Lynne's Layered Mexican Dip

My MIL makes this easy, yummy dip often when we come to visit :)

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
either a can of chili or homemade hot dog chili
1 can of diced Mexican style tomatoes with diced green chilies
1 bag pf Mexican shredded cheese
sour cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a medium baking dish. Layer the chili and then the tomatoes. Top with the shredded Mexican cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve hot with nachos or whatever chips you like and sour cream on the side.

Karis' favorite pumpkin mini-muffins

Ok, so these wouldn't fall into the healthy category, but Nina makes them for Karis everytime she comes to visit and my girl can't get enough of them! So I had to post the recipe :)

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 and ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinn.

1 tsp. nutmeg

3 cups sugar

1 cup veg. Oil

4 eggs

2/3 cups water

1 16-oz. Can pumpkin

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Stir dry ingredients together evenly. Add the rest of the ingredients all at once. Mix at medium speed for 3 minutes or until well blended. Use 2 greased, but not floured 9x5 loaf pans. Bake 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Lynne's Delicious Cranberry Salad

Mark's Mom made this for Thanksgiving, and no one could get enough of it! Its really like a dessert, but super yummy on turkey!

Ingredients:
1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 tall can crushed pineapple, juice reserved
2 small boxes raspberry jello
1 cup hot water
1 cup cool water, including pineapple juice
1 cup finely chopped apples

Directions: Dissolve jello in hot water. Add cold water with pineapple juice and let set til thickened. Add crushed pineapple, cranberry sauce, and diced apples. Let set til thickened.

Lynne's Cheddar Potato Chowder

This post is part of the Whole Food for the Holidays Progressive Dinner! I am always so excited when my mother-in-law makes this cheesy potato soup. Yummy, easy, and healthier than recipes using cream soups :) I usually replace the water with home-made chicken stock to make it more flavorful and nutritious. I also often add broccoli or other veggies :)

Ingredients:

2 cups diced potatoes

½ to 1 cup diced carrots

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion

1 ½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ cup margarine

¼ cup flour
2 cups milk

2 cups cheddar cheese

½ lb. Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions: Boil two cups of water; add to potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Do not drain. Make a white sauce using margarine, flour, and milk. Cook until thickened. Add grated cheddar. Stir until smooth. Add bacon and the undrained vegetables. Simmer (do not boil) until heated through.

Lynne's Oven Fried Potatoes

This was another recipe I had to master to marry Mark and it seems like I never make them enough for him. He loves to dip them in Ranch or ketchup, but I think they are yummy enough by themselves :)

Ingredients:
12 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
¼ cup grated Pamesan cheese
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Paprika
½ tsp pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions: Place potatoes in two large resealable plastic bags. Combine the Parmesan cheese and seasonings; add to potatoes and shake to coat. Pour oil into two 15x10x1 baking pans; pour seasoned potatoes into pans. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender.

Lynne's Hotdog Chili

It sounds simple because it is, but I must say I've never had better chili on my hotdog )

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 pkg chil mix
Tomato paste and water to taste
Directions: Brown ground beef; drain. Add chili mix. Stir in tomato pate and water til you get the consistency and flavor you desire
**makes a yummy chip dip if you layer a baking dish with cream cheese, then chili, then shredded cheese and bake til bubbly 

Honey-Cinnamon Spread

We love to eat this on pumpkin muffins or bagels!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbs. honey

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions: In medium bowl, blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve on muffins, warm, toasted bagels, or your favorite breakfast bread.

Lynne's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Something Mark just can't get enough of and I love it, too. Better than what you get at a restaurant :) We don't put the tabasco sauce in because we aren't spicy people but a lot of people love it :) You can also make it ahead of time and freeze it!

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine

1 med. Onion (1 cup chopped)

2 (10 oz) pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained

1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (not marinated)

1 (8 oz) cream cheese

1 (8oz) sour cream

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt to taste

2 Tbs Tabasco sauce if you want it spicy J.

Directions: Melt margarine in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, ¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, Tabasco sauce (if desired), and salt. Stir until well blended and heated through. Pour mixture into a baking dish and top with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350 until cheese starts to brown. Approx. 15 min. serve warm with chips, crackers, etc.

Lynne's Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Oh, so yummy!

Ingredients:

3 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips

chopped pecans if desired

Directions: Blend cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and cinnamon with mixer. Add mini chocolate chips. Chill. Roll in chocolate chips and pecans if desired. Serve with graham crackers, cookies, or Ritz

Lynne's Party Meatballs

These freeze well, so I make tons at the same time :) We love to eat it over brown rice or quinoa. Its also a great thing to take to a covered dish :)

Ingredients:
2 lb. Ground beef
3 slices bread in crumbs
½ cup milk
¼ cup finely chopped onions
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp. salt

Sauce ingredients:
1 ½ cup ketchup
6 TBS. butter
6 Tbs. brown sugar
3 Tbs. vinegar
6 Tbs. water

Directions for Meatballs: Mix together and shape into 1-inch balls. Bake on cookie sheet 25-30 minutes at 375.
Directions for sauce: Mix ingredients together, simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add meatballs to this mixture and heat thoroughly

Lynne's Poppy Seed Chicken

This is Mark's idea of comfort food and getting this recipe from his Mama was a requirement for our marriage, I think :) It freezes well, but save the ritz for right before cooking because they get soggy in the freezer :)


Ingredients:
4-5 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 8-oz sour cream
1 stack Ritz crackers
1 stick butter
Poppy Seed

Directions: Cook chicken with onions; set aside. Combine soup and sour cream in small bowl. Line bottom of casserole pan with chicken; Cover with soup and sour cream mixture. Cover top with crushed crackers. Drizzle butter over crackers; sprinkle with poppy seed. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Mark's favorite Hashbrown Casserole

Another DeLong family favorite! It wouldn't be a family get-together without this casserole :) Leftovers are great for breakfast, too! I usually freeze one as I make it, but I don't put the cornflakes on til I am ready to bake it and serve, because they will get soggy in the freezer :)

Ingredients:
2lb pkg. hash brown potatoes (thawed completely)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup onion (chopped fine)
½ cup milk
¼ cup melted margarine

Directions: Mix all ingredients; place in a 9x13 greased baking pan. Top with crushed cornflakes. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Lynne's Incredible Ham Biscuits

These are the most incredible ham biscuits I've ever eaten in my life! Mark didn't even have to beg me to get this recipe from his Mom because I'd already stolen it :) Perfect for showers and covered dishes! I usually make a bunch and freeze in smaller portions so that we can have them for breakfast whenever anyone is staying with us :)

Ingredients:
About 40 party rolls or biscuits
1 ½ lb ham, sliced
1 lb Swiss cheese
Special Spread:
1 stick margarine, softened
4 tsp. minced onion
3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp poppy seed
3 tsp. dry mustard
Directions: Mix special spread and let sit for about 15-20 mins. Slice rolls/biscuits and fill with ham and cheese. Spread approximately 1 tsp. of mixture on top of each biscuit. Stir each time. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. (Can make ahead of time and wrap in foil and refrigerate till needed)

This recipe is a part of Kelly's Korner SUYL appetizers!

Lynne's Coffee Punch

I don't like coffee, but this punch is incredible and I can't help but keep going back for more! Great for parties.

Ingredients:
16 cups water
2 large Tbs. instant coffee
2 cups sugar
1 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
16 oz. Cool whip

Directions: Boil the water, coffee, and sugar together and let cool in refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Put ice cream and cool whip in punch bowl and pour in chilled mixture of coffee.
*Half this recipe if just for family gatherings

Lynne's Berry Shortbread Dreams

One of my holiday favorites...

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened, no substitutes
2/3 cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/3 to ½ cup jam

Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2-3 tsp. water
½ tsp. vanilla

Directions: In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll in 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using thumb, make indentation in the center. Fill with jam. Bake at 350 for 14-18 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Combine glaze ingredients. Drizzle over cookies. Makes about 3 ½ dozen.

Lynne's Chip Beef Cheese Ball

Thanks to my mother in law for this yummy spread for chips or crackers!

Ingredients:
8 oz. Cream cheese, room temp.
2.5 oz. Packet Hormel dried chipped beef
chopped pecans if desired

Directions: Cut up chipped beef; mix with cream cheese. Roll into a ball. Roll in chopped pecans if desired. Refrigerate til serving.

Lynne's Fresh Apple Cake

The butterscotch chips in this recipe from my mother-in-law make this cake different from other apple cakes and absolutely scrumptious!

Ingredients:
1 cup oil
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans (if desired)
3 cups chopped apples
1 bag butterscotch morsels

Directions: Combine oil, eggs, and sugar and mix together. Stir dry ingredients into mixture. Mix mixture well and spread in a greased pan. Place morsels on top. Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes.

Biscuits like Red Lobster's

These are my absolute favorite and I got this recipe from my mother in law, Lynne DeLong

Ingredients:
2 cups biscuit mix
½ cup cold water
¾ cup of sharp grated cheese (8 oz. Of cheese if you like cheesy)
¼ cup butter
1 tsp. parsley flakes
½ tsp. garlic salt or powder
½ tsp. Italian dressing

Directions: Preheat oven to 450. Mix biscuit mix, water, and cheese together. Drop by large spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Broil tops 1-2 min – watch very closely; they’ll burn easily. While baking, mix last 4 ingredients together in small bowl and melt in microwave. After taking biscuits out of oven, brush the garlic butter mixture over hot biscuits.