Taco Rice Skillet

I needed to use up some ground turkey and we needed a quick meal. So I looked up some recipes as inspiration and started throwing whatever into a pan. Worked out great and the leftovers made a great midnight snack... the guys at it as dip! I think it would make a better dip if you switched out the shredded cheese for a big hunk of Velveeta... might try that in the future for a yummy party dip.

Tace Rice Skillet
Serves: 3-4

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 package taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup shredded cheese


In a skillet, cook turkey and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain if necessary.

Stir in taco seasoning, water, salsa and corn; bring to a boil. Add rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until the cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This amazingly addictive recipe comes from my favorite buffalo sauce lover Lindsay. It was a huge hit at my family's Christmas party. Warning: This is spicy. If you can't handle it, back away! I personally didn't like the celery with it, so I stuck to the chips. I also made a half recipe, which worked well for our party of 20. The entire thing got eaten with no leftovers. We needed about a full bag of Tostitos scoops.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients
* 16 oz cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
* 12 oz Frank's buffalo sauce (I used about 10 oz, and Franks is the best!)
* 8 oz Ranch dressing (I used Hidden Valley)
* 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (just bake some plain chicken breasts and shred with forks, one medium breast makes about 3/4 cup shredded)
* 1 cup shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, dressing, and buffalo sauce until well blended. Add shredded chicken and mix well.
3. Spread into a glass baking dish. Top with cheese. ****
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. (After baking, I transferred the dip into a small crockpot to keep it warm.)
5. Serve warm with tortilla chips (scoops!) and celery.
6. Devour! Remember to breathe!!

****I didn't do any of the baking. I just mixed all the ingredients and put it in a Little Dipper crock pot. It took about 30 minutes to heat thru and melt together. Worked great!

Cookie Dough Dip

This came from my friend Jill. Makes a fabulous snacky appetizer! I really like the variation I came up with, but the party was split 50/50 on which was their fave.

Cookie Dough Dip
Serves: a party

1. Take a 8 oz block of (reduced fat) cream cheese and a stick of butter out to soften.

2. In a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and bowl) beat together the following:
-cream cheese and butter
-3/4 cup powdered sugar
-1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (not that imitation crap)

3. Stir in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Chill and serve with graham cracker sticks (or graham crackers or vanilla wafers).

VARIATION:
Do everything above but add 1/4 cup of peanut butter in step #2. Then change the chocolate chips to 1 cup of peanut butter chips.

Dill Dip

I have been eating and making this ever since I can remember. It has always been a favorite in our family and something really easy to take to parties. It goes great with veggies and chips. But carrots are the perfect match. I like to make it with low fat/no fat ingredients, but of course it tastes better with the super fatty stuff.... but my way you get to eat a lot more!



Dill Dip
Serves: a party

1. In a medium bowl combine the following:
*1 cup (8 oz) fat free sour cream
*1 cup (8 oz) low fat mayo (NOT miracle whip)
*3 tablespoons dried dill weed (not seed)
*3 tablespoons dried parsley
*3 tablespoons dried minced onion (not chopped)
*3 teaspoons seasoning blend (look here)
*3 teaspoons Accent (look here)

2. Transfer to your seving dish and refrigerate a few hours or even better overnight.

3. Serve with veggies or whatever you want. Keep it cool. (see below)

Fancy Schmancy Tip: I am sure most of you understand this, but it is something to consider when bringing a dish to pass like this. Get a slightly bigger container than your serving bowl and fill it halfway with crush ice. Set the dip bowl on top. That way it can sit out for longer and still be safe to eat. Just something to consider.

Return of da dip

Matt had a craving for pretzels and dip, so we tried this one again with some modifications. We think it turned out too salty (from the packet) but overall very good.

Garlic Cheese Dip Part 2

Serves: A family

1. In a medium bowl, mix together:
-1 block softened cream cheese (regular, light, or fat free)
-1 packet Good Seasonings Salad Dressing mix in the Garlic Herb flavor
-3-4 Tablespoons of tomato sauce (this is not spaghetti sauce!)
-1 Tablespoon (or more) dried italian seasonings
-3+ teaspoons of dried cheese topping (like you use for popcorn), found in the spice aisle

2. Serve with pretzels, crackers, probably even veggies. Make sure to keep it cool.

Garlic Cheese Dip

Well we needed something to go with the awesome pretzel crackers that Matt's mom brought over, so I whipped this up. It was pretty good!

Garlic Cheese Dip
Serves: A family

1. In a medium bowl, mix together:
-1 block softened cream cheese (regular, light, or fat free)
-1 packet Good Seasonings Salad Dressing mix in the Garlic Cheese flavor (similar to this, usually found by the croutons at the store)
-3-4 Tablespoons of tomato sauce (this is not spaghetti sauce!)
-1 Tablespoon (or more) dried italian seasonings

2. Serve with pretzels, crackers, probably even veggies. Make sure to keep it cool.

Chili Cheese Dip

This is one of my all time favorite things to feed my guests! So easy and addicting. I brought this to a get together night and forgot to take a picture.... but a cheesy spoon laying next to the crock pot is the most common sight to see with this recipe, so this picture is only appropriate.

Chili Cheese Dip

Serves 12-15

1. Get your crock pot heating up on high.

2. Throw in the following:

• 1- 8oz bar of cream cheese, reduced/fat free works too
• 1 can of Hormel Hot no bean chili
• 1-16 oz. jar of your favorite salsa
• 1- 2 pound brick of Velveeta, cubed

3. Stirring occasionally, heat until melty and combined. Warning, this could take an hour.

4. Reduce heat to low and serve with tortilla chips (2 regular sized bags). Make sure you set out a paper plate for the spoon, this gets messy!