Chilled Tomato Soup

Chilled Tomato Soup

2 cups tomato juice

1 cup beef broth

1 cup half and half or milk

1 sm onion, grated (2 tablespoons)

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Dash of hot sauce

Sour Cream (optional)

Minced fresh or dried sweet basil, dillweed or mint to taste

Stir together tomato juice, broth, half and half, onion, salt and hot sauce.  Cover and chill well.  Serve in chilled bowls or mugs with a dab of sour cream.  Sprinkle with basil or dill.

Makes 4 cups

From an old magazine.

Southwestern Pasta Skillet

Southwestern Pasta Skillet

1lb lean ground chuck

Garlic salt and pepper

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes

1 can Spicy Chili Beans

1 can Mexicorn

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried cilantro

15.5 oz jar Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso 

1 lb Rotini, cooked al dente, drained

Brown and crumble the ground chuck in a large skillet with the garlic salt and pepper (to taste) and the dehydrated onions and water. When thoroughly cooked, stir in the beans, Mexicorn, spices and Salsa Con Queso until combined. Cook on low until heated through. Stir in the rotini and serve.

This was good and easy with the pasta.....but it would be CRAZY good as a dip without the pasta! I had to chase John out of the kitchen to keep him from eating it all with corn chips right out of the skillet!

Adapted from recipe with the same name at Pillsbury.com

Tomato Pesto Tart

Tomato Pesto Tart

1 (15-oz) pkg refrigerated piecrusts

2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

5 plum tomatoes, sliced

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp basil pesto

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Unfold piecrusts; stack on a lightly greased baking sheet, and roll into a 12-inch circle.  Brush outer 1 inch of crust with water.  Fold edge over, and crimp; prick bottom.

Bake at 400^ for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese; cool 15 minutes.  Arrange tomato slices over cheese. 

Stir together remaining 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan and next 3 ingredients; spread over tomato.  Bake at 375^ for 20 to 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with basil. 

Very good!  6/26/06

Taco Tartlets

Taco Tartlets

1 lb lean ground chuck

2 Tbsp Taco seasoning mix

2 Tbsp ice water

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp taco sauce

2 oz chopped ripe olives

1/4 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 425~.  Combine the sour cream, taco sauce, olives and crushed tortilla chips and set aside.  Mix the beef, taco seasoning and ice water.  Press into bottoms and sides of 1 1/2' mini muffin pans, forming a shell.  Place a spoonful of the sour cream filling into each shell, mounding slightly.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.  Bake 7-8 minutes.  With tip of knife, remove tartlets from pam.  Serve immediately or cool and freeze.  Makes about 30.  To serve tartlets after freezing, reheat in a 375~ oven for 10-15 minutes or until hot.

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)

1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.  (From Paula Deen)

 Yummy!

Strawberry Cheese Nut Ring

Strawberry-Cheese Nut Ring

1 lb medium sharp or sharp cheddar, grated

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup minced onion

3-4 grinds black pepper

1/2-t tsp cayenne

1 cup (or more) strawberry preserves

Mix the cheese, half the walnuts, all the mayo and onion with the black pepper and cayenne.  Put the mixture on a round serving plate, shaping it into a rather flat-topped mound about 2-3 inches high.  Make a depression in the center that will hold about 3/4 cup.  Spoon the preserves into this well.  Press reserved nuts around the edge.  Serve with crackers, melba toast or pumpernickel bread.  Have extra strawberry preserves on hand to replenish the center....this goes fast!

This is really good, even though it sounds kind of gross. Cathy

Queso Blanco

Queso Blanco

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup minced onion

2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper

1 heaping Tbsp minced pickled jalapenos

3/4 lb white american cheese, shredded

1/4 lb pepper jack cheese, shredded

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 heaping tsp chili powder

In a small saucepan, saute onion and red bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Add jalapeno and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in shredded cheeses a handful at a time and cream. Stir often until all the cheese is melted. Stir in cumin and chili powder. Keep warm and serve with tortilla chips.

Yum! Adapted from a recipe at allrecipes.com