Buffalo Chicken Dip

If you check things out on this blog with any regularity, you may have notice that there has not been as much frequency in the posting these last couple months.  I am sorry.  I do have a good reason, though.  We are expecting Baby #3 in early August and I had been feeling so yucky there hadn't been a whole lotta cooking round these parts.  It's pretty hard to share recipes when I've been mostly subsisting off of things like envelops of Instant Noodle Soup (and then freaking out about how much MSG I might be putting into my unborn baby) and Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips.  Also, the thought of revisiting anything I had cooked long enough to blog about it made me so nauseous that I couldn't bear the thought.

Anyway, I do believe I have turned the Morning Sickness corner and I am starting to be excited about food again.  I am also starting to indulge in those wonderful Pregnancy Cravings (which really is pretty fun because it's one of the few times in my life my husband is willing to detour just about anywhere to pick me something up--and I actually feel okay about it).  So far, this baby really, really likes Blue Cheese (yes, I'm making sure it's the pasteurized kind), especially on old school-style wedges of iceberg lettuce with bacon bits and diced tomatoes.

One of blue cheese's natural pairings is of course, Buffalo Wings, and once I saw the recipe for this dip, I knew we had to try it out for our Super Bowl viewing (don't worry, ranch dressing lovers, there is a non-blue cheese variation too).  I am sorry I didn't have my act together enough to share this in time for the Big Game, however, even though football season has come and gone, this dip was such a fan favorite, it will surely be sticking around.  Everyone in our house (even my two young boys who thought it was a little bit spicy but not so much that they didn't eat tons of it) is very excited that we still have all the ingredients to make another batch very, very soon.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened (I used reduced-fat)
1/2 cup bottled ranch dressing
1/2 cup Franks Redhot Buffalo Wing Sauce
2 cans (12.5 oz each) chicken breast chunks, drained (and I pick through for any "icky bits")
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles or shredded mozzarella cheese
thinly sliced green onions for garnish, optional
crackers and or cut vegetables for serving

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together softened cream cheese, ranch dressing and Wing Sauce until smooth.  Stir in chicken and cheese.  Spoon into a baking dish.  Bake 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbling.  Garnish as desired.  Serve warm with crackers and vegetables.

Note: The recipe can easily be halved, but why would you want to?  I was also thinking if there were leftovers, the dip would make a great filling for a wrap or Buffalo Chicken taquitos.

Recipe Source: Kraft Foods

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Dip

What can I say?  Miniature chocolate chips are really good.  They made an appearance in the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles and since I had quite a few leftover, I felt the need to recreate a recipe for a chocolate chip cheese ball that my dear friend, Angie, had introduced me to over the holidays.  In my mind, chocolate chips = good, and chocolate chips + cream cheese = great!  Really, what isn't improved by the addition of cream cheese?  I put this together for my baby's First Birthday and it was a hit!  * A quick note, you can adjust the amount of powdered sugar and butter depending on if you prefer a less sweet, more dip-like consistency (that would be me, especially on a day I knew I would be eating ) or if you would like to be able to form it into an indulgent, traditional-looking cheese ball.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Dip
12 oz (1 1/2 packages) reduced fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons softened butter (go crazy and use up to a 8 tablespoons for a richer taste and sturdier consistency)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar (to taste, see note above*)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
 If you're rolling the cheese ball, 1 cup finely ground pecans or crushed chocolate graham cracker or cookie crumbs

For dipping, graham or animal crackers (chocolate are especially good--I found a HUGE bag of Stauffer's brand chocolate animal crackers for $1.99!), pretzel sticks or apple slices

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter and cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla extract and brown sugar and mix until well-combined.  Slowly add powdered sugar in small increments, beating after each addition and tasting for desired sweetness.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill thoroughly.  Can spoon it into a bowl and serve with dippers at this point.

-or-

If you would like to form it into a ball, place cookie crumbs or ground nuts on a large plate.  Use well-greased hands to form chocolate chip mixture into a ball (it may still be soft and messy, but that's okay).  Transfer to plate and roll around in the crumbs (can also pat them on) until well covered.  Move the cheeseball to a serving plate and keep chilled until ready to serve. 

And, because who doesn't love a picture of a baby enjoying Birthday cake (ok, maybe that's just me...):

Happy 1st Birthday, Judah Bubba Doo!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip

Oh Happy Day!  After a week of searching, I finally found my camera cord so I could upload pictures again.  Phew! I was starting to get worried...

It is late October, which means my love affair with all things pumpkin is in full swing.  Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pancakes...I've even been stirring canned pumpkin into my oatmeal (recipe will most likely come soon!).  This is my latest way to enjoy the fall goodness, in a cream cheese dip.  It has me sneaking back to the fridge for spoonfuls it is so good!  I think it's really yummy with gingersnaps (money-saving tip: natural grocery stores--i.e. Henry's, Sprouts, Sunflower Market etc. seem to have the most reasonably-priced bagged gingersnaps), but it's also pretty great with graham crackers or apple slices.  And, if you have access, I highly recommend it paired with Trader Joe's Cats Cookies.  Oh, my, goodness...


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip
1 8 oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups canned, pureed pumpkin (roughly one of the smaller sized cans of pumpkin)
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or substitute 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and 1/8 teaspoon cloves)

Directions: In a small bowl, whip cream cheese on low speed with hand held electric mixer until smooth.  Add brown and powdered sugar and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.  Add pumpkin and spices and mix, one last time, until pumpkin and spices are incorporated.  Allow to chill before serving.