Paula’s Recipe of the Month: July 2009
Mexican Layer Dip

This is my absolute favorite dip.  Anytime that we’re having a party, it is always requested.

Mexican Layer Dip

• 1 can refried beans
• 1/3 lb. hamburger meat, browned and seasoned
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• Picante sauce
• 2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
• tortilla or corn chips

Brown the hamburger meat and set aside.  Spread refried beans onto a large pizza pan.  Top with hamburger meat and chopped onion.  Spoon picante sauce over layers.  I don’t measure it, I just spoon a nice even layer…not too soupy.  Top with cheese.  Bake at 350 until cheese is melted.  Serve warm with chips.  Our favorite chips for this dip is the Frito Corn Chip Scoops!  Yum!!!

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: June 2009
Four Minute Brownie Pie

This is such a great and easy pie to make.  I also love that you will usually have all the ingredients on hand.  Rea and I are making these for her teachers at school.  Tomorrow is the last day of school for the summer, so we thought we would make them each one as a “thank you” for such a great year.  I have the last one in the oven right now…the house smells so good!

Four Minute Brownie Pie

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup flour (self-rising)
• 3 to 4 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 deep dish pie crust

Place eggs, sugar, butter, flour, cocoa, vanilla and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Beat 4 minutes.  Stir in pecans.  Pour into pie crust.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  The pie will settle as it cools.

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: May 2009
Cake Release

I’m going to go a little outside of the box this month, but you’ll be glad I did.  I’m currently baking cake for Rea’s birthday party tomorrow, so I thought it would be the perfect time to share my Cake Release recipe with you.  This stuff is amazing!  You’ll never spray a cake pan with Pam again…trust me.

Cake Release

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cup shortening

Mix together until it looks “creamy.”  Store in air tight container.  To use, just take a pastry brush or paper towel and spread a thin layer over the bottom of your pan.

Paula’s tip:  This cake release will last a really long time, but may seperate a little.  Just give it a really good stir until creamy again.  If it starts to look a little waxy, it’s time to mix up a new batch.  Also for extra simplicity, I have the recipe written on the top of my container. 

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: April 2009
Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

This is a recipe that I got from Tina several years ago.  It’s actually in The Martin Cookbook, for those of you that may have it.  They are one of Wynn’s favorites.  He even requested that I make them for his birthday meal this week.  Enjoy!

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

• 3/4 lb. chicken breasts, cubed (I use two)
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 cups picante sauce, divided
• 1 (16 oz) can black beans, undrained
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 12 flour tortillas (7 inch)
• 1 1/2 cups monterey/jack cheese (I use a mexican blended cheese)

Cut chicken into small pieces, saute until done.  Cook bacon until crisp, crumble and set aside.  Add 1/2 cup picante sauce, black beans, bell pepper, cumin and salt to chicken.  Simmer 7 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Stir in green onions and crumbled bacon.  Spoon 1/3 cup mixture down center of each tortilla; top with 1 Tbsp. cheese.  Roll up filled tortilla and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9×13 pan.  Repeat until you have 12 enchiladas.  Spoon remaining picante sauce over enchiladas (this is optional:  Wynn and I actually prefer them without the extra picante sauce, because we like the tortillas to get crispy). Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese; bake an additional 3 minutes.

Paula’s tip:  I always make these in the morning and refrigerate, then pop them in the oven for about 30 minutes.  Just make sure to preheat the cold casserole dish with the oven as it preheats. 

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: March 2009
Raspberry Tea

I love Raspberry Tea.  I’ve always gotten really excited to find it on a menu when eating out…until now.  This recipe tastes just like the raspberry tea I’ve come to know and love.  Now I can make it at home!  As usual, I’ve modified the recipe to fit my tastes, you’ll find my tweaks in blue.

Ingredients:

• 8-1/4 cups water, divided
• 2/3 cup sugar  (I used 1 cup of sugar because I prefer my tea on the sweeter side)
• 5 individual tea bags  (I used 1 family size tea bag)
• 2 1/2 cups unsweetened raspberries  (I used 1 bag of frozen raspberries)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Steep for 5-8 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add 4 cups water.
In another saucepan, bring raspberries and remaining water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Strain and discard pulp. Add raspberry juice to the tea mixture. Serve in chilled glasses over ice. Yield: about 2 quarts.

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: February 2009
Toblerone Fondue

This is one of my favorites!  It’s great if your having a party or if you want to plan something special for just you and your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day. 

Toblerone Fondue

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 bars Toblerone (4 oz. each)
• 1 Tbsp. Cognac, Rum or milk

How to prepare: Warm the cream in a small saucepan.  Break toblerone into pieces, add to the cream and stir until melted.  Thin slightly with cognac, rum or milk.  Pour into small fondue pot to keep warm.

To serve: I like to serve with fresh strawberries, apple slices, large marshmallows and cubed Sara Lee pound cake, but the possibilities are endless.

Skillet Cornbread

Mom mentioned the other day that she wanted a good scratch cornbread recipe.  I told her I found one that I was about to try.  She immediately said that if it was good, she wanted it.  Last night I made it, and it was really good.  I made a few modifications to the recipe, so I’m going to blog “Paula’s version.”  When I called mom to tell her I had tried the recipe, she wanted me to put it on The Martin Box.  So, you can thank her for the bonus recipe this month. 

Skillet Cornbread

• 2 to 3 teaspoons oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

Coat bottom and sides of a 10 inch iron skillet with the oil.  Heat in a 450 oven.

Whisk together the buttermilk, milk and egg.  Add cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Pour batter into the hot skillet.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: January 2009
Hodge Podge

Don’t let the title of this recipe scare you away: Hodge Podge is basically a vegetable beef soup.  I got this recipe from a friend of mine.  It’s so easy, but so good.  It’s one of our favorite soups.  One added bonus is you can easily double the recipe and freeze half for later.

Hodge Podge

• 1 lb. hamburger meat, browned/seasoned and drained
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cans Minestrone soup
• 2 cans water (using Minestrone soup can)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I use the Italian diced tomatoes)
• 1 can whole kernel corn, undrained
• 1/2 can rotel (or if you like your food a little spicy…1 can rotel)

Brown and season the hamburger meat.  Pour all ingredients into a crock pot or stock pot and simmer on low.

Paula’s Tips:

The recipe as written will fit in a crock pot, but if you want to double it, you’ll need to use a large stock pot.

If you haven’t already discovered the new Premium Saltine Mini Crackers, you have to try them.  They are perfect for tossing into your soups.  Plus for those with little kids, they are perfect for making peanut butter crackers.

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: December 2008
Christmas Mice

These are just the cutest little cookies ever!  I knew months ago that this would be my December recipe.  I’m sure I’ll be making these more than once before Christmas gets here.

Christmas Mice

24 Double Stuffed Oreos
1 C. chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening
24 maraschino cherries with stems
almond slices
24 chocolate kisses
black, red and green tubes of decorating frosting (optional)

Rinse cherries and allow them to drain.  Carefully twist Oreo cookies apart. Set aside the ones with the cream filling on them; save plain halves for another use.  In microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding cherry by stem, dip in melted chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss.   Place cherry and kiss onto the cream filling of the cookie. Let stem extend over the edge.   Make ears for your mouse by placing sliced almonds between the cherry and the kiss (before the chocolate sets).    Place in refrigerator until chocolate sets.   With green decorative gel, pipe holly leaves on white cream of cookie by the mouse.   Pipe holly berries between the leaves with the red gel.   Pipe eyes on each chocolate kiss.   Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Tips: I used Almond Bark instead of the chocolate chips and eliminated the need for shortening.
Maraschino cherries need to have stems and be well-drained.

Paula’s Recipe of the Month: November 2008
Corn Casserole

I got this recipe years ago from my Mam-maw.  She would make it for our family Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.  It’s really easy to make and goes great with your traditional holiday dishes.  I wish I knew where she got the recipe.  All I remember is her surprising it with us one year.  Everyone loved it, so it got added to our holiday menu.

Corn Casserole

• 1 can cream style corn
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 Jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together.  Pour into a greased casserole dish.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Paula’s Tip: I use the jalapeno slices you can buy in a jar.  I never really measure how many I use.  I just chop a few up and toss them in…you can make it as spicy as you want or leave them out completely.

See, I told you it was easy.