Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

I know it says cranberry salsa. One in the same. :) This dip is so freaking delicious. You will count down the days/months until cranberries come back in season just so you can make this. Its the PERFECT holiday appetizer. It looks extravagant and beautiful and it will knock your socks off. I'm taking it to a party tomorrow! This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Paige Allred.

CRANBERRY-JALAPENO CREAM CHEESE DIP
Ingredients:
 12 oz fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 c sugar
1/2 t cumin
2 T fresh lemon juice (from about one lemon)
1/8 t salt
1 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers (I like wheat thins best)

Pulse crans in food processor or blender until coarsely chopped. Add green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt. and pulse until ingredients are mixed. Transfer to a covered Tupperware and refrigerate for four hours so the flavors develop and crans lose a little tartness. When ready to serve, place block of cream cheese on plate and pour salsa on top. Refrigerate up to one hour before serving. (You can also choose to spread the cream cheese out into a thin layer and then spread salsa on top).

Swig Sugar Cookie

Need I say more??? To die for! I've had the real thing and this taste exactly the same if my taste buds are remembering correctly! Found this on blog posted at bottom of pic. 

WARNING: Do not make unless you have someone to share with! You will eat them all! Trust me! and these make a lot!!! 

Ingredients:

1 C Butter (room temperature)

3/4 C Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C Sugar

3/4 C Powdered Sugar

2 T Water

2 Eggs

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Cream of Tarter

1 t Salt

5 1/2 C Flour

Cream together Butter, Vegetable Oil, Sugars, Water, and Eggs.

Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture.

Mix until everything is combined.  Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.

Roll a golf ball sized ball of dough and place it on your cookie sheet

Now its time to give these babies their signature rough edge.  Put 1/4 c of sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above.)  Stick the bottom of a glass in it.  This is going to be your cookie press.

Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball.  You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass.  If there is a lip its even better.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.  They should just barely be browning on the bottom.    Move cookies to a cooling rack.  Once they are cool put them in the fridge.

Sour Cream Frosting

1/2 cup room temperature butter

3/4 C Sour Cream

Approx 1 2lb Package of Powdered Sugar (I never use the whole thing but love having extra on hand just incase I add to much milk!)

1 t salt

1/4 C Milk

Red Food Coloring

Start by creaming together butter and sour cream and salt.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  When it gets so thick its not frosting like add a splash of milk.  Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency.  Add 1 drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.

Keep cookies in a sealed container until they are ready to serve.  The magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature.  Frost right before serving (if you make them in advance and need to refrigerate the frosting make sure you give it time to warm up before serving)

Candy Bar Brownies

I think this might be coming a week too late.... Or do you have more self-control than me? I now have no Hershey's, Snickers or Reese's left in our Halloween bowl. But...I had an ABUNDANCE last week and had to take dinner to someone who had just had a baby. It was the perfect dessert and helped rid the house of a lot of chocolate (which I CANNOT resist). This recipe is my mother-in-law's and definitely a favorite!

CANDY BAR BROWNIES
Ingredients:
3/4 C Melted Butter
2 C sugar
4 Eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/3 c baking cocoa
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
4 snickers bars cut into pieces
3 plain Hershey's (or with almonds...your personal preference here) bars cut up (I just grabbed all my kids Hershey's and snickers and Reese's and threw it in....there's a lot of wiggle room here with the amount and what kind of bandy bar you use!)

Directions:
Combine melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Combine flour, cocoa, caking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside 1/4 c. of the dry mixture to coat candy with. Pour mixed dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Toss snickers bar pieces into the reserved dry mix. Stir into batter. Pour into greased 9x13 (I made two pie dishes instead...one for us, one for them! :)). Sprinkle chopped Hershey's bar pieces on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool and then serve. Wouldn't hurt to top it with vanilla ice cream. :)

Latin Veggie Bowl

This is a homemade version of my very favorite meal at La Duni in Dallas. They also serve fried yucca and plantains on top (you can too, although the following recipe doesn't include it).   The flavors are really fresh and delicious.  Easy to make and extremely healthy and filling.  My kids loved it too!

Latin Veggie Bowl

From BrunchTime Baker

Cilantro Marinade

• 1 cup cilantro, lightly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (or juice of half a lime)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeno lightly chopped (for un-spicy remove the seed)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fine pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor for less than one minute or until the texture is nice and chunky. Be sure the garlic is fully processed. If you don't have a food processor you can make the marinade by dicing the cilantro, jalapenos and garlic very lightly and then mix the ingredients in a bowl with a fork. 
2. For a less spicy version, remove the inside of the jalapeno and wash it under cold water and be sure not to get any of it in your eyes. Store the marinade in the fridge for up to one week.

Vegetable Mix

Asparagus, diced and ends snapped

Broccoli, cut into small pieces

1-2 cans of black beans, drained

Cooked brown or jasmine rice

Halved cherry tomatoes, for topping only

Mix marinade into veggies and beans.  In large saute pan, pour about 1 Tbs. olive oil and heat.  Saute veggies in oil until tender, about 5 minutes.  Serve over cooked brown or jasmine rice and sprinkle chopped cherry tomatoes on top.