Let’s Talk Food…

Hey, friends!

I want to talk to y’all about one of my favorite things ever…FOOD!

I love food. I appreciate food. I love to cook and eat food.

My Daddy always said that food and the process of cooking food is an occasion. {I guess maybe it’s a Southern thing.} It’s about gathering in the kitchen or out by the grill enjoying each other’s company and all helping when needed. There is a reason people always end up hanging out in the kitchen…it’s because it’s where the food is.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, I just love food {I’ll eat pretty much anything.}

I do love to eat food, but I also love to cook. I love trying new recipes, making up my own recipes, and falling back on my childhood recipes. It’s pretty safe to say that if you can’t find me, I’m in the kitchen.

One of the things I love to make and completely have a weakness for are dips. I love having chips, crackers, veggies, or bread to dip into something ooey and gooey and let it melt in my mouth. Trouble is I have a real hard time when I start eating dips to stop. It’s pretty bad, but I just can’t help it.

So tonight I wanted to share a few of my favorites with y’all.

If you’re looking for a dip that is cold here’s some good choices:

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Spinach and Cheese Dip

Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

I have to say all of these are wonderful but the Cream Cheese Salsa Dip has to be my new favorite!

Are you looking for an Ooey-Gooey warm melt-in-your-mouth dip? Here’s a couple of good choices:

Spicy Artichoke Dip

Baked Tex-Mex Pimento Cheese Dip

Both of these are scrumptious!

And, if you’re looking for a fun, sweet dip this one is a great one.

{And the kids like it too when you serve it with Teddy Grahams.}

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Well, there you have it…a few of my weaknesses.

I hope you try one {or two} next time you need a good appetizer. If you do, I'd love to know what you think.

Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

1 8oz pkg. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. – chili powder

1/2 tsp. – ground cumin

1/2 cup – chopped seeded tomatoes

1/3 cup – thawed frozen corn, thawed

1/3 cup – chopped red peppers

2 Tbsp. – finely chopped onion

1 – finely chopped jalapeno pepper

1 Tbsp. – chopped fresh cilantro

Squeeze juice from 1 lime over top.

Spread soften cream cheese on bottom of shallow dish. Sprinkle with chili powder and cumin.

Mix  together tomatoes, corn, red peppers, onion, jalapeno peppers,and cilantro.

Top cream cheese with tomato mixture and sprinkle with lime juice.

Serve with Tortilla chips.

{I used plain tortilla chips, but I’ll bet the Lime flavored ones would be great too.}

Spinach and Cheese Dip

 

1 8ox pkg – Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup – mayo

1/3 cup – sliced green onions

1 10oz pkg – frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

1 cup Italian Style shredded cheese blend

1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers

Beat cream cheese, mayo, and half the onions in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended.

Add spinach; mix until just blended.

Stir in cheese and peppers; cover.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with remaining onions just before serving.

Serve with crackers and fresh vegetables.

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

 

1 {2.1oz} package -  fully cooked bacon slices

1 {16oz} -  container sour cream

2 cups – freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. – dried chives {or 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives}

2 tsp. – hot sauce

Microwave bacon according to package directions until crisp; drain on paper towel.

Cool 10 minutes; crumble, stir together bacon and next 4 ingredients.

Cover and chill 1-24 hours before serving.

Serve with crispy, warm waffle fries.

Spicy Artichoke Dip

 

3  14oz cans – artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped.

1 cup – Mayonnaise

1 cup – grated Parmesan Cheese

1 4oz can – diced green chili peppers, drained

2 Tbsp. – drained and chopped jalapeno peppers

1/2 tsp. – ground cumin

2 tsp. – minced garlic

Paprika

In a large bowl combine artichoke hearts, mayo, parmesan cheese, green chilies, jalapenos, cumin, and garlic.

Spoon mixture into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with toasted baguette  slices.

Just Us Girls

You know the saying, “when the cat’s away, the mouse will play”…that is exactly what we did.

The boys headed out of town yesterday morning at the crack of dawn {Dallas’ black binoculars and all}.

It’s been just Dallas and me. We had a wonderful girls’ weekend a month ago to New York and had a fabulous time. This weekend we got another “girls’ time” here at home.

I have to say it’s been exactly what we both needed.

We snuggled in the bed Saturday morning and then hung in our pjs for a while…no rushing around to be anywhere. Now that was nice.

We decided to go shopping, so we got ready and off we went.

We hit some of our favorite stores throughout the afternoon…The Dollar Tree, Michael’s, and the mall.

Dallas wanted an icee from Auntie Anne’s. I told her I didn’t have any cash {which was true}, and if she wanted one she’d have to use her money. I was very proud of her that she did. She bought her own icee and was so proud to do it. Now she’s trying to figure how to make that money back…cute girl.

We went to Crazy 8 and I loved everything in that store. I could have bought everything in there, but didn’t. I did get the kids’ Easter outfits and a few more things for them….and then it was time to leave.

We left the mall and decided to go get our nails painted. It’s a special time that we like to share together every now and then.

I didn’t get any pictures there because our hands were stuck in soapy water, getting rubbed down with lotion, and getting a pretty color painted on them. It was fun.

We were pretty tired and hungry and decided to come home.

We grabbed a quick bite for a late lunch. Dallas started playing her little game of school. I got out my new crafting stuff and we both got to work. I’d stop and we’d play “centers” for her school game. But for the most part we worked together separately.

I’m not sure that makes any sense. We were both in the same room enjoying each others company but doing our own thing. We were quiet but enjoyed the quiet and enjoyed talking when we wanted. It’s what we both needed….we like our ‘quiet time’.

I told Dallas she could pick where we went to dinner, and she wanted Mellow Mushroom. So, that’s where we went.

This morning was kind of a repeat of yesterday. We snuggled then enjoyed a lazy breakfast.

I was helping my friend Jenn teach Sunday School so we got ready and headed to church.

After church we met up with my friend, Chris, and purchased tickets to see the new movie The Lorax 3D at 2:30.

We headed home for a little while, grabbed some lunch, played and crafted, then headed to the movies.

Aren’t those glasses super cute?

The movie was great! It was so cute. It’s definitely a must see.

When the movie ended we went to Starbucks for a latte and hot chocolate with Chris and her son, Connor.

The kids played on our phones and we were able to catch up some…it was great seeing her.

Tonight we made dinner and normal ‘bath, bed, and beyond’ routine. Unfortunately, the ‘beyond’ part wasn’t so good.

Dallas seems to still be dealing with her separation anxiety at night like I mentioned here.

When she’s tucked into bed she wants me to sit in the bonus room until she falls asleep. Problem with that is the fact that A:It’s not fair to me. B: I've got a ton of stuff to do before I go to bed. C: It’s MY only time with my husband at night.

We’ve done the “cry it out” thing with her several times since she was a baby. It was super hard then, but I have to say, crying it out with a 6 year old is much harder…they’re much more stubborn at 6.

So, she cried and screamed my name for an hour. She’d get out of bed, stand in the hall, and sometimes on the stairs. Super Nanny came into play and in the battle of the wills, I won.

She eventually went into her room and fell asleep by herself!

Huge step. Hopefully by the time Daddy and Hunter get home, this will be cured. Hey, a girl can hope, right.

I don’t want to make this bring down the weekend because it didn’t. We had such a good time together and I love being with her. She’s such a great child, and I’m so blessed that she’s mine.

As much as I love it when the boys are here and we’re all together, I have loved being just us girls.

I sure hope y’all had a great weekend. I’d love to hear what you did to pass the time.

Hope y’all have a great week!

The Things We Do For Our Kids…

Let me set the stage…

Last weekend Dallas went to a birthday party and among the party favors she received was a pair of binoculars…

Please examine Exhibit A:

Hunter saw them and immediately loved them…in starts the argument… “that is mine” from Dallas. Of course, sibling rivalry, right?! Do you know what I’m talking about.

Well, Eric and Hunter left this morning for a “boy’s trip” to Florida to go to the Phillies Spring Training with Poppy.

Eric made the comment that Hunter should take Dallas’ binoculars to see the players.

Oh Daddy, what did you start???

No, Hunter was NOT allowed to take those binoculars. Because what is she going to do with them??? Put them in her cabinet of course and never look at them again. But there is no way Hunter was taking them with him.

So, yesterday I picked Hunter up from preschool and told him we had to run a few errands before going home. We stopped at Target and he asked if we could find him some binoculars like Dallas’ for his trip. He was very sweet and I have a hard time telling him no sometimes. So we looked.

We found some “real” Daddy type binoculars. Problem – they were too big for him and $20….not paying $20 for binoculars.

So we left Target. Normally, he would pitch a fit and whine about how he wanted some binoculars. But, he didn’t. He simply said, “Mommy, we just have to look harder.”

And we did.

We went to Five Below…no binoculars.

We had to stop in Once Upon a Child to pick up some money and figured we’d look there too…no binoculars.

We stopped at Party City; surely they would have them…no binoculars.

At this point I’m starving and completely losing energy. I told Hunter we’d go home, get some lunch, and try again. He was fine with it…again, being totally patient.

On the way home I figured we’d go ahead and stop at The Dollar Tree…no binoculars.

Last stop – Wal-Mart. {Notice we still haven’t made it home for lunch…but we were both determined.}

Guess what?

You guessed it…Wal-Mart had binoculars.

Please examine Exhibit B:

They were $8.00…much better than the $20.00 adult ones, and also nicer ones than Dallas’.

Perfect…sigh of relief.

You would think so…but N.O.

Hunter gets this pouty face and says he doesn’t want these because they are not like Dallas’. He wants them exactly like Dallas’. He only likes hers.

This Mama about lost it in the middle of Wal-Mart on this four year old boy…but I kept my composure.

I told him, “Fine we won’t get them and you won’t have any for the baseball games.”

He then wanted them, but not really wanted them.

So, I came up with the idea that maybe Dallas would trade with him. She does like prettier things and these are more fancy.

All the while I’m walking through Wal-Mart, giving my son the ‘this’ and the ‘that’ of how I could not believe I’ve driven to 5 stores to find him binoculars and now he doesn’t want them.

As I’m doing this what else is going through my head…my Mama. Yes, I could hear her plain as day and how I shouldn’t get them and he shouldn’t have them…and I couldn’t agree more.

Problem…they were leaving at 5:30 this morning and he needed some binoculars. So, against my normal better judgment I bought those binoculars.

I was so mad I could just spi-it! {Yes, that’s my southern coming out.} He moped and pouted all afternoon and I couldn’t even look at him.

We picked Dallas up from school and she actually agreed to trade with him. Whew!

The boys left at the crack of dawn this morning and packed in his backpack…none other than Dallas’ binoculars…

again Exhibit A:

Moral to this story? Not really sure, but I’m sure there’s one somewhere.

All I can say is…the things we do for our kids!