Marshmallow Fruit Dip

 In my chruch, I am in charge of a group of 8-year olds, doing bi-weekly activities to help them progress towards finishing goals.  It is AWESOME!  I only get boy stuff at my house, so this is my time to let my girlie girl come out.  This last week we talked about personal hygiene, painted nails, and had some yummy "girlie" snacks.  This fruit dip is super simple, and makes plain 'ole fruit a little more exciting for the kiddos (who am I kidding, I LOVE it too :)

Marshmallow Fruit Dip

1 Jar Marshmallow Cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together with hand mixer, chill until ready to serve.

Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aoili

 Brussel sprouts have only recently come into my kitchen.  I'm not sure why...don't know if I was subconsciously intimated by them, who knows!  Anyhow, my searching for new recipes brought me across this recipe.  I had turkey burgers on the menu one week and thought this might be a fun change from sweet potato fries.  I thought these were great, and I may have eaten a couple too many! Enjoy :)

Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aoili


For Brussel Sprouts:

20 Brussel Sprouts cut into wedges
Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper

For Aioli:

6 tbs mayonnaise
1/4 tsp garlic minced fine
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs flat leaf parsley chopped fine

For Brussel Sprouts:

Place brussel sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle with canola oil. Crack some fresh salt & pepper to taste. Mix around brussel sprouts on pan to ensure they all get nicely coated in the oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown on at least one side.

For Aioli:

Mix together mayonnaise, garlic, parsley and lemon juice. Serve in a ramekin.

Place ramekin of aioli on a plate and surround with brussel sprouts. If serving as an appetizer, put some toothpicks on the side for your guests. Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Costa Kitchen

"Out of This World" Corn Dip

I had planned to post this well before the Superbowl, and then life happened.  So here you get it today! We enjoyed our Superbowl time with friends and ate some delicious food, including Completos...something new for me (I'll share about these another day).  It has been fun to live in the state with the Superbowl champs (even when we aren't fans of the team ;)  Just seeing the excitement in the community and the excitement of my husband's co-workers has made it so great.  

This appetizer is great for football parties, or I have also seen it called "poolside" corn dip, so set this recipe aside for summertime gatherings as well.  It is yummy!

"Out of This World" Corn Dip


3 (11-oz.) cans sweet corn & diced peppers, drained
7-oz. can chopped green chiles
6-oz. can chopped jalapeno peppers, drained and liquid added to taste
1/2 c. green onion, chopped
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
16-oz. pkg. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2-3 bags scoop-like corn or tortilla chips

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except chips. Chill two hours to overnight. Serve with your favorite chips (I used Fritos and Tostitos) for scooping. Makes 6 cups.

Recipe Source:  Inspired By Charm

Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing and Dip

I LOVE Superbowl food!  My hubby's team is still in the running to make it to the Superbowl, and every week I find myself making football munchies to snack on during the game as he cheers them on.  Don't get me wrong, I love me a good buffalo wing or any other deep-fried delicacy, but I feel like I need to get some crunchy veggies on my plate as well to make me feel a bit better about the other things on my plate.  Not to mention this is the time of year when I'm sure you are all trying to lighten things up a bit.  

So here's a recipe you can take to your next football-watching party and not feel the least bit bad about it...and it is delicious!  Try it with veggies, chicken tenders (if you are in the mood for deep-fried deliciousness), or even on top of a salad for a change from the usual old ranch ;) And lets face it, homemade is ALWAYS better than the bottled variety!

Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing and Dip


2/3 C mayonnaise (I used Light)
3 T Dijon mustard
3 T honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 T lemon juice (out of a bottle is fine)
1 T white vinegar
3 T milk
1 T canola oil

Place 2/3 cup mayonnaise in your blender.  Add 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons honey. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon  lemon juice, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1 tablespoon canola oil.  Blend it for 30 seconds or so, or until all the ingredients are well combined. 

Refrigerate leftovers. It should keep well for you in fridge for up to a week...longer if you dare. 

Recipe Source:  Jamie Cooks It Up

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I am a BIG fan of college football!  I love cheering on my Ohio State Buckeyes as well as my Utah teams (although I am fairly neutral when it comes to the in-state rivalries :)  When we sit down on Saturdays to watch our favorite teams, it is mandatory to have some snack-y type food to munch on while we cheer on our favorites.  

A few weeks back my husband's work had a tailgating potluck during their lunch hour, and one of the gals brought this dip.  My husband immediately called me afterward and told be to buy the ingredients to make this again.  I guess he liked it ;)  It was a great way to use up some of our bountiful crop of jalapenos we got out of our garden this year!  

Jalapeno Popper Dip

6-8 slices of bacon, diced and cooked crispy
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 c. mayonnaise
4-6 jalapenos, chopped and deseeded. 
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c. diced green onions

Topping:

1 c. crushed crackers (like Ritz crackers)
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 stick of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients (except topping ingredients) into a medium bowl.  Stir well.

Transfer to an oven-proof dish .  The size of the dish depends on how thick the dip is.  I used a round dish about 9-inches across.  Obviously, the bigger the dish, the cooking time will go down.

Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle all over the top of the dip.

Bake the dip until bubbly (for mine it took about 40-45 minutes.  If you have a larger dish, start checking after about 20 minutes).

Recipe Source:  Laura, from the hubby's office

Cilantro Jalapeno Dip

Football season is upon us, and forever I will be cheering on my Ohio State Buckeyes!  In searching for some uses for my BOUNTIFUL harvest of jalapenos and it being football season and all, I thought this would be perfect!  Nothing beats watching college football with lots of yummy snacks.  

We actually had this first on a burger (which was great!) and my husband also used it as a dip for his fries as well.  It is a very versatile recipe, and I'm sure you can think up other ways to use it as well :) 

Cilantro Jalapeno Dip

6 to 8 jalapenos
1 bunch cilantro (meaning a huge handful)
1 large packet of dry Ranch dressing mix (or 2 single pouches)
1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Mayonnaise

Puree the jalapenos and cilantro in a food processor until it looks like a paste, be sure to scoop out the seeds of the jalapenos if you want a mild dip.

Mix together the cilantro and jalapeno puree mixture with 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup of sour cream mix.  Chill for about an hour and serve.  Enjoy!

Tip: Try it on burgers, on a panini with grilled chicken, as a spread for a ham or turkey sandwich, or just eat with chips or pita chips....yummy!  

Recipe Source:  I Save A to Z

Dill Pickle Dip

I am just getting to the end of my first trimester of my third pregnancy, and boy am I relieved!  I generally lose 10+ pounds during that time because food sounds gross.  I force down food that doesn't even sound good to keep my energy up.  I'm hoping the days of that will end any minute!  One day dill pickle dip actually sounded good, but I couldn't find any of the pre-made stuff anywhere...so I took it upon myself to make some.  It turned out great (as good as it could get for a sick prego lady)!
Dill Pickle Dip 

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 to 1 c. dill or kosher pickles (chopped fine)

Combine all ingredients. Chill to use.

Recipe Source:  Cooks.com

Crockpot Refried Beans

Continuing on my mission to share some ideas to have for your Cinco de Mayo dinner, today I'd like to share some side dishes you can serve up next to enchiladas or tacos.  All of these can be store-bought easily, but taste SO MUCH BETTER made from scratch!!

Crockpot Refried Beans

1 onion, peeled and halved

3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and

chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black

pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional

9 cups water (I used chicken broth instead)

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

Recipe Source:  Allrecipes

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

I love Christmas parties...and mostly for the appetizers/finger foods!  I tried a new appetizer this week that I can't keep my hands off of (literally).  It is a great salty snack and would be yummy at any Christmas party, New Year's Eve get-together, or bowl party!  It's as simple as 4 ingredients, and you gotta love that.  Simplicity at its finest :) 

Need other appetizer ideas?  How about some Cranberry Salsa, or some Creamy Hot Sausage Dip?  Or there is always Broccoli Bread Dip or Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts.  With all these yummy options, how will you ever decide what to take to your next party? :)

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve with your favorite potato chips or pretzel crisps. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe Source: Brown Eyed Baker

Zucchini Sticks with Bloomin' Onion Sauce

Here's a post I shared over at Kiki Creates earlier this week.  Go check out all the fun things on Kiki's site!  {click button below}

I was sad when we moved out into the country mid-summer and missed my chance to plant some yummy veggies.  This year, my veggies are coming from the grocery store and farmers markets.  Oh well, there's always next year!  I know there are many of you with zucchini coming out your ears, and there are only so many loaves of zucchini bread you can take :)  I wanted to introduce you to a side dish we had recently that was AWESOME!  I have had variations of zucchini sticks (or fries) before with a side of marinara, but this dip rocks!  It gives it a whole new flavor, and you can use it as a spread on sandwiches, burgers, dip your chips in it, etc.

Zucchini Sticks with Bloomin' Onion Sauce

DIP

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium sweet onion, about 1/2 pound, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

ZUCCHINI STICKS

3 medium zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 3"-long stick
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
scant 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning or mixed Italian herbs
olive oil spray
1/2 cup egg substitute; or 2 large eggs; or 3 egg whites, lightly beaten

1) To make the dip: Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over moderate heat, and add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, then caramelize. This should take between 10 and 15 minutes. The lower the heat, the longer it takes, but the less likely you are to burn the onions.

2) Once the onions are a medium brown, remove from the heat and add the vinegar.

3) Place the onions and vinegar into a small food processor. Add the honey and mustard, and process or blend until smooth.

4) Add the mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

5) To make the zucchini sticks: Place the zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with the tablespoon of salt. Let the zucchini drain for 1 hour or longer; rinse and pat dry.

6) Combine the Panko, Parmesan, and pizza seasoning; set aside.

7) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and spray the parchment with olive oil.

8) Dredge sticks a few at a time in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.

9) Bake sticks for 12 minutes, turn over, and bake for an additional 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

10) Serve immediately, with sweet onion dip.

Any leftover sticks can be wrapped and stored in the fridge. Reheat at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes, if desired.

Yield: about 3 dozen zucchini sticks, and 1 1/2 cups dip.

Recipe Source:  King Aurthur Flour

What is your favorite way to enjoy zucchini?

Cool Cucumber Dorito Dip

Can I say how glad I am to be out of Ohio right now?!  We moved a few weeks ago, and now because of storms all of our old friends and ward members have been without central air and electricity for quite a while.  I can't even imagine how yucky it has been, especially if it has been humid! I'll take my days here in Utah with the AC cranking :)

Nothing like a cool refreshing dip to help beat this heat!  This would be mighty tasty alongside your burgers to celebrate the 4th.  I was worried at first because there really isn't much seasoning to this dip, but the Doritos make up for it and it is great!  Addicting :)

Cool Cucumber Dorito Dip

Diced cucumbers (approx. 3)
1 pint sour cream
1 pint cottage cheese
Green onion chopped (approx 3)
2 tbsp mayo
Salt and pepper

Combine and chill for a few hours before serving to let flavors combine.  Serve with Doritos (Nacho Cheese is the best!). 

Source:  Unsure...found it as a comment on another blog :)

Nutella Fruit Dip

Who doesn’t love Nutella?!  Why not make a fab fruit dip out of it!  This one caught my eye because of the Nutella, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the other ingredient was Greek yogurt, one of my absolute favorites.  Combine the two and you have a tangy, chocolate filled bowl of yummy deliciousness 

Nutella Fruit Dip

1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup Nutella

Mix the yogurt and Nutella together in a small bowl until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to use (it was better after it chilled for a few hours). Serve with fresh cut fruit.  We loved ours with some strawberries and apples.

Recipe Source:  Family Kitchen

Coconut Cream Fruit Dip

This weekend we got together with friends to relive our cruise experience with our friends.  We had a yummy menu prepared, each item was something we ate on the trip and LOVED.  These were things like yummy tender meat, pickled onions, phenomenal beans and rice, tres leches cake, bread pudding, and my contribution....lots of fruit!

To go along with my yummy fruit, I thought I'd make a new fruit dip containing creme of coconut, which I've never bought before.  It is awesome!  I've seen some drink recipes with this in it, and I'll be trying those soon :)

Coconut Cream Fruit Dip

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 (15oz) can Cream of Coconut (Not coconut milk! Find this in the aisle with the margarita mix & other mixers.)

1/2 (8oz) tub Cool Whip

Whip the cream cheese with the cream of coconut in a stand mixer until all lumps are gone.  Remove paddle, & fold in cool whip.

Serve with fruit or graham crackers.

Recipe Source:  Dessert Now, Dinner Later

Avocado Feta Dip

 I just love feta.  I throw it on almost every salad I ever make.  It is yummy in pasta dishes.  Now, I am throwing it in my dips!  Avocados are definitely affordable this time of year, so I thought it was a good opportunity to try this yummy recipe finally.  It turned out very yummy, and were great with these pita chips. 


So make a batch of this up next time you are headed out the door for a BBQ, your friends and family will love it!  Not to mention you don't have to feel the guilt about eating a mayo or sour cream based sauce.  Enjoy :)

Avocado Feta Salsa

1 chopped tomatoes

2 chopped avocados

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TBS fresh, chopped oregano

1 TBS olive oil

1 TBS white wine vinegar

6 oz. crumbled feta cheese

In a bowl, stir together the chopped tomato, avocados, garlic, and oregano (and 1/4 cup red onion, if you like). Gently stir in olive oil and white wine vinegar. Stir in feta. Chill for at least a couple hours.

Recipe Source: One She Two She

Yummy Guacamole

Say hello to the best guac I have ever made!  What would the Superbowl be without a bowl of guacamole?!  It just wouldn't be the same.


I took advantage of the Superbowl sales this week and got a bunch of avocados at a decent price and whipped up some of this divine green dip.  I loved the addition of the jalapenos and the hot sauce, it definitely made it for me.  Not to mention it is chock full of cilantro, my favorite ingredient on the planet :)


Yummy Guacamole


3 avocados
Red onion, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (or to taste)
1 large ripe garden tomato (or 2 smaller tomatoes), diced
juice of 1 lime
4-5 shakes green Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Pit avocados and mash in a bowl. If you like your guac kind of chunky, coarsely chop with the side of a fork instead of using the fork to mash it straight down. Carefully stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. 


Recipe Source: Favorite Family Recipes

Ranch Greek Dip

Mmm...Superbowl food!  I love all the yummy dips and other appetizers that are around for football parties!  This one may be a little more figure friendly than some, but is still packed full of flavor.  The crisp vegetables are awesome in this, and it would be great with pita chips as well :)

Ranch Greek Dip

8 ounces lowfat sour cream
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt

1/3 cup seeded diced roma tomato

1/3 cup seeded diced cucumber

3 sliced green onions

1/2 cup crumbled feta

juice of one lemon

packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix

In a large mixing bowl combine: sour cream, Greek yogurt, tomato, cucumber, green onions, feta, lemon, and Ranch dip mix. Stir well to evenly combine the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors combine. FYI, the flavor of this dip is best if you let it chill out in the fridge overnight. 

Recipe Source: The Weekend Gourmet

Pumpkin Pie Dip

I have been holding onto this recipe for a while now!  I posted it on another site and totally forgot to post it here (oops!)...so here you go:)  Pumpkin flavors are amazing, I really can't get enough!  The source of this recipe says it is also great on zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, served with apples or any other favorite treat.  Give it a try!  This recipe was featured on The Kitchn this week...check it out.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

From:  What's Cookin'

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Gingersnap cookies

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ginger until blended. Serve with gingersnaps. Refrigerate leftovers. 

Hershey's Fudgey Chocolate Fondue

I hosted a baby shower here over the weekend...good times with good gals :)  The theme of the night was fondue, and this was my contribution.  After going to Hershey, PA a few days ago, I  was all about using a Hershey recipe!  And I must admit, the next day I had it cold out of the refrigerator with pretzels...tasted like brownie batter...yummy!

Hershey's Fudgey Chocolate Fondue

From:  Hershey's Website

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; immediately stir in cocoa. Add sugar and evaporated milk. 

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and hot. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Fondue will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve warm with Assorted Fondue Dippers. About 1-1/2 cups fondue.

Avocado Bean Dip

Lets be quite honest, this dip isn't going to win the 'prettiest' dip award!  It is so dang good though, and why wouldn't it be with beans, cilantro, and avocado!  There are different variations of it I want to try, using different beans and salsas.  It would be great for your 4th of July get togethers.  Here are a few other dips that would be fabulous...

Chipotle Corn Dip

Balsalmic Black Bean Salsa

My Favorite Fresh Salsa Dip

Avocado Bean Dip

From:  Sister's Cafe

1 15 oz can of white (or black beans), drained
1 avocado-mashed
1/2 cup salsa (red salsa, salsa verde, pico de gallo...experiment and find your favorite!)
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (Leave this out if the salsa has alot of onion)
2 Tb chopped diced green chilis (I use canned)
2 Tb chopped cilantro
1 Tb lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and serve with chips! 

Tzatziki Sauce

I crave this sauce sometimes from one of the local joints along with some spicy feta.  I order it as my appetizer :)  This is dang good, and really easy.  I will be making it many times.  

Tzatziki Sauce

From: Two Peas and Their Pod

2 cups plain Greek yogurt 
1 cup diced seedless cucumber
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, and dill. Stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you have time, chill before serving.

Makes about 3 cups

*Note-Serve with vegetables, pita bread, crackers, falafel, meat/fish, souvlaki, or gyros. Will keep in the refrigerator 2-3 days. Stir before serving.