Onion Veggie/Chip Dip

My mother-in-law gave me this amazing dip recipe, and it is seriously better than any store-bought dip you can find.  We originally made it for veggies, but then started eating it with Ruffles potato chips - WOAH!!  If you like that french onion chip dip, you will absolutely LOVE this!  We loved it so much we made it twice in one weekend.  Mmmmm!  :)

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 TBS onion flakes (dried, minced onions)
1 TBS parsley
1 tsp Beaumond (Spice Islands is the brand)
1/2 - 1 tsp dill weed

Mix all together, and let stand for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.  (I thought it tasted even better the second day!)

Serve with fresh veggies or potato chips. 

Enjoy!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

I have made these in the past, but didn't have the sauce and they were....okay.  But I recently made them again - this time with the sauce and they were DELICIOUS!!  The sauce really added a little something. 

I don't even like ranch, which is probably why I was nervous to try the sauce.  All the flavors really come together - my kids really liked it too.  We had sooo much sauce left over!  You might want to half the recipe, or use the ranch sauce for something else.  I bet it would be really good on a salad!

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/4 c. onion, diced
2 TBS green onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can green chiles
1/2 TBS parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (I used colby jack)
flour tortillas

Directions:
In large bowl, mix all ingredients together, including chicken. (Make sure it's been fully cooked.)
Saute all ingredients until fully cooked.

Remove from heat and add shredded cheese.  Mix well.  Warm tortillas and place 1/2 cup of mixture inside.  Fold up tightly and cook in a Panini or George Foreman grill until cheese is melted.  (I just cooked it in a frying pan like a grilled cheese.)

Slice and serve with sauce. YUM!

Avocado-Ranch Dipping Sauce
1c. ranch dressing
1 avocado, mashed
1 tsp minced onion
salt and pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients together until creamy.

Mexican Bean Dip

This bean dip is such a family favorite - it is our go-to recipe for all the family gatherings.  It is great for potlucks, football parties or just with dinner.  It is also very yummy as a leftover. :)

 

This is one of those recipes, that really doesn't have very exact measurements, you can add as much or as little as you like for your family.  (If you can see, only one half of this dip has serrano peppers, I don't think my 2 year-old would like a mouthful of fire!) haha

 

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese

1 can refried beans

salsa (I used about 1/2 cup)

shredded cheese (any kind would be delicious - I used cheddar)

diced jalapeno peppers, optional

chopped green onions, optional

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

 

Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of a casserole dish or pie plate.  (Sometimes we double the batch and make it in a 9x13 pan.)

 

Continue layering, with the beans and salsa.

 

Spread as much cheese as you would like on the top, then sprinkle chopped peppers and green onions on top.

 

Place dish in oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and melted.  You may have to broil it a little at the end.

  

 

Serve with chips as a dip, or as the little ones like it - wrap it in a tortilla.  It makes a yummy bean burrito!

 

Enjoy!

Best Ever Fruit Dip

Okay, this is seriously the best fruit dip I have ever tried. Ever.  This recipe was given to me by my amazing sister-in-law Jen. (Thank you!)

I think I just really like the thickness of it - most fruit dips are too fluffy and end up a little runny.  This has a nice consistency even after a couple days in the fridge. (I didn't have to stir it or anything.)  It made a ton - so I froze about 2/3 of it - we'll see how it holds up then.

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
8 oz. Cool Whip
Healthy Options:  Use fat-free cream cheese, and Splenda sugars

Directions:
Blend together first 4 ingredients until creamy and well mixed.  Fold in Cool Whip.


Can serve immediately or store tightly wrapped in refrigerator for up to a week.  (Maybe longer?)  Hopefully, it freezes well also - I don't see why it wouldn't. haha :)

Baked Pizza Dip

I've been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now, and last night I finally did.  It was really good! 
It was super cheesy, with a nice Italian flavor.  We tried dipping in tortilla chips and breadsticks, and they were both good. 

I made some ravioli to go with it, so we ended up just scooping the dip right on top of the ravioli with a little extra sauce. Yum!

Tomato sauce ingredients:
(I doubled this, and used it with the pasta - it's great by itself.)

2 TBS olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes (I blended mine, because we don't like tomato chunks)
 3 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried Italian Herb Seasoning
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch black pepper

Preheat oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.  Add remaining ingredients and cook about 5 min, stirring frequently.

Dip ingredients:
1 cup tomato sauce recipe (above) or just use pizza sauce
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 tsp dried Italian Herb Seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
mini or regular pepperoni (optional)
dried Basil (for top)

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Grease bottom and sides of pie plate or small casserole dish.

Mix together cream cheese, 1/2 cup Mozzarella, Ricotta, seasoning, salt and garlic powder together in large bowl. 

Spread into prepared dish. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce recipe on top, and sprinkle on remaining Mozzarella cheese. Add pepperoni and sprinkle basil on top.

Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

Restaurant-Style Guacamole

I've had a couple requests lately for my guacamole recipe - so I thought I'd put it on here.

I have only two requirements when it comes to guacamole:  1) It has to have enough salt and lime flavor, and 2) It has to have a nice kick to it. That's it.  I could seriously live off of this guacamole! Sooo good!

I don't usually have specific measurements, I just add stuff until it looks and tastes how I want it, but when I made it today, I wrote down everything I put in - just in case anyone cares. :)  Haha

Ingredients:
4 avocados
1/2 bunch cilantro (about 1/4 cup), chopped
2-3 serrano peppers, finely chopped (yep - the hotter the better!)
1 green onion, diced
1 roma tomato, finely chopped, no seeds
juice from 1 1/2 limes
1/2 tsp salt

Scoop insides of avocados into a large bowl, smash with fork.  Add all other ingredients, stir until combined.  Taste to make sure it's exactly how you like it.  Serve with chips. (or whatever) :D

Hope you like it!

Queso Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb *Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2 in cubes
1 can (10oz) Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies, un-drained
1 can chili without beans (optional)

Directions:

Mix ingredients in 2 qt microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 5 min or until Velveeta is completely melted, stirring after 3 min.

Serve with tortillas or Wheat Thin crackers.

* I have used Mexican Velveeta before, since I had extra from my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, and it is great!

Texas Caviar

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
4 med tomatoes, diced
1 med green pepper, diced
1 white onion, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 4 limes
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 avocados, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine. :) Serve with tortilla chips.

Salsa

Okay, here is my most excellent salsa recipe:

1 can chopped tomatoes (not sure how many fresh ones, maybe 2 or 3?)
1/2 onion
2 serrano peppers
1/4 green pepper
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS lime juice (or juice from 1/2 lime)
1 garlic clove
cilantro
oregano (I know, weird. But it's good)
salt

I dump the tomatoes in the blender, chop everything else and then mix in blender. Then I taste it to see what it needs.
I usually just sprinkle a bunch of oregano in, I sometimes put in green onions, too. Just taste it, usually it's either not hot enough (another jalepeno) or it needs more salt. If you take a whiff and you start coughing - it's hot enough!

Anyway, play around with it until it's how you like it. Just like how much cilantro you put in, it's personal taste! :) Ha ha.