Girls' Night with Foodbuzz and Hormel

This weekend I hosted a girls' night out dinner. Through Foodbuzz and Hormel I was given the opportunity to try out Hormel's new Cure 81 Ham and it was the perfect excuse to throw a little party. I had never cooked ham in my life, so I was a little nervous, but since the Cure 81 ham was already cooked it was super easy. I even found some of my recipes right off Hormel's website! Who knew :-)?
Here is the menu I planned, followed by the appetizer recipes (and the rest to come soon).

Appetizers:

Brie Bites

Bacon and Blue Cheese Crostini

Devils on Horseback

Main Course:

Baked Ham with Dijon Cream Sauce

Individual Potato Gratins (which I made in one big 9x13 dish instead)

Cranberry Pear Tossed Salad

Dessert:

Cream Cheese Sheet Cake

Brie Bites 

 (recipe from Big Red Kitchen)

Fill each mini fillo cup (found in freezer section) with a tiny cube of brie, a spoonful of blueberry fruit spread (I used a baby spoon), and top with a pecan half. Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until cheese has softened and pecan is toasted. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Devils on Horseback 

(recipe also from Big Red Kitchen)

Wrap dried apricot halves with cooked bacon slices and secure with a toothpick. This is usually done with prunes but the texture of the apricots in this dish is fantastic. 

(I used Hormel's pre-cooked bacon, all I had to do was heat it up in the microwave...these were the easiest appetizer ever!)

Bacon and Blue Cheese Crostini 

(recipe from Hormel)

Ingredients:

* 24 garlic crostini

* 1/2 cup crumbled Danish blue cheese

* 1 (2.1-ounce) package Hormel® Fully Cooked Bacon, coarsely chopped 

(I actually used their crumbled bacon, which meant NO prep!)

Directions:

1. Heat broiler to 500ºF.

2. Top each crostini with 1 teaspoon cheese and generous pinch bacon; place on baking sheet. Broil 6 inches from heat source 5 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned and bacon is hot.

Zucchini Croquettes

This recipe in the most recent Cooking Light magazine was actually called Summer Squash Croquettes, but I like Zucchini better, so that's what I used instead. These were a bit messy to make, but tasty little guys. Ella especially loved them, but she is my zucchini lover :-). Addie on the other hand told me she does not like things with green in them...we can't win them all over I guess. I really liked them and next time want to come up with a zesty ranch sort of dip to serve them with.

Ingredients:
4 2/3 cups coarsely chopped yellow squash (I used zucchini)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup crushed saltine crackers, about 30 crackers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided (I used quite a bit more oil than this)
Sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:
1. Steam squash and 1/2 cup onions, covered, 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
(I don't have a steamer and ended up boiling them after an unsuccessful attempt at rigging up my own steamer :-)
Mash mixture with a fork. Stir in crackers and next 3 ingredients (through eggs). Cover and chill for 3 hours (I put in freezer for 45 minutes); drain well in a fine mesh strainer (I didn't do this).
2. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Divide squash mixture into 12 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Dip in cornmeal mixture. Lightly coat each patty with cooking spray.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Place 4 patties in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove patties from pan. Repeat procedure 2 times with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and 8 patties. Garnish with onions, if desired. Serve immediately.

Mom's Seven Layer Dip

My friend Sara asked me recently if I had a good 7 layer dip recipe and I realized I have never made one myself...but I sure have eaten a lot of them :-)! We were having friends over to watch the games today though so I took the opportunity to try out my mom's recipe. It was just like I remembered it...tasty! I think the big difference from hers and the typical one is the extra green chiles and cilantro and it definitely helps it stand out from the pack.

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans (I used a FF, spicy version)
1-2 cups guacamole (I made guac using 3 small avocados)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3/4 of 1 package taco seasoning mix (I just don't like too much, but you could dump the whole thing if you want)
1 4oz can green chiles
1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup sliced black olives (I used less)
1-2 tomatoes, chopped

Directions:
Layer beans in a large baking dish and then spread guacamole on top.
Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise and taco seasoning. Spread on top of the guacamole layer.
Spread green chiles on top.
Sprinkle evenly with cheese, cilantro, green onions, olives and tomatoes.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Creamy Avocado Salsa

A few weeks ago at a church activity a friend taught our youth to make 3 kinds of salsa. They were all AMAZING and this was the first one I tried to make on my own. I was so proud of the results :-)! And I was impressed that the girls loved it too...it has milk in it, so that counts as calcium intake, right?!
(She called Green Sauce with Avocado, but I renamed it :-)

*note I made a milder salsa, so leave in some jalapeno seeds or add an extra one if you want more heat to yours*
Ingredients:
4-5 tomatillos
2 jalapenos, seeded for a milder taste
1 large or 2 small avocados
Cilantro leaves separated from sprigs (I used probably 1 cup of loosely packed leaves)
1/2 c milk
salt to taste (I also added a couple dashes of garlic salt and onion salt)

Directions:
Cook tomatillos and jalapenos by boiling until soft.
Add avocado, cilantro, and milk.
Salt to desired taste.
Blend until smooth, adding more milk if you want to thin out consistency.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Mmmm, Mmmm GOOD!!! I fell in love with these from the moment I started preparing them :-). The insides reminded me a lot of one of my favorite enchilada recipes but these were a fun change from enchiladas (which we eat a lot of around here). I came across this fabulous recipe on Fabulously Delicious (recipe originally from Our Best Bites) and I will definitely be making them again and again. You could keep them meatless by switching out the chicken for some black beans or mix it up with some shredded beef or pork too (which I really want to do). They definitely satisfy the itch for some taquitos while still keeping it light...perfect! The whole family loved them, even the girls. Unfortunately my avocados weren't ripe yet because I really wanted some yummy guac with them!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (I used half a block (so 4 oz) of 1/3 fat cheese)
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic (I wasn't sure what this was so I used garlic powder)
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used 1 can)
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine, and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
*You can prepare up to this step ahead of time; just refrigerate!
3. Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Place 2-3 Tbsp. of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Spray the tops of the tortillas lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
4. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.
(I used 15 corn tortillas, but over stuffed some of mine so all the yummy guts leaked out...I would use 18-20 tortillas next time)

Blue Cheese Asparagus Rolls

My sister in law Cheryl made these for one of our parties over the holidays and everyone loved them. They are SOOOO good, easy and a nice change from the usual party food.

Ingredients:
One 5 oz. tub of crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
One pack of (about 15-20) large asparagus stalks
One tube of Pillsbury crescent rolls

Directions:
Mix together the blue cheese with the 2 tbsp. of mayonnaise
Wash and trim asparagus
Unroll crescent dough
(I unrolled it onto my cutting board covered with saran wrap so it wouldn't stick)
Roll dough until thin
Spread blue cheese mixture over dough
Place asparagus stalk onto the dough and roll until it is covered
Cut the dough and proceed to cut the covered stalk into bite size pieces
Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes
(makes about one and a half of the 9" x 12" pans)

Texas Trash Chex Mix

I am really excited about Kirsten's new recipe blog, Fabulously Delicious! I have book-marked quite a few recipes to try for dinner, but this one was calling my name last night...especially with our party coming up on Sunday. I made one gluten-free batch, replacing the pretzel sticks with Bugles, and one that followed the recipe exactly. Yum, yum, yummy!!!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (I used 6 T)
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups rice Chex
2 cups wheat Chex (I used corn to keep it gluten-free)
4 oz. shoestring potatoes
2 cups pretzel sticks (did a batch with bugles)
1 cup salted nuts (used peanuts)

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and garlic powder. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
2. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (I stirred every 10 minutes).

"Fresh" Salsa

I found this recipe on Just What Am I Cooking and liked that is was a homemade salsa recipe but used canned tomatoes...perfect for this time of year before tomatoes are in season. I added extra jalapenos (2 gave it no heat at all, and I'm pretty wimpy), extra garlic and used about 2 T. of salt. The recipe makes 8 cups of salsa, so you may want to halve the recipe. I refrigerated it overnight to let the flavors combine and Jamie simmers it on the stove for a few minutes and serves it warm to accomplish the same thing. I'm considering my first try at home made salsa a success :-). If you have a favorite salsa recipe, please share! I would love to find a favorite!

Ingredients:
2 29oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 can diced green chiles
3-4 diced jalapenos (deviened and deseeded)
2 bunches of green onions (white and green parts)
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch of cilantro
salt

Directions:
Put it all in a blender (my blender is not big enough for it all so I put all but 1 can of tomatoes in the blender).
Pour that first mix into a bowl and then blend the second can of tomatoes (can leave a little chunky if preferred).
Mix the two together and either simmer or refrigerate.

Cheesy Rice Fritters

These little guys were a surprise hit with everyone in the family! I knew I would like them, but Mike and the girls loved them almost as much as I did! I made a few with breadcrumbs and most of them without and the ones without stayed together and got even crispier on the outside than the ones with! I didn't have any bacon on hand and just sliced up some ham lunch meat and it seemed to work fine, but you could leave the meat out to keep it vegetarian too. The other change I made was adding some finely diced onion when cooking the ham and I thought it was a great addition! I subscribed to Rachael Ray's magazine during some Amazon deal last year and I'm so glad I did - I have come across lots of tasty recipes in them each month and it's much more fun to flip through a magazine than search her site!

Ingredients:
* 1 cup arborio rice (I used brown rice)
* 3 slices bacon, chopped (I used sliced ham lunch meat)
***1/2 c. finely chopped onion***
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Salt and pepper
* 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (optional)
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* One 10-ounce bag spinach, coarsely chopped
* 1 pinch crushed red pepper

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, bring the rice and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the rice is still firm but cooked through and the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, add the bacon to the rice, reserving the skillet with the bacon fat. Stir the mozzarella, parmesan and egg into the rice mixture; season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide the rice mixture into 12 mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten into 3-inch patties. Sprinkle on both sides with the breadcrumbs.
4. Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the patties and cook, turning once, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add the spinach to the skillet and cook over high heat, turning, until wilted, about 2 minutes; season with the crushed red pepper. Top with the fritters.

Rice Balls (with Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash)

My ward recently started a recipe group that meets once a month. This month's theme was Deceptively Delicious and I picked the Rice Balls to give a try. I believe the recipe comes from the book deceptively delicious, but I was just emailed the recipe, so I'm not sure on that.
They were actually very tasty (crunchy outside and warm, gooey inside) and of course healthy too, but they were messy to make. I probably won't make them again for awhile just because of the work that goes into them, but when Preston is ready to start feeding himself I'll probably bust them out again.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked short-grain brown rice
Nonstick cooking spray
3 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 lb. chicken cutlets, rinsed and dried (I used 1/4 c. of canned chicken)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 c cup sweet potato puree (I used sweet potato baby food, 1 large jar)
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup lowfat (1%) buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup spinach or broccoli or butternut squash puree (I used baby food again, 2 small jars butternut squash)
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs (you could make these gluten-free by using gluten free crackers or bread)

Directions:
-Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and the pepper, and cook until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Cut the chicken into chunks and place them in a food processor or blender.
(if you use canned chicken you can skip all that)
-Add the sweet potato puree, cheese, salt, and the buttermilk, and blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the cooked rice. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a sheet of waxed paper or aluminum foil.
(I prepared up to this point the night before and stuck the balls in the fridge until the next day when I finished them)
-In a shallow bowl, beat the egg and vegetable puree with a fork. Put the crumbs in the bowl. One at a time, dip the rice balls in the egg mixture, then roll them in the crumbs to make an even coating.
-Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add the rice balls and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally and spraying with cooking spray, until browned and crisp all over. Serve warm.

Leftover 'Dillas

We eat quesadillas at least twice a week and throw whatever we have around in them. The girls' favorite is ham and cheese which we eat instead of ham sandwiches. I've been enjoying THE most yummy 'dillas (this is how Ella used to say quesadilla and it stuck) with my book club leftovers though and had to share.

The layers...
Corn tortilla
Spread cream cheese (leftover from our pepper jelly/cream cheese & cracker plate)
Spoon Black Bean Salsa (a leftover too)
Place some thin Avocado slices on top
Cover with 2% Mexi-blend shredded cheese to hold together
Corn tortilla

I just used the last of our black bean salsa and I'm so sad! These were SOOO good!

Sweet Bacon Wrapped Lit'l Smokies

(Hooray for a new picture...I just made these myself)

Amy brought these tasty little guys to my baby shower. They are ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and they are SOOO easy to make!

Ingredients:
-Lit'l Smokies
-bacon
-brown sugar

Directions:
-Wrap 1/3 piece bacon around each lit'l smokie, using a toothpick to hold in place.
-Sprinkle with brown sugar (Amy said she uses 3/4 lb) and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Nacho Spuds

I saw this recipe awhile ago on Rachael Ray's site. It would probably be better as an appetizer than a dinner (it's not the most well balanced meal around), but it was good. A little twist on nachos...and I love potatoes no matter how you serve them! (part of my potatoes got a little burned for some reason, but overall they turned out fine)

Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound ground beef
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise (I just used a regular tomato)
Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Directions:
1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof platter. Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

Artichoke (Crab) Dip

I got this recipe from Mckell and made it for my book club meeting last night (along with the Black Bean Salsa from the first time I hosted). I doubled the recipe and left the crab meat out, but it was SO good and a BIG hit! (I served with tortilla chips)

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese (I used 1/3 fat)
1 cup mayo (I used light)
1 clove garlic minced or pressed
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped (NOT the jarred in oil kind!!!)
8 oz. package imitation crab meat (optional)
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 bunch green onions, whites and greens chopped
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:Combine all ingredients in bowl or food processor (I just chopped up the artichokes pretty small). Transfer to small baking dish (or 9x13 if doubling) and cook for 25-30 minutes at 350 or until top is golden brown. Serve with pita or tortilla chips.

Thai Tuna Wraps

This recipe comes from Pampered Chef's Main Dishes cookbook. It is a nice cool meal for the summer time (which will be here awhile longer for us) and would also make a great lunch or even an appetizer if cut in thin slices. I thought the wraps were really good...not to mention a great way to use a can of tuna :-)! I served them with chips and cubed cantaloupe...delish!
**Mike approved of this meal too and wraps are not usually his thing so that says something :-)**

Ingredients:
- 2 T. lime juice
- 1/2 c. FF mayonnaise, divided (you don't need a whole 1/2 c. - you use 2 T. in the sauce and the rest you spread as you wish on the tortillas before wrapping...I used light Miracle Whip)
- 1 T. soy sauce
- 1 T. sugar
- 3 c. cabbage, chopped
- 1 med. carrot, shredded
- 3 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
- 2 T. cilantro, snipped
- 1 can (6 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
- 1 med. red bell pepper
- 6 (8 in) flour tortillas
- 12-18 large spinach leaves

Directions:
I will be omitting the irritating plugs for Pampered Chef products included in their recipes :-)
- Whisk together lime juice, 2 T. of mayonnaise, soy sauce and sugar in a bowl.
- Chop cabbage. Shred carrot. Slice green onions. Snip cilantro.
- Add cabbage, carrot, green onions, cilantro and tuna to soy sauce mixture; mix lightly. Cut bell pepper into thin strips.
- For each wrap, spread tortilla with 1 T. remaining mayo. Top with 1/2 c. tuna mixture. Cover with 2 or 3 spinach leaves and 4 bell pepper strips. Roll up tortilla tightly.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. To serve cut each roll in half diagonally.

Book Club Hors D'oeuvres

Well, not the greatest picture, but the night went well. We had a BIG turnout (17 people!) and everyone seemed to enjoy the food. Susan provided dessert (little mini chocolate and strawberry pies) which were delicious and I provided (thank you mom for the cute serving dishes!):
* Black Bean Salsa with scooper tortilla chips
* Pepper Jelly over cream cheese with crackers
* Veggie Bars (thank you Mckell!)
* Fresh Fruit

Veggie Bars

I hosted book club last night and Mckell made these for me (thank you!). They come from Jamie's recipe and they were a HUGE hit! They are sooo good...I couldn't stop eating them :-)!

Ingredients:
- 2 cans of reduced fat crescent rolls
- 1 standard size bar of cream cheese
- 1 hidden valley ranch dressing packet (the powder mix)
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 broccoli crown
- 1/2 cauliflower
- 10 baby carrots
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/2 orange pepper

Directions:
- Place the crescent rolls unrolled and flat on a baking sheet. Press the seams together to make one large rectangle. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (until nice and golden). Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- In a bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and ranch mix. Stir well. When the roll is completely cooled, spread this on top.
- The broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are chopped finely in a food processor. The peppers are chopped finely by hand. Mix them all together and then pour onto the ranch spread. (I spread the broccoli mix on and then topped with peppers)
- Cut and serve!

Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
¼ c. green onions, chopped (including some green tops)
2 T. fresh cilantro, snipped
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 T. lime juice
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
2 T. sugar

Directions:
Chop tomatoes and green onions. Coarsely snip cilantro and combine w/ tomatoes and green onions. Press garlic into tomatoes. Add lime juice, then beans, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with warm Toasted Cornbread Slices (I just use tortilla chips – the little bowl/scoop kind work well).
(also, I always make most of this the night before...mix together all but the tomatoes and refrigerate. 2-3 hours before serving add in the tomatoes and let all the flavors mix together)