Hot Artichoke Dip

One of my favorite dips, this recipe packs a lot of flavor into relatively few calories.  And, it can be your secret that all that yummy goodness has just 5 grams of fat.  Serve with baked chips or pretzels and go guilt-free!

What's In It:

10 oz. bag baby spinach

1 c. fresh basil, packed

3/4 c. cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 oz. room temperature low-fat cream cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained well and finely chopped

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese (don't settle for that powdered stuff in a shaker, grate it yourself)

3/4 c. low-fat shredded mozzarella

1/2 tsp. Salt

Cayenne Pepper

Black Pepper (fresh ground is best)

Worcestershire sauce

How To Make It:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray a 1-qt. casserole dish with cooking spray.

While bringing a pot of salted water to a boil, fill a medium bowl with ice water.

Stir spinach and basil into boiling water.  Cook 30 seconds or until bright green in color.

Transfer greens into ice water for several minutes before removing to drain on paper towels.  Squeeze dry, then chop.

In food processor, puree beans,  cream cheese, garlic and broth until smooth, scraping sides often.

Transfer to medium bowl and add chopped spinach, basil, and artichokes, fold well.  

Add parmesan & 1/2 c. mozzarella, mix well.

Add pinch of cayenne, 2 or 3 dashes or Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper to taste, stir well.

Spread dip in prepared dish.

Top with remaining mozzarella.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Serve warm with your favorite baked chip or pretzels.

Adapted from Food Network magazine

Better Than "Snicker's" Bar

Last year, I attended a party at the home of a friend who is known for her culinary prowess.  The food is always the star at her house.  My usual modus operandi is to circle the tables once, picking out those morsels I feel I must taste.  Otherwise, the plate becomes overfull way too fast and I'm sure to miss out on something way too delicious.  On this particular evening, I made it a little over half-way round the first table before I spied these delightful confections.  It was love at first s(b)ite.  And, let me tell you...I know how to pick 'em!

Thank you, to my friend Angie, for sharing the recipe!

What's In It:

2 c. milk chocolate chips

1/2 c. butterscotch chips

3/4 c. peanut butter (use smooth)

1 1/2 c.  cocktail or spanish peanuts

1 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. butter (not margarine, never, never margarine)

1/4 c. milk (the kind cow's make)

1 jar marshmallow cream 

1 bag caramels, unwrapped (this will keep the kidlets busy for a bit)

2 tbs. water

How To Make It:

Line a 9x13 baking pan with aluminum foil and coat inside with butter.

In double boiler, melt 1 c. milk chocolate chips, 1/4 c. butterscotch chips, and 1/4 peanut butter.  Spread mixture in the bottom of prepared pan and chill until firm.

Meanwhile, bring to a boil 1 c. sugar, 1/4 butter, and 1/4 c. milk in a medium saucepan.  Boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat and add the jar of marshmallow cream and 1/4 c. peanut butter.  Mix well.

Spread mixture on top of first layer and sprinkle with peanuts.

Chill until firm.

Melt caramels with 2 tbs. water.

Pour over nuts.

In double boiler, melt 1 c. milk chocolate chips, 1/4 c. butterscotch chips, and 1/4 c. peanut butter and pour over caramel layer.

Chill until firm.

Turn out on cutting board, peel off aluminum foil and slice into pieces using a very sharp knife.  (You may find it easier to slice these if you grease your knife first.)

Party Shrimp Mold

The 60's and 70's saw cooks, everywhere, attempting to congeal everything.   My octogenarian friend, Joy, seems intent on seeing none of us forget what she fondly recalls as her "cooking heyday".  She often meets me in the break room at work, spoon in hand, eager share a somewhat wobbly "little taste" of her tomato soup or beet salad.  

This recipe reminds me of something my mother might have served on penny-poker night while we kids played hide-and-seek in our very dank, very dark, very scary basement.  And, if she did, I guarantee there wouldn't be any left for us to forage at the end of the night, while our parents walked their guests out to the car. This is one of those dishes that tastes far better than it looks!

What's In It:

1 1/2 lb. med. wild-caught (never farm-raised...watch a documentary)shrimp, boiled (Don't forget to add the crab boil!),cooled and roughly chopped

1 c. chopped green onion tops

1 c. diced green bell pepper

1 c. finely chopped celery

12 oz. cream cheese, brought to room temperature

2 pkg. Gelatin (reserve 1/4 c. shrimp water in which to dissolve gelatin)

1 c. tomato soup, warmed

1 c. mayonnaise

How To Make It:

Spray mold with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients except for shrimp and gelatin.

Dissolve gelatin in 1/4 shrimp water and add to mixture.

Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes.

Add shrimp, mix well, and pour into prepared mold.

Refrigerate overnight.

Serve with your favorite cracker.

Chockful-o-Chicken Chili

I love chili...all kinds of chili.  Chili is one of my favorite cool-weather dishes.  My son?  Not so much...until I made this chili.  His is usually the first spoon in!  And, it's so easy to make!  Just throw the ingredients into the crock pot and six hours later dish up a thick, hearty chili with just the right amount of heat.  Cheese works well as a topping as does sour cream and just a squirt of lime.  

Chili is one of our favorite things to eat while watching a big game, or throw it together before work.  Welcome home indeed!

What's In It:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 med. onion, chopped

1 16 oz. can kidney beans (I prefer dark red)

1 16 oz. can black beans or pinto beans 

3 10 oz. cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles (May substitute another brand.  There are lots out there.  I  have also used a tomato/jalapeno blend.)

2 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1 10 oz. pkg. frozen corn (I like shoepeg)

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 tbs. cumin

1 1/2 tbs. chili powder (Use more or less depending on taste.  We like ours spicy!)

How To Make It:

Add all ingredients, except for the chicken, to the crockpot.  Stir.

Top with chicken, cover and set crockpot to cook for 6 hours. 

About an hour before chili is done remove chicken, shred, and return to crockpot.  Mix well.

Serve with a choice of suggested toppings: sour cream, lime juice, shredded cheese, chopped jalapeno, chopped cilantro.

The Bestest Pizza Sauce in the Whole Wide World

Are you ready for some football?  Okay... I had planned to start February in love...I've been thinking about it for weeks.  And then someone reminded me...it's Superbowl Week  And let's face it, whether you're having a bunch of people over or just watching the game with family, food is a big part of the Superbowl experience.  So I'm giving this week over to snacks, football snacks in particular, and we're starting with pizza.
Sure, you could order pizza to be delivered and be done with it.  Your guests could munch greasy, mediocre pizza while laughing at commercials and your kitchen would be clean.
Or you could serve really delicious pizza.  You could spend a few minutes in your kitchen, combining ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and make some amazing pizza sauce.  Sauce is key, you know.  You can pile anything you like atop it.  If the sauce is good, the pizza is good, and this sauce is GOOD!
When serving pizza at parties, I like to bake it in a jelly roll pan and then slice it into easily manageable strips.  Be creative.  Use the usual; pepperoni, sausage, and the like.  But, also use the unexpected.  Use some chicken!  Sprinkle some feta.  Hide a layer of fresh spinach under a coating of white cheese!  Most of all, have fun!

What's In It:


2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter (Not margarine...not even this time)
1/2 c. onions, chopped (Yellow sweet or red are best)
1/4 c. celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (You can find all kinds of fancy flavors...but don't.  What we need is just plain, old tomato sauce)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste (See above)
2 tbs. freshly grated parmesan cheese (Okay...you can use the powdered stuff if you must, but fresh grated is way better.)
1 tbs.. fresh basil  (If you must use dried, use 1 tsp.)
1 tbs. fresh oregano (See above)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp. fennel seeds

How To Make It:


Melt butter and oil in large skillet.  Add onion, celery, and garlic.  Cook until soft and transparent.
Add tomato sauce and paste.  Stir until smooth.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes. (The longer the simmer, the better the flavor.)
Remove bay leaf before spreading on dough.  (My family loves Boboli Whole Wheat crusts.)