Oh, hey everybody! I miss you all so much since we were last (finally) reunited for Leesil's baby shower. It was one of those moments when you look around the room and see all the people you love surrounding you and you just feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the friends God has blessed you with. Maybe it was just me, but I felt like the luckiest gal alive that night!
Besides all that mushy, you guys are the best friends in the whole world stuff (#butreally) (side note: are we allowed to use hashtags on here?), I just wanted to share some of the recipes I used that day since a lot of people asked about them. P.S. Don't tell, but it was the first time I'd used a lot of them... good thing they turned out!
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
from here
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan, Asiago, or Swiss cheese (I used Parmesan, baby)
1 - 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
1 - 10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh*)
1 - 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
dash black pepper
Hearty Version: (which is the one I used) In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except for 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. mix until all ingredients are well blended. Pour into oven safe dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Chill for at least 2 hours for flavors to fuse. Bake at 350 F for about 30-35 minutes, then bake under broiler for a couple of minutes until top layer of cheese is completely melted and bubbly. Serve hot!
Creamy Version: Add all ingredients except for 1/2 cup of shredded cheese in a blender and blend on high until creamy. Pour into oven safe dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. chill for at least 2 hours for flavors to fuse. Bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes, then bake under broiler for a couple of minutes until top layer of cheese is completely melted and bubbly. Serve hot!
*I used fresh spinach and it turned out just fine. One word of advice though, cut up double the amount of spinach that you think you'll need because it cooks wayyyy down. When you are cutting it and adding it and you think you have more than enough, cut up another couple handfuls.
The BEST Chocolate Cupcakes Ever
1 box Devil's food cake mix
1- 5.9 oz box chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)
4 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup hot water
8 oz sour cream (aka 1 cup)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl combine the cake mix, chocolate pudding, and chocolate chips. Stir until combined. Next mix in the eggs, canola oil and water. Finally, mix in the sour cream. Pour cake mix into the cupcake liners (about 3/4 the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the spring back when touched. Do not over cook. You can also test with a tooth pick to make sure the centers are cooked all the way through. Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack. Frost with buttercream (P.S. I used cream cheese frosting because I'm a rebel like that.)
Hummus
1- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini paste (only at Smith's)
half of a large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 to 3 Tbsp water
In the bowl of a food processor, combine tahini paste and lemon juice. Puree for 1 minute; scrape side of bowl. Add garlic, olive oil, salt and cumin and puree. Add half of the chickpeas and puree until smooth. Add remaining chickpease and puree. If the hummus is too thick or chunky, add water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week. Great served with vegetables or whole grain crackers.
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
Apparently this cheesecake is
contest winning!
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 16 squares)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Filling:
3 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
2 Tbsp flour
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1. in a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the berries are softened. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth, stir into the blueberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Transfer into a blender; cover and process until smooth. Set aside.
2. For crust, in a small bowl combine the crumbs and sugar; stirr in the butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until
smooth. Beat in the sour cream, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low
speed just until combined. Pour filling over crust. Drizzle with
blueberry mixture; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
4. Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 1
hour or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour
longer.
5. Refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate leftovers.
Easy Garlic Parmesan Butter Breadsticks
aka regular ole breadsticks with amazing topping
Breadsticks
1 tablespoon yeast
1 1/2 cups very warm water (105 -115 degrees)
2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups flour
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
garlic salt and Parmesan OR Garlic Parmesan Seasoning below
Garlic Parmesan Seasoning
1/4 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspon oregano
1 teasoon basil
1 teapoon marjoram
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven
to 375 degrees. Add butter to a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven to
melt, being careful not to burn butter. Remove when melted.
In
the bowl of your standard mixer, combine yeast, water & sugar. Set
aside and let sit 5-10 minutes or until yeast is foamy and dissolved.
Gradually
add salt and flour to the yeast, mixing with your hook attachment until
well combined. Knead dough a few times then divide dough into 15 balls.
(If dough is too sticky, you can spray your hands with nonstick spray).
Roll dough into sticks and place on buttered baking sheet. Roll in
butter.* Top with garlic salt and Parmesan or Garlic Parmesan Seasoning
(Note that you will NOT use all of the seasoning*). Let the breadsticks
rise for 15-20 minutes. Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until golden.
Cedar 17th Ward Christmas Party Salad
*this recipe makes a big bowl of salad that will serve 35 to 40 people*
Also, ingredients are approximate, just stir in what looks good to you.
Mixed greens- 1 lb
Iceberg lettuce 1-2 heads (I like Romaine better)
Spinach- 10 oz package
Feta cheese- 1 cup
Craisins- 2 cups
Sugared pecans- 2 cups (recipe below)
Red onions thinly sliced
Chopped Apples -we put them in pineapple juice to keep fresh
Can also add pineapple tidbits, sliced strawberries, mandarine oranges, etc.
Brianna's Poppy seed Dressing- 1 bottle or to taste (We mixed this with the recipe below, but Brianna's seems to be the best poppy seed dressing.)
Mix all ingredients together and toss with dressing. Try to serve as soon as possible as dressing will cause salad to wilt.
Sugared Pecans
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
Boil all on high until the water is gone and the sauce is bubbly and caramelized, 7-10 minutes. watch it carefully the whole time. There is a point when it is done and would start burning if left any longer. Stir as it cools and turns to sugar.
Poppy Seed Dressing
In a blender add:
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1 /2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4 red onion grated (be careful, this may be too much)
Will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Cottrell Family Christmas Punch
(watch out guys, this one's a toughy)
1 part grape juice
1 part lemon lime soda
Ice
Yep. That's where the magic happens. My great grandma used to make her own grape juice which I'm sure made this 10 million times better. Store-bought grape juice seems to work just fine though.
*Whoops.. forgot to add the Key Lime Trifle*
From Our Best Bites
1- 4 serving box vanilla instant pudding mix (can use sugar free, but I don't!)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup cold water
1- 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 loaf pound cake, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup toasted coconut, divided
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Combine pudding mix, lime juice, water, and sweetened condensed milk in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well and refrigerate a few minutes while you prepare the whipped cream. Whip 1 cup cream in another bowl until soft peaks form. fold into pudding mixture and then return mixture to refrigerator. In a medium trifle dish or small, individual trifle dishes, spread a thin layer of pudding mixture. Add a layer of cake cubes, a thicker layer of pudding, and a sprinkling of coconut. Repeat, ending with a layer of pudding. Whip remaining 1 cup cream with powdered sugar. Spread on top of final layer and garnish with remaining toasted coconut. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
Well, there you have it. I hope you guys had as much fun eating these as I did. They sure were fun to make too. Honestly, I wouldn't be intimidated by any of the recipes (even the cheesecake!), none of them caused me much anxiety. Y'all can do it!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!
P.S. Who is excited to meet Baby McLemore??!!!!!
