cool slightly (you'll probably have to handle the potatoes with oven mitts for the next part).

Peel the sweet potato and place in a bowl. Mash it lightly with a fork. Trim a thin slice off of the top of each russet potato lengthwise. Scoop out most of the flesh, leaving skins intact, into another bowl. Stir in the sour cream, butter, onions, cinnamon and 3/2 cup cheddar. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Brush the skins with olive oil. If you want you can salt and pepper the skins. Generously stuff the the russet potato skins with the potato mixture. Top with the remaining cheese.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place the stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet and cook until the cheese is melted. About 25 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

You can also add in some bacon bits if you wanted a more traditional baked potato.

Adapted from the October 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine

French Dip Sandwiches

These sandwiches are so good that they got eaten before I could take a picture. They are so easy to make since you let it simmer in the crock pot all day.

French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus
Makes enough for 6 to 8 sandwiches
You will need:

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3/4 cup beef broth or stock (I use low sodium if I can find it)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 11/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ~3lb chuck roast
• salt
• pepper
• 6-8 sandwich rolls, split
• ~1/2 pound of sliced provolone or swiss cheese

Slice the onion into 1/4 to 1/2-inch rounds. Keeping the rounds intact,  line the bottom of the crockpot with the onions.  Add beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Tabasco sauce, and garlic to the top of the onions.  Salt and pepper both sides of the roast and place on top of the onions. Cook on low 6-7 hours until beef is fall-apart tender. Shred the roast using two forks (you can remove it from the crock pot to shred if it is easier for you, but I shred mine in the pot).  You can keep the crockpot on warm until you are ready to eat.

Preheat the broiler. Place the split sandwich rolls on a baking sheet and toast for 1 minute or just until the bread begins to brown. I toss my buns in the toaster oven so I don't have to wait for the broiler to preheat.

Scoop out some of the beef and onion mixture onto the bottom bun. Top with Provolone cheese. You can place the sandwiches back in the oven after you have topped them with meat and cheese, but I find that the meat melts the cheese anyways.  Serve with small bowls of jus.

Modified from this recipe.

Peanuty chocolate truffles

A fun, simple dessert. I was surprised by how easy these were to make.

This recipe is from a delicious dessert cookbook I got awhile ago.

What you will need:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp butter, divided
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate for baking (or 1/3 cup semi-sweet morsels)
1 1/4 cups dry-roasted peanuts (or almonds)

1. Add peanut butter and 1/4 cup butter to a microwave safe dish. Microwave on High for 1 minute or till melted, stir. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Refrigerate 30 minutes, till easy to handle

2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Roll 1 tsp of peanut butter mixture into a ball and place on prepared pan. Repeat with remaining mixture and refrigerate 15 minutes.

4. Place chocolate and remaining butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on Hogh for 1-1 1/2 minutes until melted and smooth, stirring after 1 minute.

5. Chop peanuts and place into a shallow dish for coating step.

6. Roll truffle in the melted chocolate then roll on peanuts and return to parchment-lined pan. Repeat with remaining truffles. Chill again, this time in an air-tight containertill ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Citrus Mojito

This is a perfect summer drink. Slighty sweet yet refreshing. This is courtesy of Abby!

In a microwave safe container mix 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Microwave for 2 minutes to dissolve.

In a large picture combine:
Simple syrup from above
1 package of fresh mint
Juice from 2 oranges
Juice from 2 lemons
Juice from 3 limes
2 cups of white rum
8 cans of squirt soda ( I decrease this to a 2 liter)

Serve chilled or on ice and be prepared to make a second batch :)