My crowd pleasing spinach dip.. make ahead too.

This spinach dip is so easy, and I always make it a day ahead. I serve it hot, but you can serve it cold just as well. I use chips, but feel free to go with crackers, veggies, bread, whatever you you feel like.

1 family sized pack of frozen chopped spinach $3.50
1 8 oz pk cream cheese (room temperature)$1.50
1 small can of cream of celery soup $1.00
1/2 c. mayonnaise*
1 cup shredded mozzarella $1.25
1 tsp lemon juice (I just use some squirts from my plastic lemon)*
1/2-1tsp salt (dependig on your prefference)*
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning*
1/2 c. shredded parmesan $1.50


Place the frozen pack of spinach in a large bowl of water, still in the package, microwave 4mts. Flip, then microwave another 2mts. Poke a whole in the bag, and squeeze out as much water as you can. then open the package, and ball up the spinach in your hand, and continue to squeeze out the water. Place spinach in large bowl. Add cream cheese, soup, mozzarella, lemon juice, salt, and lemon pepper seasoning. Mix with an electric hand mixer if you can. Once finished, place mixture in a disposable aluminum pan or glass ware safe to bake in. Top with shredded parmesan and then foil if you plan on putting n the fridge before baking. Once ready to back, preheat oven to 375. Bake covered with foil for 30 mts, then remove foil and bake another 15 mts.

so 4 steps:
defrost spinach
squeeze out water from spinach
mix ingredients with an electric hand mixer
bake

Pumpkin spiced yams.. make a day before.

I made these for Thanskgiving. While trying to locate the mini marshmellows at the store, I came across these and thought they would be fun. They are pumpkin spiced marshmellows, also made by Jet-puffed. I knew the flavors would be great, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover how once cooked, it turned into a hard top, like that of a creme brulee. I added some other ingredients, candied some walnuts and pecans, then placed in the fridge overnight for Thanksgiving.

3 cans of cut sweet potatoes (I used Princella brand 8 oz cans)$5.00
1/2 cup milk*
2 tbsp of butter*
2 dashes of cinnamon*
1/2 tbsp maple syrup*
1/2 tsp vanilla extract*


candied nuts:
1/2 cup walnuts $2.00
1/2 cup pecans $2.00
1 tbsp brown sugar*
dash of cinnamon*


1/3 package of Jet-puffed pumpkin spice marshmellows $0.75


Open cans of sweet potatos, drain. Combine potatoes, milk, butter, cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla in alarge bowl. I use an electric mixer to mix mine. you can just use your hands as well. mix until well blended. I placed mine in an disposable aluminum foil pan that I purchase them from the dollar tree. Next, combine the nuts, cinnamon and sugar in a small pan and cook on medium to low until the sugar become wet like a glaze. Turn often to coat each nut and quickly remove from heat so they don't burn. Top the yams with the nuts, then the marshmellows. This is where you can either cover in foil and cook another day or, just place in the oven at 375 for 30mts.

so 4 steps:
mix ingredients in a bowl
make candied nuts
top yams with nuts and marshmellows
bake

Beef roast with a garlic, herb, onion and seasoned paste.

This time of year, these roasts drop in price enough for me to buy them. Cooking a roast can be filled with much anxiety. Do I under cook it so its not dry? Do I over cook it to be safe and spend all night convincing people it's not leather? Decisions decisions.. I feel I have perfected it rather well. Here's how...

1 roast ( this was a NY strip roast)

1 roast ( this was a NY strip roast 4-5lb $19
1/2 golden onion $0.10
3 garlic cloves $0.03
Handful of cilantro $0.10
1/2 Tsp garlic salt*
1 tsp honey*
Dash if red pepper flakes*
1 tbsp olive oil*

Allow roast to sit out 30 mts to allow the roast to cook more evenly. If you cook it while still cold, the center will cook slower then the rest.
Preheat oven to 325
Place all the ingredients for the paste in a food processor. Mix until its all blended. Place your roast in a roasting pan, then rub the roast really well using all your paste. Place in the oven for 45 mts. Once finished, remove from oven, cover in foil and allow it to sit for 15 mts. Slice and serve with horseradish if you like.

so 3 steps make paste rub roast cook and let sit