Phyllo Brie Tarts

I have a confession to make; sometimes (okay, more times than not) when I go to the grocery store and I see something interesting or on sale I will buy it, even if I have no idea what I am going to do with it.  I try to talk myself out of it, but I just can't pass up a good deal or a new find, so into the cart it goes.  These little tarts are the result of one of those purchases, and I am happy to report they were delicious! 

While cruising the aisles at Fry's one night I spotted an aisle display of these little babies.

I was surprised to see them in the middle of an aisle because normally they are kept in the frozen section, so I was intrigued, I was even more intrigued that they were on sale for just $1.00 per box!  With the holiday season coming up (yes, this is another recipe I made before Thanksgiving) I figured there would be some party coming up that would require me to bring an appetizer, so I threw 2 boxes in my basket.  Sure enough, just a few days later I was invited to my friend Jenny's "Modern Family Thanksgiving Dinner" so I quickly volunteered to bring an appetizer!  I googled around the web a bit and I came up with the idea for these tarts...and let me just say...they have a lot going for them:

1. They are EASY!

2. They look very IMPRESSIVE!

3. They taste DELICIOUS!

One of the nice things about these is you can change up the flavor of jam based on your preference or what you have on hand (blueberry for me, another one of those impulse buys!) and the second bonus is that they taste delicious hot out of the oven or at room temperature, so they are the perfect party food!  Plus, who doesn't like mini sized food...it lets us eat more right?

Phyllo Brie Tarts

from Jenn

1 pkg. Athens Mini Fillo (Phyllo) Shells

1/2 c. or so jam or preserves of your choice

Brie cheese, rind removed, cut into 1 inch cubes (You will need as many cubes as you have shells)

Pecan halves (Once again, one nut per shell)

Preheat oven as directed on package of shells.  Place shells on a baking sheet and spoon a teaspoon of preserves into the bottom of the shell.  Top with a cube of cheese, then press a pecan halve on top.

Bake about 5 - 10 minutes, just until the brie has started to melt and the phyllo starts to brown.  Enjoy!

Italian Spinach Dip

Like many people, I grew up eating the cold spinach dip served in a hollowed out bread bowl.  I always ate it, but I never loved it.  I think part of it was due to the water chestnuts...yuck...I just don't get them.  I know they don't really taste like anything, but they are crunchy nuisance in my book!  I also didn't particularly care for the seasoning of the dip either, it came from a vegetable dip mix made by Knorr and there was just something to it that turned me off after so many bites.  When I saw this recipe and noticed the absence of  the standard vegetable dip mix I knew I had to give it a try, it still had those pesky water chestnuts, but I omitted them and just added more red peppers....and it was great!  It still had some tang from the Italian dressing seasoning mix, and the addition of the roasted red peppers covered nicely for those weird water chestnuts!  I brought this to a party (way back in November...slacker...yes me) and everyone loved it.  It paired really well with the buttery Ritz crackers, but I am sure it would be just as good in a hollowed out bread bowl.  This is my new "go to" cold spinach dip...give it a try!  Another bonus is with its green and red colors it is very festive for the holidays.

Sorry for the delay in sharing and the crappy picture, I didn't have my camera with me so I took it with my new phone, and I just couldn't figure out how to get the picture to my e-mail....technology and I are not always on good terms :)-

Italian Spinach Dip

adapted from Kraft 

1 c. light mayo
1 c. light sour cream 1 env. Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1/2 c. chopped roasted red peppers (or more!)
Ritz crackers or bread slices for serving

Mix mayo and sour cream with the Italian dressing mix until well combined.  Add spinach and red peppers and stir; chill until serving.  Serve with Ritz crackers or bread.

Proscuitto, Marscapone & Fig Bruschetta

This bruschetta is so easy, it is embarrassing, but it looks so classy and people gobble it up, so it is a good recipe to have in your repertoire!  My friend Heather first introduced me to this combination, and she first had it at a local wine bar called Postino here in Phoenix.  The combination of the creamy cheese, salty prosciutto and the sweetness of the figs is the most awesome combination ever!  It may seem weird to some, but give it a try, you will have your guests thinking you are quite the gourmet!

Prosciutto, Marscapone & Fig Bruschetta

by Jenn

1 French baguette, sliced on the diagonal about 3/4" thick

1/2 lb. Prosciutto, thinly sliced

1 tub Marscapone cheese (Usually found by the gourmet cheeses at the store)

Dried Figs, sliced  (These are on the dried fruit aisle, near the raisins)

Cooking spray

Turn oven on to broil.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or olive oil.  Broil for about 3 - 4 minutes just until the tops start to brown.  Remove from oven.

Spread a layer of Marscapone on the toasted side, top with slices of Prosciutto and a couple of slices of figs. That is all, you are ready to go, and these hold nicely at room temperature!

Enjoy!

Caprese Skewers

A couple of weeks ago my sister moved into a new condo that she recently purchased.  She was so excited for her new place that she just had to have a housewarming party ASAP, never mind that she didn't even have bedding or things to put on the walls when she decided this.  But nonetheless, she planned it for a weekend after we got back from vacation, and asked me to help out with the food.  She had some very specific requests of things for me to make, but luckily they were all pretty easy to pull together.  Although the whole weekend was a mad rush with us spending all day Saturday running around to different stores to finish decorating the place and then going to buy and make all the food by 4:00 pm on Sunday, but we got it done with just minutes to spare!  I have to say, her place looks really good, and she was able to pull it together really quickly.  It took me months to figure out my place, although I was behind to start with because all I owned was a bed, TV and a retro baby blue recliner!  Oh the days of simplicity!

Here is a picture of the spread that we put out for the guests, and over the next couple of posts I will share with you what I made, starting with Caprese Skewers!

The guests loved all the food, and I just had to call my sister out when she was showing off all the food that SHE (code for me, Jenn, her sister) made!  But hey, that's what sisters are for :)  It is almost embarrassing to share this as a recipe, because it is really more of an idea, but it makes for such a great item to take to a party or a picnic because it can be made ahead of time and doesn't require a fork!  I first made these for one of my football tailgates and everyone went wild over them, so I knew I had me a keeper!

Caprese Skewers

by Jenn

Cherry Tomatoes (I bought a box at Costco and had about half leftover)

Fresh mozzarella (Once again, I bought this at Costco, it comes in a pack of 2, but I just used one log)

Prepared Pesto (I used Classico Brand, found on the pasta aisle, but use fresh or make your own!)

Toothpicks

Dice mozzarella into cubes, about 3/4" by 3/4".  Put cheese and tomatoes in a large bowl, spoon a couple of tablespoons of pesto into the bowl; stir to combine and coat the cheese and tomatoes.  Add more pesto until you get the desired amount of coating. 

Skewer the tomatoes and cheese onto toothpicks.  I usually do cheese, tomato, cheese; but do whatever combination you like!  Put skewers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and let sit at least an hour to let the pesto marinate into the cheese.  Enjoy!

Alton Brown's Buffalo Wings

One of my New Year's Cooking Resolutions was to cook something out of all the cooking magazines that I subscribe to within a month of receiving them in the mail; well wouldn't you know that within just days of making that resolution my first magazine appeared in the mailbox.  I have been getting Food Network Magazine for about a year now, and honestly, I haven't made much out of it; like with most resolutions I am bound and determined to stick to them especially since it is still only January!  I decided to try these chicken wings from Alton Brown that appeared in the magazine because unlike most wings they are baked and not fried, and while they were good, boy did this reaffirm my dislike for Alton Brown....why does he have to make things so complicated?  I have never been a fan of his show, I find him to be really annoying, but nevertheless, the recipe got good reviews so I figured I would give it a shot.  I had never made chicken wings from scratch before and I think it can be done much easier with the same results.  But if you feel like undertaking a project, give these a try.

Alton Brown's Buffalo Wings

from Food Network Magazine January/February 2010

12 whole chicken wings (I used a 4 lb. bag of already separated wing portions)

3 oz. (6 Tbsp.) unsalted butter

1 small clove garlic, minced (I omitted)

1/4 c. hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Style)

Kosher salt

Place a 6-quart saucepan, with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

If using whole wings, remove the tips of the wings and discard.  Use kitchen shears or a knife to separate the wings at the joint.  Place the wings in the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam 10 minutes. (I had to do this in 2 batches.)  Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry.  Lay out the wings on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator to dry, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Remove the paper towels from the pan and replace with parchment paper.  Roast on the middle rack of the oven, about 20 minutes.  Turn the wings over and cook 20 to 30 more minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl with the garlic (if using).  Pour this along ith the hot sauce and 1/2 tsp. salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.  Remove the wings from the oven, transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce.  Serve warm.

Spicy Sausage Dip

Last Thursday the first game of the '09 NFL season, and I wanted to make something kinda snacky to eat for dinner while I watched the game. As you all should know by now, I have no problem eating some dip and calling it dinner, so no comments about having a balanced meal from the peanut gallery! Besides, there was tomatoes and green chilies in the dip, so I think they should account for both fruit and a dip! I had seen versions of this dip around the web, some heated it in the crock pot, some baked it, while others just made it on the stove top, and I went with the latter for the sheer reason that I was able to eat it much quicker! When you read the ingredients list, which there are only 3 of, you will think to yourself, "This can't possibly taste good," but after just one bite, those thoughts will completely disappear. The creaminess, cools the heat of the chilies and the sausage adds a nice hearty flavor....basically, this dip is a hungry man's dream! I took the leftovers to my dad, and he thought it was mighty tasty himself. I loved how easy it was, and that it can be kept warm in a crock pot if serving at a party.

So basically, it was an awesome Thursday, bringing together two things that I love...Football and Dip!

Spicy Sausage Dip

10 oz. bulk breakfast sausage (Or 16 oz. if you want it really meaty)
8 oz. cream cheese (I used light)
10 oz. can RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained

Tortilla chips

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat; add the sausage and cook until no longer pink, crumbling it as you go. When sausage is cooked, drain the grease from the pan. Add cream cheese, in chunks to the pan, stirring to melt the cheese. Add RoTel and continue stirring until cheese is fully melted and everything is combined. Serve with chips!

Avocado Mexican Pizza

The Sunday of my Labor Day Weekend was kind of an odd day. I had slept in until 11:00 (don't be jealous, tailgating takes a lot out of a girl!), which meant that at around 11:30 I finally ate something that I considered to be breakfast. I then hung around and watched TV in my pajamas and read the paper, at 2:00 I decided it was finally time to take a shower and get dressed so that I could run some errands. Just as I was about to get into the shower my dad called, he wanted to go to lunch. Well I was not at all surprised about my dad's lunch suggestion, he always wants to go to lunch, but I was surprised that he wanted to go to lunch so late in the day! You see, my dad is a creature of habit, when the clock strikes twelve, he eats lunch; so I was amazed that he had missed his lunch time that day, but, nevertheless, I agreed to go and meet him.

I had to drop some stuff off to my mom, so I swung by their house and picked my dad up, and off we went to his favorite place, Valle Luna. We didn't actually end up getting there until 3:00 by the time I showered, got to my folks, etc., so it basically could have been considered dinner at this point! After we ate, I carried on with my day, but at about 9:00 that night I realized that I was hungry! I didn't want to have anything really big or heavy, but I knew that I needed to eat something. I had been browsing some of the blogs that I read when I cam across this recipe; I quickly realized that I had just about everything on hand to make it, so I decided to whip myself up a light, late-night dinner. I made a few modifications based on what I had on hand, and because of that, I did think that there was a lack of color on the plate, but the taste was not lacking! This was quick and tasty, and hit the spot to curb my hunger until the morning. I did find it funny that the original recipe called these quesadillas, but I just couldn't bring myself to go with that title because they are open-faced, so I changed the name! These can be made as appetizers for a party, or just as an afternoon snack; and the possibilities for toppings is endless!

I will list the full recipe for 4 servings, but I made a single serving just for me.

Avocado Mexican Pizza

adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

1 (4 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
3 firm-ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (or 2 baby bell peppers) - I didn't have any on hand
1 jalapeno, finely chopped - I used chopped jalapenos from a jar
1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped - I used green onions
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt to taste
4 flour tortillas
cheddar cheese (or Monterrey Jack), shredded - I used a Mexi blend

Chop all of the vegetables. Stir together olives, avocado, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, onion and lime juice. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Put tortillas on a large baking sheet. Broil tortillas 2-4 inches from the heat until pale golden brown, about 45 seconds. Turn tortillas over and cover with cheese; broil until melted and bubbling, about 30 seconds. Divide olive mixture among the tortillas, cut each tortilla into 4 wedges and serve immediately.

Grilled Potato Skins

These potato skins were the star of the show at the tailgate! Not only were they the favorite dish, but they were my featured item as far as my theme went because Idaho = potatoes! I love ordering potato skins out at restaurants, with all the cheese and bacon and sour cream nestled into the cute little potato shells, there is nothing not to love! I had never actually made potato skins at home before; I have made twice baked potatoes countless times, but never just the skins. These really couldn't be simpler and possibly even easier than twice baked potatoes (well, less cooking time at the least), and they are perfect for a party because they can be assembled beforehand and then grilled (or baked) once it is time to serve. I only put bacon on about half of mine because I knew I has some non-bacon eaters in my group (hard to believe, but true), so just adjust to your group's tastes!

I do have to say that at first I was a bit perplexed with what to do with all of the reserved potato pulp, I had cooked 10 pounds of potatoes, so there was a TON! Instead of just tossing it, I tossed in all kinds of stuff from my fridge; butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt and some Monterrey jack, then I topped it all with some steamed broccoli and more cheese and baked it. It was enjoyed by the non-meat eaters, but there was a lot leftover, so I think next time I would save it to make potato cakes.

Grilled Potato Skins

(This is a pared down version, I was cooking for a crowd...10 pounds of potatoes!)

6 large Russet potatoes
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Salt & pepper, to taste
10-15 slices bacon,cooked until crisp and chopped (I used pre-cooked)
3 c. cheddar cheese, finely grated
6-7 green onions, finely chopped
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash the outside of the potatoes, then dry very well. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender (cooking time will vary depending on the size of potatoes). Cool until able to handle.

Once potatoes have cooled, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp leaving about 1/2-inch thick layer of the cooked potato on the skins. Place the skins on the baking sheet (skin side down, pulp side facing upwards). Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper and grated Parmesan cheese (if using).

In a bowl combine the shredded cheese, chopped bacon, and green onions; mix to combine. Evenly divide the cheese mixture over top of the skins.

*At this point you can cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.*

Heat outdoor grill to medium heat. Transfer the skins to a disposable aluminum baking sheet and place on the grill. Grill, with the potato skins covered for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and potatoes have heated through.

Serve with sour cream or your favorite toppings!

To prepare indoors, bake at 400 degrees on an oiled baking pan for about 20 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

My love for all things food and cooking began at an early age; I started collecting cookbooks the way other kids collected baseball cards! My closet was filled with more cookbooks than shoes (which is saying a lot, since I have always been a proud "shoe whore")! When I was in middle school, the Internet age began. At first, I thought the best part was just being able to IM with my friends, but then I discovered what the "information super highway" was really all about...an unmatched database filled with anything and everything you could ever want to know! I immediately started searching (this was before Google) and seeking out recipes. I would print out copies of the ones that I wanted to try, and organize them in a three-ring binder both alphabetically and by course. I found the recipe for this dip back in those early days, before you could attach a picture or write a review, when you just had to try it out to see if it was any good! Well my friends, this turned out to be one of those recipes that is very, very good; a classic you might say. I can't count the number of times that I have made this, always getting raves and recipe requests from its consumers. I make it from memory now, no written recipe required, but it is just so good, that I thought I should share it with you all in written form.

(The picture below shows it served with salsa and sour cream on the side, this is known as "Chicago Style." This is my preferred way to eat it, but it is just as delicious all on its own.)

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies (This doesn't make it spicy, so if you want heat, add more)
1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated (I prefer grated, but shredded works fine too)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Preheat Oven to 350 °F

Mix all ingredients together and put in a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle a little bit of Parmesan on top, if desired. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Serve with chips.

Kitchen Tip: The fastest, easiest way to chop the artichoke hearts is to drain them in the can, then using a pair of clean kitchen scissors, just cut them up in the can. This works great, doesn't require getting a cutting board dirty and makes the preparation so easy!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Ever since last football season I have been trying to figure out the best way to make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. They are tricky little suckers between seeding the jalapeno, stuffing them, wrapping them with the bacon and then trying to get them cooked without the cheese exploding all over the grill or the bacon falling off! Due to the multiple debacles I had with the whole process, I had decided to abort my popper mission. But while visiting my grandma in California this past February, I happened upon the coolest gadget ever, a gadget that I hoped would convince me to give the poppers another go! It is a Chili Pepper Grill Rack! Basically, it allows for the chili's to be propped upright in little stands so that none of the cheese escapes! Finally, the gooey goodness of melted cheese, hot jalapenos ad crispy bacon was going to be back in my life!


The first time that I went to use the rack, I got a pleasant surprise; not only did it come with the rack, but a jalapeno slicer and corer! If you have ever attempted to core a jalapeno, it can be a frustrating experience, but not with the slicer! It allows for the top of the jalapeno to be sliced off, and then scoops out all of the seeds, it is so easy!


The part closer to the handles the slicer, and then the top part is able to dig into the jalapeno and remove the seeds! I easily prepped a dozen jalapenos to stuff in less than 5 minutes...I was just amazed! I am going to list what I used for my poppers, but you can change things up and substitute whatever your favorite ingredients are! But a word to the wise, it took me a couple of tries to get these right. I finally discovered that you really need to use the pre-cooked bacon, otherwise, the peppers are ready and the bacon isn't cooked through, resulting in burned peppers!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

12 fresh, jalapeno peppers

8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, sliced into sticks that fit peppers

1 pkg. pre-cooked bacon (Like Hormel)

See and core the jalapenos. Insert a stick of cheese into each pepper. Wrap one slice of the pre-cooked bacon around the pepper, overlapping if necessary; secure with a toothpick. Place peppers in grill rack.

Grill over medium heat until cheese is melted and bacon begins to crisp up, 5 - 10 minutes!

These are really fun for barbecues or in my case, tailgate parties! The rack can also go into an oven, but place it on a cookie sheet first to make it easier to remove and clean up!

If you want to get your own Chili Pepper Grill Rack, they can be found on Amazon, just click below!

Chili Pepper Grill Rack

Chicken Quesadilla Dip

This past weekend was busy for me, Saturday was a blur between moving stuff at the sorority house and going to the Keith Urban concert, so by the time Sunday rolled around, I just didn't feel like doing much. I was able to drag myself out into the 115 degree weather to make a quick run to the grocery store, which allowed me to gather everything I needed to make this dip. I thought it would be the prefect snack to munch on while spending a lazy afternoon on the couch.

This was really quick to throw together, and can definitely be altered to whatever spiciness level you prefer based on how many jalapenos you use. The original name for the dip was Chicken Enchilada Dip, which I found to be a little funny because there is no enchilada sauce involved! After tasting it, I decided that it tasted like the yummy filling inside of a chicken quesadilla, so I decided to rename it. I made it as originally written, but I think for the future, I am going to make one change to give it more of a dip consistency....add more cream cheese! This is excellent with tortilla chips, but it would work just as well spread inside a tortilla for an easy quesadilla party!

Chicken Quesadilla Dip

2 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese, softened (Original calls for 1 pkg., but I think 2 is better)

½ cup of mayonnaise (I used reduced fat))

4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chile peppers

2 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno peppers, finely diced (I just chopped up some rings from a jar)

4 green onions, chopped

1 tsp. of Tony Chachere's (Green Can): Cajun Seasoning

1 tsp. of Garlic Powder

1 (10 oz.) can white meat chicken breast

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thoroughly combine all ingredients in an oven safe casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Spicy Apricot Spread

Here is the final appetizer that I served at the BBQ (sweet treats coming soon!). I made this for one of the Cardinals playoff viewing parties that I had, and it was such a hit, I thought I would make it again. The bonus is it could not get any easier! I have always loved dishes that have elements of both sweet and heat, and this is definitely one of them! The best part about it is it can easily be adjusted for those that like their dishes a little bit milder. I like to make it with apricot jam, but feel free to switch it up based on your tastes!

Spicy Apricot Spread

8 oz. Apricot jam/jelly (or flavor of your choice)

4 oz. can chopped jalapenos (I usually use just half the can, but knock up the heat if you like!)

8 oz. cream cheese

Wheat Thins

Mix together jam and jalapenos to taste. Place brick of cream cheese on a serving platter; spread jam mixture over cream cheese. Serve with crackers.

Monterey Jack Salsa

As promised, here is another recipe from the BBQ. This was my favorite out of them all! I found this recipe on Recipezaar a few months ago, and altered it just a little bit. When I was putting it together, I was a bit skeptical of what the results would be, but it turned out fabulous! I think it helped that I mixed it up and let it refrigerate for about 3 hours before I served it; it gave it ample time for all the flavors to get to know each other! We ate this with tortilla chips, but I am sure it would be just as good with crackers or veggies. It may not look pretty in the bowl, but trust me, it is good!

Monterey Jack Salsa

adapted from Recipezaar

4 oz. can diced green chilies
4 oz. can chopped black olives
4 green onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
1 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c. zesty Italian salad dressing

Mix all the ingredients together, and let let chill at least 2 hours before serving to "marry" the flavors! Serve with chips, veggies, crackers, etc.

Shrimp Cheeseball

Yesterday we celebrated my sister's upcoming birthday with a pool party and bbq at my parent's house. A great time was had by all; good friends, good fun and good food were all in attendance! And we even got lucky with an unusually cool, nice day during the Arizona summer!

Laura asked me to plan some food for the party, which meant I got to try out a bunch of new recipes that I will be posting over the next week or so. But since it was Laura's celebration, I thought I would post her favorite one first. She told me that this reminded her of the shrimp canapes that our mom used to make growing up, and I think it is beacause they both use one of those little jars of Kraft Old English Cheese. You just can't go wrong with Old English cheese, especially when it is mixed with two other kinds of cheese! This was a big hit with everyone else at the party as well, although, I think next time I make it, I would use two cans of shrimp, because they seemed to be few and far between!

Shrimp Cheeseball

adapted from Gather Round Our Table

2 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese (I used light)
1 (5 oz.) jar Kraft Old English cheese
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1 (4 oz.) can tiny shrimp, drained (use 2 cans if you like!)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 - 1 c. pecans, coarsley chopped or crushed

Soften cream cheese, either by setting out an hour before preparation, or by defrosting in microwave until soft (remove foil wrapping first!). Add the rest of the ingredients, except for pecans, and mix thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until the mixture firms up slightly. Divide mixture into 2 or 3 balls and wrap each individually in saran wrap. Chill until serving.

When ready to serve, roll blls in chopped nuts and place on platter. Serve with crackers (I used Wheat Thins and Ritz).

Yummy Yummy! I had an extra cheeseball leftover that I sent home with the birthday girl!

Chili Cheese Dip

I may have mentioned this before, but I am a dip addict! Cold dips, hot dips, it doesn't matter, there is just something about dip that always makes me smile. I once told my friend Panda that I was going to open a restaurant and only serve dip...she loved the idea and we came up with the name Dunkz. I haven't copyrighted this yet, so be nice and don't steal it please! :)

Most people would consider dip to be the beginning of a meal, but not me, I love making a whole meal just out of a nice dip! One of the best things about dips is that they are usually really simple to put together, and you can let your mind run wild with the ingredients! This had been a really busy week for me, and I had not been home yet a night this week, I was looking forward to getting in some much needed couch time, but my stomach reminded me that I needed to have some dinner. I had some Thai leftovers in the fridge, but I just wasn't in the mood, so I decided to throw together this simple dip that I have made many times in the past. I usually make it with Turkey Chili, but I only had regular, it could even be made with veggie chili....see what I mean? The possibilities are endless!

Dip....it's whats for dinner!

Chili Cheese Dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (I usually use light)
1 (15 oz.) can chili (Most people don't use the kind with beans, but I do!)
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Place cream cheese in a microwave safe pie plate or baking dish. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften the cream cheese; once it is softened, spread evenly over the bottom of the dish. Spread chili on top of the cream cheese and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until hot & bubbly. (For a quicker process, this can also be microwaved for about 2 - 3 minutes.)



Here is the side view of the layers before baking.....yummy!

Since it was just me, I ate it with Fritos Scoops, but you can always jazz it up and sprinkle with sliced black olives or green onions.