Crab Dip

This a very easy crab dip with only four ingredients. Also perfect for holiday gatherings.

Crab Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
1 bottle cocktail sauce
1 can crab meat
green onion tops for garnish

Spread cream cheese on bottom of dish/platter
pour cocktail sauce on top of cream cheese
place crab meat on cocktail sauce. Garnish with creen onion tops
Refrigerate until ready to serve

Dried Beef Dip

Dried Beef Dip

8 oz cream Cheese
3 Green Onions
2.5 oz. Dried Beef
1 Tbsp Worchester Sauce

Soften cream cheese. Chop green onion and dried beef in small pieces. Mix cream cheese, green onion, dried beef, and worchester sauce and form into a ball. Roll in nuts, dried beef pieces or place in dish. Serve with crackers or celery pieces.

Christmas Eve

Okay so today is Christmas Eve. Many traditions abound, but there is one that follows me through the last five years. I will have to make my famous cinnamon rolls. (Check out a previous post for the recipe) There is also another tradition that abounds and that is making endless appetizers for our feast on Christmas Eve. This year I am making 6 or 7 different appetizers for a unforgettable buffet. Dishes such as crab rangoons, little smokies, taco dip, crab dip, barbecue ribs, red dip (a dish my mother makes) recipes will be posted today with pictures. Please be patient. That is my Christmas Eve menu and now off to get busy!

Creamy Greek Pasta Salad

I was looking for a way to use up greek olives this summer and I found this wonderful recipe to try!!! I think it would be a great unexpected addition to your holiday buffet.


1 lb dry rotini pasta
1 small cucumber (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1 tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped (or use 5-6 green onion, chopped)
1/4 cup sliced kalamata olive
1 cups cubed feta cheese (you will need more for the dressing)
salt (to taste)
fresh ground black pepper (to taste)


DRESSING
1 fresh garlic clove (or use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano (or use 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning in place of oregano and basil)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup mayonnaise (more if needed mixed in the salad at the end)
Cool the pasta in boiling water until al dente; drain then rinse well under cold water.
Place the pasta in a large bowl.
Add in cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, olives and cubed feta cheese; toss to combine.
For the dressing; Mince Garlic Clove.
Add in all the remaining ingredients mix until well blended then add in the mayonnaise and mix until combined.
Pour over the salad ingredients in the bowl; toss to combine (if you prefer a creamier salad then add in more mayonnaise to taste).
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Frugal Gift Ideas

Looking for some frugal gift Ideas? Why not make up some cookies or caramel corn and package up in a pretty container and give to neighbors and teachers? Here is my recipe for caramel corn



Caramel Corn


Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups unpopped popcorn
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
Directions
1.In a 4 quart saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil , and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Place popped corn in oven to keep warm. Repeat until all corn has been popped.
2.Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
3.Boil sugar, butter, syrup, and salt for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add baking soda. Stir well.
4.Pour over popped corn. Spread onto cookie sheets and place in oven for 1 hour. Stir every 15 min. Remove from oven and let cool, breaking apart the popcorn as it cools. Store in air tight containers.

Wild Rice Soup

This soup is wonderful!!! I received it from my mother who grew up in Wisconsin. It really warms a body up and it is a great way to use up leftovers.



Wild Rice Soup

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 12 oz. can fat-free evaporated milk

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

1/2 of an 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), cubed

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms and carrot. Cook and stir over medium heat till carrot is tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add broth all at once. Cook and stir till bubbly.

2. Stir in evaporated milk, wild rice, chicken and cream cheese; cook and stir over medium-low heat till cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings

Christmas Baking

I start my christmas baking earlier and earlier each year. I am starting today with my cookies. I make a wide array of cookies each year and take them to various gatherings throughout the season. Recipes will follow later....

Tonight I'm making Northwoods Wild Rice Soup. So yummy! I will post thr recipe later today.