Layered Taco Dip Halloween Style

This is a fun and tasty dip for Halloween. It's easy to make, tastes good, and always get gobbled up at a party. All this picture is missing is a spider. I should have created an olive spider or something. Or even just put a plastic spider on it. Anywho...it tasted delish. :)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 can (16 oz.) refried beans

1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped

6 green onions, trimmed and chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 package (8 oz.) cheese (choose your fav)

1/2 -1 cup sour cream

Tortilla chips for dipping

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, until beef is browned. Stir in 3/4 cup water and taco seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in refried beans until well combined and heated throught. Set aside.

2. In a medium-size bowl, mix together tomatoes, 3/4 cup green onions, the sugar, garlic salt, and black pepper.

3. In a shallow serving bowl, spread out the beef mixture. Then put sour cream in a ziploc bag, cut off the corner and squeeze out into a web design. Put the tomato mixture around the edges. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the tomato mixture. (If you want to make this normally, you can layer the ingredients.) Serve at room temperature.

Recipe Source: Family Circle Magazine - Sept. 2009

Witches' Brew

We made this for a Halloween Party last night. It was a hit! So many people wanted the recipe. Seriously, the easiest recipe and so, so good.

Ingredients:
1 quart lime sherbet
1 container (12 oz.) frozen limeade, thawed
1 bottle (2 liter) ginger ale

Gummi worms (if desired)
Lime slices (if desired)

Directions:
In punch bowl, mix sherbet, limeade and ginger ale. Garnish punch bowl or individual cups, if desired. Serve! We just mixed ours up in a pitcher and served it without garnish. It was great!

Recipe Source: Pillbury Halloween Fun booklet

Picture Source: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/witches-brew/b1d7e750-1260-4f37-9aaa-a10ceb94d4ec/

Apple-Peach Crisp

This was a very yummy and easy fall dessert. We really enjoyed it! Slap some ice cream on the side. Mmm, mmm, good.

Apple-Peach Crisp

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced peeled apples

2 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 glass baking pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, toss apples, peaches and granulated sugar. Pour into baking dish. In same bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over fruit.

3. Bake 30 minutes or until topping is golden and fruit is teander. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe source: Betty Crocker Fall Baking Magazine

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

WOW!!! Light, fluffy, moist, delicious! These cookies are fantastic. I have never seen a cookie recipe with so many eggs in it! I was definitely curious as to how they would turn out. I am now definitely in love with them.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cups pumpkin, canned

3/4 cup oil

7 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I added a few more) :)

1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixer bowl mix together sugars, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin, oil, and eggs until well blended. In a separate bowl, blend baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour; combine with pumpkin mix. Mix together until well blended, then add chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or a well-greased pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Note: I used fresh pumpkin that I had pureed instead of canned so my cookies will probably be lighter in color than when using canned pumpkin.

Recipe Source: Lion House Cookbook

Fancy Spaghetti Squash

I love when people donate their fresh garden vegetables to my kitchen. I love the fresh vegetable and the challenge of making something new with it. My sister in law gave us a spaghetti squash to use recently. We really enjoyed this recipe. My hubs is not a fan of the squash family, and he even conceded that it was a good side dish. I think this is a fantastic

dish for a fall dinner.

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons sliced black olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet

2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.

4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

Recipe source: Allrecipes.com