Taco Dip

My sister-in-law made this dip for our "Treat the Office" Day... it was Yummy so I thought I would post it here. Thanks Jennifer!! This is good with Tortilla chips! YUM!

Taco Dip
1 to 1-1/2 pounds ground beef (add more beef is you want it thicker)
1/4 of an onion, diced
Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
1 can Original Rotel Tomatoes
1- 16 ounce cube Velveeta Cheese

Brown the hamburger in a large saucepan along with the Onions. Season with Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste. When browned, drain off any grease.
Then add the Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta Cheese, and stir occasionally over medium heat until cheese is melted.
Keep warm in a crock pot and serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

**Variation: I think it would be good to add a packet of taco seasoning to the meat when browning.... to add a bit more of a taco taste.

Christmas Fruit Salad

This is a fruit salad that I put together for Christmas morning. It's tradition to go to my parents house along with 2 of my brothers that live close and we have a big family breakfast on Christmas morning. I usually make this salad, and scones, and we have sausage, bacon, hashbrowns and scrambled eggs too. This would be good for breakfast any day or with a brunch. I make it for Christmas because the fruit I use is usually in season at this time of year. I don't put bananas in mine because they tend to get mushy and brown, and I don't like them that much. Use whatever fruit you like! Enjoy!

Christmas Fruit Salad
2 apples, peeled and diced
2 oranges, peeled and sliced (Save 1/2 an orange to juice later)
2 cups grapes, sliced in half
1 pineapple, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
2-4 kiwi's, peeled and dices
1 pomegranate, seeded
1/2 lime (for the juice)
2 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons poppyseeds

Combine all of the sliced and diced fruit into a large bowl. Squeeze juice from the 1/2 orange and 1/2 lime, put juice in a small bowl along with the honey and poppy seeds, whisk to combine. Pour juice mixture over the fruit and toss to combine.
Enjoy!!

Toffee Apple Dip

This is another recipe I got from a lady I work with from our "Treat the office days".... It's an easy, delicious apple dip that you'll get addicted to really quick!! YUM!

Toffee Apple Dip
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Toffee Chips (use to taste)

Whip the Cream cheese, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Right before serving stir in your toffee chips (they tend to get soft if they sit in the dip too long)
Serve with sliced apples and other sliced fruit! YUM!

Hot Cocoa

I love a cup of Hot chocolate on a cold winter morning..... especially with a squirt of whipped cream. YUM!
I made Hot Chocolate for my "Treat the Office" Day and took some mini muffins for dunking... I just followed the recipe on the can of Hershey's Cocoa but tweaked it a bit by using some Dutch Dark Cocoa too, and I quadrupled it so it used a gallon of milk.... I think you can serve between 16 to 20 people with this full recipe.... I also added French Vanilla Coffee Creamer to it to make a creamier hot chocolate... experiment with the different flavors or try adding a little eggnog to it... YUM!
Hot Cocoa
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1/4 cup Dutch Dark Cocoa
1-1/3 cups HOT water
1 gallon of milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup Coffee Mate Coffee Cream (any flavor, I used french vanilla) or eggnog

Mix together the sugar and the Cocoa in a large soup pot. Add the hot water and cook and stir over medium/high heat until the mixture begins to boil, let boil for 2 minutes.
Add the milk and vanilla. Stir and heat until it's heated through but don't boil. I heat mine until little bubles just start to form at the sides. Add the Coffee mate stirring to combine. Serve in mugs and top with a squirt of Whipped cream or mini-marshmellows!
Enjoy!!

White Pizza dip

I ran across this recipe on the internet and friends had told me I had to give it a try. I made it for my "Treat the office Day" and it was yummo!! Of course I tweaked it a bit, I found it to be quite soupy so I added the cream cheese... isn't everything better with cream cheese?? It thickened it slightly... it was a good dip, kind of reminded me of a fondue a little. It's great with flavored crackers or bread! Enjoy!!

White Pizza Dip
Ingredients:
1 (1 ounce) package herb and garlic soup mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pepperoni, diced (I used the mini pepperoni's and left them whole)

16 ounces French bread or a  chewy bagguete works too, sliced
Assorted Crackers

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine soup mix, sour cream, ricotta cheese, cream cheese , pepperone and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the mixture.
3.Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Serve hot with bread and assorted crackers.

Buffalo Chicken dip

Oh my goodness this is a delicioso dip!!! I haven't made it but a girl I work with brought it to the office, and I figured since it's the Holiday season and there are a LOT of parties going on for both Christmas and new years, I would post a bunch of dip recipes... YUM!! Thanks for the recipe Libby!!

Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 (8oz) packages of Cream Cheese
1 (36 oz) bottle Ranch Dressing
1/2 bottle of Frank's hot sauce (or more, depending on how hot you want it)
4 -cooked chicken breasts, shredded (more or less, depending on the size of the chicken breasts)
Tortilla chips (for dipping)
Combine all the ingredients together in a saucepan or crockpot and heat through. Serve with tortilla chips!
You could also add grated cheese to this, or cut back on the ranch dressing for a thicker dip... there are many variations of the recipe on the internet so experiment to your liking.... This makes quite a bit so cut the recipe in half for a smaller crowd.
Also try dipping crackers and celery in it.. YUM!

Coconut Cream Pie

 I made this pie for Thanksgiving... besides Pecan, Coconut Cream Pie is my second favorite. I love the homemade custard filling that this recipe has. I also made homemade whipped cream and garnished with toasted Coconut and white chocolate shavings. YUM!

Coconut Cream Pie
2 cups milk or half and half
1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons all -purpose flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1-9 inch pre-baked pie crust
Whipped Cream
Toasted coconut

Combine the milk and coconut in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture almost comes to a boil (it will start to bubble slightly around the edges).
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until well combined. Temper the eggs (to keep them from scrambling) by slowly pouring about 1/3 cup of the scalded milk into the egg mixture while whisking briskly. Then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and coconut. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and continue to whisk and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Then cook for about another 4 to 5 minutes until the pastry cream is thick.
Remove saucepan from heat, add the butter and whisk until it melts.
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place it over a bowl of ice water. Stir occasionallly until it's cool. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until completely cold. The pastry cream will thicken as it cools. When completly cold fill the pre-baked pie shell with it, smoothing the surface. Top with Whipped Cream and garnish with toasted coconut and white chocolate shavings.

Whipped Cream

1-1/2 cups Heavy cream
1/3 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

I chill the bowl to my mixer and the beaters in the freezer for 30 mins. before whipping the cream, this makes it whip faster.
Pour your cream into the chilled mixing bowl, and beat on high for a few minutes or until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted out and they stay there. (watch this close, you don't want to make butter)
Then add the powdered sugar, Vanilla, and coconut extract, whip together just to incorporate the sugar and flavorings.
You can top your pie with whipped cream before serving by putting into a decorator bag and making whatever design you desire on top (like I did) and then garnish with toasted coconut (toast according to directions on the back of the bag) or put a dollop of whipped cream on each piece when serving!
Enjoy!