Restaurant-Style Salsa and Queso Blanco Dip

Monday is cinco de Mayo, and there is one thing I know for sure: I am going to be ready for a margarita at the end of it. Bright and early Monday morning, I'm chaperoning Andrew's kindergarten class field trip to the local science center. I'm sure it will be fun, and also that it will be stressful. I will definitely be ready for a siesta instead of a fiesta by the end of the day.

When I was looking through my saved Mexican recipes (and there are a lot of them!), searching for something to share to celebrate this fun holiday, it didn't take me long to settle on these two. This is the best restaurant-style salsa I've ever tried, and this is the best queso dip I've ever made. And I firmly believe that they are both required elements of any good Mexican spread.

The salsa is spicy, with awesome tomato flavor and the perfect texture and consistency. The queso is...Well, there are just no words to describe the queso, really. It's incredible. I'm telling you, you're going to love both of these recipes -- especially if you eat them together over tortilla chips. Mmm.

Restaurant-Style Salsa
from The Pioneer Woman 

Two 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin, with seeds and membrane
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 lime, juiced

1. Combine the diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, salt, sugar and lime juice in a blender or food processor.

2. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you like, about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

3. Refrigerate the salsa for at least an hour before serving.

 

Queso Blanco Dip

from Seeded at the Table

 

1 1/4 (1.25) pound block white American cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup diced green chiles, from a can

2 pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 ounce pickled jalapeno juice

2/3 cup whole milk

1/2 cup cold water

 

1. Toss all ingredients into a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute. The mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted.

2. Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips.

  

Beer-Battered Zucchini Rings

It happens every year around this time, without fail. Someone pawns off on gifts me with a gigantic zucchini from their garden. It happened again this year, of course; Joe's grandma sent him home from a visit with a really big zuc that I'm almost positive was longer than both of the boys when they were born. 

As it does every year, the zucchini sat on my counter for nearly a week, mocking me, daring me to tackle it. Finally I just said to myself, you know what? I'mma fry this sucker. And that's exactly what I did. I dunked it in some beer and hot sauce, then gave it a bath in some hot oil. Sometimes you just have to go for it, you know?

The thing with these big zucchini is that they're full of seeds...seeds that aren't really digestible when they reach that size. So I sliced the zucchini into rings, then used a small knife to hollow out the seed area in the middle. Easy peasy! And holy cow, were these delicious. Zucchini has such a great flavor all on its own, but when paired with yeasty beer, spicy hot sauce, a perfectly crunchy exterior and some ranch for dipping? Ugh, they're perfect. Just perfect. If I could use an emoji in a blog post, I'd use the smiley face guy that has hearts where his eyes should be.

If you, too, have a gigantic zucchini languishing in your garden or on your counter, use it to make these rings. You'll be really glad you did, I promise.

Beer-Battered Zucchini Rings
adapted from Homegrown & Healthy

1 big zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rings and seeds removed
1 cup flour 
3/4 cup beer
1 teaspoon hot sauce (more to taste)
Coarse salt
Vegetable oil for frying
Ranch dressing for dipping, if desired

1. Heat vegetable oil in a high-sided skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the flour, beer, and hot sauce in a large bowl. 

3. Completely submerge the zucchini rings in the batter, coating them generously, then immediately place in hot oil. Cook until the first side is crispy, then flip and let the other side crisp up. Remove to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with coarse salt while still hot. Serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping.

Pickle Roll-ups

If loving these delicious little ham-wrapped cream cheese-blanketed pickle morsels makes me uncool...then I am supremely uncool. And I am absolutely okay with that. I've been eating these pickle roll-ups for most of my life, and I'm not sure if they're just a Midwestern thing or if everyone already knows about them, but I just can't keep the recipe to myself. Not that there's really a recipe involved -- it's just a pickle, wrapped in cream cheese, wrapped in ham. That's it. The only bad thing about them, I guess, is that they're dangerously, deliciously addictive.

Pickle Roll-ups

1 10-ounce package sliced ham

1 8-ounce container spreadable cream cheese

Refrigerated whole pickles

On a work surface, lay out two slices of ham so that they overlap in the middle. Spread with an even layer of cream cheese. Place a pickle on the top edge of the ham, then roll the ham around the pickle. Repeat as desired. Cut into slices and refrigerate until serving.

Cake Batter Dip

I'm Grumpy today. Yes, that's right: Grumpy with a capital G. It's just been one of those days, and even though it's still early, I already just want to call it quits and settle into a hot bath with a cold glass of wine. But since I can't do that, I'm going to do my best to improve my mood by sharing an adorable, delicious recipe with you.

It just doesn't get much cuter than this cake batter dip. It's so easy to throw together, and it's addictively delicious. This recipe makes a ton, so be sure you have someone to share it with, or you just might end up eating all of it yourself (not that I know that from experience or anything...).

This is such a sweet and festive treat for a Grumpy-with-a-capital-G day...or any day, really. How I wish I was that lion animal cracker right now!

Cake Batter Dip

adapted from Honest Cooking

1 package of Funfetti cake batter mix (box variety)

2 cups vanilla yogurt

1 1/2 cups whipped topping

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sprinkles

Vanilla wafers, animal crackers, and graham crackers for dipping

Blend the cake mix, yogurt, whipped topping and vanilla with a mixer. Place in a tupperware container; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, add the sprinkles to the top of the dip. Serve with assorted dippers.

Spinach-Artichoke Bites

I've actually made these spinach-artichoke bites a few times now, and I just haven't shared them yet, which is truly a travesty. I first came up with this idea back in March, when I was planning my sister-in-law's baby shower. Inspired by these cheesy corn bites, I decided to fill tortilla cups with spinach-artichoke dip for easy eating. Every time I make these, they are the first thing to disappear, and everyone raves about them.

Spinach-artichoke dip is one of those things I do a little bit differently every time I make it, and this time I added chopped roasted red peppers to the mix (since I was making these for a Christmas celebration, I thought the colors would be festive). I absolutely loved the addition of the roasted red peppers, and I think I'll be adding them to my dip all the time now!

Spinach-Artichoke Bites

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 roasted red peppers, patted dry and diced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 bag cup-shaped tortilla chips (like Tostitos scoops)

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add garlic and artichokes to saucepan and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach and roasted red peppers. Add cream cheese and sour cream and stir until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and the parmesan and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

3. Arrange tortilla cups on the prepared baking sheet. Add about a tablespoon of the dip to each cup. Sprinkle each cup with remaining mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the cheese on top is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Even though I've made and shared a lot of jalapeno popper-inspired dishes on the blog, I realized recently that I'd never made actual jalapeno poppers. I decided to remedy that by putting them on one of my Christmas menus. Although they were a bit time-consuming to put together, they were really simple to make, and I was even able to assemble them ahead of time to ease the work I had to do when our guests arrived.

These definitely had quite a kick, as any good jalapeno popper should, but the heat was perfectly tamed by the creamy filling. As a nod to traditional, deep-fried jalapeno poppers, I mixed some breadcrumbs with butter and sprinkled the mixture over the top of the jalapenos before I baked them. Everyone absolutely loved these!

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

12 jalapenos, halved, stems attached but seeds and ribs removed

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup pepper-jack cheese, shredded

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange jalapenos on a foil-lined baking sheet.

2. Stir together cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and garlic powder. Add cheeses and mix until completely combined. Add about 1 tablespoon of the filling to each jalapeno.

3. Combine melted butter and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top of each jalapeno.

4. Bake for about 25 minutes, until filling is bubbly and breadcrumbs are browned.

Marinated Cheese

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! Ours was nice, although not quite as perfect as I'd planned. I came down with a terrible stomach virus on Christmas Eve, which thankfully passed quickly but left me feeling weak and exhausted and not nearly as motivated as I'd hoped to be. The boys still had a ton of fun, though, and that's what really counts. We got to spend lots of quality time with the people we love, and I feel so very blessed, if a little queasy. :)

 I thought, for the rest of this week, I'd share a few appetizer recipes with you in preparation for New Year's Eve. Although Joe and I are just going to have a low-key evening at home, I know lots of people host or attend parties. I hosted a couple of Christmases this year (one in the wake of a stomach bug! I certainly deserve a medal for that!), and I want to share some of the dishes I made. Unfortunately, a couple of the especially delicious ones didn't get photographed, but that just means I get to make them again, which I am more than happy to do.

First up is this marinated cheese tray, which may sound a little strange, but is so very good. Our guests couldn't stop eating this, and neither could I! You mix together a marinade just like you would for meat, but you use it for slices of cheese instead, so the cheese soaks up all of those wonderful flavors.  The recipe calls for cheddar, Monterey Jack, and cream cheese, and believe it or not, the cream cheese was my least favorite element. Next time I make this (and there will be a next time!), I'll use pepper jack instead of cream cheese. This is such a simple, tasty, and pretty appetizer.

Marinated Cheese

from MyRecipes

1 0.7-ounce envelope Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 green onions, minced

2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 8-ounce block Monterey Jack cheese, chilled

1 8-ounce block cheddar cheese, chilled

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, chilled

1 4-ounce jar chopped pimiento, drained

Assorted crackers

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Set aside.

2. Cut Monterey Jack cheese in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Repeat with cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

3. Arrange cheese in 4 rows in a shallow 2-quart baking dish, alternating Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. Pour marinade over cheese. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

4. Drain marinade; arrange cheese on a platter in rows. Top with pimiento, and serve with assorted crackers.

Italian Sub Bites

I think we've all been in the position of being invited to a last-minute gathering. "It was spur-of-the-moment," the host says cheerfully. "Just bring a side!" Which is all well and good...unless you have two sons, a weekend that is already jam-packed, and haven't had a chance to go to the grocery store yet -- and no time to do it anytime soon. That exact thing happened to me recently, and these Italian sub bites were my solution. I brought together bits and pieces of what I had on hand and made them into one really delicious appetizer.

These little bites are easily customizable with whatever you have on hand. I could see using turkey, bacon, and cheddar cheese to turn them into club sandwich bites. These were simple, delicious, and a huge hit with everyone who tried them -- and as a bonus, I felt pretty satisfied with myself for making them up on the fly. :)

Italian Sub Bites

1 sleeve buttery crackers, like Ritz

1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

1/2 cup chopped salami

1/2 cup chopped ham

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Arrange the crackers on a baking sheet. Top each cracker with some of the pepperoni, salami, and ham, then add a sprinkling of cheese.

3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the meat mixture is warmed through. Serve warm.

Jalapeno Popper Wontons

I absolutely love my in-laws, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to say that. Not only are they a fabulous, fun group of people, they're also very good (and creative) cooks. They are definitely my sort of people. I always look forward to holidays with them, because I know the food is going to be just as fantastic as the company.

When we got together for a Labor Day cookout recently, Joe's grandma and cousin were on the same page when it came to their appetizer offerings. Joe's grandma made an incredible jalapeno popper dip, and his cousin walked in with a casserole dish full of jalapeno popper wontons, announcing, "If you want any of these you'd better get them now, because I ate five of them on the drive here." Once I tried one, I could see why: They were absolutely delicious and addictive. So addictive that I had to make my own version of them at home.

Now, I'm sure there are a lot of recipes out there for these, but here's what I did. I decided to fry my wontons rather than bake them (like Joe's cousin did), because I like a really, really crispy texture. For the filling, I used cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and fresh jalapenos, and I sprinkled the wontons with coarse salt when they were finished frying. I thought about adding bacon to the filling, but in hindsight (I can't believe I'm saying this...) I'm glad I didn't. I think the bacon would have made them too heavy.

With the measurements below, I had enough filling to make an entire package of wontons. They take some time to make, it's true, but to say they're worth it would be a massive understatement. These wontons are a perfect football snack, a real crowd-pleaser, and I know I'll make them over and over again.

Jalapeno Popper Wontons

1 package refrigerated square wonton wrappers

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Vegetable oil for frying

Coarse salt

1. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, jalapenos, and cheddar cheese. Arrange wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of the filling to the center of each wonton (don't overfill them). Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and run your wet fingers around all edges of each wonton. Fold the wontons over the filling, pinching the edges to seal to make a triangle and removing any air bubbles.

3. Fry wontons in batches in hot oil until browned and cripsy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve warm.

Herbed Cheese Cucumber Medallions

When I hosted my sister-in-law’s baby shower last month, I wanted the food to be simple, special, and, most of all, delicious. As I have a tendency to over-plan for events like this, I made a conscious effort to keep the menu small and uncomplicated, while still providing enough variety for my guests. In the end, I think I more than accomplished this goal; everyone left satisfied, and I didn’t have a ton of leftovers to lug home, either.

These cucumbers were one of the first things I knew for sure I’d be making. They came together in no time, and everyone loved them. The cool, crisp cucumber is the perfect vehicle for the creamy, intensely flavorful filling. I did manage to sneak a few of them home with me, and even my kids loved them. These would be a delicious addition to your Easter table this weekend!

Herbed Cheese Cucumber Medallions
adapted from Annie’s Eats

1 6.5-ounce package garlic and herb spreadable cheese (like Boursin or Alouette)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
2 English cucumbers

1. Add the cheese to a medium bowl. Add heavy cream until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Stir in fresh black pepper to taste. Place in a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped out.

2. Slice the cucumbers into half-inch thick slices. Using a teaspoon, hollow out the center of each cucumber to remove seeds, being sure not to go all the way through the cucumber.

3. Pipe some of the filling into each hollowed-out cucumber slice. Arrange on a serving platter and refrigerate until serving. Makes about 36 medallions.

Mexican Spinach Dip

I mentioned in my meal planning post a couple of weeks ago that a group of my high school friends and I have started a cooking club. The plan is to get together once a month and have a themed sort of dinner, with each of us providing one component (appetizer, main dish, dessert, etc.). For our first meet-up, we had an amazing Mexican fiesta, including blood orange and pomegranate margaritas, fajitas, tres leches cake, and this delicious sopapilla cheesecake-like dessert that I cannot wait to make at home. We had a blast, and there may be a picture of all of us circulating on Facebook wearing Mexican mustaches. That might have happened. We’re all moms, and spending an evening together, reflecting on life and motherhood with women who have known me for so many years, was good for my soul.

My contribution to our fabulous meal was this Mexican spinach dip, which was suggested to me by a lovely reader named Jessi (who is blogless) when I solicited for Mexican appetizer ideas. You guys, this dip is so incredibly delicious. And it’s addictive, too – even after my friends and I had finished our meal and our dessert, we were still eating it. It’s creamy, just a little bit spicy, and has that great earthy spinach flavor. Definitely a winner, and something I’ll be making often in the future! Thanks for sharing this one, Jessi!

(P.S. March’s theme is Italian food, and I’ve been assigned the dessert course. What’s your favorite Italian dessert? Link ’em up in the comments! So far you guys are 1 for 1!)

Mexican Spinach Dip
adapted from Allrecipes

1 16-ounce jar salsa, medium or hot
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, diced and softened
1 8-ounce carton sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium baking dish, mix together salsa, chopped spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

3. Bake mixture in the preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Lemon Cheesecake Fruit Dip

The Super Bowl is nearly upon us. I’m rooting for the Giants this year, not really because I like them, particularly, but more because I don’t like Tom Brady. My husband doesn’t either. We’re an anti-Brady household. The reasons for this are varied and not really all that important, I promise.

For me, the Super Bowl has always been more about the food than anything. It’s one of the few days a year when you can pig out on tons of foods and drinks that aren’t very good for you, because everyone else around you is doing the exact same thing. Today, I’m bringing you something lighter to add to your Super Bowl spread. It’s still not “good” for you, exactly, but you’ll be eating it with fruit, so at least you’ll get something of nutritional value!

This lemon cheesecake fruit dip is simply delicious. It has a wonderful lemon flavor and a creamy texture that makes it perfect for dipping. And it comes together in less than five minutes. I made this for Will’s birthday party last month, and I got tons of compliments and requests for the recipe. I served it with apple slices, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, and graham crackers. My favorite dipper was the grapes, but Andrew much preferred strawberries (as you can tell by his hand in the photo), and Will? Well, he preferred to just eat handfuls of the dip. Not that I blame him. If I could have gotten away with it, I probably would have done the same thing. I’m not two years old with pinchable cheeks, though. ;)

Lemon Cheesecake Fruit Dip
seen on Taste and Tell and originally from The Real Mom Kitchen Cookbook

1 6-ounce container lemon flavored yogurt
1 7-ounce container marshmallow creme
1 8-ounce container whipped cream cheese
Zest of 1 lemon

With a hand mixer, blend all of the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Reserve a small amount of the lemon zest to sprinkle on top, if desired. Serve with fresh fruit.

Cheesy Corn Bites

I’ve had my eye on these succulent little bites ever since Deborah posted the recipe over the summer. I finally had the opportunity to make them recently, when I was expecting my stepmom and sister to come over for one of our evenings of girl TV. But I guess there’d been a break in our communication, because while I thought they were coming over, neither of them actually was planning to on this particular night. That would have been fine, if I’d known that before I’d put an entire batch of these corn bites in the oven.

I knew it would be dangerous to have an entire batch of these to myself, and I wasn’t wrong. They are so addictive. I finally had to force myself to stop eating them after I’d eaten nearly half a batch all on my own (I KNOW. THE SHAME). These are dangerous not only because they’re compulsively eatable, but also because they’re so darn simple to make, and require only four ingredients. Did you know you were that close to cheesy corn bite Heaven? I bet not.

These are delicious as-is, and they’re also great with a bit of pico de gallo on top (which is how I served them at Will’s birthday party earlier this month). If you serve them for the Super Bowl this weekend, you should probably make a triple batch.

Cheesy Corn Bites
adapted from Taste and Tell and originally from Every Day with Rachael Ray

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
Salt and pepper
48 scoop-shaped tortilla chips
Chopped cilantro, for sprinkling, if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set the chips out on a baking sheet.

2. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, corn, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper; mix completely. Place 1 teaspoon of the mixture into each corn chip. Bake until the filling sets, about 20 minutes.

3. Sprinkle the corn bites with the cilantro and serve warm.

Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip

Most of you probably know me well enough by now to know, just by looking at the ingredients of this dish, that this dip is very nearly my idea of perfection. Bacon, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing mix, cream cheese and sour cream? Yes to all of it! I’ve seen versions of this dip pop up in lots of different places lately, some served cold and some served warm, some without cheddar and/or cream cheese. I decided I had to make my own version, tailoring it to our tastes, and this is what I came up with.

I much prefer warm dips to cold (and using real, sliced bacon works better in warm dips, I’ve found), so I made this on the stovetop and served it warm with tortilla chips. We absolutely loved this, and Joe said it’s second only to this spicy sausage dip in his list of favorites. This would be the perfect dip to serve during weekend football games. I guarantee you it will get eaten very, very quickly!

Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip

1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 8-ounce package cream cheese (reduced fat would work), softened
8 ounces sour cream (reduced fat would work)
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips for serving

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon to desired crispness. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together cream cheese and sour cream until melted and fully combined. Stir in ranch dressing mix, most of the bacon, and shredded cheese.

3. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with remaining bacon. Serve with tortilla chips.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

I’m pretty sure I married one of the most patient men on the planet. Not that I’m hard to live with, by any means (at least, I don’t think I am!). But I do like to try lots of new recipes, many of them a bit...experimental, and many of them things that make my meat-and-potatoes husband raise his eyebrows doubtfully. He doesn’t always enjoy everything that I try, but he always eats it. So I thought it was high time I tried a new recipe that I knew he’d love. Enter these buffalo chicken nachos.

This is definitely one of the most indulgent dishes I’ve ever made. There’s nothing at all healthy about these nachos – except maybe for the sprinkling of celery on top, which hardly counts. It’s cheese on top of buffalo chicken on top of Cool Ranch Doritos. So, basically, these nachos are not the least bit nutritious, is what I’m saying. But they sure are delicious, and they were definitely a husband-pleaser. And I bet if you took these to a tail-gate or over to a friends’ house to watch some football, you’d be a rock star. These nachos are irresistible.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos
slightly adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

8 cups Cool Ranch Doritos
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce
1/2 cup water
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped celery
Sour cream
Ranch dressing

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Spread tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow dish.

2. Bring wing sauce and water to a simmer. Add shredded cooked chicken; heat through. Strain the chicken (reserving the sauce) and spread over ranch-flavored tortilla chips. Top with shredded cheddar.

3. Bake in the upper third portion of the oven until cheese is melted for about 5 to 7 minutes. After nachos are baked, top with chopped celery and the reserved wing sauce.4. Mix together equal parts sour cream and ranch dressing. Serve with nachos.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Fruit salsa is one of those things I love so much that it came as a bit of a shock to me when I realized I'd never made it myself. When I saw this recipe on Carrie's Sweet Life, I knew I had to remedy that, and soon. Fresh, sweet fruit salsa, paired with homemade cinnamon tortilla chips? Yes please!

I can't even begin to describe how delicious this salsa is. It's sweet and tangy and so incredibly decadent. The cinnamon chips are irresistible (and addictive!) on their own, but pairing them with the fruit salsa takes them to a completely new level. This was a huge hit with everyone who tried it, and I will definitely, absolutely, certainly be making it over and over again.

I adapted Carrie's recipe to fit our tastes, and you can adapt it to fit your tastes too. Use whatever seasonal fruits you like -- peaches would taste amazing in this salsa. You're going to love it!

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

adapted from Carrie's Sweet Life

For the salsa:

1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed, hulled and cut into chunks

1 kiwi, peeled and chopped

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons sugar, divided

For the cinnamon tortilla chips:

5 flour tortillas, cut into triangles

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. For the salsa: In a large bowl, combine kiwi, apples, and all but 1/4 cup strawberries. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar and stir to combine. In a blender, combine remaining 1/4 cup strawberries, lemon juice, lime juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar. Pulse until liquefied and add puree to fruit. Refrigerate until serving.

2. For the tortilla chips: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay tortilla triangles on baking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Stir together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle each tortilla. Flip each tortilla and brush the other side with melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven or until crunchy.

Hot Bean and Cheese Dip

Bean dip is one of those things I just can’t stay away from at parties or get-togethers where it’s served. I’ve had my eye on this particular dip for a while, and I thought it would be the perfect complement to our Mexican hot dogs. It was! This dip is really, really delicious, and dangerously addictive too. Next time I make it will have to be for a party, because it’s just too dangerous for me and Joe to have it all to ourselves.

Now I'm going to go back to chuckling at the picture (which looks to me like a sailboat tortilla chip navigating a sea of bean dip) and wishing I had a bowl of this for lunch today.

Hot Bean and Cheese Dip
adapted from The Sweets Life

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 can refried beans
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapeno. Saute until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the beans and cook until smooth. Add the sour cream, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.

3. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot with tortilla chips.

Grilled Pesto Spread

This, my friends, is probably one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I’ve shared on the blog to date. It’s the perfect appetizer for your next summer cook-out (like…maybe for the Fourth of July this weekend? Hint hint!). It’s three ingredients – four if you count the crackers – and it comes together so simply and tastes so incredibly good. It’s basically a brick of cream cheese, topped with pesto and mozzarella, wrapped in foil, and grilled until the cream cheese is perfectly softened and the mozzarella is melted.

You could make this in the oven if you don’t have a grill, of course, but if you do have a grill – take advantage! Keep the heat out of your kitchen! I served the spread with crackers, but I could also get behind slathering it on slices of grilled French bread. Mmmm. I’m totally trying that next time.

(By the way, this cooking method would also work with cream cheese and pepper jelly – one of my favorite appetizers of all time.)

Grilled Pesto Spread
adapted from Kraft Foods

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (low-fat is fine)
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian-blend cheese
Crackers for serving

1. Heat the grill to medium heat.

2. Place unwrapped cream cheese on 8-inch square sheet of heavy-duty foil; top with pesto and shredded cheese.

3. Place foil on grill; cover with lid. Grill 8 to 10 minutes or until shredded cheese is melted and cream cheese is softened, but still holding its shape.

4. Transfer foil to platter. Serve spread with crackers.

Queso Verde Dip

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you’re wearing green today so you don’t get pinched! In addition to the “wear something green” requirement for St. Patrick’s Day, I wonder if it’s also necessary to post about something green if you’re a food blogger. Just because I don’t want to get a virtual pinch, I’m going to play it safe and share something green with you today. :)

Enter this queso verde dip. That’s right: green cheese dip. It sounds much less appetizing in English, so let’s stick with the Spanish name, shall we? It doesn’t really look all that green, but it does have an entire jar of green salsa in it, so I think it counts.

I made this dip for the Super Bowl (that’s how behind on posting I am!), and it got eaten up in a flash. It’s so delicious and addictive. The salsa verde and poblano pepper add the perfect amount of spice, which is balanced nicely by the cream cheese and tangy sour cream. I didn’t have cilantro on hand, but I wish I had; I think it would have added the perfect finishing touch to the dip. I’ll definitely be making this one for all kinds of festive occasions in the future!

Queso Verde Dip
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-ounce jar green salsa (salsa verde)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut up
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon snipped cilantro
Tortilla chips for serving

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and poblano pepper and cook until tender. Add garlic cloves; cook and stir for 30 seconds.

2. Stir in salsa, cream cheese, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and cumin. Heat to bubbling, then reduce heat.

3. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

Cheesy Beer Dip

I’ve saved the best Super Bowl snack recipe for last. Especially if you happen to be rooting for the Packers this year, I’d venture to say that this cheesy beer dip is The Ultimate Super Bowl Dip for you. Use Wisconsin cheddar and beer brewed right in Milwaukee. It couldn’t be more perfect.

However, no matter who you’re rooting for this weekend or where you live, I think you should definitely make this soon. It’s so incredibly good! The cream cheese and cheddar make it creamy and gooey, and the beer adds such a wonderful yeasty, tangy flavor to the dip without being overpowering.

The original recipe says that this should be served cold. I say that’s madness. I served it warm with a huge pile of pretzels, and we seriously could not get enough of this. YUM.

Cheesy Beer Dip
adapted from Taste of Home

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup beer
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Pretzels for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together cream cheese, beer, and ranch dressing mix. Continue to stir until smooth and bubbly, then add cheddar cheese until melted.

3. Pour into a greased oven-safe dish. Bake 20 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly. Serve with pretzels.