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.

Brownie Batter Dip

I don't know if there's anything more adorable than the idea of a group of preschoolers having a tailgate party. I mean, a bunch of four-year-olds dressed in their team's colors, eating tailgating food? The cuteness of that is off the charts!

Andrew's class had a tailgating party recently, and by the time I made my way to the sign-up sheet, all of the spots for specific items (fruit, cheese, yogurt, juice boxes, etc.) were already filled. But that was more than okay with me! I placed Andrew's name on one of the "other" lines and immediately began to brainstorm what I'd make.

There are obviously lots of football-shaped food ideas out there, but given his class's food allergies and my own time limitations, I wanted something very simple. I finally decided on brownie batter dip with various dippers, since I knew that would be a big hit with the kids. To make it even more festive, I served it in an oval-shaped dish and piped football laces down the center with white decorating frosting.

Not only is the presentation adorable, but this dip is also absolutely delicious. It is so addictive, and really does taste like brownie batter (minus the raw eggs, of course). The kids seemed to like it best with graham crackers, but I preferred it with salty pretzels to balance out the sweetness. It's both a blessing and a curse that I brought home leftovers from Andrew's preschool. This dip is perfect for tailgaters of any age!

Brownie Batter Dip

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar, plus more for a stiffer consistency, if needed

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-4 tablespoons milk

Pretzels, strawberries, graham crackers, animal crackers, etc. for dipping

1. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix well.

2. Add the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix until fluffy and smooth. Add additional powdered sugar and/or milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached. The dip should be soft enough to easily dip a pretzel in (without breaking the pretzel!) but not so soft that it spreads out instead of holding its shape.

3. To make it tailgate-themed, serve in an oval dish and pipe football laces down the center with white frosting.

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.

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.

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.

Hot Corn Dip

Most of the country is being pounded with a massive winter storm right now, and Ohio is no exception. We woke up to ice, ice, and more ice -- and some sleet and freezing rain thrown in for good measure. The drive to work was harrowing, to say the least. And the snow moves in tonight, so I’m sure tomorrow’s going to be even worse.

I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but here, when a massive winter weather system is predicted, people go absolutely crazy. Last night Joe went to the store to get some essentials --bottled water, diapers, and ice cream, of course -- and they were completely out of milk...all types and sizes of milk, including almond, rice and soy (he checked). I’m glad we have little ones and we’re never short of milk!

Anyway, if you weren’t able to make it to the store before the Snowpocalypse hit, this is definitely a snack you can still make for yourself while the weather rages outside. Its ingredients are pantry staples (at least for me), and best of all, it’s so incredibly delicious. This was great with tortilla chips, but it was equally as delicious on top of the Mexican biscuit pizzas I served it with (recipe coming tomorrow). The only thing I’d do differently next time would be to use half pepper-jack cheese or add a dash of hot sauce to give this just a little bit more of a kick. Some cilantro would be nice in here too.

Hot Corn Dip
adapted from Mommy’s Kitchen, originally from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood

2 11-ounce cans corn with red and green peppers, drained
2 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the corn, chilies, cheeses, mayonnaise, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish.

3. Bake, uncovered, 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Bacon Guacamole

Bacon seems to be all the rage these days, I’m sure you’ve noticed. Bacon is going in cookies and in tons of other dishes where it normally wouldn't go. I have yet to get sick of this trend, so when I saw a recipe for bacon guacamole, I was all over it. After all, I love putting a couple of slices of avocado on my BLTs, so pairing avocado with bacon in a nice spicy guacamole seemed like a natural thing to do. Why hadn’t I ever thought of it before?

This is a great spin on guacamole. The bacon adds a really nice saltiness in the background, but surprisingly, it doesn’t overpower the other flavors like I thought it might. The smoky bacon pairs perfectly with the smoky-spicy chipotle in adobo, and the balance of textures is spot-on: creamy avocado, crispy bacon, juicy Roma tomatoes. This is a perfect snack for tailgating or, really, anytime!

Bacon Guacamole
adapted from Yum Sugar, originally from Rick Bayless

3 strips bacon
2 medium-large ripe avocados, cut in half and pitted
Half of a medium red onion, chopped into small pieces
1 canned chipotle in adobo, removed from canning sauce, stemmed, slit open, seeded and finely chopped
1 medium Roma tomato, cored and chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Salt to taste
Fresh lime juice to taste

1. In a large (10-inch) skillet, cook the bacon in a single layer over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, crumble coarsely and set aside.

2. Scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl. Using a potato masher or a large fork or spoon, mash into a coarse purée. Add about two-thirds of the bacon, along with the onion, chipotle chile, tomato and cilantro. Stir gently to combine.

3. Taste and season with salt and lime juice to taste. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate. To serve, scoop the guacamole into a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining bacon (and cilantro if desired).

Apple Week: Toffee Apple Dip

I guess I’m technically cheating with this recipe. It doesn’t actually contain apples, but its entire purpose is to serve as a dip for apples. So that counts, right? Regardless, this is too delicious not to share, during Apple Week or any time. I could have eaten this with a spoon.

...Okay, here’s the actual truth: I did eat this with a spoon. I forwent the apples for a good portion of this and just ate spoonfuls of it. That’s how good it was. It’s so sweet and creamy and warm-tasting, the perfect balance to crisp, tart Granny Smith apples. It reminds me quite a bit of chocolate chip cookie dough dip, but this version has toffee bits in addition to chocolate. YUM.

Make this. You won’t be sorry. Just be aware that if you have less than one iota of willpower, you’ll be eating it with a spoon. Fair warning. Thanks for a great recipe, Leigh!

Toffee Apple Dip
from One Day at a Time – From My Kitchen to Yours

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 package Heath chocolate-toffee bits

Sliced tart (Granny Smith) apples

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Serve with apples and refrigerate leftovers.

Four-Ingredient Layered Mexican Dip

This week I thought it would be fun to share some recipes suitable for your Memorial Day festivities this coming weekend. Can you believe it’s Memorial Day already? The year’s practically half over.

I’ve been making this Mexican dip for years, ever since a childhood friend shared her recipe when we were in junior high. I really can’t get enough of this stuff! It couldn’t be any easier to make with only four ingredients, and it tastes delicious too. Sometimes I add some shredded lettuce and chopped tomato to the top for a touch of crispness, and that makes it even better.

Four-Ingredient Layered Mexican Dip
source: a high school friend

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 can Mexican-style refried beans
1 jar salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
Tortilla chips for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 casserole with cooking spray. Spread softened cream cheese in an even layer in the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with refried beans, spread evenly, and salsa, spread evenly. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

Cool and Creamy Spinach Dip

I stumbled across this recipe for spinach dip last month, and since then I’ve made it no less than five times. I've made it just for myself, I’ve made it for my co-workers, I made it for the New Moon viewing party I had with my stepmom and stepsister (shut up), and last weekend I made it for my son’s second birthday party. Everyone who’s tried it loves it, and I’ve had countless requests for the recipe. I feel so silly when I tell people that there are only five ingredients, and that it takes less than five minutes to throw together.

This dip is just delicious, plain and simple. Serve it with whole-wheat crackers, tortilla chips, or crisp veggies, and I promise every single one of your guests will be happy!

Cool and Creamy Spinach Dip
source: adapted from Allrecipes

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 .4-ounce packet dry vegetable soup mix (I recommend Knorr/Lipton)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for at least four hours and stir before serving.

Spicy Sausage Dip

Holy moly, this dip is delicious. I really just can't say enough good things about it. It's spicy and creamy and dangerously addictive. I made this for us to enjoy during the Super Bowl and neither Joe nor I could stop talking about it the whole night. In fact, days later, we are still talking about it. It's that good.

But don't take my word for it. Go make this, RIGHT NOW, and find out for yourself! I promise you won't be sorry.

Spicy Sausage Dip
source: Annie's Eats

1 pound spicy/zesty sausage
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
Hot sauce, to taste

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the crumbled sausage until browned. Drain off any excess fat.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and mix in the tomatoes, cream cheese, and hot sauce. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is warmed through and the ingredients are well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve warm.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that my love of cilantro runs deep. I use it as a garnish for pretty much every South of the Border-ish recipe I make. So when this dressing popped up in my Google Reader, I knew I had to make it as soon as possible.

This is seriously one delicious dressing. We used it as a dip for taquitos, and used the remainder to dress a simple salad of romaine hearts, corn, black beans and avocado. It would also be a great dip for chicken fingers or thick steak fries. The ranch flavor is definitely there, but it doesn't overpower the cilantro and the lime. The original recipe calls for hot sauce, but I bought a green salsa with a medium heat level, which gave it just the right amount of spice. This is my new favorite dressing, without a doubt.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing
Source: Our Best Bites

1 1-ounce envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup green salsa

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and combine. Make several hours ahead of time to allow for thickening.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

I seem to be a bit behind the mark regarding food blog recipe trends. A lot of times I'll see something appear on a bunch of the blogs I read, and I'll want to make it immediately, but then I get distracted -- so while the rest of the internet is posting about it, I'm not. By the time I get around to it, the "trend" has passed. This has happened to me previously with buffalo chicken dip and baked potato and broccoli soup, and it happened to me again with this recipe. I saw this ages ago on a bunch of different blogs, but the recipe went on the back burner until yesterday evening -- when I decided to make it for a very special event in my best friend's and my life.

Every Monday night, without fail, my best friend comes over to my house for one reason and one reason only: The Bachelor. We are totally addicted to this show. Even though the relationships inevitably never work out, for some reason we just can't get enough. I decided to make something special for us to snack on last night, since it was the finale, and I thought of this dip immediately. It was such a rich, sweet little treat to snack on while we watched what truly was "the most dramatic rose ceremony ever." This dip really does taste a lot like chocolate chip cookie dough, and I think it would be perfect for a bachelorette party or baby shower.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Source: Recipezaar

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Vanilla wafer cookies or graham crackers for dipping

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves.

2. Remove from heat, whisk in the vanilla and set aside to cool.

3. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar for 1 minute.

4. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

6. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate. Garnish with additional chocolate chips or nuts, if you choose.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

It really is like crack!...I mean, not that I really know how addictive crack is -- but I've heard that the famous buffalo chicken dip is so addictive, it's been nicknamed "crack dip." This is another dish I made for the bachelorette party; it was my first time making it and tasting it, and I really couldn't get enough. This dip is absolutely legendary on the internet now, and rightfully so -- it's just delicious and tastes exactly like buffalo chicken wings! I've made it twice since the bachelorette party for my husband and me, and we just love it; it's so spicy and tangy and creamy. In fact, that's why the picture is so crappy -- I'm too busy eating it all up to stop and take a decent picture! I prefer this with tortilla chips instead of crackers.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
Source: All Recipes

2 10-ounce cans chunk chicken, drained
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Heat chicken and hot sauce over medium heat until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and Ranch dressing. Cook, stirring, until well-blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheddar cheese and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low until hot and bubbly. (I cooked mine in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes instead of using the slow cooker, and it was just fine. This reheats very well!)

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I've been meaning to post the recipes from the bachelorette party I hosted for about a week now, but who knew a seven-week-old would need so much attention? Sheesh! Andrew has been wearing me out lately, but he's fast asleep now so I finally found myself with a few minutes to spare. Both of my blogs have been sorely neglected lately, but hopefully that'll change soon.


Anyway, the party went really well. I think the bride-to-be had a really great time, and I know she appreciated all the hard work I put in to make sure that happened! Turns out, I made way too much food, but that's okay -- she didn't mind the leftovers! Here's the spread:


One of my co-workers made a fantastic spinach artichoke dip for the baby shower they had for me at work, so I asked her to share the recipe with me so I could make it for the party. I have no idea if this is her recipe or if she got it from somewhere, but wherever it came from, one thing is for sure: It's wonderful. I love spinach artichoke dip, anyway, but this one is especially good. My changes to her recipe are in purple.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Source: Kristy

1/2 teaspoon garlic

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 mozzarella cheese

1 14-ounce can artichoke harts, drained and finely sliced

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients until well mixed.

2. Spoon into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Top with additional mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.