Monday Munchies - Party Time

Although party season is winding down, many people have some type of New Year's Eve gathering ahead of them tomorrow.  For as long as I can remember, we have always hung out with our next door neighbors on New Year's eve. Neither of our families liked to stay out late and it's my least favorite day of the year to drive anywhere once it gets late, so hanging out with the neighbors seems like the perfect evening!  We always have enough food for an army, but it's a great excuse to try new recipes and then swap leftovers.

So far, here's our contribution to this year's lineup.  Check out these recipes and let me know what recipes you're wanting to try in 2014!

• Chocolate Chip Fruit Dip - served with graham cracker sticks and apples
• Crispix Mix
• Sausage, Cheese and Cracker platter
• Skewers of Glory - from my new PW cookbook, SUPER excited about this one!
• Chocolate Pistachio Sables

Crock Pot Caramel Dip

So Monday came and went and I completely forgot about Monday Munchies, like didn't think about it even one split second during the day forgot.  I didn't think about it during the day on Tuesday either, because I was SO excited that when the clouds lifted from the rain we had the past couple of days there was SNOW on the peaks of the mountains, and even covered some of the bowls.  That means we're one step closer to ski season, yay!

Tuesday night I went with a couple friends to a Flannel Attractions (don't you love the band names out here?!?) show at a new restaurant in town, then fell right into my bed when I got home.  Then Wednesday I thought about it, but I had lunch with a friend, picked up another friend from the airport and had small group that night.  After I got back I considered posting, but then I couldn't find my camera, and posts aren't nearly as good without pictures.  So yesterday I searched, found my camera, uploaded pics and now it's Friday!  This dip is super easy to make, delicious, and a great way to make a healthy food (apple slices) completely unhealthy haha!  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Caramel Dip
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:  Mix all ingredients together in a crock pot.  Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours or until thick and bubbly around the edges. (I cooked mine on high for about an hour instead of being patient and cooking it on low.  I also made a double batch and keep it in a jar in the fridge so that I have it on hand when we have people over.  Just nuke it in the microwave for awhile and you have an easy snack or dessert!)

Recipe Source: Farming on Faith

Monday Munchies - Healthy Horseradish Hamburgers

Grilling season is definitely here! Last week our neighbors to the right and left and behind us were all grilling making the neighborhood smell WONDERFUL!!!  As summer approaches and we enjoy the warmer weather, blooming trees, and everything great that comes with spring, we also know that the ever dreaded bathing suit season is right around the corner as well.  This is a great recipe in which fewer calories does not mean less flavor, in fact, I prefer these over a regular ground beef burger.  I'm not a huge fan of horseradish, I don't like the way it overpowers other flavors, but in these burgers it adds just the right amount of flavor and kick without being too spicy!  These burgers are also great all year long, whether you cook them on the grill or in a skillet.

Horseradish Hamburgers
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 c. finely shredded carrot
1 T. prepared horseradish
1/2 t. salt

Directions:
Stir the beef, scallions, carrot, horseradish and salt together in a medium bowl until well mixed.  Form into 4-6 patties.  Note:  They are a bit more crumbly than regular burgers, but just keep squishing them together, they stick enough that transferring/grilling/eating them is not a problem!

Spray a non-stick rigid grill pan w/non-stick cooking spray and set over medium high heat.  Add the patties and cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into the side of a burger registers 160 degrees (for a well done burger - about 4-5 minutes per side).  Or, throw them on a grill instead!  Also, grill your onions...trust me, just do it.

If you make 6 burgers, each burger has 205 calories and 5 weight watchers points (not sure about points plus)

Source: Weight Watchers Comfort Classics Cookbook

Also, head over to Ali's blog Gimme Some Oven for a chance to win a $100 Visa giftcard, and check out her great recipes while you're there!

Monday Munchies - Chocolate Chip Fruit Dip

It's been a busy weekend with all sorts of fun stuff going on, hockey games, meeting new friends, checking out the square, cowboy boot shopping, visiting churches, buying ski passes for tomorrow, finding the toboggan in the shed, doing daily snow depth checks, and then what do you know, it's time for Monday Munchies again!  Since Laurel and I were snowed in a couple of days last week we cooked (and ate) a lot, but I'm still getting used to this blogging thing and didn't take pictures of anything - blog fail.  Today's recipe is one that my cousin made several months ago, and my mom and I have made it several times since.  It's great served with fruit, or to make it more dessert like, we have also tried it with graham cracker sticks, chocolate graham cracker pieces, and vanilla wafers.  This would be a good recipe to keep in mind for your Super Bowl parties - go Giants!

Chocolate Chip Fruit Dip

1 package (8 ounces) Cream Cheese (softened or cubed)
1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar  

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Serve with fruit or graham cracker sticks (or whatever else you want!) 

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve with fruit or graham cracker sticks.  Yield: 2 cups

Monday Munchies - Cheesy Pepperoni Bread

It's Monday again, they seem to roll around so quickly!  Today is the first of many weekly(ish) installments of Monday Munchies, where I will post some of my new and old favorite recipes.  

New Year's Eve is one of my favorite nights to try out new appetizer and dessert recipes, and this recipe is one I had my eye on for quite some time and decided to make for our party with our neighbors.  Now, this New Year's Eve party only consists of 7 people but every year we fix enough food for about 40 people, and then we swap leftovers, it's wonderful!  Friday I had lofty aspirations to make all sorts of completely homemade complicated and time consuming party food...then I woke up sick Saturday, and after waking up I decided I'd be doing good to even take a shower.  This recipe was one I decided I could throw together and it ended up being one of my favorites of the night even though it was super simple.  It would be a great one to keep the ingredients on hand for football games, game nights, unplanned visitors or even for a quick snacky dinner.


Cheesy Pepperoni Bread

• 1 can Pillsbury Italian or French bread (Initially I planned to make my own dough, but this was nice and easy.  Sometimes easy is best, in my case, easy = nap!)
• Garlic bread seasoning (Garlic powder, dried onions, parsley, basically whatever floats your boat.)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Sliced pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni because it's healthier...I know, like there's healthy pepperoni haha!  But I think it tastes just as good.  I also think mini pepperoni's would be great in this!)
• Black olives - optional
• Pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping

FYI, the pepperoni slices are frosty, it's not mold or something!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll the bread dough so that it makes a large rectangle.  Sprinkle with seasoning, then top generously with the mozzarella cheese. Place desired amount of pepperoni slices and olives on top of the cheese. Carefully roll the dough jellyroll style into a loaf and place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.  Bake 18-22 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.   


Recipe Source: Adapted from Sing for Your Supper Blog