Almost 2019

It is truly mind boggling to me to think that another year has come and gone. We are almost to the end of 2018, and in a couple weeks we will be ringing in the start to another new year. I seriously don't know where the time goes.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you might not want to think about another party or get together, but tis the season!

Are you hosting a Christmas or New Year's Eve party? Are you searching for something easy and yummy to add to your menu? Then you've come to the right place.

As many of you know, every year on December 31st, we stay in, where it's warm and safe with our boys. I put out a huge buffet of appetizers, or "nibbly bits" as Alex used to call them, and we eat all night long. Some years it's just us, and others my parents stop by. Either way, there is enough food to feed our neighborhood (and probably yours too!) and we enjoy every single bite.

We have our favorites I am always sure to include on the menu, and then I try to add a couple new things too. But, in order to make sure that works, I have to recipe test early. I actually made this for the first time back in October, and the boys told me it had to be added to our NYE extravaganza!

This can be whipped up in almost no time, so if you have the ingredients on hand, it can become a life saver. Serve it up with some chips, crackers, or even some frozen taquitos! The dipping possibilities are endless.

I hope your holiday season is in full swing, and filling up with love, magic, friends, family and delicious food too!

Baked Chili Cheese Dip

1 (15 oz.) can chili with beans
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
2 c. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided use
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
Dried Chives

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9 inch pie plate. In a large skillet heat chili over medium heat. Break cream cheese into pieces and add to chili. Stir until combined and melted. Add 1 cup shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add garlic salt, chili powder and cumin. Stir and cook for flavors to combine, about 3 minutes. Transfer to pie plate. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and heated through. Garnish with chives.

Inspired by South Your Mouth

Holiday Appeitzers

If you think about it, I don't know if any other time of the year requires as many appetizer recipes as RIGHT NOW! From Thanksgiving to New Years, we have so many reasons to need a great appetizer menu, or the chance to enjoy someone else's!

If you've been following me for any amount of time, you know our New Year's Eve tradition is to stay home, in comfy clothes, safe, warm and eat all. night. long. I put out a huge spread of "nibbly bits" as Alex used to call them and we feast. It is literally one of my favorite holiday traditions, and we set the menu for this year's festivities over a month ago.

I actually made these for the first time last year, but must have had a little too much sparkling grape juice (I know...I'm such a rebel) because I totally forget to snap a pic and blog them! So this year I made them early (actually before Halloween) so I was sure to share them with all of you in time.

This is one of those recipes that can pull double duty. See, you can fill your Crock Pot with them for a party, set out a slotted spoon and watch them disappear. Easy as can be. But they also make a terrific simple weeknight supper! Just cook some white rice on the side, serve them over the top and you have a fantastic meal! The sticky, sweet sauce mixes with the rice and makes something magical!

If you're looking for a new appetizer for your next holiday party I hope these make the cut! I promise you won't regret it!

Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs

1 (32 oz.) bag frozen home style meatballs

1 (18 oz.) bottle barbecue sauce

1 (21 oz.) can pineapple chunks, with juice

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

Spray Crock Pot with nonstick spray. Place meatballs inside. In a medium bowl combine barbecue sauce, pineapple and brown sugar. Stir well. Pour over meatballs. Cook on HIGH 2-3 hours. Serve as an appetizer or over rice for a meal. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Foodie Christmas Gifts {Week 3}

Bekki is back with yet another sweet treat that is meant for sharing! Personally, I think these would be delicious for Christmas morning, and you could even make them ahead!

A long time standing family tradition for us was always catching the different Christmas movies that were played throughout the month of December on tv. I remember my godmother calling our house and saying, “Babes in Toyland is coming on in 20 minutes, hurry and finish what you were doing and run over here.” Because it was one of my all time favorite things to do I followed instructions to the letter and ran a couple doors down to nab my favorite spot in her living room. The floor, right beside her and the fireplace was my perfect spot. No matter the movie, there was always a delicious baked treat waiting for us to share.  Still at the top of the list of those treats is apple cinnamon, donut holes. Yes I said donut holes! Whether you have them with a mug of hot chocolate or hot coffee they’re a winner.

 

 

Apple Cinnamon Donut Holes

 Vegetable oil  (enough to fill a large sauce pan several inches deep)

 1 10 oz can Jumbo Butter Biscuits

2 tsp Apple pie Spice

¼  tsp Cinnamon

¼ c. Sugar

 

 

Add oil to your vessel of choice and heat until 375 degrees. Add sugar, and spices to a pie plate and mix gently to combine. Set aside. Line a plate or baking sheet with paper towels to drain off excess oil from cooked donut holes. Set aside.

 

Open biscuits and separate each one. Press on them slightly to even out thickness. Cut with half inch (mini) biscuit cutter.

Note: Scrap pieces can be rolled into balls and fried as well so there’s no waste.

 

Add dough to heated oil a few at a time, and don’t over crowd the pan. Cook each side about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Drain well on paper towel lined baking sheet. Then roll gently in sugar mixture, to coat.

 

Try to resist the urge to dive in immediately because they are very hot. But served freshly made or snacked on throughout a movie I hope these little bites are a favorite of your family as much as they are ours. Enjoy!

Holiday Ham

Do you serve ham for Christmas? I have never done the research, but it has to be at the top of the list of most popular meats for Christmas dinner, don't you think? But either way, there is one thing I know for sure, there is about to be an abundance of leftover ham to put to good use, so I've got just the thing!

To be honest though, this is now a go-to busy night supper in my house, and the deli meat is perfect. I just think leftover holiday ham, with it's amazing flavor, would put it over the top!

If you're going to have a house full of family to feed for several days, these would be perfect come December 26th, 27th, 28th...how long are they staying anyway?? :-)

Or if you're hosting a casual Christmas party, and want ham, but something easier and more relaxed, here you go! This way you can get out of the kitchen and actually enjoy the festivities!

Oh, and let's not forget about all the football games that happen over the holidays, well into the New Year. These are game day food! No matter what teams is winning, you'll be a winner with the fans!

Ham is definitely one of the things I think of when I imagine a big Christmas dinner. This way I can have that any time of the year I want!

Crock Pot BBQ Chopped Ham Sandwiches

1.5 lbs. deli honey ham, chopped

1 cup barbecue sauce

3/4 c. chili sauce*

1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

Black Pepper

Buns

Sliced Pickles

Grease Crock Pot with non stick spray. Put ham in, breaking pieces apart with fingers. In a medium bowl combine barbecue, chili sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, Worcestershire and black pepper. Stir to combine. Pour over ham and stir well. Cook on LOW 2-3 hours, stirring a couple times to ensure pieces don't stick together. Serve on buns with pickles. *NOTE* This chili sauce is not the Asian condiment. It is a sweet sauce found by the ketchup and other condiments. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

A Blast From The Past with Beanos

When I first saw Conroy Foods' condiment line Beanos, I was immediately intrigued. From sandwich sauces like Horse Radish to their variety of Mustards, and tons of yummy things in between, they definitely have a little something for everyone. 

But the one that caught my eye the most, that made me drool and sent me into a total deja vu moment was their Original Submarine Dressing. 

See, when I was a little girl, while I am a born and raised Hoosier, some of my best memories come from my time spent in Pennsylvania. My parents were raised there, and my grandparents lived there the whole time I was growing up, so we made the 6 hour trip a lot to see them. And every summer my mom and I would go "home" for 2 weeks. 

It was during one of those trips my Grandpa started raving about this little sub shop they found in a neighboring town. They had to visit this town about once a month for a specific doctor and every time they got subs for lunch. He could not stop talking about them. He loved them. So of course he wanted to share them with us. 

I don't remember a lot about the sandwich itself, but the sauce I do. I distinctly recall Grandpa always getting his dressed with their "house dressing" and it was definitely what made the sandwich so delicious. 

Fast forward 30 years, and me not having one of those subs in about as long, and you can see why I would be so excited to try Beanos version. Oh, and ironically enough they are a family owned Pennsylvania company too! It's truly kismet!

A mix of soybean oil, red wine vinegar and fresh Italian spices make up this amazing concoction that truly takes any sandwich to the next level. The minute I tasted it, I knew my suspicions were right. It was indeed very close to that dressing Grandpa loved so much, and that brought a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart.

If you love sandwiches as much as we do, especially subs, you will flip for this. I can't wait to start having subs more and more at home (yay for saving money too!) now that I have Beanos in the fridge to make them extra yummy!

To see if Beanos is sold near you, click here. And to stay upon the latest deliciousness they are putting out, be sure to visit them online and Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram too!





Disclaimer: I was given free samples for this features. The thoughts, opinions and stories are all mine.

Foodie Christmas Gifts {Week 2}

  Welcome back my friend Bekki with another terrific treat for your holiday season!

For many of us, we’re starting to settle into cooler weather; and for others just darn right cold. Bringing out the hoodies, extra blankets and just need more stuff around that’s warming. This is always the time of year my mother would go all out and have warm cinnamon rolls after church on Sundays, or delicious breads for after dinner family movie nights. Or even more often have baked goods for anyone who stopped by to visit over the holiday season. That’s where these little mini bundt cakes come in. Raspberry Extra Chip muffins are on the menu today. The white chocolate chips give that gooey center, and the mini chocolate chips balance the raspberry to give a smooth, deep and oh so wonderful flavor everyone will love.Enjoy them with your family, or share with neighbors, co-workers, the mailman..the list is endless!

 

 

Raspberry Extra Chip Muffins

 2 boxes Jiffy Raspberry Muffin Mix

2 Eggs

¼ c. Half and Half

1 5.3 oz oikos vanilla yogurt

¼ c. mini dark Chocolate chips

¼ c. White Chocolate Chips

 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray mini bundt pans with non stick cooking spray, then set aside. In a large bowl add muffin mix, eggs, half and half, and yogurt then mix to thoroughly combine. Fold in all chips and fill pans ½ full. Bake 18-23 minutes or until toothpick tested in the center comes out clean.

 

Whether you piles them up on your favorite plate on your counter for guests, or your favorite teacher they’re sure to be a new family favorite. Enjoy!