Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Super Bowl Sunday was unofficial "Crock Pot" day in our house.  We didn't really get a chance to eat breakfast or a real lunch, so I whipped up this dip to munch on until dinner.  We had everything in the house, so it was nice and easy.

I got this version of the recipe from my cousin at our wedding shower.  It was so easy!  And of course, delicious!  I have another recipe for this kind of dip here, baked in an oven, not a Crock Pot.  Also great!

1 pound shredded or cubed cooked chicken (I boiled 2 breasts and shredded them)

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup ranch dressing

3/4 cup Franks Red Hot Wing sauce (not the regular kind, has to be the wings version)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients in a Crock Pot, heat for around an hour on high until everything is melted.  Turn heat to low and keep on low while serving.

Great with tortilla chips or celery.

Note from the original chef...light ingredients are OK, but do not use Fat Free...does not come out as well. :)

Simple Artichoke Dip

My dear friend Lindsay gave me this recipe at our shower and I have been meaning to make it. There is minimal ingredients and prep work and it is so good! It was perfect to bring over to our friends' Katy and Tim's house to hand out candy for Halloween!

Excuse my lack of picture, it was gobbled right up! Trust me, it is a delight!

1 cup mayo

1 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (I used shredded and split it evenly between asiago and parmesan)

2 15 oz. cans of artichoke hearts in water

2 cloves fresh garlic.

Preheat oven to 350.

Drain and chop artichoke hearts

Chop up garlic

Combine all ingredients and place into a uncovered casserole dish (I used a smaller size oval Corningware, I think it was around 1 1/2 quarts).

Top with more cheese

Bake for around 20 minutes until it bubbles. Serve with Triscuits or Carrs crackers.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

At our shower, we got 3 different recipes for a buffalo chicken dip. One of our showers was the same day that my bachelorette party was happening, so Steve was on his own for dinner. He ended up making this dip for himself for dinner! He loved it and I loved the leftovers and have since made it for my brother, sister-in-law and my parents...all who thought it was yummy! An added bonus is that I got to use our new Corningware portable to bake it in! Yay!

We plan on trying out the other two recipes...one of which is for the crock pot! Thanks to Katy for this great recipe...Andrea and Jennifer, yours are on deck!

1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 oz. Franks Hot Sauce (I used 2 oz. and used the Wing version)

16 oz. Ranch Dressing

1/2 c. chopped celery

2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil chicken, when completed. Shred the chicken with a fork. Mix with the Franks sauce once shredded.

Over medium heat, combine ranch and cream cheese and cook until cheese softens and mixes.

In a 9x13 size dish, layer the Franks covered chicken evenly. Pour dressing mix over the chicken. Layer the celery and top with the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips (Scoops work really well).

Mini Beef Wellingtons

This is a delicious recipe we got at our cooking class. So yummy...I could eat these all the time! Slightly time-consuming, but you can make them ahead of time and leave them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. This was another "fan favorite" at our "Merry Little Cocktail" party!

1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 2" cubes

1 cup mushroom cream sauce

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1 package Boursin cheese (we used garlic and herb flavored)

oil for sauteing

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of milk for egg wash

1. Pre-heat large saute pan over medium high heat.
2. Season beef with your favorite seasonings
3. Place 2 tablespoons of oil in the saute pan and swirl to coat
4. Place beef in the pan and sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side
5. Remove from pan and cool completely
6. Roll puff pastry out to about 1/8" of thickness and cut into 16 3-4" squares, depending on the size of beef; dough must be able to wrap completely around the meat and mushrooms
7. Place 1 teaspoon mushroom mix in the center of each square, then 1/2 tsp of the Boursin cheese, and top with a piece of seared beef.
8. Brush the edges of the square with egg wash, and fold around the beef, mushroom sauce and cheese. Seal the edges as best as you can.
9. Brush the bottom and the top with egg wash.
10. Place the Wellingtons seam side down on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.
11. Refrigerate the Wellingtons for at least 15-30 minutes to allow the pastry to get cool.
12. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees
13. Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 10-15 minutes
14. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm

Madeira - Mushroom Cream Sauce

This is a great sauce we used in our mini beef Wellington's, but could be great as a sauce for chicken, pork or beef or even as a lasagna layer! I love mushrooms so I would love to just eat a bowl of this plain. :)

1 pound mixed sliced mushrooms (use any kind you like), brushed clean of dirt, minced

1/2 red onion, small dice (we used shallots)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup Madeira or Marsala (Steve discovered dry Vermouth is an acceptable substitute, so we used that since we had it and Marsala is pricey)

1 cup heavy cream

Pinch each of nutmeg, cayenne pepper and white pepper

Salt to taste

Lemon juice to taste (just a few drops)

4-6 tablespoons whole unsalted butter, melted

1. Pre-heat a saute pan over high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until you cannot hold your hand within an inch of the pan surface for 5 seconds
2. Toss mushrooms and onion together with the butter in a large bowl
3. Add mushrooms to pan and shake pan only briefly to create an even layer; let mushrooms brown - DO NOT STIR THEM OR MOVE THEM AROUND for at least 1-2 minutes or until they are golden brown on the first side; then shake or stir with a wooden spoon to brown both sides.
4. Add wine and shake pan to distribute evenly; scrape bottom of pan to remove all brown bits and cook until the wine is cooked off; (at this point, continue cooking mushrooms until all liquid has evaporated; this may take quite a while if the mushrooms were high in moisture)
5. Add cream to pan and scrape again; bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg to taste, then add a few drops of lemon juice.
6. Finish with an additional splash of wine if desire

"Upgraded" Pigs in a Blanket

We learned how to make this in our Mirepoix Retro Cocktails and Appetizers class. I love the classic version, but this "upgraded" version is pretty phenomenal. We got rave reviews on them at our "Merry Little Cocktail" party, so I thought it would be blog-worthy. A little more labor-intensive than the little smokies, but well worth it!

6-8 good quality sausages (we used Aidell's Chicken sausage Portabella Mushroom and Roasted Garlic and Artichoke)
1 box puff pastry dough, thawed at room temperature

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons milk

1. Cut sausages in half length-wise, then half again so you have quartered sausages, length wise.
2. Next, cut each quarter into 3 pieces
3. If the sausage is raw, saute in a large saute pan over medium high heat, with just a little bit of oil, until almost cooked through; about 5-7 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
5. Place a piece of parchment paper on a small sheet tray and put the Dijon mustard on the parchment (spread out, but not too thin); roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown; cool completely.
6. Spread out thawed puff pastry and cut into strips smaller than the piece of sausage and just long enough to wrap around the sausages once.
7. Thoroughly mix together the egg whites and mustard; mix the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of milk
8. Brush the inside of each piece of puff pastry dough with the mustard, place a piece of sausage inside and wrap it snugly
9. Brush the outside with the egg yolk mixture for all "pigs in a blanket"
10. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown and puffed

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail and Cocktail Sauce with a kick!

I love seafood. I also love shrimp cocktail at a party. However, sometimes I have found that some of the pre-done trays kind of leave the shrimp a little rubbery, so when my idol, The Barefoot Contessa, did shrimp in the oven on her show, I was intrigued! I was also delighted with the recipe was in my Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics cookbook!

This is so easy and it saves the hassle of dealing with boiling water...plus the shrimp tastes soooo yummy!

For the shrimp

2 pounds shrimp (12 to 15 count shrimp, I got ours at Costco...already de-veined! Woo hoo!)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and de-vein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them in one layer. Toss them around to make sure they are covered with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 8-10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.


For the cocktail sauce

1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Combine together and refrigerate before serving.

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

Anything with cheese is good in my book.  I also love a good dip for tortilla chips and I wanted something new to try.  This comes from the Kraft website and I know I will be making this again.  The next time, I will probably keep it in the crock pot so it stays warm, gooey and easy to slop on tortilla chips!

It makes a lot, but would be easy to half it.

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

1 lb. Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed (I used fat free)

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, un-drained

8 slices bacon, crispy cooked, drained and crumbled (I used only 4)

Combine all ingredients in a microwavable bowl.  

Microwave on high for 5 mins or until Velveeta is completely melted and the mixture is well blended.  Stir about half-way through to help this process along.  

Serve with tortilla chips or veggies.

Hot Broccoli Cheese Dip

This recipe was very highly ranked on the Kraft recipe site, so I thought I would give it a whirl for our little Halloween gathering. It was really easy and delicious! I actually made it the night before and threw it in the oven when we were ready and I think it turned out great.

1 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese, softened (I used Fat-free)

1 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)

1 envelope dry ranch dressing mix

1 package (10 oz.) frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained

1 package (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and dressing mix with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add broccoli and 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese. Mix well.

Spoon into a 9" pie plate.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with crackers.

Cheezy Cracker Dip

This is another recipe from my aunt which I LOVE. It seriously tastes like the string cheese out of a can, without the weird visual.

2 jars Kraft Old English (can be found in the cheese section at your grocery store, it is glass)
1 jar Kraft Roka Blue (same as above)
1 8oz. package cream cheese softened

Blend together with a hand mixer (or I am sure a Kitchen Aid would work if you have one). After placing everything in the bowl, I usually let it sit for awhile to get really softened so it is easier to mix, other wise, it stays all clumpy rather than getting nice and smooth.

Serve with crackers. I like this with traditional Keebler Club Crackers or those Stix for dipping!

Layered Taco Dip

This recipe is my aunt's and I just love it. I don't love making it, because I despise chopping up tomatoes, but I sure do enjoy eating it!

2 cans Frito Lay Bean dip
1-2 containers of pre-made guacamole
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 package taco seasoning
1 bunch green onions, chopped with whites
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 bag Mexican shredded cheese

Spread bean dip on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread guacamole over bean dip. Mix together the sour cream, mayo and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Spread mixture over guacamole.

Sprinkle onions, then tomatoes, then green peppers. Sprinkle cheese over top.

Chill at least 2 hours before serving with tortilla chips.

Amy's Best Bruschetta

I was having a hard time finding a really good bruschetta recipe I liked, so I made some modifications of others I had found and came up with my own.

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 can Italian Herb tomatoes
1/2 8 oz. package of cream cheese
1 4 oz. package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
1 loaf of french bread
1 package Italian flavored shredded cheese (sun-dried tomato, bistro blends, etc.)

Heat olive oil, garlic and tomatoes in a pot until tender.

Blend cream cheese and feta together. Spread this mixture over the french bread, sliced.

Next, spread the tomato mixture and shredded cheese on top. Place on cookie sheet and broil for around 5-10 minutes until the cheese is slightly browned.

Yummy Cheese Ball

Who doesn't love cheese? Especially cheese in the shape of a ball? This is one of my former co-workers recipe that is demanded at every party she comes too! I love it because of the small ingredient list!

2 small tubs of sharp cheese (you can always find Kaukauna in the grocery store)
2 bars cream cheese
1 ranch dip packet
crushed nuts of your choice

Combine all ingredients, form into a ball, roll in crushed nuts. Serve with crackers!

Greek Layer Dip

This appetizer is really light and refreshing...and super easy!

1 6 oz. carton of plain yogurt
1/2 cup finely chopped unpeeled cucumber
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon fresh mint
1 10 oz. container of plain hummus
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Pita chips or bread for dipping

In a small bowl stir together yogurt, 1/4 cup of cucumber and onion and mint. Set aside

Spread hummus in the bottom of a 10-inch quiche dish or 9" pie plate. Spread yogurt mixture over the hummus. Sprinkle with tomato, remaining cucumber and the feta cheese.

Enjoy!