Baked Potato Dip

This is the easiest dip ever! It is a winner with every crowd too!

Baked Potato Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar real bacon bits
chopped jalapenos to taste

Mix all ingredients together and put in oven safe dish. Bake at 350 until bubbly. Serve with Wheat Thins.

It is so yummy! Let me know how it worked for you.

Tea Cookies

This recipe is from Carol Echols. I made these for Bennett's baptism favors.

Carol says: "These make great cut-out cookies!"

2 cups sugar
4 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 scant teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Blend sugar & butter; cream. Lightly spoon flour into cup measure and level with knife. Mix dry ingredients and add alternately with beaten eggs to sugar mix. Add vanilla. Roll out on board dusted with flour and cut with cookie cutter. Bake in 350 degree oven until lightly browned. About 10 minutes.

I used Royal Icing to ice them.

Royal Icing

This icing is so easy and perfect for stacking cookies as the icing hardens when air hits it. Leslie and I used this to ice Kendal's baby shower favors. I also used it to ice Bennett's baptism favors.


2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted


Royal Icing with Egg Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

It said to sift the powdered sugar...I sifted the first cup and then was tired. It worked just fine "unsifted!"

They turned out so cute! We piped Kendal's baby girl's monogram on each cookie!

Cucumber Sandwiches

1 large or 2 medium unpeeled cucumbers

1 8-ounce & one 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2-3 green onions, finely chopped, tops and all

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 dashes Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 teaspoon garlic salt (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Grate cucumber and carefully press out moisture with paper towels. (I used a small strainer because I find that the paper towels just don't cut it!) Mix all ingredients well, using enough mayonnaise to moisten so filling will spread easily. Spread on very thin bread, crusts removed. Refrigerate or freeze.

I used Pepperidge Farm Ultra Thin bread. I also use an electric knife for clean cut edges! Also, I forgot the chives and they turned out great!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are so fabulous! They are perfect for a Fall day.

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour (I only use 3/4 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup plain pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with foil or paper baking cups. Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Break eggs into another bowl. Add pumpkin and butter, and whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until puffed and springy to the touch in the center. Keeps 1-2 days.

Cookie Dough Truffles

This is a yummy Paula Deen recipe. I saw her make these the other day and I had to try them! I made them for Weiser's Steel Magnolias Testimony!


1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions:
In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well.
Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.
*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll. (I did not do this...I used this handy small ice cream scoop and kept clean hands...Paula needs this tip!)

Into the refrigerator for 2 hours...

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

I started to run out of chocolate towards the end so some of them look a little messy and uncovered. Also, I topped them off with some of the extra pecans I had left.

Corn Dip

This dip is one of my total spring/summer favs! I make it at least 12 times a summer!

2 cans mexi-corn
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8 oz sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Tony's (I just put some for taste)
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Mix all of the ingredients together. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. I like to make it the day before because it tastes SO much better! Serve with corn chips.