7 Layer Taco Dip and Party food!

My youngest turned 12 on Valentine's Day. 

We had already passed out party invitations for Saturday, when I found out my mom would be having emergency surgery on her broken hip on Saturday morning.

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Mom came through the surgery just fine!  We are so thankful.

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I spent my morning at the hospital with her and around lunch quickly ran home and started getting the party food together.

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I had already planned the menu along with Brooklyn and we had everything ready to go.  My hubby made the Tuna Sandwiches while I was at the hospital and Brooklyn made the Ham Rolls the night before.

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Everything turned out to be delicious!

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Our Menu:

Cocktail Weiners

7 Layer Mexican Dip and chips

Tuna Sandwiches

Ham Rolls (will share recipe soon)

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries (these were yummy!)

Skillet Cake with pourable Chocolate Icing

...oOo...

So on to the 7 Layer Mexican Dip recipe!

This is my first time making it and believe me, I will make it again!

Combine the refried beans and taco seasoning.  Spread on a large plate or tray.

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Spread the combined sour cream and cream cheese over the bean layer.

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Spread the combined salsa or picante sauce ove the cream cheese/sour cream layer.

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Spread shredded lettuce over the salsa layer.

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Finally, top with shredded cheese and chopped green onions.  Grab some chips and dig in!

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7 Layer Mexican Dip 

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

1 (16 ounce) jar salsa or picante sauce

1 bunch chopped green onions

1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained (optional)

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In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.

Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.

Top the layers with salsa or picante sauce.  Place a layer of lettuce over sauce and top with Cheddar cheese and chopped onions.  Optional: Garnish with black olives.

Super Bowl Party Time!

If you're planning a Super Bowl Party, here's some great recipes to get you started.

Whether it's burgers, wings, chips and dip, cake, brownies...lots of great recipes can be found online.

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Below are some of my favorites places:

The Pioneer Woman Cooking

Tasty Kitchen

About's Super Bowl recipes and Party Tips

Deep South Dish

Taste of Home Super Bowl Recipes

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No matter what you make, enjoy the game, family and friends and may the best team win!!!

 

Glazed Applesauce Pecan Snack Cake (no eggs)

Being blessed with several containers of applesauce,

I went in search of an easy applesauce cake or bread recipe.

I'm all about easy and quick recipes.

I like to know there's something yummy

baking in the oven

while I'm surfing the web or working

on my ever-growing

 pile of laundry,

but I don't want to spend a lot of time

on a recipe with tons of ingredients

that I probably

don't have anyway.

...

Yesterday the girls and my hubby went sledding (again!)

and so I decided to use

up some of

the applesauce I'd been blessed with.

I thought it'd be nice to

come home to a warm house

smelling like sugar and cinnamon. 

I found an easy  recipe here

and  tweaked it

according to my preferences.

The result was wonderful!

(That's right - no eggs!)

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Quick. Simple. Easy.

Here's my tweaked version.  Make it soon!

Glazed Applesauce Pecan Snack Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

pecan pieces, optional

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Preheat oven to 350º.   Grease and flour a 9 inch square baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Dissolve baking soda into applesauce and mix into creamed butter.  Add flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared dish.  Sprinkle pecan pieces over cake batter.  Bake at 350º for 30 -40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 T milk

2 T melted butter

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Mix together and drizzle over slightly cooled cake.

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CLICK  FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

Roasted Chickpeas

Here's a tasty high fiber snack...



Roasted Chickpeas

1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray

2 cup(s) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained and patted dry

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Spread chickpeas on baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic powder, red pepper and seasoned salt; toss to coat.

Roast on bottom rack of oven, shaking pan about every 15 minutes, until browned and slightly crunchy, about 45 to 50 minutes.  (The chickpeas will still be somewhat soft. Cook longer for desired texture.)  Cool before serving. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.  

WW Points 2 pts per serving

Vintage Recipe: Pineapple Cheese Ball

The holidays are just around the corner

and eating delicious goodies that we only make on special occasions has become a tradition.



Cheeseballs, Spinach Dip, Peanut Butter Balls, Spiced Pecans...these are a few of my favorite things.

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The special occasion was a wedding on Saturday night.  My friends Terry and Angie decided to tie the knot.  I wanted to help them celebrate by bringing a treat to the reception.  It was all eaten up.   Pictured below was the little bit I had left at home for a midnight snack or early morning breakfast.

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This started out as my friend Laura's recipe.  I've made some tweaks of my own with favorable results.



 

Pineapple Cheese Ball
 
cream cheese, 16 oz
crushed pineapple, (small can) drained dry
pecan pieces, 2 C
chopped onion, 1/4 cup
shredded cheddar, 2 oz
seasoned salt, 1 T
 
Mix all togther.  Refrigerate and roll in chopped pecans.
Serve with crackers.

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Watch for more vintage recipes and hopefully a give-away in the near future!

Cheesy Sausage Balls

The high carb version of this recipe has been a family favorite for years now.

Usually we get together the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas to cook for the holiday family dinner.  While we're putting Mom's Potato Salad together and making her fabulous Coconut Cream Pie, we stick a pan of Sausage Balls in the oven to snack on.  It's become a family tradition.

 

Having a little extra sausage on hand, I attempted a low carb version of this easy recipe.

 

They turned out fairly tasty, tho I think I can back off the onion powder next time or leave it out all together.

 

All you need is sausage, grated cheese, and something to bind it all together.  I've read where some use eggs and others use crushed pork skins.  I used a bit of Carbquik (similar to Bisquik and can be purchased at Netrition) and some parmesan cheese to make up the dry ingredients. 

 

It worked and they were quite tasty, although they didn't have the traditional sausage ball taste, because of the added spices, I think.  So in the future, I think I'll skip the spices and hope for that famous sausage ball flavor.

Other tasty low carb snacks and appetizers:

Deep Fried Cauliflower

Aussie Squash Fries

Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño Poppers



Cheesy Sausage Balls

1 lb. sausage
12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of your choice low carb baking mix, such as Carbquik and parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 º F.  Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.   Mix well with your fingers. The mixture may very crumbly.  Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.  Place the balls on the baking sheet.  Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown.  To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking or use parchment paper to line your pan.  Remove from oven and serve warm.

Microwave Pork Rinds

Lowery's Bacon Curls in Original or Hot and Spicy

These are the absolute best!  I serve them along with some homemade dip and a big tall glass of Diet Pepsi. 

Amazon has a great price, too.  Check'm out!

 

Deep Fried Cauliflower Florets (Low Carb)

As I was deep frying these little golden bites, different ones wandered through the kitchen and asked what it was that I was cooking. My Handyman finally decided that this was our pre-dinner appetizer.  I didn't tell him they were low carb.  They wouldn't have come within an inch of his mouth had he known.  ;)

These can be served without or with any tasty dipping sauce you like.  We chose Ranch and Heinz LC Ketchup.

Deep Fried Cauliflower Florets (low carb)

One 16oz bag frozen cauliflower

1 egg

3 T cream, half and half, or water

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated romano cheese

seasoning spices (garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, etc)

hot oil for deep frying

Rinse and thaw the frozen cauliflower.  Drain off the water.  With a fork or whisk, mix the cream, half and half, or even water with the egg.  Set aside.  Add your preferred spices to both cheeses, stir and set aside.

Put about a cup of cauliflower florets into the egg mixture, stir around until the florets are coated with egg.  Next put the florets into the cheese mixture (I put the cheese into a quart size freezer bag) and shake around until the cauliflower florets are well coated with the cheese mixture.

Carefully drop into the hot oil.  Deep fry 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.  Continue until all the cauliflower is cooked. Drain on paper towels and serve with your preferred dipping sauce.

Dill Pickle Cashews

My newest favorite snack.

See more snacks and appetizers.