Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ok this doesn't count as a "new" recipe - but I did want to transfer my Sodahl "staples" so that I had my entire recipe book stored on this blog.....AND this is the easiest appetizer to make out there.  PLUS - it's a HUGE crowd favorite....not sure how "good" it is for you, but the stomach certainly likes it :)

Ingredients:

2 – 10oz cans chunk chicken (drained)

2 – 8oz pkgs cold cream cheese cubed

1 cup prepared ranch salad dressing

3/4 cup pepper sauce (Franks Red hot)

1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all together and heat in microwave – OR mix all together and heat up in crock pot.

Serve hot with tortilla chips, celery, or crackers

Bottle Cap Table

So my hubby turned 21 (and no, we weren’t married yet…he made me wait another 5 years before putting a ring on this finger!), but I wanted to give him something really special so I decided to make him this end table.

And when I say “make him an end table” – I actually mean I BUILT IT by hand!!  My aunt Jane had a wood shop – and was very talented when it came to building stuff, so I spent MANY hours with her in the basement crafting this bad boy!

The tricky part for us wasn’t using the circular saw to make the table legs – or add that extra little craft design around the base BUT trying to find a way that Ross could change his bottle caps as he collected new ones!!  We came up with a way that the top of the table could lift off, AND then (this is the awesome part) – you can plug or change out the bottle caps as you wish BECAUSE we used those foam pads (for the bottom of chairs – so they don’t ruin your wood floor) – and it not only holds the bottle caps in place, but also is the perfect size for the bottle cap to fit on!

How sweet is that?!  He LOVED this gift – and now that we are MARRIED, it is our basement coffee table…..too awesome!!

Brown Rice and Chicken Stir-Fry with Edamame and walnuts

Got this delicious and easy recipe from my sister-in-law Heidi!  It is super quick prep time - and really yummy!!  Feel free to mix what veggies you want - but I used pea pods and green beans.  Just threw it all into the Wok and it's heaven on a plate....ha ha.  I have to think of different ways to call food yummy :)

Ingredients:

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons tamari soy sauce* or low-sodium soy sauce

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced crosswise
1 teaspoon honey

4 teaspoons oriental sesame oil
8 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups short-grain brown rice, cooked according to package directions, cooled

2 cups Pea pods

2 cups Green beans

2/3 cup chopped green onions

Stir walnuts in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons tamari over walnuts; stir until tamari coats walnuts, about 45 seconds. Cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store at room temperature in airtight container.)

Combine chicken, 2 tablespoons tamari and honey in medium bowl; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add cooked rice and green beans/pea pods; reduce heat to medium and stir-fry until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice mixture among plates. Sprinkle with green onions and walnuts.

Cowboy Caviar

This is super yummy and really easy to make!!  Tastes a lot better if you let it marinate for awhile before serving - let all the lovely juices soak in!!

Chop up and mix together the following ingredients:

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

½ purple onion

2-3 Roma tomatoes

1-2 cloves of garlic

½ cup fresh cilantro

Black pepper and salt to taste

Add the following to the vegetable mix, toss and eat with chips:

¾ can of corn (drained)

1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1-2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinaigrette

2-3 teaspoon lime juice (or squeeze a few limes)

Some other fun ingredients I've seen: peanuts, celery

Pumpkin Dip & Veggies "pumpkin" style

We had an ORANGE cookbook club - so here is a creative app idea for Halloween :)  AND a yummy pumpkin dip!!  For the Pumpkin face - just used carrots for the face, cucumbers for the mouth, veggie dip for the eyes/nose, and broccoli for the stem.

Ingredients:

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

15 ounce can solid pack pumpkin

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate (we used premade orange juice and that worked just fine)

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange juice until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving.

Serve with apple wedges or cinnamon graham crackers

Tip: Hollow out a small pumpkin and use it to serve the dip in!

Yum Yum in my Tum !!

Who is excited for some yum yum in your tum – THIS GIRL!!  As many of you know - last year I started a "cookbook" club....and no – this does not mean that we sit around reading cookbooks J BUT we do meet a couple times a month - and try out new recipes!  It has been such a fun way to have a GIRLS NIGHT, but also to try those recipes that always seem too weird or too hard to bother with.  Plus, I will use any excuse to entertain and use all my fun serving dishes!!

I decided  to check another thing off my "life goal list" - and make a resolution that while I'm 29 (still not 30....), I will try a couple new recipes each week.  This way Mr. Rossy gets some yummy food made by his wifey J and we can build up our recipe "database".  (He usually only gets some leftover scraps from cookbook club – if he is lucky!)

I couldn’t think of a better way to share my recipes with other people who like to cook, AND keep a lovely electronic recipe book – so here is my “Something Yummy for your Tummy” blog!!  Now you'll have no excuse/reason to not try new recipes -- if I can make it, I know you can!!  J 

I’m going to go through my family recipes – cookbooks – websites – friends cooking blogs– friends/family sending me recipes to try (wink wink) – etc and post as frequently as I make new stuff!!  I’ll also try to put suggestions, grocery shopping tips, and full meal ideas on the blog….one of my pet peeves about cooking is I never know what compliments each entrée / side dish – so we wind up with like 3 main entrees (and leftovers for a week) or stuffing down green salad every meal before it “goes bad”.

So everyone get hungry – and start craving!!   ENJOY!!