Jalapeno Popper Dip

*Forgive the picture, I didn't snap it until the dip was almost gone!*

I am a wuss when it comes to spice & heat in my foods....but for some reason, I love the Jalapeno Poppers with the cream cheese in them...but those aren't usually TOO hot. I made this dip after seeing it on AllRecipes & on Cooking This and That and it was a huge hit...I really thought it had the perfect amount of heat to it & I liked the baked version of it to serve warm. It was great with either crackers or tortilla chips!

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Recipe seen on Cooking This and That, originally from AllRecipes

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained (I used jarred and minced finely)
  
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used Monterrey Jack cheese - 1 cup)
  

Directions

• Stir together cream cheese & mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chiles & jalapeno peppers. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish & sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (I stirred the Monterrey Jack cheese in with the dip)
  
• Microwave on high until hot, about 3 minutes OR bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, which I would recommend.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Since I was having some family over today, I wanted to make sure everyone had something that they liked...I know my husband and his brother love hot sauce and Buffalo wings, so this dip was my first choice...I am not a fan of chicken wings or hot sauce, but I will admit that this was an awesome dip! It wasn't TOO hot, but it definitely had a kick to it. I doubled the recipe below, but it reflects the original measurements.

Franks Redhot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe courtesy of Frank's Hot Sauce Website

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing (I used 1/2 c. blue cheese & 1/2 c. ranch)
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® REDHOT® Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese (I used mozzarella & cheddar mix)
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained (I used 1/5 lbs. of chicken breast, boiled, shredded & cooled)

DIRECTIONS: (I just mixed all ingredients in one bowl, then poured into the baking dish - topped with cheese)

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2.MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3.BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Hot Broccoli Dip

Seeing this Broccoli Dip on Erin's blog made a light bulb go off over my head...I love broccoli, I love dips...bingo. The perfect dip. I cut this recipe in half and it made the perfect amount for the two of us on this sunny Sunday afternoon.

Check out Erin's Food Files, it's full of great things!!

Hot Broccoli Dip
Recipe courtesy of Erin's Food Files, from Pampered Chef

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayo
• 1/4 ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Chop broccoli, onion and bell pepper; place in bowl. Grate Parmesan cheese; add 1/4 cup to vegetable mixture. Press garlic using garlic press, or mince; add to vegetables, along with remaining ingredients, mixing well. Spoon into baking dish. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over top and surround with pita chips, tortilla chips, or pita bread.

A fantastic way to eat your veggies...

OK, I'll warn you right now, this is NOT the healthiest vegetable dish...pretty much far from it, but man did it taste great. It is a Paula Deen recipe, so hold on to your butter!

I didn't necessarily want her version of the dipping sauce, so I used Guy Fieri's recipe for a Garlic Aioli - was that ever a hit....Paul & I love going to Carrabba's & getting their Zucchini Fries & Dipping Sauce - this was as close to that dipping sauce as I have ever gotten, it was zesty, garlicky & wonderful!

I paired this with pan cooked chicken.

Beer Battered Asparagus
Recipe courtesy of David Tutera/Paula's Party/Food Network.com

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup beer
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan until it reaches 375 degrees F.

Whisk together flour, salt, pepper lemon & zest in a bowl. Add beer & whisk ingredients until smooth. Dip asparagus in batter to coat. Remove excess batter before frying. Gently transfer battered asparagus to oil & fry until golden. Stir gently to prevent asparagus from sticking together.

Transfer to a baking sheet that has been lined with paper towels & keep warm in a preheated 200 degree F oven.

Garlic Aioli
Recipe courtesy of Guy Fieri/Food Network.com

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, zested
• 4 tablespoons finely minced garlic - I pressed 4 cloves
  
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt

Directions

In a food processor, combine all ingredients well. (I just whisked everything together) Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Homemade Boursin Cheese

If you're like me, there are plenty of things that you're surprised to consider making at home...this was one of those things for me. Why it never even crossed my mind is beyond me! This is easy, so VERY much cheaper than the little bit you get at the store & tastes great!! This will make a great accompaniment to my homemade bagels or just on crackers as a snack.

Homemade Boursin Cheese
Recipe courtesy of Recipezaar
Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove
  
• 4 ounces butter at room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 1/2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill, minced or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
  
• 1/4 teaspoon chives (I used thinly sliced green onion)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried Thyme, crumbled
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I used dried)

Directions

• Have cheeses and butter at room temperature.
• Crush garlic. (I minced/crushed)
  
• Mix cheeses, butter and garlic.
• Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
• Pack into a container just large enough to hold the boursin and store in refrigerator.
• To serve, bring to room temperature.
• Serve with crackers

Cream Cheese Ham Dip

My mom used to make this dip all the time when I lived at home and I fell in love with it. Quick to put together and just an overnight chill is all it takes for the flavors to blend together! Paul claims this dip is "addicting" and I tend to agree!

Cream Cheese Ham Dip
Recipe courtesy of Mom :)
Ingredients

• 2 bricks of cream cheese, softened
• 2 small packages of Carl Buddig ham (or any other thin sliced deli ham)
• 1 bunch of green onions, finely sliced
• 1/3 cup of mayonnaise
• 1.5 tsp. Onion Powder (or more to taste, flavor will intensify while chilling)
• 1.5 tsp. Celery Salt (or more to taste, flavor will intensify while chilling)

Directions

• Mix all ingredients together, transfer to a serving dish with a lid, cover and chill overnight. Serve with any cracker, our favorite are Toasted Onion crackers with this dip.

Mmmmmm...Guacamole

We had 4 avocados that were needing to be used, what better way to use them up than by making guacamole?!

I found this recipe on Cooking with Court's blog...it is for Chipotle's Guacamole. Anything close to Chipotle's anything must be good! It turned out sooooo good. It was delicious, easy, flavorful and I will definitely be making this again soon!!

Chipotle's Guacamole
Recipe courtesy of Cooking with Court

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe Hass avocado, peeled and pitted
• 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1 Serrano chili, seeded and chopped *I omitted*
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions
Mash up avocado with a fork or food processor. Add lime juice. Add all other ingredients and blend well. Serve with tortilla chips.

**Also, Courtenay posted a wonderful tip that if you put the avocado pit back into the guacamole and cover well, it will prevent it from browning! It worked like a charm!!! Awesome tip!!!!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Recipe courtesy of:
Published May 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

2	heads garlic
2	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2	thinly sliced garlic cloves
3	tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
1/4	cup water
6	tablespoons tahini , stirred well (see note)
1	(14-ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
1/2	teaspoon table salt
	Pinch cayenne
2	teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Remove outer papery skins from garlic; cut top quarters off heads and discard. Wrap garlic in foil and roast in 350-degree oven until browned and very tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves in small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic slices to paper towel-lined plate and set aside; reserve oil. Once roasted garlic is cool, squeeze cloves from their skins (you should have about 1/4 cup).

2. Combine lemon juice and water in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and garlic cooking oil in second small bowl or measuring cup.

3. Process chickpeas, roasted garlic puree, salt, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

4. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle toasted garlic slices and parsley over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I found this recipe on the Food Network website at least 5 years ago now and it's the only Spinach and Artichoke Dip that I will make. Even the leftovers (and trust me, unless you have a party, there are leftovers, it does make a lot!) are delicious...and I'm fairly particular about the leftovers I will eat. However, like the other recipes that are generally found in my blog, this recipe is easy (the most time consuming part is the chopping) and has never failed me. Hope you enjoy as much as we do!

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 8 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 oz. light cream cheese
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• 3/4 lb. fresh spinach (stemmed and chopped)
• 2-14 oz cans of artichoke hearts (rinsed, drained and chopped)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• tortilla chips, pita, etc. for dipping

Directions
Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat and add the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt and fresh pepper. Continuously stir to prevent sticking until the cheeses melt.
While slowly stirring, add the spinach, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Stir until mixed and the spinach is wilted.
This dip can be served immediately or served chilled.

Green Goddess Dip

I had this dip/sauce at The Melting Pot and also at a local fondue place called The Fondue Room...with this dip, you can put it on your entree meats or fill mushroom caps with it after cooking...so good. I decided to test this recipe I found online here with some carrot sticks prior to serving to see how well it compared to the "real deal"....I'll have to sautee some whole mushrooms tomorrow and then see if the taste is comparable....nonetheless, it made a very tasty dip!

Green Goddess Dip
recipe courtesy of The Melting Pot/Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Makes 12 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus

1 to 2 hours to cool

Cooking time: 2-4 minutes

8 ounces cream cheese, cut into slices

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely sliced chives

In a microwave-safe container, microwave cream cheese and milk for 2 to 4 minutes, whisking after each minute, until cream cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in sour cream, onion, parsley and chives. Refrigerate until cold.

Cream Cheese Chili Dip

This is another one of my go-to recipes for entertaining, since it involves 3 steps and can even be microwaved in a hurry!!! It is creamy, a little spicy from the chili and cheesy...what more could a dip ask for? My future brother-in-law came over to hang out with Paul and I last night after our first wedding shower, so after a long overwhelming day, I wanted to put something together for us to snack on - this definitely hit the spot!

Ingredients:
1 block cream cheese
1 can no-bean chili
Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions: (Preheat oven to about 325 if you are going to heat in oven)
Spread cream cheese in a layer on the bottom of an oven- (or microwave-) proof dish or plate. Open can of chili and spread that in a layer on the top of the cream cheese.Sprinkle mozzarella cheese (as much as you wish) on the top of the chili. Voila! That's it.Pop it in the oven until warmed through and cheese is melty (I did 15 minutes at 325 degrees, then broiled on low for a couple minutes). OR you can put it in the microwave and nuke for a minute or two at a time until the cheese is melted and the ingredients are warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips!

Hot Crab Rangoon Dip

We had my nephew stay the weekend with us and I needed to have some snacks on hand to feed the boys while they played video games! I know that we would all like this dip because we love Crab Rangoon in Chinese restaurants, so I decided to give this one a shot. It turned out to be delicious. I didn't have a scallion on hand, so I subbed chives for it, which didn't give it as much onion flavor as I would have liked...but that can be corrected next time. And though the recipe called for Won Ton chips, I served this with crackers and it was a big hit.

Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee, 2007, Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee: Heirloom Linen and Lace episode.

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into cubes

• 2 (6-ounce) cans lump crabmeat, drained and shredded (I used one can of lump crab and 3 legs of imitation crab, chopped fine)

• 1 (10-ounce) can condensed shrimp bisque (I used Campbell's Condensed Cream of Shrimp soup)

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

• 1 scallion, finely chopped (I used 4 chives chopped fine)

• (When the dip was heated through, I added a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on top and let it melt before serving)

For the Won Ton Chips:
Peanut oil
1 package won ton wrappers
Salt, to taste

Preheat broiler.

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Place in a broiler-proof serving dish and broil for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

For the Won Ton Chips
Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a Dutch oven or fryer to 350 degrees F. Add won ton wrappers in batches to fry lightly. Remove from oil and let drain on paper towels before serving. Season with salt.

Mexican Dip

Courtesy of Shelley - aka McVayDesigns on the Detroit Knot website. Thanks Shelley!

I made this dip the other day and it was delicious!! Easy and quick to throw in the crockpot, it would be perfect for any get together or family gathering. It made a ton so we were able to put it in the fridge and enjoy it again the next day.



Ingredients:

• 1 Block Velveeta
• 1 Block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1 Jar Salsa
• 1 can Hormel Chili (no beans)
• Splash of Milk

Cube up Velveeta, cream cheese and put into crock pot with other ingredients. Turn on the crockpot to low (if cooking for a while) or I used high (cooked for about 30-45 minutes). While it's melting, stir occasionally. When all melty and hot, serve with tortilla chips.