Super Bowl Cheese Dip

The folks at Foodbuzz were nice enough to send me some Pace Picante Sauce to use for a recipe. The first thing that came to my mind was my cheese dip. I have always used Pace when I have made this dip so this was a no brainer. This dip would be super at your Super Bowl Party this year. I am a Cowboys fan, and it saddens me to think the Cowboys will not be playing in this Super Bowl on their home field. Oh well it just gives me more time to cook for the game. Give this a try and you are sure to make your guests happy! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 2 lb. box of Velveeta-chopped into inch cubes
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 pound ground beef-browned
1 pound pork sausage-browned
1  medium sized jar Pace Picante Sauce

Place all of the ingredients into a Crock-Pot and heat on low until all has melted and come together. Serve with tortilla chips. This is so good! I like it with fresh veggies too.

Flour Tortillas

We eat our fair share of tortillas around here and I just love them when they are freshly made. I must say that if you've never had a freshly made tortilla with butter, you are missing out. It took several failed attempts to figure them out but I eventually got 'em right. My recipe calls for lard, I know it's scary but it really does make a difference. I tried Crisco, canola oil, and even butter but the lard won out. The other trick to making these is to have a cast iron griddle. My husband Sean bought the griddle that I used to make these tortillas with when we were first married and I love it. Invest in good cast iron because it will last a lifetime. Give this recipe a try the next time you are wanting burritos or just some tortillas to eat with butter and salt. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek this cold day.

Needed:

5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup lard
1 t salt
2 cups very hot water
5 t baking powder

Mix your dry ingredients together, I use a whisk and it sifts everything very well. Now add your lard and mix until crumbly looking. Now add in the water and stir until dough forms a smooth ball. It is a little sticky but that is fine. Cover and let rest for 1 hour. Now break off pieces of dough and roll into balls the size of a golf ball. Heat up your griddle. I heat mine on a medium heat on an electric range. Meanwhile roll your tortillas out. Sean likes his thin and I like mine a little thicker. It is up to you how you roll yours out. Place on heated griddle and cook just until golden and turn and cook the reverse side the same. Cover with a towel until ready to eat.

Chocolate Filled Cupcakes

This delicious recipe comes from the Taste of Home Magazine. This magazine has great recipes and I am proud to be one of their Field Editors from Oklahoma. Each issue has at least 4 recipes that I want to make, this being just one of them from the current issue. The kiddos thought cream filled cupcakes from home were the bomb, to say the least as they want to make them again and again. I did enjoy my cupcake with a very strong cup of coffee. This would be so good for a Valentine's treat for that special someone or for your kiddo's class party. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 baking cocoa
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 cups cold water
3/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
2 T white vinegar
2 t vanilla




Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 t salt
4 T beaten egg
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 chocolate chips
Powdered sugar

In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In another bowl combine the wet. Stir the wet into the dry and stir just until moistened.

For filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Fold in chips.

Fill 20 paper-lined cupcake cups half full with batter. Drop one tablespoon of cream filling into batter and then top with batter. Bake at 350' for 25 minutes. Cool completely and then dust with powdered sugar. My kiddos wanted icing on their cupcakes, guess that were not sweet enough. Here is the recipe I used for the icing just in case you want the extra sweet variety.

Icing:
1 stick butter-softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
4 T milk

Cream butter and sugar until creamy. Slowly add in cocoa and milk. Mix until creamy. Top each cupcake with icing.

Funnel Cakes

We love funnel cakes in the Feather household and I have made them for many years. They are actually one of the first things I ever made as a child. I'll make them as a treat and this usually happens during the cold weather months. Healthy huh?? My kiddos think that these are so cool because they are made with an actual funnel. Of course they watch, the oil is way too hot, and they sprinkle the heck out of them with powdered sugar...Yummy! I know some people like fruit topping but why mess a good thing up with something healthy? hee hee... This is What's Cookin on this cold with lots of snow predicted day on Beaty's Creek.



2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs
Canola Oil
2 cups powder sugar
Funnel and wire sifter

Mix with a whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Mix in milk and eggs and stir until all mixed together. Pour oil into a deep cast iron skillet. I put about 3 inches of oil in my pan and it works very well. Heat over medium heat until a bit of the batter sizzles when you drop it in. Now pour 1 cup of batter into your funnel, but first place your finger over the hole. Hold funnel over your hot oil and move quickly in a circular motion with your funnel open. Cook until golden brown on one side and then flip and cook until the other side is golden also. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate and sift powder sugar over the funnel cake. Eat while hot!

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

On this cold day I am drinking iced coffee. What is wrong with me? I should be enjoying some hot coffee but I was craving some iced Java Dave's. Without one in my neighborhood I had to do for myself. My kiddos and husband bought me a king's share of coffee from said coffee place for Christmas. I've been a brewing, steaming, and a pressing fool, what a coffee hound. I thought I better sit down and type out some healthful recipes for the 2011. But you know me, they can be made bad too, hee hee. Ransome is always wanting pizza but would lose it if he thought whole wheat was involved. What he does not know will not hurt him. I love this dough and I am sure you will too. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 1/2 cups warm water-sometimes I need 1 3/4 cups

2 T yeast or 2 packages

1/2 cup oil of your choice-I used White Truffle oil that I received from Marx Food and it was to die for! But I usually use whatever I have on hand

2 T sugar

1 T kosher salt

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

I do all of my mixing and kneading in a Kitchen Aid. It's just easier for me to do it this way. Pour water and yeast into your bowl and let sit for about 3 minutes. Now add your flour, sugar, and salt. Turn on mixer and mix, remember to use the dough hook attachment. Once everything is mixed, the dough appears a little wet, then add oil and continue kneading. Now cover and let dough double in size. Depending how warm your kitchen is, this should take about an hour. When doubled, flip out onto a well floured rolling board and knead for about a minute. Now divide dough into 2 equal sized balls. I now let mine rest for 20 minutes before I divide each ball into 4 pizza doughs. I use a rolling pin but you can just as easily use your hands since these are rustic hand made pizzas. I place mine on a pizza pan or bread stone and bake for 10 minutes at 425'. We like a crisp crust and this seems like the only way for us to get this at home. Now take them out of the oven and top with your favorite toppings. Return them to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Give this a try the next time you are wanting pizza.

I topped this one with chicken, kalamata olives, capers, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, and instead of tomato sauce I used Paul Newman's Alfredo Pasta Sauce. It was so good that we will be making it again and again!

(www.maketimeforchange.com)


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Mixed Vegetable Casserole

I ate this casserole a few years back and never even thought of it until the other day. I put it together and had my family taste test it, really just wanted to make sure it was as good as I remembered. This is a list of the final cut of ingredients. It is great alongside a meatloaf or roast chicken. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 can green beans-drained
1 can whole corn-drained
1 can Veg-All-drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
1 stick butter-melted
1 sleeve Ritz crackers-crushed
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all canned veggies together with sour cream, soup, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan and top with Ritz crackers. I poured the butter over the crackers. Bake at 350' for 30 minutes.