Sausage & Cream Cheese Dip

Oh how my family enjoyed this for our Christmas appetizers/desserts get together!

I was looking for a simple appetizer online and was thrilled when I found this at Carolina Heartstrings, though I adapted the proceedure just a tad to make it easier.

Being the cream cheese freak that I am, I didn't have to consider this recipe twice...I WAS ON IT!!

I first made it about 10 days before our get together, and hubby and I enjoyed a few meals out of this delicious dip, with tortilla chips.  

It was his idea to make it again for our family. But because our boys don't care for the 'zip' the rotel tomatoes add, I substituted salsa instead, and also used half as much cream cheese/the other half, Velveeta.  It was creamy and wonderful.

With only 3 (or 4?) simple ingredients, I love go-together-quickly recipes like this one.

It's simple to put together, very creamy, and can be kept warm in the crockpot.  Or made ahead, refrigerated, then rewarmed in the microwave, and then put in the crockpot.

Whatever works best for you!!

It would be great to have for your New Year's Eve party, or any time of the year.

HOT SAUSAGE DIP

1 lb. pork sausage, mild (use your favorite kind)

2 - 8 ozs. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
(or use half Velveeta)

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, mild or hot

(or use 1 c. salsa if preferred)

Brown the sausage; drain fat. Place cream cheese in microwave safe bowl along with drained tomatoes (or salsa). Heat in microwave on medium power until melted. Stir until blended. 

Combine with sausage and place in crockpot to keep warm. Choose your favorite chips or veggies to serve with the dip.

Yield: about 6 servings

Linked to Foodie Friday
Recipe of the Week
Gooseberry Patch Roundup - 5 ingredients or less
Ingredient Spotlight - Hot Dogs & Sausage
Weekend Potluck
Meal Plan Monday

Easy Turkey Pot Pie

I'm happy to share that my recipe for Hot Cinnamon Milk Mix was featured last week at Foodie Friday.  If you haven't checked out that simple 4-ingredient recipe yet, you don't want to miss this opportunity to do that. I gave many pkgs. away for Christmas gifts and have received raves and requests for the recipe.


Trust you all enjoyed (& survived!!) your Christmas weekend.
Here's a great idea to use up some leftover turkey, or chicken...


Oh how I love pot pie - it's such comfort food for me.

This is an easy and delicious meal that can be made with turkey OR chicken.

I think it's always comforting for me to eat because when I was a kid, my mama would purchase frozen pot pies on sale for 5/$1 and we always loved them.

(It was one of the rare things mom bought from the store pre-made!)  She made everything from scratch otherwise.

I'm not sure they're still making the bottom crust in most store purchased pot pies...it's one of those ways they've 'cut corners',

but I sure do remember enjoying that crust.

This recipe has a 'pour on' top crust that is wonderful.  We rarely add salt to our dishes, but we do use a lot of pepper, so I like peppering the crust before baking. 

You can change up the kind of soup or use your favorite vegetables.

You can even add some shredded cheese if you prefer.

I added leftover 'ultimate' creamed corn from Thanskgiving and it added a creamy touch to this already tasty dish.

Any way you fix it - it'll be tasty for sure.

If your family is larger, just make a double batch and bake it in a
9" X 13" pan.

EASY TURKEY POT PIE

1 (10-3/4 ozs.) can cream of chicken soup

(regular or 98% fat free)

2 Tb. milk

1 (9 ozs) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

(about a heaping cup)

1 c. cooked turkey or chicken, cubed

onion salt to taste

1/2 c. milk

1 egg

1 c. all purpose baking mix

(like Bisquick)

Preheat oven to 400. Combine soup, 2 Tb. milk, veggies, turkey and onion salt; pour into greased 9" pie plate.  In small bowl, combine milk, egg and baking mix.  Pour over vegetable mixture and bake for 30 minutes; peppering crust if you'd like. May add any herbs to turkey mixture to spice it up to your liking.

Yield: about 4 - 5 servings

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday
Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup - Thanksgiving Leftovers
  Ingredient Spotlight: Leftover Turkey 
Weekend Potluck
Meal Plan Monday

Cranberry Cutouts {Simple}

This is going to be my last post until after Christmas...please be sure to read the quick second post I have for today.


Here's a very simple idea I didn't get to share for Thanksgiving, but would be just as great for Christmas.

Cut out both ends of your jellied cranberry sauce can, use a knife to go around the jelled yum and slide it out of the can.

Slice it into about 8 pieces, then cut out with cookie cutters -
WA LA! 

Makes them a little more 'inviting' and is cute.

Use the leftovers in some red jello mixed with apples, celery & nuts.  YUM!

Linked to Foodie Friends Friday

Merry CHRISTmas to One & All!

LUKE 2:11 - FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.  

May you and yours enjoy a blessed CHRISTmas!

M & M Christmas Story

(This is from my archives, but worth sharing again...)

I printed this one year and included it with my Christmas cards....print it and give it to anyone your little heart desires to
share the CHRISTmas story ....

As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them, You will see the M becomes a W, an E, and a 3.

They tell the Christmas Story; It's one I'm sure you'll know. It took place in a stable A long, long time ago.

The E is for the East Where the star shone so bright.

The M is for the manger Where Baby Jesus slept that night.

The 3 is for the Wise men bearing gifts; With haste they came.

W is for worship; Angels sang praise to His name.

So as you eat these candies or share them with a friend, Remember the true spirit of Christmas and never let it end!

\o/   \o/   \o/   \o/   \o/