This recipe is an oldie but a goodie – adapted from the fabulous and beautiful Jr. League of Houston cookbook, Stop and Smell the Rosemary. I have a bunch of smoked almonds, so suddenly I was reminded of this dip. It’s great if you love strong flavors, particularly with a glass of red wine. Oh and if you want to pull out all the stops, serve it in a hollowed out bread bowl. Enjoy!

7 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup half and half
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
2 T. chopped chives
3 T. chopped smoked almonds (1 oz)

Cook bacon over medium high heat until almost crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain excess fat, and add garlic. Cook until bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add half and half, and mix until combined. Stir in bacon mixture, blue cheese and chives. Transfer to a 2-cup ovenproof serving dish and cover with foil.

Bake until thoroughly heated, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Serve with sliced apples, toasted pita chips or French bread.

This recipe comes from our mom, via her friend Reita. She serves with a tamale casserole she makes.

Avocado Salad with Spicy Vinaigrette
(yeilds 2 servings)

2 large Hass avacados, halfed, pitted & sliced into half-inch wedges
1/4 of one large red onion, very thinly sliced, one handful of cherry tomatoes, halfed

For the vinaigrette:

2 T olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 t. garlic powder
2 dashes of hot sauce
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Combine avacado, onion & tomatoes in a large bowl and stir gently, ….set aside.
In a cruet, combine olive oil and next five ingredients.  Shake vigorously to mix.  Pour over avacado mixture and toss gently to coat.  Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

My friends and neighbors know me well. I am always looking for something new to cook at the first hint of Fall and also any special occasion. Thank you Tawnya for sharing a great soup recipe. Between trick or treaters, we snacked on this soup all evening. It was perfect.

1 tsp. of lemon pepper
1 tsp. of cumin seed
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2-8 oz cans of white shoe peg corn, drained
2-4 oz cans of green chilies, undrained
2-15 oz cans of great northern beans, drained and rinsed

In a large pot combine 3 1/2 cups of water with the lemon pepper and cumin seeds. Bring to a boil and add chicken and return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and fully cooked. Remove chicken and cut into small pieces. De-fat the broth if needed and return chicken to pot. (I use a paper towel laid in a spaghetti strainer)

Spray medium skillet with vegetable cooking spray, add garlic and cook. Stir over low heat. Do not burn. Add garlic to chicken. Saute onions in butter in the same skillet until onions are clear. Add onions to the chicken. Add corn, beans, and chilies to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips and cheese or sweet cornbread.

I adapted this recipe to go in the crockpot. It was outstanding.