Fruit Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing

I made this for the first time on Mother's Day, and it was a HUGE hit! I will definitely be making it again. I think it's an amazing summer salad for everyone to enjoy. I adapted the recipe to things that I thought would be good. Original recipe calls for honeydew, but I used pears instead. Also calls for whipping cream (unsweetened), and limeade. I used cool whip, and margarita mix. I think these changes made it taste delicious.

Ingredients:
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup frozen limeade, thawed*
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tub cool whip (2 cups)*
1/2 cantaloupe (3 cups), diced
1 quart strawberries, quartered
2 ripe mangoes, seed removed, peeled and cut up
2 cups blueberries
3 pears, peeled and cut up (around 2 cups)

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix on medium-high speed cream cheese, limeade and confectioner's sugar until creamy. Fold in cool whip.

2. In a 3-quart bowl, layer cantaloupe, then strawberries. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over strawberries. Layer Mango, blueberries and pears next. Spread the remaining cream cheese mixture.

3. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

*Apparently limeade is not sold frozen anymore (or I just wasn't able to find it anywhere.), so I bought and used a margarita mix instead. It turned out fine.

BJs Irish Root Beer

After going to BJ's Brewhouse for the first time a few months ago, and having their delicious Irish Root Beer, Clint and I decided to find a recipe/make our own that matched their recipe. It may be a little stronger than what they serve, but it is so so good.

Ingredients:
1 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey (I'm sure other whiskey would work too)
1/2 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
1/2 oz cream
12 oz Root Beer

Directions:
1. Add the ingredients into a chilled glass in the order above. Top with cold root beer. Serve!

*You do not have to add the cream, BJ's Irish Root Beer doesn't have cream in it. It just makes it a little creamier and tastier.

Fudgy Oatmeal Bars

These are a favorite treat, but rarely made because they are so rich. My mom used to make these when we had Girl Scout get togethers at our house. They are so delicious, and I guess for one bar, aren't too bad for you. When I have nutrition facts available for a recipe, I will add them under the recipe and pictures. As I'm sure you've noticed, I don't always have pictures to go along with my recipes. I'm trying to remedy that. It's just taking a little longer that I hoped. Bear with me!

Ingredients:
Topping
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
Filling
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
1. Set aside 2 Tablespoon of the butter. In a large mixing bowl beat the remaining butter (6 Tablespoons) with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined, scrape sides if needed. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the oatmeal.
2. For filling, in a medium saucepan combine the 2 Tablespoons butter, chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in the 2 Tablespoons of vanilla.
3. Press two thirds of the topping mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10 inch baking pan. (A 9x11 works fine too). Spread filling evenly over the oats. Dot remaining topping mixture onto filling.
4. Bake in a 350F oven about 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Filling will still look moist. Cool, cut into bars.

*Nutrition Facts per bar:
Cal: 146
Total Fat: 6g
Sodium: 68mg
Carbs: 21g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
3% vitamin A, 3% calcium, 4% iron

Guacamole

This recipe is my dad's guacamole. A lot of people don't like chunky. I like both, and have served both at parties. This one is less chopping, more dumping things into a bowl and mixing. If you have kids, this is a good recipe for them to help with because you have to squash the avocados!

Ingredients:
3-4 large avocados, or 5-6 small avocados
favorite salsa (we use Pace)
Lawry's season salt
1/2 lime

Directions:
1. Cut avocados in half, taking out the seed, and scoop into a bowl. With the bottom of a cup mash the avocados until they're semi smooth.
2. Add salsa to your taste, usually about 1/3-1/2 a cup. Sprinkle with season salt and the juice from the lime. Mix together and serve with your favorite chips.

*To remove avocado seeds, you can gently work it out with a knife. Or, you can stick it with the knife, and turn it while removing.

Kristen's Margaritas

My dad taught me how to make margaritas when I was old enough to reach the bar...okay, maybe not that early, but around 14 or 15. I had my first sip around that age, and on my 18th birthday, I got to go to Mexico with my family and a friend and had my first Mexican margarita. Basically lime juice, tequila and salt. As good as it was...it was so strong and being 18, and not having had that much to drink, my friend and I were having to concentrate on the tiles walking out of the restaurant. It was a fun experience and trip, and I will always remember that good time.
Since then, I have made several margaritas for my parents, aunt and uncle, friends, my husband and myself. When we plan for margaritas at a party, I am automatically the designated margarita maker. Here is my recipe, hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 oz Jose Cuervo Original Margarita Mix *(If you're on a budget, whatever mix is fine)
1 oz Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila *(Again, budget tequila is fine. You can also use the silver tequila)
1 oz Cointreau
limes

Directions:
1. In a shaker, shake the ingredients with ice.
2. Cut limes in halves, then quarter. Rub lime across the rim of a margarita glass, then dip in salt (or sugar, whichever you prefer). Add ice to the glass.
3. Pour margarita into glass and enjoy!

*You can also use this same recipe for frozen margaritas. I recommend using around 1/2 a shot more of tequila and cointreau as well as a full shot of mix to counter the ice.

Avocado and Mango Salsa

This is my dad's recipe. I make this a lot when we have people over. The taste is just so...yum. I don't know any other word to describe it. It's sweet, salty, hot, savory, everything in one dip.

Ingredients:
3-4 large avocados, or 5-6 small
1-2 mango (depending on how much you want)
1 lime
1-2 serrano peppers (also depending on how much heat you want)
Lawry's Season salt

Directions:
1. Dice avocados, and mango mixing in a medium size bowl.
2. Slice the serrano pepper if you like a kick in each bite, or dice it into smaller pieces so it's not a huge attack. Mix in with the avocados.
3. Cut lime in half, squirt 1/2 into the mixture.
4. Season with the season salt, around 1/2 a teaspoon. You may want more, depending on your taste.
5. Serve with your favorite chips. Like the Chunky Guacamole, we like to serve this with the black bean chips or the fiery chipotle chips.

Chocolate Almond Shot

I found this recipe on a drinks app, and have had it several times. I even got my favorite bartender (this was a few years ago when I actually went out to drink), to make it for me and put it on the drink menu! It's easy peasy, so enjoy.

Ingredients (per shot):
1/3 oz Amaretto
1/3 oz Creme de Cacao
1/3 oz Irish cream

Directions:
1. Layer the ingredients in the order listed.
2. Toast and drink!

Artichoke Dip

This dip can be made ahead of time, and put into the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Ingredients:
2 14oz cans whole artichoke hearts in water
1 1/2-2 cups grated Parmesan
1 cup mayonnaise
salt pepper

Directions:
1. Drain the artichokes well. Coarsely chop.
2. Combine the artichoke hearts, mayo and Parmesan into an oven safe container, mix.
3. Preheat oven to 350F, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top starts to brown.
4. Serve this dip with toasted, thinly sliced French baguettes, bagel chips, or your favorite cracker.

Chunky Guacamole

This is my recipe of guacamole. I never measure, just taste, but I will try to put fairly close measurements to what I actually do for you. If it's not salty, or limey enough, just add a little bit more. It's really simple, and takes no time at all to do.

Ingredients:
4-5 small avocados, or 3 large, diced
1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1-2 roma tomatoes, diced

Directions:
1. Dice onion, tomatoes and avocados and put them all in a medium size bowl.
2. Slice lime in half, squirting half into avocado mixture. Add salt, mix.
3. Do a taste test, and if you like more salt or lime, add more!
4. Serve with your favorite chip. We like the Tostitos Black bean or fire chipotle.

Super Bowl Recipes

This is the final list of Super Bowl Party appetizers, dips, finger foods, desserts, and drinks. I hope you enjoy and try some of these recipes. Please leave feedback, I love getting comments!

Chicken and Bacon Wraps

Jalapeno Poppers

Chunky Guacamole

Colorado Bulldog

Mozzarella Sticks

Artichoke Dip

Chocolate Almond Shot

Avocado and Mango Salsa

Kristen's Margaritas

Cake Balls

Guacamole

Fudgy Oatmeal Bars

Boneless Chicken Wings

BJ's Irish Root Beer

*I will update this post every time I add a new Super Bowl recipe. I want them all to be together, so just keep checking back. I'll also post the link to this post on facebook!

Super Bowl!

Super bowl is this coming Sunday! Are you having a party, or going to one? I have some good dips, appetizers, drinks, and desserts that are good to make or take with you!
I will be posting recipes until Friday dedicated to the Super Bowl, so you can make sure and get everything before the big game.
Some of these I already have posted, so I will link them in the post instead of writing it all out again. I'm crossing off as I go, and I may add a few more on as I go too. If you have a recipe you'd like to see on here, let me know!

Here's a preview of the recipes I'm posting:
Avocado and mango salsa
Guacamole two ways
Artichoke dip
Chicken wraps
Jalapeño poppers
Mozzarella Sticks
Wings/sauces
Cake balls
Fudgy oatmeal bars
Kristen's margaritas
Colorado bulldog
Chocolate Almond Shot
BJs Irish Root Beer

I will post a couple of these later today during nap time, get excited! :)