Recipes

[ChiliPepper]

[ChiliPepper]

[ChiliPepper]

Smoked Gouda & Bacon Dip

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Ingredients: 8
• Servings: 12

Ingredients: 

• 1 can (11 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury Original French Bread
• 8 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 cup chopped cooked bacon
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions

Instructions:

• 1
  Heat oven to 350°F. Bake French loaf as directed on can; cool before slicing.
• 2
  Meanwhile, spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix Gouda cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and crushed red pepper; mix on low speed with electric mixer until well mixed. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon for topping; set aside. Stir in remaining bacon and 3 tablespoons of the green onion.
• 3
  Transfer mixture to pie plate. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until dip is heated through. Top with remaining bacon and green onions. Serve hot dip with sliced French bread.

Tips:

• Store remaining dip covered in refrigerator.
• If you prefer more spicy heat, increase crushed red pepper to 1/4 teaspoon.

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories 310 Calories from Fat 210

Total Fat 23g 36%

Saturated Fat 10g 50% Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 55mg 19% Sodium 500mg 21% Potassium 100mg 3% Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%

Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 3g

Protein 10g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A 8% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 15% Iron 4%

Exchanges:

1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1 High-Fat Meat; 3 Fat;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

[ChiliPepper]

[ChiliPepper]

[ChiliPepper]

NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY

Across the United States, fruitcake lovers young and old, commemorate National Fruitcake Day each year on December 27th.

 

Made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices and sometimes soaked in spirits, fruitcake has been a holiday gift-giving tradition for many years.

Dating back to ancient Rome, one of the earliest known recipes lists pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins mixed into barley mash.

Records indicate that in the Middle Ages, makers added honey, spices, and preserved fruits. Recipes for fruitcakes vary from country to country, depending on available ingredients and tradition.

In the 16th century, two achievements crystallized to make fruitcakes more affordable and accessible.

First, sugar from the American Colonies became abundant.

Second, it was discovered that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits. These two actions resulted in excess candied fruit. Consequently, fruitcake making grew.

• Typically, Americans produce fruitcakes abundant in fruit and nuts
• In America, mail-order fruitcake began in 1913. 
• Charities often sell commercial fruitcakes from catalogs as a fundraising event. 
• In 1935, the expression “nutty as a fruitcake” was coined. The phrase came about as a result of excess nuts some Southern bakeries added to their fruitcakes due to their access to cheap nuts.  
• Most mass-produced fruitcakes in America are alcohol-free.
• Some traditional recipes include liqueurs or brandy. Bakers then complete the fruitcake by covering it with powdered sugar.
• Some fruitcake makers soaked their fruitcakes in brandy-soaked linens believing the cakes improved with age. 

[ChiliPepper]

Fruitcake FAQ

Q. I've never eaten fruitcake because I've always heard it is awful. Is that true?

A. No, it doesn't have to be true. There's a difference between quality fruitcakes and those you might find at the convenience store Christmas shelf. Bakers using quality ingredients create rich, nutty, and flavorful fruitcakes.

Q. Why did the fruitcake fall out of favor?

A. Historians point toward a variety of reasons for the fruitcakes downfall including mass production, poor ingredients, and iconic jokes. However, another reason may be that a good fruitcake takes time and effort, sometimes up to a week to complete every step.

[ChiliPepper]

I got this little Duraflame tabletop heater just before Christmas. V57537

I'm pretty sure my cat 🐈‍⬛ thinks I got it for him. He has claimed the spot right in front of it ever since!

[RespectLife]

IT'S A SPECIAL DAY!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @ChiliPepper 

HOPE YOUR DAY IS AS SPECIAL AS YOU ARE !!!

[mustang66lady]