Halli's Perfect Guacamole

You know how you're always trying to find the perfect balance in a guacamole? Haha, or is that just me? I swear when I go to make a guacamole, I can never get the proportions right. Well this search ended when my cousin magically made me the perfect guacamole one day. She had been working on it for months, trying to perfect it. And that she did. It's DIVINE and PERFECT. I can eat the entire bowl. Make it, but then be prepared to eat the entire thing:)

2 large avocados

almost 1/2 tsp garlic salt

almost 1/2 tsp onion salt

1/2 tsp regular salt (you can adjust this for your own saltiness)

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

2 tsp lemon or lime juice

2 Tbs sour cream

Mix it all up in a bowl with a fork, smashing the avocados. Then eat the BEST guacamole you've ever had!! Enjoy!

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

These are an easy, fun dinner. I also love that I can make them for dinner and then put them in Bryce’s lunch for school. I’m contemplating making them and freezing them individually for lunches. I love having different options for school lunches. They were a hit and I will definitely be making them again.

1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 t salt
4-4 1/2 C flour
1 pound deli ham, sliced thin
2 C cheddar cheese, shredded


Pour 1 1/2 C warm water into your stand mixer and preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Add sugar and yeast. Turn the mixer on low for about 30 seconds allowing the ingredients to combine. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, or until it gets all bubbly .Add salt and flour. Turn the mixer on to low and let the flour mix in. Add the rest of the flour (2 1/2 cups worth) one cup at a time. When the dough pulls itself away from the side of the bowl, you have enough flour.


Turn the mixer to medium speed and allow it to knead for 5 minutes.


Spray your counter with cooking spray, divide the dough into two equal parts and allow them to rest on the counter for 10 minutes. Don’t skip this step. If you don’t let the dough rest it won’t roll out nicely. After the dough has rested roll it out into a large rectangle. Cover it with half of the ham and sprinkle it with 1 cup of cheddar cheese.


Roll the dough up starting at the longer end.Spray a large knife with cooking spray and slice the roll into 12 rounds. Place each pinwheel into a greased 9x13 pan barely touching. Repeat steps above with the other half of the dough. If you run out of space, you might have to use an additional 8x8 pan.

Place pans into your warm 170 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until they start to rise just a bit. You don’t want them to get super puffy, you just want the dough to have the chance to expand a little.
Turn the oven up to 350 degrees (don’t take the pans out of the oven) and let the pinwheels bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown along the top and bottom.


Take the pans out of the oven and let the pinwheels rest for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!!


*From jamiecooksitup.net

Avocado Chicken Salad

Made this. Loved it. Then I made it again because I didn’t feel guilty AT ALL because it’s delicious, easy AND healthy:)

1 cup shredded chicken (I use canned chicken and it’s great)

1 avocado, mashed

1 lime

1-2 T cilantro depending on how much you like it

salt and pepper

Add chicken and avocado to a bowl and mix. Add lime, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Eat with crackers, in a sandwich or on my personal favorite, Bagel Thins. Enjoy!

Pizza Rollups

I had this genius idea one day. ANYTHING can go in a crescent roll:) So lately I’ve been trying all sorts of things!! My favorite combo is the pizza one. I made it once and then made it 3 more times. It’s also a KID FAVORITE. Is so easy, so delicious and perfect for those nights that your short on time and patience for dinner. I also recommending making more than you think you need because I ran out VERY quickly all the times I made them with people wanting more.

Crescent rolls

Pizza sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Pepperoni

Unroll the crescent rolls into each individual roll. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on the whole triangle except for the very tip. Then add cheese and a few slices of pepperoni. Rollup and place on a cookie sheet and bake as directed on the package of crescent rolls. ENJOY!!

Rattlesnake Bites

These were a fun, easy option for dinner. You also could whip these up for an appetizer, lunch or a snack. The filling is so scrumptious! I had a lot leftover because I only had 1 tube of the crescent dough, so I just added some Pepperjack cheese and we ate it as a dip for chips. Yum!

1 pound ground beef (I use ground turkey)
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies
1 (80z) package cream cheese, cubed
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t chili powder
2-3 tubes refrigerated crescent dough

In a large skillet, cook beef and chilies over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, then drain. Add the cream cheese, cumin and chili powder.

Separate crescent dough into triangles. Place 1 T of beef mixture in the middle of the triangle roll up, pinching it closed so no filling is showing.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown.

*From Taste of Home

Risotto

This is one of the first recipes I put on this blog when I first started it. Have you ever had risotto? If you haven’t, YOU MUST!! It has to be one of my most favorite foods. It is a little labor-intensive, but man is it worth it! I usually save it for special occasions, or when the hubby requests it. For instance, it made an appearance on Father’s Day. It’s so rich, creamy and perfect. Here’s to remembering old recipes!!

1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Arborio rice
7 to 8 c chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
2 cups (total) grated Parmesan, Romano, Asiago or Swiss cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chopped chives

Heat oil and butter in large skillet, then add chopped onion and garlic and cook until soft. Dump in 1 pound dry Arborio rice, and stir to coat. Then add the broth, in 1-cup increments, stirring after each addition until liquid is absorbed (add one cup broth, stir until liquid is absorbed, then add another cup, etc.) This takes about 20-30 minutes. Rice is done when it no longer has a hard bite. After all liquid is absorbed, add cream, cheese, salt & pepper, and stir to combine. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

*From The Pioneer Woman

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks

I’m always looking for a new twist on pizza and/or bread sticks. These hit the spot! They were even really good as leftovers. These are how I like bread sticks: cheesy, garlicy and pretty much like pizza without the sauce. If you’re not up for making this dough, go ahead and use your own or just buy one from the store…but this one definitely is delicious!

Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey {or sugar}
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour {give or take 1/2 cup…depending on the heat & humidity}

In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix.Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn’t stick to your hands. Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with and the bowl should be clean. Lightly grease the bowl & the dough with olive oil so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours. Roll out dough onto the back of a cookie sheet.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks

Pizza Dough
2 tablespoons softened salted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 pound grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone inside. {If you don’t have a pizza stone, use an upside down cookie sheet}
Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread pizza dough out into cookie sheet or stone.
Spread the butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Bake 9-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and cool 1-2 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, with marinara.

* From Laurens Latest

Garlicy Oven Fries

I love a good french fry. These were so tender in the middle and crisp on the outside - just what a fry should be. The whole fam loved these. And I'm thinking about just keeping garlic olive oil on hand now...so clever.

8 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 russet potatoes (about 8oz each), each cut into 12 wedges
3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 440° F. Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute (I actually just combined the oil and garlic in the morning, covered it and let it sit all day). Add the potatoes to the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Place in a 8x8 baking dish. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the bowl to redistribute the potatoes halfway through cooking.

Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve with ketchup, mayo or sour cream.

*From purplefoodie.com

Black Bean Quesadillas

This is the perfect recipe for me. Simple, fast and delicious. I don't know anything more delicious and quick as quesadillas. I just don't make them that often cause they don't seem like a "dinner" meal to me, but by adding the black beans it really beefs them up. These are nutritious and filling and the perfect kid food...so you know the little ankle biters'll be happy! Love, love, love these!!

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
5 flour tortillas (use whole wheat for a more nutritious option)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup pepperjack cheese

In a large bowl mash the black beans. Add salsa. Spread about 1/3 of the mixture onto a tortilla. top with cheese. Place on a hot griddle or skillet. Top with another tortilla. Cook till both sides are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Cut and serve with additional salsa and sour cream. Makes 2 whole quesadillas and one half size. (This was perfect for our family because we only have 2 1/2 people to feed...if you have more people in your family, double or even triple the recipe.)

*Adapted from Taste of Home

Sausage Balls

I had these for the first time at Christmas. My brother-in-laws mom makes them every year as a tradition. They are SO GOOD!!! They're incredibly addicting also. If you don't plan on eating the whole pan, just don't even make them. They're the perfect appetizer (or meal at our house:)) They also freeze really well. I made a huge batch and then froze the leftovers for a later treat.

3 cups Bisquick
1 lb Jimmy Dean Regular Sausage (you can use hot if you like)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Combine Bisquick and sausage until well incorporated. Add cheese. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. ENJOY!!

Queso

This is hands down the best queso EVER!! I would expect nothing less from The Pioneer Woman. Once you've tried it you can't stop eating it. It's extremely addicting. Definitely make this for your next party!

32 ounces Velveeta cheese (1 whole large loaf)
1 (10 oz) can Rotel
1 pound Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast pork sausage (I use original cause I'm a wimp:))
7 ounce can diced green chilies
1 whole yellow onion, diced
1 whole jalapeno (I omit this cause once again...I'm a wimp)

Brown meat with onion. Add Rotel, green chilies and cheese over low heat. Stir until well combined and cheese is melted. Add jalapeno if using. ENJOY!!!

*From The Pioneer Woman

Restaurant Style Salsa

I got this from The Pioneer Woman. She's amazing and so I trust all she makes. So naturally, I trusted her salsa recipe...also for the simplicity of less chopping. It's made with all canned tomatoes, which I was VERY skeptical of. When it was done, Justin and I tasted it and...it wasn't that good. I was DEVASTATED!! So I sadly wrapped it up and put it in the fridge in hopes that someone somewhere would eat it so it didn't go to waste. About 5 hours later my mom says, "That salsa you made is absolutely delicious!!" I thought she might be mistaken because I definitely didn't like it. The next day I tried it...DELICIOUS!! I guess it gets better as it sits. I'm not kidding - 200 times better than when I first made it! So my suggestion is to make it the night before you want to eat it. That Pioneer Woman...she knows everything. I am DEFINITELY making this again!

1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes with juice
2 (10oz) cans Rotel tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno diced (I omitted this because I'm super wimpy with spicy food - keep in mind that the Rotel has some heat of it's own)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic salt (my addition)
1/4 t sugar
1/4 t cumin
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 whole lime juice

Dump everything into a food processor. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. Test for seasonings. DONE!! Refrigerate at least several hours.

*From The Pioneer Woman

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Found these on Lick the Bowl Good and almost DIED!!! They are SO awesome! I had a slew of kids over here one day and whipped these up in no time and they ate them ALL right down to the last crumb. My mom, Justin and I also enjoyed quite a few:) They are delicious and the perfect kid-size meal.

3/4 cup flour
3/4 t baking powder
1 T Italian seasoning
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup pizza sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24 cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and Italian seasoning; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

NOTE: All my batter did not fit into the 24-mini muffin pan. So I made a full size muffin or 2 with the leftover batter. Some pans are larger than others so you may not have have an issue.

* From Lick the Bowl Good

Three Cheese Spread

This is incredibly amazing! You can make it a ball, a log, or just a generic cheese spread. Any way it's delicious and perfect for a party!

8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese

4 oz. block pepper jack cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon onion powder
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese-Its crumbled

Unless you have a food processor fitted with a shredding disk, grate the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. After shredding them, just chop with a large knife into smaller pieces. With a hand mixer, cream cream cheese, garlic and remaining seasonings for one minutes. Add in other cheese and mix well.

If making a ball or log, shape how you want it to look and roll it in Saran Wrap and place in the fridge for several hours to harden. Before serving, remove from fridge and roll in crushed Cheese-Its.

If using as a cheese spread, add a little milk to thin it out to spreadable consistency. Serve with crackers.

*Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Spinach Dip

1 pkg Korrs Vegetable Seasoning Mix
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained of water

Combine all in a large bowl...enjoy!!!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1 (8oz) cream cheese
1/4 C salsa
1 t chili powder
1/2 t minced onion
1/4 t granulated garlic
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas
salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, chili powder, minced onion and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.Then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. You can also secure with toothpicks if necessary.

Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some salt on top.Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes about 20+ taquitos.

*These are my new Go-To Appetizer!!! I could just eat the filling by the spoonfull! They are SOOO GOOD and are healthier because they aren't deep-fried. They are so crisp and delicious! You MUST try these! You won't be disappoined. I am even going to serve these for dinner! To make things easier, I used canned chicken. I was a little skeptical at first but they were AMAZING! I would definitely recommend that.

*Adapted from Our Best Bites - go there for better pictures.

Artichoke Dip

1 (10 oz) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1/2 c pepperjack cheese, separated

Cream together cream cheese and mayo. Dice artichoke hearts. Add artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese and half of pepperjack cheese to the cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Bake in a small baking dish at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or 3 minutes in the microwave. I usually double this recipe. Delicious!

Easy Fruit Dip

1 pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 c brown sugar
1 large container Cool Whip, softened

Cream sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip until combined. Do not whisk or heavily mix. Serve!

*I actually don't know exactly how much brown sugar I put in, so I'm just guessing. I would just keep adding sugar until you like the taste. This was AMAZING! It was just a last-minute creation and it's a winner.

Onion Strings

1 large onion

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 scant tablespoon salt

Lots of black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Canola Oil

Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk for at least one hour. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tab to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown. Repeat until onions are gone. Eat before your family sees them. Repeat with another onion, because they’ll be really mad they didn’t get any.

*These are SUPER good! I got all fat and happy eating them and then almost puked because I ate too much. We ate them on burgers with some BBQ sauce and ranch dressing...there really is no other way. I also didn't have Cayenne Pepper, so I used chili powder. Oh Bessy...these are my new favorite!!!! Next time I would definitely half the recipe because there's only 2 of us...it makes a TON!!

*From The Pioneer Woman.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 (8 0z) package cream cheese

1/2 c powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

1/4 t almond extract

Wash strawberries. Cut tops off to make flat bottom. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and almond extract until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture into the corner of a ziploc bag. Wash strawberries. Cut tops off to make flat bottom. Quarter strawberries from tip to stem end without cutting through stem end. Cut corner off ziploc bag. Pipe cream cheese mixture into strawberries. Chill until ready to serve.

*These would be SO cute for a shower or party! There are so many ways you can do these too. You can add orange zest or juice to make a citrus filling, top with shaved or melted chocolate, or my favorite idea...actually make a no-bake cheesecake and then put it in a food processor (or just kitchen aid) and have a ACTUAL cheesecake stuffed strawberry. You really can be creative with whatever you want to do!