Microwave Caramel Corn

This is my friend Bobbi's recipe:

1 stick margarine (or butter)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
16 cups unsalted popped corn

Combine in an 8 cup microwaveable bowl: margarine, sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Stir together and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring after each minute. Add vanilla and stir. Place popcorn into a brown paper bag (like a big grocery store bag) - non recycled bags hold up best, or use 2 paper bags, one inside the other. Pour mixture onto popcorn in the bag. Fold top of bag down and microwave on high 1 minute, then shake the bag, then micro for 1 minute, and shake, then 30 seconds, and shake, and another 30 seconds, and shake. Pour the popcorn out into a bowl or large cookie sheet to cool. Break apart when cool and serve.

Holiday Cheese Ball

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese
1 (41/2 ounce) can deviled ham
1/2 of a .4 oz package dry ranch style dressing mix (or to taste)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chilies
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
chopped olives
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (without shells)

Mix all ingredients except the sunflower seeds. Refrigerate until firm, then form into two balls and roll in sunflower seeds. Serve with crackers. This is a Thomson holiday favorite!

Cucumber Bread

Very light and refreshing. I didn't think I like cucumbers very well, but this is a great appetizer and always gets great reviews.

Ingredients:
French Baguette (long skinny loaf, sliced thin-you can ask the bakery to slice it thin for you)
One english cucumber, peeled and sliced into 30-36 circles (English cucumbers are seedless and usually in shrink wrap)
1-8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 C Mayo or Miracle Whip
1 Italian seas. packet
Dill weed - to sprinkle on top

Directions:Blend cream cheese, mayo and italian seasoning. Spread mixture on top on bread and top with cucumber slice and sprinkle dill on top. Refrigerate. Number Of Servings:30-36 slices

Note: The cream cheese mixture will actually make enough for 2 baguettes and 2 cucumbers, so you can either 1/2 it or make up the mixture and keep it in the fridge...it lasts a while.

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

This one is so yummy and here just in time for Fall!

* One 16 oz. container of Cool Whip, thawed

* One 5 oz. Package of instant Vanilla pudding

* One 15 oz. can of solid packed pumpkin

* One tsp. pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, mix together instant pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Chill in the fridge until serving!

Serve with apples, gingersnap cookies (recipe also on the blog),
or cinnamon graham cracker sticks

Gyoza

One of my all time favorite foods. It's usually served as an appetizer but makes a good entree too. There are a lot of different ways to prepare gyoza (aka potstickers), so you can adjust the recipe to suit your tastes.

1 package won ton wrappers*
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups chopped cabbage
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 pound ground pork
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup water

Heat sesame oil and soy sauce in a large skillet over medium high heat. Mix in cabbage, onion, garlic and carrot. Cook and stir until cabbage is limp. Mix in ground pork and egg. Cook until pork is evenly brown and egg is no longer runny. The filling can be a little bland, so salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger, etc. to taste.

Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the cabbage and pork mixture in the center of each wrapper. Fold wrappers in half over filling, and seal edges with moistened fingers.*

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook gyoza approximately 1 minute per side, until lightly browned.* Pour water into skillet and reduce heat. Cover and allow gyoza to steam until the water is gone.

Mix 1/4 cup soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar for dipping sauce*. Serve with hot rice.

*Kayla's Notes

-You can find won ton wrappers in just about any grocery store in the refrigerated section. It always takes me like 20 minutes to find them, so just keep looking. They're there, I promise!

-I like my filling pretty minced, so I usually throw everything in the blender for a few pulses after cooking. It makes filling the wrappers easier since you don't have large chunks of pork or vegetables getting in the way.

-The filling does well in the fridge for a few days (probably in the freezer as well). Filling and sealing the wrappers is a little time consuming when you do the whole shebang, so we like to fill just as many as we need for that meal and throw the rest in the fridge. It's pretty quick to fill 5 or 6 at lunchtime the next day and it makes for easy leftovers.

-If you're one of those weirdos who likes their gyoza deep fried instead of steamed (I won't judge), just add a little more oil to the pan and fry. Use a slotted spoon to remove and forget about the water step.

-You can buy gyoza dipping sauce in the international foods sections of all our local grocery stores. We usually like it better than the homemade stuff and it tends to be pretty strong, so a little goes a long way.

TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

Flat Bread (I buy the Trader Joe's brand, it's very well made & doesn't fall apart), Cream cheese and Mrs. Dash

optional ingredients: Tomatoes, Sprouts, cucumber, cheese (provolone), ham and turkey.

Lay the flat bread out and spread entirely with cream cheese, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. On one side of the flat bread layer your toppings: cheese, ham and turkey...then, cucumber, tomato and sprouts. Roll it up, starting from the sides your toppings are on. When I make this for showers I slice it. But it's also great as a meal too!!

Texas Caviar Salsa

I got this recipe from Catherine T. She brought some for me once and I had to have the recipe. I don't know why it's so good, but it is. When I want something salty, nothing beats a bowl of this with tortilla chips. Plus, it’s healthy (depending on what you’re dipping in it).

2 cans shoepeg corn (usually comes in a short, fat can—small white kernels)
2 cans black-eyed peas
1 can diced green chilies
4-6 tomatoes, diced
1 bell pepper diced (I like orange or yellow)
diced: cilantro, green onions, garlic (to taste)
¼-1/2 cup zesty italian dressing (bottled, not powder)
Salt, pepper, jalapenos and Tabasco to taste

Mix together in a big bowl and chill overnight for best flavor (we usually can’t wait that long).

Notes: My taste buds can’t handle spicy, so I omit the jalapenos, Tabasco, and a little less than half of the diced chilies. To me the chilies I do put in and the cilantro give it enough bite. Also, I often just include one can each of the corn and black-eyed peas.

Grape Jelly Meatballs

Meatballs:
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 c dried onion
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c half and half
1 c italian bread crumbs
2 tsp corn starch
2 dashes all spice
2 eggs

Sauce:
2 bottles Del Monte chili sauce
1 cup grape jelly

Mix together and chill. Form into walnut size balls. Place in 9x13 pan, cover with sauce. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 325. Serve over rice.

*Shortcut:
1 big bag of frozen meatballs (72 small meatballs)

Place meatballs in a 9X13 pan. Combine the chili sauce and grape jelly, pour over meatballs. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

-Give this a chance. I didn't think I would like it when I first tried it, but was so surprised that is was great! It is so easy and so yummy! (By: Jennifer)