Artichoke Bruschetta

I like this recipe because it's something different, which fulfills my resolution for the year to focus on recipes that are off the beaten path. Plus, it gives me an excuse to use artichoke, which is a vegetable that I like but rarely utilize because my husband recoils in horror at its existence. But even he couldn't deny that this Artichoke Bruschetta is very tasty, and not all together "artichoke like." The canned artichokes have a very mild flavor, providing the base on which all the other fabulous flavors co-mingle. If you've ever had an artichoke dip at a chain restaurant, this is something very similar.

ARTICHOKE BRUSCHETTA
From Allrecipes

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1 shallot, minced
2-4 garlic cloves, crushed (it depends on your like/tolerance for garlic)
1/2 c grated Romano cheese
5 tbsp mayonnaise
salt and pepper
1 loaf Italian bread, sliced (other crusty breads work, too)
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread slices on a cookie sheet. Lightly brush the slices with some olive oil. Toast in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the artichoke, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, Romano cheese, and mayonnaise. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Spoon a layer of the artichoke mixture ontop of each toasted crustini. Place under the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the artichokes mixture heats through and start to lightly brown. Take care to watch that the crustini does not burn. Serve immediately.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friday

Potato Chip Dip

Whenever there's a holiday get-together, I usually find myself on appetizer duty, and I've had a lot of dip recipes on the brain as of late. Most of the dips I make are meant to be eaten with that master of multi-tasking, the tortilla chip. However, I got a request for a dip to accompany potato chips, which led me to this recipe. Potato chip dip recipes are surprisingly hard to find, and most involve some kind of soup packet. This recipe is similar to the familiar, pre-packaged french onion chip dip but with a fresher, nicer taste. Goat cheese is not usually my thing, but its tang is much appreciated in this dip. It's on the expensive side for an ingredient (I am no foodie), but if there were ever a time to splurge on dip-making materials, the holidays would be it.


CHIP DIP

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove
1 c sour cream
4 oz goat cheese
1/4 c chopped chives

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the onion and season with some kosher salt. Cook the onion until it caramelizes and becomes soupy. This should take about 20 minutes.

2. Combine the caramelized onion, garlic clove, sour cream, goat cheese and chives in a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Refrigerate dip for at least an hour before serving.

Source: Chow

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella sticks hold a dear place in my heart. They've been a favorite of mine ever since I remember. I allow myself to indulge in them as a treat every time I'm at a Sonic (which isn't often enough, because, sadly, the closest one is an hour's drive).

But as much as I love mozzarella sticks, I find the process of making them unappealing. Dip the cheese in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, then fry and watch the cheese ooze out into the oil. No thanks. It tends to make a mess of me and my kitchen, and it still does not taste as good as I can get from a pizza shop.

These baked mozzarella sticks change the game. They are not like any other mozzarella stick I've ever had. Instead of breadcrumbs, each cheese stick is tucked inside an egg roll wrapper and then baked. While different than a traditional mozzarella stick, these are just as tasty.


MOZZARELLA STICKS

12 egg roll wrappers
12 string cheese sticks
water
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface, with one of its points facing you. With a pastry brush dipped in water, moisten all the edges. Place a string cheese at the bottom point of the wrapper and start rolling. Tuck in the sides as you roll. Place seam down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the egg roll wrappers.

3. Brush the tops of the sticks with the olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then place under broiler to finish. Sticks are finished when the edges turn golden brown and cheese just begins to ooze at the seams. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a marinara dipping sauce.

Source: Taste of Home

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Stuffed Mushrooms

If I had to select one category of cuisine I preferred cooking above all others, it might be appetizers. I love appetizers. It's funny because I never order them when out to eat, but I find them irresistible when made at home. So far I have found no occasion which can't be improved with some appetizers: football games, baptisms, baby showers, Tuesdays. And perhaps my favorite appetizer of all time is these stuffed mushrooms. If you've been looking for the perfect stuffed mushroom recipe, search no further. This is it.

These mushrooms are stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, garlic, and even more mushroom. I love the flavor of garlic paired with the mushrooms. I've eaten too many stuffed mushrooms before that were bland. Not these. These are so good, eating only one, or two, is not an option.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

24oz (generally 3 pkgs) white mushrooms
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
seasoned breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash and dry mushrooms. Pop out the the stems and then finely chop them. Place the caps in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and set aside.

3. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for about 5 minutes, or until stem pieces soften. Add the garlic and heat until fragrant, about two minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the cream cheese, Parmesan, black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until mushrooms start to release juices and become tender. Serve immediately.

Source: Allrecipes

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Foodie Friday

Lighter Taco Dip

So the NFL has deemed us all worthy of another football season, and I couldn't be more excited. Every Sunday during the season, I make up a game day snack and watch the Eagles game with my husband (E-A-G-L-E-S!).

I've decided to make this Lighter Taco Dip for the season opener, because I want to incorporate some healthier snacks into our rotation. I enjoy traditional sports bar and tailgating food, but it's too much week after week. This year, I'm committed to having more of a balance. Of course, I want to accomplish this without sacrificing taste.

I love a good taco dip. It combines some of my favorite ingredients: salsa, lettuce, cheddar cheese. This Lighter Taco Dip has all the flavor I expect from a taco dip but healthier. I didn't miss any of the extra calories or fat grams. To make this dip, I used a fantastic recipe I found at the blog Skinny Taste. I changed a few things: used individual spices instead of a packet, added the flavor of hot sauce, and used regular cheddar instead of low-fat but used less of it. We loved this dip, and I'll be serving it again for sure.

Had to throw this shot in for the Pyrex fans out there. I love using this Butterfly Gold baking pan! It's so versatile.


LIGHTER TACO DIP

1 c reduced fat sour cream
8 oz neufchatel cheese (often marketed as 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 tbsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder (omit if your salsa has lots of garlic in it)
1 tsp oregano
2 c salsa
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Using an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese and sour cream. Add in hot sauce, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Mix until combined.

2. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture on the bottom of an 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Top with salsa, then lettuce and finally cheddar. Enjoy with some tortilla chips.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Cast Party Wednesday

Bacon Deviled Eggs

I'm no bacon queen. In most cases, I merely tolerate it. I realize this is near culinary blasphemy. But there are a few dishes where I don't just accept the bacon in it, I love it. These Bacon Deviled Eggs are such a dish. Never before has the humble deviled egg tasted so good. There's something about the salty and smokiness of the bacon that elevate this common picnic fare into something truly special. I make these for Thanksgiving h'ordeuvres each year, and they are always a hit. In fact, I never make any other kind of deviled egg anymore, because when I do, I wind up missing the bacon so much.

BACON DEVILED EGGS

12 large eggs
4 slices bacon, diced (bare minimum, increase as you please, I often use 6-8 slices)
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1. Place eggs in a stockpot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Drain and run eggs under cold water. Once cool, peel eggs.

2. In skillet, cook diced bacon over medium-high heat. Once bacon has cooked to the point of being browned and crsipy, drain off fat. Transfer bacon to paper towels and blot any remaining grease.

3. Slice eggs. Scoop out yolks into a small mixing bowls. Combine yolks with mayonnaise, bacon, and mustard. Spoon mixture back into egg whites.

Note: These are best served the day they are made.

Source: Allrecipes

Quick Queso

My husband loves dip. Loves dip. Loves dip for lunch. Loves dip for dinner. Loves to dip any food in any sauce available. I figure it's only a matter of time before he tries to dip dip in more dip. And of all the dips I've made over the years, this Quick Queso his absolute favorite. It's requires two ingredients and takes less than five minutes to make. That makes it my favorite dip, too.

Oh, and it also tastes really good. So there's that.

I realize Velveeta isn't very modern. Growing up, we had a piece of Tupperware designed specifically to hold blocks of Velveeta and a special cheese slicer to cut it. Back then, fewer people seemed to cringe in horror at the idea of eating neon orange cheese-like substances made of ingredients cooked up in a lab. Ah, the good old days. But even with my new-fangled pretentiousness toward fake non-foods, sometimes you need to let your hair down and live a little. So make some queso out of Velveeta. You won't regret it.


QUICK QUESO

1 lb. processed cheese-like loaf (Velveeta), cubed
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel), undrained (it's fine if you want to drain it; it'll make a thicker dip with a milder spice level)

1. In a 2-quart sauce pan, combine the Velveeta and Rotel. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Source: Kraft Foods

Mushroom Bacon Quesadillas

This recipe is my little love letter to my home town. It is a place that does two things well: growing mushrooms, and Americanizing Mexican foods. So, in honor of my childhood town, I present my recipe for Mushroom Bacon Quesadillas. These quesadillas make for excellent snacking during football games, or a quick dinner. The amount of bacon is just enough to give these quesadillas some added flavor without over-powering the mushrooms. Of course, bacon fanatics (of which I am not) can feel free to add more!

MUSHROOM BACON QUESADILLAS

• 8 oz white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 oz (1/2 c) pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 2 oz (1/2 c) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. In the center of each 10-inch flour tortilla, place 2 tbsp of each cheese. Top with 1/4 of the cooked mushrooms and 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Fold over the tortillas. Heat an indoor grill* to it's highest temperature. Grill quesadillas one at a time, until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve.

* I use my indoor grill to make these. Alternatively, quesadillas can be cooked using a regular frying pan. Cook quesadillas over medium-high heat, flipping occasionally, until cheese is melted and tortilla is crisp.

Souce: Cats and Casseroles original recipe