Dill Pickle Dip

It's football season, and you know what that means- dips, buffalo wings and burgers.

(Goooo Seahawks!!)

This Dill Pickle Dip is ah-mazing. I was in charge of a dip for a family party and I know how much some of my family members loooove dill pickles. My dad is known to dip dill pickle potato chips into store-bought dill pickle dip. My 4-year-old gets extra pickles on her cheeseburgers (she calls them pickleburgers). So I surprised them with this gem. And yes, I found it on Pinterest- seriously addicted, folks.

So easy to put this together, and it is addicting!!

I diiiiiieee. My mouth is watering just looking at this!

 

Dill Pickle Dip

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1- 1 1/2 cups chopped dill pickles
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2- 4 tablespoons pickle juice (more or less for thicker or thinner dip)
1 teaspoon dried dill weed (I used fresh dill to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Use a wooden spoon to stir the softened cream cheese until loosened up and smooth. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients until well blended. Transfer to a serving dish and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. We served this with chips, but it would be yummy with pretzels too.

This dip is good for up to a week when stored tightly covered in the refrigerator. It may become thinner as the week draws to an end.

Recipe courtesy The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Super Bowl Spread 2013

I don't get into football too much, but I've watched the Super Bowl for as a long as I can remember. I like the competitiveness and the excitement. I love the commercials (although, I have to be honest, the last couple of years have disappointed me!) and I love the food! We snack all day long! It feels like Thanksgiving without the turkey!

Below are links to several recipes from our blog that we love for events like Super Bowl. Try one, two, or all of them! They are all easy to make (because we don't make much of anything if it requires a ton of work) and crowd pleasers too!

"Guy" Dip - Bacon, Ranch, Cheddar Chip Dip

Veggie Pizza

Easy Deviled Eggs

Mini Spinach & Artichoke Cups or Dip

Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies

Coconut Chicken Fingers

BBQ Sticky Fingers 

Here are a couple other ideas for you to browse through! Have a great Super Bowl Sunday!!

Homemade Seasoned Fries

Just Like Winger's Sticky Fingers

Italian Pasta Bites

Texas Caviar Salsa and Chips

7-Layer Tostadas

Homemade PayDay Bars

Veggie Pizza

With the Superbowl coming up, I thought I'd share one of my all time favorite appetizer recipes. There are lots of "veggie pizza" recipes out there, but this one hands down is the best I've ever had. It's super easy, you make it ahead of time, and you can customize it to your liking.

I know, vegetables are not on most guys' Superbowl menus, but the guys in our life devour this (maybe because it has the word "pizza" in the title?) and the gals at these parties might want something other than hot wings to munch on. Not that I'm downplaying the importance of hot wings at a football party. Please get hot wings too. Your Superbowl party will thank you later.

Yum... carrots, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, onion, cheese, ranch..... It's so colorful!

Cut into squares and you are ready to go!

Veggie Pizza

by Girls in Aprons

2 pkgs refrigerator crescent rolls

**Unroll and spread on lightly greased jelly roll pan. Press edges together to form a rectangular crust and pat down evenly (you may have to cut some of the rolls up to cover the entire jelly roll pan, just be creative!). Bake at 375 for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

2- 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise
1 package ranch dressing mix

**Mix together and spread on cooled crust.

Pizza toppings (customize to your liking):

2 stalks broccoli

3 green onions
1 green pepper
2-3 roma tomatoes
1 small bag shredded carrots

1 cup shredded cheese

Seasoning Salt

(Optional: 1 small head cauliflower, 10 fresh mushrooms, 1 can olives)

Chop vegetables fairly fine (I used my food processor to cut the broccoli and carrots smaller). Layer in any order (I mixed my veggies together in a bowl and added it on top of the ranch mixture, except the tomatoes which I added last). Sprinkle the cheese on top and then top lightly with seasoning salt. Wrap with plastic wrap and press down firmly so the veggies stay on the pizza. Refrigerate at least 8 hours to let flavors blend.

"Guy" Dip: Bacon Ranch Cheddar Chip Dip

This dip is everything my husband loves in one magical bowl: Ranch, Bacon, and Cheese. Really, most guys I know love that holy trinity of ingredients. Ranch, Bacon and Cheese over chicken? Yes please!! Ranch, Bacon, and Cheese on pizza? Of course! Ranch, Bacon and Cheese perfume? He'd follow me anywhere.

So this dip is basically "guy" dip. Everything the love mixed together, with a side of yummy potato chips (basically fatty, salty vessels that get the dip from the bowl to their mouths). We made this dip on New Year's Eve and it was so addicting. And it's super easy. However, it's not necessarily healthy although you could totally use non-fat sour cream and turkey bacon and whatever. But it would taste like diet food, and we all know how that tastes. If you are concerned about the calories but still want to make it (like me!!) just serve it with carrot sticks and cucumbers. And chips.

"Guy" Dip
by Girls in Aprons

1 16 oz. tub sour cream
1/2 to 1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Sharp White Cheddar, but regular cheddar or Pepper Jack would be good too)
3-4 green onions, sliced
8 sliced bacon

In a medium sized bowl, mix sour cream with 1/2 packet ranch dressing mix, shredded cheese, and green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning (I like it with only 1/2 a packet, my husband likes the whole packet, so we compromise with 3/4 of a packet). Let it chill in the fridge at least an hour.

Before you serve the dip, cook the bacon until crisp and chop up to bite size pieces. Let it cool slightly, and mix into dip right before serving. This keep the bacon crisp in the dip without letting it become soggy.

Italian Pasta Bites

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I've been wanting to make this for a long time. My family loves pasta, which is a good thing because it's cheap and easy and we have it at least twice a week.

After I had my two boys, I went on a carb-free diet for about a month, which was honestly about all I could handle. The only thing that kept me sane during that month was Diet Dr Pepper which luckily has no carbs :) Anyway, my husband wanted nothing to do with my diet. He comes from a French-Italian family and the idea of eating no carbs is about as foreign as not breathing. While I ate grilled chicken, salad, and scrambled eggs for a majority of my meals, he gladly piled his plate with pasta and potatoes and bread.

Luckily I'm over that diet. Like forever. I'd much rather amp up my exercise routine than say no to pasta. And this recipe is one of the reasons why.

I used a variety of white cheeses, so it's not your traditional macaroni noodles with cheddar. I also steep fresh rosemary and thyme in the milk before adding it to the sauce to give the dish. The taste is earthy and aromatic. While I like using thyme in dishes, rosemary is a bit tough to eat and I didn't want to ruin the creamy texture of the pasta, so by steeping the herbs in the milk you get the taste without actually adding the herbs to the pasta.

Start by greasing your mini muffin tin with butter and then with a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan. This will give your pasta bites a great crusty, cheesy bottom.

The pasta is delicious on its own. If you wanted to serve it as a side dish, go right ahead. The pasta bites are just a fun way to serve the pasta, especially for a party.

Stuff the pasta into the muffin tins. You'll want to lightly press down so the pasta sticks to each other and keeps its shape. Top with a bit of the breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture.

Doesn't it look delicious! You can reheat the pasta cups in the muffin tin or just on a baking tray for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees. The recipe makes 3-4 dozen pasta bites, depending how much you stuff your muffin tins.

Italian Pasta Bites
by Girls in Aprons

Butter, for greasing the pan
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups milk
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a mini muffin tin, butter each mini muffin cup. Mix 1/4 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add 1-2 teaspoons of mixture to each muffin cup. Spread the mixture around so that it adheres to the butter. Set aside.

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, pour milk into a small saucepan on low heat and add fresh herbs. Stir frequently until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Turn off the heat and let sit 15 minutes.

In a large pot over medium low heat, melt 3 Tbsp butter. Add 4 Tbsp flour and whisk until butter and flour are combined. Whisk for one minute. Remove fresh herbs from milk. Slowly stir in milk to butter and flour mixture. Continue to cook on medium low heat until sauce starts to thicken. Add shredded cheese a handful at a time and whisk until melted and incorporated. Quickly whisk in egg yolks and salt. Add in cooked macaroni.

Using a tablespoon, place macaroni mixture into prepared mini muffin tins, pressing down lightly. Slightly overfill each cup. Sprinkle remaining bread crumb-and-Parmesan mixture over each cup. Bake for 15 minutes or until the macaroni was starting to lightly brown.

Let cool slightly before removing. Serve warm.

Texas Caviar

Just in time for your Labor Day BBQ (or, let's face it, any reason to make Texas Caviar is a party in my book!)

This recipe came into my life a few years ago and my life pretty much hasn't been the same since. I had it at my sister in law's house and ate like the whole thing. It's seriously addicting! Pretty much, there is no BBQ unless Texas Caviar is coming.Whenever I bring Texas Caviar to a party or BBQ people always ask me for the recipe. I know there are a lot of versions of this recipe out there, but this is our tried and true recipe and has lots of yummy veggies in it.

Texas Caviar is basically a fresh salsa, with lots of veggies and beans in it. The cilantro really takes it over the top, though. Even if you don't love cilantro, still add it. Trust us!

Here is your lineup: black beans, kidney beans, blackeye peas, shoepeg corn, cilantro, avocados, tomatoes, red onion and green pepper. In the end you'll add the lime and vinegar (not shown). I also add some salt to taste. And go for the shoepeg corn. It's smaller and sweeter than regular corn and perfect for this salsa!

Drain and rinse all of your canned beans and corn. Just throw them in a collander and give them a good rinse, then throw them in a large bowl.

Chop your green pepper too. I like to dice mine up pretty small, but it's totally up to you. Just make sure you get rid of all the white ribs and seeds inside. Toss your green pepper into the bowl.

You want to make sure your avocados are ripe, but not mushy. Everyone has their own way of cutting an avocado. I cut mine in half, scoop out each half from the shell and lay them flat side down, like the one on the left. (Oh yeah, toss the big ol' seed in the center too)

Slice your avocado and then chop it the other way. Pretty easy, huh? Then toss all your avocados into your bowl. Oh, and chop your tomatoes, red onion and cilantro up and throw those in while you're at it. Can't forget those!

Almost done! Look at all those colors and fresh ingredients!

Seriously, folks. This is the reason we love BBQs around here! After all your ingredients are blended, add the juice of one lime and a teaspoon of vinegar. Add a sprinkle of salt just for good measure and let it chill in the refrigerator about an hour.

 And that is one looooong hour. Just sayin'.

We love to use those fun scoop chips, mostly because they hold a lot of Texas Caviar! Any chip will do, though, as long as you get that salsa in your mouth fast!

Ahh.... it's on it's way to my belly!

Texas Caviar

by Girls in Aprons

1 can white shoepeg corn

1 can black eye peas

1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
**rinse first then throw in bowl

3 avocados - diced
3 tomatoes - diced
1/2 red onion- diced
1 green pepper - diced
1 bunch of cilantro – rinse and chop

dash salt

1 lime

1 tsp white vinegar

Mix everything then squeeze 1 lime and 1 tsp. of vinegar and let sit for a couple of hours. Serve with tortilla chips. We like the small bite sized ones or the scoop ones the best, but that's just our preference.

Summertime Mango Salsa

My kids are weird. They are so picky, and yet like some of the weirdest stuff! My 6-year-old loves spicy food (like really spicy) and broccoli, but he won't eat peanut butter and jelly. My 4-year-old only eats carrots for vegetables. That's it. And none of my kids like mangos!

So when I got four mangos in my Bountiful Basket, I was a little stumped on what to do with them. A few weeks ago I would have pureed them for my baby, but he's sort of over the whole pureed food thing. Then, while aimlessly browsing through my fridge looking for something yummy to literally jump out at me, I saw some leftover cilantro and the massive amount of tomatoes accumulating in my veggie drawer. I had a red onion, some green onions, and inspiration struck! Mango salsa!

Now I've had mango salsa before from Costco and I'm pretty much in love with that stuff. This is similar to that I think. I just threw ingredients in, but really this recipe is so easy to change up to your own liking. Do you love cilantro? Add more! Don't love raw onion? Add less! Want fresh pineapple too? Throw it in! (Did I mention my husband doesn't like pineapple?? See what I have to put up with??) So go ahead and make it your own. This recipe is so good over grilled chicken or fish, and just as yummy with a bag of tortilla chips. Bring on summer!

Summertime Mango Salsa
by Girls in Aprons

3-4 ripe mangos, cubed
5-6 tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 red onion, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 jalapenos, diced (and seeded if you prefer)
Juice of 2 limes
Salt to taste

In a bowl combine the mangos, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Add salt to taste. Let the salsa sit in the fridge for about 2 hours so the flavors can combine.

Just Like Winger's Sticky Fingers!

I'll admit it. I have four crazy kids. Well, that's not true. I have three crazy kids and one in training. He's only 9-months old, but by the way he studies his brothers and watches their every move, he is going to be just as crazy. Sometimes I forget that they are crazy and my husband and I take them out to dinner somewhere other than McDonalds. These other places have no play place and no tolerance for kids running up and down aisles, throwing food, or screaming bloody murder. It's times like this that my husband and I look at each other and say "Oh, yeah. Now I remember why we don't take them out to dinner!"

So, needless to say, we don't get out much. Babysitters are expensive, and adding the money that it costs to pay for dinner and maybe a movie or something, it could climb up towards $100 for one night? Not worth it for me! I'd rather stay at home, put the kids to bed early, and make something restaurant worthy for my husband and I. You know, like a mini-celebration for surviving the day with all four kids still breathing and the house intact (mostly).

We usually have a monthly "nacho night" where we make a huge cookie sheet of nachos with all the fixings, but while nursing my youngest I couldn't have dairy. Nachos with cheese is about the saddest thing in the world. Seriously. So we got creative and stumbled upon homemade Winger's sauce. I love Winger's! I know you can buy their sauce, but you get a small amount for like $8. That is not a good deal. But homemade sauce is! And you will be surprised how easy it is to make. It even passed the husband and brother-in-law test (they are Winger's people) and they thought it tasted the same.

And just FYI I did not make up this recipe, but if you Google "Winger's sauce" or "Homemade Winger's Amazing Sauce" the recipe is all over the web. And no one is giving credit to anyone, and who knows who actually came up with this knock off? So I will credit "the web" as my source.

Combine the hot sauce, brown sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Stir until combined, heating until simmering. Dip your cooked chicken strips in the sauce with tongs. Place the dipped chicken on your serving platter.

So yummy! We served ours with fries and a salad.

Just Like Winger's Sticky Fingers
submitted by Girls in Aprons

6 T Frank's Original Hot Sauce (you can use Frank's Buffalo Sauce, but it HAS to be Frank's!)
3/4 packed brown sugar
2 T water
25 oz. package breaded chicken strips (I like Tyson's)

In a small saucepan mix together hot sauce, brown sugar, and water. Heat until simmering and remove from heat.

While sauce is cooking, heat chicken according to package directions.

When chicken is done, dip each piece in Winger's sauce, coating all the way. You can dip it twice for extra sauce. Place on serving tray. Makes 4 servings.

**I like to double the sauce so there is enough for dipping at the table.

Easy Bean Dip

I don't really watch NCAA basketball (or any sport on TV to be honest). Sure I like to catch a baseball game now and then and college football can have a decent game or two that I'll watch, but for the most part I'd rather be doing something else with my precious time.

But each year my husband's family does a bracket tournament for March Madness. Almost everyone participates and gets in on the fun. I always fill out a bracket (and shockingly have never won the tournament) but I always have fun seeing who won a game and then checking my bracket standings. My husband and I will sit down for the championship game together, and of course I need some food to eat to keep me company while we watch the game!

This bean dip is super easy to put together, and can easily be changed up to your liking. Add different cheese to the top, chop up some jarred jalapenos and add them to the beans, substitute one of the cans of refried beans for drained black beans (or pinto beans), or dash some hot sauce into the mix. I like the recipe the way it is, but change is always good! I made this dip for a game night with my sister and her husband, but it would be great to munch on during a movie or to bring for a potluck.

Easy Bean Dip



by Girls in Aprons, adapted from www.allrecipes.com

1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cans (16 oz. each) refried beans
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
4 cups cheese, Mexican blend

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix in refried beans until combined. Stir in taco seasoning.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Spread bean mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with green onions and then the cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps

I love P.F. Chang's. If you've never been, put it on your bucket list! Their mongolian beef is amazing. And don't even get me started on their cashew chicken! But their lettuce wraps are what really get me going. They are technically an appetizer on the menu, and if you know me, you'd know I'm a "no appetizer just water is fine with me" kind of restaurant customer. But at P.F. Chang's I break all the rules! It brings out my wild side.

And P.F. Chang's is where my hubby took me the night he proposed, so it has sentimental value too.

But anyway, back to the good food! Looking at this recipe the first time I was thinking "Dang that's a lot of ingredients!" But really, most of the stuff you should already have in your pantry. All I had to go buy was hot chinese mustard and water chestnuts! And it looks time consuming, but it really isn't. Just some stirring of ingredients and cooking of chicken. And really, it's all worth it. Because they taste just like P.F. Changs, just cheaper and a little healthier too!

I made an Asian theme that night, and served it with Fried Rice - there were no empty stomachs that night!

P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps (made by you!)
by Girls in Aprons, slightly adapted from www.theculinarylife.com

FOR THE CHICKEN:
3 T vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained and minced
1/2 cup minced white mushrooms (or use any mushroom you prefer)
1/2 yellow onion, minced
3 green onions, chopped to about 1/2 inch long
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 T sesame oil


FOR THE STIR FRY SAUCE:
4 T soy sauce
4 T brown sugar (not packed tightly)
1 tsp rice vinegar

Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about a minute. Add chicken and stir fry for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is mostly cooked through. Add the water chestnuts, mushrooms, onion, green onion, garlic, and stir fry sauce, stirring until the onion and mushrooms are cooked through and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, adding more to your preference. Keep warm.

FOR DIPPING/POURING SAUCE:
4 T sugar
1/2 cup hot water
3 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
2 T ketchup
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (please PLEASE do NOT use the bottled stuff!)
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Chinese hot mustard (or for those who don't want the heat you can use dijon mustard - but seriously, my kids could handle the hot mustard!)

1 head butter lettuce, bibb lettuce, or iceberg (they use iceberg at P.F. Changs, but I really like how the butter lettuce held up to the lettuce wraps)

In a medium sized bowl dissolve sugar in the 1/2 cup hot water. Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil. In a small bowl, combine the 1 tsp hot water, garlic, and mustard. Add 1/2 tsp or so at a time to the soy sauce mixture, until you've reached your desired taste and spicy level. This is how they do it at P.F Changs. You can also completely omit the mustard sauce if you want.

To prepare: Take a whole leaf of lettuce and place about 2 spoonfuls or so of the chicken mixture on the lettuce. Spoon pouring sauce over the chicken. Carefully roll up and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Crescent Rolls

I was going to name this post: "According to my kids the best snack ever" but I felt it just didn't fully describe the recipe. And they are a little biased - like their dad, they think anything with peanut butter is manna from heaven.

So anyway, as a mom, I always have this ideas in my head of the "perfect mom". You know what I mean, right (right? or am I the only one?). The mom who gets up early enough to do her hair and makeup, whose children never have messy faces or stains on their clothes, whose car is never a pile of toys, hamburger wrappers, and Diet Coke bottles rolling around the floor. I am not one of those moms, but in my weird little head, I also have this idea that "perfect moms" always have a homemade afterschool snack for their kids.

Well by golly - call me perfect. Well, at least for today.

My kids came home today, hyper because it's the weekend and excited for the movie night planned with their cousins. I happened to have a free moment to think about a snack instead of shoving a handful of Nilla Wafers at them - and created "the best snack ever". You be the judge! But really these are easy to whip up (if I can do it with four crazy boys underfoot you can too!). And they are so verstatile - I used peanut butter with chocolate chips and peanut butter with raspberry jam. Add Nutella (which sadly we are out of), raisins, thinly sliced apples, honey, or any other combo that works for you and your family.

All you need to get started!

Place about a teaspoon or so of peanut butter (more or less depending on your preference) along the bigger end of the crescent roll. Place chocolate chips or about a teaspoon or so of jam. Roll up like normal and shape into a crescent shape.

Bake at 375 for about 10 to 12 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and inhale. Or chew and swallow.

Submitted by Celeste - Girls in Aprons

Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies

In my family we are huge "appetizer" people. For pretty much any family gathering (Christmas, New Year's Eve, Easter, family reunions, etc) we always have quite the spread of appetizers to eat. And they usually make up dinner - maybe it's because nobody wants to commit to ONE main dish. We'd rather have a variety of awesome foods to choose from! And this appetizer pleases everyone in the family: it's meat wrapped in meat (for the men), dainty on a toothpick (for us ladies) and for crying out loud it's a mini hot dog with bacon and sugar (for the kids)!

Now don't think you need a fancy occassion to make this dish. Use it for your next family game night, the Super Bowl, or a summer BBQ. Okay, sorry. I know summer is still far away, but I'm freezing right now and am wishing it was summer. And since this is my post, I can wish all I want!! Now I know most of you are watching your calorie intake with swim suit season right around the corner, but come on people! You have treat yourself every once in a while and seriously, these are worth it!

Cut your bacon into thirds. Get your husband or significant other or whoever you can con into wrapping a piece of bacon around each little smokie (it's just a task I don't really care to do!). Secure with a toothpick.

Place little smokies in a 9x13 pan. I covered mine with foil because it can get pretty messy and really I'm all about less dishes.

Our secret ingredient. Brush the tops of the smokies with maple syrup. I didn't measure this. I just poured about 1/3 cup or so of syrup in a bowl and brushed away to my heart's content. It's really about how much you want to taste the maple.

Sprinkle brown sugar on the tops.

Stare at your masterpiece. Yes, this is part of the recipe.

Bake at 325 for about 40 to 45 minutes. Try not to eat the whole pan.

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies

submitted by Celeste, Girls in Aprons

1 14-oz package Lit'l Smokies

1 12-oz package bacon

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

Toothpicks

Preheat oven to 325.

Cut the bacon into thirds. Wrap one piece of bacon around each little smokie. Secure with a toothpick. Place the smokies on a foil lined 9x13 pan. Brush with maple syrup and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 325 for 40 to 45 minutes.



Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Mini-Cups (and Dip!)

Every time I go out to eat with my family, we have a debate over what kind of appetizer to get, or whether to get one at all. I usually argue that the kids (i.e. myself) are hungry and need something to eat while we wait forever for our meals. My husband usually argues that they can wait 10 minutes for a meal and can color while they wait. Usually, he wins. My cheap, money-saving self can't fathom spending another eight or nine dollars on something that is deep fried or too spicy to handle. However, when I do win, we almost always get Spinach Artichoke Dip.

The ones in the store usually come surrounded by tortilla chips or pita bread, sometimes with a couple of carrot sticks. And they are delicious. And cheesy. And gooey. I seriously love the stuff. So I came up with a recipe that I like a lot, and is super easy to make. Just mix and bake. Nothing to it. On Christmas Eve, I tried making the dip as a finger food so I put it in crescent roll cups and it was a hit. It was easy to make and even easier to eat (because we all know dipping crackers into a dip is hard work).

Don't they look delicious? They are made in your mini muffin tin so they are the perfect bite size appetizer!

Throw your thawed spinach and chopped artichoke hearts into the bowl. The best way to drain your spinach, for me, is to use a potato ricer. It squeezes out the water but keeps the spinach in the cup. It's quick too. And you can use any artichoke hearts that you want. Canned ones are just fine, jarred ones that are in a marinade will give you more flavor but it isn't a big deal.

Throw in your cream cheese (soften it in the microwave for about 20 seconds), you garlic and your cheeses and mix, mix, mix!

Take your rolled out crescent rolls and cut each rectangle into 6 squares (above I have two rectangles still stuck together, so mine are in 12 squares). They don't have to be even!

Spray your mini muffin tin and lightly press your squares in.

Fill with your spinach artichoke mixture.

Bake and voila! Beautiful :)

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Mini-cups

by Carissa- Girls in Aprons

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

1 can or jar artichoke hearts, chopped well

1- 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise (lite is fine)

1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

2-3 cloves garlic

2 tubes crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a mini muffin tin.

Combine all the ingredients together (except the crescent rolls) until combined well. Set aside. Open the crescent rolls and separate into four rectangles. Pinch the seams together, then cut the rectangles into 6 equal portions (one cut lengthwise, two cuts perpendicular to that to form six squares). Lightly press the squares into the mini muffin tin. Fill the crescent squares with the spinach artichoke dip. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cresents are golden brown. Let cool slightly before removing to a plate.

This recipe makes 48 mini cups. You can make all 48, or you can use just one cresent roll package and make 24, then use the rest as a regular dip.

**To make a regular dip (using half or the whole recipe) just place the dip mixture into an oven safe casserole dish (a pie plate or 8"-9" square casserole dish work great) and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until heated through. I like to serve this dip with Wheat Thins or Ritz Crackers. Tortilla chips also work great.