Hot Crab Dip

Here's where I see myself for the rest of the summer:

Evening time, dining outside with good friends, eating a big dish of this Hot Crab Dip with crostini and celery for dipping, plus a chilled glass of white wine to wash it all down.

Yes, seriously. This dip is the real deal. Bring it to your next potluck or BBQ or game night and watch it disappear.

Like any good dip, this one is creamy and cheesy, melty and bubbly. Fresh lump crab meat is mixed into every bite. I amp up the flavor with a few sprinkles of smoked paprika, a glug of Worcestershire sauce, and a shake of celery salt. 2 types of cheese give this dip a little something extra-special: parmesan, for a salty nuttiness, and muenster, for the ultimate meltiness (YES, cheese. I know we aren't supposed to be combining cheese and seafood but for some reason, hot crab dip is a very delicious exception to this rule).

Besides the fact that this dip is so. ridiculously. delicious, it is also sure to become one of your all-time favorites because of how super simple it is to make! Just mix it up, spoon into a casserole dish, sprinkle with parm and bake until golden brown and bubbly. That's it. A few stirs and a little patience is all that stands between you and a perfect summer dip :-)

Here's what you need for Hot Crab Dip* (Print Recipe!)

8 ounces lump crab meat
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated meunster cheese
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon celery salt
cracked black pepper to taste
crostini and veggies for serving

Here's what you do

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except 1/4 cup of parmesan and stir until well combined. Pour into a small casserole dish and spread smooth. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top and bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Garnish with additional green onions or paprika if desired and serve with crostini and vegetables.

Note - depending on the size of your casserole dish, you may want to place the dish on top of a sheet pan to prevent oven spills. This may add 5 to 10 minutes to your cook time.

*Adapted slightly from Will Cook for Smiles

Crock Pot Italian-Style Beef with Cheesy Polenta

I adore this dinner. Simple, slow-cooked, tangy, and cheesy.

These are adjectives to live by! 

Are you, like me, a fool who forgets all about her beloved Crock Pot in the summer? Why do we neglect the one device in our kitchen that cooks our food entirely without an oven?! Well today, we are fixing this problem. 

This Crock Pot Italian-Style Beef with Cheesy Polenta is familiar yet intriguing. Comforting Italian flavors like oregano, parsley, and tangy crushed tomatoes meet boneless chuck steak, make a wonderfully rich ragu as they simmer away while we are at work, THEN get piled high atop a polenta packed with garlic, mozzarella cheese and cracked black pepper. What's not to love?

Oh, I nearly forgot, if you--this time, unlike me--are handy with your summer garden and find it overflooowing with fresh basil, please please PLEASE tear up a bunch and throw it on top. Please? Thank you. 

So, here's how this all goes down:

The night before your delicious dinner: Set out your Crock Pot/slow cooker, the exact spices you need, a can of tomatoes, and honey so you don't have to fumble in the pantry early in the morning. Chop an onion and a clove or two of garlic, then stick them in the fridge in a zip top baggie.

The morning of: Dump onion, garlic, tomatoes, spices, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of your slow cooker. Whisk until combined, then nestle in the steak. Turn on low, go live your life for 8 hours.

Just before dinner: Prepare the most delicious, creamy polenta known to man. Shred up your beef. EAT! 

It's meals like this that remind me why I l.o.v.e. food! Let's eat.

Vegetable Lasagna Rolls

Lasagna is a classic comfort food that can put a smile on just about anyone's face. I'm already smiling, and my mouth is watering!

It is warm, and gooey, and cheesey and delicious.

For a fun and fresh twist on regular lasagna, I whipped up these tasty little lasagna rolls for dinner one night, and I'm not sure if we will ever go back! 

Rather than layering the lasagna, and the ricotta cheese, and the mozzarella cheese, and the sauce, we are going to roll up the ricotta in the lasagna noodles, arrange them in a baking dish on top of a homemade, veggie-packed sauce, top them with extra sauce and freshly grated mozzarella! Sure, it may be just as labor-intensive, but I love the perfect little packages of lasagna that are made with these lasagna rolls. 

You can also make this recipe low in fat by using whole wheat lasagna noodles, fat free ricotta, and fat free mozzarella. Complete the meal by serving alongside a fresh arugula salad. Yum! 

Lasagna rolls, previously: Goat Cheese and Spinach

Chicken Pot Pie Pizza with Parmesan Ranch Cream Sauce

That is quite a lengthy recipe title, but it just goes to show that this pizza recipe is JAM PACKED with flavors.

Last week I made my Chicken Pot Pockets for dinner (one of our favorite weeknight recipes!), and we found ourselves with extra pot pie filling than there was puff pastry to stuff. I packed it away in the fridge sadly, thinking for sure this would ultimately get tossed in the garbage as most forgotten leftovers do.

The next day I was still thinking about that chicken pot pie filling--what can I say, food really is always on my mind. That's when it hit me. Pizza. Pizza makes everything better and generally everything tastes better when it is on a pizza.

I told Cory what my plan was and he giggled like a school girl was totally on board with the idea. My general vision was a white cream sauce, chicken pot pie filling, mozzarella and garlic or herbs on top. Then, in an effort to show me up, Cory suggests making the cream sauce a RANCH cream sauce. Ugh, this is love.

Needless to say it was exactly what the pizza needed. A light side salad was the perfect accompaniment to make this pizza into a meal. Sure, it seems a little indulgent and it is. Pizza = indulgence. And pizza = happiness, so don't sell yourself short--you DESERVE this Chicken Pot Pie Pizza with Parmesan Ranch Cream Sauce.

It's also a great excuse to make chicken pot pockets first. You know, just spreading our dollars. The recipe below will make 2 12-inch pizzas--perfect for feeding a crowd!

My favorite meal: Mom's Baked Mac and Cheese

I feel like saying the following recipe is my favorite meal is a really big thing to say. But I'm also 100% confident that it's a true statement so, yes. This is my favorite meal.

Did you have one meal that you're mom would always make for you when you came home from college for a weekend or holiday break? By my junior year, my mom didn't even have to ask anymore. She knew without a doubt I was going to ask for her homemade baked mac and cheese, and she would happily oblige.

I absolutely love my Mom's Baked Mac and Cheese. If any meal tastes like home, this is the one. This macaroni and cheese is so ooey and gooey, with a rich cheesy center and a crispy top. It's everything you want in a mac and cheese dish! I literally need to remind myself to breathe when I'm eating this because I simply cannot stop shoveling forkfuls of it into my mouth.

Now, I know what you're thinking. We've all had baked mac and cheese before, and there are so many great recipes out there. This is true--it's a magical dish. I don't think I've ever met a mac and cheese I didn't like!

My mom's recipe is unique in that it all starts with Cambell's tomato soup. It's the perfect base in which to melt a delicious block of sharp cheddar cheese. It's smooth and creamy and rich in flavor. You have got to try this!

Oh, and don't even get me started on the crispy top. In it's purest form, this macaroni and cheese is topped with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. The macaroni bakes and then gets a few minutes under the broiler. This gets that cheese brown and bubbly and irresistible. Of course, you could totally jazz this up by combining the shredded cheese with a bit of melted butter and breadcrumbs. Cory and I have even put ground meat for an added protein kick. Have fun with it! Best served with steamed broccoli or sauteed brussel sprouts* to mop up that awesome cheese sauce!

*Note: Brussel sprouts NOT mother approved..she just hates them

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Have you ever had a craving for some kind of food, but you really didn't even know exactly what it was?

Is that just something that happens to me? Like...I read recipes on blogs that have ingredients I've never heard of before or watch someone cook something on Food Network in a way I've never seen before and I just HAVE TO HAVE IT.

Anyway, that happened to me with Enchiladas recently. I've seen enchiladas before, and I've had tastes off of other people's plates. I've never tried making them before, but recently I have been CRAVING them.

PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL. I NEED VALIDATION!

Sorry for yelling.

Anyway, let's get down to business. I was craving enchiladas, despite never really eating them before, and decided that now was as good a time as any to make them.

These Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas were everything I had hoped for and more. Tender, juicy shredded chicken, sauteed with crunchy diced onions and chopped cilantro, smothered in a spicy and smokey sauce is wrapped inside soft whole wheat tortillas, smothered with even MORE sauce and finished off with ooey, gooey, melted cheese. I mean, who can say no to that?!

Finish off your enchiladas with a dollop of low fat sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh chives. This meal is a real crowd pleaser when paired with yellow rice and skillet zucchini and summer squash. Add whatever ingredients tickle your fancy--black beans, veggies, steak, cojita cheese, oh my!

Spicy Taco Layer Dip

I love this time of year. When summertime rolls around that means it's just the right time for backyard barbeques and cookouts.

I also happen to love the food that comes along with cook-outs. Grilled chicken, juicy burgers, crispy hot dogs, creamy pasta and potato salads. All American good food.

This Spicy Taco Layer Dip is the perfect dip for a backyard barbeque. The warm, creamy layers blend together with just the right amount of heat for an extra kick. Spicy taco seasoning and medium heat salsa give this dip some extra oomph. Melted shredded chedder on top along with rich cream cheese on the bottom tempers that heat for a well balanced dip. Serve alongside your favorite tortilla chips and celery sticks.

Oh, by the way. If you're looking for something that is quick and simple to bring to your Memorial Day barbeques this weekend, I'd say this dip has you covered. Prep time is less than 15 minutes, and after just a few minutes under the broiler it's ready to be served.

And I guarantee your fellow party-goers will be coming back for seconds and thirds and fourths.

The layers are quite simple. It all starts with softened cream cheese in a deep, round or oval baking dish or casserole dish. I actually used the 1/3 less fat variety of the cream cheese, because why not save a few calories here and there?

On top of the cream cheese goes refried beans. The beans don't really add much in the way of taste, but this layer is a good filler and stretches the dip even further. They are creamy and tender, and the perfect partner to the cream cheese.

A pound of ground meat (I used ground turkey, because that's what I had on hand) gets browned and crumbled with 1 medium onion. A package of taco seasoning and a touch of water go in to create that amazing juicy taco meat we all know and love. Don't deny it, there's no reason to.

Taco meat on top of beans.

A jar of salsa on top of taco meat. I used medium, but if you're a crazy hot and spicy lover, you can bump it up to hot salsa.

Shredded cheddar cheese on top.

The dip goes into a hot oven for just about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown and the layers are heated through. The salsa will loosen up a little bit, but after it sits for a few minutes, it gets absorbed by the meat and beans for carefree dipping.

That's all it takes for a delicious, gooey taco dip. Garnish the top with chopped fresh chives, chopped tomatoes, or black olives if your heart so desires. I hope you and your friends can enjoy this dip all summer long!

Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

 

Look, guys. I know what people are saying about me.

I've gone mad. I need to go to Spin Dip Lovers Anonymous. You and carbohydrates make me crazy.

It's OK...I think the rumors are true. I love spinach and artichoke dip.  I surely love pizza. Of course I had to marry the two together for something completely out of the box that is worth every calorie.

I have such a small amount of pictures for this post because I made this pizza for some guests on Oscar night and I couldn't hold them back any longer!!

OK, really, I was just embarrassed to have people witness my behind-the-scenes work...blogger blush.

I used the pizza crust recipe from this post to get things going. That recipe yields two 13-inch pizzas, so here is my second creation. The measurements below would be for two pizzas. Is that confusing? I only made one, but I'm giving you the measurements for two. Did that help? UGH MONDAY.

This pizza is exactly what it sounds like...a simple spinach and artichoke dip topped with chicken and mozzarella cheese. It is so gooey and rich, with the slight bite of artichoke and soft undertone of spinach. The pizza crust makes this easy to eat in a party setting. Remember not to over-fill your pizza crust or else you won't get as puffy of a crust and it might get tough.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

A part of me thinks I should start off this post by apologizing for the amount of cheese, butter, and milk that is in this soup. But now I'm thinking otherwise.

You know how Panera's broccoli cheddar soup is, more or less, the best broccoli cheddar soup out there? Well, when a severe craving set in for broccoli cheddar soup yesterday, I decided that it was time to try and whip up my own. Mostly because it was ONCE AGAIN snowing in Boston and I realized that this soup may be the last soup this season! It had to be a good one.

My Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is packed with two types of cheddar cheese (mostly because I was indecisive and didn't know which one would be just right. Turns out having both was a big win). I went with a traditional yellow sharp cheddar, and I also grated up a generous amount of extra sharp white cheddar for an added kick. I really liked the color and smoothness of the yellow cheddar along with the bite and body of the white cheddar. Mostly, I just love cheese.

A large onion is diced and sauteed in a touch of olive oil to begin. I will never start any soup without an onion, the flavor is unmatched. 

Next, a thick roux is made in the soup pot by vigorously whisking together a stick of unsalted butter (wee!) with 1/4 cup of flour. Allowing this mixture to thicken will ensure that your soup is creamy and dreamy all the way through.

Of course, this is a cream-based soup so a few cups of milk join the party next. A part of me really wanted to use skim or lowfat milk, but I was worried it wouldn't thicken up as nicely as the whole milk does. So I went with whole milk this time and boy was this soup rich. I would imagine, though, that everything would still taste  amazing if you swapped in a low or non-fat milk.

2 cups of each cheese is grated and thrown into the pot. This may seem excessive but since CHEDDAR is in the name of the soup, I had to be sure that we were slapped with it's cheesy goodness. A big bunch of chopped frozen broccoli and grated carrots are in the wings waiting to go for a cheese bath. They get stirred in along with 1 cup of chicken broth.

I cooked the soup, simmering on low, for about 30 to 45 minutes until thick and the vegetables were very soft and tender. As it cooked, it did get thicker so I would gradually add in more chicken stock a cup or so at a time until I felt it was just right. You can play with the stock measurements below until it suits you!

The final verdict: this soup completely satisfied my cravings for Panera's broccoli cheddar. It wasn't quite as thick, but I liked that it felt much more like a soup than a cheese dip. The broccoli and carrots flavor up the soup beautifully as they cook, complimenting the cheeses in a way that will definitely keep you coming back for seconds. Warm and flavorful comfort food was just what we needed to melt away that extra bit of snow that was dumped on us. I highly suggest you try out this soup before soup season is over...or hell, just make it any time of year. It's THAT good.