Artichoke Spinach Dip

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, partially thawed
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
garlic salt to taste

Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the spinach and artichoke hearts. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mix cream cheese and sour cream into the spinach mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 80 | Total Fat: 7.5g | Cholesterol: 19mg

Hard Boiled Eggs

Apple Chips

http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2012/1/2/homemade-apple-chips.html

Apple Crisps

this makes about 25 chips

1 large Granny Smith apple
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a mandoline, slice the apples as thinly as you can.  Mix the sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow bowl and dip the apple slices lightly in the mixture, just lightly coating them.  Lay the slices on the baking sheets, about 12 slices per sheet.  Bake for 1 hour.  Remove one pan at a time and flip the apple slices over with tongs.  When you return pans to oven, also rotate them - put the one that was on the top rack on the bottom.  Bake for one more hour.  Remove pans from oven. Apple slices will start to harden up pretty quickly.  Remove with tongs. 

The Italian Dish
theitaliandishblog.com

Oven Cooked Bacon

Maybe I can finally cook bacon without a water gun in the other hand to stave off the cats!

Step One
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Step Two
Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Step Three
Lay bacon side-by-side, it can be touching, but not overlapping.

Step Four
For thick cut bacon bake 20 minutes for a chewy and slightly crispy texture and 25 minutes
for less chewy and more crispy. For medium to thin cut bacon bake 15-20 minutes.

Step Five
Drain cooked bacon on a paper-towel lined plate and enjoy!

Easy Cake-Mix Banana Bread

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-cake-mix-banana-bread/dbbece87-a1d1-4585-aea9-7147d2514e3a

Pecan Bread

18 ozs butter pecan cake mix (betty crocker) 312 ozs coconut (instant pudding mix) 4 eggs 12 cup vegetable oil 1 cup water 12 cup chopped pecans CAKE: Heat oven 350º Grease one (9x3x5-inch) loaf pan with butter or Crisco. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and pecans; set aside. In another bowl whisk together egg, butter, butter extract and buttermilk. Combine the egg mixture with the flour mixture and stir with a spoon just until mixed. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 50 minutes, until golden brown and tests done in middle. Turn out onto wire rack and while bread is warm, drizzle glaze on top. GLAZE:  1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon butter, melted 2 teaspoons milk 1/4 cup chopped pecans Blend together powdered sugar, butter and milk. Drizzle on top of warm bread and then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Asian Plum Sauce

No exact measurements because I guessed all the way through:

Solo Prune Plum Cake and Pastry Filling
Rice Vinegar
Rice Cooking Wine
Fresh grated ginger
cinnamon
cloves
garlic
salt

Serve over tofu fried in olive oil, garlic and salt.

Yum!

Plum Bread

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 (4 ounce) jars plum baby food (I used plum prune pastry filling)
2 cups white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts


Directions

In a large bowl, mix together vegetable oil, white sugar, eggs, baby food, and food coloring.
In separate bowl, mix together flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and nuts.
Mix wet and dry ingredients together.
Place in greased and floured bundt pan, (you can also use cooking spray).
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50-60 minutes or until it tests done.
Remove from oven to cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove and place on cooling rack.