Phenomenal Jalapeno Poppers

I love jalapeno poppers. The most common way I had them was filled with cream cheese and baked in the oven. That was until our friend TJ introduced me to his Texas grilled jalapeno poppers. These are a Stephens family crowd pleaser! If you know my in-laws you know that status doesn't come lightly.

Toothpicks
12 jalapenos
1lb bacon
8oz monterey jack cheese

Soak the toothpicks in water. Cut the jalapenos in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the cheese in small sticks to lay instead the halved jalapeno. Wrap 1 whole piece of bacon around jalapeno and cheese. Poke two toothpicks through the bacon, jalapeno, and cheese. This will help the poppers hold together while grilling. Season to liking. TJ uses an awesome seasoning salt which will remain top secret. Grill over direct flame, turning frequently, until bacon is cooked thoroughly. Serve immediately while hot.

There's an Egg in my Cocktail?!

My husband and I went to the swanky Austin restaurant the East Side Show Room. Our waitress recommended the Pisco Sour and described it as fresh and creamy. The creaminess comes from the froth the egg whites make. Pisco is a brandy distilled from several different grape varieties grown in South America. Wikipedia says the Pisco Sour's origin is debatable between Peru and Chile. 

I enjoyed the balance of flavor and layered textures. If you're in the mood for something different and feeling a little adventurous don't shy away from the Pisco Sour! If you'd like to try one at home here is a recipe I found on myrecipes.com. Cheers!

1/4 cup (2 oz.) pisco* 

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites

In a blender, whirl 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Whirl until smooth (you'll no longer hear the ice cracking against the side of the blender) and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime.

Bride's No Fail Rolls

This recipe comes from the Tennessee's 95 Magic Mixes cookbook of 1977. My husband was given this cookbook from his grandma and it's a gem! The recipe name is pretty accurate "Bride's No fail Rolls."

2 eggs
1 cup warm water
3 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 package dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Add yeast to warm water. Beat eggs, sugar and oil. Add yeast and water mixture. Beat and add 1 cup of flour at a time, mixing well. Let rise until doubled. Punch down and knead on board. Cut out rolls. Place in greased muffin tins. Let rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Letting the dough rise in the bowl took about 2 and a half hours and in the muffin tin about 45 minutes. The dough was a different consistency than I anticipated so I ended up spooning the mixture into the muffin tin instead of cutting. Next time I will bake at 375 degrees because they burnt a little on the bottom after 15 minutes.

Recipe submitted to cookbook by: Mrs. Reba Bellar of Macon County, Tennessee.

Tasty Tuna Melts

I love a good tuna melt! They're tasty, quick, and cheap to make. The best part is you can adapt this recipe to whatever sounds good or you have on hand. Choose the bread, and cheese, and your toppings. I prefer an english muffin or sourdough bread, but other variations include hot dog bun or tortilla. If a hot dog bun is used it's called a tuna boat! My favorite cheese to use is cheddar or swiss. Serve as a sandwich or open face.

2 slices of sourdough bread
1 can tuna, drained
2 tablespoons mayo
Pinch of salt and pepper
Thin slices of cheddar cheese
1 small avocado, sliced
1/2 tomato, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a small bowl mix together tuna, mayo, salt and pepper. Place bread slices on cookie sheet. Spread tuna mixture on bread. Layer slices of cheese on top of tuna mixture. Bake until cheese is melted, about 7 minutes. Remove cookie sheet and add avocado and tomato.

Childhood Classic: Chex Muddy Buddies

We recently moved to Texas and boy howdy it's hot here! Last weekend when temperatures reached 112 degrees the AC was struggling to keep the house cool so using the oven wasn't an option. Craving something sweet I made Chex Muddy Buddies. This is a childhood classic and my favorite no-bake recipe!  

Ingredients:

9	cups Rice Chex, Corn Chex or Chocolate Chex cereal (or combination)
1	cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1.	Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2.	In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3.	Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.