3-Ingredient Mango Salsa

Recipe challenge, week thirty-three.

I posted mango salsa two years ago and I've made it several times since.  However, I always felt the need to get uber-creative and got away from the original inspiration for the recipe.  My friend made this very basic salsa for a get-together back in Missouri and I couldn't stop eating it.  I'd really never had mango-anything before that because I'd spent four years in Alaska and I don't think you can even buy mangos there and, if you can, they're probably $8 each.  But this time of year they're about a dollar in Colorado, so it's worth it.  

I did this salsa last weekend with just on-the-vine tomatoes, one mango, and a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro.  You can add salt, but check the saltiness of your tortilla chips first.  Different brands equal a different level of saltiness and all. (I once went out with a guy who was completely irritated over the fact that, on one occasion, the tortilla chips at Chili's were too salty. First of all, no such thing. Second of all, I've never been able to forget this.  I have a photographic memory I suppose. Every single time I go to Chili's and every single time I think about tortilla-chip-salt-content, there it is.)

Anyway.

3-Ingredient Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced (make sure it's ripe)
3-4 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 heaping tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

Mix it all up and it will store in the fridge for up to 3 days.  I'd make it 12 hours or so before you need it.

Roasted Garlic

Recipe challenge, week twenty-nine

It's really weird to post on a Saturday evening but I need to get this onto the internet before a new week (Sunday) begins because I don't want to fall behind again.  I really, really don't.

So, we have roasted garlic.  Roasted garlic is quite possibly one of those best-kept secrets.  I did a whole post on how to make it about a year and a half ago so, surprise surprise, I'm also going to cheat here and link back to an old recipe.  This time I tried to take a good picture though.

I made this earlier in the week because Scott said he'd been craving it for awhile.  If you want the story, as well as the recipe, you'll have to click.

Hopefully I'll have a full week of blog posts coming up including something about snakes (you've been warned).

With the way things are going, there probably won't be a Week 30 recipe until next Saturday.  Falling behind is a vicious cycle.

Baked Crab Dip

Recipe challenge, week one.  

There was a restaurant near our house in Alaska called Evangelo's.  It was an Italian place and surprisingly upscale for Wasilla.  We probably went there 4 times in 2 years and you're probably thinking, "Wow, it couldn't have been that good, Kristin, if you only showed up a handful of times".  But it was and the reason why we didn't go often is because we would start off with a baked crab dip and loaf of baguette.  And then I would usually follow that up with a calzone.  Not a meal you want to eat often, right?  Or maybe you do because it was that good.

Sometimes I still think about that place.  Almost in the same way I think about Vagabond Blues and their Greek wraps and all the fabulous sushi places and the Kaladi Brothers coffee they'd have in the staff lounge because Alaskans don't drink wimpy coffee.  And I think about my beautiful, like-new classroom that I had…and my shiny (albeit expensive) gym…and…well, then I get all nostalgic and I probably shouldn't think that way because there's no way I would make it through another winter in Alaska.  I just wouldn't.  If the darkness in December has affected me in Colorado, I don't think I'm made of tough enough stock for that nonsense anymore.

However, the point of this is to tell you that I made a fabulous crab dip and we enjoyed it on Christmas.  It would make a tasty addition to any party spread. The Superbowl maybe? Or those winter night get-togethers where you just want to supply some comfort food.  I used Wildtree Red Bell Pepper and Garlic Blend seasoning in this dip.  There are very few ingredients, including garlic and coriander. You could use any kind of seasonings, such as Old Bay.

We ate it with Club crackers but baguette would be amazing too.  I tried it with tortilla chips and it wasn't a good fit.  Go for crackers or bread.

Baked Crab Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake appetizer gluten-free

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Ingredients (9 inch pie pan)

• 1 block cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 ½ T. seasoning (I used Wildtree, but I would recommend 1 t. Old Bay + 1 t. garlic powder + 1/2 t. coriander)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press or very finely minced
• 1 cup shredded/diced crab meat

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together with an electric mixer in a large bowl. I’m convinced this is the secret to getting a smooth dip: I use a handheld mixer. Spread into a pie plate-sized dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until browned on top.

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Many of you seemed excited by this challenge I'm attempting for the next 52 (now 51) weeks.  Do you have any recipe requests?  Any ideas I should try out?  I have a few that are ready to share, but I'll need more!

Sweet Corn Salsa

I love candy corn.  If I could figure out a way to put candy corn into regular meals, I would.  However, in the summer, we love getting sweet corn and adding it to dinner just as much as I love eating candy corn in the fall.  Or any time of year actually.

I'm convinced that 2014 will be the year I attempt this:

That is candy corn, around a marshmallow.

via Pinterest

Until then, I find myself picking up a few ears of corn every time I go grocery shopping.  I boil them, shave off the kernels, and then toss them with a little garlic and lime.  Usually, these go on top of a bbq chicken salad or steak salad.  It really adds a lot of flavor and texture.

On this particular day I had a mango that needed to be used and I managed to find a can of black beans.    Salsa it was!  If you like this, my original black bean salsa recipe is fantastic and basic mango salsa is pretty amazing too.  In fact, this is just a variation on every other salsa I make, but it's too good not to share.  At the least, I can bring your attention to my other recipes!  These are very popular around here and are perfect for entertaining.

Sweet Corn Salsa
makes about 3 cups

1 mango, peeled and cut into small dices
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of one lime
2 cloves of garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 T. chopped cilantro
2 ears of corn, cooked and shaved from the cob

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Scott said that it tastes better the second day.  I wouldn't know about that.  He got to the leftovers before I did.  

You might also like… Mango Salsa, Corn and Tomato Guacamole, Black Bean Salsa,  

How to Roast Garlic

a.k.a. How to make the most delicious, simple dinner you've ever eaten in your entire life.  YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

There's a restaurant in Anchorage called Moose's Tooth and they specialize in pizza.  All kinds of different pizza.  I was the one who would go in there and order "pepperoni" and get dirty looks.  However, their Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza made me swoon, and I've yet to be able to recreate it.  Maybe that'd be a good weekend project...

One of their appetizers was Roasted Garlic.  It came with these thick slices of brown bread and diced tomatoes.  You'd stick a butter knife into the soft golden clove and it'd spread right onto the bread like warm butter.  Then you'd top it with a few tomatoes and make a meal out of garlic and bread.  

At some point in 2010, I started making it at our house when we lived in Eagle River, Alaska.  Scott and I would eat 5 heads of garlic (and a loaf of sourdough) each week this way.

I highly recommend it.  

Once you have your roasted garlic, you can do anything with it.  Put it in mashed potatoes or hummus. You could easily make 10-12 bulbs for entertaining in the same amount as time as making one.  

I thought a few weeks ago, "Hmmm...I should make that again."  Isn't it funny how you can eat something all the time, stop eating it, and then forget about it for 3 years?  Yep.  It is.

I apologize for the picture quality.  I didn't want to wait for the weekend to post this.

You're welcome.

(The pictures are not good.  I do apologize.)

Take a whole head of garlic.

Slice the end off, just so all the cloves are cut open.

Set it on a square of foil.

Drizzle the top with olive oil.

Sprinkle it with salt.

Wrap the foil around it and put it in a baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  I start checking at 40 minutes.  It should be golden and gooey.

Serve with bread!

Enjoy!

Feed the dog, please (and Mango Salsa)

On Saturday, I went for sushi in Rolla, the nearest "big" town and the nearest good sushi.  It's about 20 miles east.  Beforehand, I did a little Kohl's clearance rack shopping.  I'm trying to re-vamp my closet.  If you've been following my WIW posts, you'll know this is desperately needed.  After a Las Vegas roll with a friend, I went home to an empty house and found that Scott had taken the dog to the archery range.

Before I'd taken off for Rolla, I'd reminded Scott to feed Scout at 5:30.  He's never home when the dog eats, so I wanted to make sure he knew my SOP (standard operating procedure) and all.  Scout and I have a very specific routine.  He laughed and went on with whatever he was doing.

When they returned home at 8:30, as we were wrestling Scout to the floor in order to pick the ticks off of him (and as I was feeding him Cheerios to keep him still), I said, "Did you feed him?", never expecting the answer to be "No".  I was just asking to make conversation.

Scott:  No.  We left at 4:00.

Me: Are you serious?

No wonder he was biting us and eating those Cheerios like his life depended on it.  He missed dinnertime by 3 hours.  Poor little guy...

Because he'd spent some time rolling around in the woods, he was covered with teeny ticks from head to paw.  We spent all night holding him down...and then I was still all itchy, thinking they were on me.  Against my better judgment, we fed him french fries to keep him still.

Scott is never taking him anywhere again.  Ever.

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We also went to the farmers' market.  I've spent years wishing for a real live farmers' market (no such thing on the tundra).  Scott and I've also spent years waiting for fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. It's not warm enough to grow them outside in Alaska.  Since I bought a few too many, I made some salsa.  If I'd had a mango on hand, I would've gone for mango salsa.  I think you should try it.  I waited 27 years too long.

A few weeks ago, I tried Mango Salsa for the first time while we were on our "camping" trip.  That version was mango, tomatoes, and cilantro.  The sweetness of the salsa tasted amazing on top of salty tortilla chips.  Since I'm a black bean/corn salsa fanatic, I added these filling ingredients to stretch the salsa and it made quite a bit. We finished it in two days, as is the usual for a bowl of salsa or a container of hummus around here.

Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced into small pieces
1 can corn OR 1 cup thawed frozen corn OR 1 corn cob, shucked
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt
1/2 t. garlic powder OR 1 clove minced garlic

Mix all the ingredients together and taste.  You can add more salt, lime, or garlic if needed.  If you're eating it with tortilla chips, they'll add some salty flavor too.
Store in the fridge.  It tastes the best the next day!

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Corn and Tomato Guacamole

We spent the last 24 hours in Branson, Missouri.  The traffic in Branson is some of the worst I've ever seen.  That was pretty much my take-away (oh, and I need a tan).

  

Happy Memorial Day!  Here's a great summer appetizer...

One thing I really don't like about Missouri is the darkness at night.  I'm a firm believer in daylight.  All daylight, all the time.  So aside from the wind, rain, and 50* temperatures, summer in Alaska agreed with me.  Or, shall we say, it was tolerable.  Why SHOULDN'T it be daylight all the time in the summer?  I don't like the dark.  I know it sounds odd...I watch some pretty "dark" shows..Dexter, The Walking Dead, True Blood...but I enjoy the daylight.  So that, I'm finding, is a rough adjustment.  

Another thing that was slightly disappointing: Avocados are still over $1 a piece.  Granted, I didn't expect an avocado tree to fall into my lap (though that'd be nice).  But hey, can't win them all.

One thing I like about Missouri: the sweet corn.  Just a regular old 30-cents-an-ear-piece of sweet corn packs more flavor than you could imagine.  In Alaska, corn was always like 60 cents an ear, and it usually wasn't any good, so we didn't buy it.  In PA, corn doesn't start tasting good until July/August.  In this pseudo-southern state though?  It's already amazing in May.  I'm not sure where the grocery stores get the corn...but I like it.

I took my guacamole recipe, and put some sweet corn in it.  Nothing screams "summer!" more than guacamole.

Corn and Tomato Guacamole

2 avocados, peeled and pitted

2 garlic cloves (grated or finely minced)

Juice of 1 lime

3 T of chopped cilantro

1 Roma tomato, finely chopped (or a small handful of grape tomatoes, diced)

1/4 cup of sweet or red onion, finely chopped

1 ear of corn, shucked

1/2 t salt

 In a small mixing bowl, mash the avocados.  Blend all the other ingredients into the avocados, adding more salt to taste, if necessary.  Cover and store in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.  It'll last a day in the fridge, but is best if eaten immediately.

3 Link-ups for Thursday

Too many link-ups, too little time.

1.  Kate @Daffodils, a fellow Army wife, is hosting an Appetizer Link-Up.  Why, I eat appetizers in place of meals!  So I thought I'd join on up.

This is my go-to appetizer when I need to take something or when I'm having people over (let's just pretend...) There's a reason that I don't make it for just myself..


Jalapeño Popper Dip.  

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2. 
It's OK...

It's okay to just give up and sleep underneath the nest of clean clothing on your bed.  (I'd include a picture, but that'd just be embarrassing.  For my mom.  Not for me.)

It's okay that I'm having a crappy week and that's just the way it is.

source

It's okay to be horrified that Facebook "friends" think it's appropriate to tell the world when they'll be trying to have a baby.   Note:  Your FB wall isn't a private conversation.  I don't want to see that stuff.

source

It's okay that I unfollow whiners.  "Really?  Your boyfriend has been gone for 2 weeks?!  Whatever shall you do with yourself..."  I don't need to see that stuff either.

source

Glad you're on my side, Jason..
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Thirdly.
Thankful Thursday at The Ramblings of Mrs. Hargraves.

I'm thankful that it. is. AUGUST.
I'm thankful Danskos are coming back into season since fall is fast approaching.  Saw some at the checkout in Fred Meyer yesterday!  Why am I thankful for this?  I get a little chuckle out of it every time I see someone wearing those dumb shoes.
Since this is a long, crappy week, let's just say that I'm thankful I'm not a Hatfield or a McCoy.  I've been reading The Coffin Quilt.

I'm thankful I made it to August without buying new clothes.  Yes, it was two whole weeks.  I shall celebrate by buying new clothes. 'Twill be a busy weekend.

The Best Crab Cakes Ever (??)

Today I'm guest-posting for Kristen at Established: 2008.  She's in Boston.

I'm in Alaska.


Let's not talk about it.  Mine envy overfloweth. 

But you should totally go check out her blog.  
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Last year, I tried a crab cake for the first time at the Alaska State Fair.
It was delicious.

Two months later, in Maine, I had crab cakes again.  They were amazing.

A month after that, Scott made crab cakes at home.

Scott is the kind of cook who will print a recipe off of the computer, take it to the grocery store, and scurry up and down the aisles buying all of the ingredients.  Sure, we may already have "1/4 teaspoon salt" at home, but why not buy some more?

He'll then take over the kitchen (turning on that blasted overhead light) and cook exactly according to the recipe.

I'm the kind of cook who will look for recipes based off of what I already have in the cupboard.  If I must go to the store, it will only be for one or two ingredients and, gosh darn it, my meals are planned a week in advance.  If I need carrots for something, we'll have 3 meals including carrots that week because I want to use them all up if I'm going to buy them.  (Actually, this statement is more applicable to "jar of pasta sauce" because carrots stay fresh in the crisper forever.  This I know.)

Anyway, Scott went to Paula Deen to look for a crab cake recipe when he wanted to make them.

I went to Pinterest.

Men and women are different that way.

Scott hated the crab cakes he made (I thought they were fine, for the record).

He loved the crab cakes I made, proclaiming them "the best ever".
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So this Maryland Crab Cakes recipe was the one I used, simply because I thought the picture from Pinterest looked yummy.  (The above picture is mine.)

I broke my own rule, failing to survey the fridge before leaving to buy the crab legs, and we were out of mayonnaise.  Also, we had no Old Bay.  And then I forgot to put in the Worcestershire, even though it was sitting on the counter.  I subbed plain Greek yogurt for the mayo.  I added a teaspoon or so of Tabasco sauce.  I didn't measure the panko bread crumbs at all, just dumped them in until it felt right.   I chilled my cakes for all of 15 minutes, not one hour, and I added at least a full tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the mixture, as well as squeezing it onto the cooked cakes.

Oh, and there was no fresh parsley.

Well, there was some at the store, I'm sure, but I was too dumb to look at the recipe before I went shopping, so there was no fresh parsley in my crab cakes.

Briefly, I thought about pulling out my phone, going to Pinterest, looking up the Pin, going to the website, and re-reading the recipe.

But that seemed like far too much work.

So what you've got are crab cakes.  You can follow the recipe exactly and I'm sure have tasty results.  Or you can follow my path of discombobulation and maybe get lucky.


Good luck.

Do you like crab?  Or lobster?  Or (yuck) salmon?  
I eat crab, halibut, haddock (if fried), and shrimp.  I'm pretty picky about my seafood.
Did you know that if you cook halibut by boiling it in 7up and then dip it in butter it tastes like lobster? Just another fun fact that I've picked up in Alaska...


Shared at:
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Plus, I'm hooking up to the GFC Blog Hop!

Kristin's Guacamole (and lazy-person-chicken)

"Seriously?  This is what it's come to?"

I didn't take this picture.  Google image search did.

Indeed.  It has come to this.

Let's not even talk about it.  I just thought I'd share that this is the perfect solution when you need protein, but are too lazy to defrost, cut, and fully cook your own chicken.  Yes, sometimes, even a rotisserie chicken won't do.  Rotisserie chickens need to be eaten within a couple of days.  These can sit in the freezer forever!  You are welcome, friends.

Now.  Guacamole.

I refer to the Summer of 2008 as the Summer of Guacamole.  I was 22.  I tried it for the first time.  I liked it.  I proceeded to eat at least 2 avocados a week for an entire summer.  I made this for Scott when we first started dating.  He made me an ice cream cake.  And the deal was sealed.

Personally, I'm a fan of that powdered guacamole mix you can buy at the store (in the produce section) to mash with your avocados.  However, avocados are kind of expensive.  And cramming vegetables onto tortilla chips is a great way to get them into your body.
So I make my guacamole pico-de-gallo-style to stretch my avocado budget and to get more vegetables into myself.  It works well enough.

Kristin's Guacamole
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 garlic cloves (grated or finely minced)
Juice of 1 lime
3 T of chopped cilantro
1 Roma tomato, finely chopped
1/4 cup of sweet or red onion, finely chopped
1/2 t salt

 In a small mixing bowl, mash the avocados.  Blend all the other ingredients into the avocados, adding more salt to taste, if necessary.  Cover and store in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.  It'll last a day or two in the fridge.

Lime White Bean Dip

I usually buy a vat of hummus when I go to Costco.  It's about $5.  I can get a container 1/4 the size of said vat at Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, etc. for approximately $6.


How in the world does this make sense?  Who are the people who buy the teeny containers of $6 hummus at the grocery store?  And, more importantly, do they realize it's the exact same brand?  Hmm..sometimes I wonder about people in Alaska.

Anyway, a super favorite, ultra healthy (not) snack of mine is dipping mesquite BBQ chips in hummus.

When I'm out of BBQ chips, I use tortilla chips, Wheat Thins, even pretzels.  Oh, sometimes I use carrots as a last and, believe me, desperate resort. 

I dressed up some Costco hummus for two reasons:  I had some white beans I wanted to use up.  Also, I'm too lazy to go out and look for tahini (which makes the hummus, I'm told), so, by using store-bought hummus, it already has the tahini in it.

Lime White Bean Dip
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup white beans (I used northern beans), mashed
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 t. lime juice
1/2 t. grated lime zest
1/2 cup prepare hummus

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well.  I used a potato masher to mash the beans and then just stirred everything else together.  Add more salt to taste if necessary.  Serve with chips, crackers, or veggies.

Chili's Salsa (via Pinterest)

Extra-special 100FollowersGiveaway coming next week!  Be on the look-out!
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I have a thing for Chili's.

If given a choice of eating at any restaurant, ever*, I'd probably pick Chili's.  I don't know why this is.  I just really enjoy their food.  Maybe I just really enjoy their margaritas...But the chips and salsa?  Oy.

I could eat them everyday.  I could make a meal out of them twice a day, every day.

I went to Chili's with someone once who complained that the chips were too salty.  They weren't too salty. He was just too weird (and why was I there with him again..?).

Scott and I went to Chili's in Fairbanks last year.  It is, I'm assuming, the northernmost Chili's in the world, and the food was good, per usual, but the service was TERRIBLE.  The service there was worse than the service at the northernmost Denny's (also in Fairbanks).  If you've been to Fairbanks' Denny's, ya know what I'm saying.  So, if you're in the neighborhood, don't go to Chili's, Fairbanks, Alaska.  (I'm sure you'll all cross that off of your itineraries now.)

Long story short:  I enjoy Chili's.  And, via Pinterest, I've discovered a way to duplicate their salsa.  I must admit, it's pretty close.  Now I've got to figure out how to make those chips...

Chili's Salsa 
via Pinterest and Six Sisters' Stuff

1 large can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes or 2 small cans (14.5 oz each), drained
2-3 fresh jalapenos, seeded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 t. cumin
1 t. garlic salt
2 t. lime juice, fresh
Salt, to taste

Throw it all into a blender or food processor and puree.  Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  

*Now this is an accessible restaurant.  In our travels, we've been to some great eateries, but it's not practical to drive to North Dakota for dinner at Grizzly's or to Pennsylvania to Mad Mex on a regular basis, now is it?  Right now, we live less than 3 miles from Chili's.

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Seasonal Inspiration

Veggie Quesadillas

I often toss around the idea of becoming a vegetarian.  I don't eat a whole lot of meat anyway, so it wouldn't be all that difficult.

Then I thought about my love for fried chicken tenders.  And shrimp.  And steak.

I couldn't give up those three things.  Oh, I like crab cakes too.

So those 4 meat items would have to remain in my diet.  But other than that...

This is what leads me to believe I'd make a good vegetarian:  I like to make quesadillas with caramelized onions, black beans, corn, and peppers.  I usually throw in some chicken for Scott's benefit, and then I end up picking the chicken out and pushing it to the side of my plate.  (Note:  I do not do this with steak, which is why steak would remain in my diet should I decide to become this falsified version of a vegetarian.)

So I finally stopped fooling myself and now I just make the quesadillas with veggies.  Oh, and cheese.  I could never be vegan.

 

Veggie Quesadilla

Makes 3-4 quesadillas (depending on how much filling you like)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 chopped tomato

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Whole-wheat tortillas

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan.  Soften the onion first.  Throw in the bell pepper.  Saute for about 3-4 minutes over medium high heat.  Add in the corn, tomato, and black beans.  MAKE SURE YOU'VE RINSED THE BEANS FIRST (I ended up with a mushy mess once because I didn't :(.  

Let it all heat together.  You can sprinkle with some salt or garlic powder for extra flavor, if desired.  

Remove from the pan and set aside.  Either wipe out that frying pan or heat another one over medium heat.  Place a tortilla in it and then top with 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the veggie mixture.  Add a handful of shredded cheese.  Top with another tortilla.  Check every 30 seconds or so, and as soon as the cheese is melted, carefully flip the quesadilla.  Cook for another 2 minutes or so until brown on the other side.  

Remove from the pan and slice with a pizza cutter (the easiest method).

This veggie mixture is also very tasty when just eaten with tortilla chips!

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Cast Party Wednesday

These Chicks Cooked

Roasted Chickpeas

I don't know that I ever ate a chickpea before a year or so ago.  Then I really got into hummus.  As in, 2 tubs a week.  It was like a new, healthy chip 'n dip habit.  Much better than bar-b-que chips and french onion dip, yes?  It works with chips, vegetables, pita bread, or crackers. 

I discovered that chickpeas are in fact good for you.  There are now two kinds of beans I will eat.  Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and black beans.  Kidney beans still freak me out a little.

The list of foods I won't eat?

Salmon, hamburgers, tuna, salmon, meatloaf, clams, mussels.

Did I mention salmon?

I adore my paisley plates.

Roasted Chickpeas
inspired by this and this

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 t. salt
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
2 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a foil-lined baking sheet, spread out the rinsed and drained chickpeas.  Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the spices.  Toss to coat.  Cover the pan loosely with another piece of foil.  (I used a 9x13 cake pan)  The foil on top is important.  The chickpeas tend to "pop" out of the pan as they're roasting.  So unless you want chickpeas littering the bottom of your oven...

Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and a bit crunchy.  Toss them around every 10 minutes so they brown evenly.
Store in a tupperware container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.  Though, I must admit, they taste best right out of the oven.

Shared at:
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Strut Your Stuff Saturday

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

When I typed "artichoke" for the title of this post, I spelled it "arctichoke".  Been spending too much time studying the Arctic and writing "Arctic" on the board, I suppose.

Did you know "Arctic" has two "c's"?  You should.  Most nine year-olds don't.

Speaking of spelling...I saw a Pin that said there is something wrong with you if you still think "definitely" is spelled "definately".

I guess there's something wrong with a lot of people.

"I digress" goes without saying.

(One of these days, I promise I'll start keeping my issues with the spelling habits of others to myself.  Are there any misspelled words out there that REALLY bug you?)
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This dip can be made one of two ways.

You can do it up in the Crockpot and keep it warm for a party or a Friday night at home.  Or you can bake it in the oven and...still serve it warm for a party?  I guess it depends if you want the top crispy and broily-like*.  Then you should definItely go the oven route.

Spinach Artichoke Dip adapted from A Year of Slow-Cooking

for an 8x8 dish or a 1.5 quart Crockpot

One 8 oz. block cream cheese (I used light.)
1 cup sour cream (I used light.)
Half a 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts, finely chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
1 cup shredded parmesan, divided


If making in the Crockpot:
Throw everything into the Crockpot.  No need to mix.  Cook on low for 2 hours or high for up to 90 minutes.  Stir every 45 minutes or so.  Very easy.

If baking in the oven:
In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, artichokes, spinach, garlic/onion powder, and half a cup of each cheese.
Spread into an 8x8 pan.  Top with the rest of the shredded cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and broil until the top is nice and bubbly. 


*Making up your own words is cute.  Misspelling those that already exist is not :)

Sharing it!
Friday Food
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Chili Cheese Dip

Last chance to enter the Alaska Chicks Headband Giveaway!

I don't think you could:  A) mess this dish up, or B) displease anyone by making this dish.

Nope.  Not even a vegetarian.  You can use vegetarian chili.  And vegan cheese, if dairy isn't a part of your diet.

So there a recipe that can suit just about everyone.  You're welcome.

I made chili and then needed to do something with some of the leftovers.  Chili containing a pound (or more) of ground beef would feed both of us for dayssss.  I like to cook too much to be eating leftovers everyday.

I used my extra large ramekin, but an 8x8 pan would also work.  You can double this as easily as you could quadruple it.  There are no real measurements.  I put it together in 90 seconds, popped it into the toaster oven (oh yes, it was during that two-week period), and it was ready to go.

Chili Cheese Dip
makes an 8x8 pan

1 - 8oz. block cream cheese, softened
2-3 cups of leftover chili (or a can of chili)
1 cup of shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese

Spread the cream cheese into the bottom of your pan.  Layer on the chili and then sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Broil for a few minutes until the cheese on top bubbles.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

*You could also adapt this recipe by just tossing everything into the Crockpot and letting it all heat through and melt together.*

That's me cooking dinner in a hat and scarf because..well, you know.

Shared at:
The Stuff of Success

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Everyone loves Buffalo Chicken Dip.  Remember that stuff?

Well, that was a little 2007.

In fact, you will never see Buffalo Chicken Dip on this website.

Why?

I can't eat it.  Just the smell of the hot sauce and cream cheese or, really, whatever it is that my brother puts in that stuff, makes me stomach turn a little bit.  Always has, always will.  In fact, I would close the door to my room when he would make it.  Lest the smell infiltrate. 

But I do love jalapeno poppers.  Certainly my bar food of choice after french fries and deep-fried shrimp.  I would love to say that this is a healthy substitute for the poppers, because we all know that if you eat too many jalapeno poppers, you may start to look like a jalapeno popper.

However, if you eat too much of this dip... you may also start to look like a jalapeno popper.

That's probably because a bowl of it is usually accompanied by an entire bag of tortilla chips.

Therefore, I only make it if I:
A.  am having people over which pretty much never happens
or
B.  I have somewhere to take it, which is how it found its place in my recipe box to begin with

In my experience...if you make this, people will like you for your appetizer-making ability anyway.

 Jalapeno Popper Dip
makes almost an 8x8 pan (I usually double it.)

1 block cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 can to 1 whole 4 oz. can of diced green chiles (I usually use about 3/4 of the can.)
3-5 T. minced (jarred) jalapenos
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

With a mixer, blend the cream cheese and mayonnaise well.  Add in the chiles and jalapenos and stir to combine.

Spoon into an 8x8 pan and spread evenly.  Top with about the shredded cheddar.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.  Then, broil for a few minutes until it's bubbly on top.

Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or crackers for dipping.

Shared at:
Friday Food
Sweet Indulgences Sunday 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday 
Jam Hands Recipe Sharing Monday

Ranch Seasoned Pretzels

 Otherwise known as crack-for-the-sober.

But before we get to the pretzels, I have a question for you.

Can anyone tell me what this is?

Anyone?   Anyone??  (Bueller....Bueller?)

I wouldn't know either if I wasn't there for the construction process.  And no, it's not an elephant coffin.  Or a polar bear coffin, considering we live in Alaska. 

I do lovingly refer to it as an elephant coffin.

Scott doesn't like that so much.

Okay.  I'll tell you.

It's a fish box.

In Alaska, fishermen can dip-net.  On a good day of dip-netting, if the limit is high, one fisherman can get up to 40 salmon.  Salmon are big.  Coolers are expensive.  Big coolers are even more expensive.  Hence, the box.

This particular model was built from scratch for under $100 (or so I've been told).  It's purpose was to bring fish home from the Copper River.  Due to a series of unfortunate events, no fish were brought back from the Copper River.

Scott and I have really ironic luck.  Not that I really wanted 40 salmon anyway, but that's not the point.

Anyway, we have now have an elephant coffin that will most likely reside in our yard...until we move again.  Could be years.  There's no room for it in the 3-car garage.  Scott has a lot of hunting/fishing/boating/Army equipment that takes up the garage real estate.  Plus, we have a really big trash can.

I'm full of excuses.

For example, it was raining one day, so instead of leaving the house/exercising/walking to the mailbox, I watched Extreme Couponing for 3 hours and made these pretzels.

Enjoy!  The more dill you add, the better they taste. 


P.S. If you're in the market for an elephant coffin....

P.P.S.  If you're one of those animal rights people, I'm kidding.  

Ranch Seasoned Pretzels

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp lemon pepper
2 tsp dill weed
1 dry Ranch Seasoning Packet
3 cups of pretzels (I use the thick sourdough kind and break them up.)


In a bowl, whisk together the oils and seasonings.  Spread the pretzel pieces onto a baking sheet (I cover it in foil first to eliminate clean-up).  Pour the seasoning mixture over the pretzels.  Toss them around so they're evenly covered.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, but watch them carefully.  They start to smell delicious when they're just about done!

 Shared at:
Fresh Food Friday
Delightfully Inspiring Thursday
Savory Sunday 
What's Cooking Wednesday 

Steak Fajita Quesadillas in the Crockpot

Well, obviously I didn't grill quesadillas in the crockpot.

Or did I?

No, I didn't.

I was going to make fajitas.

Then I got a little lazy.  Fajitas are one of those things you should just order at Chili's where they can bring you all of the fixins' and you don't need to worry about cleaning up the kitchen.

Chili's has always been one of my favorites for Mexican-like cuisine.  Sure, it's not completely authentic.  But the "authentic" places around here taste weird anyway.

This is probably my "most favorite-est" Mexican restaurant.  The margaritas are scrumptious.  I have limited access to Big Azz Mad Mex Margaritas these days, though.

This place boasts that they've been voted "best margarita" for the last 22 years.  I've tried their margaritas.  There must not be any a lot of competition.


Ouch.  I'm being kind of harsh.  I'll apologize.  "I'm sorry for you that your margaritas taste like Kool-Aid."

Sorry.  Margaritas are a deeply personal experience.  I like good ones.  I know you do too. :)

Steak Fajita Quesadillas
makes enough for 4-6 quesadillas
adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

1 pound flank steak, very thinly sliced (can be frozen or thawed)
1 pack fajita or taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced

Shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese
Flour or corn tortillas

Salsa
Sour cream
Lime
Guacamole
any other toppings you desire

*This can easily be doubled in a 4-quart Crockpot

Put steak, seasoning, water, onion, and pepper in Crockpot.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours.  I cooked mine on high for 4 hours and low for another hour or so.

In an omelet pan over medium heat, put down one tortilla.  Layer on 1/4 a cup of shredded cheese and then a ladle-ful of steak mixture.  Top with just a sprinkling of cheese for glue and then then another tortilla.  After about 3 minutes, carefully flip.  Cheese should be mostly melted by now.  When the second side is slightly browned, it's done.

Flip onto a plate and, for easy slicing, use a pizza cutter.

 Shared at Cast Party Wednesday@Lady Behind the Curtain 

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