Beautiful Bountiful Beets

I have to admit I have a love/hate relationship with beets.

I want to really love them but I kinda just like them.

I hate them when I peel them after a nice bake in the oven 

and the dark purple shades of color end up on 

my fingers and everywhere else in the kitchen.

But once all the work is done, and I do mean work, 

then I really love them!

If you are smart you will pick out the golden colored beets or 

the slightly pink beautiful beets and plop those babies in your 

buggy instead of the dark purple ones.

I really do not taste the difference and my 

hands and towels are cleaner for it.

Wash them under cold water, pat dry and wrap each individually

in foil and place them on a metal pan and send them

to the oven for about an hour at 375 degrees.

Check for doneness with a fork and let them cool before

handling. Once they are cool then carefully 

peel off the skin and discard.

The fun part is slicing them and discovering 

the beautiful spirals of color inside.

What you do with them next is really your preference.

You can throw them into a salad, add them to a charcuterie board,

eat them right then or toss them in a beet salad pictured below.

However you decide to serve them up you will

surely not be disappointed.

Beet Salad

3 Beets baked, peeled and diced

2 chopped green onions

1/2 cup of mayo

1 Tbs of white wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss and cool covered in the refrigerator for one hour before serving.

Charcuterie Board 101

No we did not invent the charcuterie 

board but we sure do own it!

We love making up these fun and yummy boards

whenever we are all together. My kids especially

love taking turns whipping up creative new items 

to slap on the board just to get a reaction! 

It really could not be easier and yet it looks so impressive!

Pick up some special cheese and crackers and then add

anything from fruit, nuts, olives, breads, mustards, salami, 

olive oils, fresh sea salt, veggies, pate or pickles.

We like to serve it before dinner with a 

glass of wine or sparkling water.

It gives me a littel extra time in the kitchen before 

I am bombarded with HANGRY people 

standing over me forging for food.

If you don't have a board use a tray or a big bowl.

There are NO rules and NO recipe to follow.

Just have fun!

My girls are oh so proud!

Good mama training for sure!

OH I almost forgot!

Don't worry about how to pronounce charcuterie.

I NEVER ever get it right!

Happy Boarding!

We put these puppies on the board too!

Go HERE for this amazing 

Sausage & Cheese Crescent recipe!

One more board to check out!

Drunken Cheese Tray

Drunken Cheese Tray

• 1/2  cup  grape seed oil
• 1/2  cup  white wine vinegar
• 1/4  cup  fresh lime juice
• 1/2  (7.5-ounce) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and diced
• 3-4  green onions, minced
• 5  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2  teaspoon  white sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  sea salt
• 1/8  teaspoon black pepper
• 1  (8-ounce) block Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, chilled
• 1  (8-ounce) block Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, chilled
• 2  (8-ounce) packages Cream Cheese, chilled 

Whisk together first 3 ingredients, add diced red peppers and next 6 ingredients. Set marinade aside.

Cut all 4 blocks of cheese in half lengthwise. Cut halves crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. cheese. The cream cheese can be tricky but make sure it is really cold prior to cutting.

Arrange cheese slices in rows in a shallow serving dish. Pour sauce over cheeses. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. 

Serve with your favorite crackers, bagel chips and bread at room temperature.

My favorite part.....

Any remaining leftovers can be used in the morning and spread on a toasted bagel!! YUM!! 
Another popular recipe here on my blog.........

Sausage and Cream Cheese Crescent Bars!

CRAZY EASY and SO AMAZING!

This Little Piggy Went To Market!

I have to confess

 I LOVE BACON

Pretty Much

ANYTHING

with

BACON!

OINK OINK!

The Big Bad Wolf 

Likes Bacon Too!

So This Recipe Is For 

All The Bacon Lovers

Out There!

Little Piggy Appetizer 

3/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

One Sleeve of Rectangular Club Crackers (Waverly Wafers is what I use)

1 pound sliced bacon (cut in half)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place about 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap the bacon around it.  Stack a broiler rack on top of a cookie sheet to catch juices from bacon.  Place the wrapped cracker on the broiler rack seam down.  Bake for 2 hours.  No need to flip crackers.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

I know what you are thinking!  No they are not soggy!  They actually crisp up really nice! These are such a hit with the menfolk!

I made a batch of these and they were gone in 5 minutes flat! 

NO LIE! 

MAMA

DOES NOT LIE!

Piggies in a row

Ready to go in the oven!

Piggies 

All

Done!

Ready To Be Eaten!

Check Out These

Piggies from
The Graphics Fairy!

Pig Family

In the Snow

Pig Pets

Pig and a Gig

Poor Pig

RUN

Angry Pig

VERY ANGRY

PIG

Pig Delivering Mail

Looks Difficult!

He is Stressed!

Have a Great Day!

PIG OUT!

Sausage Crescent Rolls

This is an all-time favorite at
Mama Holli's house.

ALL THE TIME
ALL DAY

It is a tradition to serve these
Christmas morning

while we open our gifts but this recipe is not reserved
only for special occasions!

These puppies also make a wonderful

manly appetizer!

The menfolk just love to munch
on these while standing in front
of the TV watching some
kind of sporting event.
I pull them out of the freezer and zap
in the microwave for a quick kiddo breakfast.

The best thing about this recipe is that

it can be made ahead and frozen
until ready to use!

HOLD ON COWGIRLS....

Here we go!

 Easy Ingredients

1 pound of mild pork sausage

(This Texas Mama uses only Jimmy Dean)

2 cans of crescent rolls

(Pillsbury - YUM)

1 block of cream cheese, softened

(Philadelphia - Going for it - No fat free)

Sausage Crescent Rolls

Brown and drain sausage. Add cream cheese to sausage.  Spray baking sheet.  Open rolls but do not separate triangles.  You will make 2 loaves from these rolls.  Place 4 triangles together on a baking sheet.  Press out the perforated holes to seal as one piece. (Now you can buy them in sheets but either will work) Spread half of the sausage mixture on top.  Cover with the remaining 4 triangles pressed together.  With your finger press all around the edges to seal the top and bottom pieces of dough.  Repeat the procedure to make the second loaf. 

Mama Denise in Texas brushes egg whites over the tops of the loaves and  sprinkles poppy seed over the egg whites. I don't do that step but if you feel like being a little fancy then go for it!  Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  Slice loaves and serve hot.  You may let them cool on a wire rack and place them single layer in a Ziploc bag and freeze.  No need to thaw just reheat on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees. 

I like to spice this up a bit and I add 

1 Tbs. green chilies 

and 1/3 cup of pepper jack cheese 

to the sausage and cream cheese! 

WAIT!

If you have discovered this recipe while looking for 

Superbowl super food then you will want this 

QUESO recipe too! 

It is ridiculously fattening and worth the calories!

Either way it is delicious!
WAIT!
If you like this recipe then
you need this next recipe as well!

Go HERE 
for the 
Drunken Cheese Tray
and 
Go HERE 
for the 
Triple C Rolls

Sharing Recipes! That's What Mamas Do!

Fabulous Warm Blue Cheese, 

Bacon, and Garlic Dip

This dip is to die for!

I have made this for 
several years now!

The recipe is from a cookbook, 

Stop and Smell the Rosemary.

It is a wonderful cookbook from

The Junior League of Houston.

Ingredients

7 slices of bacon, chopped

2 gloves of garlic, minced

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup of half and half

4 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

2 Tbls. chopped fresh chives

3 Tbls. chopped smoked almonds

Directions

Cook bacon in skillet over medium high heat until almost crisp.

Drain most of the fat from skillet.  Add garlic and cook until bacon is totally crisp about 3 minutes. Remove the bacon and garlic from the skillet and drain on a paper towel.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add half and half and mix until combined.  Stir in bacon mixture, blue cheese, and chives.  Transfer to a minimum 2 cup oven proof serving dish and cover with foil.  Bake about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped almonds.  Serve with sliced green apples, crackers or bread.  

I usually double this recipe if 
taking to a big party.

Sometimes I use a little more 
half and half if I 

think the consistency is too 
thick before baking.

  When bringing to a party ask 

the hostess  if you can bake 
it upon arrival.

It is so good hot out of the oven!

Mama Likes It Hot!
Mama Also Likes it COLD!

My friends LOVE this appetizer as well.
It is sooo easy and oh sooo YUMMY!
Go HERE to this post to get the recipe.