Quick and Easy Artichoke Dip

• 2 14 ounce cans of artichokes (packed in water, not oil and drained well)
• 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise. NOT miracle whip
• 3 ounce package cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Chop the drained artichokes and mix with remaining ingredients.
• 2
  Microwave on high heat for 5 minutes, pausing occasionally to stir .
• 3
  Serve with toasted, thinly sliced baguettes, crackers or even leaves of endive.

Oyster Cracker Crunch!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packages of oyster crackers
• 1 cup oil
• 1 pkg hidden valley ranch dressing
• 1 T lemon pepper
• 1 T dill weed

DIRECTIONS

MIx above well and put crackers in double lined paper bag and pour dressing over. Shake and let sit 4 - 8 hours turning and shaking bag a few times. Store in a sealed plastic bag.

Homemade Crab Rangoon!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pkg wanton skins
• 1 cup water
• 3 ounce cream cheese
• 1 can minced crab drained WELL
• 3 green onions sliced (white part only)

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Mix the cream cheese, onion and well drained crab. Fill center of wanton skin with a tsp of crab mixture and using your finger dip into water and moisten two sides of the wanton skin. Fold into a triangle and seal edges.
• 2
  Cook in 1-2 inches of hot oil. Flipping until both sides are lightly browned.
• 3
  Serve with sweet and sour

French Fruit Creme!

• INGREDIENTS

• 1 package of cream cheese softened
• 1 jar of marshmallow creme
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• 1 zest of lime,lemon or orange

DIRECTIONS

In medium bowl beat up all ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Dip different kinds of fruit.

Well good morning my sweets!!!!

Guess who is back!?!?! You got it. SIMPLY DELISH!
I have missed blogging so much. I really enjoy sharing my family recipes with all of you. It has been a whirl wind year and one that was full of awesome yet busy projects. So grab your coffee, tea or soda and let's catch up!

If you have been following us on facebook at Simply Delish you will know that I have been spending my days and more often than not, my nights in the kitchen. It's where I long to be. Mixing, sifting, measuring, pouring, cracking, baking and tending over the goodies which fill my oven.

Some of you know that I have just finished my second cookbook. I started making my own cookbooks a couple of years ago. You see, when I was little I spent a lot of time with my mom and my grandmother. If you have read past blogs you will have already met my grandmother throughout my stories. If you haven't yet heard about these amazing women, I will share with you a little bit.

My grandmother owned and operated her own cafe (but it was a full blown restaurant  for most of her adult life. Her and my grandfather Paul used to work side by side, and when I say this, I mean grandpa was at grandma's beck and call) for years and years. And she continued to run it long after he passed away from Alzheimer's.

 Anywho..My mom and dad used to spend many weekends up there refurbishing old homes and spending time with grandma. Sometimes I would go with my parents and help with the construction...but I loved it when they left me with grandma. She always put me to work and I used to dream that this was my very own cafe. I learned a lot from her. My mom was an avid baker. She too, taught me so much about cooking and baking.

My mom passed away when I had just turned 16. I found myself growing up wondering how to make the recipes that she had yet to teach me. I read cookbooks, watched cooking shows, took a couple cooking courses and slowly over time, taught myself more. Still to this day, I am learning more, practicing new techniques, trying new recipes and inventing my own.

This is where my cookbooks come in!

Both of my boys love to eat. And they love to cook! I love that they are always asking me to show them how to cook something or calling asking me how to make this or that. They grew up in the kitchen with me. I always included them in whatever I was baking or cooking. Steven, enjoyed it so much, when he was little we got him one of those fisher price kitchens. And it was so much fun watching him "cook" things for us to sample :)

 I remember thinking.. I wish my mom had made a cookbook! Or even my grandmother! I mean I have a box of old recipes but that isn't no cookbook! Its an OCD nightmare is what it is! And some of the recipe cards are more like notes. With no real measurements just a list of ingredients and a couple lines of reminders.

So I took to making a cookbook. Mass produced? No. But several family members have a copy of it. And my boys are always saying "This is so good mom, this recipe is in my cook book yes?" So ...Simply Delish (Cookbook #1) was created.

It features 100 recipes that my boys love and have grown up enjoying. Ok..there is some fish recipes in there that are not on their top 100 list :) but hey.. their future wife might like fish!

Cookbook #2 should be here any day. It's called Simply Scrumptious and features another 100 recipes. I have a third book that I am working on.. and a fourth already named and waiting patiently for me to hustle up. As long as new recipes come to me, recipe books will still be made!

I've had many friends who have asked me for a copy. Just because the name is called Simply Delish, doesn't mean that all 100 recipes are Simply Delish Bakery recipes. (However, there are some of those in the ones for my kids)

Since I own and operate Simply Delish Bakery as a business  selling yummy bakery items to my sweet clients, I would not include those recipes in a cookbook for my friends and clients to buy. :(  That would be like handing out the combination to the vault! :)

Those who know me know that I don't just bake sweets. I'm a savory lover too! Rarely do I cook from a box. And those recipes....I am willing to share with anyone who wants them! I'd be happy to make a cookbook for you out of those recipes. But then you would have to purchase the cookbook at $35.00. (Which is still a great price considering that they are hard cover and include photos of the dishes) or I can post in my blog all of the savory (and some sweets) here for you for free. All you have to do is copy/ paste and print them out for your recipe. I will never remove this blog so feel free to come on back as often as you'd like!
Share with your family! Share with your friends!
Now... let's get started!

Fritolicious!

I got this recipe from the "Crock Pot Girls" but did some editing on the recipe. Yummy!!

1 large can mrs grimes chili beans

1 can drained/rinsed red kidney beans

1 pkg frozen super sweet corn

2 cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 can original rotel

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg ranch seasoning

2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained

1 medium onion diced

Toss it all together in a crock pot on high for 2 hours or low for 6

Serve with Frito chips or tortilla scoops, shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream



Cheeseburger Potato Soup

Fall is definatly here! Time to dust off those crock pots and whip up some comfort food!!!

This recipe will be a family hit!

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and cubed (optional)

3 cups water

2 T + 2 t beef bouillon granules

1 tsp garlic minced

1/8 t pepper

Mix all of these in a stock pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in large skillet brown and drain:

2 pounds ground beef

Add beef to the soup mixture.

Add 4 cups milk to soup.

Add one lrg block velvetta cheese cubed and stir to begin melting.

In separate bowl, add 1 cup milk and 6 T flour and whisk. Pour into soup to thicken.

Serve in bowls with sprinkled cheddar cheese and crumbled crisp bacon.