#2,817: Loaded Tater Tot Bites

We enjoyed these so much I think I've probably made them four times.  We've eaten them as a side dish at dinner, as an after school snack, and for breakfast.  They freeze well too so you can make a whole bunch ahead of time and just reheat in the microwave! 

32 oz Tater Tots frozen

1 1/2 c. Cheddar Cheese shredded

This is a mini tart shaper

1 lb Bacon cooked and diced
about 1/2 package of fresh chives, finely chopped

Note: You can use any ingredients you like on your loaded baked potato. These are just suggestions!

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Grease a mini muffin pan and place five tater tots in each cup. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and use a mini tart shaper (or a small glass or even a spoon) to press the tater tots down into each cup. This will create a tater tot cup.

Fill the tater tots with the cheese,bacon, and chives (or your desired loaded potato ingredients).

Place the tater tots back in the oven and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes until the tater tots become golden brown.  If they don't want to come out of the muffin cup pretty easily (you might need to use a butter knife to loosen the edges), then it's probably not done yet. 

Remove from the oven and let the tots cool for at least 5 minutes.

Let cool completely if you want to freeze them to eat later.  To reheat, place frozen tater tot cups on a microwave safe plate and reheat for 30-60 seconds. 

#2,641: Cowboy Caviar

I love cowboy caviar!  I love how how you can open up some cans of beans and corn and just add some fresh veggies and you've got a great appetizer or salad on your hands.  If you omit the avocado and add it on top of your serving this will last a lot longer.  If you add it to the dish and combine it throughout your avocado is going to start turning brown and getting mushy.  I ate this scooped up with tortilla chips, as a side dish/salad, and in my tacos.  This is super versatile to whatever your mood is!  

1 (15 oz.) can black beans drained & rinsed

1 c. corn kernels 

1/2 c. diced sweet onion

1 bell pepper, diced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, cubed

1/4 c. chopped cilantro (optional)
I also added a jalapeno, chopped

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 lime, juiced

Wash and prepare all vegetables and combine in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Pour over the salad and gently stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour, or up to 24 hours (add the avocado right before serving).  This also needs salt, so make sure do add it in! 

#2,723: Pepperoni Pizza Pierogies

Some days it's a clean out your fridge/freezer kind of meal!  I was looking through my freezer and decided to make some mini cheese pierogies when I remembered seeing an ad/recipe in a magazine that made little "pizzas" out of them.  Wouldn't you know, I had some provolone, pepperoni, and an open jar of spaghetti sauce needing to be used up too, so I threw these babies together.  I think these were done in about 10 minutes, so they would make a great snack or appetizer too! 

1 box mini pierogies (I used 4 cheese medley)
sliced pepperoni
sliced provolone cheese (you could use mozzarella or Italian blend too)
spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
3 basil leaves, chiffonade 

Cook pierogies as desired (boil, bake, or pan fry).  I pan fried mine in a little bit of olive oil. 

When done, transfer to a cookie sheet and top each pierogie with one piece of sliced pepperoni and a piece of cheese.  I had slices of provolone so I just cut each one into about 8 pieces and used one little triangle per pierogie.  Place under the broiler for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Meanwhile warm up the sauce to use as a dipping sauce for the pierogies. 

When the pierogies are done, transfer to a plate and top with pieces of basil.   

#2,718: Zucchini Pico de Gallo Salsa

This pico/salsa recipe is such a great summer time recipe that uses summer fresh vegetables!  I can't wait to make this again once I have zucchini and tomatoes picked right from my garden.  I was afraid it would be a little too hot for my liking so I cut out the poblano pepper.  Next time I'm going to add in some bell pepper...cucumber might be good too!  I think this would be great on top of grilled chicken (or probably fish if I ate that) too!  

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 medium zucchini, finely chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (I omitted although next time I'll probably throw a bell pepper into this instead)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 seeded and diced jalapeno pepper, optional

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons lime juice

Combine first nine ingredients. Add lime juice; toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

#2,717: Homemade Guacamole

When I went to visit my sister this past weekend, I stopped at Mariano's (grocery store) to get some groceries, and they had these beautiful (and huge!) avocados for 88 cents each!  So I grabbed a couple and was able to make two different fresh guacamole recipes.  This was the second one I made, which I added some diced jalapeno to.  And the cilantro was fresh out of my garden!  I taught my 11 year old how to make this guacamole as I coached her through each step while I cooked up a few other recipes.  :)  I think this is pretty good....BUT I love most guacamole so that probably shouldn't be a surprise. 

This recipe also calls for some mayo in it, which is optional.  I happened to have some avocado mayo in my fridge so I did add a little bit to it.  I didn't really notice a difference with it in there so you could omit if you wanted. 

3 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cubed

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped, optional

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise, optional

1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice (I used 10 drops of Young Living Lime Vitality Essential Oil)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

I also added 1 jalapeno, finely diced

Mash avocados with garlic and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. 

#2,697: Baked Spanish Rice Balls

I had a little more than 1 cup of the leftover Instant Pot Spanish Rice we had for dinner a few nights ago and I wasn't sure what to do with it.  It wasn't enough to serve my family again for dinner, but too much for one person to eat for lunch.  So I decided to see what would happen if I tried to make a baked rice ball out of it.  I'm obsessed with peas lately so I figured I'd just throw some of those in there too.  :)

Personally I loved these.  It probably could have used a little more seasoning (chili powder, garlic salt, and black pepper maybe??), but otherwise it was so good.  No one else in my family will even try these...their loss!  

1 cup leftover Instant Pot Spanish Rice
1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
¼ c thawed peas
½ cup plain breadcrumbs

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place breadcrumbs in a small bowl, set aside.  In a second bowl, beat one egg, and set aside. 

In a separate bowl combine the leftover rice, cheddar cheese, 1 egg (lightly beaten), and peas. 

Form the rice mixture into golf ball sized balls.  Dip each rice ball in egg mixture and then coat in breadcrumbs. 

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the rice balls and continue baking for an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. Serve hot with or without a dipping sauce.

#2,065: Easy Soft Pretzel Bites

Need a last minute Super Bowl snack?  This one was so easy, I served it to my family as part of their lunch (we did a bunch of leftover things), and they asked for me to make it again tonight.  The only thing  I will do differently next time is to be more generous with the salt.  I thought I was salting it with plenty of salt, but it still could have used more.  I decided against making homemade cheese dip and used some leftover nacho cheese sauce we already had in the fridge.  This was a huge hit with my crew!  

1 can refrigerated biscuit dough

4 c. water

1/4 c. baking soda

1 large egg, beaten

Coarse salt

Cheese Dip (I omitted these ingredients and used a store bought cheese dip instead)
2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

1 c. milk

2 c. Cheddar cheese
Salt, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Quarter each biscuit then roll piece into a ball. Pinch to seal. (I didn't pinch mine.  They seemed good enough just rolling them)

In a medium saucepan, combine water and baking soda. Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the rolled balls and cook for 1 minute. (I did about 10 balls at a time).  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to baking sheet, making sure the pretzels aren't touching. Brush beaten egg over each pretzel. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. (Mine only needed 10 minutes).  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

(I skipped this step and just heated up our store bought cheese sauce in the microwave!) Meanwhile, make cheese sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in milk and bring to a simmer. When the milk begins to thicken, stir cheese, whisking constantly until sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne.

#2,048: Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Baguette

So I found a recipe online for these stuffed baguettes, and really wanted to try them, but I didn't love the filling that the original recipe suggested/used.  So I went in search of another dip/filling that I could use instead.  We LOVED these bacon cheddar stuffed baguettes!  I thought they were going to be challenging to fill, but it really wasn't.  I made 2 baguettes with this filling recipe and my family ate all of them on Christmas eve.  (I should clarify that my extended family devoured these...although I did eat my fair share!) 

2 8oz packages of cream cheese (low fat works fine), softened
1 single packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 cup finely shredded cheese
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (I used bacon bits)
I also added some sliced green onion
French baguette loaf

Mix together the softened cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.  Stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in the shredded cheese, bacon, and green onion.  Chill at least 12-24 hours so the flavors combine. 

A few hours before serving, using a long thin knife and working from both ends, hollow the baguette. Leave about ½-inch thick crust all around. (I thought this was going to be really difficult, but I just cut my loaf in half and then hollowed out each half.  It wasn't hard at all)

Working again from both ends, fill the baguette with the cream cheese mixture. Pack the filling tight.  Wrap the stuffed baguette very well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days. Right before serving (I did it about a good hour ahead of time), slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices and serve.

#1,993: Mexican Street Corn Salad

So I am having a slight (TMI) issue with corn so I really had to avoid this recipe unfortunately.  But I still made it for my family and made sure to get their reviews/take on this dish.  When I first served it they all thought it was just ok....then it sat in the fridge overnight and it got MUCH better reviews.  My family all agrees, the longer this sits and the flavors blend, the better it is.  Good to know.  :)  We served this as a side dish to burgers, they ate it with tortilla chips, and some threw it on top of their burrito bowls.  As you can see, this dish is super versatile!  Yes, I will definitely make this again!

Also, I looked all over for cotija cheese and couldn't find it, so I subbed out feta.  Cotija would have been better!  (I just didn't have time to run to an authentic grocery store).

Dressing

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 Tbsp lime juice 

1 tsp honey 

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cumin

Salad

Splash of oil

4 ears corn about 3 cups, shucked and kernels removed

1 clove garlic minced

2 Tbsp lime juice 

¼ tsp salt

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped

½ cup chopped red onion 

½ cup packed fresh cilantro chopped

½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled, can sub feta

Mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large saute pan then add garlic and corn. Cook about 15 minutes, flipping frequently, until corn begins to char a bit. Gently toss with lime juice and salt.

In a large bowl, combine corn mix, black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Drizzle sauce over and serve either warm or cold. Perfect over tacos, as a chip dip, or by itself!

#1,885: Easy Orange Glazed Meatballs

I was looking for a quick, easy, little-fuss recipe to make for an upcoming party and came across this recipe.  I was a little leery of trying it because it had so few ingredients but decided to try it anyways.  I omitted the spicy pork sausage and just added a few shakes of crushed red pepper instead.  Although these aren't bad, they certainly are a bit dense.  I think this might be better if I added at least an egg to the mixture to give it more moisture.  Also, maybe some garlic too.

Instead of letting this sit in my crockpot, I let the liquid cook down on the stove top.  You definitely want to let it cook down so it is more of a thick coating/glaze.  I can't decide if I like this recipe or not.  As I eat it, I certainly enjoy it, but I don't think I love the orange aftertaste you get from it.  Yet that didn't stop me from eating another one.  I'm taking these to work tomorrow to let my co-workers try it....I'll let you know the concensus from that group.  :) 

1 pound ground spicy pork sausage
1 pound ground pork sausage

1/2 onion, diced
1 (6 ounces) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Combine pork sausage, spicy pork sausage, and diced onion together in a bowl using your hands. Form mixture into meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each.

Fry meatballs in a skillet over medium heat until browned and completely cooked through (15 to 20 minutes). An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Transfer meatballs to a large bowl and add 1/2 of the orange juice concentrate; gently toss to coat, adding more if needed to completely coat.

Put meatballs in a slow cooker and add the remaining orange juice concentrate; turn on the Low setting to keep warm before serving.

#1,868: Fiesta Ranch Dip

I had a big container of cottage cheese that needed to get used up and a recipe to use it in.  I found a recipe that not only helped me use up my cottage cheese, but also use that random fiesta ranch packet I had in my pantry as well.  Plus I happened to also have just the right amount of sour cream, so this seemed like a no-brainer!

I didn't love this when I first made/tried it.  But it definitely does taste better as it sits longer.  It's still not my favorite dip I've ever had, but I certainly would eat this.  Let's be honest though, I'll eat most everything.  LOL! 

12 oz Cottage Cheese (I used more like 16 oz)
8 oz Sour Cream
4 oz Mayo (I added about 6 oz)
1 Fiesta Ranch Mix Packet

In a blender or food processor, mix all 4 ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  The longer you let the dip set the more flavor it has. Serve with chips, crackers, or veggies.

#1,866: Puffy Tacos (Puff Pastry Tacos)

It is no surprise that we eat a lot of taco meat in this family.  We all enjoy it, it's easy to make, and I can have it on hand and in the freezer for quick meals.  Plus we can use the taco meat in so many different ways.  So when I came across this recipe to use it with puff pastry I was all too eager to try it.  Only 1 kid on my family didn't enjoy these (she's the weird one LOL), but everyone else not only gobbled these up, they wanted to eat the leftovers for dinner the next day.  (I don't have to cook one night...uh, ok!).  

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 package taco seasoning
1 (10oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained (I omitted for my family)
2/3 cup water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 (17.3-oz) package puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and green chiles and water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 9 squares.

Arrange taco meat down diagonal center of the pastry squares. Sprinkle with some of the shredded cheddar cheese. Fold two opposite corners of each square over the filling and press edges to seal.  (Mine would not stay sealed so I dipped my finger in water and moistened one edge.  Then I pressed that edge into the opposite side of the pastry sheet and it sealed better…some still opened but stayed together much better than the ones I did not use water on).  Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

#1,857: Baked Crab Rangoon

When my mom asked me to make these crab rangoon, I told her we should just call the local chinese place because this was going to be WAY too much work and not taste good anyways. My sister and I almost had her convinced we should do that, but then she complained that she already had all of the ingredients, so we decided just to go ahead and make them for her.  I say WE, but my sister didn't help AT ALL (thanks a lot Trisha!).  However, these were so good, we made them a second time and my 7 year old Chloe helped me make these and now she wants to make them every day.  :)  No these are not as good as a Chinese place because they aren't crispy and fried.  But they taste really good for baked, and let's face it, it's healthier for you.  Maybe Chloe is right and I should get the ingredients for these again.... :) 

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 small green onions, chopped

8 oz imitation crab, finely chopped

6 oz cream cheese, softened

28 wonton wrappers 

In a bowl mix the softened cream cheese, crab, green onion, garlic salt, and Worcestershire sauce.  Spoon about a 1/2 tablespoon or so of cream cheese mixture into the center of each wonton wrapper.  Dip your finger in water and moisten all along the edges of the wonton wrapper.  Fold up the corners by bringing them to the center of the wontons (right above the mixture) and pinch to close/seal the Rangoon.

Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. 

#1,853: Campfire Chili Cheese Dip

For Christmas Eve, I wanted to make an appetizer that was not only minimal in ingredients, but also could be made mostly ahead of time.  I found this recipe in a recent issue of Taste of Home and knew this would be the one I would try.  Sadly, these are not the greatest pictures, but this is what you get when you are hosting and want to snap a photo before someone digs into the dish!  Personally I thought this lacked a little bit of flavor, but that could have mainly been because of the can of chili I used.  So I would suggest using your favorite brand of canned chili...or make your own!!  I didn't have time, energry, or wanted to take the effor to make my own chili, so I was perfectly content with using canned chili with my family.

The original recipe gives you instructions on how to make this while outdoor camping, but I just threw this in a foil pan (so I didn't have to deal with clean up) and put it in the oven until the cheese was melted.  I would definitely make this again!!

1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 thinly sliced green onions, optional
Tortilla chips or Scoops

Prepare campfire or grill for medium-low heat. Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a 9-in. disposable foil pie pan (I doubled this and used a 9x13 foil pan). Top with chili; sprinkle with cheese.

Place pan on a grill grate over a campfire or on grill until cheese is melted, 5-8 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with green onion. Serve with corn chips. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

Microwave directions: Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of a 9-in. glass pie plate. Top with chili; sprinkle with cheese. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is mostly melted. Let stand in microwave 2 minutes before serving. Serve with corn chips.

Oven directions: 

Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a 9-in. disposable foil pie pan. Top with chili; sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips. 

#1,790: Chicken and Waffle Bites

There aren't a ton of recipe that I make that my entire family (and I mean everyone!) goes ga-ga over.  I was a little disappointed in my crew for making such a big deal about this recipe and raving about how great it was.  I made chicken and waffles with frozen chicken tender and freezer waffles.  (This is such a silly recipe I almost didn't post it!).  Sadly, I can't take credit for this super easy recipe either as I found it here.  I was supposed to make these waffle bites using mini freezer waffles, but I can't find them in my town (or at least where I shop...unless I want chocolate flavored!), so I just got regular sized ones and cut them into quarters.  My family loved this so much I've made it twice already.  So sad that THIS is what they want for dinners.  LOL  

Frozen mini waffles, toasted

chicken tenders, cooked

real maple syrup (this was pushing it with my family, so I omitted)

toothpicks

Slice your cooked chicken fingers into 3-4 pieces each. Break your toasted mini waffles apart.

Sandwich 1 piece of chicken between 2 mini waffles. Secure with a toothpick. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve warm.

#1,784: Easy Wonton Tacos

This is one of those "why didn't I think of that?!" type of recipes.  It's so simple it's almost silly.  As you can see from the photo the sides without the filling are a little crispy and quite brown.  My family didn't mind that at all and enjoyed these just as is.  But next time I might try folding these up a little more like a crab rangoon with the sides folded up as well and see how they taste that way.  We loved these.  Add this one to our family favorite list!

The original recipe was made with shredded chicken but I just used some leftover taco meat that I made, and added some cheese.  My family doesn't like anything "fancy" in their tacos but this would be good with some olives, peppers, and/or jalapenos too.  We dipped these in sour cream (kids) and guacamole (me).  Two thumbs up from this family!

1 package of wonton wrappers (I actually used egg roll wrappers cut into quarters)
Small bowl of water
Leftover taco meat (beef or chicken)
Shredded mexican-blend cheese
Any other desired filling ingredients (olives, peppers, jalapenos, etc.)

Lay out one wonton wrapper and place about 1-2 tbsp in the center of each.  Add a pinch of cheese and any other desired filling ingredients.  Dip your finger in the water and moisten 2 of the corners of the wonton wrapper.  Pull up the two moistened sides and pinch together.  The water will help keep the sides stuck together.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and spray each lightly with some non-stick spray or olive oil spray (so it doesn't dry out too much).  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  

#1,780: Sausage Rolls

I made this recipe a few weeks ago for dinner and am just now getting around to posting it here for you all to see.  I made this and was a little leery that my family wouldn't like either the puff pastry or the Dijon mustard in this, but they devoured this recipe.  Granted, I didn't brush each piece of pastry with the mustard, but instead mixed it right into the cooked sausage so it would be a little less noticeable.  This will end up on another monthly menu soon!

1 pound raw bulk pork breakfast sausage 

1/2 cup finely minced onion

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 (17.3 oz.) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 tablespoons plus 2 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard

In a bowl, mix sausage, onion, thyme, sage and crushed red pepper. Set mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Working on a lightly floured work surface, unroll 1 sheet of puff pastry so a long side is near you. Divide dough horizontally into 2 long rectangles. Repeat with remaining sheet of puff pastry.

Brush each rectangle with 2 tsp. mustard. Cut 6 vertical 1 1/2-inch strips from each rectangle and discard any excess pastry. Place 1 Tbsp. sausage mixture in center of each strip and, beginning at one end, roll dough around mixture, pressing seam to seal. Place each roll seam-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips and sausage.

Bake rolls until pastry is puffed and golden, 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

#1,777: Blooming Onion Cheesy Pull Apart Loaf

I cannot believe how long it's been since my last post.  Of course, as you can imagine, I have about 10 or more coming soon now.  Life is busy.  Life is crazy.  Life is wonderful...but life is busy.  :)

I made this recipe a few weeks ago when I hosted book club.  I've had this on my pinterest board for over 2 years now, and it was way past due to try it and review it.  Holy cow, this was delicious!!  Like, go back for thirds kind of good.  It was really easy to make too, but you have to cut it very carefully so it all stays together.  Super well worth the effort though!  DELICIOUS!!

The original recipe had mushrooms in it, but as much as I like mushrooms, I really did not want mushrooms in my bread, so I omitted them.  I think it was a good call too, unless you really, really love mushrooms. 

I omitted these:
For the Mushrooms

12 oz sliced mushrooms

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

For the Bread

1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread

12 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced green onion

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

(I omitted this step:) For the Mushrooms

Heat a medium skillet on medium. Add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms. Cook 4-5 minutes until they start to sweat. Add the thyme and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes.  Set mushrooms aside and allow to cool.

For the Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the bread lengthwise and width-wise without cutting through the bottom crust. This can be a little tricky going the second way but the bread is very forgiving. Place loaf on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Insert cheese slices between cuts. Pour the mushrooms between the cuts. Use your fingers to push the mushrooms down into the loaf.

Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

#1,762: Slow-Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

Here is a recipe I pinned 3 years ago on one of my pinterest boards.  And since I had book club coming up, I knew it would be a good group to try it out on.  As I started to type up this recipe I realized (as you can see from the red text below) that I made a lot of change or substitutions to this recipe.  Some are no big deal (i.e. ground turkey instead of ground beef) and some were to make it easier on me (i.e. the bacon) or to use up what I already had on hand.  Regardless, this was delicious!  Like SO good.  It was so simple too.  I served it with pretzel thins, but bagel chips, potato chips, bread cubes, etc. would all be good too.  Too bad I waited so long to make this! 

8 slices bacon (I used a container of real bacon pieces)

½ lb lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed

1 package (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups) (I used velveeta since I had it leftover and needed it to get out of my freezer)

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 medium red bell peppers, cut into bite-size strips (I omitted, who needs that in their dip?!)

1 package (5.25 oz) mini bagel chips (I used pretzel thins)

In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; reserve 2 tablespoons bacon for garnish.

In same skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese, shredded cheese, tomatoes and crumbled bacon until well mixed and cheese starts to melt.

Pour mixture into 1- to 1 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 2 to 3 hours or until hot and bubbly.

Stir parsley into dip. Sprinkle with reserved bacon for garnish. Keep on Low heat setting to serve. Serve with bell pepper strips and bagel chips.

#1,729: Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites

So I wasn't sure my family would love this recipe as many of them don't like ham and cheese sandwiches.  But they do like pizza and since this recipe used pizza dough I figured I had half a chance they would at least try it.  My husband did not enjoy his first bite, but then half the plate was gone.  I guess he liked them after all.  And my super picky 3 year old was the last to leave the table and was fighting his sister for the last ones. I guess I'll be making these again this week since they enjoyed them so much and it was such an easy recipe!

1 can Pillsbury refrigerated thin crust pizza dough (I used regular crust and just cut it in half to make 2 long rectangles)

1 package (8 ounce) sliced cheddar cheese (I used shredded Italian blend cheese)

1 package (7 ounce) sliced deli ham

1 egg, beaten

Coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Unroll pizza dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Top dough evenly with sliced cheese and ham slices. Carefully and tightly roll up dough from the long end into a log; pinch seam to seal.

Slice log into 16 equal pieces. Set each piece cut side-down on baking sheet.

Brush dough with beaten egg, then sprinkle sides and tops with coarse salt. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with more salt, if desired.