"Veggie Pizza" Dip

(This can be prepared several hours in advance or even the night before.)

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
• a pinch of dried dill (I added to original recipe.)
• a heaping 3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• a heaping 3/4 cup finely chopped cauliflower
• a heaping 3/4 cup finely chopped broccoli
• a heaping 3/4 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used Colby jack...freshly grate it!!)
• sliced French bread, pita/tortilla chips, additional veggies (for serving)

Directions:

Using an electric hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning, (and dill) in a large bowl.

Before adding the veggies, set aside about 1 1/2 cups of the assorted chopped vegetables. Add the remaining veggies and shredded cheddar/colby jack cheese to the cream cheese mixture.  Stir to combine.

Add this mixture to a large shallow bowl. (I used a disposable round/pie pan; see above photo.)  Sprinkle the top with the reserved chopped vegetables.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until ready to serve.

(There are no rules on the amount of veggies you'd like to add to the dip.  The picture below is from the original recipe creator's site.  My dip was heavier on the veggies (more chunky/less cream cheese-based).

*www.inspiredbycharm.com

Sweet and Salty Puppy Chow

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 1.5 cups pretzel sticks
• 1.5 cups mini peanut butter sandwich crackers (365, Trader Joe's, or Ritz)
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 2.5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a large microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for one minute.  Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir.  Put the bowl back into the microwave and heat for an additional 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth when stirred.  Add the vanilla extract and stir again.  

Add the cereal, pretzels, peanut butter crackers, and se salt to the melted chocolate peanut butter mixture. Gently stir until the mixture is evenly coated.

Pour the mixture into a large Ziploc bag. Add the powdered sugar. Seal the bag and shake until the puppy chow is well coated.

Spread on parchment paper or waxed paper. Let sit until cool and chocolate is set.

Additional Notes:

Store the puppy chow in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If it is warm in your kitchen, store the puppy chow in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the puppy chow for up to 3 months.
*www.twopeasandtheirpod

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

• 4, 10 oz. cans chunk chicken breast, drained
• 2, 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 8 oz. finely shredded Colby Jack cheese
• 1 cup Frank's Wing Sauce
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• For dipping: tortilla chips (I use Fritos Scoops), carrots, celery

Directions:

Add chicken, cream cheese, shredded cheese, wing sauce, and ranch dressing to a 6 quart crock pot. Stir to combine then heat on LOW until hot, 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring a couple of times. Serve with dippers.

*Make ahead: Add all the ingredients into the crock of your slow cooker then refrigerate up to 2 days ahead of time. Place on the crock pot base then cook on low for an additional 30 minutes, or until heated through.

*www.iowagirleats.com

Cheeseburger Sliders

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. softened butter
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced (or frozen, diced onions)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or frozen Dorot cubes)
• 1 lb. ground beef (I used 90/10.)
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• pepper, to taste

Burger assembly:

• 1 pack dinner rolls, 12 count (King's Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls)
• 12-16 slices American cheese (I used 12.)
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• pinch of salt and garlic powder
• 2 tsp. white sesame seeds

Burger sauce (optional):

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Butter the bottom of a baking sheet with softened butter. Set aside. 
• Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onions. Sauté for ~3 minutes, then add in the ground beef. Cook, breaking up the meat, for another 6-7 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. 
• Add the garlic, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper and stir for another minute.
• Slice the rolls in half. Place the bottom rolls down on the prepared baking sheet. 
• Whisk together the melted butter with the salt and garlic powder.
• Place 8 (I used 6) slices of cheese down, followed by the meat on top, and then the remaining cheese (6 pieces) on top of beef. Try to pack the ground beef together by just patting it down gently with a wooden spoon. It will feel a little messy, but the cheese will keep everything locked in!
• Cover with top layer of buns. Brush the buns with the melted butter mixture. Add the sesame seeds all over the tops.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl until combined. 
• You can brush the rolls with a little more butter once they come out of the oven, if desired. Cut and serve the sliders with the burger sauce and enjoy!

Notes:

• Double the ingredients to make 24 sliders!

*www.krollskorner.com

Hummus Party Dip Platter

 

It's best to use a large, deep-sided platter, as this will prevent the oil from spilling over and will also allow you to spread the ingredients out so that every scoop of dip gets a little bit of everything! You can certainly halve the recipe for a smaller crowd, but I do NOT suggest using an uneven platter, such as a pie plate, as the base of that serving dish is far more narrow than the top.  See above picture for inspiration!  

Ingredients:

• 4 cups prepared hummus (plain is BEST!)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped (I also rinse the jarred oil off of them.)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup seedless cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
• 1/4 cup olive oil (gradually add)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, optional 

Directions:

• Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet. Over medium-low heat, lightly toast the pine nuts until they are lightly browned – about 4-5 minutes. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM.  I like to set a timer!  Every so often, keep the pine nuts moving around the pan to avoid burning. Remove the toasted pine nuts from the skillet and transfer to a glass bowl. Set aside to cool completely.
• Start by spreading the hummus onto the base of the patter – and keep the hummus a good inch or two away from the edge.  Create deep swirls in the hummus to catch the toppings and the prevent them from sliding off.
• Next, layer the sour cream and lightly spread it over the top of the hummus.
• In a small bowl, toss together the chopped sun dried tomatoes, parsley, and cucumber. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the hummus and sour cream layers.
• Next, sprinkle over the feta cheese, followed by the toasted pine nuts.
• Drizzle the olive oil and top with ground black pepper and dried red chili flakes.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.  I like to serve mine with carrot sticks, mini sweet peppers, soft pita wedges, and pita crackers like Stonefire Naan Crisps.
  *www.lordbyronskitchen.com

Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 box any white cake mix
• 1 tub light Cool Whip
• 2 (5 oz.) containers vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 cups chocolate chips (If you're using mini chocolate chips, one 10 oz. bag is plenty!)

Directions:

• Combine cake mix, cool whip, and yogurt and mix using a stand/handheld mixer until thoroughly combined.
• Gently fold in chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.
• Serve with fruit, graham crackers (Scooby snacks or graham sticks are super convenient), or Nilla wafers.  Refrigerate leftovers.
  *www.kalekouture.org

Go-To Veggie Dip

Ingredients: (SEE NOTES SECTION BELOW BEFORE PURCHASING INGREDIENTS!)

• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon seasoning*
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

• Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, garlic powder, onion flakes, seasoning*, parmesan cheese, and sugar. 
• Fold in shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Refrigerate 2+ hours. 
• Serve with vegetables and or crackers.

Notes:

Substitutions

• Sour Cream - Substitute with greek yogurt for a lower calorie alternative.
• Mayonnaise - I use Olive Oil Mayonnaise, but anything you have on hand will do!
• *Seasoning - It’s amazing with a southwest spice mix for a little Mexican flavor. However, we also love it with garlicky seasoning like the 21 seasonings salute (available at Trader Joe's), Sweet Onion and Herb, Garlic and Herb.
• Parmesan Cheese - Can be substituted with Pecorino Romano or Asiago.
• Mozzarella - Fresh grated mozzarella makes this vegetable dip stand above the rest! I always purchase a block of cheese because it's higher quality, uses less preservatives and is creamy rather than dry, but you can use pre-shredded mozzarella if you'd like as well! Monterey Jack is a great alternative.
• Sugar - Omit, if needed.

Optional

• Spice it Up - You can spice it up by adding pepper or red pepper.

Serving Suggestions

• red peppers
• snap peas
• bell peppers
• cauliflower
• carrots
• celery
• broccoli
• cherry tomatoes
• your favorite crackers (thick, sturdy ones work best)

Tips

• Freshly Shred Your Cheese - Blocks of cheese tend to be of higher quality and have less preservatives. Therefore, overall they are so much creamier. Fresh shredded cheese blends in perfectly with this veggie dip! You won't regret it, I promise!
• Marinate - Allow it to marinate for up to 24 hours for the best flavor, but it can be served immediately.
• To Store - This vegetable dip keeps well, refrigerated for up to 5 days covered. Never freeze sour cream.
• Safety - Never leave sour cream at room temperature more than 2 hours.

 *www.julieblanner.com

Baked Turkey + Swiss Sliders

The best weeknight dinner (or crowd-pleasing app) when you have a jam-packed kids' sports and activities kind of night!  Serve with your favorite sides of choice.

These sliders can be assembled up to 4 hours before baking, which is my favorite kind of meal!  Simply store them covered in the fridge until you're ready to bake 'em.

Don't like turkey and Swiss combo?  Play around with different meats and cheeses!

 

Ingredients:

• 1 12-count package King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (I like the King's Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls.)
• ▢ 3/4 pound thin-sliced deli turkey
• ▢ 3/4 pound thin-sliced Swiss cheese (Make sure to ask for it to be sliced thin or get Sargento brand "thin-sliced" Swiss.)
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter (I only used half of a stick.)
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Everything but the Bagel seasoning

Directions:

(See below for step by step images!)

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray.
• Without pulling the rolls apart, slice them in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of rolls in the prepared casserole dish.
• Layer the turkey onto the rolls, and then layer on the cheese.
• Place the top half of rolls onto the cheese.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Once melted, stir in the Dijon, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and Everything but the Bagel seasoning.
• Brush the butter mixture over the tops of the rolls. Let the rolls sit for 5 minutes to soak up some of the butter.
• Cover the rolls with foil and bake until they’re warm throughout and the cheese is melted, about 30 to 35 minutes, removing the foil during the last 5 minutes.
• Serve warm and eat immediately.
  
  
  
  
  
  *www.thecookierookie.com