Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well (I usually add more)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp dry basil or 1 Tbs fresh basil
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

Soften cream cheese. Cream together cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, garlic, basil, and garlic salt. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach and mix until blended. Store in refrigerated container until ready to use. Spray pie pan (ceramic or glass looks best!) with Pam and pour dip in. then top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 min or until the top is browned. Serve with bread, crackers and tortilla chips or even fresh vegetables.

White Chicken Chili

This soup is SOUPer Douper! I feel like every white chicken chili out there is pretty watery, not this one...no sir! It is so creamy and delicious!! It came from my cousin Michelle.

*Use whatever white beans you have, and you don't have to include black beans*
1 can great northern beans
1 can cannelini beans
1 can black beans
1 large onion
6 Tb butter
1/4 c flour
3/4 c chicken broth
2 cups half & half
1 tsp tabasco
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin(I usually put more in)
1/2 tsp salt ( I usually put more in)
1/2 tsp pepper (I usually put more in)
2 4 oz cans chopped green chilis
2-3 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c grated monterey jack
1/2 c sour cream

Instructions:

1.Heat a large skillet over med high heat and add oil or better( I use evoo). Add chicken breast and season with s&p and chili powder. Resist the urge to turn them over. Leave them for about 5 minutes or until nicely browned, then flip them. Once they are cooked, remove and let cool then shred them with your fingers and set aside.

2.While waiting for the chicken to cool, cook the onion in the same pan
(add adt'l oil or butter if needed.)

3.In a large pot, melt the 6Tbs of butter over med low heat and whiskin flour. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, for three mins. Stir in the onion and gradually add the broth and half and half, whisking the whole time. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 min or until thickened (It will be obviously thick). Stir in tabasco, chili powder, cumin, s&p. Add beans, chiles, chicken and cheese, and cook over med low heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Add sour cream and serve!

5.It's great as is or top with cilantro, cheese, tomatoes, etc.

Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe from Picky Palate, and made them for bunco last month, DE-VINE!
I used recess and snickers, but I think I'll just use snickers next time.

2 sticks softened butter

1 Cup granulated sugar

3/4 Cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

10 oz bag chocolate chips

Variety of snack size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers and Kit Kat

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. Place flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl; mix then slowly add to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips to combine. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of snack size candy bar. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of candy bar. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until candy bar is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!

Makes about 24 LARGE Cookies

Honey Lime Enchiladas (casserole style)

Here's another recipe that came from Rachel's blog that I love...I think I might like them made like this more than filling each tortilla up with the honey goodness.

1 1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded

Sauce:

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 (10 ounce) cans green enchilada sauce

1 pound (or less, you decide) Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese, grated

18 taco sized corn (or flour) tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded chicken.

Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray 9x13 baking dish with PAM. Pour enough green enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Lay six corn tortillas over the surface of the dish. (The will be overlapping.) Top with half of the meat mixture, then cover with cheese. Layer another six tortillas and cover with some enchilada sauce and the rest of the meat. Sprinkle cheese on top. Layer last six tortillas on top and cover with the remaining sauce and cheese. Be generous with the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe came from my friend Rachel Nielson and her foodie blog...I love it! I think it's the ranch mix that makes it so yum. I just use like half a bag (or so) of frozen veggies because I'm lazy.
This recipe for chicken pot pie is easy and fast. It's not particularly healthy, but it's a good "company meal." It makes enough filling for two good-sized pies (which is a lot). I usually make one pie, and then I freeze the rest of the filling in a gallon bag to use another time. (Or you can give away the second pie--whenever I bring this pie to people who are sick, who have had babies, etc. I get rave reviews!)


Melt 1.5 sticks of butter in a skillet.
Slowly add 1 cup flour. Stir until mixed.
Slowly add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth. Stir until mixed.
Slowly add 2 cups milk. Stir until a thick gravy sauce has formed.
Add 1 packet of dry ranch dressing.
Add salt and pepper to taste. This is very important or else the filling in bland.

Add as much of the following as you'd like:

-Cooked and shredded chicken
-Frozen peas
-Frozen corn
-Sliced potatoes (I use them from a can)
-Cooked and chopped carrots

Pour filling to two pie crusts. (I used the roll-out Pillsbury crusts that you can find in the dairy aisle of the grocery store.) Add top crusts. Make sure to cut slits or a design into the top crust, so the air has a way to escape.

Bake at 425 until the crust is golden brown. (about 30 minutes?)