Aaron's Nachos

 Our son makes the best oven baked nachos, and I'm always calling to ask him for the recipe. I decided it's time for me to just put this delicious recipe on my blog.

First, season the ground beef ~ use 93% ground beef; brown with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper (to taste) and crushed red pepper (to taste)

Layer on cookie sheet:

1. tortilla chips
2. seasoned ground beef
3. shredded Mexican cheese

Bake at 400° until cheese is melted.

Top with:

• salsa
• sour cream
• black olives
• diced tomatoes
• diced onions
• sliced jalapenos 
• shredded lettuce

White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms (Keto Style)

 Ingredients:

• 24 white button (or baby portobello)
• 1 1/2 cups President brand Garlic & Herbs Pub Cheese
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3 slices provolone cheese, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons Half & Half
• 1/2 cup crushed pork rinds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 °.
2. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt.
3. Use a paring knife to trace around the stem; then gently pull it out.
4. Stuff each mushroom with the herb pub cheese until it is almost to the top.
5. Combine the grated parmesan, roughly chopped provolone and Half & Half. Microwave for 25 seconds. Let it cool.
6. The cheese mixture will harden, but this makes it easier to top the mushrooms with it. Use your hands to evenly top each mushroom with the mixture. Be careful NOT to over stuff them. The filling can bubble up slightly as it bakes, and you don't want the filling to overflow onto the cookie sheet.
7. Place the mushrooms on a foil or parchment lined cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or so until the tops are golden and the bottoms are still firm enough to hold their shape. Halfway through, the mushrooms in the middle may need to be rotated for even browning.
9. Let the mushrooms sit for 5 minutes before serving. This allows them to firm up and also to cool slightly, as they get very hot on the inside.

French Onion Dip & Chips

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup cottage cheese, blend to smooth
• 2 TBSP Lipton Onion Soup & Dip mix
• Ranch pork rinds

Directions:

1. mix blended cottage cheese with soup & dip mix.
2. Enjoy with pork rinds.

Easy Mexican Appetizer

My friend, Lori Little, is an awesome cook. And.....sometimes she's good at coming up with quick ideas for parties. She has brought this simple and delicious appetizer to my house many times. It's enjoyed by all, and she always returns home with an empty plate. It's a perfect appetizer for a Mexican dinner too! 

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. bar cream cheese, softened
• salsa
• shredded cheese
• scallions, cut up
• sliced black olives

Directions:

1. Spread softened cream cheese on serving plate.
2. Spread salsa on top of cream cheese.
3. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of salsa.
4. Sprinkle scallions on top of shredded cheese.
5. Sprinkle black olives on top of scallions.
6. Serve with tortilla chips, Scooples, or Fritos.

Katie's Corn Salad

Ingredients:

• diced tomato
• peeled, de-seeded & diced 1/2 cucumber
• diced 1/4 red onion
• drained 1 can sweet corn
• salt & pepper to taste
• red wine vinegar
• olive oil
• add cheese, if wanted (Katie uses feta. I use gorgonzola.) 

Directions: Mix all ingredients and enjoy!

Crispy Pepperoni Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Put parchment paper on cookie sheet.
3. Place thinly sliced deli pepperoni on parchment paper, but do not overlap.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes.
5. Let pepperonis completely cool down.
6. Place on paper towel to soak up grease.
7. Store at room temperature in ziplock bag.
8. Chips may be stored in freezer for 3-4 months.
9. Serve with any dip. We also enjoy these chips with Texas Caviar ~ Search my blog for this recipe.

Benedictine Spread

 Ingredients:

• 1 large English cucumber
• 8 oz. bar cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated onion (sweet or yellow)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 TBSP. mayonnaise
• green Tabasco sauce (to taste)
• 2-3 drops green food coloring

Directions:

1. Peel cucumber; slice lengthwise; remove all seeds.
2. Grate cucumber coarsely.
3. Blend all ingredients (except food coloring) in blender.
4. Add green food coloring.
5. Serve with raw vegetables or crackers.

Cheesy Chicken Peppers

 Ingredients:

• Mini bell peppers (variety of colors)

• 8 oz. block cream  cheese

• 1 Rotisserie chicken

• 1/4 cup salsa

• 2 tbsp. Pimento cheese

Directions:

1. Set oven to 400°.

2. Slice mini bell peppers in half (long ways)

3. Scoop out the insides with a spoon.

4. Add the following in a bowl and mix well:

1. Meat from rotisserie chicken

2. Cream cheese

3. Salsa

4. Pimento cheese

5. Salt & pepper to taste

5. Use medium size cookie scoop to distribute chicken mixture among the peppers.

6. Flatten chicken mixture with a fork.

7. Sprinkle with shredded colby jack cheese.

8. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

9. Drizzle with ranch dressing

10. Top with a slice of banana pepper.

11. There will probably be 1 1/2 -2 cups chicken mixture leftover...maybe make quesadillas with it.

Everything Bagel Cheese Chips

 Ingredients:

• 1 c. shredded cheddar

• 1 c. shredded mozzarella

• 3/4 c. shredded parmesan

• 1/2 TBSP. everything bagel seasoning

Directions:

1. Mix all together and spoon a teaspoon amount on parchment paper
2. Bake at 350 for 7-11 min.
3. Sprinkle w/another 1/2 TBSP everything bagel seasoning
4. Cool and then eat.

Low Carb Cheese Sticks

INGREDIENTS:

soft butter 

1 low carb tortilla 

1 TBSP grated parmesan cheese (powdered in the can) 

handful of mozzarella 

no sugar marinara sauce 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Spread salt and butter onto low carb tortilla. 
3. Sprinkle 1 TBSP grated (powder) parmesan cheese. 
4. Sprinkle with pizza or Italian seasoning. 
5. Add a heaping handful of shredded mozzarella. 
6. Sprinkle more garlic parmesan seasoning. 
7. Bake 7-8 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. 
8. Serve with marinara or dip in ranch.

Marinated Mozzarella

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. minced chives
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. block of part-skim mozzarella cheese, cubed

Directions:

1. Combine all above ingredients (except cheese) in gallon size ziplock bag.
2. Add cheese to ziplock bag; turn to coat all pieces.
3. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 Oz. Size) Little Smokies Sausages
• 1 pound Bacon, strips cut into thirds
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut the bacon slices in thirds and wrap each smokie with a third strip of bacon.
Place all the wrapped smokies in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish.

Then melt the butter and mix brown sugar with butter.

Pour the butter/brown sugar mixture over the smokies.

Bake for about an hour or until bacon is nice and crisp.

Bourbon Weiners

Ingredients:

• 3 (14-16 oz.) packages mini sausages or mini hotdogs
• 1 1/2 cups bourbon
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup

Directions: This recipe can be made 3 hours before guests arrive.

1. Mix bourbon, brown sugar and ketchup in large pan.
2. Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir often.
3. Stir mini sausages or mini hotdogs into mixture.
4. Put in crock pot and set on "low".

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Ingredients (for 10-12 wings):

• Flour Mixture ~
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Lawry's seasoned salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika
• Sauce Mixture ~
• equal parts of melted butter & Frank's hot sauce
• vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Rinse wings in cold water and pat dry.
2. Season chicken with flour mixture. (I usually put the flour mixture and wings in a ziplock bag and shake.)
3. Fry in oil heated to 375 degrees until chicken is golden brown. This may be done in a skillet with 1/2"-3/4" oil, or even deeper. If chicken isn't completely immersed in oil, turn chicken until all sides are golden brown.
4. Drain cooked wings on paper towel-lined plate for a very short time.
5. Roll wings in bowl of sauce mixture until completely coated.

Mexican Dip

I have seen this recipe in many different places. It is a quick and tasty appetizer. The beauty of this recipe is that you can vary the layers. My favorite ingredients, though, are:

• 8 oz. bar cream cheese
• Hormel chili without beans (either size can will work)
• 1 can green chilis (I have been known to substitute by chopping jalapenos.)
• shredded cheddar cheese (or shredded Mexican cheese mix)
• sliced black olives (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place bar of cream cheese in glass or ceramic pie pan, and microwave on high for 1 minute (if coming right out of refrigerator).
3. Spread cream cheese to cover bottom of pie pan.
4. Spread Hormel chili for next layer.
5. Spread green chilis for next layer.
6. Top with shredded cheese (as much as you want)
7. Sprinkle with olives, if desired.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese has melted thoroughly.
9. Serve hot with tortilla chips, scoops, or Fritos.

Fried Pickles

There's nothin' like Southern fried pickles for an appetizer before a good home-cooked Southern dinner! Here is a simple, yet tasty recipe for fried pickles.

Ingredients:

• dill pickles
• 1 cup flour
• 1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
• oil for frying (I prefer peanut oil.)
• bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing for dipping sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil on medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees. (I use an electric skillet, but I am sure a fryer/Fry Daddy would be fine.)
2. Drain pickles.
3. Mix flour & dry dressing mix in 1 gallon Ziploc bag.
4. Shake several pickles in flour mixture until well coated.
5. Drop coated pickles into hot oil. Try not to clump them together.
6. Pickles are done when they float to top of oil.
7. Drain on several paper towels before serving with ranch dipping sauce.

Pimento Cheese

This is my favorite pimento cheese spread because it has a little kick to it! Actually, it is Paula Deen's son's recipe (Bobby). I serve it as an appetizer with crackers...especially when I serve a Southern meal. Bill and I also enjoy pimento cheese sandwiches at work. I usually double this recipe....YUMMY!

Ingredients

• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
• 1 teaspoon grated onion
• Cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Veggie Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 2 - 8 oz. bars softened cream cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped radishes
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise. Add powder Ranch mix and blend thoroughly. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
3. Press crescent rolls on cookie sheet (with lip on sides) and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool.
4. Combine all chopped vegetables together.
5. Assemble:

• Spread cooled crust with cream cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle with mixed veggies.
• Top with shredded cheese.
• Refrigerate.
• Slice into bars to serve.

Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes

Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes isn't the most appetizing name for a recipe, but I am so glad I found this healthy recipe! Papa Dukes and I enjoy them with a salad, but they would also be tasty appetizers...especially while watching a good football game.

Ingredients:
2 c cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped up small
4 Laughing Cow Blue Cheese wedges, chopped
3 T Buffalo wing sauce (I didn't have this sauce, so I used Frank's hot sauce with a little butter)
½ a celery stalk, chopped small
16 wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)
4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat 2% shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a microwavable bowl, combine the chicken, cheese wedges and wing sauce. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on high. Stir to combine until chicken mixture is fully coated with cheese and wing sauce. Stir in the chopped celery pieces.
3. Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Using about half of the chicken mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle about half the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Yields 8 “cupcakes”. Weight Watchers Points Plus: 4 per cupcake (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per "cupcake" from myfitnesspal.com: 149 calories, 9 g carbs, 5 g fat, 16 g protein, 0 g fiber

Nikol's Garlic Bruschetta

This bruschetta is amazing, and it is SOOOO GOOOOOD! I just love All Recipes because I always find great recipes there. I only make the 5-star recipes because there are so many to pick and choose from. I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious bruschetta too!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
7 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 sourdough baguette, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 (4 ounce) package semi-soft cheese with garlic and herbs (such as Alouette®)

Directions:

1. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, and garlic in a bowl. Stir in the chopped tomatoes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover; place in the refrigerator to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread the bread slices in a single layer on a large baking pan.
3. Bake in the oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove to cool on a wire rack.
4. When the bread is cool, spread the semi-soft cheese evenly over each slice. Using a slotted spoon, spoon some of the tomato mixture over each slice.