Basic Buttercream

This is adapted from Martha Stewart

Makes 4 Cups of Frosting
3 Sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

food coloring

Beat butter until creamy, and pale on medium speed. Then add the vanilla. Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Add more confectioner's sugar to make desired consistency.

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup with Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

Yummy!  When its winter (or what we call winter down here in So. Fla)  this is a good quick dinner.  Its also good when this Texas girl misses good, REAL TEX MEX and it isn't cold in So. Fla. at all!

The recipe says to do it in the crock pot, but I have done it stove top.  My favorite way to do it is to dump everything in the crock pot on a Sunday morning, and its ready for dinner that night, with leftovers for freezing of for the week.  I came across a similar recipe on the Fort Worth Star Telegram website a while back, but could not find the link.  I also consulted this recipe on Food.com .  Hope you enjoy! 

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup with Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

From The Fort Worth Star Telegram

Prep time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 pounds cooked shredded chicken (what I usually do is buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery and use all the chicken off of it in the soup.  Just shred it up and dump it in.)         

1  15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1  14 oz. can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (in the Mexican food Aisle.  Comes in a can.  Not the green salsa) 

2  7 oz. cans Diced Green Chiles

1  15 oz. can pinto beans, drained

1  medium onion, chopped

2  tbsp minced garlic (or just use the chopped jarred kind)

2  cups water

1  15 oz. can chicken broth

2  tsp each: cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper (or to taste) (I usually just sprinkle each all over the top of the crock pot, and then taste to make sure its enough for me)

1  15 oz. can corn, drained.  I like to use the "summer" variety corn.

Tortilla Chips, for garnish (optional)
Mexican Blend Cheese, for garnish (optional)
Sour Cream, for garnish (optional)
Avocado, for garnish (optional)

In crock pot, combine everything together.  Hold the garnish for, I don't know, garnish???? Cover and cook for 6-8 hours. 
To serve it up, I crush the chips up and put them in the bowl first, sprinkle them with a little cheese and then top with the hot soup.  Top it off with a dallop of sour cream and chunks of avocado or more cheese if you like. 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

For one of our many tailgates (GO CANES!)  I wanted to do something different, and one of my favorite blogs had a great recipe.  However, I wanted to tweak it a little and combined some of it with the original recipe that blog adapted.  Check out the Original on Homemade by Holman.  It gets rave reviews every time.   Not bad if you leave the bacon out on accident! 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Adapted From Homemade by Holman

Preheat Oven to 350.

Dip

2               8 oz packages any brand cream cheese, room temperature (I use 1/3 less fat)

½ c.          mayonnaise (can be substituted with sour cream, or mixture of the two)

½ c.          diced jarred jalapenos (more may be added depending on how hot

                 you want it, I have never measured)

1               4 oz can diced green chiles  (sometimes I use the larger can)

4               slices of bacon cooked and crumbled  (or use those pre cooked real bacon pieces in the salad
                 dressing aisle.)

Juice of half a lime

2 tbsp       fresh finely chopped cilantro, I actually just snip mine right off the stalks into the bowl.

1 tbsp       chopped garlic (or sprinkle the top of your mixing bowl a couple of times with garlic power; I have also been known to use jarred chopped garlic)

1 c            shredded Mexican cheese blend

a little      Cumin

Mix cream cheese, mayo (or sour cream) together with mixer.  Add in jalapenos, green chiles, bacon, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cheese and mix well. Make sure there are no large chunks of bacon or jalapenos.  This is where I taste to be sure its spicy enough.  Add more chopped jalapenos to your desired spicy level!  Spread in 8X8 baking dish lightly coated with Pam or non-stick cooking spray of your choice.  

Topping

1 cup        Panko Bread crumbs (not regular bread crumbs)

½ c.          shredded Mexican cheese blend

½ c.          grated parmesan

½ stick       melted butter

Igain, I do not usually measure this stuff other than the butter.  Melt butter and let cool a little while you measure and mix the other topping ingredients.  Once bread crumbs and cheeses are mixed, pour butter over the top and mix well.  Spread over top of dip mixture.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the dip has started to bubble a little and the topping is starting to brown.

Serve with Tortilla chips or veggies.  Really good with very thinly sliced cucumber slices.   Works great in aluminum baking dishes to toss after the tailgate or to leave leftovers with friends.  IF, and I mean IF, you have any leftovers, I have stuffed the filling part of the tip in a chicken breast and baked it or served it over chicken breasts with a salad.