Cheesy Buffalo Crab Potato Skins

Feeling a bit inspired on game day I remembered that we had some cooked chicken tenders that I had used for another dish. I was suddenly bummed that someone else in the house had eaten them as a snack. Then I decided I would try this idea with canned crab that we had. As you probably know by now...we have a major obsession with anything buffalo. It was that moment that the "Cheesy Buffalo Crab Potato Skins" were born. YUM!


Ingredients

Basting Oil for Potatoes:
2 T olive oil
1/8 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
dash of paprika
*Combine all these ingredients into a small bowl*

4 Large Baking Potatoes
1 can lump crab meat, drained
1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce (I use Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce)
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles
1/3 cup Real Bacon Pieces

Directions

1. Bake potatoes at 400 degrees until tender (typically around 45-50 minutes)
2. While potatoes are baking, prepare your Basting Oil Mixture; set aside. Combine crab, buffalo sauce, garlic, bacon pieces; set aside
3. Set potatoes out to cool and cut in half length wise (Don't turn off the oven!)
4. Scoop out insides of potatoes leaving around a 1/4-inch around the skin...this will help keep them together
5. Using your Basting Oil mixture, baste the potatoes both inside and out. Place on a baking sheet scoop side up for 7 minutes. Turn over and bake for another 7 minutes to get a nice crisp shell.
6. Flip potatoes back over and sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the bottom of each potato shell. Spoon crab mixture into each half. Spinkle with blue cheese (Use as much or as little as you prefer)
7. Place back into the oven for about 3-4 minutes giving your cheese a chance to soften and melt

Smoky Potato Rounds

Normal potato skin...meet the potato round! These certainly didn't last long around the men watching football. You may want to quadruple this recipe!

Smoky Potato Rounds
Adapted from Taste of Home "Potlucks and Parties"

Ingredients
2 large baking potatoes
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I used Real Bacon pieces to save some time)
1/2 cup sour cream (Fat Free as usual)
3 green onions thinly sliced

1. Scrub and pierce potatoes. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until almost tender.

2. When cool enough to handle, cut each potato width wise into 1/2 inch slices (Honestly, I thought this was waaayyy too large. 1/4 inch is probably your perfect size). Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the barbecue sauce; sprinkle with cheese and bacon

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and green onions

Ranch Chicken Wing Dip

Once upon a time...I used to make a cheese dip with velveeta, sausage and rotel. The new favorite is Buffalo Chicken Dip...this is now the 5th variation I've tried...and I personally think its my favorite! That may or may not have anything to do with the super cheesy top. You may want to double this recipe...between 4 guys. My 1.5 servings didn't make it very long!

Ranch Chicken Wing Dip
Adapted from Taste of Home "Potlucks and Parties"

Ingredients
1 package (8-oz) cream cheese (1/3 less fat used)
1 can (10-oz)chunk white chicken, drained and shredded
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (Frank's Buffalo style)
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing (I made my own using 1/2 cup of fat free sour cream and half of a ranch seasoning packet)
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey jack cheese (recipe calls for 2 if you want way more cheese)

1. Spread Cream Cheese into an ungreased 1-qt baking dish. Layer with chicken, buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with cheese
2. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips.


Before being dominated...


Almost gone!

Mediterranean Layered Dip

So...this dip made me extremely happy! My mom has always made this taco dip with refried beans, sour cream and whole bunch of other stuff I completely dislike. However...when I put all those together on a chip they miraculously taste great! This dip actually has stuff that I LOVE and I was able to get 3 people who did not like hummus to eat it and THEY loved it too! This one is a keeper!

Mediterranean Layered Dip
Adapted from Taste of Home Summer Appetizers 2010

Ingredients
2.5 cups hummus
3/4 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
1 cup fresh baby spinach (I didn't have this so I subbed it with some shredded cabbage...good but I'm sure better with spinach!)
3 T lemon juice
2 T olive oil
2 T coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 T coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup black olives
1/4 cup chopped red onion

1. Spread hummus onto a 12-inch round serving platter; top with roasted peppers
2. In a small bowl, combine the spinach, lemon juice, oil, basil and mint. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the spinach mixture over the peppers. Top with cheese, olives and onions.

I served mine with toasted pita slices and tortilla chips. Yum!

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Very simple but when you use a flavorful meat such as sausage...you can pack a lot of punch! These were the first appetizers to go at my last get-together

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients
35 large fresh mushrooms
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Hot)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions
Remove stems from mushrooms and finely chop; set caps aside. In a large skillet, cook sausage and mushrooms over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese and bread crumbs. Fill each mushroom cap with about 1 tablespoon of filling.
Place on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Yield: 35 appetizers.

Warm Broccoli Cheese Spread

This appetizer was very simple to make and incredibly delicious! The Italian seasoning mix really was the cherry on top for this dish. It was great on ritz crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips...you name it! This is definitely on the short list when I need to take a dish to go.

Warm Broccoli Cheese Spread
Adapted from Taste of Home Summer Appetizers

Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, cubed
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained and patted dry
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
Reduced-fat wheat snack crackers
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream and salad dressing mix until blended. Fold in the broccoli and 1-1/2 cups of cheese.
Spoon into a shallow 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with crackers. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

Chili Con Queso

Another delicious appetizer coming your way! I have been making my typical cheese dip for what feels like forever. I decided to switch it up and try something different. This one was also a winner...although I think everyone was missing the sausage ;)

Chili Con Queso
Adapted from Taste of Home Summer Appetizers

Ingredients
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, cubed
6 ounces VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product cubed
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Baked tortilla chip scoops

Directions
Pour both cans of tomatoes into a colander over a small bowl; drain, reserving 1/3 cup liquid. Discard remaining liquid or save for another use.
In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Add the tomatoes, process cheese, chili powder and reserved liquid. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in cilantro.
Keep warm; serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 3 cups.

Garlic Spinach Balls

I'm always looking for fun, easy yummy appetizers to serve when we have friends over. We have always loved sausage balls but these spinach balls proved to be a hit as well!


Garlic Spinach Balls
Adapted from Taste of Home Summer Appetizers

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed seasoned stuffing
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 eggs, lightly beaten (I used 1 cup egg substitute)
3/4 cup butter, melted (Light Margarine as usual!)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced (Doubled this)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Stir in spinach until blended. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown

Fried Pickles!

So yes...its been a while since my last posting...Thanks for the reminder sis =)

One night I was in a crazy mood for some fried food and we didn't leave many foods untouched in our deep frier. The fried pickles were the major winner here.

Fried Pickles

Ingredients
1 pint sliced dill pickles, undrained
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
Vegetable oil
Directions
Drain pickles, reserving 2/3-cup pickle juice. Press pickles between paper towels. Combine 2/3 cup pickle juice, egg, 1 tablespoon flour, and hot sauce. Stir well and set aside.


Combine 1 1/2 cups flour with ground red pepper, garlic powder, salt, and paprika. Blend well. Dip pickles in egg mixture, then dredge in flour mixture. Fry coated pickles in 375-degree oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini

This super flavorful spread was delicious! The use of all the fresh ingredients create a great taste that would surely entertain your crowds. After chopping all of the herbs for this dish our whole downstairs had the aroma of fresh mint and parsley. Enjoy!


Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini
Adapted from Southern Living Quick and Easy 145 Simple Recipes You'll Love

1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 French bread baguette, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 T fresh lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 large tomato, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 T chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Stir together olive oil and garlic; brush on 1 side of each French bread slice. Place bread slices, garlic sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted.

2. Whisk together lemon juice and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add tomato and next 3 ingredients; gently toss to coat.

3. Top each bread slice with tomato mixture. Sprinkle each crostini with crumbled feta cheese.

I love to fix appetizers on Sunday...make a few...snack throughout the day. Yum! I started getting a produce delivery to the house once a week and this particular week I had avocados...I figured it was my turn to try my hand at guacamole. Winner!

Homemade Guacamole

3 avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Easy So Good Jalapeno Poppers

Just realized that I never posted the recipe to these simple and delicious jalapeno poppers! Thanks TP for a great recipe and fresh produce!

Easy So Good Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapenos
Cream Cheese
Shredded Cheddar (I used Fat Free)
Bacon (I used center cut)

Cut Jalapenos in 1/2, remove seeds

Fill each side with cream cheese

Top with shredded cheddar cheese and press down into cream cheese

Wrap stuffed jalapeno with 1 slice of bacon (About 1/2 slice per jalapeno half)

Bake at 425 about 15-20 minutes or until bacon is cooked

Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Healthy Makeover

I had been dying to try out this recipe...and needless to say it was another keeper! I LOVE Spinach and Artichoke dip and was so stoked to see a recipe for it in Cooking Light. Yum!


Spinach and Artichoke Dip Healthy Makeover
Adapted from Cooking Light August 2009

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 t black pepper
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8-oz) block 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-oz) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 package baked tortilla chips

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine 1.5 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 T Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1.5 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and remaining 2 T Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Simple Stuffed Mushrooms

These are about as easy as it gets! If you're looking for something to occupy the "starving" people in the house anticipating dinner...you can easily whip these out in no time! It has minimal ingredients and they were delicious!

Simple Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package Garlic-herb Cheese Spread (Around 5.2 oz.)
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
30 small fresh mushrooms, stems removed
Thinly sliced fresh basil, optional
dash of Paprika, optional

In a small bowl combine cheese spread and 2 T Parmesan cheese; spoon into mushroom caps

Transfer to a foil lined baking sheet; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with basil and paprika if desired

Homemade Pico De Gallo

I LOVE Mexican food...I LOVE salsa...and I LOVE Pico! I was so excited to receive a bunch of fresh vegetables from a friends garden. Once I got home with tomatoes and jalapenos I quickly realized I had cilantro and onion so I could put together pico! Its super easy to make...just a little time consuming...enjoy


Pico De Gallo ala Sassy Pants

2-3 Medium Tomatoes, seeded and chopped into small pieces
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 Medium sized Jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Juice of 1 Lime
3 garlic cloves, minced (can reduce...this is just how I do it)
Sea Salt
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (This is one recipe you don't want to use dried! Add more if you like)

1. Chop tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapenos and place into bowl

2. Mince garlic cloves and add to tomato mixture

3. Sprinkle sea salt to taste

4. Squeeze juice of 1 lime over mixture

5. Stir well to blend and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to blend the flavors together...Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

We've had several version of this dip...we have devoured all of them and I decided it was my turn to create my version! For entertaining, I would suggest doubling or tripling this recipe (or heck maybe even more)...its sure to please your crowd!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

8 oz. tub cream cheese (I used fat free), room temperature
1/4 cup ranch dressing (I used fat free sour cream/ranch seasoning mix)
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Franks Red Hot, Buffalo Style


Place cream cheese in bowl and microwave just enough to smooth cream cheese to a creamier texture

Add remaining ingredients, stir well

Microwave for 2-3 minutes, stir and microwave more if necessary

Voila! Super easy and sure to please your crowd!

"The Cheese Dip"

One of my favorite items to bring to a "bring-a-dish" gathering is the famous cheese dip. I've been making this dip for several years and it is a 100% fan favorite. Most friends tell me "Just bring the cheese dip." What do I love even more about this dip...ITS SO EASY! Its almost a relief to be told to bring the cheese dip. Next time you need an easy appetizer...all you need is a crock pot and 3 ingredients.


"The Cheese Dip"

1 lb Sausage, cooked and crumbled (I use Jimmy Dean HOT because I like the extra kick!)
1 Can Rotel
1 Block Velveeta Cheese

Spray crockpot with nonstick spray
Cut up block of velveeta cheese into 1 inch cubes
Place evenly into crock pot
Turn crockpot to high, the trick is to constantly pay attention. I often switch between high and low and refrain from opening the lid although its so tempting! Too long on high and you will have the cheese burned to the side of your crockpot. Low is always a safe way to go but will take longer if you would like to leave it and forget about it.
Cook sausage on medium until all the pink is gone. Crumble while you cook to get the best results for your sausage. Most times I don't drain my sausage, but if your sausage has an extremely large amount of grease feel free to discard
The best time to open up your crock pot to add the remaining ingredients is when you notice that your cheese cubes have now melted evenly in your crockpot
Add your sausage and can of rotel and stir
Continue to stir until you reach the consistency of your choosing. If you feel the dip is thicker than you like, you can easily add a half cup of milk. I prefer mine to be more thin...it seems to go a much longer way.

Most of this recipe is just touch. I've made crockpot after crockpot and have finally found the mix that works for me. I've also added cream cheese to give a creamier texture. Its a completely flexible recipe that is sure to please any group! Enjoy! =)