Buffalo Chicken Dip

Some of you have asked me to include this recipe. Obviously I don't sit around making dips all day so I had to wait until I actually had an opportunity to make this. While this isn't the prettiest looking dip, it is ALWAYS the first to go at a party.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup light ranch dressing
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (note: NOT buffalo wing sauce)
• 1 chicken breast, poached and shredded (or diced, whatever you like best)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with stand mixer or hand mixer. (Note: I never, ever, measure when I make this dip for some reason. If it's too runny I add more cheese. If it's too thick, I add more ranch dressing or hot sauce. Taste the dip before you bake it to make sure you have the right level of heat. If it's too spicy, add more ranch and cheese; if it's not spicy enough, add some hot sauce and gauge whether you need to add more cheese to keep the right consistency)
3. Add the mixture to an oven safe dish. I usually use a 9x9 dish. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips and fresh carrots and celery.

Buffalo chicken dip at a party. I realized I needed to take a picture AFTER people already started eating it.

Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Everyone loves spinach artichoke dip. This one can be made a few ways-- in a slow cooker or baked-- or both!

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed (DON'T drain)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer (or brute strength) to combine everything evenly.
2. Here are the different ways to cook this:
1. Slow cooker: put the mixture into the slow cooker and slow cook for 2 hours, mixing occasionally. You can eat the dip out of the slow cooker, keeping it hot OR transfer it to an oven safe dish, sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan, and cook for 30 minutes (to brown the top) at 350 degrees.
2. The other option is automatically placing it into an oven safe baking dish, sprinkling with a little Parmesan, and baking for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or pita wedges! For a healthy(er) version, you can use skim and lower fat/calorie cheeses.

Grilled Zucchini Salad

Zucchini is my favorite vegetable. Grilling zucchini is a great way to cook it. This recipe is from Bobby Flay. You can find the original here. I've switched a few things around and changed a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 large zucchini (for 2 servings. If you're cooking for more do 1 zucchini per person)
• Olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• Parmesan cheese, for shaving
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. While the grill is heating up, slice zucchini thin. It helps to use a mandolin, but if you don't have one just use a knife carefully. I usually avoid the seedy middle area. If you want to do the same, just slice around it until that's all that's left.
2. Drizzle some olive oil on the zucchini and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill the zucchini, 1-2 minutes per side. 



[Step 3]

4. Prepare the marinade. In a bowl combine the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, handful of chopped fresh parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle in olive oil while constantly whisking until the mixture has emulsified. You'll end up using between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil. 
5. Transfer the grilled zucchini to the marinade and let sit for about 15 minutes. 

[Step 5]

6. Pile the zucchini onto a salad plate, shaking off any excess marinade. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve.

Peach and Blueberry Pecan Crumble

This is one of my favorite deserts. I love the mix of cold ice cream with hot fruit. The pecans in the crumble add a nice crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2  cup packed brown sugar (light or dark, whatever you have on hand)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick) cut into small cubes
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups sliced peaches (fresh tastes best, but when they're not in season you can use one regular size can)
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 3 Tbsp. sugar (I use Splenda)
• 2 Tbsp. flour

Directions

[Step 4]

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Prepare the berries: combine the blueberries, peaches, 2 Tbsp. flour, sugar, and lemon juice in an oven safe baking dish. Toss everything together until the berries and peaches are coated.
3. Prepare the topping in a separate bowl. Combine the cup of flour, pecans, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter and mix with your fingers. Rub everything together until the mixture sticks together in small clumps.
4. Scatter the topping over the fruit in an even layer. You may not use all the topping, depending on the size of your baking dish. 
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the berry juices are bubbling. Serve with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.

White Pizza with Tomato and Basil

This is my favorite pizza and it comes together really quick. I buy pizza dough from the grocery store to save the time making it. I use garlic infused olive oil to add lots of flavor and make a garlic butter Parmesan cheese crust.

Ingredients:

• 1 ball pizza dough
• flour, for rolling out the pizza
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, whole and crushed a little
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. fresh basil (2-3 large leaves) chiffonade
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. While the pizza dough is set out to come to room temperature, begin making the garlic infused olive oil. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium head and add the 4 cloves of garlic. Let the garlic cook until it begins to turn brown. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sprinkle flour on a counter and begin to roll out the pizza dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. 
4. Using a basting brush, brush some of the garlic olive oil on a pizza pan. Place the rolled out dough on top. Using your fingers, spread the dough to the edge of the pan.
5. Use the basting brush to brush the entire face of the pizza dough. Add the mozzarella. Sprinkle quarter size dollops of ricotta on top of the mozzarella. Spread around the tomatoes, oregano, and basil. Next, sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese.
6. In a small bowl, add the remaining garlic olive oil and butter. Microwave for 15 seconds until the butter melts. Brush the mixture on the crust of the pizza. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on the crust.
7. Add salt and pepper to the top of the pizza. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown and the crust looks golden.