Touchdown Taco Dip from Pampered Chef

1 can re-fried beans (16oz)
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 TBSP taco seasoning mix (or Pampered Chef Southwestern Seasoning)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2C)
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced
1 med tomato, seeded & diced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
2 TBSP fresh cilantro or parsley thinly sliced
tortilla chips

1 Preheat oven to 350 Spread re-fried beans over bottom of a 9x13 glass dish. In bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, & taco seasoning. Finely chop garlic; add to bowl and mix well.

2 Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over beans. Grate cheese over top. Bake 15-18 min or until hot.

3 To prepare toppings, slice olives. Dice Tomato and thinly slice green onions. Thinly Slice cilantro. Sprinkle them all over dip. Garnish with additional sour cream, if desired.

4 Serve with Tortilla Chips.

Heavenly Hummus

Take 1/8C sesame seeds, 1tsp cumin seeds if you have them, 1/4C water, dump that mixture in a bullet or similar blender, Blend this to a milky like consistency.

1 Can Chickpea, drained
Sesame Mixture from above (my replacement for tahini)
1 TBSP Olive Oil
2 tsp chopped garlic (I used the big preminced jar from walmart)
1/8C Lemon Juice (fresh is great but I usually use the big bottle of lemon juice)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP Cumin (omit if you used cumin seeds in sesame mixture)
2 tsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper

Blend everything together in the blender until smooth!

Optional: try adding some avocado if you do you can leave out the olive oil

I use this on sandwiches instead of dressing.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

1 C. chopped chicken
1/2 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped red bell pepper

Combine those ingredients and cook. When chicken is fully cooked, add:

2Tbsp. gren onion, chopped
1/2 C. corn
1/4 C. black beans
2 Tbsp. chopped spinach
1 Tbsp. jalapeno, chopped

Cook until warm, then add:

3/4 C. cheese


Cut a raw flour tortilla in half. Place a spoonful of filling near the straight cut. Fold in the sides and roll it closed. Repeat until chicken mixture is gone.
Place rolls on baking sheet sprayed with Pam

Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. Turn them over halfway through the baking time.

These are really good dipped in the following dressing:

Take your favorite ranch dressing and blend it with a few tomatillos and a bit of cilantro. You could add lime too.

Garlic Shrimp Crostini

This is both beautiful and delicious. It's a great appetizer to serve as a host.

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. mayo
5 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 Tbsp. minced green onion
1/4 C. butter
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
24 med. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
24 toasted french bread rounds
Garnish: halved cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley leaves

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, 2 cloves garlic and a green onion. Set aside.

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining 3 cloves of garlic and minced parsley. Cook for 3 min. Add shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 3-4 min.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over french bread roudns. Top each with 1 shrimp. Garnish with tomato halves and parsley leaves.

Onion Rings

My husband called these the best onion rings he's ever had. They are really good and super easy. I will say that next time I'll half the recipe...this makes a lot of rings.

1 c. cornstarch
1 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1 egg
1 c. cold water
Black pepper to taste

Beat together all ingredients. Dip sliced onion rings in batter. Deep fry. (I used vegetable oil.)

Salsa

2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans Hunts petite diced tomatoes
1 can rotel (mild)
¾ of an onion
Handful cilantro, chopped
Juice from one lime
Shakes of black pepper
7-20 shakes of cumin (really however much you want)
½ - 1 jalapeño
a squeeze of Honey
Salt to taste

Toss onion and jalapeño in food processor or blender and chop. Add rest of ingredients and chop some more. Let sit in refrigerator for a couple of hours so everything can blend together.

Chicken Cesar Salad Pizza

I made this for a get together with some friends, and it was YUMMY!!

1 Pizza Crust - I made homemade bread dough, but a refrigerated pizza crust would work as well.
3 C. thinly sliced romaine lettuce
2 C. diced cooked chicken
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1/3 C. pitted ripe olives, drained and sliced
1/4 C. grated fresh Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/2 C. light creamy Cesar salad dressing
1 garlic clove, pressed

Shape pizza crust into a circle on a pizza pan or stone. Bake according to package directions, or at 425 for 12-14 minutes, until light golden brown. Meanwhile, put lettuce, chicken, bell pepper, and olives in large bowl. In a small bowl, combine salad dressing, 1/2 Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Mix well. Spread 1/2 dressing mixture evenly over crust. Add remaining salad dressing mixture to lettuce mixture; toss to coat.Top crust with salad mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.