Month: October 2016

Amye’s Smoky Cheese Dip

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If you visit Not Just Sunday Dinner often you know that my new obsession is chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  I believe I could add chipotle peppers to just about anything and love it!

Cheese dip is one of the first things I made as a young cook.  Everyone loves cheese dip.  Over the years I have used a total of three different recipes.  My first recipe was pretty simple, some Velveeta, some sharp cheese, a can or Rotel, ground beef and sausage.  A few years back I switched up my recipe to the Queso dip that you’ll find here on NJSD.  I still love that dip but there can be picky eaters that don’t like the spinach.  They drive me crazy, but they do exist!  Not that the Queso dip needed any improvement,  it is perfect just they way it is (to me).  However, I was really craving the smoky flavor of chipotle in a cheese dip, so I started experimenting.

What I have come up with is a huge hit at our house!  The number of chipotle peppers is totally up to your taste.  If I were not feeding others I might possibly add more than this recipe suggest.

Amye's Smoky Cheese Dip
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb. sausage
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 lb. Velveeta, cubed
  • 1 lb. Pepper Jack cheese, cubed
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 can Rotel, undrained
  • 2 - 3 chipotle peppers (or to taste) in adobo sauce, seeds removed and chopped fine
  • ½ tbsp - 1 tbsp. adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers, or to taste
Instructions
  1. Brown ground beef and sausage in a skillet. Drain and pour the beef and sausage into a slow-cooker.
  2. In the skillet, add oil and saute onion until soft. Add garlic during the last minute of cooking. Add to the slow-cooker. Add the Velveeta, Pepper Jack cheese, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, milk, Rotel, and chipotle peppers. Stir to combine.
  3. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, until melted.
  4. Serve with corn chips.

 

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Muffins

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It is no secret that I enjoy cooking and all things that come with it.  Well, except for maybe the cleaning up.  I read cookbooks for pleasure and even watch a few cooking shows.  I also love a day off.  I’m up for a good restaurant any day with someone else doing all of the work.

 Savannah decided to come home over the weekend since the college campus was closed due to Hurricane Matthew.  Having her home was great, and I usually make a few of her favorite dishes while she is home.  This time, she cooked breakfast for us one morning.  She baked these fabulous Cinnamon Swirl Banana Muffins.  The cinnamon swirl was a great addition to banana muffins.
This recipe can also be used to make a loaf of banana bread.  Savannah said that the bread is better the day after it bakes.  We wouldn’t know because the muffins did not last long enough to find out.

 

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Muffins
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 to 4 overripe bananas, mashed
  • ⅓ c. unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ c. granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ c. granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with 12 paper liners or spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
  2. Mix mashed bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and gently mix into the banana mixture. Do not overmix!
  3. Fill the paper liners half-way with batter. Then evenly distribute half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Add remaining batter to the top of each. Using a butter knife, swirl the batter. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes
To make a loaf, pour half of batter the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Pour remaining batter on top and swirl with a butter knife. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

 

Homemade Payday Candy

 

 

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The first taste of this fantastic Homemade Payday Candy took me back 40 years or more.  Back to a time when I could walk to the Beeler’s store with my cousins for a Coke and candy bar.  Those were the days!  We didn’t even need money because we would put it on daddy’s tab.  The gas tab that he would keep and pay at the end of the month.  The one that would undoubtedly have a few surprises on it when he went in to pay.
This candy is one of the easiest candy recipes you’ll ever make.  Waiting for the candy to chill is the hardest part!  The Payday candy would be a great recipe to get the kids involved.  With only five ingredients and the microwave, you will be licking the bowl in a matter of minutes!

 

Homemade Payday Candy
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 (16-oz.) salted cocktail peanuts
  • 2 c. peanut butter chips
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 (14-oz.) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (10.5-oz.) bag mini marshmallows
Instructions
  1. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 c. peanuts on the bottom of the pan, set aside.
  2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter chips and butter in 30-second increments on 50% power, stirring after each, until melted.
  3. Stir sweetened condensed milk into the chips and microwave on high power for 1 more minute. Stir until smooth and combined.
  4. Fold the marshmallows into the peanut butter chips mixture until evenly coated. Pour over the peanuts in the pan. Spreading even with a spatula, try not to disturb the peanuts.
  5. Press the remaining 1 c. nuts into the marshmallow mixture. Cover and chill for at least one hour.
  6. Cut into squares.
Notes
You may substitute salted dry-roasted peanuts for the cocktail peanuts if you prefer.