Pickled Onions

 

guard this recipe with your life. . . hahahaha loved these on top of Camillia Grobergs salad she made for Salad Club this week.  Certainly going to add on tacos, boring salads etc.  bring pizzaz and immediate color!

Rainbow Jello Cups Six Sisters

 

serves 8, prep time 5 hours  

(haha good luck -I usually take 2 days to make this then it spaces out the layers and ensures they are set with each new color - makes it easier on me - place on a cookie sheet for easier in and out of the fridge as they get heavier with each layer you add)

5 3 ounce packages of Jello, 1 each in red, orange, yellow, green and blue

2.5 cups sour cream

water

sweetened whipped cream

sprinkles

Place 8 clear plastic cups on a baking sheet (9 ounce from Sams club work well)

In a medium bowl stir the package of blue jello (or color using at the bottom) into 1 cup boiling water until dissolved.  Pour half of the mixture into another bowl and set aside (1/2 cup each).

Whisk in 1/2 cup sour cream to the first bowl of Jello and then pour equal amounts into the 8 clear plastic cups.  Place tray in refrigerator to chill 30 min.

In the meantime, whisk 3 Tablespoons cold water into the other half of the jello mixture and set aside again.  After the creamy layer of jello has set up, remove from the fridge and pour the reserved half of the jello equally over the tops of each jello cup.

Return to the refrigerator another 30 min.

Repeat with each color of jello to make ten layers

When the final layer has set, top with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of sprinkles.

we love in March for St. Patrick's Day!

7 layer bean dip individual!

 

Individual Seven-Layer Dips are individually portioned Mexican appetizer dips perfect for parties, BBQs, potlucks, and get togethers.  These are definitely a memorable appetizer that will have people raving. Unlike the traditional 7-layer bean dip, there's no double dipping here!

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 1 cup guacamole or make homemade guacamole
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 cup chunky salsa or pico de gallo; or make homemade pico de gallo
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, , diced
• 1/2 bunch of green onions, , sliced
• 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced olives, drained
• 8 (9 ounce) plastic tumblers
• tortilla chips

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans. Some people prefer to mix their taco seasoning with the sour cream layer but I wanted a bright white layer so I did it with the beans.

Here's how the layers are assembled:

• Layer 1: beans and taco seasoning; Layer 2: sour cream; Layer 3: guacamole; Layer 4: salsa or pico de gallo; Layer 5: cheese; Layer 6: tomatoes; Layer 7: green onions and olives
• In each plastic glass, layer about 2 Tablespoons of the beans, followed by 2 Tablespoons of sour cream, 2 Tablespoons of guacamole, 2 Tablespoons of salsa or pico de gallo, and 2 Tablespoons of cheese. Make sure you drain your salsa or pico to get the excess liquid out before you pour it on. Then top with about 1-2 teaspoons of tomatoes, olives, and green onion (If making ahead of time, wait to add these toppings until shortly before serving).
• Garnish with one tortilla chip. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips. Makes around 8 individual dips.

Notes

Or

It makes it easier to place the wet ingredients like sour cream and guacamole in a Ziploc bag and snip of the corner for easy piping.

Note: All measurements are approximate. Depending on whether you want thicker or thinner layers you will need more or less.
You can make a large dish vs. individual as well ~ but I like the no double dipping concept and committing people to a cup at a party event

From the Girl who Ate Everything - Ashley Olson gave me this cookbook - recipe linked too w videos

Homemade Garlic Bread Seasoning

 

Our best bites recipe:

This Homemade Garlic Bread Seasoning is so easy that you'll always keep a jar in your fridge for homemade garlic bread, breadsticks, or pizza sauce!

Prep Time5minutes minutes

ServingsServings3 /4 cup of seasoning blend

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 2 teaspoons marjoram
• 2 teaspoons parsley

Instructions

• Combine ingredients in a jar (preferably one with a sprinkle top) and shake. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until the expiration date on the cheese.

Notes

• Sprinkle on top of breadsticks  - or on French Bread
• Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons seasoning with 1/2 cup of softened real butter and spread on a loaf of French bread (cut in 1/2 lengthwise). Wrap in foil and bake at 375 until butter is melted. If you want, you could also pop it open-faced under the broiler for a few minutes so it gets brownish and crispy.
• Use it in our pizza sauce

Wedge Salad

 

I love how this speaks for itself but the Wedge Salad is delicious.  Have fun with your own fav combos and mix it up to your fav mix in's.  Base below:

serves 8 generous wedges

2 heads iceberg lettuce

12 slices bacon, crisp cooked and halved or broken into bits (I like to cook bacon in the oven (pan 400 place bacon down on foil lined pan side by side and back 18-21 min or until crisp. drain well on paper towels).

6 carrots Thinly biased sliced

4 green onions / or a red onion small pieces

radishes, sliced/chopped (optional)

blue cheese crumbles (buy at the store)

dressing: as follows or use chunky lighthouse blue cheese

1/2 cup olive oil or salad oil such as a canoloa

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

6 gloves mashed

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

1. Trim stem from lettuce while leaving the core intact.  Cut lettuce in quarters then place the wedges on individual serving plates.  Arrange bacon, carrots, green onions, and radishes on and around each wedge.

2. In a screw-top jar combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper, Cover tightly and shake until combined.  Immediately drizzle over salad. 

Makes 8 servings

Potatoes Gratin YUUUUM!

 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 

2 T. olive oil 

2 T. butter 

2 - 3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes or russets 

2 cups + 2 T. heavy cream 

2 ½ cups grated Gruyere cheese or Grand Cru (10 oz.) 

2 t. kosher salt Pepper to taste

 ¼ cup fresh minced parsley 

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter 9 x 13-inch baking dish. If using russets, peel potatoes. Thinly slice the potatoes. Sauté onion in olive oil and butter or straight olive oil on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.

 Mix potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups cream and 2 cups cheese, salt and pepper. Add sautéed onion and mix. Pour the potato mixture into the baking dish. Pour the remaining cream over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender and the top is browned. Maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes depending on your oven. Garnish with chopped parsley and allow to set for 10 minutes before serving. 

If you want mushrooms: 2 cups mushrooms, sliced (optional) 2 T. butter, melted Coat the mushrooms with the melted butter and spread over the potatoes before adding the extra cream and cheese. From Crystal. They look, smell and taste divine.

Artichoke dip

 My favorite.  I got from my HS pal and have not had another dip I like quite as much.  It's easy but packed with flavor and goodness & everyone enjoys.  So if in a crowd I would double the recipe, but put in separate baking dishes so it spreads out the dip.

Artichoke Dip

1 cup Mayo

1 small can green chilies, chopped

1 heaping cup of Monterey jack cheese grated

1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese

1 can artichoke hearts, plain, 13.75 oz. drain and chop (I put mine in pulse on food processor)

Bake 325 for 20 min. or until warm

Serve with tortilla chips, or other dipping foods of your choice

Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

 This is one of the perfect sides…

This dish is seriously one of the best veggies I have ever eaten. Jan, our neighbor, called one day and said, “Hey do you want a great recipe?” Yes! Everyone I have served it to goes crazy for it. Even people who are not fond of cauliflower! I could sit down and eat the entire dish for dinner myself, it is that good! I love to pair this side with Beef, Lamb or Chicken. This is just a great twist on the normal veggie we usually put out every night! Honestly, talking about it right now is making me want to make it TONIGHT!!! LOVE!!! XOXO   Food Nanny

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower rinsed and cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated
• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese grated
• 3 oz. cream cheese cut into small pieces
• Coarse salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine the cauliflower pieces and cream. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread half the cauliflower mixture in the middle of the pan.
2. In a small bowl combine the Jack, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Sprinkle half the cheese over top the cauliflower.
3. Spread the rest of the cauliflower over top the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. until tender and the cauliflower just starts to brown on top. Serve.

Broken Glass Jello - Christmas Eve Tradition

 Broken Glass

"The Nelson’s use this as a salad – a bit of a stretch!" Liz Cowan

1 (3 oz. pkg.) each Jell-O lime, strawberry, and black raspberry flavors

Dissolve each box of Jell-O with 1 ½ cups boiling water.  Let set in the refrigerator overnight.

1 envelope Knox gelatin

¼ cup cold water

1 cup pineapple juice, boiling

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

½ cup sugar

1 t. vanilla

Dissolve Knox gelatin in ¼ cup water.  Add to boiling pineapple juice.  Cool until room temperature.  Whip cream and add sugar and vanilla.  Fold in cooled pineapple mixture.  Cut the Jell-O in cubes.  Fold into cream mixture.

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (12 big crackers)

½ cup margarine, melted

¼ cup sugar (optional)

Mix crust ingredients.  Spread all but ¼ cup of the crumbs in a 9x13-inch pan.  Pour the Jell-O mixture carefully over the crumbs.  Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on the top.  Refrigerate 6 hours.  Serves 16-20.

sorry photo a bit blurry 

a screen grab from my Instagram Story 8.29.23  

My son Robert Cowan LOVES (basically dessert) & asks for this Jello monthly and I finally delivered, 

and am taking dinner to a neighbor so this will be something new for them to try.

I also split into 2 serving sizes, 9x9 pan for them and a smaller glass sized pan for us!  Manageable eating for a small gathering or feeds a crowd.

 

Roasted Cauliflower

from the Food Network Kitchen

link here 

• Level: Easy
• Total: 25 min

• Prep: 5 min
• Cook: 20 min

• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper on a baking sheet; sprinkle with the salt and thyme and toss again. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

My go to Summer 2023 recipe.  

I was trying to do less sugar and I loved how they brought out the natural sugars during the roasted process, and Matt who dislikes Cauliflower even loved it, and it was a great reheated lunch the next day.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves