Peanut Butter Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

Heath bits (optional, to taste)

Mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla and mix for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Add heath bits. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Homemade Re-fried Pinto Beans

Super easy to make your own refried beans!

Cooking Beans:
1 lb. dry pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
8 cups hot water
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 onion, rough chop
1-2 cloves of garlic, mashed

Put beans on the bottom of crockpot, add water. Mix in salt, oil, onion and garlic. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Add more water while cooking if needed. Discard onion and garlic when beans are cooked.

Refried Beans:
1 lb. cooked pinto beans
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup oil
Salt to taste
Garlic, minced (optional)

Saute onions in oil until soft and clear (don't burn). On med-high heat, add drained beans a little at a time. Smash them while you add them. Add liquid from the beans until desired consistency is reached. If you prefer a smooth texture, you can blend the beans with an immersion blender (hand blender) or hand mixer. Add salt and garlic to taste. Heat until bubbling. Serve hot with cheese!

Salsa

28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 to 1/3 small onion
1/3 bunch of cilantro, washed and ends trimmed off
1/2 to 1 jalapeno, seeded and de-veined (leave some seed for heat)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin (optional, but adds a nice smokey undertone)
Juice from 1/2 to 1 lime

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.  Blend for a few seconds to incorporate.  Do not over blend.  If possible refrigerate before serving so ingredients have a chance to meld!

Seven Layer Dip

• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (neufchatel- 1/3 of the fat)
• 8 ounces sour cream (light)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 avacado, chopped
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, avacado and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

Thanksgiving Turkey

Ok, so I know this is a little late... but I thought I did a good job.

My mother in-law asked me to do an appetizer for Thanksgiving.

I found this on familyfun.com  and I modified it a bit.

A fruit and Cheese Turkey.

Chili's Salsa

I made this for mutual and everyone LOVED it. One girl said to me. "oh this is so good, it tastes just like that one restaurant, what is it? oh yeah, CHILI'S!" I was so happy!

I found this recipe online.

1 (14 1/2 oz) can tomatoes & green chilies

1 (14 1/2 oz) can whole canned tomatoes

4 tsp jalapenos (canned, diced, not pickled)

1/2-3/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp sugar

1/3 bunch cilantro (cut about 1 inch off from bottom of stems. The original recipe doesn't call for cilantro, but I really like it)

Instructions:

- In food processor or blender, place jalapenos and onions. process for a few seconds

- add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar, cumin and cilantro.

- process until well blended but do not over-blend (about 4-5 seconds). Consistency should be slightly chunky

- a couple of hours of chilling will help blend and enrich the flavor but you can also serve right away.

TASTY!