Creamy Fried Confetti Corn

Once again, I am borrowing a friend's recipe from their Blog! This one just sounded too good to pass up. Thanks Jana!

CREAMY FRIED CONFETTI CORN

8 bacon slices, chopped
4 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 8 ears)
1 med. white onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Set bacon aside.

Sauté corn, onion, and bell peppers in hot drippings in skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender. Add cream cheese and half-and-half, stirring until cream cheese melts. Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper. Top with bacon.

*You can make this ahead the day before. Just warm it up covered in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 min.

Next Day Turkey Soup

NEXT DAY TURKEY SOUP

2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves, if desired
2 cartons (32 oz. each) chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 cups green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 potato, diced
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta, such as orzo or pastina
3 cups diced cooked dark turkey meat

In a large soup pot, heat garlic in the olive oil. Allow to brown slightly and add onion, carrot and celery. Cover; sweat over medium-low heat until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped sage to the soup pot along with the broth and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. When simmering, add the green beans, potato, and pasta to the soup. Bring it back up to a simmer; lower heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and pasta is cooked. Stir in turkey. Turn the heat off. Cover and allow to sit and steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup

SLOW COOKER CHEESY POTATO SOUP

1 bag (32 oz.) frozen southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (from 12 oz. bag), thawed
1 med. stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1 carton (32 oz.) chicken broth
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 bag (8 oz.) shredded American-cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8 oz. package)
4 med. green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

In a 3 to 4 quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water. Cover; cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours. In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to high. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Homemade Tortillas

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. olive oil

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 5-6 times. Divide dough into 8 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7 inch circle. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for 1 minute on each side on until lightly browned. Keep warm. Makes 8 tortillas.

Hobo Dinner

Okay, so I borrowed this one from one of my friend's blogs, but it sounded soooo good! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

HOBO DINNER

Ground Beef
Onion
Lawry's Seasoning Salt
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Optional: Cheese & Potato
Foil

You've got to get big pieces of foil for this. I use 2 layers of foil. Make big patties with the meat. My family likes it if I put some cheese in the middle. Put it on the foil, sprinkle with both seasonings, put a big slice of onion on top, and wrap up tightly. If you are going to add the potato you can put a slice of it below the onion. Put some seasonings on the potato & onion too if you want. Omit the potato to keep the carbs low! You can even put a little bit of butter on top. Make sure the foil is wrapped tight. Put them in a 375 degree oven for about an hour.

Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

CARAMEL-PECAN CHEESECAKE PIE

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 jar (12 1/4 oz.) caramel ice cream topping

Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry. Trim and flute edges. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans. In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover edges with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

*This recipe is from Taste of Home.

Texan Ranch Chicken Casserole

TEXAN RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE

1 lg. onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 med. green pepper, finely chopped
1 med. sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 Tbsp. chili powder
12 corn tortillas (6 in.), cut into 1 inch strips
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté the onion, celery and peppers in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the chicken, soups, tomatoes and chili powder. Line the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish with half of the tortilla strips; top with half of the chicken mixture and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 8 servings.

A Flock of Turkeys

A FLOCK OF TURKEYS

48 sugar cookies (3 in.)
1 pkg. (12 oz.) chocolate and marshmallow cookies
1 can (16 oz.) chocolate frosting
1 cup vanilla frosting
Yellow and red paste food coloring

Using a serrated knife, cut 1/2 inch from one side of 24 sugar cookies. Using a sharp knife, cut marshmallow cookies in half vertically. Spread chocolate frosting over the bottom of each marshmallow cookie half; align cut edges of a marshmallow cookie and a sugar cookie, and press together to form each turkey body and feathers. Spread chocolate frosting over the cut edges of each turkey; position and attach near the back edge of a whole sugar cookie. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag. Insert a #12 round pastry tip; fill bag with 3/4 cup chocolate frosting. Pipe a neck and head on each turkey. Tint 1/2 cup vanilla frosting, add eyes, beaks and legs. With #3 round tip and red frosting, pipe snood and tail feathers. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 2 dozen.

Apple Crisp

APPLE CRISP

1 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups chopped, peeled apples
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream, optional

In a bowl, combine first four ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half into a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish or a 9 inch square baking pan. Cover with apples. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla; cook and stir until thick and clear. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until the apples are tender. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Appetizer Tortilla Pinwheels

APPETIZER TORTILLA PINWHEELS

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (4 1/4 oz.) chopped ripe olives
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, well drained
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Garlic powder to taste
Seasoned salt to taste
5 flour tortillas (10 in.), room temperature
Fresh parsley for garnish
Salsa

In a large bowl, beat the first eight ingredients until blended. Spread over the tortillas; roll up tightly. Wrap each with plastic wrap; twisting ends; refrigerate for several hours. Unwrap; cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch slices. (An electric knife works well) Discard ends. Garnish with parsley. Serve with salsa if desired. Makes 4 dozen.

Turkey Cheese Ball

TURKEY CHEESE BALL

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese
6 oz. deli smoked turkey, finely chopped
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Decorations:
3 pkg. (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
Brown, orange and yellow paste food coloring
6 lg. oval crackers
1 lg. sweet red pepper
1 sm. yellow summer squash
1 cup pecan halves
Assorted crackers

In a small bowl, beat the first six ingredients until combined. Shape into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. In another small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Divide among four small bowls. With food coloring, tint one owl brown, one dark orange and one light orange (using yellow and orange); leave one bowl plain. Transfer each mixture to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. For turkey tail feathers, decorate the top halves of large oval crackers with tinted cream cheese. Using the red pepper, form the turkey head, neck and wattle. For beak, cut a small triangle from summer squash; attach with cream cheese. Add eyes, using brown and plain cream cheese. Insert pecan halves and decorated crackers into cheese ball. Serve with assorted crackers. Makes 1 cheese ball.

Creepy Eyeball Pudding Cups

CREEPY EYEBALL PUDDING CUPS

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla flavor instant pudding
2 cups cold milk
4 large gumdrops, cut in half crosswise
8 small round candies
1 tube (19.28 g.) red decorating gel

Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Pour into 4 plastic cups or dessert dishes. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Decorate with remaining ingredients to resemble eyeballs just before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Thankful Turkey Table Favors

THANKFUL TURKEY TABLE FAVORS

1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. chocolate frosting, divided
24 fudge-striped cookies
72 pieces candy corn
24 milk chocolate kisses
24 red-hot candies

Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting on the bottoms of cookies. For feathers, insert three pieces each of candy corn in a fan shape into frosting. Place a chocolate kiss on each cookie for the body. For wattles, attach a red hot to the side of each kiss with a dab of remaining frosting. Makes 2 dozen.

Spooky Eyeball Tacos

SPOOKY EYEBALL TACOS

1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. (1 1/4 oz.) taco seasoning mix
12 taco shells
3/4 cup thick ‘n chunky salsa
3/4 cup sour cream
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced black olives, drained

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix meat and seasoning mix; shape into 36 (1 inch) balls. Place in 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until done (160 degrees). Fill each taco shell with 1 meatball; drizzle with salsa. Top with 2 meatballs dipped in sour cream. Garnish with olives to resemble eyeballs. Makes 6 servings.

Baked Eyeballs Casserole

BAKED EYEBALLS CASSEROLE

Cooking spray
1 jar (24 oz.) Sausage & Garlic Italian Sauce
1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
7 cups bow tie pasta, cooked and drained
1 container (8 oz.) small fresh mozzarella cheese balls (about 1 inch)
2 Tbsp. sliced pitted ripe olives

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Mix 1 1/2 cups sauce, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and pasta in the prepared dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and cover the dish with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Arrange the cheese balls randomly over the pasta mixture. Place a sliced olive on each cheese ball. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Tastes Like Thanksgiving Casserole

TASTES LIKE THANKSGIVING CASSEROLE

6 med. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter, cubed
6 cups unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. rubbed sage
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup sour cream, divided
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté celery and onion in butter until tender. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing cubes, poultry seasoning, and sage. Stir in broth and celery mixture. Transfer to a greased 13x9 baking dish. In another large bowl, combine the turkey, soup, garlic powder, and 1/4 cup sour cream; spoon over stuffing mixture. Drain potatoes; mash in a large bowl. Beat in the cream cheese, pepper, salt, and remaining sour cream; spread over turkey mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.

Freezer Crescent Rolls

FREEZER CRESCENT ROLLS

3 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potato flakes
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
6 to 6 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the butter, milk powder, sugar, potato flakes, eggs, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a heavily floured surface; knead 8 to 10 times. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 12 inch circle; cut each circle into 16 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide ends and place point side down 2 inches apart on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents. Cover and freeze. When firm, transfer to a large resealable plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 4 weeks. To use frozen rolls: Arrange frozen rolls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 32 rolls.

Creamy Caramel-Peanut Butter Dip

CREAMY CARAMEL-PEANUT BUTTER DIP

25 caramels (1/2 of 14 oz. pkg.)
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
3 apples (1 lb.) each cut into 8 slices
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Microwave first 3 ingredients in microwaveable bowl on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Dip apple slices in warm dip, then sprinkle with nuts. Makes 1 cup.

Holiday Gelatin Mold

HOLIDAY GELATIN MOLD

1 pkg. (.3 oz.) sugar-free lemon gelatin
1 pkg. (.3 oz.) sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1 pkg. (.3 oz.) sugar-free cherry gelatin
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 can (20 oz.) unsweetened crushed pineapple
1 can (14 oz.) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 med. navel orange, peeled and sectioned
3/4 cup reduced-fat whipped topping
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

In a large bowl, dissolve the gelatins in boiling water. Drain pineapple, reserving juice in a 2 cup measuring cup; add enough cold water to measure 2 cups. Stir into gelatin mixture. Place the pineapple, cranberry sauce and orange in a food processor; cover and pulse until blended. Stir into gelatin mixture. Transfer to an 8 cup ring mold coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate until firm. In a small bowl, combine whipped topping and sour cream. Unmold gelatin; serve with topping. Makes 12 servings.

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato-Cream Sauce

PENNE WITH MUSHROOM-TOMATO-CREAM SAUCE

2 2/3 cups uncooked penne pasta (8 oz.)
3 oz. pancetta or 4 strips bacon, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves

Cook and drain pasta as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm. Meanwhile, in 12 inch skillet or Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Remove pancetta to paper towels to drain. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and mushrooms in oil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream; heat just until hot. Stir in pasta. Add spinach; toss until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle individual servings with pancetta. Makes 5 servings.

Quick Dinner Nachos

QUICK DINNER NACHOS

1 (15.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
8 oz. Mexican Velveeta, cubed (2 cups)
6 cups tortilla chips
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
3/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In medium saucepan, combine beans and cheese; cook over medium heat until cheese is melted, stirring frequently. Place 2 cups chips on each individual serving plate. Spoon about 2/3 cup bean mixture over chips. Top each with olives, tomato, sour cream and cilantro. Serve immediately. Makes 3 servings.

Chicken and Orzo Supper

CHICKEN AND ORZO SUPPER

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked orzo or rosamarina pasta (6 oz.)
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 med. zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into slices (2 cups)
2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

In 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken and garlic in oil 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is brown. Stir in broth and pasta. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and most of liquid is absorbed. Stir in tomatoes and zucchini. Cook uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until zucchini is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (10 oz.) chuck white chicken, drained
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
Tortilla chips

Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1 quart baking dish. Layer with chicken, buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Makes about 2 cups.

Fluffy Apple Dip

FLUFFY APPLE DIP

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème
Assorted apple wedges

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and pie spice until blended; fold in marshmallow crème. Serve with apple wedges. Makes 2 cups.