Potato and Sausage Hash

I created this recipe for a Fall Party at my work today.  I needed to bring a breakfast item that would feed a lot of people.  I wanted to make something that was hearty, warm and not your standard breakfast casserole.  I decided to create something different that i thought everyone would enjoy.  So, i came up with this recipe!  

Potato and Sausage Hash

(aka Cassie’s Casserole Concoction)

 Ingredients

4-5 lbs of potatoes (depending on how much you want to make)

5 lbs of pork sausage

3 onions

Garlic powder or minced garlic

Other variety of seasonings depending on personal taste

3 containers of shredded (not grated) Parmesan cheese

3.5 containers of Gorgonzola cheese

Cut potatoes in bite size chunks or like home fries.  Season with desired amount of seasoning, mix.  Dice onion and add to potatoes, mix.  Put in greased 9X13 pan or roast pan and cover.  Cook potatoes and onion at 375 degrees for about 1 hour or until potatoes are cooked all the way.  Brown sausage and drain.  Add to potatoes and mix.  Add cheeses, mix and cook until heated through and cheese is melted.

Everyone loved this recipe and it was a great success.  In fact, everyone loved it so much that they asked for the recipe.  It was the biggest hit of all the breakfast items!  You could change this recipe up a little and add egg if you wanted or you could add regular sausage and make this a non-breakfast item.  I will definitely make this again and use venison once the freezer is full from hunting season this year!  Enjoy!! 

Pistachio Cream Cheese Fingers

I made these cookies a while ago and decided to make them again.  They are just sooo delicious!  People who do not even like pistachio have fallen in love with these cookies.  They are a soft delicate cookie that keeps everyone wanting more! 

 Pistachio Cream Cheese Fingers  

Prep time: 30 min           Cook time: 12 min            Yields: 8 dozen

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 1 teaspoon shortening

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Cover dough, and refrigerate for at least one hour for easier handling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into finger shapes, about 1 1/2 inches long. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 9 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set and very lightly browned on bottoms. Cool completely on a wire rack In small saucepan over low heat, melt together chocolate and shortening, stirring constantly until smooth and well blended. Drizzle a small amount of chocolate over each cookie. Allow the chocolate to set before storing. 

 

The only problem I have with these cookies is that i always make them too big!  I typically make them 2-3 times the size of what they are supposed to be.  They are quite delicious in the bigger size.  The only problem with this is that you will not get the desired dozen if you make them larger.  These are a great cookie for Christmas because they are green and also a fun cookie to make for Halloween as they can be turned into a finger or a caterpillar!  Enjoy!

Tortialla Roll-Ups

I had to go to a Bar-B-Que and couldn't decide what to bring.  My boyfriend suggested we make tortilla roll-ups because they are easy to make and a finger-food.  People could just grab them and go!  They didn't need to be refrigerated or kept warm.  We ended up making several different kinds.  Some things i dont have measurements on so be creative with your own that you make!

Ham Ranch Tortilla Roll-Ups

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
3 green onions, chopped
11 (8 inch) flour tortillas
22 thin slices deli ha

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and salad dressing mix until smooth. Add onions; mix well. Spread about 3 tablespoons over each tortilla; top each with two ham slices. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Unwrap and cut into 3/4-in. slices. 

I did not put the onions in these ones.  I also chopped up the ham into pieces and added shredded cheddar cheese.

Taco Tortilla Roll-Ups

1 lb. ground beef or turkey, cooked and drained
salsa
1 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 pkg taco seasoning
cheddar cheese


Cook meat until no longer pink, drain.  Combine cream cheese and taco seasoning.  Spread tortilla with cream cheese, add meat in the center followed by salsa and cheese. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Unwrap and cut into 3/4-in. slices.  The picture below does not have cheddar cheese on it as we did some with and some without.  

 Parmesan Bacon Tortilla Roll-Ups


1 8oz cream cheese, softened
bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
onion, chopped and sauted
Parmesan cheese
parsley
garlic powder

Combine cream cheese, parsley, garlic powder and parmesan cheese.  Spread on tortilla.  Sprinkle with sauteed onion and crumbled bacon.  Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Unwrap and cut into 3/4-in. slices. 


I hope you enjoy these roll-ups and have fun with them.  Create new recipes and please share them!  This is a great recipe for kids to help with as you really cannot mess up.  Everyone seemed to enjoy these as there were none left at the end of the night!  The bacon ones were the biggest hit of all!  Enjoy.

Velveeta Spicy Cheeseburger Dip

I made this dip for my mom's house warming party.  I put all the ingredients in the crock pot and left it plugged in on low the whole time!  People were able to go and get this delicious hot dip throughout the day and night!  Once people dipped into it they couldn't get enough of it!  I had a whole crock pot full (I quadrupled the recipe) and it was almost all gone! 

Velveeta Spicy Cheeseburger Dip

1 lb. Velveeta Pasteurized Cheese Product, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 can (10 oz) RO*TEL diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 Cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 Cup sliced green onions

Microwave
Mix all ingredients except the onions in large microwaveable bowl.
Microwave on High 5 min. or until Velveeta is completely melted, stirring after 3 min.  Stir in onions.
Serve with assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

 Stove
Mix all ingredients except onions in medium saucepan.  Cook on medium heat 5-7 minutes or until Velveeta is completely melted, stirring frequently.  Stir in onions.

Makes 4 1/2 Cups or 36 servings, 2 Tbsp. each.

Like i said, i made this in the crock pot.  I threw all the ingredients in and just kept stirring until the cheese was melted and it was hot.  I didn't add the green onions and there was nothing lacking because of it.  I also used Scoops tortilla chips and Hint of Pepperjack tortilla chips to dip with instead of veggies!  This dip was awesome and a crowd pleaser!  I will definitely make this again.  Enjoy!

Quick Tater Tot Bake

My boyfriend loves tater tots (and so do I!  who doesn't?)!  I also tried out this new recipe because a guy he works with loves tater tots!  This was quick and easy and an awesome recipe for kids!  Its a hearty meal that you can add or change things about it.

Quick Tater Tot Bake
Prep: 10 minutes          Bake 30 minutes

3/4 to 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 small onion chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg. (16 oz) frozen Tater Tot potatoes
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2/3 Cup cold milk or water
1 Cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Season with salt and pepper. 
Transfer to a greased  2-qt baking dish.  Top with tater tots.  Combine soup and milk, pour over tater tots.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.  Yields 2-3 Servings.

I did a few things differently with this recipe. I added garlic powder to the ground beef which added some extra taste.  I also used cream of chicken soup because my boyfriends co-worker is deathly allergic to mushrooms.  I would make this again and try it with mushrooms!  (Someone make this with cream of mushroom soup and let me know how it is!)  I will definitely make this again and my boyfriend and his co-worker loved it for lunch the next day!  My boyfriend said it was even better a day old because the flavors condensed together.  This is also a recipe that you could divide and freeze half if you wanted to.  You could also add vegetables to it for a complete meal!  Lastly, you can double this and put it in a 9x13 inch pan.  Enjoy!   

Hot Apple Pie Dip

I had made this dip for a Christmas party last year and I just made it again for a fall snack party at work.  This dip is amazing and quite delicious. When people hear there is cheddar cheese in it they immediately are cautious, but once they taste it, their worries go away!  The pumpkin pie spice does wonders in this dip and gives it so much flavor.

Hot Apple Pie Dip

1 8oz tub cream cheese spread ( I just use the 8oz blocks and soften them)
2 TBSP brown sugar
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 apple, chopped and divided
¼ Cup. Fine cheddar cheese
1Tbsp. Pecan pieces, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until well
blended. Add half of the chopped apples. Spread in the bottom of an 8 inch pie pan or small casserole dish.
Sprinkle with remaining apples, cheddar cheese, and pecan pieces.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until heated through. Serve with cinnamon wheat thins or pecan
wheat thins.


Makes 2 Cups of 16 servings, 2 Tbsp dip and 15 crackers each.

You can also make this in a crock pot. Prepare the same way and serve when heated
through.  You can also substitute the pumpkin pie spice with ground cinnamon.  I love this dip because its easy and warm and something different from other types of dip.  The cheese adds so much flavor without over-powering the apples.  Enjoy!   

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

I made these mushrooms for a barb-b-que I went to.  These mushrooms were fun to make and absolutely delicious!  I did have to change the recipe to accommodate the amount of mushrooms i needed to make.  Everyone single one was eaten and the extra filling was used the next day on chips and more mushrooms!

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Filling:
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup crabmeat
salt
pepper
minced garlic

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine filling, stuff the mushrooms and top with bread crumbs. Use a non-stick spray to help it brown. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until it’s hot and melted.

                                          This is what was left of them after the first round.
I used a white onion instead of green onion and i used dried parsley instead of fresh. I also used 2 packages of cream cheese to make enough filling...depending on how much you want to make, i would use 1 pkg. I also used artificial crabmeat, 1 pkg of it. I didn't put breadcrumbs on top but i would next time, I would also possibly put breadcrumbs into the cream cheese mixture.  I hope you enjoy these as much as we all did!  Enjoy!