Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Do you love this dip out in a restaurant.  Now you can make it at home and it tastes 10 times better than the restaurant version. 

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 slices of bacon, thinnly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 package frozen spinach
1 can artichoke hearts in water
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup provolone cheese
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Tortilla chips or bread for dipping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat butter in a small sauce pan until melted.  Add the onion and bacon and cook until the onion is translucent and the bacon is brown.  Then add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Add the flour until a thick paste forms.  Add the milk slowly until all clumps are stirred out.  Allow sauce to thicken for 10-15 minutes stirring every 3 minutes. 

While sauce is thickening, defrost the spinach in the microwave and squeeze all of the water out.  Cut your artichoke hearts into small pieces. 

Once sauce is thickened add all but 1 handful of both the provolone and mozzarella cheese.  Add 3 tablespoons of the parmesan.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Then stir in the spinach and the artichoke hearts.  Put into a greased baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining handfuls of mozarella and provolone cheese.  Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  Enjoy with tortilla chips or sliced bread!

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The Ultimate Cheeseburger

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef (preferably 20% fat, 80% lean)
2 medium sized onions
4 slices of bacon
1 avocado
4 slices colby jack cheese
4 hamburger buns
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
jarred jalapeno slices (optional)
1/2 lemon or lime

Directions:
Slice each onion in half and lie the open part on the cutting board.  Remove the peel.  Then make very thin slices of the onion and separate the slices.  Put a little oil in the bottom of a saute pan and put onions in pan.  Leave onions on medium to medium low heat to cook them slowly.  If you put the heat on medium high or high they will burn.  The process will take about 20 minutes for the onions to fully carmelize.  After about 5 minutes sprinkle onions with salt and stir.  Continue to stir about every 3 minutes.  After 15 minutes add the balsamic vinegar and stir. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lay the 4 slices of bacon on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden brown. 

Cut around the pit of the avocado and remove the pit using a spoon or a knife.  Using a large spoon scoop the flesh of the avocado out of the skin in one large piece.  Then make thin slices of avocado and squirt lemon or lime juice onto the slices so they do not turn brown. 

For the actual burger patties, take the meat and separate into balls of meat.  Some people like bigger burgers than others, so you can make them to suit people's tastes.  The trick to a juicy burger is to handle the meat minimally.  Form each ball into patties and make an indent in the middle with your finger so the middle is thinner than the outside.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides of the patties.   Get a large skillet very hot and put oil in the bottom.  Put the patties into the pan.  Do not touch them once they are in the pan.  Allow them to cook for 6-7 minutes without being touched at all in the pan.  A brown crust should have formed on one side, then flip the burgers once.  Again, do not touch the burgers at all.  After another 6-7 minutes, place the slices of cheese on the burger and either put a lid or tin foil over the pan to melt the cheese. It should take about 2-3 minutes to completely melt. 

One the cheese has melted, place the burgers on the bun.  Top with the onions, avocado slices, bacon slice, and jalapeno slices and enjoy!

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Chocolatey Raspberry Crumb Bars

These are the most delicious cookies ever.  They look so fancy and are so easy to make.  They are also a great gift because they are easy to wrap up and store!

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-14 ounce can sweetended condensed milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13 by 9 baking pan.

Beat butter in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in flour, sugar, and salt until crumbly.  With floured fingers, press 1 3/4 cups crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan and reserve the remaining mixture for later.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Microwave 1 cup morsels and sweetened condense milk in a medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute.  Stir.  Morsels may retain some of their original shape.  If necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.  Spread over hot crust.

Stir nuts into reserved flour mixture.  Sprinkle over chocolate layer.  Drop teaspoonfuls of raspberry jam over crumb mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of morsels.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Makes 36 bars.

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Snowball Cookies

These are such a delicious treat when it gets really cold outside.  They are very easy and such a delicious cookie.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar + additional powdered sugar for rolling after they are baked
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Beat together the butter and the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.  Then add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and beat together on low power.  Once everything is combined add the vanilla and chopped walnuts. 

Form dough into small balls about an inch in diameter.  Bake in the oven until golden brown.  It should take about 10 minutes.  Allow to cool for about 3 minutes.  Then roll in powdered sugar until they are completely covered.  Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato Pie

This is a really easy recipe and it is absolutely delicious.  My mom and I make this for every Thanksgiving and everybody loves it.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 cup canned sweet potatoes, juice drained
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 prepared pie shell
marshmallows for top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl put the sweet potatoes that have been drained.  Mash the sweet potatoes up until they are fairly smooth.  Now add the brown sugar and continue to mash the swete potatoes.  Now you can switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  Add the beaten eggs, butter, and lemon juice and stir until all are combined.  Now add the cinnamon and salt and stir again until everything is very creamy and smooth.  There may be a few lumps here and there or sweet potatoe and butter which is fine. 

Pour the mixture into a store bought pie crust or a homemade pie crust.  Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.  If serving today take out after 40 minutes and put the marshmallows on top to cover the entire pie and return to the oven until marshmallows become golden brown.  If you want to serve it another day, put in the refrigerator or freezer wrapped in plastic or foil.  When ready to serve bake for about 15 minutes or until the pie is warmed, and then add your marshmallows and bake until they are golden brown.  Enjoy!

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Honey BBQ Chicken Wings

Here is a great recipe for parties.  The sauce is also very versatile and can be used on chicken, ribs, or really anything.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3-4 pounds of chicken wings
1/4 cup butter
1 cup diced onion
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1/4 honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After the chicken wings have been cleaned, put on a greased baking sheet for 20-25 minutes. 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Then add your diced onion and saute in the butter for 5-7 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in the ketchup, water, and honey and bring to boil.  Now add the lemon juice, Worchestershire Sauce, and black pepper.  Stir and reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. 

After the wings are done coat them in the sauce and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.  Take out of the oven and enjoy!

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Maryland Crab Dip

Ever since going to school in Baltimore, I have come to love crab.  Here is an awesome recipe for any party that is a real crowd favorite.  You can even make this ahead and then just bake it the day you are serving it .Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
4 tsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 pound blue crab meat (jumbo lump is actually not the best to use here, backfin or claw are the best to use)
crackers and bread for dipping

Directions:
Always check for shells in your crab meat. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise together with an electric beater until they r completely mixed together.  Then add the lemon juice, Worchestershire Sauce, mustard, milk, and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir this together to combine.  Now stir in 3/4 of the cheddar cheese.  Gentley fold in your crab meat.  Place into a greased baking dish and top with the reserved cheddar cheese and sprinkle with a little more Old Bay on top.  If not eating today, place in the fridge until ready to bake.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes and serve with crackers and slices of bread.  Enjoy!

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