HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN!!!!

Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays, but I've held out this year so that we can really celebrate next year when our daughter Finley is here.

Here are some SPOOKtacular recipes that I love to make.

YUMMY MUMMY CHEESEBALL

2 - 8 oz extra sharp cheddar, shredded

1 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 - 8 oz container of chive + onion cream cheese

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp red pepper

Combine ingredients and shape like a mummy. I like to chill it for a short time after shaping.

Pipe cream cheese (mixed with a little milk for thinning) over the mummy to make wrapping. Refrigerate until ready to serve. You might want to leave the cheeseball out for a bit before serving so it can soften.

This is actually my MIL’s cheeseball recipe. She makes it into a ball and puts a broccoli stalk on top to look like a pumpkin. She serves it with apple slices.

Football is....

right around the corner!!! As you can see...Sebastian has been waiting ever so patiently!

These recipes will without a doubt be on our game day/tailgate tables this 2008 season.

KAMA'S FAMOUS BUFFALO DIP

I could eat this stuff with a spoon!

2 -10 ounce cans chunk chicken, drained (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks® Red Hot®
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks, tortilla chips or Frito Scoops (the scoops happen to be my favorite).

Kama's Notes: This is the recipe that I used but modified. I didn't put in slow cooker, I used some of the other suggestions and used rotisserie chicken and also put it in a dish and baked it at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes with additional cheese on top.


KAMA'S YUMMY MEATBALLS

Use frozen meatballs. Follow the package instructions to cook them to temperature (I baked mine plain first).

In a small bowl mix the following together:

1 cup of barbeque sauce
4-5 heaping tablespoons of grape jelly
1/8 - 1/4 cup water

Pour the sauce mixture over the cooked meatballs. Bake at 325ºF covered with foil for 45 minutes to an hour. The mixture will be bubbly and dark. Keep warm in a crockpot.


TRISH'S BROWN SUGAR SMOKIES

Make plenty of these! They go fast!!

Cocktail Franks (Smokies)
1 package of bacon
1 box of brown sugar

Cut each bacon slice into thirds to wrap a cocktail frank. Use a toothpick to hold the bacon and frank together. Layer the wrapped cocktail franks on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Sensational Summer Eats

Great eats for those hot summer days!

SUMMER FRUIT SALSA WITH CINNAMON CHIPS



4 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

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DANIELLE'S SNICKER SALAD



Large box of instant vanilla pudding
1 Container of Cool whip
Red apples (about 6)
Green Grapes (cut in half)
SNICKERS - 8 large king size bars

Make the pudding according to the directions on the box. Add cool whip and mix in apples, grapes and lots of SNICKERS.

Easter Eats

Simple hor d'oeuvres that are perfect for Spring!

GOAT CHEESE + PISTACHIO SPREAD

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
10.5 ounces goat cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced (see notes below)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup chives, chopped

Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate overnight so that the flavors can come together. Garnish with additional chives. Serve with baguette slices or crostini.

Notes: You can make a paste with the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon salt as well.

Makes approximately 2 cups

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HOT BRIE KISSES WITH RASPBERRY + APRICOT
Frozen Mini Pastry Shells
Round of Baby Brie
Raspberry Preserves
Apricot Preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the frozen pastry shells in a mini muffin tin. Cut brie into 1/2 inch or bite size pieces. Place each piece of brie into a pastry shell. Top the brie with a 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry or apricot preserves.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the brie has melted.

Movie Night Munchies

PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
6-8 cups popped popcorn

In small pan melt together corn syrup and sugar.
Add peanut butter and melt.
Be careful not to boil mixture too much, the peanut butter will start to burn.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Stir mixture over popcorn.

Source: Recipezaar

Espresso + White Chocolate Biscotti

On a recent trip to Orlando, I had the most wonderful Java Blondie biscotti at a coffee house and could not wait to get home to recreate the flavor.



2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons espresso powder (ex. MEDAGLIA D'ORO Instant Espresso Coffee)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup almonds, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and espresso powder.

In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in one egg at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat until just blended. Stir in the white chocolate chips and almonds.

Form the dough into a 13 inch long by 3 inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. You might need to use a little flour on your hands to keep them from sticking to the dough. Bake for 40 minutes or until it reaches a light golden color. Cool on baking sheet for 30-45 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes or until the biscotti are golden in color. Transfer biscotti to a wire rack to cool.

Makes approximately 1 1/2 dozen

Holiday Entertaining

I served this punch at our holiday supper club brunch. Tastes great and looks like Christmas!

POINSETTIA PUNCH

1 quart of cranberry juice
1 quart of pineapple juice
2 quarts of ginger ale
1 1/4 cups of sugar

Mix juices and sugar in a punch bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add ginger ale right before serving.

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This vinaigrette is wonderful! Great on a holiday salad with pears, crumbled gorgonzola, dried cherries and walnuts.

DARK CHERRY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Source: Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARE VINAIGRETTE:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the balsamic vinegar, sugar and garlic and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cherry preserves and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then whisk in the red wine vinegar followed by the canola oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Notes: The vinaigrette recipe yields about 2 1/2 cups of dressing. Place extra dressing in a sealed jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Use on other salads, or drizzle over grilled shrimp or lobster.