Beer Cheese & Buffalo Chicken {Dips}

Next Sunday is Superbowl Sunday.......and true American tradition makes it a day for pig-out parties and backyard pick-up games. Everyone watches the Super Bowl for one reason or another. Some watch for the halftime show, some for the commercials, and I've heard rumors that some actually watch for the football game. .....ME? I'm in it for the FOOD!

If you are hosting your own party, or need to bring snacks to somebody else’s, I have a few great dips I thought I'd share.

First up......

Beer Cheese Dip
(printable recipe)

2 - 8oz pkgs Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup beer*
1 envelope Ranch Dressing Mix
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Beat the first three ingredients until well blended.
Stir in cheddar cheese by hand.
*if dip is too thick, add a little beer to thin it down

Second Half..........

Buffalo Chicken Dip
(printable recipe)

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
8oz. Ranch dressing
2 -8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
8 oz. Hot Sauce, or Wing Sauce
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (save some to sprinkle on top)

1.Cook and shred chicken (I throw my chicken breast on a pan and bake in the oven for about 30-40 mins on 350)
2. Mix ranch dressing, cream cheese ,sauce and 1 cup of cheddar cheese until well blended.
3. Add chicken and mix by hand.
4. Place in 8x8 square pan.
5. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheddar cheese on top.
6. Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

Serve with tortilla chips!

If you like these recipes, you'll love these.......

Garlic Chicken Puffs
Super Food for Game Day


Since this month's theme for Flavor-of-the-Month is boozy edition!
I'm linking up my Beer Cheese Dip!
Be sure to click the button and see the amazing Amaretto Madeleines Bridget made and all the other's that have linked up!!

I'm also sharing these recipes at Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam Mouth Watering Mondays and Tuesdays at the Table, Superbowl Food on Life as Mom, Foodie Friday recipe exchanges

Cookie Recipes {Flavor of the Month}

It's the end of the month, and time for Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month party!! This month's theme is.......COOKIES!!!

This should be a fun one, I'm sure most of us baked some cookies in the past month - come along and share your recipes!!

I spent so much time baking and decorating butter cookies for Drop In and Decorate, and another 100 for my family and friends, I didn't do too many other types of cookies this year.

You can find my Butter Cookie and Royal Icing recipes here.

I also tried Bridget's Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookie recipe as well. Our recipes were similar but just enough different for a nice change!! I also tried Bridget's tip of using cold butter so I didn't have to refrigerate my dough! GENIOUS!! - Was a little difficult to mix up when you don't have a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer {cough cough}.....but it was nice not having to chill my dough!

Rum Balls (top left)
print recipe here

3-1/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers	1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
3/4* cup powdered sugar (*additional sugar needed for rolling)	3 Tblsp light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder	1/2 cup rum

1. In a large bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers, sugar, cocoa and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum.

2. Shape into 1" balls, and roll in additional* powdered sugar (tip- I cover my hand in powdered sugar while I roll the balls, so they don't stick to my hands so bad). Store in an airtight container for several days to develop the flavor.

3. Roll again in powdered sugar* before serving.


Shortbread Spritzer Cookies Ingredients (center)
I use the recipe that comes in the box with my Wilton Cookie Press

print recipe here

3 Sticks butter; softened	1/2 tsp Almond extract
4 c Flour	1 Egg
1 c Sugar	2 Tblsp Milk
1 ts Baking powder	Food coloring (optional)
1 ts Vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugar till fluffy; add flavorings, egg, and milk and stir till well mixed. Sift or mix flour and baking powder together, then add to dough (this is more easily done in two or three parts), mix with hands if necessary. Dough will be very stiff. If you want to color the dough, divide your dough and add color now and mix well. Push dough into spritzer gun and press shapes onto ungreased cookie sheet. You can press sprinkles into the cookies before baking. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes, no longer! This is a rich cookie but holds its shape well and does not need to be refrigerated before shaping.

Krispie Peanut Butter Balls (bottom right and the one above it)
print recipe here

My family has made these for years, it wasn't until I started blogging that I realized how many other's make these and how many variations there are. Most people call them Buckeye's. What ever you call them, and how ever you make them... peanut butter balls covered in chocolate are ALWAYS a big hit!

2 cups Powdered Sugar
2 cups Rice Krispies
1-1/4 cup Chunky Peanut Butter
1 pkg Chocolate Chips
1 T shortening

Mix powdered sugar, peanut butter and Rice Krispies with spoon, then use hands to combine. Roll into 1-2" balls. (yields about 5 dozen depending on the size)

Put chocolate chips in bowl with shortening and melt in the microwave. Roll peanut butter balls in chocolate (I tip the bowl to the side and use a spoon to push around), and place on wax paper until chocolate sets. Chill covered in refrigerator or freezer. When hard you can store in the refrigerator or freezer. Wrapped them well and they can stay in the freezer for months. They are really good right out of the freezer!


Chocolate & Caramel Covered Pretzel Rods
print recipe here

This year I tried something different with my Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods....I added caramel between the chocolate and the pretzel!! These went over REAL well- the caramel ones were gone before the plain chocolate pretzels!

1-2 bags of Pretzel Rods
1 package Caramel wraps (by the apples)
1 bag Wilton Light Cocoa Candy Melts
Sprinkles

1. Take one of the caramel wraps and cut it into strips

2. wrap strips around pretzel rods (I pulled caramel and I twisted and wrapped, so usually one strip of caramel was all that was needed for each pretzel rod.

3. Place a handful of candy melts on 2 pieces of wax paper on a plate. Microwave for about 30 seconds, the stir with a spoon, microwave for another 15 seconds and stir again, repeat until melts are all soft and blend together when you stir.

4. Dip pretzel rods in chocolate. By having your chocolate on the wax paper, you are able to lift the wax paper and get the pretzel covered real good! - Use your spoon often to scrape all of the chocolate back to the center. When you run out of melted chocolate, melt some more!
I used one bag of chocolate melts for 2 bags of pretzel rods.

*add sprinkles right after you roll in chocolate and place on wax paper to set. (I sprinkled Jimmies on the caramel pretzel rods, and colored sugar on the chocolate only rods- so it was easy to tell which ones had caramel!) Last year I drizzled with white chocolate as well, you can see those here.

Head over to Bake at 350 for more cookies recipes and link up some of your own while you're there!!

FOTM: Three Cheese Baked Mostaccioli

It's the end of the month, and time for Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month party!! This month's theme is "Traditions". Maybe you have a recipe from your mom, grandmother, favorite aunt or (let's not leave out) dad that is a family tradition? Maybe you have a recipe you would like to START as a family tradition. Head over to Bake at 350 and post your recipe and check out all of the other family tradition recipe!.....maybe you'll find a new "Tradition" (*December's theme will be cookies!)

I posted this recipe well over a year ago, but I thought it certainly deserved another post, especially a post about tradition.

Three Cheese Baked Mostaccioli is a recipe that was always a specialty of my sister-in-law Bobbie. I'm so fortunate to have gotten her recipe years ago. We lost our beloved Bobbie to breast cancer over 8 years ago - gosh, I can't believe it's been that long - but we think of Aunt Bobbie EVERY time we eat her WONDERFUL Mostacciloi.

This dish is becoming a Christmas tradition in our family. You can make this dish in advance, refrigerate, then cook before serving!! It's a real crowd pleaser with friends and family, and serves a lot!

So grab your apron and lets get started - it's really very easy!!

Three Cheese Baked Mostaccioli
print recipe here

(approx 10 servings)
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound salsitccia (if you can't find this, you can use Italian sausage)
garlic to taste
45 oz Raghu Old World Style Spaghetti sauce
Italian seasoning to taste
1 box Mostaccioli Noodles
6 slices American Cheese
6 slices Mozzarella Cheese
3 slices Provolone Cheese

Boil your noodles according to the box

Brown the ground beef and salsittcia and garlic
Add Raghu and Italian seasoning and let simmer for about 15-20 mins.

Grease a 9x13 glass dish and layer
1/2 of your noodles
tear up 3 pieces of American Cheese and
3 pieces of Mozzarella Cheese
and place on top of noodles
(**placing the cheese on the noodles is an VERY important secret step)


Next pour 1/2 of your meat sauce over cheese and noodles



Now add the other 1/2 of your noodles
and top with other 3 slices of American cheese
and 3 slices of Provolone Cheese


Pour other 1/2 of your sauce over 2nd layer of cheese and noodles
Then top with remaining mozzarella cheese


Place in oven on 350 for 45 mins

Enjoy!

I also have this recipe posted over at The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen, you can get a printable version, if you need it, by clicking here.

~ Have your heard about the Holly Bloggy Christmas Bash?
Get all of the details HERE ~

Flavor of the Month - PUMPKIN!

My buddy Bridget of Bake at 350 host's a party titled Flavor of the Month at the end of each month. (her party will start this evening - so I'll link this post up then)

This month's flavor is PUMPKIN!

I have been having FUN with Pumpkin this month!! It's one of our favorite flavors and can be used so many ways! I have several pumpkin recipes to share!

Actually the first Pumpkin recipe I tried, was one Bridget posted for

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

This was GREAT with my whole wheat bagels!

I adapted Bridget's recipe to what I had on hand, you can find Bridget's recipe here.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
4 TBSP brown sugar

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate.

Next up, we made Pumpkin Pancakes!

These were a huge hit! We've made them twice already this month!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 eggs

1-1/4 cups buttermilk (*I used powdered)

4 TBSP melted butter

4 TBSP canned pumpkin

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with no stick spray.

Combine eggs, buttermilk, butter, pumpkin, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Use an electric mixer to blend ingredients.

Add dry ingredients to wet
ingredients and blend with mixer until smooth.

Pour or scoop the batter onto hot skillet, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.

When the batter stops bubbling and edges begin to harden, flip the
pancakes. They should be golden brown. This will take from 1 to 2 minutes.

Flip the pancakes and cook other side for the same amount of time, until
golden brown.

Serve warm with syrup.

Makes approximately 16 pancakes.

*TIPS:

1. I used the powdered buttermilk, this way I always have some on hand - if you use the powdered - replace buttermilk with 1-1/4 cup water in the wet ingredients, and add 5 TBSP of buttermilk mix to the dry ingredients

2. My skillet makes 4 pancackes at a time, I heat my oven to about 180° and place cooked pancakes on a plate and place in oven while I cook the next batch, remove plate to add another batch to plate and place back in warm oven until all pancakes are cooked.

3. I plan to make a few batches and freeze them - Cool pancakes completely on wire rack, After they've cooled, stack them up between sheets up wax paper and freeze. Wrap pancakes securely in a moisture proof air tight freezer bag, then place in another bag (double wrapped). Freeze for no more than six weeks. Separate, then microwave to reheat - Stack 3 frozen pancakes on a plate, microwave uncovered on HIGH for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 minutes or until pancakes are hot.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Brownie Batter:

1 prepared Brownie Mix

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix according to box adding 1 tsp cinnamon. (I use Ghirardelli or Duncan Hines)

Cheesecake Batter

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

2 TBSP flour

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8"x8" square metal pan.

Mix brownie batter and cinnamon in bowl.

In separate bowl, beat together cheesecake batter.

Spread about 2/3 of brownie batter into prepared pan, and spoon cheesecake batter over top. Dollop remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. Swirl together with a knife.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set.

Cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving!

These were SO good!! Sunshine likes to pick which piece is her's when I make something she really likes, and sometimes she will "claim her piece!" LOL

I walked into the kitchen and there is a note on which piece she want! LOL

Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

This is another yummy idea I got from Bridget! She made mini muffins here.
I made full size muffins


Chocolate Pumpkin Mini-Muffins
(makes approx 18 large or 43 mini muffins)

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
2 egg whites
2 TBSP water
mini chocolate chips to garnish

Preheat the oven to 375°.
Spray the insides of your muffin liners with no stick pray, otherwise the muffins will stick to the paper. Place in muffin tins.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until a little foamy.

Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until well-blended. Use an icecream scooper to fill prepared baking cups. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Sprinkle with a few mini chocolate chips as soon as they come out of the oven!

Remove from pans and let cool on a rack.

Other pumpkin recipes I've posted in the past

Pumpkin Fluff

Layered Walnut Pumpkin Pie

Enjoy!!

If you have any pumpkin recipes to share,

be sure to link up over at Bake at 350,

or just head over there for more FAB recipes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't forget my giveaway while you're here too! Click here!

Check out these great links for more fabulous recipes!!

I've also linked this to Kimba's DIY Day and Dessert Friday on Stop and Smell the Chocolate

Magical Pudding Pie

I used to make desserts and goodies all the time! I enjoyed making them and my Dad enjoyed devouring them! Since Dad passed away and I have put on a few pounds over the years, I don't make as many desserts as I used to.

A while back I was really craving some pie (so NOT on my diet!) when I ran across this recipe for a low cal pie and thought I would give it a try. So I decided to make The Magical Pudding "Pie" Dessert. What makes this dessert "magical" is after sitting the required amount of time, the saltine crackers taste just like a phyllo dough! It's an amazing dessert, and good for the dieter or non-dieter (my daughters gobbled it up!)- THIS WORKS FOR ME!!!

Works for Me Wednesday is now being hosted at We Are THAT Family!! ....be sure to get over there are see what works for others!!!

So here's the recipe...............I hope you enjoy it as much as we did (we've also made butterscotch, that was always one of Dad's favorites!)

Ingredients

1 (1.4 oz.) Package Sugar Free Chocolate Instant Pudding (or your favorite flavor)
2 Cups Skim Milk
32 Salted-Top Saltine Crackers
1 (8 oz.) Container Fat Free Cool Whip

Directions
Mix the instant pudding and milk together and place into the refrigerator 10 minutes.
Place 16 crackers in the bottom of an 8X8 pan.
Spoon half of the pudding mixture on top of the crackers, spreading evenly.
Place the other 16 crackers on top of the pudding, and then spoon the other half of the pudding mixture on top of the last set of crackers.
Top with the whole container of cool whip.
Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Number of Servings: 6

(calories per serving=151, Total fat=1.7 g, Carbs = 21.4g)

I'm adding this recipe to the Flavor-of-the-Month Carnival over at
Bake at 350! {click the button below}

The theme for July is PIE!

I didn't have time to make a pie this month, so I'm linking up this older post, but this is a GREAT recipe that my family requests all of the time!