Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh cranberries

4-5 green onions, chopped

 ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

2/3 cup sugar (or less)

3/4 tsp teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons lime juice (can

use a full lime)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (8-ounces each) packages cream cheese

Chips or crackers for dipping

Directions

Use only fresh ingredients. Chop cranberries into tiny pieces. Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, sugar, cumin, lemon juice, and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.When ready to serve, top cream cheese with the cranberry-jalapeño mixture.

Pineapple Salsa

Mix together the follow ingredients until combined (can use a food processor or salsa maker):

• 2 cups finely-diced fresh pineapple
• 1/2 cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely-diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely-diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

7 Layer Bean Dip

Layer 1

1 large can refried beans

1 TB Taco mix

Layer 2

4 large avacodos

1/4 c mayo

1 tsp. of lemon juice

Layer 3

1 large Sour Cream

1 pkg taco mix

Layer 4

Cheese

Layer 5

olives

Layer 6

onions

Layer 7

Tomatoes

Mix beans and taco mix together and spread on the bottom of 9x13 pan. Then mix smashed avocados,mayo, and lemon juice together and spread over beans. Mix sour cream and the rest of the taco mix together and spread over avocados. Then layer cheese ,olives (sliced), onions (diced),and tomatoes (diced).

Karen's Chicken Salad Puffs

Karen made these delicious puffs for Natalie and Aaron' s reception! They were so good that they were the first thing we ran out of!

Puffs:

Bring 1 c. water and 1/2 c. butter to a rolling boil. Turn heat to low and stir in 1 c. flour; stir until mixture is like a paste. Remove from heat and add 4 eggs; beat until glossy. Place rounded teaspoons of batter on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until golden.

Chicken Salad:

2 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
1/3 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 TB. chopped onion or 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
Dash of ginger
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (about 1/2 c.)
Chopped grapes (optional)

Mix ingredients together and spread onto cooled puffs.

Cinnamon Twists/Bread sticks

This recipe is from one of Aaron's BYU professors. His wife made a fantastic dinner for his class, we were lucky to go!

Cinnamon Twists:
2 1/4 C. warm water
1 1/2 T. yeast
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. salt
6 C. flour

glaze:
powder sugar
a little butter, milk & vanilla (sorry...she didn't give specifics)

Mix well together till smooth dough. Melt 1/2 C. margarine or butter into large jelly roll style pan. Roll dough into a rectangle & cut into strips (with pizza cutter). [Usually will make 30 pieces-slice lengthwise & then 14 cuts crosswise]. Dip strips in the butter & flip over placing in the pan. Sprinkle with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let rise till doubled. Bake 10-12 mins @ 400'. *While hot, frost with glaze

Bread sticks:

SAME AS ABOVE, EXCEPT 1 T. SUGAR & NO EGG. Sprinkle with garlic & parmesan cheese.

Baked Onion

This is really not as gross as it may sound. It's a really good side dish for a party or BBQ.

1 med to large whole onion
1 beef bullion cube
1-2T butter
foil, baking pan

Method:
Cut the ends off and the outer skin of the onion. Cut a cross thru the top, but do not cut all the way thru. You will want the whole thing to stay together. Break up and mash the bullion cube and the butter into the cross section of the onion. Wrap the whole thing in foil and leave a little vent in the top. Bake in a pan (to catch any spillage) for 45-60 mins on 350, or till the onion is cooked and soft all the way thru. You can also do this on a gas or charcoal grill. To serve, empty the contents of the foil into a bowl and break the pieces of onion apart. The juice from the onion, the bullion and butter will make a nice broth. Enjoy!

Swei-Jows (Pot-stickers)

Who does not love Uncle Cameron for bringing this back from his mission in China??? This is a fun recipe to make for a party or large gathering. They are great deep fried or steamed. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add or take out what ever you like or don't like. It's very important to keep the chopped ingredients as close to the same size as possible for uniform cooking.

2 pkgs won-ton wrappers (square or round, or egg roll)
1 pkg chopped cabbage
1-2 bunch green onions, chopped with the green tops
2 bell peppers of your color choice, chopped into small pieces
1 pkg bean sprouts
1 box mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
1/2 lb spinach
3-4 cloves chopped or minced garlic
2-3 T grated FRESH ginger (this will give it the best flavor)
1 lb pound pork uncooked pork sausage
1 egg
soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
salt & pepper

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, making sure that everything is evenly distributed. Place approx 1 t in each wrapper and seal with water. You can do a triangle, square or egg roll fold. Steam for 15 mins in a veggie steamer, or deep fry till golden brown. Keep them warm on a plate for service.

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 c soy sauce
3 T red wine vinegar
1 t crushed garlic

Mix this together, and give each person their own bowl for dipping.