Skillet Nachos

1 TB olive oil
1 med. green bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 c. salsa
1 -15 oz. can chill with beans
1 bag tortilla chips
1 1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream
1 2/25 oz can sliced black olives

In 12- skillet, heat oil and saute bell pepper and zucchini for 2 min.
Stir in salsa and chili, cook until hot. Remove mixture from skillet
and wipe skillet clean.
Arrange some tortilla chips in single layer in the bottom of the pan. Spoon
mixture over chips then sprinkle with cheese. Either cover with lid or put
in oven and cook until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and olives.
Serve with additional salsa.

Fried Pickles!

Any of you Eaten at The Garden Restaurant at Temple Square? This is their Fried Pickle Recipe. Delicious and Easy!!
All of you that say you can't cook with out a recipe and can't do this. Well, let me tell you. YOU CAN! This recipe will not change flavor, texture, look, appeal, etc just because you don't know what to do. Folks it's just a fried Pickle. I promise you'll love it.

Pickle Spears
Juice from Spears
Pancake Batter
Flour
Old Bay spice
Baking Powder
Dill Weed Spice

Start out with a 1/2 cup of Pancake Batter
Then add 1/4 cup of Flour
Pinch of Old Bay spice or Less. You don't want your batter turning red. -Don't have any old bay? Leave it out. You'll never be able to tell. Or Just make your own. Emeril Lagasse has a great old bay recipe. Found on Food Network.
Pinch of Baking Powder
Sprinkle of Dill. You can add as much dill as you like.
Start with 1/2 of your pickle juice and mix it in to the dry ingredients.

TO MAKE A FRIED PICKLE:
Take a pickle. Cover it in Flour. Then cover it in Batter. Fry in Hot Oil. Remove from oil when slightly brown. Dip in Ranch or 1000 Island Dressing. Chomp. Chew. Swallow. Repeat

You want a thin batter. Slowly keep adding the pickle juice until it's just a touch thinner than a regular batter for something like pancakes. In between Pancakes and Crepes. It REALLY doesn't matter. If you run out of Juice just add some water. I make this at work in a HUGE BATCH Some days it's really thin, some days it's thick. Some days I add a ton of dill some days I just add a touch. You just have the play with it until it's the way that you like it.

Basil Tomato Toast

For those of you who have seen the movie "Julie and Julia" there is a scene where she makes a garlic toast with tomato salsa dinner. Every time I watch the movie I want to eat it. I did a little digging online and I came up with this. Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks.

Bruschetta alla Julie and Julia – Recipe


4 slices of french bread

16 oz. assorted heirloom type tomatoes; Cherry tomatoes work best. Chop and seed them.

Extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

Sea salt

Chopped fresh basil


1. Toss tomatoes with 1 T. olive oil and about 1 tsp. sea salt.
2. Fry bread in 2-3 T. butter or olive oil in skillet, browning on each side.

3. Rub cut half of garlic over 1 side of fried bread.

4. Spoon tomatoes (with oil and accumulated juices) over bread. Top with chopped basil and more sea salt to taste.

5. Eat with plenty of napkins on hand.

Serves 2.

Meatball appetizers

1 pkg of italian meatballs - cooked
1 15 oz jar of grape jelly
1 jar of chili sauce
1 tb. brown sugar

mix jelly, chili sauce and brown sugar together in a pan and heat until the jelly melts. Pour over cooked meatballs and simmer for a while. Serve with toothpicks or over rice.

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasonings

salt and pepper to taste 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a small baking dish.
	Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
	Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, lightly browned.