Living Rural

“PASS” the Seven-Layer Salad… 

This festive party dip with seven yummy layers can make any occasion a fiesta!

7 Layer Fiesta Dip

2 (8-ounce) packages low-fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix (your favorite brand)

2 cups prepared guacamole (make your own or use ready-made)

2 cups tomato-based salsa

2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped green onions

2 (2-ounce) cans sliced black olives

1. In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and seasoning mix. Spread mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass dish.
2. Top the seasoned cream cheese with the guacamole, salsa, lettuce, cheese, onions and olives in layers.
3. Serve immediately accompanied with tortilla or corn chips.
4. Refrigerate any remaining dip.

Makes 20 servings.

Cook’s Note: If you like, reduce the recipe ingredients by half and use a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish for a smaller party. Or DOUBLE recipe for larger gathering!

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (approximately 1/4 cup): 152.3 calories; 69% calories from fat; 12.0g total fat; 25.3mg cholesterol; 372.3mg sodium; 206.9mg potassium; 5.5g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 0.7g sugar; 4.5g net carbs; 6.3g protein.

“PASS” the Beer Cheese Spread…

Beer Cheese Spread

4 cups (16-ounces) shredded mild cheddar cheese
4 cups (16-ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 (12-ounce) can beer, at room temperature

1. In a mixing bowl
   

   , combine the cheeses with garlic; set aside to soften to room temperature.

2. Add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, mustard, hot pepper sauce, and enough beer to make a spreadable mixture.
3. Place in a crock or serving dish; cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. Serve with an assortment of crackers, chips or crudites.

Makes about 8 cups.

Note: You’ll get the best results if you refrigerate the finished spread for several days to give the flavors more time to blend.
Both recipes are S.U.P.E.R.  BOWL fantastic!

Enjoy!

Remember… “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Do you feel like that, too? This week was very long and somewhat depressing after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Children will be returning to school (moms, too!), time to think about the end of 2007, get that tax information in order, cleaning (?), and whatever else needs to be done!

Leftovers … some ways to use them … Rachel Ray 

Taxes … help … IRS

Cleaning … help … Cleaning 

 Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

It’s Sunday afternoon sliding into evening. It’s been hot and humid with thunder booming out every now and then. No weather advisory for severe weather … yet.

Our small rural church has a new minister - Methodists do that - switch every two to four years. Keeps us from getting bored!

Funny ad on the back of a local cookbook, The Best of Cecil’s World, our small rural IGA selling NEW YORK cheesecake! Well, I thought it was funny.

Still being in recovery mode from surgery has caused a lot of TV watching. Today a marathon of Party of Five … y’all do remember it, don’t you? Let me know: did you watch it? like it? hate it? I’ve watched “The Good Shepherd,” “Birth,” and next up - “Insomnia.”

Still have forms due for AIU.

I thought living in the country was tough when still mobile and driving. Yikes, take away the ability to leave the ol’ home place and you soon realize how … wonderful Living Rural can be! I know, you thought I was going to complain. Not me, not this time!

“Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

United Methodist Church, minister, IGA, cookbook/s, cheesecake, TV shows, “Party of Five, ” movies, “The Good Shepherd, ” “Birth, ” “Insomnia, ” online colleges, AIU Online

My last post mentioned, “… our small town grocery store, the IGA … .” The next closest grocery store is the Piggly Wiggly (you know, as in: “Driving Miss Daisy ‘to the sto’”) almost 20 miles away.

The IGA, though small in size, carries a very good selection of items: local grown produce, a wonderful meat selection with the added touch from long ago - your very own personal butcher who remembers what you like because he knows YOU. My hubby loves to cook inside and grill (charcoal, of course!) outside. He is known for his BBQ Chicken. YUM! The secret is in the sauce.*

The “city” grocery stores grilling chickens are usually the size of turkeys; however, the IGA always carries small tender hens just right for the grill (charcoal, of course!) Hubby loves to be asked to grill chickens (from the IGA ) using his secret sauce; which will remain secret, I tried y’all, but he wouldn’t tell me even one ingredient!

An indoor specialty of his is “Crock Pot BBQ.” This features a little known cut of pork that the IGA has on sale quite often. According to the store’s printed label it is a: “BOSTON BUTT WHOLE.” Hubby even asked, “Isn’t this printed backwards?” Not at the IGA. Oh well, I guess a few things about rural living ARE a little backwards, sometimes! Anyway, the Boston Butt Whole makes great pulled pork BBQ. I did convince Hubby to share this recipe:

CROCK POT BBQ PORK

1 large Boston Butt (”whole” or otherwise)

Season to taste. Make your favorite light vinegar base BBQ sauce. Place pork in crock pot with the sauce.

Cook on low overnight. (about 6-8 hours til tender)

Remove meat and chill.

Pull lean meat apart into large bite size pieces, removing fat as you go.

Add your favorite sweet mustard based BBQ sauce to pulled meat.

Toss to mix well.

Reheat and serve.

YUMMY! remember, “the secret is in the sauce”*

After your belly is full … “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!” Country Gal will be waiting at the door.

* taken from Fried Green Tomatoes (also a recipe, for another time)

groceries, IGA, Piggly Wiggly, movies, Driving Miss Daisy, Fried Green Tomatoes, cuts of meat, pork, BBQ sauce, grilling, recipes

This is a simple, fast, low-fat recipe for Spice Cake.

1 box of Spice Cake mix, any brand will do ( I like Duncan Hines)
1 can pumpkin
1/3 c water

Preheat oven to 325

Empty pumpkin and water into mixing bowl
Begin to mix, adding spice cake mix 1/2 c at a time
Once mixed
Pour into greased cake/bundt cake pan
Bake in preheated oven for 45 min. to 1 hr., depending on oven; check after 45 min. to see if done (I use a toothpick; it should come out clean and dry, if not, cake needs to cook a little longer)
Cool for 10 min.
Gently remove from pan to cooling rack
Let it sit for a few minutes before serving
Place on cake plate
Delicious served with applesauce, spread on cake as icing or on the side
Add a dollop of Cool Whip and you’ve impressed your mom and/or guests with a easy dessert.

Enjoy!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Country Gal is going to put her feet up and have a slice of cake.

bundt cake pan, spice cake, desserts, low-fat dessert, Duncan Hines, Cool Whip, Mother’s Day