New Years Guacamole!!!

There are many ways to make this family tradition (new years)

This is how I have adapted it to our taste...



Ingredients


3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup diced onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

 
 
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least an hour.   I make this in the morning and it is delectible by evening time (PARTY TIME!!!)   Also, you can not have too much fresh lime juice - in my opinion. Also again, I always double this recipe if it is for more than just me and Nate.
 
Serve with tortilla chips (lime chips are good too) and pig out for the new year!!!
 
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Pineapple Pretzel Fluff

1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar, divided
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a bowl, combine pretzels, butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 7 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until creamy. Fold in pineapple and whipped topping; chill until serving. Break pretzel mixture into small pieces; sprinkle over pineapple mix before serving (so pretzel mix doesn't get soggy)

Sorry I forgot to take a picture- it was a busy day! I took this to thanksgiving dinner and it was a big hit! It was so easy to make and also very cheap to make!

Be careful not to eat the whole thing! :) Enjoy!!

Cranberry Relish

Here is my recipe for

Cranberry Relish

(my FAVORITE and it freezes very well)

2 cups of washed fresh (raw) cranberries
2 cored tart apples (Granny smith work well here)
1 Orange - peel and all
1-2 cups of sugar or sugar substitute (I like it more tart, so one cup is plenty)
Cut apples and orange into small, food processable pieces. Use food processor to mince fruit ingredients. Do not process too long - you don't want mush. After fruit has been mixed well together, add sugar and stir. Cover and leave out of fridge for about 30 minutes. This gives the sugar time to dissolve to eliminate any grainy texture from sugar. After about 30 minutes, put in refrigerator - best if chilled overnight. Can be frozen also.

I do love the cranberry sauce right out of the can, (I am lame) but you can't beat this super fresh, tart relish to add to your holiday dinner.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Being the month of fabulous food and family get-togethers, why don't we all post some of our favorite Thanksgiving feast recipes? Or at least, some good ideas for some!

Michelle-- that includes you because your family makes some of the best!

:)

On that note..... I am grateful for food!

Sweet Rolls

If you are looking for the BEST roll ever, you've come to the right place. These are ADDICTING, so watch out! I used a bread machine because it makes my life easier, but you don't have to. Also, they freeze AMAZINGLY! ENJOY!!

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

*Also...* On step 2, before rolling them up, I sprinkle oregano, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni, roll up, and let rise to make pizza rolls. Josh requests these all the time. They are amazing plain, and I have yet to try them with a cinnamon/sugar mix inside.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is hands-down one of the BEST chocolate cakes I have ever eaten! Don't let the zucchini scare you-- it makes the cake super moist and delicious! Next time I make this, I will try and cut down on the fat by using applesauce instead of oil. FYI- this is my new birthday cake request!

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

(the batter will look really thick and chunky
until you add the zucchini.. then it will look like the below photo)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. (I used a bundt pan- and always will from now on!!)
   
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (If you are using a bundt pan, you need to add an extra 10 minutes- I cooked mine for 70 minutes and it was perfect.) Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

I made a vanilla frosting/glaze and sprinkled some powdered sugar on the top. I've made this cake twice so far and its been a big hit. TRY IT!!!!

**Revision 11-4-10** Here is the frosting/glaze recipe I used. (Any would do, but this was a pretty darn good one!)

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbls milk
• 1 tsp butter
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

-Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the rest and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Eat it all :)

Orange dreamcicle cookies

This is just the orange version of my favorite cakemix cookies.

Ingredients:
Orange cake mix (I've used lemon, strawberry and devils food cake also)
2 eggs
1 container of cool whip (i also used lite here and it turns out just fine) thawed


Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 350.  Make tablespoon sized balls and coat with powdered sugar.  Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy.  These are great to store in the freezer also - they stay nice and moist/chewy.

NOTE - orange zest can be added to this recipe, i just forgot this time.  Same thing with the lemon cake mix and lemon zest.  Delicious!