Wonton Tacos

1 pound ground chicken breast (can sub turkey or beef)
1/2 bottle of Lawry's Baja chipotle marinade
1 package wonton wrappers
1 package low fat mild cheddar cheese (can sub any cheese)
Pam cooking spray

Directions:
Marinate chicken. You can add the sauce right before cooking or before hand.

I always do a batch with marinade and a batch plain for my picky eaters.

This is just browned chicken with a little bit of garlic.

Browned chicken with marinade.

Spray muffin tin with pam and put a wonton wrapper in each cup.

Add a scoop of cooked chicken to each and sprinkle with cheese. (The ones on the left are for my youngset that doesn't like melted cheese.)

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

You can top with sour cream, pico de gallo, green onion, diced avocado, salsa, or whatever your family likes!

*Pinterest Thumbs UP!

Bacon and Gorgonzola Cheese Ball

• 4oz cream cheese
• 4oz gorgonzola cheese (or blue cheese)
• 2 tsp finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
• crackers

Beat 1st 5 ingredients at medium speed until well combined.  Cover tightly, chill at least 1 hour or until firm. (up to 3 days)
Roll cheese mixture into a ball and roll in cooked bacon. Serve immediately or chill until served.  If you chill it, let it stand 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers.

From Southern Living

Loaded Deviled Eggs

18 Large hard boiled eggs


10 Slices of bacon cooked until crisp and crumbled

3 Tbl. Cheddar cheese grated

¾ Cup of mayo

1 Tsp. Mustard

3 Green onions chopped (can omit)



Boil, peel and cut the eggs. Separate the yolks. Mash the yolks with a fork until you have a bowl of small crumbles. Add the mayo, mustard, cheese and bacon. Stir until well blended. Using a spoon fill the egg white cups with the yolk mixture. Garnish with the chopped green onion.

Note: The bacon makes the yolk filling too chunky to use a pastry bag.

Guacamole

6 Avocados ripe but not squishy

6 Tbl. Chopped Cilantro

3 Tbl. Fresh Lime Juice

1 Tsp. Salt

½ Tsp. Ground Black Pepper

1 large Red Onion chopped (can omit)

1 or 2 Tomatoes chopped (can omit)

Cut avocados in half, peel and pit them. Place them in a medium sized bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher to your preferred texture (lumpy or creamy). Add Cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper and red onion and stir until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add the chopped tomato in just before serving. You can mix it in or put it on top as a garnish.

Note: The riper the avocados are the faster they will turn brown. The lime juice will help but you can also leave a seed in the dish. If you prefer it very creamy you can add all of the ingredients to a food processor.

Blue Cheese Sauce

This sauce is delicious and has much less fat, sodium and calories than ranch dressing.  It's great as a salad dressing, dip or sandwich spread.  The longer it sits, the better it gets... so make a big batch!

• light sour cream
• chopped green onions
• blue cheese

Just eyeball this one!  Star with as much sour cream as you think you need. Then stir in as much cheese and onions as you like. The more you add, the stronger the flavor.  I like to add a lot and make it really chunky.

*All phases of the South Beach Diet

Sausage Balls

• 1 (1-pound) package ground sausage
• 3 cups baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)
• 4 cups grated sharp Cheddar
• 1/8 tablespoon pepper

Dip:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon mustard

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. The mixture will be very crumbly. Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.  Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking. To make the dip, combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Serve with sausage balls.

From Paula Deen

Jalapeno Popper Pizzas

• 1 pkg (11oz) refrigerated thin crust pizza crust
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 2 jalapeno peppers
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Do not unroll dough. Instead slice, using a sawing motion, into 24 disks.  Place disks on a baking sheet.  Press flatten to seal seems. Bake 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile,  cook bacon and crumble.  Drain pan except for 1 tsp of the bacon grease.  Finely dice bell pepper and jalapeno.  Saute in grease 2-3 minutes or until tender.
Combine cream cheese, half of cheddar cheese, bacon and peppers; mix well.  Divide cream cheese mixture evenly over crusts. Top with remaining cheese.  Bake 4-6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

* a 13.8 oz refrigerated pizza crust can be substituted for the thin crust dough.  Place dough on a floured surface.  Keeping dough log shape, gently roll dough into a thinner cylinder measuring 11 1/2 inches.

From The Pampered Chef

7 Layer Dip

• 1 large can refried beans
• 1 can spicy bean dip
• 1 package guacamole (I like Wholly Guacamole)
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• shredded mexican cheese
• sliced olives, canned
• chopped tomato
• chopped cilantro
• sliced green onion

Mix refried beans and spicy bean dip.  SPread into bottom of a 13x9 pan.  Top with guacamole.  Mix sour cream and taco seasoning. Spread over guacamole.  Top with cheese.  Garnish with tomato, cilantro and green onion.

FRIED PICKLES

Pickle Chips

• 1 egg, beaten


• 1 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 (32 ounce) jar sliced dill pickles, drained (can use chips or spears)

• 1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, milk, 1 tablespoon of flour, and Worcestershire sauce. In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining flour, salt, and pepper.

2. Heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer or heavy deep skillet. Dip pickle slices into the milk mixture, then into the flour mixture. Repeat dipping.

3. Place the pickles carefully into the hot oil. Avoid overcrowding by frying in several batches. Fry until pickles float to the surface, and are golden brown. Remove with a metal slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

Use Ranch or Thousand Island dressing for a yummy dipping sauce!

Serves 6

Pickle Spears

BLT Ranch Salad Pizza

• 1 package (13.8oz) refrigerated pizza crust
• 2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing, divided
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced olives
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

Preheat oven 400.  Unroll pizza crust to within 1 inch of edge of pan.  Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, cool completely. 


On cutting board, thinly slice lettuce.  Seed and dice tomatoes.  In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup of salad dressing, and garlic.  Mix well and spread over crust.  Top pizza with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, onion and bacon.  Drizzle with remaining ranch dressing.  Cut into squares and serve immediately.  




12 servings
From The Pampered Chef

Easiest Deviled Eggs

• eggs
• Ranch Dressing

Boil as many eggs as you'd like.  Run the eggs under cool water and peel.  Cut peeled eggs in half and scoop out yolks.  Mash yolks in a bowl with a fork.  Add enough Ranch dressing to get the desired consistency.  Fill eggs. 


These are not only the easiest deviled eggs, but they are perfectly seasoned with minimal work.  And no one will be able to tell it's Ranch Dressing!  

Cheesy Pizza Dip with Pizza Crust Dippers

•  2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped Canadian bacon
• 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

 In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Ad mushrooms, pepper and onion, and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine vegetable mixture, cream cheese and remaining ingredients, stirring until mixture is combined.  Spoon into a 2 quart baking dish.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until dip is browned and bubbly.  Serve with Pizza Crust Dippers

Dip may be made up to 2 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.  Allow to sit at room temperature 20 minutes before baking as directed.

To make Pizza Crust Dippers- unroll store bought Pizza dough.  Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian cheese.  Cut into strips with a pizza roller. then bake according to package directions. 

From Cooking with Paula Deen, Nov/Dec 2006