Whether you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo this weekend, watching the playoffs, or hosting friends, you just can’t go wrong with this Mexi-Corn Dip.  All your favorite Mexican flavors in one bowl served on top a crunchy tortilla chip  . . . YUM, this dip is always a Party Favorite – maybe you better make a double batch!

Mexi-Corn Dip Recipe

Ingredients

2 cans (11 ounce) Mexican style corn, drained

1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

2-3 green onions, sliced (whites and greens)

1 dash hot sauce (more to taste)

1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Gently mix all ingredients until combined.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.  (Can be made the day before.)  Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.

I don’t like bananas.  Never have and I am really not sure what it is I don’t like about them.  That being said you are probably wondering why in the world am I giving you a recipe using bananas.  I was flipping through a cookbook one day that claimed this Caramelized Banana Pudding offered a whole new taste to the classic banana pudding.  So of course I had to try it.  I am a food blogger that doesn’t like something as common as a banana.  There is something wrong with that.  Well, I must admit this pudding doesn’t taste like the classic it tastes a whole lot better if you ask me.  I just might be on my way to liking bananas 1 Caramelized Banana Pudding at a time {or maybe 2 at a time, but whatever}.

Caramelized Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 large ripe bananas, sliced

1 cup sugar, divided

1/3 cup flour

2 large eggs

2 cups milk {I used whole milk}

4 large eggs, separated yolks and whites

2 tsp. vanilla extract

48 vanilla wafers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Cook brown sugar, butter and cinnamon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly.  Add bananas; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Remove from heat.

Whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, flour, 2 eggs milk and 4 egg yolks in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness.  (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Divide half of banana mixture, pudding, and wafers among 8 (1 cup) ramekins or ovenproof glass dishes.  Layer with remaining banana mixture, pudding and vanilla wafers.

Beat 4 egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.  Add remaining 1/4 sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes).  Spread meringue over ramekins.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Bake puddings for 15- 20 minutes or until meringue is golden.  Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.

*Recipe slightly adapted from Southern Living 2012 Annual Recipes

It’s that time of year when all kinds of college basketball fans come together to watch countless hours of basketball.  So if you remember anything about me it is that I usually have no idea what is going on in the sports world.  So other than it being March and having been to college, I know that it is that time of year.

When watching basketball, what is important, other than you team winning?  The food, of course!  Here is a great snack to have out during those nail-biting games.  These are really quite simple and going to just rock those taste buds.  It is a win-win for everyone!

Loaded Baked Potato Crisps

Ingredients:

2 large and uniform in size russet potatoes, scrubbed well and sliced in 1/8-1/4 inch rounds

2 Tbls melted butter

6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

green onions or chives, optional for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Lightly brush butter on both sides of the potato slices; spread on an ungreased cookie sheet or two.  Bake for 20 minutes.  At this point, remove from oven and turn over the potato rounds and switch pans around, if using two.  Continue baking another 10-20 or until potatoes are soft in the center.

Once again, remove the potato rounds from the oven.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, evenly spread cheese and bacon over the top of each potato round.  Return to the oven just until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve immediately.

Note: Make these how you would prefer them, more or less of any of the toppings or change it to your favorite cheese.  Some recipes are made to be broken!

*Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Bacon, check

Green Beans, check

A sweet and savory glaze, check

YUM!!

Oh wait, you think I need to say something else. I really don’t know what else to say about these Bacon Wrapped Green Beans other than try them TODAY!!

In all seriousness, I think this may be the green bean jackpot, if there is such a thing.  We eat a lot of fresh green beans in our house.  Everyone likes them and they are relatively inexpensive at my local grocery store.  But these little bundles of joy were an even bigger hit than normal.

Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans

4 strips of bacon, cut in half

1/4 cup brown sugar, divided

2 Tbls. butter

1 tsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Wash and trim green beans.  Divide green beans into eight piles (6-8 beans in each).

Take a piece of bacon and lay one of the green bean bunches at one end, tightly roll the bacon around the green beans.  Place seam side down on prepared baking sheet.  Continue with remaining bunches.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of brown sugar over the top of the green beans.

In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and remaining tablespoon of butter.  Melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Add the vinegar and soy sauce.  Stir until sugar is melted and incorporated.  Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper.  Drizzle over the green bean bundles.

Bake uncovered, 30-40 minutes or until bacon is cooked through.  Serve immediately with pan drippings drizzled over the top.

YIELDS: 8 servings, but this can easily be double or tripled if feeding a crowd.  {Plus I think I ate 4 or 5 bundles myself }

Pairs nicely with:

Meatloaf with Brown Sugar ketchup Sauce

Chicken and Rice Bake

A Spiral Cut Ham

Are you aware that Easter falls in March this year? So that means we are less than 1 month to Easter. Easter is just barely in March, March 31st to be exact. {It is also my birthday, just saying}.  So if you are looking for a fun little treat, look no further.  These little nests can be made so fast.  You don’t even need to break out the mixer.

Coconut Easter Nests

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) bag flake coconut
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg white
egg-shaped candies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix all ingredients, except candies, together until well blended.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place about 1/4 cup mounds of coconut dough on prepared pan.  Bake about 15-18 minutes until golden brown.  Cookies may lose shape during baking, simply use a spatula to reshape them.  Make an indentation with thumb to form a nest.  Let cool completely and fill with egg-shaped candies.  {Makes approximately 10 nests, and I could fit them all on one tray.}