Spicy Sloppy Joe Dip

One of the many perks football season is creating amazing concoctions that you'll eventually have to work off later in the spring. But before holidays pass and football season comes to an end, we can enjoy morsels made up cheese, meat or sugar and candies. This dip is a must have during any game time. So good and easy to make, break out the potato chips its playoffs time!

Ingredients: 

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion diced
• 3 medium sized jalapenos diced
• 1 can sloppy joe sauce

Directions:

1. In a skillet fry the beef onion and jalapenos together until the meat turns brown. Then drain the fat.
2. Place meat in a crock pot with sloppy joe sauce. Then add both cheeses and turn crock pot on low for two hours.
3. Stir before serving. This makes a lot of dip so make sure your making it for a crowd. If theres just two of you I would definitely split this recipe in half.

See look how easy that was! Enjoy the games and good eats everyone!

Egg and Bread Crumb Casserole (Egg Bake)

I've been so busy with holiday shenanigans, my blog has been suffering a little. But I managed to document one recipe over the week! For any weekend breakfast make something that will fill you up in all the best ways. An easy and filling Egg Bake for breakfast! Makes for about 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup from pkg of single slice Ham (cubed)
• 5 eggs
• 2 cups cubed bread
• 1/2 onion (sautéed)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl whisk eggs and milk together, then add salt and pepper to taste.
3. In an 8x8 casserole pan lay bread cubes down, then layer sauteed onion, ham and shaved cheese on top of cubes.
4. Pour egg mixture on top of bread and cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes to let bread soak in some of the egg. 
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes. 

And there you have it, the prep time was short and sweet and took very little clean up (one of my favorite things). I hope you enjoy this recipe and that everyone had a great holiday season see you in 2014! Happy Eatings Everyone!

Gluten Free Chex Mix

At holiday parties I like to bring things that people can enjoy without worry and can eat a lot of without feeling too guilty. For the past few years I have been experimenting with the holiday classic Chex Mix. I found that this can easily be made into a gluten-free snack and no one would be able to tell. I made two batches for a party I hosted this past weekend, it made its way onto everyone's plate and was gone by the end of the night. So here it is:

Gluten-Free Chex Mix
Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups Rice Chex
• 4 1/2 cups Corn Chex
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• 1 cup gluten-free pretzels
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsps seasoning salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together both chex, nuts, and pretzels well.
3. In a small bowl melt your butter then mix your spices in with a fork.
4. Pour butter mixture onto chex and mix well. If you feel you need more flavoring I add another butter and spice mixture to the recipe but cut the butter and spices in half so it doesn't get too strong. 
5. Pour mixture onto a large baking sheet.
6. Place in oven for one hour and stir every 15 minutes.

Happy Eatings and Happy Holidays!

Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream Lasagna

Haven't been posting as much due to the holidays and all the stuff going on here and there but I had time to write in this recipe:

I hate when I am left with lasagna noodles but no ricotta and no mozzarella. Ayeeee. But it gives me a chance to be inventive, I have sour cream and cheddar cheese so... same thing right? What I thought would be a huge failure actually turned out to be pretty good. Two layers of noodles and a make shift stuffing, it was quite om noms if I do say so myself. So here it is, for every time you find yourself with the noodles and not the right cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1 and 1/3 cup diced tomatoes (canned)
• 1/2 sour cream
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 cloves garlic minced
• 2 slices bacon cut into pieces 
• 1 cup frozen corn
• No Boil lasagna noodles
• 2 cups frozen spinach
• 1/3 cup parmesan 
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lay lasagna noodles down in a 9x13 inch pan.
3. In a pan over stove top, fry up bacon, garlic and onion until translucent in oil. Then add frozen veggies. When everything is fried set to side.
4. On top of noodles spread sour cream over evenly. Then sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top of that. The add a cup of your diced tomatoes evenly over cheese.
5. Next add your onion and bacon mix on top of tomatoes. Layer with another set of lasagna noodles.
6. Top with 1 cup cheddar, then parmesan, lastly your tomatoes.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve!

The top was a little crispy in places, but I put cheddar cheese on top of the tomatoes and parm so that was to be expected. Little mistake, won't happen again.

Pear Vodka Cocktail with Rosemary

This is one of those 'people pleasers' drinks for the holiday parties in your future, so if you are the host or an attendee, wow the crowd with a great cocktail (I won't tell you cheated and took on such an easy recipe). It can be served in a punch style to help lower work load and appeals to those who don't even like vodka! Its yummy, so much so that you should probably have someone keep an eye on your drink limit. Simple and sweet here you are:

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle vodka (750ml)
• 2 cans chilled ginger ale
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• 32 oz pear juice
• Ice

Directions:

1. In a punch bowl or drink dispenser put your ice in, then add your liquids.
2. Puncture the leaves on the sprigs of rosemary to allow the smell and flavor to be released into the drink. Place one sprig in each glass and two or three in your communal dispenser or bowl. 
3. Be sure to mix well. Pour, sip and enjoy.

As they say please drink responsibly, this drink is one of those ninja drinks that gets you later with that heavy buzz so its best to stick to a drink or two. Anyway happy holidays to all and enjoy! 

Rosemary Carrots and a Portobello Bruschetta

Well happy late Thanksgiving! Hope it was swell, the table was full of awesome recipes and fancy feasts and I have a few simple recipes that can translate over from the Thanksgiving table to any table during the year. The two that I am sharing are my carrots that I served with dinner and a bruschetta I served as an appetizer. Here they are:

Roasted Rosemary Carrots

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches small carrots (about 24)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lay your carrots out in a baking dish. It's ok if they overlap.
3. Drizzle your olive oil on top of the carrots.
4. Remove leaves of rosemary from sprig and sprinkle them generously on top on the carrots. Then salt the carrots. I only did a little salt because I didn't want it overpowering the rosemary.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, then serve!

So this one is almost too easy! They are an easy side if you're at a lost for a veggie dish at dinner and because it's carrots the taste will compliment nearly anything!

Portobello Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado cut into smaller pieces
• 3 small portobello mushrooms chopped into small bits
• 1/2 yellow onion chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
• Fresh basil leaves to taste
• 1 large baguette cut into pieces (or whatever you want to serve on)

Directions:

1. In a frying pan add olive oil, garlic and onion and fry until onion is translucent.
2. Next add your mushroom and cook until it is soft and tender.
3. Next add your sliced avocado half and cook until most all of the avocado has disappeared and coated the mushroom mix.
4. When avocado is mostly gone add as many basil leaves as you prefer, I add about a cups worth, and cook until leaves are tender.
5. Remove mix from heat and place in a bowl. Let cool for an hour or overnight. 
6. Then add your balsamic vinaigrette, I only added 1 and 1/2 tablespoon because I never liked bruschetta where all you could taste was the vinaigrette. Mix well and serve on top of bread or crackers.

This was so good on the baked baguette I had, not too filling and oh so healthy. This recipe would also work at a potluck for a universal spread as its vegan and can appeal to all diets. Hope your holiday weekend was swell. Happy Eatings (if you still have room that is)!