Pre Bowl Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Dip!

Most all of our friends live on one block in Venice right off the beach, so whenever there is a festive gathering, it tends to always happen on this street as a block party. So for this Super Bowl we are going to the annual block party. There will be a ton of grilling, friends, dogs running around, beers, chili, and our friend Brandon and Marie’s beautiful baby boy Josiah. What Mikey and I are bringing to the party involve our fabulous selves, some bomb cheese dip, and some mind blowing chili!

So here is the recipe for this preposterously dangerous cheese dip, it is simple, packs a punch, and will have your inner bacon lover squealing (no pun intended)!

*Serve with some crispy chips, or on nachos, whatever you want!

Ingredients: serves 4-8 depending on cheese dip addiction

4 slices smoked bacon
1 jalapeno
1 cup whole milk
1 cup shredded jack cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 small tomato

Start by seeding and dicing your jalapeno as small as you can, and seeding and dicing the tomato at a normal size. 

In a medium sized sauce pan cook the four slices of bacon until crisp. Once done, remove from pan, and drain about half of the bacon fat out. In the same pan with remaining bacon fat bring milk to a simmer, whisking to incorporate the bacon flavor in the milk.

While that comes to a simmer chop up the bacon into little bits. Once milk is brought to a simmer, dump all of the cheese into it, constantly whisking while the cheese melts. Once the cheese melts whisk in bacon bits and jalapeno. Whisk for another minute.

Now pour the cheese dip into a serving bowl and garnish with diced tomato and a few diced pieces of jalapeno, and get ready to dip in! Enjoy that cheesy goodness!

Back to School Lunchbox!!!

  These days I really have no idea when kids start school. When I was younger it was after labor day, until I got to high school, now it seems that many children start really early. For those of us who remember starting school after labor day, here is a back to school lunch for your kids (or yourself). Every paper bag lunch should consist of a sandwich, chips, some dip, and a little something sweet. Michael was such a cute little boy, and sometimes I still make him PBJ sammies so here is a healthy twist on all the good things that little kids love. Our lunch line up today is:

Peanut Butter Banana and Honey Sandwich
Carrot Chips
Greek Dip
Chocolate Covered Apple Slices

Ingredients:
Peanut Butter Banana and Honey Sandwich:

2 slices 100% whole wheat bread
4 Tlb. organic creamy peanut butter
1 ½ Tlb. orange blossom honey
1 ripe banana

Carrot Chips and Dip:

4 large carrots
2 Tsp. sea salt
2 Tsp. olive oil
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1 cucumber
1 stem dill

Chocolate Covered Apples:

1 granny smith
Chocolate dip mix

 

 

 

 

I honestly am using a microwaveable chocolate mix because it is so easy, quick, and tasty. This lunch is for your kids, and you don’t need to slave over the small things to achieve what you want. That being said core and slice your apple, then following the instructions heat up your chocolate. Dip the slices in the chocolate, place on a wax paper covered plate, and leave in the freezer to harder.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and peal the skin off of the carrots, and then chop into three sections. Using a mandolin, or whatever thin slicer instrument you have, slice the carrots paper thin. In a bowl mix together the carrot, olive oil and sea salt. Lay all the slices out on to two baking sheets (they can touch but not overlap). Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes, at the half way point flip the sheet trays around. Once they are finished, take out and lay on a cooling rack so they can crisp up.

In the meantime make the dip by peeling and very finely dicing half of the cucumber, and dicing up the dill. Mix up the greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, and a pinch of salt.

Now on to the finale, the sandwich, three easy steps. Take the bread, spread the peanut butter, place banana slices, drizzle honey, put top slice on, slice… and eat!!!

This lunch is so simple, delicious, and healthy. Wind down the summer and get ready for the school year, and make your kids this lunch….hey even boyfriends love it!!!

 

Chip and Dip Fiesta!!

Summer fiestas are upon us. What better food gift to bring then homemade chips and dip. Summer to me always embraces spice and bright fresh flavors. So we decided to create a spicy dip, a spicy chip, a bright dip, and a bright chip! Here we made a bright olive oil salted rosemary chip, a roasted red pepper feta dip, a spicy roasted tomatillo salsa, and a cayenne lime chip. Mix and match and you won’t disappoint!

Ingredients

Roasted red pepper feta dip:
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup feta
2 med red bell peppers
1 Tlbs. Water
½ a lime

Tomatillo Salsa:
7 tomatillos
Salt and pepper to taste

Chips:
3 packs of pita, approx. 15 pita breads
4 limes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 Tlbs. Salt
2 Tlbs cayenne
¼ cup olive oil

Chips:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut your pitas into 16ths and lay out on to 4 baking sheets. Set aside two sheets of pita slices. Take the two you have and drizzle with olive oil. Remove rosemary from stem and finely chop. Sprinkle salt and rosemary over your pita slices. Take your other two sheets of pita and squeeze as much lime as needed to get the pita wet. Sprinkle cayenne, so the bread appears slightly dusted. Place in oven and let bake for about 25 minutes or until crispy and browned. Check half way through and maybe flip around if your over is temperamental like ours.

Dips:

*be sure to remove outer layer of tomatillo and wash all the stickiness*

On an open flame (we literally place vegetables on stop top burners) roast your bell peppers and tomatillos. You want the skin to blister and blacken, which is how you know your vegetables are fully roasted. Set asides tomatillos. We are now going to make the cheese dip.

Cut green tops off over your bell peppers, wash off blackened skin, wash out all of the seeds, and chop. Place feta cheese, cream cheese, bell peppers, water, and a squeeze of half a lime in blender and blend on high until all fleck of red blend together. Pour mix into a sauce pan on low heat and whisk until mi thickens as it reduces, about 5-7 min. Pour serving bowl and serve hot or chilled.

Now, super simple, place the tomatillos with blackened skin into a blended with a pinch of salt and pepper and blend. Pout into serving bowl and you can garnish either how you like.

Place chips around your dip and get to dipping!