Maple and Soy Sauce Salmon

Looking for a great marinade for your salmon. This recipe adds a sweet and salty dimension to your salmon.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound salmon

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
2. Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Artichoke Dip

A new twist to a delicious dip. Added bacon and chicken.


INGREDIENTS

• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
• 1 (3 ounce) package cooked chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 4 strips cooked bacon, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 ounces Neufchatel cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons milk, or more to taste 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 slices Swiss cheese, cut into strips 
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Blend artichoke hearts, chicken breast, spinach, bacon, mayonnaise, mozzarella cheese, Neufchatel cheese, milk, garlic, Swiss cheese, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a blender or food processor; spread into a baking dish.
3. Bake until browned and bubbling on top, 30 to 40 minutes.

7-Layer Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (10 oz each) diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 can (16 oz each) refried beans
• 1 container (12 oz each) refrigerated guacamole
• 1 container (16 oz each) sour cream
• 1 pkg (1.25 oz each) taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
• 1 can (2.25 oz each) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• Tortilla chips, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Reserve 1/2 cup drained tomatoes; set aside. Blend remaining tomatoes and reserved liquid with beans in medium bowl.
2. Spread bean mixture in 8x8-inch glass baking dish or round casserole dish. Top with guacamole.
3. Blend together sour cream and seasoning mix in small bowl. Spread over guacamole. Top evenly with layers of cheese, olives, green onions and reserved tomatoes. Chill 2 hours prior to serving. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

Turkey Chili

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can canned kidney beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.
2. Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Bittersweet Chocolate & Walnut Brownies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz. finely chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 2 oz. finely chopped semisweet chocolate
• 3 oz. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (6 tablespoon or 1 stick)
• 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 1/4 cup(s) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• .1 tsp. fine-grained kosher or sea salt
• 2/3 cup(s) walnuts, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray the inside of an 8-cavity, 2-inch heart-shaped silicone pan with non-stick cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
2. Place chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in microwave on low power for 30-second bursts. Stir after each burst.
3. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg and yolk in a bowl until frothy. Add the sugars and whip until very thick and pale colored, about 5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate mixture and blend completely.
4. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder; add the salt. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture in 3 stages, blending well after each addition. Stir in the walnuts.
5. Divide batter evenly among cavities in the pan. Bake 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out slightly moist. Remove from the oven and cool the pan on a rack. Turn the pan upside-down and gently peel away from the brownies. Then turn brownies topside up.
6. Store in a single layer in a tightly sealed container, or covered with foil at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Simple and Tasty Guacamole

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and mashed
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies (10 ounce), drained
• 3/4 cup(s) chopped onion
• 1 tsp. lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• ground pepper and tortilla chips, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix avocados, drained tomatoes, onion, lemon juice and salt in medium bowl until well blended. Season with pepper to taste.
2. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

Orange-Mint Tea

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 qt. Iced Tea
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• 3 Navel oranges, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Add mint leaves and orange slices to tea and let sit overnight.

Rotini Pasta BLT Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pkg. rotini pasta (16 ounce)
• 1 cup(s) mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. white or cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 3 green onions, diced
• 1 pkg. precooked bacon (2.1 ounce)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Place in large salad bowl.
2. Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir until blended. Pour over pasta and stir to coat evenly.
3. Add tomatoes and green onions.
4. Cook bacon according to package directions in microwave oven until crisp; crumble and add to salad. Stir all ingredients together.

Cran-Chili Meatballs

If you enjoy sweet and spicy, I think you will enjoy this recipe. It is very simple and easy to make and will have everyone at your Super Bowl party doing an end zone dance.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar chili sauce (12 ounce)
• 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup(s) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) lemon juice
• 1 bag frozen Italian Style Meatballs (96 ounce)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chili sauce, cranberry sauce, brown sugar and lemon juice in slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Add meatballs and stir.
3. Cook on low heat 4 hours (or cook on high heat 2 1/2 hours), stirring occasionally.

Coke Chicken WIngs

Talk about a twist on a great appetizer. Using Coke to add an extra dimension of favor to chicken wings is a winner.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup(s) brown sugar
• 1 can Coca-Cola® (12 ounce)
• 2 onion (medium), chopped
• 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 lb. chicken wings

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large casserole dish or 9x12" pan, combine the brown sugar, Coca-Cola, onions, garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir until mixed. Place chicken wings in sauce mixture.
2. Bake at 350°F for 2 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan; pour sauce into a saucepan or skillet. Place 1/4 cup of the liquid into a small bowl; stir in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, then return that mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil and pour over the chicken wings.

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip

The recipe combines cheese and chicken in a creative way. Your teams will love this.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pkg. McCormick® Original Buffalo Wings Seasoning Mix
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup(s) sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup(s) shredded or chopped cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup(s) crumbled blue cheese
• Assorted dippers, such as celery or carrot sticks, crackers, pita wedges or chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and Seasoning Mix in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in chicken. Spoon into lightly greased pie plate.
2. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with blue cheese. Serve with assorted dippers.

Dinner Hash

Looking for a quick and easy meal that is tasty, try this one.

It is very quick and easy to prepare and very hearty.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 2 potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sausage, and cook until crumbly and just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the diced potato and onion. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender and have lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the mixed vegetables until hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese before serving.

NOTES

Substitute spicy pork sausage to had a bold favor.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

When you get to half time, you may want to serve something sweet. These cookies will have everyone screaming for more.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cup(s) peanut butter
• 1 cup(s) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 3/4 cup(s) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup(s) semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Beat peanut butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg, water and almond extract until blended. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat until evenly moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly in criss-cross pattern with fork.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet before moving to rack to cool completely.

Bacon-Wrapped Sausages

There is nothing better than pork and more pork.

INGREDIENTS

• 45 Hillshire Farm® Lit'l Smokies®
• 15 thick-sliced bacon strips, cut into thirds
• 3/4 cup(s) light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place rack in center of oven.
2. Wrap each sausage with a piece of bacon; secure with a toothpick. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bacon is browned and brown sugar melts and forms a sauce.

NOTES

Remove carefully from baking sheet. Use toothpicks for guest to pick up and enjoy. You can serve them with a spicy mustard. 

Sausage Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lbs smoked sausage
• 8 large flour tortillas
• 16 processed cheese single
• 1 jar of salsa or use salsa recipe

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice smoked sausage and cook in preheated non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sausage from pan.
2. Place tortilla in pan and fill one side with two slices of processed cheese single and 8 pieces of the sliced sausage. Cook open for 1 to 2 minutes then fold tortilla in half and flip.
3. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from pan and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes. Cut into 4 wedges and serve with 1 teaspoon of salsa on top.

Quick & Easy Salsa

If you are like me, you enjoy a lot of salsa on your chips. Here is easy salsa. The great thing about this recipe is that you can use it as a base and as much heat to it as you want.

You can add jalapenos or chipotle peppers. The heat and smokiness from the chipotle peppers are a good addition to this recipe. You can also add diced onions to the recipe to give it a chunky texture.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cup(s) (14.5 oz. ea.) diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp. dried cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend until desired consistency is reached.

Quick and Easy Ribs

If you are looking for a quick game day meal, try serving some pork spareribs. This recipe is quick and easy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package spareribs (2 ribs)
• 1 bottle of beer (any type)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. fresh cracked pepper
• 1 navel orange, sliced
• 1 cup(s) BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place ribs on a foiled shallow baking tray.
2. Rub with salt, pepper and garlic, and place sliced oranges on top of ribs.
3. Pour beer on bottom of the baking tray and cover tightly with foil.
4. Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Uncover and baste with BBQ sauce, and then bake an additional 10 minutes.

Veggie Snack Platter

With Super Bowl XLVII coming up quickly, you will need to do some planning to feed your team. Over the next couple of weeks, I will posting recipes to help you with the game day festivities.


INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup(s) Ranch Dressing
• 1 cup(s) baby carrots
• 1 cup(s) celery sticks
• 1 cup(s) sliced mini bell peppers
• 1 cup(s) sliced cucumber
• 1 cup(s) broccoli florets
• 1 cup(s) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup(s) olives
• Fresh herbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Place dressing in a decorative bowl.
2. Arrange each veggie separately on a large cutting board or a large platter. Garnish platter with the fresh herbs and olives.

NOTES

You can prepare this platter a day in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator.

Chili with Beans Using a Slow Cooker

If there is one meal I really enjoy, it is chili.

Here is a chili recipe that uses a slow cooker to turn out a great bowl of red.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans tomato puree
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans with liquid
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the beef in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain grease.
2. Place the beef in a slow cooker, and mix in onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, tomato puree, kidney beans, and cannellini beans. Season with chili powder, parsley, salt, basil, oregano, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
3. Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low.

Chicken Spaghetti

You do not have to serve the same old spaghetti night after night. Try out this change to a classic.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 pound processed cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - boiled, cut into bite size pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat soup in a large saucepan over low heat. Add cheese and melt, stirring. When cheese is almost melted, stir in tomatoes with green chile peppers and green onion. Simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring.
3. Add spaghetti and mix well, then stir in chicken. Heat through and serve.