13 Most Wanted Recipes of 2013

Hola Amigos!!!! Wishing you all a happy, healthy and peaceful last day of 2013! What a year it has been! So many happy memories, tasty recipes from fellow bloggers, fun crafts but above all, priceless new friendships made all over the globe!
It was a lot of fun at the blog too!  with a fairly good amount of cooking and calories gained here and there, lol...looking forward to do it all over again, God willing, this new year almost knocking at our door! Here are some of the most popular of 2013

Very Berry Kool Aid Cheesecake

Black Forest Bars

Marbled Deviled Eggs

Jell-O Poke Cake

Death By Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Cherry Cola Smoothie

Easy Ravioli Lasagna

Sharknado Cupcakes

Maple and Toffee Autumn Muddy Buddies

Spiked Monster Halloween Cocktail

Wild Turkey Thanksgiving Cocktail

Holiday Chocolate Flan

My Favorite Recipe for 2013

S'mores Pizza

Thank You friends for a year full of fantastic moments I will always share deep in my heart for the rest of my life! Even though lately I haven't been around much, I always carry your sweet thoughts and comments with me to get me through everyday unexpected challenges! 

Hope your New Year is full of Happiness, Love, Family Union and Health! From my family to yours HAPPY 2014!!!! and keep in mind this new year that everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Sharing my Most Wanted at these Fabulous Parties:

Love Bakes Good Cakes, Tartertots and Jello, The Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six Sister's Stuff, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Made from Pinterest, Sew Licious Home Decor, Becoming Martha, Flamingo Toes, 504 Main, Will Cook For Smiles, Nifty Thrifty Things, Twigg Studios, Suburbs Mama, Navy Wifey Peters, Lines Across, The Chicken Chick, This Gal Cooks, I Should be Mopping the Floors, Smart School House, Ginger Snap Crafts, All She Cooks, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ducks'n a Row, Ducks'n a Row, Kitchen Meets Girl, Feeding Big, The Silly Pearl, My Girlish Whims, Memories by the Mile

Lizard Tongues Halloween Stuffed Sweet Peppers Recipe

Hola Amigos! Happy October! Are you ready to get your Spook On? I'm so excited! I love this time of the year and most of all Halloween!
Today I'm serving some Lizard Tongues I stuffed with some wild mushrooms, garlic bread crumbs and Baby Swiss cheese among other ingredients, and I'm dipping them in some delicious Snail Slime dipping sauce! oh yummm!

You can make these guys just  vegetarian or like I always do make a batch with meat for the carnivores in your family.

I have to admit these peppers are a little tricky to stuff than their bigger bell pepper cousins, but it was all worth it! I ate the entire first batch by myself with the "I'm just trying them for flavor" excuse! I just love the Snail Slime!

On to the recipe friends! Thank You so much for visiting the blog. I hope this first day of October greets you in Good Health, Happiness and Love! which reminds me, even Lizard Tongues taste better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Lizard Tongues Halloween Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
1 Bag  Mini Sweet Peppers (16 oz)
1/2 Cup Garlic Bread Crumbs ( I processes some Croutons)
6 oz Wild Mushrooms Mix (or Portobella)
1/8 Cup Baby Swiss cheese (shredded)
1 Tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt, lemon pepper
For carnivores:
1/4 Cup Buffalo Chicken Breast from the Deli, processed in a food processor or blender.
Snail Slime:
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
3 TBSP Salsa Verde and 1 extra to put on top.
Directions:
Wash your peppers thoroughly and dry. Cut the tops and very carefully scoop the seeds. Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan heat up 3 cups of water until it boils. Once in boils put your peppers in  for a couple of minutes, about 4-5. Remove from heat and hot water and put them in a separate container full of ice water. This will stop the cooking process.
Heat up your oven at 325.
When your peppers are cool to the touch, stuff each one very carefully with your mix.
One they are all stuffed, lay them flat on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the stuffing on top gets golden brown.
Once they are done. Remove from the oven and serve with the Snail Slime Sauce. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 5 minutes                           Baking time 12-15 minutes                        Serves 24

Sharing my Bewitching appetizers at these Fa-BOO-lous Parties:

The Everyday Home, The Well Crafted Home, Smart School House, My Sweet Mission, Lady Behind the Curtain, Thank You Honey, All She Cooks, Ducks'n a Row, Sweet Haute, A Handful of Everything, The Mandatory Mooch, Saving 4 Six, Dizzy, Busy and Hungry, The Crafty Blogstalker, Maid in a Day, Simply Dream and Create, The Best Blog Recipes, Craftionary, Tidy Mom, The Girl Creative, Home Maid Simple,
Love and Laundry, Todays Creative Blog, Practically Functional, My Turn (for Us), Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, Sara Howe, Cooking with Curls, Living Better Together, Shaken Together, The Pin Junkie, 504 Main, Cheerios and Lattes, Six Sisters Stuff, It's Overflowing, Be Different Act Normal, Classy Clutter, Classy Clutter, Angels Homestead, Suburbs Mama, Tiwgg Studios, Life on Lakeshore Drive, I Should be Mopping the Floors, The Chicken Chick, Huckleberry Love, Under the Table and Dreaming, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, The Velvet Moon Baker, Flamingo Toes, This Gal Cooks, WOM, Between Naps on the Porch, My Girlish Whims, Ginger Snap Crafts, Made to be a Momma, A Southern Fairytale, The Shady Porch, Our Table for Seven, Memories by the Mile, Love Bakes Good Cakes, My Mixing Spoon

Spider Eggs Halloween Plantain and Cheese Fritters Recipe

Hola Amigos! Sharing with you today a quick recipe for a tasty appetizer! Sweet and Salty, Crispy and Soft with a bonus...Cheese!!! That's right!, this appetizer has it all!! even the spooky factor if you put it together the right way...like with a giant Spider!!!

I love Plantains, I can't get tired of a fruit that is edible in every stage of it's life, green, yellow and even black! We used to make these back home in Panama for weekend breakfast, or just a snack to get us going until supper later in the day.

I made mine quite big this time, after all...these particular ones are the offspring of this Giant Mamma Spider..yikes!

Do you guys have any fears or phobias? Some members of my house are not fond of spiders, I don't have a problem with them but I do with roaches (I even hate saying that name)

Well guys, enough of spiders and bugs for now, joking aside these are so good you can't have just one! I hope you give them a try this season and bring a taste of the tropics home when the weather gets cold outside!

 Hope you have a wonderful Official First Day of Fall! Remember my friends everything tastes better, with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos, 

Lizy

Spider Eggs Plantain and Cheese Fritters

Ingredients:

2-3 Yellow Plantains

Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, White Pepper, Smoked Paprika 1 Tsps each

1/8 Pd Chorizo

1 TBSP Corn Starch

1/8 Pd your favorite Cheese

Panko Bread Crumbs

Oil for frying

Directions:

Cut each plantain in 3 pieces. Cut ends too.

In a heavy pot full of water place your plantains with skin and cook for about 20 minutes until soft. Remove from fire and drain. Peel the skin of the plantain and mash as if you were making mash potatoes. 

Season with spices mentioned above and cornstarch. Add the chorizo 

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop parts of the mashed plantains, make a ball  (as if you were making meatballs), poke a whole and put a piece of your favorite cheese.

Roll the  ball in Panko Crumbs and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for them to set.

Fry each ball on very hot oil until brown and crispy on the outside, about 2-3 minutes, watch them they turn golden very fast. Serve and enjoy

Prep time: 25 minutes                             Cook Time 3 minutes                   Serves 6-8 balls

Sharing my Spider's Offspring at these Fa-BOO-lous Parties:

Between Naps on the Porch, PandP Kitchen, Tumbleweed Contessa, Create with Joy, Feeding Big, Rain on a Tin Roof, A Pinch of Joy, Setting for Four, Huckleberry Love, Say Not Sweet Anne, The Gunny Sack, Coastal Charm, Ladybug Blessings, Chef in Training, Mandy's Recipe Box, Home Stories A to Z, Hun...What's for Dinner, Our Table for 7, Under the Table and Dreaming, DIY Home Sweet Home, Mad in Crafts, A Southern Fairytale, Jam Hands, Jembellish, Sugar Bee Crafts, Nap Time Creations, Memories by the Mile, Cozy Little House, The Well Crafted Home, Ducks'n a Row, The Everyday Home, Sew Creative, The Shady Porch, Ginger Snap Crafts, Lady Behind the Curtain, Fluster Buster, This Silly Girl's Life, Trendy Tree House, Kitchen Meets Girl, SNAP, 733 Blog, The Real Housewives of Riverton, Polkadots on Parade, Someday Crafts, We Like to Learn as We Go, My Girlish Whims, Smart School House, The 36th Avenue, 52 Mantels, The Mandatory Mooch, Sweet Haute, Saving 4 Six, Lamberts Lately, What's Cooking Love, Glamorous Bride, Live, Laugh, Rowe, The Crafty Blog Stalker, Katherines Corner, The Best Blog Recipes, Craftionary, Tidy Mom, The Girl Creative, One Tough Mother, Home Maid Simple, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, 504 Main, Craft Dictator, Do Small Things with Love, Diana Rambles, Sara Howe, Living Better Together, The Jenny Evolution, Shaken Together, The Pin Junkie, Tatertots and Jello, Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Serenity You, Classy Clutter, Who Needs a Cape, Cheerios and Lattes, Too Much Time, Twig Studios, Life on Lakeshore Drive, WCFS, Your Homebased Mom, Mommifried, The Thriftiness Miss, Under the Table and Dreaming, Flamingo Toes,I Should be Mopping the Floors, Frugal Foodie Mama, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Made from Pinterest

Rat's Nest Halloween Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

Hola Amigos! There is no party without a good dip right? I love spinach and artichoke dip! That is the first and  pretty much only appetizer I order other than stuffed mushrooms (those will be coming soon). Also I like mine warm but if I'm desperate, I really don't care how it is ...just pass the chips!
This particular recipe is my SIL's !!! I'm sure you probably make it a similar way since it's such a simple and easy recipe but boy!...so good!

What I love about it is that it has tons of cheese and equal amount of spinach! I've found some places cut the amount of spinach short and add a fillers  like water chestnuts instead!

Chips are an important part of this dip. Don't get the thin ones! This particular dip is thick and chunky so you need a good chip to get a hold of all the goodness!

And why the Rat's Nest name for my this particular one? well think about it, Rats are omnivores, but they love cheese there are 3 cheeses alone on this one! Rats like warm moist places, this dip has the right amount of moisture thanks to the spinach and since it's baked...it's steamy hot! And rat's are messy...there is a mess every time you eat chips right? crumbles everywhere...or maybe just when I eat them,  lol

So there you go my friends, short and sweet! What's your favorite appetizer? Do you order the same one every time you go out? It was great to have you here for appetizer time! Remember everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Rat's Nest Halloween Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

16 oz Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and drained

8 oz Chives and Onion Cream Cheese, softened

1 package Vegetable Dip Mix

14 oz (1 can) Artichoke Hearts, chopped and drained

8 oz (1 can) Water Chestnuts, chopped and drained

1/4 Cup Mayonnaise

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, except the mozzarella cheese. Spoon everything on a oven safe container and top the mix with the mozzarella cheese. 

Put in the oven and and bake for 15 minutes or until dip is hot. Serve with chips and enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes                   Cooking Time: 15 minutes                   Servings 3 Cups

Sharing some Spooktacular chips and dip at these Fa-BOO-Lous Parties:

Ducks 'n a Row, Lady Behind the Curtain, Made to be a Momma, Ginger Snap Crafts, Mom's Test Kitchen, The Shady Porch, My Girlish Whims, Crystal and Co, The Well Crafted Home, The Everyday Home, Kitchen Meets Girl, Thank You Honey, The Trendytreehouse, Dream a Little Bigger, White Lights on Wednesday, Smart School House, Polkadots on Parade, We Like to Learn as We Go Real Housewives of Riverton, SNAP, 733, This Silly Girl's Life, Someday Crafts, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Memories by the Mile, The 36th Avenue, 52 Mantels, Sweet Haute, A Handful of Everything, Katherine's Corner, The Mandatory Mooch, What's Cooking, Love?, Lamberts Lately, The Crafty Blogstalker, Live Laugh Rowe, Gingerly Made, The Brambleberry Cottage, Recipes for my boys, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, The Best Blog Recipes, Craftionary, The Answer is Chocolate, My Turn (for Us), Simply Sweet Home, Living Better Together, The Pin Junkie, Tidy Mom, Just Us Four, Home Maid Simple, Dear Creative, Diana Rambles, 504 Main, Tatertots and Jello, A Little Claireification, Sewlicious Home, Angels Homestead, The Thriftiness Miss, Craft Dictator, Sara Howe, Cheerios and Lattes, Six Sisters Stuff, I Gotta Create, Be Different Act Normal, It's Overflowing, Twigg Studios, WCFS, Your Homebased Mom, Dessert Now, Dinner Later, Pink When, Who Needs a Cape, Nifty Thrifty Things, Flamingo Toes, Spatulas on Parade, My Mixing Spoons, I Should Be Mopping the Floors, The Casual Craftlete, Cooking for the Seven Dwarfs, This Gal Cooks, Between Naps on the Porch, PandP Kitchen, The Tumbleweed Contessa, Titi Crafty, Create with Joy, Feeding Big, Suburbs Mama, Rain on a Tin Roof, A Pinch of Joy, Setting for Four, Huckleberry Love, The Gunny Sack, Ladybug Blessings, Chef in Training, Mandy's Recipe Box, Home Stories A to Z, Our Table for 7, Under the Table and Dreaming, DIY Home Sweet Home, Mad in Crafts, A Southern Fairytale, Jam Hands, Jembellish, Sugar Bee Crafts, Nap Time Creations, Memories by the Mile, Cozy Little House, Fluster Buster, Townsend House, Frugal Foodie Mama

Alfredo and Pesto Chicken Bruschetta Recipe

Hola Amigos! With the weekend approaching I have the perfect appetizer for you or even a light meal with a bowl of soup instead of a sandwich. And the best thing of all is that you can make this with leftovers from a classic Italian dinner like Chicken Alfredo. That's what I did!

I had made some Fettuccine Alfredo a few days ago, you can find the recipe here and had some chicken and Italian bread leftover. My husband had to go on a last minute business trip and it was only me and the kids. No point of cooking a big meal, right, then and idea came to mind, how about bruschetta, Alfredo and Pesto, crazy but it might work.

I just added store bought Alfredo sauce, crisp bacon, tomatoes, basil and made a delicious pesto butter with butter and store bought pesto.

My semi-home made Alfredo and Pesto Bruschetta was a hit and a  "you have to make these again mom"! AKA Seal of Approval from the kiddos!

I even made a couple Vegetarian! I was thinking on a Vegetarian bloggy friend of mine (you know who you are, lol  don't worry I won't Out You) and thought she could have these anytime!
Just a few sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms sauteed in a little bit of olive oil and white wine, salt and pepper and you are all set!

I love when  last minute fixins' turns this good.

Thank you so much for your visit today! I hope your coming weekend goes as planned and if you are having friends over always consider this recipe to share with them. Keep in mind my friends, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Alfredo and Pesto Chicken Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 Loaf Italian Bread

2 TBSP Pesto Sauce

4 TBSP Unsalted Butter

2 Cups Shredded Chicken

4 Slices of Bacon Crisp and Crumbled

1 Jar Alfredo Sauce

1 Large Tomato

Basil Leaves

1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded

For vegetarian:

8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms Sliced

Olive Oil

1/2 White Wine 

Directions:

Heat oven at 400F.

In a heavy sauce pan, mix shredded chicken with Alfredo Sauce heat up until warm. Set aside. Dice your tomato finely and julienne your basil leaves. 

In a microwave safe container, melt the butter. Remove and add 2 tablespoons of your pesto sauce. Spread this mix or "Pesto Butter" over your bread slices, front and back. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove form oven.

Top each slice of bread with the Chicken mixture, chopped tomato, basil, crumble bacon and mozzarella cheese. Drizzle a little bit of "pesto butter" if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!

To make the vegetarian version. 

In a large skillet with olive oil saute the sliced mushrooms, once soft add white wine and let simmer for 5 minutes. Mix with 3/4 Cup Alfredo Sauce. Take your toasted bread, spread the mushroom mix on the bread and top with tomato, basil and cheese, Serve hot and enjoy!

Prep Time 5 minutes     Cooking Time 10 minutes      Serves 6-8

Sharing my leftover magic meal at these Fabulous Parties:

Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, My Turn (for Us), Home Maid Simple, Rattlebride Farm, Blissful and Domestic, Do Small Things with Love, 504 Main, the Pin Junkie, Jennifer Rizzo, My Romantic Home, This and That, The Best Blog Recipes, Love and Laundry, Chic on a Shoestring, The Shabby Nest, The Answer is Chocolate, Tidy Mom, One Tough Mother, A Simple Five, Craftionary, Liz Marie, Simply Designing, Becoming Martha, Simply Sweet Home, Living Better Together, The Jenny Evolution, My Personal Accent, Krafty Card Set, 4 Little Fergusons, Tartertots and Jello, Cooking with Curls, Happy and Blessed Home, Five Days 5 Ways, Just Us Four, Whiperberry, Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen, The Wondering Brain, Lovely Crafty Home,Dear Creatives, Dessert Now, Dinner Later, Angel Homestead, Serenity You, Cheerios and Lattes, Too Much Time, Classy Clutter, The Taylor House, Flamingo Toes, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Suburbs Mama, Twigg studios, Spatulas on Parade, VMG206, Nifty Thrifty Things, Rain on a Tin Roof, Huckleberry Love, Still Being Molly, Cupcake-n-Bake, The Princess and her Cowboys, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, A Southern Fairytale, Mad in Crafts, The Chicken Chick, Say Not Sweet Anne, Ms.enPlace, BoggieBoard Cottage, I Gotta Try That, Who Needs a Cape, The Blacberry Vine, Ladybug Blessings, Mama Dish, hun...what's for dinner?, Our Home Away from Home, Pint Sized Baker, Kathe with an E, Mandy's Recipe Box, Chef in Training, Love Grows Wild, Home Stories A to Z Nap- Time Creations, Sugar Bee Crafts, Adventures of a DIY Mom, Feeding Big, Homemade Ginger, Memories by the Mile, Not Just a Housewife, Powerful Mothering, Smart School House, Made to be a Mama, Ginger Snap Craft, Clean and Scentsible, Fluster Buster, The Shaddy Porch, Lady Behind the Curtain, My Girlish Whims, Adorned from Above, Kitchen Meets Girl, All She Cooks, DIY Craft Projects, Thank You Honey, Worthing Court, The 36th Avenue, Life with the Crust Cut Off,  Fine Craft Guild, Sew Much Ado, Someday Crafts, The Real Housewives of Riverton, SNAP!, The Crafty Blog Stalker, What's Cooking Love?, Saving 4 Six, Live, Laugh, Rowe, 52 Mantels, The Mandatory Mooch, The Brambleberry Cottage, Polkadots on Parade, Southern Lovely, Katherines Corner, House of Hepworths, Lamberts Lately, The Style Sisters, My Joy Filled Life, Food Done Light, Sew Much Crafting,
Six Sister's Stuff, Ducks n' a Row, My Mixing Spoons, Glitter, Glue and Paint, 

Other Appetizers that you might enjoy:

Pepper Boats and Dips