Mexican Corn Dip

My friend Cary Collins Acosta gave me this recipe a few years ago. She used plain corn and served it cold. It was delicious. Then my daughter's sister-in-law made it for Christmas last year and served it warm. It was delicious. So this is good any way it's served.

• 3(11 ounce) cans mexicorn whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1(7 ounce) can diced green chilies
• 2⁄3cup  green onion, chopped
• 3⁄4teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1⁄2teaspoon  black pepper
• 3⁄4cup  mayonnaise
• 1(8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions:

1. 1. In a medium to large bowl, Combine sour cream,mayonnaise and cumin.Stir well.
2. 2. Add corn,cheese,chiles,black pepper,and onions to the sour cream mixture. Stir until combined.
3. 3. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight or bake until warm and bubbly. Serve with warm tortilla chips.
4. 
   

Creamy Corn

• I made this dish for Thanksgiving this year. Loved the taste and the ease of prep to say nothing of it not taking up space on the stovetop or oven. 

• 5 15-ounce cans corn kernels, drained
• 8 slices cooked and chopped bacon
• 1 c. milk
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 8- oz. block cream cheese, quartered
• 1 stick butter, cut into tablespoons
• Sliced green onions, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 4-quart slow-cooker, add corn, 3/4 of the bacon, milk, and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Stir. Top with cream cheese and butter.
2. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring well after 1 hour.
3. Garnish with remaining 1/4 of the bacon and green onions and serve.

Easy Chocolate Pecan Toffee

• 1 1/2 c. butter 
• 1 1/2 c. sugar 
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• pinch of  salt
• 2 c. semisweet chocolate chips 
• 1/2 c. toasted chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Let butter melt and then cook, stirring constantly with a spatula to keep the mixture from separating. Stir until mixture turns a dark amber, 12 to 15 minutes. Using a candy thermometer, cook until the temperature reaches 285º, or hard crack stage. Toffee mixture should be dark in color and very thick.

2. Pour toffee mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and immediately sprinkle all over with chocolate chips. Let sit 2 minutes until chocolate begins to melt, and then spread chocolate to create a layer on top of toffee.

3. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour, then cut or break into pieces and serve.

English Paper Piecing Addiction

English paper piecing is my new addiction. Love it's portability.

Absolutely love this new calendar.

The March 2 block: 

Chili Relleno Egg Rolls

I originally saw this on Pinterest and added the optional meat.

Ingredients

--1 pkg egg roll wraps

--10-12  long green chilies--I broil mine and peel the skins off myself since I like fresh chilies, but canned ones could be used.

--cheddar cheese, grated or cut into strips--I use sharp cheese, and other cheeses could be used; I just happen to like cheddar.

--Optional: leftover cooked meat--I used steak, and it was very good; ground meat, chicken, or rabbit would be just as good.

--oil, enough for frying

--bowl of water to help seal wraps

Layer ingredients on wrap and follow directions on wrapper package for rolling egg rolls. I try to roll my cheese and meat in the middle of the chili and use roughly half a chili per wrap. 

Fry in hot oil, drain on paper towels, and enjoy.

Rum Cake

I've never been a fan of rum cake. Until now that is. This cake was so easy to make and so good that I'm sure I'll be making it many times. I love the pecans on top, but they do make slicing the cake a bit difficult. I'd suggest chopping them very finely. 

I found this recipe on the Food Network website. Jennifer Martinez posted it. She suggested using Bacardi, but when the nice lady at the liquor store suggested 1835 gold rum, so I substituted it instead. 

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, reserve 1/4 cup--chopped very finely 
4 whole eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup gold rum (I used 1835)

1 (18.25-ounce) box classic yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe.)
1 (1-ounce) small box sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix  (I used Jell-O brand.)

For the cake: 
1. Grease a Bundt pan and spread pecans on the bottom of the pan. 
2. Beat eggs, oil, water and rum in mixer just until incorporated. 
3. Add pudding mix and cake mix and beat on medium about 3-5 minutes until texture is smooth. 
4. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake should have a light golden brown color but will darken with the glaze.

Glaze:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 stick butter
1/2 cup gold rum (I used 1835.)

For the glaze:

Note: The glaze needs to be prepared approximately 10 minutes before cake is ready.
1. Melt butter in saucepan and add the sugar and water, bring to a boil. 
2. Once it starts to boil, take off the heat and add the rum. Pour into a large measuring cup that will hold that amount or more. Set aside.

3. Once cake is ready, take out of oven and leave in pan. Gently prick holes into the cake with a skewer. Slowly pour half of the glaze over the cake making sure to fill in all the holes. 
4. Once the cake has soaked up the glaze, turn cake over, removing pan, onto the base that the cake will stay on. Gently prick more holes on other side and slowly pour other half of glaze over cake. 
5. Fill the center of the cake with reserved pecans. Let cool and enjoy. The cake is best if left at room temperature.

NOTE** Make sure you have plenty of paper towels underneath the base as the glaze will run down the sides of the cake.

Favorite Homemade Ice Cream

This was Mom's recipe for homemade ice cream, and it's still my favorite. To me this recipe tastes like Bell Bell's Homemade Vanilla ice cream.

This recipe makes one gallon of ice cream and is for a four quart freezer.

2 cans sweetened condensed milk--I always use Eagle Brand.

1-1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 gallon whole milk--you won't use all the milk, but you will use most of it.

First mix the Eagle Brand, sugar, and vanilla. Stir well to help dissolve the sugar. Then add the whole milk to the fill line level of your mixer. Don't go over the fill line, and don't dump all the milk into the mixer. Freeze according to the directions for your freezer.