Fancy Crab Dip

Super Bowl shmooper bowl.  Honestly, who cares.  The one and only reason I was looking forward to Sunday was because I wanted to try this crab dip recipe.  Someone pinned a Paula Deen crab dip recipe- upon further inspection it was about a gallon of mayo and a brick of cheese.  Eh, no thanks.  So I improvised and came up with something much more my style.  This dip was very easy to throw together- I did not use a mixer and it took only a few minutes, not counting bake time.  Totally delish and a fabulous app for a party.  Next time you need a quick dip recipe and don't feel like making guac, give this a try.  You'll be glad you did!

Fancy Chive Crab Dip
1 16 oz. can crab meat
8 ounces (at least, I used about 9) softened cream cheese, or neufchatel
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup chopped chives
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp (give or take) Old Bay seasoning

Grease a small baking dish.  Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Serve with crudite and you've got a dip touchdown!  Sorry.

Mexican Chicken Dip

I'm calling this Mexican Chicken Dip- but I use "mexican" loosely because I don't know how else to describe it.  It's really good.  How about that?

My mom was in town for 8 days and brought some food from home, including a few cans of canned chicken breast from costco.  Canned chicken breast has never been on my list of items to buy.  I don't think I had ever had it before.  Canned tuna and salmon, for sure, but chicken?  No.  A quick google search revealed ten billion recipes for chicken dip using canned chicken- so I figured, what the hell?

This dip took two minutes to make, plus another two minutes in the microwave.  S ate most of it, no joke.  The girl loves meat and cheese.  It's hilarious.  Anyways- this would make a great superbowl app served with some celery.


Mexican Chicken Dip
1 can canned chicken breast, drained
4 tbsp cream cheese (i use neufchatel)
1/3 cup shredded taco cheese
1/2 can of fire roasted tomatoes
2 tbsp chili powder

Stir everything, then stick it in the microwave to melt the cheese for a minute.  Stir, and put back for another minute.  Dunzo.  Makes a ton of dip- certainly enough for a party.

Homemade Ketchup, Flourless Cakenies, and Chia Pudding Take 2!

MKG and I had a fun-filled weekend in Dodgeville, WI at my cousin's wedding!  We drove pretty much all day Friday and all day Sunday, but every minute was worth it.  We had the best time EVER and it was fabulous seeing friends and family I don't usually get to see.  So grateful and so happy for the lovely couple.  I have to give a shout out to Blue Plate Catering, of Madison WI.  What an excellent job they did!  Bacon-wrapped meatballs?  Um, fine by me!  We all know being a bridesmaid can suck, but I am just thrilled to pieces I got to play a role in the wedding and share the occasion with my gorgeous, amazing, sweet cousin.

Anyways- now it's back to reality!  I have wanted to make homemade ketchup for ages (catsup? ketchup?) and today was the day I decided.  The main impetus was that S really likes sauces/spices/flavorings for whatever she's eating.  God bless her, the girl does not want to eat bland food.  To get her to eat her veggies I usually need to put some soy vey, hummus, cheese, or cook it with some spices.  Same goes with eggs.  I know this is partly a regional thing- not being from Kansas originally I was initially appalled to see people eating potatoes and eggs with ketchup- but eventually it took hold.  I looooooooove ketchup and eggs.  But commercially prepared ketchup has a bunch of junk in it.  Sugar, HCFS sometimes, and other preservatives.  Now usually recipes for ketchup will call for brown sugar- so rather than use brown sugar I used apple cider vinegar, instead of regular white vinegar.  I am very pleased with the results and so glad I made a double batch.  I'll freeze most of it.  Here are the ingredients:

Homemade Ketchup
2 28 ounce cans of tomato puree
1 really large yellow onion, peeled and chopped roughly
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
couple stems of clove
and the following spices which I eyeballed:
kosher salt
pepper
celery salt
ginger
cinnamon
ground mustard
asian seasoning
cayenne

Simply put- I blended the onion, jalapeno, vinegar, water, garlic, and cloves in the ninja, then pouring into a large pot.  I added the tomato puree, and then all the spices, and stirred, turning on the heat to high.  Once it was bubbling, I turned out it down to a simmer for 45 minutes.

Flourless Cakenies
Many a blogger has made flourless chocolate brownies.  Mine you cannot technically call a brownie, they are just too cakey.  Very good though!
Preheat oven to 375 and grease an 8x8.
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup PB
1 large overripe banana, mashed well
2 tbsp stevia in the raw

Mix PB, eggs, vanilla, mashed banana, and stevia together.  Add to mixed dry ingredients (salt, baking powder, cocoa) and incorporate.  Depending on how much liquid was in the banana, you may have to add some water, a tablespoon or so.  I baked mine for 25 minutes.  It is very chocolatey and not too sweet.  Feel free to sweeten it up a bit more, or throw in some choc. chips or nuts.  I also toyed with the idea of making a choc. ganache but never got around to it.

Finally, Chia Pudding Take 2!
After last week's not so great chia pudding I wasn't sure I wanted to try it again- but what the hell.  I'm glad I did because this is way better and a great alternative to tapioca.  I'm excited for S to try some too!
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 plus 2 tablespoons milk (nutmilk, 2%, whatever- I used whole milk but vanilla almond milk would be great too!)
1/4 cup water
sweetener, to taste

Stir well and let sit a few hours in the fridge.  Enjoy, xoxoGFG