Enjoy Fall weather, football, and these easy appetizers made with common ingredients. One spicy, two mild, and of course a dessert.
TACO BITES
Quick and easy
1 lb. lean ground beef
½ c. tomato sauce
¼ c. water
2 1/2 tbsp. taco seasoning
60 tortilla chips (scoops, such as Tostitos)
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
½ c. sour cream
½ c. shredded lettuce
1 c. diced tomatoes (for an extra kick use diced tomatoes & green chiles like Rotel)
In a skillet, brown the ground beef, drain the fat. Add the sauce, water, and seasoning, continue cooking until fully cooked, and thickened.
Lay the tortilla chip scoops out on a serving platter. Add the ground beef mixture to each cup.
Top with cheese, sour cream, lettuce and tomato.
Serve immediately.
https://www.kyleecooks.com/taco-bites/#recipe
HAM PUFFS
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
½ c. unsalted butter softened
1¼ c. cooked ham finely chopped
1 c. all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the softened butter, shredded cheddar cheese, finely chopped ham, and Worcestershire sauce until well incorporated.
Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the mixture, blending until the dough is fully combined and uniform in texture.
Shape the dough into balls approximately ½ inch in diameter and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the puffs are golden and cooked through.
And here comes the spicy recipe.
JALAPENO POPPER SMASHED POTATOES
1 ½ lb. baby red potatoes
¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. black pepper
2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely diced
6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salt, to taste
Dip
1 c. sour cream
1 tbsp. dry ranch seasoning mix
1 tsp. jalapeno powder. (I’m sure you can use chopped jalapenos instead)
Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash and boil the potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes, and let them air dry for about 5 minutes. Place them on the lined baking sheet. Use a potato masher or the bottom of a sturdy glass to smash the potatoes to about ¼-inch thick. Let the smashed potatoes air dry for an additional 5 minutes.
Brush the potatoes with butter and season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Then, carefully flip the potatoes over and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Remove the smashed potatoes from the oven. Top the potatoes equally with the diced jalapeno peppers. Then, evenly distribute the crumbled bacon over each potato. Top each with cheese. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.
I made the mistake of using small size potatoes and cutting them in half instead of the baby potatoes like the recipe said. I wouldn’t do that.
The taste was there but they ended up being more like jalapeno fried potatoes. But if you like fried potatoes, go ahead and use the regular potatoes.
Dip
To a small bowl, add sour cream, dry ranch seasoning, and jalapeno powder. Mix to combine. Serve the smashed potatoes with the dip.
Now for dessert.
KITCHEN SINK CUPCAKES
This one incorporates leftover snacks. Don’t be afraid to try it.
Chocolate Cupcakes:
15 oz. box chocolate cake mix
3.4 oz. box instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. whole milk
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. espresso powder
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips
For the Vanilla Frosting:
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. instant vanilla pudding mix
For Topping the Cupcakes:
mini pretzels
potato chips (roughly chopped)
toffee bits
mini chocolate chips
caramel syrup
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Add all the ingredients for the cupcakes to a large mixing bowl. Stir them all together till combined.
Add about 3 to 4 tbsp. of batter into each liner. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
The original recipe calls for vanilla frosting, but I think chocolate frosting would pair better with this.
For Chocolate Frosting
1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. heavy cream or milk
In a big mixing bowl, with an electric mixer set to medium speed, beat the softened butter until fluffy and a light color this can take a few minutes, but don’t skip this step if you want light, fluffy frosting.
Slowly add the powdered sugar, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, while mixing on low speed until each addition is completely blended and smooth.
Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl to prevent lumps. Keep beating at a low speed until everything is well combined.
Add the salt to the mixture and mix on low speed to ensure it is distributed evenly. Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined with the other ingredients.
Slowly incorporate the heavy cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating at medium speed until you reach the consistency you want. When all elements have been brought together, turn the mixer to high and beat the frosting for an additional 3-4 minutes.
For Cupcake Toppings:
Just before serving, sprinkle the mini pretzels, potato chips, toffee, and mini chocolate chips over the top of the cupcakes. Drizzle caramel syrup over the top of the cupcake.
