Cowboy Caviar

A friend of mine made this for a party she had and I had to get the recipe from her because it was so delicious! You serve it as an appetizer (or as we say here in Hawaii a "pu-pu") with chips. My friend even said she puts it on top of lettuce and eats it as a salad too. I think I will try that next!

15 oz. can of shoepeg corn (it was $3 a can here so I used regular corn)

15 oz. can of black eyed peas (they only had them with chile's so I used froze ones)

2/3 cup cilantro

2/3 cup green onions, chopped

1-2 avocados cubed

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. salt

1 t. cumin

Mix all veggies together except avocados and tomatoes. Mix dressing ingredients together and then toss with veggie mix. Marinate for 2-3 hours before serving. About 1/2 hour before you serve it add the avocados and tomatoes so they don't get soggy.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

This reminds me of Reese's peanut butter cups. You can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate. Plus it's super easy to make. This makes 60 bars because the measurements are for a 13x9 pan. I just cut the ingredients in half so we weren't eating this for weeks on end.

2 cups peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

GREASE 13x9-inch baking pan.

BEAT 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butter in large bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup morsels. press evenly into pan. Smooth top.

MELT remaining peanut butter and morsels in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread over crust in pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator.

Maple Butternut Squash

My mom gave me this recipe when I told her I was having trouble coming up w/ side dish options. It is really good! I tweaked it a bit, so the proportions vary each time I make it.

1 butternut squash

2-3 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

craisins (I like enough so there's craisin in every bite)

chopped walnuts (toasted)

salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400. Peel the outer skin off the butternut squash, and then cut it into 1/2 inch chunks. Put squash on baking pan--jelly roll style w/ the edges. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Add craisins and bake for 5 more minutes. While this is baking, I toast the walnuts in our toaster oven. You can toast them in the oven while the squash is baking though. Remove squash from oven and stir in walnuts. (I usually drizzle just a little bit more maple syrup on it b/c I like the flavor that adds.) I think it's really good reheated the next day too--which is good since this recipe makes a lot.

don't get too excited...

I haven't posted in FOREVER!!! I wish I had something really great to post. I am sure if I stopped and thought about it there would be something...
I have been spinning recipes to my own liking these days but I don't really know that that is considered post worthy...
Anyways, I discovered a web site called www.ourbestbites.com and I have enjoyed looking at their recipes and ideas. I haven't made anything yet but wanted to share my find! :) Happy Easter ladies!
What are the menus looking like for y'all this year?
We are all bringing a side to my sister's house...this year I am bringing my old faithful spinach salad.