Brownie Batter Dip

 There is a blog I follow that I get some really great recipes from called Crumbs and Chaos...maybe I just relate to the name or maybe I just really have good luck with the recipes I try from there, either way check these lovely ladies out! 

While perusing their site the other day I came across a recipe for Brownie Batter Dip.  Now I like chocolate and all but sweets are not necessarily my thing, I'm more of a savory girl but, alas, this did catch my eye and I knew I had the perfect opportunity to make it coming up so make it I did!

This yummy concoction was a crowd pleaser and, I think, it's a great option if you looking for something a little outside the box to take or make for a shower or party!

Brownie Batter Dip

• 8 oz CREAM CHEESE (I used 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 cup BUTTER (room temp)
• 2-3 cup POWDERED SUGAR -- varies by desired consistency I only needed 2 C
• 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
• 5 Tablespoons FLOUR
• 5 Tablespoons COCOA POWDER
• 2 Tablespoons BROWN SUGAR
• 3+ Tablespoons MILK -- varies by desired consistency
• a few chocolate chips and a sprig of mint for garnish

Preparation:
 Using a stand mixer, blend the cream cheese, yogurt and butter.  Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.  Add 2 Tablespoons of milk.  Add flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar and vanilla.  Blend until smooth.  You may need to add more sugar to stiffen the dip or milk to loosen it a bit.

I used graham crackers, Nilla wafers and pretzels for dipping,

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix and Ranch Dip

Lately I've been all about "making it myself" I'd love to say that it's because I like to know what I eat, it's healthier, cheaper ect...and don't get me wrong, all of those things are true BUT the main reason might just be that since Camden was born it is a lot harder to just 'run' to the grocery store!  Anyway since a situation that found me without ranch dressing one night led me to making my own and it turned out great! and it was easy!!  Here's the recipe, now try it!!

Ranch Seasoning Mix

2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Store dry mix with your spices in a jar and it will keep for quite awhile!

Ranch dip

1/3 cup plain low fat greek yogurt, 1/4 Cup of low fat milk and 2 Tablespoons of dry mix, blended well.  Great with fresh veggies!

Ranch dressing
1/3 Cup plain low fat greek yogurt, 1/4-1/2 cup low fat milk and 2 Tablespoons of dry mix blended to the consistency you would want for dressing, just keep slowly adding milk until you get a creamy pourable mixture.  This dressing will last up to 3 days in the fridge.

Watermelon Salad

Ever feel like you'd just like to do something different with your favorite ingredients? Or maybe you just want a new option for a summer staple?  Last summer that is how I was feeling about watermelon.  I like it, I don't love it.  I don't really enjoy eating hunks of it and I am not a fan of a juicy chin.  I had a large watermelon in the fridge and needed an option for it.  I did some brain storming and found that I liked basil and watermelon together and I enjoy feta and balsamic vinegar with my basil...a little crunch added from some sliced red onion try it all together...and what you have is a summery salad!  Be brave and try it! It's really quite refreshing!

Watermelon Salad
1/2 of a large watermelon, cut into chunks, I used seedless
1/4 - 1/2 of a red onion, sliced
1/2 Cup of feta, crumbled
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 lime, juiced (about 2 Tablespoons or so)
12-15 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill before serving.

Dill Dip

Dip.  Such a simple thing.  It jazzes up veggies, potato chips, tortilla chips, sandwiches, fruit....it's a very versatile food....one of my favorites!  I've rarely made a dip I didn't like and when I came across this one on Pinterest and had all of the ingredients on hand...well I couldn't very well resist could I? I thought not.  I basically followed her recipe, just a few additions of my own (her blog is great by the way so check it out here!  My mother in law makes Oatmeal Carmelitas, which is featured on buns in my oven's page today and they are to. die. for. seriously.  Mamie's recipe is a little different but I'm sure Karly's are great.  Anyhow.  The weather in Maine has been crazy this week, warm warm warm!  On warm days when I'm forced to put my pasty white legs out on display for the world to see and pretend I couldn't care less, I need comfort..today the comfort is in the form of this yummy dip....and the triple threat brownie bars that are baking in the oven (I'll post them later!) 



Dill Dip with Pickles

2 bars 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup of finely chopped dill pickles
1 Tablespoon pickle juice
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
4-6 drops of Tabasco sauce (optional)
fresh dill

Using a blender, blend cream cheese and pickle juice together until creamy.  Add remaining ingredients. Garnish with fresh dill.  Refrigerate 1 or 2 hours before serving.  Great with veggies and chips too!

Carb-tastic Comfort food!

Pepperoni and Cheese
Pizza Bites

aaaaanddd!

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza,

It's what's for dinner!


Once a week I make dinner for the bigger part of my family, my three "nanny" kids whom I've had since the boys were 14 months old. They turned 9 yesterday! Yikes!! A and M are very good eaters, always have been. N, not so much. This afternoon I was happily perusing some food blogs, and happened upon pizza bites at annies-eats.com. Try her recipe here. Also included within is a link to her pizza crust which is the same recipe I use :) She has lots of great food to check out!!! For an adult addition to supper I also made Hawaiian BBQ Chicken pizza. This is a recipe I made up based on one I had a few years ago. Its delicious, despite my poor photography:) I hope you try it!

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Pizza

1/2 a batch of homemade pizza dough (recipe for dough here)
1 1/2 C boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 sweet onion, halved and sliced
1/2 Cup BBQ (I used Sweet Baby Rays because that's what I had)
1 Tablespoon Franks Original hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 Cup chunked pineapple in juice, sliced (about three slices per chunk)

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees, with pizza stone in oven (if you don't have a stone you can use an over turned cookie sheet.)

Place cubed chicken in a pan, to brown on med heat. Pour in bbq sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook until chicken is completely cooked, and sauce has cooked down a little.

On parchment paper, spread dough out into a circle, I make mine to fit my pizza stone. Carefully take hot stone out of the oven and place it on hot pads. Flip dough (very carefully) onto hot stone. This starts the crust cooking, and makes it crusty!

Keep in mind stone is hot, carefully spread shredded mozzarella on top of dough, covering it all. Then spoon the chicken mixture over the top, it should cover the whole pizza. Sprinkle a little more cheese on the top.

Cook at 425 degrees about 12 minutes, or until the bottom of the dough is golden and top is bubbly.

I hope you enjoy!!