Pudding Pops

We just made homemade pudding pops today. I remember eating them as a little girl. And boy, were they good! So creamy and delicious. So when I found this recipe I was excited to give them a try. The only hindrance was finding popcicle molds. I'd been looking for them for several months thinking that they would be more readily available in the spring/summer. But I just found them at TJ Max on Thursday evening. This morning we whipped up a batch and put them in the freezer. They were enjoyed this afternoon and were really yummy...not as good as the store-bought from the '80's but still, pretty good. I think next time I might try to do a swirl of chocolate and vanilla. Give 'em a try.

Pudding Pops
makes 6 popcicles

1 small package pudding mix
milk according to package
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Add milk to pudding mix according to the package instructions. Add sugar and evaporated milk to the pudding and mix well. Pour into 3 oz. paper cups or popcicle molds. Place in the freezer. When paper cups are partly frozen add popcicle sticks. Freeze until firm.

Chicken Empanadas

This is a recipe from one of my bloggy friends, Sarah, at Short Stop. Her Chicken Empanadas looked delicious and I'm so amazed that it's a recipe she came up with on her own (minus the "extra butt")! Way to go, Sarah!! She has given me permission to post her recipe here for you all to enjoy (please check out her blog for the full tutorial and all the beautiful pictures to go along with it). It's really simple and it's so yummy!!


Chicken Empanadas
Sarah's Recipe

2 chicken breasts, roasted
1 jalapeno, seeded (if desired)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1 small onion
8 ounces Mexican blend cheese, shredded
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) package of frozen pie crust or homemade pie crust for a double crust pie

Place chicken, jalapeno, red pepper, green pepper, and onion in a food processor and process til blended and chopped. Or finely chop on a cutting board or mat into very small pieces. Remove from food processor and place in a medium bowl. Add Mexican blend cheese, cream cheese, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Mix together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.

Roll out pie dough and using a biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or edge of a drinking glass, cut dough into circles. Using a pastry brush, brush edges with water.

Place one rounded teaspoon of filling into each round, and fold over to form a half-moon shape. Gently press the edges closed to seal. Using a fork, make indentations all the way around the edges to seal completely.

Place the empanadas on a greaased, foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the crust is golden.

Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole, or ranch dressing for dipping.

*Note: These are appetizer-sized Chicken Empanadas. This recipe makes a TON of these. Store remainder in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in oven or toaster oven until heated through.


Ok, here are my notes:

1. I omitted the jalapeno. I'm intimidated by using this spicy vegetable.
2. I didn't have any green peppers so I just used red and orange.
3. I didn't use the full 2 tsp of cumin and I thought it was spicy enough - maybe 1 1/2 tsp.
4. I used 2 (15 ounce) packages of refrigerated pie crust. 1 package wasn't enough. I don't know if I wasn't rolling out the dough thin enough or if I wasn't using enough filling in each empanada (even though the filling was oozing out of the pastry).

These are delicious and the recipe does make a lot. It was a really simple process and we enjoyed this yummy snack!!

Cowboy Caviar

This is a recipe I got from my dear friend, Sue. It's so delicious and not what I expected at all the first time I had it. It's sweet and salty all together. It's really yummy and it makes a TON so be prepared!!


Cowboy Caviar

1 can shoepeg corn
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can chopped black olives
1 can or jar of chopped green olives (I omitted)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional, I omitted)

Drain cans, rinse beans and mix all ingredients.

Boil together:
1 cup oil
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Pour over mixture and refrigerate overnight. Serve with Frito Scoops. You may need to drain off some of the liquid.

Enjoy!!

Mexican Bean Dip

Mmmm! This was really good. I served it as one of my appetizers for our Oscar Party. I put out diced tomatoes and thinly sliced scallions as toppers.

Mexican Bean Dip

1 can refried beans
1 80z pkg cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 sm container sour cream
1 pkg taco mix
10 drops Tabasco sauce (I omitted)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (I used another 1/2 cup and sprinkled on top before baking)

Mix all ingredients and place in a medium casserole or a 9x9 greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

It makes great leftovers too. The boys and I had bean tacos for lunch. Mmm!

Nibble Mix

This is one of my favorites since I'm more of a salty-snacker than a sweet-tooth. You can easily cut this recipe in half. This is another recipe that's great for summer too because you don't have to use the oven or even the microwave. It's great for car rides and picnic lunches.

Nibble Mix

1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp dill
1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder (I use 1/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp onion powder (opt.)
1 pkg Hidden Valley original ranch dressing seasoning packet
2 (12 oz) pkg oyster crackers

Whisk oil, dill, powders and seasonings. Pour over oyster crackers and mix well. Let stand for at least 1 hour. Store in airtight container.

Microwave Caramel Corn

This recipe reminds me of my sisters. They love caramel corn and this is a great recipe because it's so quick and easy. Last night I brought it to our small group's game night and it was a hit!

Microwave Caramel Corn

1 brown paper grocery bag
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter/margarine
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 to 4 quarts popped popcorn (I make my own, but you can buy a bag of plain popcorn at the grocery store)

Combine all ingredients, except baking soda and popcorn, in a microwave-safe 2-quart bowl. Bring to a boil in the microwave, and boil for 2 minutes. Add soda to mixture and stir (it will foam). Pour mixture over popcorn in brown paper bag. Fold top and microwave 1 1/2 minutes. Shake and turn. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes more. (Bag will be VERY hot!) Spread on cookie sheet to cool. Store in airtight container.

Enjoy!!