Coconut Cream Pie

Made by: Marné

1 can coconut milk
1 cup half and half
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flaked coconut, divided
1 tsp vanilla

pie crust
whipped cream

In a saucepan combine coconut milk, half and half, eggs, white sugar, corn starch,  and salt.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over low heat. When thickened, stir in 3/4 cup coconut and vanilla.  Pour into baked pie crust and chill for 2-4 hours.  Toast remaining coconut and sprinkle on top.  Serve with whipped cream.

Cherry Chocolate Pie

Made by: Debbie P.

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened (I used less fat version)
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (9-inch) Graham cracker crust
1 can cherry pie filling

Melt chocolate in small saucepan over very low heat, stirring until completely smooth. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy, then blend in melted chocolate.  Gradually add corn syrup, beating until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended.  Mix in cream and vanilla extract; pour into pie crust.
Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes until center is almost set. ( Actually more like 50 minutes.)  Cool on wire rack.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Top with cherry pie filling.

Black & Raspberry Cobbler

Made by: Lynne

6 cups fresh berries 
  (blackberries and/or raspberries)
1/2 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca pudding powder 
  (or 2 Tbsp cornstarch)
1/4 cup melted butter

Place the berries into a bowl, and drizzle with melted butter.  Combine the sugar and pudding and sprinkle over the berries; toss evenly to coat.  Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.  Spread the berries into the dish.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine dry ingredients.  Stir in the milk, vanilla, and melted butter until combined but slightly lumpy.  Pour the batter over the berries.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the berries are tender and the crust is golden brown.

Old World Chowder

Made by: Michelle

1 lb Kielbasa Polish sausage, diced

1 Tbsp butter 

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopping

28 oz Baked Beans (Bush or S.W.)

13 oz chicken broth

1/2 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 - 4 Tbsp flour (more gives you a thicker consistency)

1 1/2 cup Half & Half

Sauté onion, celery and Kielbasa in the butter.  Add beans, broth, pepper and brown sugar and bring to a gentle boil.  Cover and simmer 40 minutes.  Combine flour and Half & Half, mixing until there are no lumps, then stir into the chowder, stirring until thickened.  DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL once Half & Half has been added.

Clam Chowder

Made by: Debbie

2 cans clams
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery

Drain clam juice into a stock pot.  Add vegetables and cover with water.  Boil until tender.

Melt 3/4 cup butter.  Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cups of flour. Add 2 cups of milk and 2 cups Half & Half. Then add:

1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp pepper
clams

Add vegetables and liquid to make desired consistency.  Cook over medium heat until thickened.

Ham & Swiss Rolls

Made by: Angela

2 Tbsp. dried minced onions
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter
1 dozen dinner rolls (potato rolls)
1/2 lb. ham
1/2 lb. thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half in a baking pan.
Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and let bake for another 5 minutes or until top of roll seems toasted. Separate cooled rolls with a sharp knife.

Note- These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, may require 5 more minutes of baking. Also can be prepared ahead and frozen. Defrost in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. Great for keeping a pan in the freezer for emergencies. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.
And easily cut in half to serve less!

Recipe from Big Red Kitchen

Apple and Turkey Croissant

Made by: Marné

1 red apple, thinly sliced

Provolone cheese, sliced

Sliced Turkey meat

6 croissants (or a dozen mini croissants)

Leaf lettuce

Orange Cream Spread:

3 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp orange juice concentrate
dash of sugar
dash of lemon zest

Mix together. Set aside.

Open croissants, lengthwise in half.  Spread the Orange Cream spread on both sides.  Then layer as follows: leaf lettuce, turkey slice, Provolone cheese, apple slice, leaf lettuce. Close croissant and open mouth.  Enjoy!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Made by: Emma

1 box of wild rice
1 1/4 cup water
1 chicken bouillon
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
parsley (fresh or dried)
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded

Combine rice and seasonings, water, and bouillon cube.  Bake for 1 hour at 325.  Saute onion, celery, and carrots in butter.  Stir flour in, then add broth and parsley.  Stir until thick.  Add baked rice, cream and chicken.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Serves 4-5.

Fresh Basil Pesto

Made by: Lynne

1 cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic (or 1 tsp garlic paste or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

2 Tbsp sunflower seed kernels

Mix in food processor.

Serve over your favorite pasta. Enjoy!

Maria's Salsa

Made by: Maria

4 cups diced tomatoes

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 finely diced jalapeno

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp salt

1 finely diced clove of garlic

1 diced green pepper

1/4 bunch of chopped cilantro

Mix it all together and let it sit for at least one hour, then refrigerate. The longer it sits, the better it will be!

Debbie's Fresh Salsa

Made by: Debbie

7-10 large tomatoes, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers (stems and seeds removed), chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/4 tsp minced garlic

1/8 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Mix together, let sit a minimum of 1 hour before serving for full flavor. (If more heat is desired, leave some seeds in the jalapenos).

Ratatouille

Made by: Marné

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp parsley

1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

salt to taste

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 zucchini, sliced

1 onion, sliced into rings

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven the 350 degrees. Coat 1 1/2 qt casserole dish with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until lightly browned, then mix in parsley and eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft (around 10 minutes). Season with salt.

Spread eggplant over bottom of dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Next spread zucchini in an even layer on top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Continue layering in this fashion with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and tomatoes, topping each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.

Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes or until soft.

* For softer onions, saute before adding to casserole.

* You can also layer the vegetables right into the skillet and then cook on the stove for 30-45 minutes.

Raspberry Lemonade Pie

Made by: Debbie and Lynne

8 cups (1/2 gallon) vanilla ice cream, softened

8-12 oz. raspberry or pink lemonade concentrate

1 1/2 cups graham crackers or vanilla wafers, crushed into crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup margarine, melted

*You can also use a pre-made graham cracker crust

If making crust yourself, mix cracker crumbs, sugar and melted margarine. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, mix softened ice cream and lemonade concentrate (according to personal taste). Add 2-3 drops red food coloring if desired. Pour and spread over crust. Cover and freeze until hard (4 hours minimum).

We had two of these yummy pies at our ice cream party!

Ice Cream in a Bag

Made by: Maria and kids

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups half-and-half cream

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 bag crushed ice

4 cups coarse salt

For each kid:

2 pint-size resealable plastic freezer bags

1 gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bag

Gloves or a towel to protect little fingers

Stir together whipping cream, half-and-half, sugar and vanilla until sugar dissolves.

Pour about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a pint-size plastic bag and seal carefully, squeezing out the extra air. Place this bag into the second pint-size bag. Squeeze out extra air and seal.

Fill each gallon-size plastic bag about halfway with ice and add 1/2 cup coarse salt. Place the small freezer bag inside, squeeze out the air and seal.

Put on your mittens and shake/massage the bag for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens into ice cream. Add more salt and ice to the outer bag if ice cream hasn't formed after 10 minutes of continuous motion.

Remove inner bag and enjoy your ice cream!

Frozen Key Lime Pie

Made by: Marné

Crust:

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

dash of cinnamon

Mix together and press into 9" springform pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling:

1 pint lime sherbet

1 pint zesty lemon sorbet

1 pint vanilla frozen yogurt

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (or more if you like it with zip!)

Soften and mix together in mixer. Spoon into crust.

1/4 coconut, toasted

fresh limes - for garnish

Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with sliced limes on top.

BBQ for June

BBQ and Salads or Sides was the theme for our June meeting. The weather turned cool and cloudy, so while we didn't get bbq weather, we did get some great food. Something about a grill really makes for inspiring good dishes.

Maria went home with 1st place for her delicious Parmesan Roasted Corn on the Cob.

Second place was a four way tie! A re-vote still tied it up...

So scope out all of the dishes from this month, and enjoy.

Parmesan Roasted Corn on the Cob

Made by: Maria

1/2 cup mayonnaise

5 ears corn, husked

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. Brush each ear of corn with a thin layer of mayo. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt and pepper. Wrap individually in aluminum foil and place on the grill. Turn occasionally until kernels begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

Made by: Marné

1 lb top-round London broil or flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, cut into thin slices

3 Tbsp lime juice, divided

3 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp minced ginger

1 1/2 tsp red curry paste

1/2 head red leaf lettuce

green onions

cucumbers

1/2 cup cilantro

1 cup basil leaves

Combine 1 Tbsp of lime juice, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into a ziplock bag. Add meat slices. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, marinate for 4 hours to overnight. Save the rest of the mixture for dressing the salad.

Grill steak slices on medium-high heat, for just a few minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.

Combine vegetables and herbs in a salad bowl and coat with dressing. Place steak on top and enjoy!

Recipe from FoodNetwork.com, via an aunt.

Fruit Salad

Made by: Jennifer

Slice watermelon, cantaloupe, fresh pineapple, strawberries and blueberries, and any other fresh seasonal fruits you have on hand. Stir gently to combine. Enjoy!

No bbq is complete without a fresh fruit salad!

Grilled Peaches

Made by: Heather

Cut firm but ripe peaches into quarters. Place on grill at medium-high heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until the peaches soften.

Serve warm.

The heat caramelizes the sugars in the peaches -- Simple but so delicious. And healthy too!

Spinach Salad with Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

Made by: Lynne

Dressing:

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp Dijon mustard (or brown mustard)

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk together the first four ingredients. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended.

Salad:

6 oz spinach, washed and torn into pieces (or use baby spinach)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/4 cup sunflower seed kernels

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1-2 green onions, diced (optional)

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette; toss to coat.

Variation: Substitute sliced apples, peaches or nectarines for the fruit; substitute cashews, almonds, walnuts or pecans for the nuts; use whatever cheese you have on hand: cheddar, Swiss, feta or blends.

Baked Beans

Made by: Rhonda

1 - 28 oz can baked beans

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

2-3 sliced of uncooked bacon, chopped

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients and bake uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350 degrees.

Beef Sausage Kabobs

Made by: Debbie

1 pkg Hillshire Farms beef smoked sausages

1 green bell pepper

1 pkg mushrooms

1 sweet onion

olive oil

Wooden Skewers soaked in water for 10 minutes

Cut sausages into thirds, chop onion and pepper into large bite-size pieces. Thread sausages and vegetables onto skewer and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Serve hot.

Paula's World Famous Shrimp Dip

Made by: Debbie

2 blocks of cream cheese, softened

2 cans of Tiny shrimp

Juice from 1 1/2 cans of shrimp

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

6 dashes of Franks Hot Sauce or Tabasco Sauce

Put all ingredient in a food processor or can mix with a hand mixer. Mix until smooth and creamy. Let sit in refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours, overnight is best.

April Eats

This month's meeting was once again delicious. To go along with Lynne's bread, everyone brought spreads and mocktails and other refreshing drinks. AND THE WINNER'S ARE...

In our spread category:

Kristina took home 1st for her Jalapeno Popper Spread.

Tasty, with a kick.

2nd place to Jessica with her Raspberry Honey Butter.

YUM.

And for our mocktails and drinks:

Heather's 1st place refreshing Homemade Lemonade and Limeade made us crave summer in a serious way.

And Debbie's Virgin Pina Colada's tasted as good as they looked! (We WILL get a real picture of those soon!)

Thanks to everyone for making the evening a success!

All About Boule Bread

As a result of the popularity of her dish last month, Lynne was kind enough to teach all of us this month how to make her Boule Bread recipe.

The process behind the bread's success is found in the book,

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francios.

From what we saw last night, the 5 minutes a day claim is completely true!

Also, for those of you who were interested in the Dough Rising Bucket Lynne used, you can find the details here.

And if you are looking for a pizza peel, look no farther than here.

Thanks Lynne!

Homemade Lemonade & Limeade

Made by: Heather

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups boiling water

6-8 lemons or limes (about 1 1/2 cups of juice) plus 1 lemon or lime for slices to garnish

6 cups cold water

Optional: fresh mint leaves for garnishing

1. Pour boiling water over sugar until dissolved. Set aside.

2. Juice lemons and strain out seeds and pulp.

3. Combine sugar/water mixture with lemon juice and additional water.

4. Add ice and lemon slices.

5. Serve.

* To make limeade, substitute limes for lemons.

Virgin Pina Colada

Made by: Debbie

7 oz. pineapple juice

2 oz. coconut cream

1 cup crushed ice

Blend at a high speed. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Sparkling Punch

Made by: Maria

2 lemons

3 large oranges

1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate

1 liter club soda

2 bottles sparkling apple cider

1 Tbsp white sugar

2 trays ice cubes

Thinly slice the lemons and oranges and place in a large punch bowl. Pour in the thawed lemonade. Stir in the club soda and sparkling apple cider. Add sugar to taste and then add ice.

Mock Champagne

Made by: Debbie

1- 2 liter bottle GingerAle

1 - 46 oz can pineapple juice

1 - 64 oz bottle white grape juice

Combine.

Serves 40.

Tornado Twist

Made by: Joni

12 oz. cranberry-raspberry juice

12 oz. lemon-lime soda

Mix together and serve over ice.

Kathy's Raspberry Sparkler

Made by: Kathy

1 bottle sparking white grape juice

1-2 Tbsp. raspberry syrup

1 Tbsp. blackberry syrup

Combine ingredients. Add ice as desired and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Jalapeno Popper Spread

Made by: Kristina

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained

2 oz. canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko

Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl until smooth. Stir in chilies and peppers. Pour mixture into oven safe dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and panko. Bake in 350 degree oven until warm throughout (about 15 minutes).

The Inn at Temple Square's Raspberry Honey Butter

Made by: Jessica

2 sticks of butter (softened)

4 oz. honey

4 oz. good quality raspberry preserves

1/2 tsp vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the butter until it's light and fluffy. Slowly add the honey while mixing. Add the raspberry preserves and vanilla. Continue to whip until completely mixed. Enjoy!

Strawberry & Blackberry Spread

Made by: Juying

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled

1/2 cup fresh blackberries

Combine the cream cheese, sugar and berries in a blender until smooth and well blended. Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Dried Beef Cheese Spread

Made by: Shannon

3 (8 0z) packages cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 (4 oz) jar dried beef, finely chopped

4 green onions, chopped

Beat the cream cheese, lemon juice and garlic powder until smooth. Beat in beef and onions. Serve with crackers.

Honey Butter

Made by: Marné

1/2 cup butter

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup honey

Whip softened butter. Add vanilla and honey gradually. Beat for 20 minutes. Makes 1 cup. (from the Lion House Classics Cookbook)

Feta & Walnut Cheese Spread

Made by: Michelle

2 pkg. Cream Cheese (8 oz)

2 pkg. Feta Cheese, crumbled (5 oz)

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Beat cream cheese and feta cheese with mixer until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Makes 3 1/2 cups or 27 servings, about 2 Tbsp. each.

What is an appetizer?

Most of us have a good idea of what we would constitute as an appetizer. But just to clarify for anyone who might not be sure, I decided to look up the official definitions so there would be no doubt.
Answers.com definition is:
Answer: An appetizer is a food or drink served usually before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
Answer: Appetizers are foods before your meal that aren't as big.

Answer: Appetizers are light foods served before the meal.

Definitions of appetizer on the Web:

• food or drink to stimulate the appetite (usually served before a meal or as the first course) wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Hors d'œuvre (; , literally "apart from the main work") or appetizers are food items served before the main courses of a meal. ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetizer
• A small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal en.wiktionary.org/wiki/appetizer
• Light foods served before a meal. These may be hot or cold or served as finger food. www.glutenfreeda.com/glossary.asp
• A small portion of food served at the beginning of a meal. See Crockpot Appetizers or the Appetizers Index for recipes. southernfood.about.com/library/info/bld_a.htm
• Stimulates the appetite. Ayurvedic herbs examples: hingvastak, trikatu. www.aarogya.com/index.php
• An herb or substance that excites or increases the appetite. (Syn: digestive) www.motherherbs.com/herb-glossary.html

No matter which definition you choose for your interpretation I know that personally appetizers are most often my favorite part of a meal. If you have a favorite appetizer recipe that you love and would be willing to share we welcome it. Have a great Monday, and maybe try out a new appetizer recipe while you're at it.

Mmmmm March!

What an appetizing evening! We kicked the club off right with fabulous appetizers and good company. We even managed to get a year's worth of great themes and food ideas put together! And, we all went home with full stomachs. Two of us took home more than that....

Lynne's Herbed Garlic Cheese

Spread and Boule Bread won the Best Taste award of the evening,

Marné won for Best Presentation with her Baked Brie.

And the prizes?

For best taste, Lynne took home a Ruffly Half Apron, pattern found at Make It and Love It.

For presentation, Marné took home a pair of embellished dish towels.

Herbed Garlic Cheese Spread and Boule Bread

Made by: Lynne

Herbed Garlic Cheese Spread

8 oz package Neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper

In a mixing bowl, beat ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate at least 2 hours; covered. Serve with assorted crackers or artisan bread.

Boule Bread
(makes 2- 1 lb loaves)

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) yeast
2 1/4 tsp kosher or other coarse salt
3 1/4 cups flour (unbleached, all purpose)
cornmeal for pizza peel

baking stone
empty metal pan or broiler tray

For directions, check out Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.

Baked Brie

Made by: Marné

1 puff pastry baking sheet
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds
1 (13.2 oz) round Brie cheese

Thaw pastry sheet according to package directions (about 30 minutes room temperature).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix together egg and water.

Unfold pastry sheet onto lightly floured surface and roll out to a 14 inch square. Cut to make a circle. Spread preserves to within 1/2 inches of edge, then sprinkle with cranberries and almonds. Place cheese on top.  Brush egg mixture around edges and fold up 2 edges over cheese.  Trim remaining 2 edges to about 2 inches from the edge of the cheese and then fold those up as well, pinch to a close. Place seam side down on baking sheet and brush with egg mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden.  Let sit 1 hour before serving, and serve with crackers or apples.

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Made by: Juying

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 lbs fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

skewers

Stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce and vinegar. Season with basil, salt and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl and stir until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirred once or twice.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Made by: Jessica

1/2 pkg. frozen spinach (drain and squeeze water out)
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
8 oz. cream cheese
1-2 Tbsp garlic
1 cup parmesan cheese

Mix together and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Kristina's Stuffed Mushrooms

Made by: Kristina

30 large fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1 (6 oz) package chicken flavored dry stuffing mix
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 lb imitation crabmeat, flaked
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) + 3 Tbsp to melt with garlic
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
salt and pepper, to taste
garlic powder to taste
crushed red pepper to taste

1. Arrange mushrooms on a baking sheet, bottoms up.  Chop and reserve stems.

2. Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Mix in garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Mix together mushroom stems, prepared stuffing mix, cream cheese and imitation crabmeat.  Liberally stuff mushrooms with mixture.  Drizzle with the butter and garlic and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and crushed red pepper.

6. Bake uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until stuffing is lightly browned.

*After making stuffing mixture without meat, you can split it in half and add diced ham to one and crab meat to the other.

Jiffy Corn Dog Mini Muffins

Made by: Michelle

Servings: approx. 20 mini muffins
Serving size: 1 mini muffin (Points plus per svg: 2 points+)

1 8.5 oz box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup skim milk
1 Tbsp honey
4 Oscar Meyer Turkey hot dogs, each cut into 5 pieces

1. Spray the wells of a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the mix, egg, honey and skim milk.  Allow to sit for 3-4 minutes.  Stir batter.

3. Fill each mini muffin well with about 1/2 Tbsp batter.  Place a piece of hot dog into each well, pressing in.

4. Top each hot dog with about a tsp of batter, covering hot dog.

5. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to platter.

*Great dish for kids too!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Made by: Debbie

1 8 oz. brick cream cheese
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
10 oz. can chicken
1/2 cup Blue Cheese Dressing
1 cup grated Colby Jack Cheese

Combine together, add 1 cup shredded cheese to top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Made by: Debbie

1 pkg. mild sausage

4 oz cream cheese

2 cups mozzarella

mushrooms

Season to taste with chili powder, garlic salt and pepper.

Brown sausage, add cheeses and seasonings.  Put into mushrooms.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

Made by: Maria

Salad:
5 cups cooked rice
2 tsp salt
1 (16 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 cup corn
4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 pickled jalapeno pepper rounds
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

Combine all salad ingredients together in a large bowl.  Combine dressing ingredients in blender and blend until peppers are finely minced.  Toss with salad.  Serve warm on tortillas for a dinner, cold as a side salad, or with chips as an appetizer.  Makes a lot!

Welcome to TasteBuds Cooking Club!

This blog officially kicks off the creation of our new cooking club - TasteBuds! Our group is comprised of women of all walks of life who enjoy cooking and getting together to share recipes and friendship too.  This blog is the official home of the club - we will post our monthly highlights, recipes from our latest gathering, prizewinners and fun photos.  Also check here for meeting dates and themes.  Tell your friends and neighbors - new cooks welcome!