Frank's RedHot Dipping Sauce 5 Ways -Dollar Tree Find

I always say going to Dollar Tree is kind of like going on a scavenger hunt, you never know what you might find. That was the case with this Frank's Golden Dip'n Sauce. They had just gotten a delivery and boxes were stacked on the floor and hadn't even been opened yet... As soon as I saw Frank's, I broke into the box:@) Then I began to wonder what I could do with it, besides dipping chicken nuggets... 

The first thing I made was this super easy Macaroni Chicken Salad. Add whatever you like, onion, peppers, maybe some dill pickle or pickled jalapeno... Then sub the mayo for the Frank's Dipping Sauce, wa-la, a very nice lunch indeed:@) And it doesn't have to be chicken, use pork, tuna, hard boiled eggs, any protein of choice.

It's been a while since we tried something new and Easter is coming... So I thought I'd whip up some Two Ingredient Deviled Eggs with Frank's Dipping Sauce. Yes folks, this adds a nice bar-b-que twist to deviled eggs! I loved the sweetness the sauce added. Simply mash the yolks and add enough sauce to make a smooth filling. I added the pickled jalapeno for garnish, but honestly, these are really best plain. I didn't even need to add S&P.

Other uses for the sauce? 

• A no-brainer is using it as a dip for potato chips. If your crew likes BBQ chips, they will love this.
• I heated up some meatballs and Jimmy Dean sausage links, added a toothpick and gave them a good dose of the sauce. An easy and very filling appy for game day.
• And of course, as indicated earlier, I'm sure it was created to be served with chicken nuggets and similar items. 

What I bought:

Is the sauce hot? The label calls it mild, I'd say there's a hint of heat, kind of what you'd expect from a product made by Frank's Hot Sauce. The back of the bottle says: A smoky and spicy twist on Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce. I say, well worth the $1.25...

Try something new and

Have a Happy Day:@)

St. Patrick's Day Weekend...

With St. Patty's Day on Monday this year, I'm sure everyone will have a fun filled green weekend:@) I know we have local parades on Saturday, and corned beef and cabbage will be served for Sunday dinner. Thought I'd gather a few things, and share some ideas to add to the fun...

Clover Deviled Eggs

Green and Gold Dyed Popcorn:

Actually, just the gold corn gifted in those little black leprechaun pots they sell at Dollar Tree would really be cute... Kind of like a pot of gold:@)

And a Philly treat...

Irish Potatoes

-Cream Cheese Coconut Candy

Too late for this year, but I'm sure they'll be going on clearance sale soon to tuck away for next year... QVC has some St. Patrick's Day Lock-N-Lock, there are green and gold lids to choose from.

And finally, from all of us at Pig In Mud...

May the sun be warm,

may your beer be cold.

Celebrate this weekend,

you're never too old!

🍀Slainte

And Have a Happy Day:@)

Radish Rabbit -Spring or Easter Charcuterie Board

The inspiration for this silly Radish Rabbit was the "whiskers" coming off of the root end of the radish. I just had to give it a try:@) I cut the bottom off of a large radish so it would sit still, and added a couple peppercorns for eyes. Bits of black olive would work too, especially if you're making a larger charcuterie or relish tray and serving the olives as well. The ears were sliced from another radish and held on by a cut in half toothpick. If you're concerned about the rabbit looking a little dry (as radishes can at room temperature), it could be rubbed with the smallest dab of oil olive to keep it shiny.

Just a fun idea to add to a spring get-together... They'd be cute on a deviled egg tray too. **Because of the toothpicks, adult supervision is recommended around little kids.

Make something just for fun and,

Have a Happy Day🐰

Jelly Belly Candy Corn & Candy Corn through the years...

When I was a kid, my two favorite candies were jelly beans and candy corn... My co-worker found Jelly Belly Candy Corn! And it's good stuff folks, kind of like a higher end candy corn:@) And I like the size too, just a little smaller than traditional candy corn, making it great for decorating treats.

And then I was curious, what else have we done with Candy Corn here at PIM through the years? Plenty:@) Click for recipes and ideas...

Candy Corn Cake ~ Sugar Cookies

No-Bake Sweet and Salty Fall Snack Mix

and Candy Corn Deviled Eggs

Barbie Candy Corn Dress Free Pattern

$ Store Candy Corn Container Recycled Tea Light:

End of Season-use it up: 

Candy Corn Fondue and 

Turkey Toes Thanksgiving Place Settings

📌My Candy for All Seasons Pinterest Board here.

📌Halloween Food Pinterest Board here.

Make something just for fun and

Have a Sweet Weekend:@)

Pickled Corn Salad with Cumin, $1.25 Barbie Size Food & Minions...

I had a couple ears of corn to use up and we were having burritos for dinner so I thought I'd try to make a Pickled Corn Salad with Cumin. The idea was, we could either add it to the burritos or eat it as a side dish. We liked it as a side dish salad. This was easy and surprisingly tasty, and the boys said it was perfect for summer:@) I love cutting it off the ear and leaving some of the kernels attached in little rows so folks know it's fresh corn. Recipe below...

Dollar Tree has this set of Barbie Size Food Erasers in with the back to school things. It has a good variety of items, hot dog, hamburger, French fries, soda and personal pan pizza, and would be perfect for doll play:@)

And I hear there's a new Minions movie out... Thought I'd share my silly Minion Deviled Eggs from back in 2016:@)

Cumin Pickled Corn Salad

For each two ears of cooked corn:

Hearty 1/4 C green/red bell pepper

Small jalapeno, cleaned diced

About 1/4 C onion, diced

3 Tblsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

S&P to taste- or your favorite seasoned salt

Fresh parsley or cilantro if you have it-optional

~Mix everything, cover and let sit in fridge for a couple hours.

Have a Happy Day:@)

Deviled Egg Stuffed Sweet Mini or Jalapeno Peppers

These Deviled Egg Stuffed Sweet Mini and/or Jalapeno Peppers made a very nice lunch. The inspiration was the itty red peppers on the plant in my garden, and I picked a couple small jalapenos too. My favorite bites were the sweet red ones. I simply mixed up some egg salad using mayonnaise and mustard to mimic deviled eggs, and made sure to cut the whites smaller than traditional egg salad. For ease of stuffing, add the filling to a disposable icing bag, just cut the hole a little larger for the whites. If I had a chicken coop this would have been a total garden lunch:@)

Now, as a general rule... I stay away from bugs, especially when it comes to food. But I thought these little ant picks were kind of cute for a summer or picnic charcuterie tray, and really think kids would get a kick out of them:@) They'd be fun for Halloween too...

And for a more charcuterie look, I've added crackers and think a small bowl of pickles would have been perfect... As a point of reference: I picked six very small peppers and used two hard boiled eggs.

My mini sweet pepper plant 7/5/24:

Deviled Egg Stuffed Sweet Mini or Jalapeno Peppers

1. Cut peppers in half long ways, clean out seeds and membranes. I used a melon baller.
2. Mix up some deviled egg salad, be sure to fine dice the egg whites.
3. Fill peppers.
4. Garnish with parsley and chives, or paprika, or seasoned salt if desired.

Let's enjoy what the garden gifts us, and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

I'm Joining:

Full Plate Thursday

Giardiniera Pickled Onion Deviled Eggs

On today's episode of Frugal Living, Squeeze that Penny Until it Squeals...

I thoroughly enjoy Giardiniera and even have a couple pickle forks I hang on the jars for easily fishing the veggies out for a snack. But I never know what to do with the mini onions... And I'm not a member of the martini crowd:@) So in an effort to use them, I diced them up and made some Giardiniera Pickled Onion Deviled Eggs. Nothing ground breaking here, simply mix up some deviled eggs and stir in some minced pickled onion. But I will say, the pickled onion adds a great briny bite, and it's good stuff folks. 

My best tip: Don't add any salt to your mixture until after you mix in the onions. Then adjust to taste.

The pickle forks I hang on jars:

📌My Pinterest Boards here.

Giardiniera Pickled Onion Deviled Eggs

1. Mix up your favorite deviled egg recipe but omit the salt. 
2. Stir in some finely minced pickled onions that were blotted with a paper towel. Maybe one onion per egg, or more, you know your crowd... 
3. Taste, adjust salt if needed and fill egg whites.
4. Garnish with dusting of freshly cracked black pepper and sliced giardiniera vegetables if desired.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Charcuterie Bouquet -A Bloggy Blooper...

I saw some really cute Meat & Vegetable Cut Flowers for Charcuterie Bouquets and just had to give them a try. The idea was to cut a jalapeno to resemble the bottom of the flower, stuff it with rolled meat, and then add either a scallion or chive for the stem. Creating a 100% edible bouquet... Once again I say, trying to shape and form lunch meat requires... patience. But I am happy that I took the time to give it a try, even though I didn't end up with what my mind's eye pictured:@) 

Let's try something new, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Fancy Cut Deviled Eggs -New Kitchen Toy

I saw a fun new set of egg cutters and just had to give them a try. If you search on-line, you can find them for anywhere from under a dollar, to about $7 delivered the next day. They come in a set of two, one is a zig-zag, the other makes a kind of swirl. They worked well and add just one more element of fun to deviled eggs. They would make a cute little extra gift for the designated deviled egg maker in your life:@)

The cutters:

Simply roll the egg on the cutter.

In case you can see the cuts better:

Bon Appetit:@)

Let's try something new and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Sweet Jalapeno Pickled Eggs & Deviled Egg Suggestion

Ok folks, buckle up... It's time for this year's pickled egg recipe and it's a good one:@) You might think these Sweet Jalapeno Pickled Eggs would pack some heat, but it is mellowed by the sugar. I find these particular eggs to truly be more of a snack because of the sweetness. The thyme is also a different and nice addition. I give these two thumbs up, please don't hesitate to try it if you'd like to preserve some extra hard boiled Easter eggs after the holiday.

Do yourself a favor... Mix those pickled onions and 'penos into your next batch of egg, potato, or macaroni salad. Or small dice and stir into your deviled egg mixture. Seriously good stuff! (And yes, I made everything suggested:@)

Recipe easily cut in half.

All of my pickled egg recipes here.

Deviled Eggs Pinterest Board here.

Sweet Jalapeno Pickled Eggs-from Backyard Poultry

1 C white wine vinegar-I used cider vinegar

1 C water

1 C sugar

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp mustard seed

12 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled

1 fresh sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 fresh jalapeno with sliced

1. In small pot bring vinegar, water, sugar, thyme and mustard seed to full raging boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to simmer for another 5 minutes.
2. Mix eggs, onion and jalapeno in clean jar leaving 1" head space.
3. Pour hot brine into jar, release air bubbles and fill with additional brine to cover eggs if necessary.
4. Cover jar and store in refrigerator.
5. Allow to pickle for up to 2 weeks before eating. I started eating mine after 2+ days.
6. *The National Center for Home Food Preservation states that homemade pickled eggs will keep up to three to four months when stored covered in the refrigerator.

Let's use up those Easter eggs, and

Have a Happy Day🐣

Easter Prep: Egg Chicks, Bunny Flatwear Holder & Jello Meringue Cookies

As we look forward to Easter and meal planning, I thought it would be fun to gather a few ideas that, while some are edible, they may all lean more towards the crafty side of the holiday:@) First, why not play with our food a bit and add some Hard Boiled Egg Chicks to the deviled egg tray or charcuterie board... They are cute and if not eaten during dinner, can be put back in the fridge and turned into egg salad the next day.

My Deviled Egg Pinterest Board here:

Whether hosting Easter dinner this year or just looking for a cute idea to bring a smile or two... These Felt Easter Bunny Flatware Holders literally cost pennies and come together in no time. This is an easy project that can be sewn or glued, perfect to get the kids involved. Why not whip up a few in pretty spring colors for your holiday tablescape:@)

And whether you try something as elaborate as these piped Easter bunnies, or simply drop spoonful's of this fluffy batter onto the baking sheet, I encourage you to give these fun Jello Meringue Cookies (or maybe it's more like candy:@) a try. This is a fun foodie project that will require a little time, but most of that is in the oven.

Happy Holiday Planning, and

Have a Great Weekend🐰

Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs

It's always fun to try a new flavor combination and this one has been on my mind for a while... These Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs have a nice mellow onion flavor, and the filling is just a tad denser from the cream cheese. I kinda like the little green bits in the yolk mixture too, but also decided to bump the color up with some fresh chives from the garden:@) Don't hesitate to give these substantial deviled eggs a try this Easter folks, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs

~Mix up your favorite deviled egg recipe but simply swap at least half of the mayonnaise for softened Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Spread.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

What to bring for Thanksgiving if you don't bake...

We all want to contribute a little something when we visit for the holidays, but let's face it folks, not everyone likes to bake. So I thought I'd do a little round-up of different ideas and links to recipes and my Pinterest Boards for inspiration. Sound like fun? Good:@) I think when we all hear of fudge we think fussy, and thermometers, and lot's of work. And yes, that fudge is amazing... But I'm here to say you can make some ~easy~ and darn good fudge by starting with a quality chocolate chip. I encourage you to try this Microwave Rum Raisin Fudge and it might just become your signature holiday dish...

Fruitcake Fudge ~ Maple Walnut Cranberry Fudge ~ Everything with my Fudge Label

And I don't think any hostess would mind you showing up with this Cranberry Meatball Appetizer. Just be sure it's already warm and in your own slow cooker ready to serve. Maybe you even bring some cute food picks... Perfect:@) Meatball Pinterest Board here.

With charcuterie still all the rage, how about some Holiday Stuffed Celery with cream cheese, bacon and dill. Easy and this variation is honestly really pretty:@) I've shared over 14 different stuffed celery variations, why not make a sweet and savory tray. Maybe cut them into 1" bite size pieces and again, add some food picks for serving.

And you probably already guessed I'd add Deviled Eggs:@) People kinda think they are a lot of work, but they do come together fairly quickly, especially if you use a disposable icing bag to fill the whites. Another tip: Easy Peel Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs Technique-it works! You could make your Grandmom's basic recipe, or add lots of additional flavors, or even make them silly looking. My Deviled Egg Pinterest Board has 73 ideas and continues to grow...

And speaking of silly... A personal favorite, Cranberry and Strawberry Jello Mold with Apple, Celery and Walnuts. Talk about a conversation starter:@) Just look at that gorgeous color folks... Oh my, tell me this doesn't scream the holidays... Or how about an orange colored Carrot and Pineapple one. My Jello Pinterest Board here.

Why not pick up a bag or two of candy corn while it's marked down and make some kiddy table party favors... These Turkey Toes are literally as easy as pouring candy into bags and adding ribbon-done. And they're sure to bring a giggle or two:@)

Or maybe you'd like to bring a quick no-sew project for the kids... These Holiday Aprons fit Barbie, Curvy Barbie, Ken, Action Figure Dolls ~and yes~ even Elf on the Shelf:@) I'd cut them out ahead of time and bring ribbon and embellishments for the kids to glue together-fun! And of course the fabric could be any design or color. My Barbie Pinterest Board here.

So there you have just a few ideas from almost 14 years of blogging. My Recipe Index shares everything I've made broken down by category if you have something specific in mind. And I do have a Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Food and Desserts Board here. I hope you find something new to make!

🦃Happy Holiday Planning and

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Vampire Teeth Halloween Deviled Egg Holders

This is just for silly fun folks... I picked up a bag of Halloween party favors and thought these Vampire Teeth Deviled Egg Holders would make a cute snack or addition to a charcuterie board:@) The teeth came wide open flat, I did fold them and try to crimp the bend a bit on both sides so they would look a little more like they would in the mouth. Simply mix up your favorite deviled eggs and set one inside of each set of teeth. Kids will get a kick out of eating the egg and then wearing the teeth. They came in white too, I thought the colors would show up better in the pic.

You don't need to make a bunch, simply set a few on your relish tray or charcuterie board.

This is my 2023 Halloween Deviled Egg contribution...

You can see all of the others on my

Deviled Eggs for All Seasons Pinterest Board.

This post makes 15 Halloween ideas:@)

🎃Make something just for fun, and

Have a Happy Day:@)