Milk-free 7-Layer Dip

 I was shopping with my mother (having taken my re-usable shopping bag with me—the pink one, of course) and decided I needed to make my children cry by making 7-layer dip. I was not successful at drawing tears.

We have milk allergies in our household so we have to do without sour cream, cheese and don’t get me started about store bought mixes.  Okay, I’ll start~Taco seasoning packets give me a headache. We substitute taco meat for the taco mixed sour cream layer. Sometimes I add a layer of salsa, but I forgot today. So, here is our version of 7-Layer Dip. Flambo!

Oh, yeah…look at that.  Can’t even see the plate….

7-Layer Dip

1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
4-oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
splash of tabasco
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 15-oz-ish can refried beans
1/3 cup salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup Guacamole

Chopped lettuce, desired amount

1 tomato, chopped, color of choice

1/4 cup chopped onion

Black olives, sliced or chopped
(we used chopped today)

In a small skillet (I use cast iron) brown your ground beef. Add onion and cook until onion is tender. Add tomato sauce and seasonings.  Simmer until taco meat blend is cooked through and not runny. (I can’t think of the right word today….Flambo!)

Meanwhile, in another pot, pour your refried beans, salsa, and seasonings. Mix well and heat.

Now we can start building our 7-Layers.

1. On a favorite large plate, preferably pink, spread the Refried Bean mixture. 
2. Next layer,using your favorite pink spatula, spread the Guacamole on the bean layer
3. Next layer, sprinkle the taco meat on the Guacamole layer.
4. Next layer, sprinkle the chopped lettuce
5. Next layer, sprinkle the tomatoes, (we used yellow today)
6. Next layer, sprinkle the chopped onion.
7. Next layer, black olives

Serve with Tortilla chips, or Pita chips, or bread, or vegetables….Just make sure you enjoy the flavors.

You can add more layers of anything as you desire, of course, you just can’t call it 7-layer dip anymore.  Flambo!

Chocolate Cake?! I Think NOT

So my Chocolate Cake was more like….a crumbly, Chocolate flavored Plaster of Paris.  It probably would have been better suited to make a sculpture of Louis Armstrong blowing on his trumpet instead of trying to eat it. Satchmo!!! 

Here is what makes great Chocolate Plaster of Paris:

3/4 cup butter flavored crisco
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground Allspice
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups Almond milk

My thanks to Better Homes and Gardens cook book for this recipe.  I shall remember where to turn when I want to sculpt the Jazz greats.  Maybe we’ll do this for a homeschool unit. Hmmm….

We shall try again. FLAMBO!!

Bean Pot

This is a staple in our household. We’ll make this when we can’t think of anything else to do. The kids really like it and some serve it up with French Fried Onions on top

Bean Pot

1 LB ground meat (your preference We like to use Maple sausage)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Rotel, or equivalent store brand
1– 20 oz can Baked beans , (we use Bush’s Vegetarian)
1– 15.5 oz can Kidney beans, not drained
1- 15.5 oz can Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1-15.5oz can Red beans, drained and rinsed
1-15.5 oz can Butter beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBS. spicy brown mustard
2 TBS. Barbecue sauce
2 TBS brown sugar

In a skillet, brown ground meat and onion till cooked through, and onion is tender.

Add all ingredients to a large pot, being mindful of which beans to drain and which do not get drained. Simmer for about 1-½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Can be cooked in a crock-pot.

Looking for Chocolate Cake

I am looking for a really good chocolate cake recipe. My former steply-ug-mother made a fabulous chocolate cake she called Mississippi Mud. Thus far in my search I can only find it with marshmallows and that was not what she made. It had like....Allspice and Cinnamon in it also, I think. searching...searching....maybe get my Flambo on, shout~No Fear! ~ and just experiment!!  Flambo!!

My Insatiable Son Bakes Muffins

My Insatiable son enjoys cooking and has become known for his muffins in our small circle of friends. His favorites are Blueberry, Peach Vanilla Jam and Chocolate Chocolate Chip. 

“For some, cooking is an art form. Patrick takes that literally”~Dana
You will see why.

Peach Vanilla Jam Muffins

2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil or extra light Olive Oil
1 cup milk
1 tsp Vanilla Butter and Nut flavoring (straight vanilla will do…)
1/2 cup of mom’s home made Peach Vanilla Jam (ordinary Peach jam will do)
3 cups muffin mix (see side bar)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease 12- cup muffins pans.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, eggs and Vanilla Butter and Nut flavoring to look like an owl’s face.

Turn bowl around, add milk and cinnamon to create a smiley face.

Mix well. Add Peach Vanilla Jam (or a jam or your choice), add nutmeg and, mix well.

Add Muffin mix, until combined, and scoop into muffin cups.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 16-18 minutes, or until muffins and golden brown.

Cool for about 5 minutes and turn out onto cooling rack.  Enjoy.

So the oven was smoking the other day …

My Insatiable son was sweeping in the kitchen the other day and noticed the oven was smoking. We were baking something other than bagels, for a change and I couldn't imagine why something was burning <scratching head> .  We opened the door, turned on a flashlight and discovered a burnt through and through Sundried Tomato Bagel!!! <Gasp!>  It must have fallen off the baking stone, unnoticed.

Pea Salad

During my husband’s illness with Oligodendroglioma (which is a type of brain tumor that takes prisoners, but leaves no survivors--as of 5 years ago), I became a regular in the cafeteria at UAMS in Little Rock.  The salad bar offered this wonderful Pea Salad on a regular basis.  My mom and I loved it, so I tried to figure out what was in it and this is what I came up with. 

Pea Salad

1 16-0z bag frozen Petite peas, thawed (do not cook)
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup canned sliced water chestnuts, sliced in half forming half circles
1/3 cup Kraft Mayonnaise (more or less, to your taste)
1 tsp dill weed (more or less, to your taste)
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sized pink mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, and, using your favorite pink spatula, mix well.  Chill for an hour or so for flavors to combine.