Tag: KOA

Mudslides

Just a wonderful nightcap/dessert!  The adult milkshake.

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz        Kahlua
  • 8 oz        rum
  • 1/2 gal   chocolate ice cream

Directions:

1. Place liquor in blender.
2. Add small portion of ice cream.
3. Blend.
4. Add rest of ice cream in 2 batches.

Serves: 6-8

For single serving:  1 oz Kahlua, 2 oz rum, 2 c ice cream

Source: Carol Chesarek, Stanford 1983

Notes:  Infinite variations are possible, ie. Amaretto with vanilla ice cream (avalanche), Drambue with chocolate or vanilla ice cream (Loc Ness), Tia Maria with chocolate ice cream (Revolution),  etc.

Golden Rum Cake

“My family requests this rummy Bundt cake from me at all our get-togethers. The butter rum glaze makes it special. An easy way to glaze your cake is to pour half of the glaze into Bundt pan, reinsert cake, then pour the rest of glaze over the bottom of the cake. Let absorb well then invert back onto platter.”

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
3. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.
4. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix.
5. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum.
6. Blend well.
7. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
9. Let sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto serving plate.
10. Brush glaze over top and sides.
11. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used.

To make the glaze:
1.In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum.

Serves: 12

Source: allrecipes.com, submitted by Jackie Smith

Notes: At KOA we cooked the cake in round cake pans.  1 10″ Bundt pan = 2 9″ cake pans.
We used instant lemon pudding and lemon rum.

Blue Cheese Butter

I use this on steaks, chicken, sandwiches, or just about anything – I really like blue cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb crumbled firm blue cheese (2 cups)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or salted if that is what you have)
  • 1/4 c Port (optional, but it does make it really tasty)

Directions:

Gently mash together all ingredients in a bowl with a fork, leaving some texture.

Serves: Makes about 3 cup

Source: Gourmet | October 2003
Comments: Butter keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week. It will freeze.

 

BLT Dip

There is something about bacon and tomatoes that is just plain good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1 c Miracle Whip
  • 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • lettuce
  • Assorted crackers or chips

Directions:

  1. Set aside a small amount of bacon, tomato, and green onion for garnish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, remaining bacon, tomatoes and onions.
  3. Refrigerate overnight.
  4. Serve in a lettuce lined bowl.

Serves: 3 cups.

Source: Taste of Home 2014, Emalee Payne, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Caprese Antipasticks

This is a fun and pretty variation for a salad.   

Ingredients:

  • 10 c mixed salad greens
  • 10 8-inch bamboo skewers
  • 20 cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 20 pieces fresh mozzarella ½ inch cubes
  • 20 leaves fresh basil
  • 10 large black olives, pitted
  • 10 large green Sicilian olives
  • 10 marinated artichoke hearts, cut in half if necessary
  • 10 pieces red or yellow bell peppers
  • 10 lemon wedges
  • ¾ c Extra-virgin olive oil,
  • ¼ c Balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. For caprese sticks, skewer tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, and basil leaves between them.
  2. Toss lettuce with oil and vinegar.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place skewers on bed of lettuce.
  5. Place lemon wedge on plate.

Serves: 10

Source: Better Recipes, Rachael Ray, and The Kitchen

Warm Blue Cheese Dip

This is one of my favorites – good, easy, and it freezes!  I had cooked bacon and chives in the freezer so used that and store bought chopped garlic. Just mixed them in with the rest of the ingredients. I baked it and then reheated it later in the microwave.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb bacon, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened (I discovered the “spreadable” cream cheese does not work as well as the block cream cheese — it melts!)
  • ½ c heavy cream
  • 6 oz blue cheese, crumbled
  • 4 Tbs fresh chives, chopped
  • 4 Tbs almonds, chopped
  • Crackers or sliced baguette for serving

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. In nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat about 8 minutes or until nearly crisp. Drain bacon and wipe skillet dry
  3. Return bacon to pan, add garlic and cook over medium heat until bacon is crisp, about 2 minutes. Make sure garlic doesn’t burn.
  4. Drain on paper towels
  5. Using paddle attachment of electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth
  6. Add cream, beat well to mix
  7. Fold in bacon, garlic, blue cheese, and chives
  8. Transfer to 1 quart baking dish, top evenly with almonds.
  9. Bake about 30 minutes or until heated through.
    Serve with crackers, baguette slices or vegetables

Serves: Makes 4 cups, serves 20

Source: Reader’s Digest from Morton’s the Cookbook by Klaus Fritsch

Comments:  I had cooked bacon and chives in the freezer so used that and store-bought chopped garlic. Just mixed them in with the rest of the ingredients. I baked it and then reheated it later in the microwave.

 

Creamy Crawfish Dip

I know, it looks like I didn’t really make the recipe – but you go with what you have on hand.  And I had lots of cream cheese spread on hand!

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tab butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 bunch green onions (white parts only), chopped.  (I used purchased diced onions – about 1/4 c)
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped (I used the rest of a jar of pimento – you just need the color)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 (8oz) package cream cheese (I used cream cheese spread – the soft cream cheese)
  • 3 Tab mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip)
  • 1 tsp creole seasoning, such as Tony Chachere’s (I only had Cajun seasoning so skipped the cayenne and added a pinch of basil)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or more to taste
  • 1 12 oz pkg craw fish tail meat, thawed and drained (sure, everyone has that on hand!  Use cooked Bay shrimp- those tiny ones.)
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Crusty bread and Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving

Directions:

  1. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat.
  2. Add onions and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and saute for another minute.
  4. Stir in cream cheese, mayonnaise, creole seasoning and cayenne.
  5. Whisk until smooth.
  6. Reduce heat to low.
  7. Add the craw fish tail meat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
  8. Season with salt to taste.
  9. Serve immediately with toasted bread slices and hot sauce.
  10. Garnish with green onion tops if desired.

Serves:  Makes 2 cups

Notes:  Frozen Louisiana craw fish tail meat is available at CajunGrocer.com.  or in the frozen seafood section of a well-stocked grocery store.  If using freshly cooked, whole craw fish, 5-6  pounds will yield 12 ounces of meat.

Source:  TheKitchn.com

Sun Dried Tomato Torta

Simple and tasty – and it keeps for at least a week.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c cream cheese, room temperature (one 8oz package)
  • 1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
  • 1 c grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ c sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (reserve oil)
  • 2 Tab oil from tomatoes
  • rice crackers or toast rounds

Directions:

  1. Beat cream cheese, butter and Parmesan cheese until smoothly blended. You can use a food processor or electric mixer.
  2. Cut tomatoes into thin strips.
  3. Using a blender, whirl remaining tomatoes in reserved oil and ½ c cheese mixture until tomatoes are very smoothly pureed.
  4. Scrape puree back into bowl with cheese mixture and beat to blend.
  5. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
  6. Mound cheese on a platter and garnish with tomato strips.
  7. Serve with rice crackers or toast rounds.

Serves Makes 4 cups

Source:  Orange County Register, February 14, 1994, Food Section Take Five

Crab Pizza

Pretty impressive for as simple as it is.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz soft cream cheese
  • 2 Tab milk
  • cocktail sauce, the bolder the better (or tomato sauce mixed with horseradish)
  • ½ lb crab meat (fake ok)
  • 1 T. fresh parsley, minced
  • zest of one lemon
  • Club crackers, or any other plain cracker

Directions:

  1. Mix cream cheese with enough milk to make it spreadable.
  2. On a large plate or pretty platter, spread cream cheese into about a 9 inch circle or square.
  3. Spread with cocktail sauce, maybe about 1/2 cup, just depends on how much you like.  But do be sure it is bold with plenty of horseradish!
  4. Sprinkle with crab meat followed by a sprinkling of parsley and lemon zest.
  5. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves: 8
Source: Big Red Kitchen, Robin Sue

Cashew Avocado Spread

Sounds odd but is really tasty.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ c cashews, coursely chopped
  • 1 c avocado, mashed
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 tsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/8 tsp Tobasco sauce
  • 1 drop green food coloring
  • paprika to taste
  • crackers (your choice)

Directions:

  1. In a bowl combine cream cheese and green food coloring.
  2. Add avocado, cashews, Cheddar cheese, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and hot sauce. Mix well with spoon.
  3. Place in serving bowl.
  4. Chill covered for several hours.
  5. Dust with paprika.
  6. Serve with crackers

Serves: 3 cups

Source:  Texas Ties – Recipes and Remembrances From The Junior League of North Harris County.