Yummy Fruit Dip

This is another dessert I made for the baby shower I threw a week or so ago. Super simple, only two ingredients!

                              

Ingredients:

1 7oz. container of marshmallow creme

1 8oz. container cream cheese, (I used plain, but you can use strawberry too)

Directions:

Using a hand mixer beat the two ingredients together until well combined. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

So this salad is a re-post from well over a year ago, but it is so good that it's worth posting again! I recently made it for a party we went to and I can never get enough of it. There was tons of food at the party and I seriously only ate a huge plate of this salad. Love it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. spinach (I added some red and green leaf too)
1 qt. strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup almonds
1 Tbsp. sugar

Dressing: whisk together the following
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup or little less, sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced green onion
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions:
1. Toast almonds in sugar in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Place on wax paper to cool.
2. Combine spinach, strawberries, and candied almonds.
3. Toss dressing over salad just prior to serving, otherwise it will be soggy.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

My sister made this for our Christmas Eve party and it was a huge hit! It wasn't the easiest to photograph, so don't judge it by my poor camera skills. I think everyone at the party asked for the recipe. It's super easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. I'm thinking...Super Bowl Party!

Serving Size: 15-20 people

Ingredients:

5-6 Cooked Shredded Chicken Breasts

12 oz Frank's Red Hot Wing's Sauce (buffalo flavor)

16 oz Cream Cheese

16 oz Ranch Dressing

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Cook chicken and shred. (I put mine in a large corning ware dish with some olive oil and cook covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees). Put chicken, hot wing sauce, cream cheese, and ranch dressing in crock pot. Turn heat on low and stir occasionally until everything has melted. When you are ready to serve, top with shredded cheese. Serve with your favorite kind of tortilla chips, celery and carrots.

Thanks Megan!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Won tons

These were sooo good! All my favorite flavors mixed together and fried, how could I have gone wrong?! Serve a little ranch on the side for dipping and you have a delicious meal. Even the kids liked them.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
½ Cup finely diced white onions
½ Cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced (I used 1)
1 12 oz can chunk chicken, drained (from Costco)
¼ Cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
¼ Cup Verde Salsa (I use Herdez brand)
2 Tablespoons prepared ranch dressing
½ package won ton wrappers (found in the produce section of the grocery store)

Directions:
1. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic for 1 minute and remove from heat.
2. In large bowl add onion mixture, chicken, cilantro, salsa, ranch, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Place 1 Tablespoon chicken mixture in center of won ton wrapper. Brush bottom edge with egg white wash, fold over filling and press edges together firmly, forming a triangle shape.
4. 2 options of cooking. 1st is place about 1 inch of canola or vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. When hot, place 4 won tons at a time into oil. Cook 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. 2nd option is place won tons on a baking sheet; bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy, flipping once half way through cooking.
5. Serve with Ranch dressing or salsa if desired
(of course I found this one on Picky Palate!)

Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 large garlic clove. minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon coarse salt (I used sea salt)

Directions:
1. Cut avocados in half and spoon the flesh into a bowl.
2. Add all remaining ingredients.
3. Mash and mix ingredients with a fork until desired consistency is reached.

Val Van Haren's Salsa

I got this recipe from a friend, thanks Dawn, and loved the fact that there is no chopping! Throw it all in the blender and you're done!

Ingredients:

3 16oz. cans diced tomatoes, juice strained

1 bunch cilantro

4 jalapenos, de-seeded (I used 2, I don't like it too spicy)

1 bunch green onions

1 can El Pato (yellow can)

2 Anaheim chilies, de-seeded (I couldn't find these, so I substituted 1 can of green chilies)

4 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. salt, add more if needed

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree!

*this can end up a little spicy depending on how ripe your jalapenos and chilies are. you can adjust the "hottness" by adding a little sugar if needed.

Fresh Mexican Salad

I was a little skeptical about this recipe at first, but it got such awesome reviews on allrecipes.com that I decided to give it a try....and I'm so glad I did!

My husband said "this is a keeper!" I made this as a side dish to my Shredded Beef Tacos, click here to view recipe, and they were awesome together. This salad can be served alone, on the tacos, or eaten with chips. Don''t let the long list of ingredients scare you, I had most of these things on hand.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce ( I omitted this)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
3. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
1 14oz. can artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup Romano cheese, grated
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 10oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions:
1. In a food processor/blender, place artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Chop it but don't grind it. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix spinach, heavy cream, sour cream, and Mozzarella.
3. Stir in artichoke mixture.
4. Place in an 8x8 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve hot!

Seasoned Potatoe Wedges

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes

olive oil

season-all salt (Lawry's)

parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Scrub potatoes well, and slice into wedges. Place on a foil lined baking sheet.

2. Brush wedges with olive oil and season generously with seasoning salt and parmesan cheese.

3. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes (or until cooked and golden brown). Flip the wedges after 10-12 minutes.

Serve with ranch dressing or fry sauce.

Salsa

Ingredients:

2 28oz. cans petite diced tomatoes (with juice)

1 can diced green chilies

2 bunches green onions

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno

1 Tbs. crushed red peppers

1-2 tsp. chili powder

1 Tbs. sugar

1 lime, juiced

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Finely chop green onions, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeno (or just throw in food processor).

2. Add all remaining ingredients.

3. Enjoy!

BEWARE: Soo Yummy and Soo Addicting!

(thanks to my sister-in-law Cindy for this recipe)