Ham & Cheese Buns

This looks like the perfect party/tailgate appetizer! Yummy!

2 TBSP dried minced onions
1 TBSP prepared mustard (I used honey dijon)
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter
1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls (I used King's Hawaiian Sweet rolls - 2 pkgs)
1/2 lb ham
1/2 lb thinly sliced swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325. In a small mixing bowl, mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, & melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open horizontally so that you have one solid top and one solid bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet. Line bottom half of rolls with cheese slices & ham. Return the top part of the rolls & drizzle butter mixture evenly over top.Cover w/ foil & bake for 20 min. Use a sharp knife to separate the little sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Can be made ahead of time & refrigerated or frozen. Just thaw overnight and add 5 more min onto baking time.

Orange or Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Ariel sent me this recipe. They sound very light and refreshing and look easy! I think I will make them for Bunco next week!

Ingredients:

1 package of Lemon or Orange Supreme cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
Granulated sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Mix cake mix, butter, and eggs in a large bowl with spoon or fork until dough forms.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Ariel sent this recipe over and says they are super yummy and easy. Can't wait to try them!

2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 (16 oz) jar Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter
3 cups corn flakes
1 (16oz) pkg. of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1) Melt butter over low heat in saucepan
2) In mixing bowl, blend peanut butter and sugar.
3) Add the melted butter and continue to blend.
4) Stir in cereal (I crush it up first) and spread mixture evenly into a 9"
x 13" pan.
5) Spread melted chocolate evenly over peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate
to cool.
6) Let thaw for a couple minutes, then cut into bars. Makes approx. 30
bars.

Store in refrigerator or freezer in a container with wax paper
between layers.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Ariel made this for the Bluegrass for Babies event. I wasn't able to try it out, but according to the ratings on the site - it is 5 stars out of almost 4,000 reviews! I am going to try it for sure!!!

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

From - http://www.allrecipes.com/
By: Laurie Bennett

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:
2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8 ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
2 1/2 cup (about 10-ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Artichoke Dip

1/2 c mayo
1/2 c sour cream
1 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 (14 oz) can of artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
1/2 c minced red onion
1 T lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Mix mayo, sour cream, cheese, and onion in a bowl. Add in artichoke hearts, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Put mixture in a shallow dish and bake for apx. 20 minutes or until slightly brown on top. Serve with King's Hawaiian bread broken into pieces.

**If you are doubling, DO NOT double the onion or the lemon juice. Also, buy two of the loaves of bread when you double the recipe.

Tortilla Casserole

6 medium flour tortillas
3 cooked chicken breasts, cut up (I used frozen tenderloins that come in the 3-lb. bag)
1 8 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 8 oz. can chopped black olives
6 green onions, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of chicken)
1 can water
1 package taco seasoning powder
1 tomato chopped
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese
sour cream for topping
taco sauce for topping

In a 9 x 13 casserole place tortillas on bottom. Mix the soup with 2 cans of water and taco seasoning. Heat and blend with wire whisk. Spoon 2 T of soup mixture on top of tortillas. Add 1/3 of chicken pieces, 1/3 of the olives, chilies, and onion. Top with 1/3 of cheese. Place 2 more tortillas on top and repeat process. Add last 2 tortillas and put remaining ingredients on top. Pour remaining soup mixture over top and add all the chopped tomato. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8. Top with sour cream and taco sauce if desired.

Black Bean Salsa

Sounds easy enough!

1 can each garbonza beans, black beans and corn (drained).
1 can diced tomatoes
1 4-1/2 oz. can green chilies
1 cup chopped green and chopped purple onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leaves only)
1-1/2 tsp cumin
6 T olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice

salt, pepper, tobasco sauce to taste

Turkey Meat Loaf

This meal is from Ariel - she made it for the March meal exchange! Can't wait to try it!

FOUR SERVINGS, PLUS LEFTOVERS
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
8 strips of bacon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the red bell pepper, carrot, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, turkey, pork, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and mix well. Place the meat mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and, using your hands, form it into a loaf. Cover the loaf with the bacon strips. Bake the meat loaf, uncovered, until cooked through, about 1 hour.
3. Pour off the melted fat, slice the meat loaf and serve.


From Every Day with Rachael Ray
February-March 2006
rachelraymag.com