Mexican Street Corn Dip

2 cans Del Monte Southwestern Corn (drained) 

2 bricks of cream cheese (16 oz)

8 oz pepper Jack cheese (just break a brick into chunks) 

1/4 C sour cream 

Half a bunch of chopped fresh cilantro 

Throw just a ton of TAJIN seasoning on top.  

Cook in crockpot on low for around 3 hours.  Stir half way through.  Then garnish with more chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese and lots of TAJIN. 

Salsa - Quick and Easy

1 can (14.5 oz.) whole tomatoes, with juice

1 can (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juice

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles

1/4 cup chopped onions (I used minced dried onions)

1 clove garlic

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 - 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems

1 - 2 limes, juiced

1/4 tsp cayenne, optional (I opted out)

Put everything in a blender and blend on the salsa setting.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.  This is similar to restaurant salsas

Fruit Dip

 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 small jar marshmallow creme

1/4 cup lemon juice

mix thoroughly, chill, and serve with your favorite fruits

Balsamic Bruschetta

1 loaf of French bread or 1 baguette cut into 1/2" to 3/4" slices 
1 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) {or more as needed}

8 roma tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 Tbls balsamic vinegar

2 tsp EVOO

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Brush bread slices on both sides lightly with olive oil and place on large baking sheet.  Toast for 5-10 minutes, turning half way through.

Meanwhile, toss all other ingredients in a bowl.

Spoon tomato mixture onto bread slice and enjoy!

Copycat Carrabba’s Bread Dipping Oil

 

We love the bread dipping oil at Carrabbas, and this seems very close.  You could half it though.  It makes a lot!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 3 cloves garlic , freshly crushed or minced
• extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Combine the crushed red pepper, black pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, sea salt and crush garlic. Mix well.
• If serving immediately, place the spice mixture in a shallow plate. Drizzle the desired amount of extra virgin olive oil over, serve. Wait to combine extra virgin olive oil and dry spices until right before serving.

Black Eyed Bean Dip

 1 T butter

1 small onion, diced

1 T finely chopped pickled jalapeños

1/4 tsp ground cumin

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 C sour cream

1 (10 ounce can) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis

1 (15 ounce can) black eyed peas

salt and pepper

Mexican cheese or cheddar

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in pan and ad onion. Cook until soft. Add remaining ingredients to pan Except shredded cheese. Stir to evenly mix and remove from heat. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer dip to cast iron skillet or baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Place in oven and bake 20 minutes or until warm and cheese is melted. 

Chik-Fil-A Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce I use Sweet Baby Ray's
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Step 1: Mix together

Step 2: Devour

Air Fryer Chik-Fil-A

Ingredients

• 2 6 oz chicken breast cut into 2-inch pieces (or do strips!)
• 1 cup pickle juice
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbs milk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp corn starch
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• oil for spraying

Instructions

• Place chicken pieces and pickle juice in a plastic bag. Close and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl whisk together egg and milk.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, corn starch, powdered sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Set Aside.
• Remove chicken pieces from the refrigerator. Grease the Air Fryer basket with a little oil. Coat chicken pieces in egg mixture, then coat it in flour mixture, then shake off any excess flour and place it in the basket. Repeat until the bottom of the air fryer basket is full. Make sure none of the pieces are overlapping nor should they be touching. 
• Close the air fryer basket and cook on 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Spray any flour spots when flipping. 
• After 12 minutes is up, increase the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional 2 minutes. 

  Remove and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. 

Shrimp Cocktail

Dad's Shrimp cocktail--every ingredient quantity is a guess:

1 bag frozen or fresh large shrimp, boiled briefly until they turn pink
2 cans tiny shrimp
2 quarts Spicey V-8
1 quart tomato juice
1 C ketchup
4-5 stalks of celery, chopped
2 T. Horseradish
2-3 T. Lemon Juice
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
garlic salt, to taste
2-3 avocados, diced - (add right before serving)

Mix these amounts together.  Then check taste and texture and decide what to increase, if anything.

Good luck!

Steak Cubes

2 sirloin steak (or any kind will work)
1 - 2 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Butter
2 tsp garlic
salt and pepper
1 T. parsley

Cut steak into bite-sized cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat oil on high.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring often.  Reduce heat and add butter and garlic.  Cook for f1 - 2 minutes, stirring to coat.  Sprinkle with parsley at the end.

Salsa (canned)

6 qts. peeled tomatoes
10 onions
3-4 chopped jalapeños
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup apple cider vinegar
3 green peppers
1 red pepper
1/2 cup salt
4 T. diced green chiles

Chop stuff (use food processor if you like). Put in large stock pot and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Mix 5 T corn starch in cold water.  Add and stir 10 minutes to thicken.  Pour into pint jars and put into canner.  Boil for 15 minutes.

Notes:  Squeeze extra juice from tomatoes before chopping helps make a less runny salsa.  Add the amount of jalapeños according to your "heat" preference.

Cabbage Salsa

1 head of green cabbage

3 peppers (red, yellow, green)

1 red onion

1 bunch cilantro

About ¼ cup jalapeños from a jar (more or less, to taste)

About ¼ cup liquid from the jar

Some olive oil

Some Garlic salt, to taste

Juice from 2 limes

Chop everything and mix together.  Serve with your favorite chips!

momma Lisa's {FRESH SALSA}

INGREDIENTS
5 Roma Tomatoes
4 Avacados
1 bunch green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 jalepeno
jucie from 1 lime

add garlic salt to taste and sprinkle with fruit fresh to preserve

Appetizer Meatballs

I made these at the Welch Christmas party once. Remember them? And now I'm taking them to a pot-luck at work.

Ingredients

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 dash garlic powder
• dash cayenne pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, combine the first nine ingredients Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, thaw meatballs in microwave according to package directions. Stir into sauce; heat through.