There are not many people that I know of that do not have a package of hot dog franks in their refrigerator. Here are a couple of ways to jazz up a boring hot dog or use up left over hot dogs.
Day 1- Hot Dog Melts
Ingredients
Hot Dogs, slit lengthwise
Bacon slices (as many as the number of hot dogs you are using)
Hot Dog buns (as many as the number of hot dogs you are using)
Cheddar cheese slices
1/4 c. mayo
2 TBS sour cream
1 TBS Hot sauce
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbs Honey
Salt and Pepper
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, hot sauce, honey and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill in refrigerator. Place a slice of cheese in each slit of the hot dog. Tear the slices to fit. Wrap each hot dog with a slice of bacon securing with toothpicks. Place on a line baking sheet and cook for about 10-12 minutes until bacon is crisp. Place the hot dog in a bun and smear with mayo sauce.
Day 2- Hot Dog Tenders
The pancake mix makes these "tenders" fluffy like a corn dog. If you don't have Parmesan cheese on hand, its ok. You can omit it and it will still taste good. Instead, add 1 tsp of salt instead of the 1/2 as stated below. You can use this recipe to make easy chicken tenders or even sausage for breakfast.
Ingredients
2/3 pancake mix
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 egg beaten
3 Tbs butter or margerine - melted
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. In a large Ziploc bag, place pancake mix, cheese, garlic, salt and paprika. Seal and mix well. Cut hot dogs in half length wise. Dip hot dog into egg and then into dry mix. Place hot dogs on baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake 10- 12 minutes turning half way through. Since hot dogs are already cooked, you are only looking to bake until the crust is browned. If you are making chicken tenders, you will want to cook them for 14-16 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
Showing posts with label Appetizers-Dips.html. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Appetizers-Dips.html. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Easy Olive Spread
I made this for a wedding shower. I made tea sandwiches out of it. You could do the same, use it as a dip with crackers or spread on a toasted baguette. It could even be good as a spread for a sub.
Ingredients
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 c. finely chopped olives
1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Olive juice
Mix all ingredients together. Add juice to help make a smooth consistency. It should be 1-2 Tbs.
Ingredients
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 c. finely chopped olives
1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Olive juice
Mix all ingredients together. Add juice to help make a smooth consistency. It should be 1-2 Tbs.
Onion Dip
I made this dip for my best friend Sarah's wedding shower. It is really easy and very yummy!!!
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
Directions
Cut the onions in half and then slice them into thin strips. Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.
Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream together with a mixer on low until smooth. Stir in onions and serve room temperature.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
A Skinny Gal's Taquitos
I LOVE taquitos! They are small, tasty and can be eaten with your hands. The sad news...... they are loaded with calories and fat!! YUCK!!!! After researching some popular restaurant chains website, I found that a common taquito can have about 176 calorie, 9 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat. That is per taquito people!!!!!
A few years ago I started the process of getting back in "shape" which caused me to hire a personal trainer. She was AWESOME.... but that's beside the point. She taught me some pretty great lessons to live by.
1) Calories are important but NOT as important as fat.
2) You should try to never have more then 7 total grams of fat per meal.
3) Always look at what your gaining out of the dish besides the bad stuff, i.e. protein, vitamins and minerals.
So, if we go back to these taquitos, we can see that they break at least the first two rules. And that is just per taquito; not the whole dish. So I started thinking up a way of slimming these little suckers down and not cut out the taste. The calorie counter I use does not let you put in odd amounts of items so the count is a little bit higher then how much is actually in these taquitos. Now, I'm not claiming these are the perfect diet food but..... if your going to splurge on something, make it a smart splurge.
Nutritional facts (per taquito):
Calories: 86.7 g
Total Fat: 2.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.1g
Protein: 10.61 g
Ingredients
1 can (12.5oz) diced chicken, white meat, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can low sodium corn drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
1/4 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
2 tbsp. non-fat cream cheese
2 tbsp. HOT taco seasoning
1 pkg. 24 count corn tortillas-----you can also use low fat flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray medium pan with cooking spray and heat on medium heat. Cooking spray cuts down on major fat and calories. Use it whenever possible. Cook onions for about 5 minutes. Add beans and corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, pour chicken into a medium mixing bowl and break apart chicken with a spoon. Add diced tomatoes and chilies, cheese, corn/bean mixture, cream cheese and seasoning. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Work with about 5 tortillas at a time. Place them on a plate covered by a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds. Working quickly, place a heaping tablespoon of mixture on to one end of the tortilla. Roll tightly and secure with toothpick. Continue until all taquitos are made (may have to bake two batches). Bake for about 10 minutes are tortillas are crisp. Cool for 2 minutes and serve with plain Greek yogurt; a great alternative to sour cream.
Makes between 20-24 depending on size.
![]()
A few years ago I started the process of getting back in "shape" which caused me to hire a personal trainer. She was AWESOME.... but that's beside the point. She taught me some pretty great lessons to live by.
1) Calories are important but NOT as important as fat.
2) You should try to never have more then 7 total grams of fat per meal.
3) Always look at what your gaining out of the dish besides the bad stuff, i.e. protein, vitamins and minerals.
So, if we go back to these taquitos, we can see that they break at least the first two rules. And that is just per taquito; not the whole dish. So I started thinking up a way of slimming these little suckers down and not cut out the taste. The calorie counter I use does not let you put in odd amounts of items so the count is a little bit higher then how much is actually in these taquitos. Now, I'm not claiming these are the perfect diet food but..... if your going to splurge on something, make it a smart splurge.
Nutritional facts (per taquito):
Calories: 86.7 g
Total Fat: 2.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.1g
Protein: 10.61 g
Ingredients
1 can (12.5oz) diced chicken, white meat, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can low sodium corn drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
1/4 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
2 tbsp. non-fat cream cheese
2 tbsp. HOT taco seasoning
1 pkg. 24 count corn tortillas-----you can also use low fat flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray medium pan with cooking spray and heat on medium heat. Cooking spray cuts down on major fat and calories. Use it whenever possible. Cook onions for about 5 minutes. Add beans and corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, pour chicken into a medium mixing bowl and break apart chicken with a spoon. Add diced tomatoes and chilies, cheese, corn/bean mixture, cream cheese and seasoning. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Work with about 5 tortillas at a time. Place them on a plate covered by a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds. Working quickly, place a heaping tablespoon of mixture on to one end of the tortilla. Roll tightly and secure with toothpick. Continue until all taquitos are made (may have to bake two batches). Bake for about 10 minutes are tortillas are crisp. Cool for 2 minutes and serve with plain Greek yogurt; a great alternative to sour cream.
Makes between 20-24 depending on size.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is used in so many dishes from sweet to savory. Guess what? It's SO easy to make at home and not to mention, inexpensive. You can take this recipe and double it for a larger group or half it if your just making it for a snack. After making this ricotta, try adding different types of nuts, candied fruit or herbs to it. It's yummy!!!! You can also make this with skim milk if you are watching your diet.
In a large, heavy pot over moderate heat, bring the milk, cream and salt to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until curds form, about 3 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let drain, about 10 minutes. Remove the ricotta from the sieve to a medium bowl, discarding the liquid. Enjoy as is or add additional ingredients.
Ingredients
8 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
You will need
* Cheesecloth or wet damp paper towel
* Sieve- looks like a colander but instead of large holes, it is made of very small wire mesh. You can get away with using your colander if you use the cheese cloth and your colander drains well.
Directions
Line a sieve with cheesecloth or a damp paper towel and place over a bowl.
In a large, heavy pot over moderate heat, bring the milk, cream and salt to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until curds form, about 3 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let drain, about 10 minutes. Remove the ricotta from the sieve to a medium bowl, discarding the liquid. Enjoy as is or add additional ingredients.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Santa Fe Wraps
Ingredients
1/2 c Light Mayo
1 tablspoon lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
3 c cooked chicken, shredded
1 can Rotel
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1/4 c chopped cilantro
7 Large tortillas.
Mix mayo, lime juice and chili powder in a large bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Spoon mixture into each tortilla and roll up. Cut in half at an angle to serve.
1/2 c Light Mayo
1 tablspoon lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
3 c cooked chicken, shredded
1 can Rotel
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1/4 c chopped cilantro
7 Large tortillas.
Mix mayo, lime juice and chili powder in a large bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Spoon mixture into each tortilla and roll up. Cut in half at an angle to serve.
Spicy Sausage Triangles
This may seem like a daughting task after reading the directions but it is actually very easy. Ingredients
1 package phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 pound of breakfast sausage
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/3 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 packet HOT taco seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt
Cook sausage. While cooking add a third of the packet of taco seasoning. Add to a large bowl. Whisk eggs and milk together. Add anothe third of the packet of taco seasoing to the egg mixture. Lightly season with salt. Cook eggs through. Add to bowl along with jalapeno, cheese and cilantro and mix.
**** Make sure to keep phyllo dough covered with saran wrap and a damp towel. This will prevent it from drying out when not being used.
To make triangles:
1. Layer for sheets of phyllo dough on top of each other. Brush each sheet with melted butter.
2. Cup layers into 5 sections length wise.
3. Spoon a slight tablespoon of mixture ontothe top of the dough.
4. Begin folding by taking one corner and folding it down to the opposite side forming a triangle.
5. Keep folding until end of strip.
6. Repeat 1-5 until all of triangles are made.
7. Brush each triangle with melted butter before baking.
8. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
1 package phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 pound of breakfast sausage
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/3 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 packet HOT taco seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt
Cook sausage. While cooking add a third of the packet of taco seasoning. Add to a large bowl. Whisk eggs and milk together. Add anothe third of the packet of taco seasoing to the egg mixture. Lightly season with salt. Cook eggs through. Add to bowl along with jalapeno, cheese and cilantro and mix.
**** Make sure to keep phyllo dough covered with saran wrap and a damp towel. This will prevent it from drying out when not being used.
To make triangles:
1. Layer for sheets of phyllo dough on top of each other. Brush each sheet with melted butter.
2. Cup layers into 5 sections length wise.
3. Spoon a slight tablespoon of mixture ontothe top of the dough.
4. Begin folding by taking one corner and folding it down to the opposite side forming a triangle.
5. Keep folding until end of strip.
6. Repeat 1-5 until all of triangles are made.
7. Brush each triangle with melted butter before baking.
8. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Mom's Salsa
My mom makes the best salsa that I have tasted out of any that I have tried. She makes a ton of it and cans it. Since I don't need that much salsa, I scaled down the recipe to fit my needs.
Ingredients
4 large cans petite diced tomatoes- drained
4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped jalapeno, seeded
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1-2 t. cumin
1 T. chopped cilantro
Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20-30 minutes. Run mixture through a food processor or blender to get desired consistency. We like it chunky so I just pulse it a few times to break up the bigger pieces. Now this is the important part. Pour salsa into clean, dry jars. Make sure lip of jar is completley clean and dry before sealing. If you are a canner then you can can your salsa and it will keep for a long time. I am not into canning so I just stick mine in the frig. Its lasts for about three weeks.
Ingredients
4 large cans petite diced tomatoes- drained
4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped jalapeno, seeded
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1-2 t. cumin
1 T. chopped cilantro
Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20-30 minutes. Run mixture through a food processor or blender to get desired consistency. We like it chunky so I just pulse it a few times to break up the bigger pieces. Now this is the important part. Pour salsa into clean, dry jars. Make sure lip of jar is completley clean and dry before sealing. If you are a canner then you can can your salsa and it will keep for a long time. I am not into canning so I just stick mine in the frig. Its lasts for about three weeks.
Corn Salsa
Corn Salsa
Ingredients
1 c. corn
*1 cup diced tomatoes- drained
1 cup black beans- rinsed
1 jalapeno- diced small
1 green onion- chopped
2 T. lime juice
2 T. cumin
2 T. fresh cilantro- chopped
1 avocado- diced
*I used can petite diced tomatoes in the winter since tomatoes are out of season. I let them drain in the sink to make sure the salsa isn't too wet.
During the winter, especially the one we have been having, I don't really want to get outside to grill an ear of corn. I especially don't want to take the time to shuck the corn after. I take a cup of canned corn that has been drained and patted dried and "roast" it on the stove top. Heat saute pan to medium high. Sauteing corn in a dry pan until they start to have that charred look. Let cool while making the rest of the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine beans, jalapeno and tomatoes. Add cooled corn. Add lime juice, cumin and cilantro. Gently stir in avocado. Chill for about an hour before serving. If you like it hotter, add more jalapeno.
Ingredients
1 c. corn
*1 cup diced tomatoes- drained
1 cup black beans- rinsed
1 jalapeno- diced small
1 green onion- chopped
2 T. lime juice
2 T. cumin
2 T. fresh cilantro- chopped
1 avocado- diced
*I used can petite diced tomatoes in the winter since tomatoes are out of season. I let them drain in the sink to make sure the salsa isn't too wet.
During the winter, especially the one we have been having, I don't really want to get outside to grill an ear of corn. I especially don't want to take the time to shuck the corn after. I take a cup of canned corn that has been drained and patted dried and "roast" it on the stove top. Heat saute pan to medium high. Sauteing corn in a dry pan until they start to have that charred look. Let cool while making the rest of the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine beans, jalapeno and tomatoes. Add cooled corn. Add lime juice, cumin and cilantro. Gently stir in avocado. Chill for about an hour before serving. If you like it hotter, add more jalapeno.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Tex-Mex sausage balls
I took the traditional sausage balls that people usually make around the holidays and gve them a spicy twist.
Ingredients
1 lb hot pork sausage
2 c. Biscuit Mix or pancake mix
1/2 a small onion grated
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 c. grated pepper jack cheese
1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. water
Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into quarter sized balls. I cover my baking sheet in foil and then spray with non-stick spray. This makes for faster clean up. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes about 30.
Ingredients
1 lb hot pork sausage
2 c. Biscuit Mix or pancake mix
1/2 a small onion grated
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 c. grated pepper jack cheese
1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. water
Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into quarter sized balls. I cover my baking sheet in foil and then spray with non-stick spray. This makes for faster clean up. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes about 30.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Vaquitas
Vaquita in Spanish means little or small cow. I named these little guys vaquitas because they are just that; small cows. I made these for some of my friends and co-workers and they were a hit. This is a little bit of a tedious process but it is worth it.
Ingredients
2 packages of lil' beef smoky
2 packages of puff pastry
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 small can of diced green chilies
1/4 cup bacon bits
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon red pepper powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
Allow puff pastry to thaw out on the counter before beginning this process. Pre-heat oven to 450. Take each lil' smokey and cut a deep slit from front to back lengthwise. Make sure not to cut all the way through. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, chilies, bacon bits, cheese, red pepper and garlic pepper. If you want them more heat add more red pepper of even try diced jalapenos.
Now comes the tedious part. You will need to roll out the pastry slightly. You just want to thin it out a little; about a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. Then, cut the pastry into strips. To do this, I measured how wide each strip should be using one of the smokies. I then cut the strips into about four even pieces each.
Now that you have everything ready, its time to assemble. In order to get the cream cheese mixture in the smokey, I put the mix in a sandwich bag and cut the tip off. You can use a pastry bag if you would like but I only use them if I'm actually using a decorative tip. Fill each smokey with the mix. It should come just slightly above the top of the smokey. Place the smokey cream cheese side down at the edge of one strip. Roll and secure pastry by pinching the ends together. In a small bowl, mix egg with about 1 tablespoon of water and a dash of red pepper powder. This will be used to brush the vaquitas and make them golden brown.Brush with egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes are until golden brown. These are best when served right out of the oven.
Ingredients
2 packages of lil' beef smoky
2 packages of puff pastry
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 small can of diced green chilies
1/4 cup bacon bits
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon red pepper powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
Allow puff pastry to thaw out on the counter before beginning this process. Pre-heat oven to 450. Take each lil' smokey and cut a deep slit from front to back lengthwise. Make sure not to cut all the way through. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, chilies, bacon bits, cheese, red pepper and garlic pepper. If you want them more heat add more red pepper of even try diced jalapenos.
Now comes the tedious part. You will need to roll out the pastry slightly. You just want to thin it out a little; about a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. Then, cut the pastry into strips. To do this, I measured how wide each strip should be using one of the smokies. I then cut the strips into about four even pieces each.
Now that you have everything ready, its time to assemble. In order to get the cream cheese mixture in the smokey, I put the mix in a sandwich bag and cut the tip off. You can use a pastry bag if you would like but I only use them if I'm actually using a decorative tip. Fill each smokey with the mix. It should come just slightly above the top of the smokey. Place the smokey cream cheese side down at the edge of one strip. Roll and secure pastry by pinching the ends together. In a small bowl, mix egg with about 1 tablespoon of water and a dash of red pepper powder. This will be used to brush the vaquitas and make them golden brown.Brush with egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes are until golden brown. These are best when served right out of the oven.
The BEST Guacamole!
I came up with this recipe during the holidays. Funny time I know. Christmas Eve my little sister was craving guacamole so I went to the kitchen and started throwing stuff together. If you love things with a little kick, then this is for you!
Ingredients
2 Large Avocados
1 or so tsp salt
1 or so tsp pepper
1 or so tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 small onion diced, small
4 tablespoon good quality salsa ( I use homemade)
1 small jalapeno seeded and diced, small
Remove inside of avocado making sure to keep one core. If you put it in the guacamole after it is made, it shouldn't turn brown on you. Mash avocado then add salt, pepper, garlic powder and lime juice. Mix well. Add onion, salsa and jalapeno. Mix and taste. Add more salt, pepper or garlic if needed. Add the core back in to the container. This makes enough for two or three people to snack on.
Ingredients
2 Large Avocados
1 or so tsp salt
1 or so tsp pepper
1 or so tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 small onion diced, small
4 tablespoon good quality salsa ( I use homemade)
1 small jalapeno seeded and diced, small
Remove inside of avocado making sure to keep one core. If you put it in the guacamole after it is made, it shouldn't turn brown on you. Mash avocado then add salt, pepper, garlic powder and lime juice. Mix well. Add onion, salsa and jalapeno. Mix and taste. Add more salt, pepper or garlic if needed. Add the core back in to the container. This makes enough for two or three people to snack on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)