Huddle Up Dip

Ingredients:
2 pounds pork sausage
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
Tortilla chips

Directions:
1. Cook, crumble and drain the sausage.
2. Place cooked sausage in a large saucepan over medium heat. 
3. Add cream cheese and stir until it is melted. 
4. Add tomatoes and heat through. 
5. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. If desired, transfer to a small slow cooker to serve and keep warm.

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Ingredients:
¾ cup oil
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 small can whole kernel corn, drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ cup diced green onions
1 large tomato, diced
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
Tortilla chips

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vinegar for the dressing. In a large bowl, mix together the peas, corn, peppers, onions, tomato and parsley. Pour dressing on top of pea salad and mix well. Serve alone or with tortilla chips as a dip.

Pimento Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
· 3 ounces pimentos
· 3 ½ cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
· 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
· 4 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
· 1 tablespoon grated yellow onion
· 2 ¼ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
· 3/8 teaspoon salt
· 3/8 teaspoon dry mustard
· ¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
· 1 ½ cups chopped, toasted pecans

Directions:
1. Drain the pimentos and chop. Pat dry with paper towels, removing as much liquid as possible. In the bowl of a food processor, add the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, onion, Worcestershire, salt, mustard and Tabasco. Pulse until a smooth and creamy mixture is formed. Add the pimento and pulse until blended
2. Line the bottom of a small bowl with plastic wrap. Remove the mixture from the food processor and place in the lined bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until the mixture is firm, about 3 hours.
3. Once firm, use the plastic wrap to shape the cheese into a ball and then remove the mixture from the plastic wrap. Roll the cheese ball in the pecans, pressing down lightly so the pecans adhere to the entire surface. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This cheese ball can be made up to 3 days before the tailgate. Keep refrigerated.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup blue cheese crumbles
½ cup blue cheese dressing
1 cup shredded, cooked chicken
½ cup buffalo wing sauce
Crackers or assorted vegetables

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and place mixture in a baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Dip with crackers or assorted vegetables.

Super Bowl Nacho Bar

Ingredients:
· 2 pound box original Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
· 1 cup mild taco sauce
· 1 cup sour cream
· 2 pounds ground beef, cooked and crumbled
· 1 package taco seasoning
· ¾ cups water
· Nacho chips
· 1 jar salsa
· 3 or 4 tomatoes, chopped
· 1 jar sliced jalapenos
· 2 bunches green onions, chopped
· 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
· 1 large can sliced black olives, drained
· 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
· ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, put the Velveeta cubes, taco sauce and sour cream. Cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours. If cheese sauce is too thick, add milk to reach desired consistency.
2. In a large saucepan, combine ground beef, taco seasoning and water over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes then transfer to slow cooker.
3. To assemble Nacho Bar, put nachos chips in a large bowl. Put salsa, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, sour cream, olives, black beans and cilantro in serving dishes.
4. Assemble nachos with desired toppings.

Super Duper Super Bowl Sliders

Ingredients:
· 1 (2-pound) pork tenderloin
· ¼ cup olive oil
· 1 teaspoon onion powder
· 1 teaspoon garlic powder
· 8 frozen biscuits
· 8 sweet potato waffle fries
· 2 cup shredded cabbage
· ½ cup mayonnaise
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· 16 thick cut dill pickle slices

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub pork tenderloin with olive oil and the sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake covered with a foil tent for 30 minutes; then uncover and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until pork reaches 160 degrees. Let meat rest for 10 minutes and then cut into slices.
2. Prepare frozen biscuits according to package directions.
3. Prepare sweet potato waffle fries according to package directions.
4. Combine shredded cabbage with mayonnaise and salt and pepper.
5. Cut biscuits horizontally. Layer a slice of pork tenderloin, sweet potato fry, slaw and two pickle slices between biscuit top and bottom. Continue with remaining biscuits.

Yummy Guacamole

Ingredients:
3 avocados, peeled and pitted
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper, if desired

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados (leaving a few chunks), lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor or serve immediately.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients:
· 2 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
· 1 cup mayonnaise
· 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
· 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
· 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, undrained
· 1 (4-ounce) can chopped jalapenos, undrained
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
· ¼ cup butter, melted
· Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Mexican blend cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, green chilies, jalapenos, salt and pepper. Spread dip filling into casserole dish.
3. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over dip filling.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown.
5. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Calzone Pinwheels

Ingredients:
½ cup ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

¼ teaspoon salt 

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

½ cup diced pepperoni 

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 

¼ cup chopped fresh mushrooms 

¼ cup finely chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls 

1 (14 ounce) jar pizza or marinara sauce, warmed 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, green peppers, and onion. Separate crescent dough into four rectangles; seal perforations. Spread cheese mixture over each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seams to seal. Cut each into four slices. Place cut side down on greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with pizza or marinara sauce. Refrigerate leftovers.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
· 1 ½ pounds whole baby bella mushrooms, about 36
· 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
· 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
· 2 tablespoons minced garlic
· ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
· 1 large egg
· ½ cup bread crumbs
· ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
· ¼ cup heavy cream
· ¼ cup chopped parsley
· Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to350 degrees with the rack in the middle position.
2. Wash mushrooms and pat dry. Remove stems and mince fine.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, crumbling sausage into small pieces. Transfer sausage to a large bowl.
4. Reduce heat to medium and saute minced garlic in the sausage fat for about 3-4 minutes; add balsamic vinegar and mushrooms stems and cook until tender about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the sausage.
5. Stir in the egg then add bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, cream, 3 tablespoons parsley, salt and pepper.
6. Place the mushrooms cap on a large baking sheet and toss with remaining olive oil. Put them cap side down and stuff each with a generous amount of filling.
7. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until hot and golden brown. Garnish with remaining parsley and additional parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.
Note: The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. The stuffed mushrooms can be cooked up to 4 hours in advance and held at room temperature. Warm in the oven before serving.

Slow Cooker Candied Pecans

Ingredients:
· 1 cup sugar
· ½ cup brown sugar
· 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
· 1 egg white
· 2 teaspoons vanilla
· 4 cups pecan halves
· ¼ cup water

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla until it becomes a little frothy.
3. Place pecans in a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Pour egg white mixture over pecans and stir until nuts are evenly coated.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over pecans and stir until nuts are all coated well. Cook covered on low for 3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Depending on the slow cooker, be careful not to burn. When 20 minutes are left, pour ¼ cup water into the slow cooker and stir. This will make the nuts crunchy.
5. When cooking time is up, spread nuts out on a cookie sheet to cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Store in an airtight container.

Great Christmas gift!

Christmas Mix

Ingredients:
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Cheerios
1 (16 ounce) M&Ms
2 cups peanuts
2 cups pretzels
16 ounces white chocolate

Directions:
Mix first six ingredients together in a large bowl.
Melt chocolate in the microwave and pour over mixture.
Spread on wax paper to let cool.
Package in tins, bags or festive jars.

Brown Sugar Smokies

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package little smokie sausages

1 pound bacon
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (or to taste) 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large resealable bag, put sausages, bacon and ½ cup brown sugar. Shake to cover bacon and sausages. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on wooden skewers, several to a skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar. Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted; about 45 minutes. Can be prepared the night before and cover tightly; then bake when ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Sausage Balls

Ingredients:
· 2 teaspoons olive oil
· 1 tablespoon minced onion
· 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
· 1 ½ cups plain yellow cornmeal
· 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
· 2 teaspoons salt
· 2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
· 1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
· 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
· 1 ½ pounds ground mild sausage

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add sweet potato and cream cheese, stirring to combine. Add cheddar cheese, sausage and onion, stirring to combine. Shape mixture into 1 ½ inch balls; place on prepared pans.
4. Bake until browned and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes.

Note: These can be made up to 6 weeks before Thanksgiving. Prepare through Step 3 and freeze on pans until solid. Transfer to heavy duty resealable plastic bags and place in freezer. To prepare frozen, increase baking time 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Face Layered Mexican Dip

Ingredients:
· 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
· 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies
· ½ cup sour cream
· ½ cup mayonnaise
· 2 avocados, peeled and diced
· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
· 1 cup salsa
· 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
· Tortilla chips, triangle shape
· Black olives, sliced and drained

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a greased deep pie dish, spread the refried beans and layer on the green chilies.
3. For the next layer combine the sour cream and mayonnaise and spread over the chilies. Continue layering the avocados, lemon juice, salsa and cheese.
4. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
5. Decorate the top of the dip with 3 tortilla chips forming the eyes and nose of the jack-o-lantern. Use the sliced black olives to form a mouth. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients:
6 green bell peppers 

Salt, to taste 

Pepper, to taste 

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

1/3 cup chopped onion 

Fresh basil, to taste 

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 

½ cup cooked rice 

½ cup water 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Water as needed 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside each pepper, and set aside. In a large skillet, sauté beef and onions for 5 to 10 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess grease, and season with basil and Italian seasoning. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, ½ cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes until heated through.

Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients:
1 pound strawberries, stems removed and diced
1 mango, peeled and diced
½ red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (with or without seeds depending on taste)
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions:
Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl until the flavors are well blended. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Favorite Football Wings

Ingredients for Wings:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
3 pounds chicken wings

Ingredients for Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/3 cup hot sauce or to taste

Directions:
Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, Italian dressing, and chicken wings in a large, zip-top bag. Close bag, toss wings and sauce together then refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken wings from the marinade and pat dry. Lay the wings in a well-greased 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes, turning wings occasionally, until they are well browned and no longer pink.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in 1 teaspoon soy sauce and hot sauce. Place wings in a large bowl. Pour hot sauce mixture over wings; toss to mix well.
Serve immediately with blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery.

Melissa’s Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients for Cake Roll:
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
¾ cup plain flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup canned pumpkin

Ingredients for Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Put eggs in a medium bowl. Add sugar slowly and mix well.
Add flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin and mix thoroughly.
Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper; making sure the wax paper goes up the sides of the pan. Grease the wax paper generously with butter.
Pour batter into the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
Immediately, turn the cake out on a kitchen towel, peel off paper, roll up gently beginning with short end and let cool.
In the meantime, prepare the filling by mixing together the cream cheese, vanilla, butter and powdered sugar.
Carefully unroll the pumpkin cake and spread filling evenly over the cake. Roll up again.
Cover and chill until serving.

Mummified BBQ (or Pulled Chicken Crescents)

Ingredients:
1 8-ounce can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup shredded cooked chicken or pork
¼ cup BBQ sauce
1/3 cup shredded cheese and additional if desired, for topping
1 egg beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Separate dough into 8 triangles.
In a bowl, mix chicken and BBQ sauce. Spoon chicken mixture onto crescent roll and sprinkle with cheese.
Roll up loosely and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Cook 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush with egg and sprinkle with additional cheese while warm.