Holiday Luncheon

Today was our Christmas Lunch for the Tulsa Community Bible Study Leadership.  I helped with the menu and putting it all together.  We had a wonderful time and the food was good too!!

Leadership Luncheon Menu: Dec 5, 2013
Funeral Sandwiches (Hot Ham and Cheese in a wonderful sweet/spicy sauce)
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Shrimp Dip and crackers
Veggie Tray
Happy Birthday Jesus Chocolate Cake

Peppermint bark and Assorted Candy bowls




The shrimp dip was a big hit and so EASY to make. I will share the recipe with you first:

Shrimp Dip

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups baby shrimp (I used frozen but you can use canned also)

1 cup mayo

2 pkg cream cheese (8 ounce block)

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

5 green onions diced with tops

3 dashes Tabasco Sauce

I use frozen shrimp.  Completely thaw before making the dip.  You can use canned shrimp in you prefer.  

Be sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. This makes a big difference in consistency when mixing the dip all together.  

Directions:
1.  Place Shrimp in bowl of food processor and pulse 2 times.

2.  Dice the green onions- using both the green and the white parts.








3.  Add the onions, room temperature cream cheese, mustard and mayo to the shrimp in the food processor.

I like to use Canola Mayonnaise.  Lower in fat and calories.  Tastes great in dips.

4.  Add Tabasco dashes to taste.  I use about three.



5.   Pulse until smooth or desired consistency.  Some may like it a little chunkier.  Mine has some bit of shrimp in it....medium consistency I would say.

6.  Put in serving dish.  Cover and chill.

Shrimp Dip

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups baby shrimp (I used frozen but you can use canned also)

1 cup mayo

2 pkg cream cheese (8 ounce block)

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

5 green onions diced with tops

3 dashes Tabasco Sauce

Directions:
1.  Place Shrimp in bowl of food processor and pulse 2 times.

2.  Dice the green onions- using both the green and the white parts.
This recipe makes a LOT.  Most of the time I cut it in half.  It will last several days (2-3) in the fridge and can be used as a spread on sandwiches too.  I like to serve this with buttery crackers.
3.  Add the onions, room temperature cream cheese, mustard and mayo to the shrimp in the food processor.
4.  Add Tabasco dashes to taste.  I use about three.
5.   Pulse until smooth or desired consistency.  Some may like it a little chunkier.  Mine has some bit of shrimp in it....medium consistency I would say.
6.  Put in serving dish.  Cover and chill.


Hope you are finding time during this busy season to share with others and enjoy family and friends.

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama

France.....Cathedrals, Chateaus and Cuisine

Yes...it me, the Mtn Mama....back in the blogging world!!  Sorry I have not been writing on a regular basis.  In fact I almost took the entire month of November off.....it wasn't intentional I just got busy with my life.  I did take a fantastic trip to France for 16 days earlier in the month.  Getting back to work, jet lag and the rush of the upcoming holidays has put me behind to say the least.  Since I blog for fun and pleasure I first had to work at my real job extra hard to make up for lost time and now that I am caught up on my life back at home I can get caught up on my adventures in France.

I traveled with a group of six friends.  We started in Paris.........

ooh, la, la!!!

From Paris we boarded a riverboat cruise for 10 days on the Rhone River.  

We saw lots of beautiful Cathedrals, Chateaus and scenery along the river.  The ship was a great way to get to a lot of places without packing and unpacking each day.

There was a lot of great food along the way.  This is Adrian, our head chef, taking me and a few of my friends on a "Galley" tour.

Macaroons were everywhere....and of course we had to try them all!

The farmer's markets were fabulous with lots of fresh mushrooms...fungi...as they are called in Europe and olives.

Our last city was Nice....and of course we had to have 
Nicose Salad.  I ate this at a small cafe on beachfront to the Mediterranean Sea.   AHHHHHHHHHHH!  Can I go back tomorrow?

Thanks for taking a little time to enjoy my trip with me.  I promise I am back in full swing.  I will be baking and cooking for the holiday season.  Time to be sharing lots of cooking tricks, new recipes and plenty of old favorites to round out the menu.   
O f course before I sign off  I must share a picture of Miss Ella in the French outfit I brought back to her.  It says....I Love my Mama!!

As the French would say.....Au Revoir...... till next time!!

Happy Trials,

Mtn Mama