New Orleans Crab Dip

Ingredients:
4oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 package (8oz) imitation crab meat, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 tbsp Cajun Herb Seasoning Mix

In a bowl, microwave cream cheese on high for 30 seconds until softened; whisk in mayonnaise.

Chop crab meat. Chop celery & pepper.

Add crab meat, celery, bell pepper, garlic & seasoning mix to cream cheese mixture; mix well.



Spoon crab mixture into chilled bowl.

Serve with Canapé Bread Slices.

Yield: 12 servings

Touch Down Taco Dip

Ingredients:
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
small piece of onion
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup black olives
2 garlic cloves
1 pkg. (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small tomato
tortilla or corn chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Spread refried beans into bottom of deep dish baker.

Combine cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning in bowl. Press garlic; add to cream cheese mixture.

Core tomato and chop. Chop onion and olives. Sprinkle tomato, olives and onion over cream cheese mixture.
Top with cheddar cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until hot. Serve with sour cream and chips.

Microwave variation: Microwave on High for 3 minutes; turn. Cook on High an additional 2-3 minutes or until mixture is bubbly around edges.

Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo chick peas - drained and rinsed
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
1/2 yellow pepper
1 green pepper
1/2 white onion
Italian Salad Dressing

Chop onion and peppers and place into large mixing bowl.

Drain and rinse both black beans and garbanzo beans

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Add Italian Dressing to coat mixture - maybe 4 Tbsp. Serve with Tostitios.

Puppy Chow

Ingredients:
9 cups Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Wheat Chex or combination
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.


In microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir.

Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.


Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.


Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Let settle for an hour. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Peanut Clusters

Really tough recipe here... but you may or may not know it...

Ingredients:
Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts
Chocolate Almond Bark

Depending on how much you want to make... Melt almond bark in microwave safe bowl (I did five squares here).

Eyeball the peanuts - or just dump in the whole jar (I would not do this with the jar in the photos, but the regular jar would be perfect.) Stir. If all the peanuts are completely covered, add more for a more peanutty experience. I basically add peanuts until there isn't enough Chocolate to cover them.
Take a medium scoop and drop clusters onto wax paper. Let them sit and harden for an hour. Store in an air tight container.

Guacamole

Ingredients:
1 to 1 & 1/2 cups of Pico de Gallo
3-4 avocados

Slice avocados in half. Remove the pit - but don't toss it!

Scoop out "meat" of the avocados onto a plate. Mash with a fork or potato masher.


Add pico de gallo to mashed avocados.


Stir. Wa-la!Place the pits in the guacamole to keep it from browning quickly.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
5 plum (Roma) tomatoes (firm, not soft)
1/2 large or 1 small onion
3-5 jalapeno peppers
garlic
cilantro
lime juice
salt

Depending on the size of the veggies you may need to increase something or use less of another...

Slice jalapeno the long way about 4 or 5 times. Then chop into fine pieces. Place into a large mixing bowl.
Slice Roma tomatoes in half the long way.

Then slice the halves into smaller long sections.

Then chop the tomato the short way to dice the tomatoes.

Add tomatoes to the jalapenos.

Give them a quick stir.

Chop 1/2 an onion. I used a purple onion for a bit more flavor. Whatever you have on hand will do.
Add the onion to the tomato mixture and toss. Chop cilantro - tons of it, I used 1/2 of the grouping that I got at the store. Chop off the stems and just use the leaves. Add cilantro, garlic and 1/2 squeezed lime juice to tomato mixture and stir.

Add salt to taste. If you are a fan of Chipotle's "fresh tomato mixture" keep adding salt... eventually it will taste just like it!


Yum-o! Now go to my guacamole recipe and have a fiesta.

Chex Mix

Ingredients:
Stick and a half of butter
3 Tblsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. onion powder
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
2 cups Cheerios (original)
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup pretzels

In a small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings.

  Gradually stir in butter mix into remaining ingredients in a super big bowl.

  Stir until evenly coated. Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool.

  Store in airtight container.