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

"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.

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.

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.