Cooking Up Cottage

Author: Lisa

  • Hamburger Taco Dip

    hamburger Taco Dip

    The other night I needed a dish to take to a backyard grill out and this one was just what I needed. It was easy to transport because it is in a crock pot and super easy to make. This recipe was given to me by my Aunt in 1996 and I have been making it ever since. It reminds me of those chili con queso dips you get at the tex-mex restaurants like Carlos O’Kelly’s. Use it as a side dish, a snack, or a meal in itself! So, let’s get started making some delicious dip.The ingredients you need are: one pound ground beef, 2 lb. pound box of Velveeta cheese, 1 (15 oz) can hormel chili or I used some frozen chili from my Old Fashioned Chili recipe that I had, 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans, and 1 (16 ounce) jar of mild Pace Picante sauce.

    Hamburger taco dip 1Cut your cheese into cubes and put into the crock pot.

    Hamburger taco dip 2

     Add the mild Pace Picante sauce, refried beans, and chili. 

    Hamburger taco dip 3

     Now add your browned hamburger.

    Hamburger taco dip 4Heat in crock pot on high until the cheese melts stirring occasionally. Now you are ready to enjoy this dip with your friends.

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  • Scotcheroos


    scotcheroos finalThis is a bar that everyone loves, either for the peanuty middle, the super sweet topping, or the nice crispy crunch, it’s got something for anyone, anytime! In fact…I just ate one for breakfast! My sister and my mom make scotheroos all of the time, to take to parties or just to have around the house. So, just follow these super easy steps, and we can get cooking and make this classic favorite. You will need sugar, Karo corn syrup, creamy peanut butter, Rice Krispies, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.

    Scotcharoos 1Start by mixing the sugar and Karo corn syrup together in a pan over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Remove from the heat right away or the bars will be too hard when they cool.

    scotcharoos 4Remove from the heat and add the 1 cup of peanut butter. Stir it in until completely mixed.

    scotcharoos 6 Stir in the 6 cups of Rice Krispies.

    scotcharoos 7Spread out in a 9 x 13 cake pan. Pat butter on the back of a metal spoon to make spreading easier.

    scotcharoos 9Now it is time to make the topping. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 cup of butterscotch chips in the microwave. Stirring chips every 15 seconds until chips are melted. You can also melt the chips in a double boiler on the stove top on low heat.

    scotcharoos 5Pour the melted chip topping on the Rice Krispie bars in the pan and spread with a knife or spoon.

    Topping

    You can let them set until they cool and the topping sets up. Now you can share with friends and you will always want to make this bar for special events.

    Scotcheroos

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  • Chocolate Cake

     

    Chocolate Cake 2Having a party soon?  A great treat that will make any party a success is chocolate cake.  Everyone (who likes chocolate) will love the rich, moist texture of this cake.  It has a delicious flavor and it’s very easy to make.  So here’s your chance to WOW with some made-from-scratch cake.  Your friends will say that this is the best chocolate cake they’ve ever had, and you will never go back to the box chocolate cake again! 

    Mix 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of softened margarine, 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 eggs, and  6 Tablespoons of cocoa.

    chocolate cake 4Slowly add in the 2 cups of flour.

    chocolate cake 6Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 cup of boiling water and mix into the first mixture.

    Chocolate cake 7Pour batter into greased cake pans.

    Chocolate cake 10Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool in the pan so they come out easier when you are ready to frost them.

    Chocolate cake 11Next it’s time to make the chocolate buttercream frosting.  In a mixer blend 1/3 cup of softened butter, 3 3/4 of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 tsp. of vanilla, 1/4 tsp. of salt, and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder until smooth. Add a little more milk if the frosting is too thick.

    Frosting 1Now you can frost your cake.  Carefully remove the first cake from the pan and set it on the cake stand.  One trick to keep your cake stand free of extra frosting is to place a piece of wax paper just under the edge of the cake while frosting.   Then you can pull it away when you are finished.

    frosting 2Frost the top of this base layer and then add on the top layer of the cake.frosting 4Frost the top and sides of your cake.Frosting 6Remove the wax paper from the edge.  Now pour yourself a tall glass of ice cold milk, sit back, kick your feet up, and enjoy a slice of your delicious cake.

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  • Twice Baked Potatoes with Bacon

    Twice baked potatoes with baconIf you are a bacon lover, you must try this recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes with Bacon for your next snack, meal, or BBQ.  It has a yummy garlic potato taste with the smoky bacon that will make everyone cheer yum, yum!

    Start with your 3 baked potatoes.  I baked my potatoes in the microwave before I started; 11 minutes for three potatoes.  That is 5 minutes for 1 potato and 3 minutes more for each additional potato.  Make sure you poke a few holes in each potato with a fork before microwaving. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato to within 1/4 inch of the skins.

    Twice baked potatoes with baconIn a bowl mash the scooped out potato with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt, and 1/2 cup of sour cream.

    Twice baked potatoes with baconNow add the cooked crumbled bacon.  Doesn’t that bacon look absolutely fabulous?

    Twice Baked Potatoes with Bacon 3Brush the outside of the potato skins with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.  Spoon the potato and sour cream mixture equally back into the skins.

    Twice Baked Potatoes with Bacon 4

    Top each with some of the grated cheddar cheese.

    Twice Baked Potatoes with Bacon 5In a 475 degree oven, bake the filled skins for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with sour cream and parsley.  Now sit back and enjoy your potatoes and bacon…comfort food at its best!

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