Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!!  Welcome to 2013, I hope that it will be an exciting year!!  I love having parties, Scentsy parties, New Years Eve parties...any party.  Why?!?!?!  Because it gives you the freedom to cook, and lets face it, more times than often your friends will try things that your family will not.  Even though we had five people (including hubby and me!!) we had a great time.  And we ate some food.  Not all of it.  And there was one recipe that I was really disappointted in, we really didn't touch it.  I think that everyone might have had one bite...and that was all it went.

Here is what I made...

Oh wait I have to back up one day....
On 12/30/12 I made a crockpot chicken recipe.  It was okay.  But I am confused on what to do because when you go tot the Pin, it doesn't go to the recipe.  So you have to read what's at the bottom of the pin.
(PS, I am writing this while watching Bubble Guppies and Team Umizoomi, I am having trouble concentrating, LOL).  Here is what you do, and I did I just didn't know how much lemon so I covered the chicken with it...
Crockpot Lemon Chicken - Put cube of butter in bottom of crock pot. Lay chicken in pot. Sprinkle Italian dressing packet over chicken, drizzle with lemon juice, pop the lid on. Cook on High 4-5 hours, or Low 6-8 hours.
Hubby and I ate it, and thought it tasted okay, but it is not something that I would be like, okay I HAVE to make it again.

Okay, now onto New Years Eve...

This first recipe was a dud :(.  I think that when you are working with cucumbers it is really hard not to have so much water.  Cucumbers are mainly water, so it really was everywhere.  The recipe is called Crisp Cucumber Salsa, and the jalapeno that I had was really hott, on my hand for two days, and I tasted it on all food after I made the salsa.  The "White sauce" that goes into it is pretty good, I would make it a dip cucumbers in them...you can find the recipe here:
http://pkstaples.blogspot.com/2010/06/crisp-cucumber-salsa.html (there son is incredibly cute!!!)..or you can find it here...

Crisp Cucumber Salsa
Yield 2-1/2 cups

2 cups finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4-1/2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 c reduced-fat sour cream
1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
Tortilla chips

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and seasoned salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately with chips.

On to the next one...who doesn't love meat balls?  If you don't you are missing out.  I love them!!!!  Anyways, I am always trying to find a new way, and when someone tells me, a little of this and a lot of that I get a little frustrated because, it can get messed up depending on what YOU (I) think is a little and a lot.  

So I found this one day while pinning, and what struck me about it, is you use a can of jellied cranberries.  Most of the time people say Jelly.  Now, I only ate one meatball, I kindof forgot they were over in the crock pot.  But the one I ate was so fantastic!!!

You can find the recipe here: http://dappledesigns.hubpages.com/hub/Cocktail-Meatball-Recipe-for-the-Crock-Pot-Slow-Cooker

or here:

Cocktail Meatball Recipe Using Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 24oz of Frozen Meatballs (turkey meatballs work great as well)
• 18oz of BBQ Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 16oz Cranberry Sauce Jellied
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

Instructions:

1. Mix the BBQ Sauce, Soy Sauce, Cranberry Sauce and mustard together until you get a smooth consistency.
2. Put frozen meatballs in the crock pot and pour the mixture over them. Stir so all of the meatballs are evenly coated.
3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. If it starts to boil, reduce the heat to "keep warm" so that the BBQ sauce does not burn.
4. Enjoy!

You will not be disappointed!!!

Last one I promise!!!  So to round out the dips, cause who doesn't indulge in dip this time of year?!?!?!?!?  I found a fiesta dip!!  I really don't know what is my favorite type of food, though I think that it is Mexican, because lets face it, if it isn't spicy I am going to eat it!!!  When I made this recipe I kept forgetting something, first it was the black beans, which am I the only one who thinks they smell like wet dog food? Yuck I don't like them.  Then i forgot the rotel...but it was so good, I didn't care.  If you eat them with "On the boarder chips" the best out there...you really don't care if you miss something!!

You can find the recipe here: http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/2012/05/kelleys-fiesta-dip.html

or here...

Kelley's Fiesta Dip
adapted from: Simple Shortcut Recipes 
submitted by Kelley Nicholson
(Printable Recipe)

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
16 oz. container sour cream
11 oz. can sweet yellow and white corn, drained
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1 1/2 Tbl. salsa seasoning mix (I used taco seasoning)
2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
tortilla chips


In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.  Cover; chill at least 24 hours before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Serves 10-12.

I am so glad that you are still with me.  It has been a pretty awesome year for blogging and I feel that I have learned and grown!!!  Have a wonderful day!!!