Appetizers from Church Decorating party

I Love appetizers....I can make a whole meal out of them.  Sometimes when we go out to eat I will order a combo appetizer and do exactly that...make it my meal.  These are 2 of my favorite appetizers.

Dried Beef Cheese Ball and Mexican Pinwheels.  My mom made the cheese ball for us growing up.  We had cheese ball on special occasions and Bill and I also served this cheese ball at our wedding as one of our appetizers.  I think it was a recipe that my grandma made when my mom was growing up.  It is super easy to make and I think it tastes better after being in the fridge overnight...all the flavors blend together overnight.  So this is an easy make ahead recipe....that makes it even better!  I also make this as a dip and just add sour cream to make it a dip consistency (probably about 1/4 C sour cream) then we take Frito scoops to dip into it...the corn chip taste with cream cheese and dried beef and the saltiness from the Fritos....delicious!

The Mexican pinwheels have been adapted from my old bosses recipe.  She use to being these to our pot luck on Fridays.  Except she would layer all her tortillas and then cut threw them so they were cut into wedges instead of rolling and slicing in pinwheels. I also add cheddar cheese to mine and I believe she did not.  I like them as pinwheels because it seems to go further and are easier to handle.  We also serve ours with Salsa to dip them in.  I like them plain but the rest of the family likes to dip them in the Salsa.

Dried Beef Cheese Ball

2   8 oz pkgs cream cheese
6 oz  package dried Beef, chopped
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t onion powder (you can use real onion chopped, I just do not like crunchy onions in mine)
pecans, chopped, to roll cheese ball in

Mix well and form into a ball.  Roll ball in chopped pecans and serve with crackers.


Mexican Pinwheels

2  8oz pkgs cream cheese
2.25 oz can sliced black olives, chopped
1/2 C chopped jalapeno slices (more if you would like them hotter)
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C sour cream
1 pkg tortillas
Salsa (optional)

Chop olives and jalapeno slices.  Add to cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.  Mix all together well.  Spread mixture on tortillas and roll up.  Chill for about an hour and slice and serve with salsa if desired.

Cookies and appetizers for Church decorating

Tonight Bill and I went to our Church and helped decorate for Christmas.  The tree up on the alter is so beautiful.  Our Church looks very nice all decorated.

I took cookies and appetizers that we munched on while we worked.  I made my White Chocolate Coconut Toffee Cookies and Reese Cup Peanut Butter Cookies.  I also tried a cookie dip made by my friend Cyndi called Chocolate Chip Cheesecake dip....oh and it was good spread on Vanilla wafers.  I will have to see about getting us the recipe.

My appetizers where Mexican Pinwheels and Dried Beef Cheese Ball.  Everyone enjoyed decorating, visiting and eating.

Reese Cup Peanut Butter Cookies  
adapted from Real Mom Kitchen



3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 bag milk chocolate chips
32 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, each cut into 4 pieces

Mix the ingredients down to the vanilla.  Add soda, salt, and flour.  Fold in chocolate chips. Using a medium  scoop, scoop dough.  Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes at 350. Remove cookies from oven and lightly press 3 cut up pieces of the Reese’s peanut butter cups over the top of each cookie.  Return to oven for 2 more minutes.  Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes before placing on cooling rack.

Tomorrow I will post my recipes for the Mexican Pinwheels and Dried Beef Cheese ball.

Cheesy Enchilada Soup

This soup was awesome....Bill ate 2 bowls and said he could eat 3.  It is cheesy and has just the right amount of spice.  I love the crunch from the tortilla chips and the extra cheese on top is yummy :o)

Cheesy Enchilada Soup
source: adapted from Alice G

1 lb cooked and shredded chicken
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic salt
4 C chicken broth
1 C Harina Preparada (white flour tortilla mix...found it at Meijer)
3 C water
1/2 envelope Enchilada sauce mix
14 oz crushed tomatoes
4 oz can diced green chilies
1 t chili powder
1/2 t ground cumin
8 oz Velveeta, diced
1 C Colby Jack Cheese, grated
more grated cheese and tortilla chips for garnish

In large sauce pan place broth, onion powder, garlic salt, enchilada mix, tomatoes and chilies.  Bring to a simmer.  In bowl combine the water and Harina flour, stir to blend.  Add to the large pot.  Add spices and chicken,bring just to a simmer.  Add Velveeta cubes, stir to melt, then add grated cheese, stir until melted.  Simmer 30 minutes or more.  Ladle into bowls in garnish with crushed tortillas and more cheese.

Runner Up Best Cookie in the County 2011

This was my entry for the Best Cookie in the County for 2011.  It is a White Chocolate Coconut Toffee Cookie.  I won second place this year with this cookie.  My prize was $50.00, I received $25.00 and $25.00 went to my favorite charity, I picked Samaritan's Purse.  I received a thank you from Samaritan's Purse and there was a ps... at the bottom of my letter that said if I would like to send along some cookies to feel free to send them on to North Carolina.  He also congratulated me for being the runner up winner.


  Cally and I are also working on our shoe boxes this weekend for Samaritan's Purse.  We are filling shoe boxes with small gifts, such as gum, candy, pencils,toothpaste ect., for children around the world who would not have Christmas if it was not for Samaritan's Purse delivering these special shoe boxes full of gifts.  We also pay for our postage on line so we can track our shoe boxes and will know what country they end up being delivered in.  I will keep you posted as we find out where are shoe boxes end up.


I am not a big coconut fan but this cookie was really good.  I love cookies with toffee in them.

White Chocolate Coconut Toffee Cookies

2 1/4 flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 C butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1 small pkg coconut cream instant pudding

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

3/4 C shredded coconut

1 bag white chocolate chips  (11oz)

1 bag toffee bits (10oz)

1 C pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugars.  Beat in the instant pudding, mix until blended.  Stir in the eggs and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  Finally stir in the chocolate chips, toffee bits, coconut and pecans.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (may also put on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper) roll cookies in shredded coconut if desired. Bake 10 to 12 minutes

I have been sharing a lot of Cally's photos so I thought I would share one of my son...Bill

International Delight Coffee Creamer flavored Cupcakes

Cally and I survived the craft show.  We did very well with our bake goods.  These cupcakes were on of our creations.  We got lots of complements on our icing.  It was rich and creamy and just so good.  I even put the pumpkin spice coffee creamer icing on my pumpkin bars and I do believe they were the best pumpkin bars I have ever tasted.  If you like flavored liquid creamer in your coffee you will love it in buttercream icing!!

Pictured is Peppermint Mocha Cupcake and Pumpkin spice.  We also made Gingerbread latte and Vanilla Spiced Rum

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 1/4 C water

1/3 C oil

2 eggs

2 oz Peppermint Mocha International liquid coffee creamer

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes...cool cupcakes then ice

Peppermint Mocha Buttercream icing

2 sticks butter, softened

3 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1T whipping cream

1T Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer

Mix together the butter and powder sugar.  Scrape bowl down often and beat until creamy.  Add the vanilla, coffee creamer and whipping cream and whip until smooth.  May ice cupcakes with knife or pipe your icing on with a decorative icing tip....enjoy

Pumpkin Pie Spice....Gingerbread Latte....Vanilla Spiced Rum Cupcakes

These 3 all use white cake mix and the same ingredients except for putting the coffee creamer of your choice in the mix to make the flavor of choice.

1 box white cake mix

1 1/4 C water

1/3 C oil

2 eggs

2 oz  International delight coffee creamer your choice of flavor...Pumpkin Pie Spice or Gingerbread latte or Vanilla Spiced Rum

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Cool then ice.

Flavored Buttercream icing

2 sticks butter, softened

3 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1 T whipping cream

1T  liquid coffee creamer, your choice of flavor to match your cupcake...Pumpkin pie spice or Gingerbread Latte or Vanilla Spiced Rum

Mix together the butter and powder sugar.  Scrape bowl down often and beat until creamy.  Add the vanilla, coffee creamer and whipping cream and whip until smooth.  May ice cupcakes with knife or pipe your icing on with a decorative icing tip....enjoy

White Chocolate Raspberry Pecan Cookies

I have been experimenting in the kitchen.  I have been making cookies using flavored coffee creamer.  Oh they are amazing.  I am really surprised that the liquid coffee creamer gives these cookies so much flavor.  I have been baking a lot here lately getting ready for the NW Craft fair.  Cally and I are setting up and selling baked goods.  I have been making lots of cookies and freezing them.

 White Chocolate Raspberry Pecan Cookies

2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 stick butter
1 stick margarine
3/4 C brown sugar
1/3 C white sugar
1 small pkg white chocolate instant pudding
1 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 bag white chocolate chips  (12oz)
1/2  C pecans, chopped
2 oz International Delight, Raspberry White Chocolate Creamer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.  Cream together the butter, margarine and sugars.  Beat in the instant pudding, mix until blended.  Stir in the egg, creamer and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  Finally stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (may also put on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper)  Bake 12 to 14 minutes

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich

I have a quick and easy sandwich for you.  This is nice when you have been busy all day and need to make supper.  It is just a chicken breast patty, deli ham and swiss cheese on a bun with grey poupon mustard.


Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich


chicken breast patty
deli ham
swiss cheese
buns
grey poupon mustard.


Bake chicken breast patties as directed on package.  Heat ham in microwave.  Place ham, and swiss cheese on top of baked chicken breast patty and return to the oven to melt the cheese.  When cheese is melted place on bun and serve.


This is one reason I have been busy and needed a quick sandwich .... taking more senior pictures