Pasta Salad, Create Your Own Recipe

I've not been a fan of pasta salad oh, since, perhaps. . . I was born.  There are many reasons for that, but it is the truth.  Or was the truth.  Sometimes I am just a big kid with a picky palette.  And, in the past, pasta salad never pleased mine.  But, one day, something changed.

I really don't remember exactly how I decided to try pasta salad again.  Or even if I did try or if it was something my children wanted me to make (what?!).  Here we are though.  The weather is changing.  We have been sitting on the back deck enjoying dinners.  And my cravings have turned to pasta salad!

So, today, I finally whipped some up in the kitchen.  This isn't really a recipe, more of a method to create your own pasta salad recipe.  Maybe this is why my taste changed.  Long ago, back in that notorious decade of dinner in a box, pasta salad was just GROSS.  And it was usually creamy. Like a whole jar of Miracle whip gross.

For this method, you don't need to go there, unless you really can't stop yourself.  Just start with a box of pasta and your favorite dressing (highly recommend non creamy dressing).

I like to boil my pasta, then place it in a large wooden bowl.  While it is still hot, I add the dressing and toss to coat.  Why wood?  It doesn't conduct heat and the pasta cools off faster.  Why hot pasta?  It soaks up the dressing and makes the pasta oh so delicious!


While the pasta is cooling, I work on getting the rest of the ingredients prepared. I like to think of my pasta salad like a pizza.  I add meat, veggies and cheese.

Fist the veggies. If you are going with some that are really tough (like broccoli), I recommend blanching them.  And, if you are going with some that have a high water content, I suggest keeping them in some water in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using them.  Some of my favorite choices are cucumbers, olives, and onions.

My children really don't like this, but I love to use tomatoes.  Just a couple of plum tomatoes seeded and chopped.  And a tip, use a serrated knife to cut tomatoes.  They don't squish so much.

Once the pasta is cooled enough (to room temperature), I add the veggies and meat and toss well.  The colorful veggies make the pasta look so pretty.

The last step is to add some shredded cheese.  I do this after all the other ingredients to make sure that the pasta is completely cooled before adding.  Sometimes, I add the cheese just before serving so it doesn't soak up liquid and become too soggy.

Finally, I spoon the pasta salad into a stoneware bowl before chilling in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 2 days.  That makes this an excellent choice for summer entertaining and picnics.  The stoneware bowl will help keep the salad chilled when serving.

Create Your Own Pasta Salad Recipe

1 box 16 oz pasta
1 c favorite salad dressing
1/2 lb cooked meat (ham, chicken, turkey, etc.), chopped
1 1/2 cups assorted veggies, chopped
1 cup shredded, cubed or crumbled cheese
fresh herbs, slivered

Boil pasta according to package directions.  Drain; place in large shallow bowl.  Pour dressing over warm pasta.  Toss and let cool.  While cooling, chop and prepare other ingredients.  Add meat and veggies to cooled pasta; toss.  Add cheese and any fresh herbs; toss.  Move to stoneware or glass bowl.  Cover and chill until serving.

Sunflower Cheese Ball with Olives

Sometimes I find a recipe, make it,  and my family loves it.  It becomes an instant hit.  Then I make it just about every week, or at least every month, until another recipe comes along and replaces it.  Sometimes, there is no replacement, but the recipe just doesn't fit as well in with the season.  As it is made less frequently, I might forget about using it.  Then one day, something reminds me of that favorite recipe.  I ask myself, "Why haven't I made that in forever?"  This is one of those recipes.

Cheese balls may seem so out dated, but this is really a good combination of flavors.  The olives are a great accompanying taste to the mild cheese.  The thing I really like about this cheese ball is the coating of roasted sunflower seeds.  Most cheese balls are covered with pecans or walnuts that are coarsely chopped.  The sunflowers are tender, both in texture and taste.  This is a terrific treat to make and have on hand for a spring time snack or for nibbles with some friends.  It is a great make ahead recipe for a shower, too!

Sunflower Cheese Ball
original recipe from allrecipes.com
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 c shredded Monterey~Jack cheese
1/2 c sliced green olives with pimentos
2 tbsp chopped green onions
1/2 c salted, roasted sunflower seeds
crackers {recommend pretzel thins}

Beat cream cheese and mustard until smooth.  Stir in the cheese, olives and green onions.  Shape into a ball.  Roll in sunflower seeds.  Refrigerate until time to serve.  Great with crackers, pretzel things and crisp veggies.

1.  Place the combined ingredients for the cheese ball on plastic wrap {makes it easy and neater}.

2.  Using your hands, gently shape into a ball.  Quick transformation from blob to ball.

3.  Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds around ball.  Gently roll around to cover cheese ball with seeds.

4.  Refrigerate cheese ball til time to serve.  Transfer to serving plate.

5.  Surround with crackers or pretzel thins.

Tips and Tricks~
*Work with the cheese on plastic wrap.  Sprinkle seeds around and roll to easily cover cheese ball.
*Serve with carrot and celery sticks for a gluten-free or low-carb treat.
*Substitute other herbs in place of the green onions.  Try parsley or chives.
*Instead of a cheese ball, mix up the ingredients without the sunflowers.  Top pieces of toasted bread that have been cut into spring shapes with cookie cutters for a spring tea sandwich.

TJ's has my favorite pretzel thins, Everything Pretzel Thins!  Great with a cheese ball.

Make Ahead Brunch~ Simply Elegant Crab Strata

I used to have more time to plan somewhat lavish meals for guests.  Like having 70+ people over without catering, making all the food and decorations myself with the help of one or two of my daughters.  Those times seem to be fading quickly into the abyss of my blog and memory.

Sometimes the simplest gatherings are the most gratifying for me and most pleasing for my guests.  But even the simplest gatherings should have something special.  And special doesn't have to be labor intensive.  Not even for an Easter brunch or a spring bridal shower.  Really!

Two things to keep in mind are:
1.  Use dependable recipes.
2.  Use quality ingredients.

I have your covered on the first.  The second is up to your local grocery, and you.

This recipe comes from a small recipe book from my favorite B&B.  The collection of recipes is very much like one you would get from the ladies group at a church.  They are pretty simple, with just one short paragraph of instructions.  It is so simple, that many may overlook it when selecting an elegant dish for their spring entertaining menus.  But it really deserves more than your consideration.  It is delicious.

Remember, use quality ingredients.  Using fresh and quality ingredients can almost always change any recipe into a star, even if you aren't a top chef.  Trust me, I know from experience.  So, before your begin, shop for your ingredients.

Fresh Produce
Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled.  Mince your own onion, don't use onion powder.  Chop up some CRISP celery.  Keeping your celery in water in the refrigerator keeps it crisp.

Flavorful Cheese
You may be tempted to skimp here, but use some nice Irish cheddar or something that is an aged, good cheese.

Good Crabmeat
Use lump crab meat that you find refrigerated.  Not imitation.  Not frozen.  Not next to the canned tuna.  I use Philips. It's good.

Now you are ready! Assemble the strata the night before.  Put the dish, uncovered, a cold oven.  Heat the oven then begin timing from there.

And be ready to give out the recipe.  Everyone will want to make it once they find out how easy it is.


Simply Elegant Crab Strata
1 small loaf fresh sourdough bread, cubed {about 8 cups}
1 lb lump crab meat
1 c chopped celery
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 c real mayonnaise
juice from 1/2 lemo
1 tsp hot sauce
2 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 eggs, beaten
2 c milk

Grease a 9x13 or a 3 quart casserole dish.  Spread the bread cubes in the prepared dish.  In a large bowl combine crab, celery, onion, mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and hot sauce; stir well.  Using a blender or food processor (even a hand mixer), combine eggs and milk well.  Add the egg mixture to the crab mixture and stir well.  Pour over top of the bread cubes.  Top with shredded cheese.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.  In the morning, place dish in cold oven.  Heat oven to 350F.  Cook for an hour from the time oven reaches 350 or until lightly browned.  Serve with additional hot sauce and lemon wedges.

Note- I made this recipe and divided it into two dishes.  But, I recommend using just one 9x13 dish.

DIY Sandwich Platters~ How to Make them Attractive

Sandwich platters are an easy option for entertaining but can be rather boring or canned even if you make them yourself.  Without paying a local sandwich shop or deli to make your party platters, you can make your own from your favorite sandwich recipes or some that I've included below.

In the past I've made sandwiches and cut them up, arranged them on a platter and was quite dissapointed that they either looked just like the platters I buy or they looked like my 7 year old threw them together.  Not that my boy isn't talented.  He could be quite creative but quite messy, too.  Here is an easy trick to make diy sandwich platters eye catching without compromising the ease of putting them together~ leave space on the platter and fill in gaps with garnishes.  Actually, I think this is a quick method and will make any sandwich platter more appealing.
 

First, make your sandwiches.  If you are making a day ahead of time, you want to pair the bread with the proper ingredients so the sandwiches do not end up soggy.  For example, if you are using a spread you'll want a drier bread such as a Ciabata or crusty French.  Also, don't use fresh lettuce and tomato; leave those on the side.

Choose a platter.  Many platters are round and big.  If you are making only one kind of sandwich or similar sandwiches that can be stored overnight together without effecting the flavor, a large platter is fine.  I would use smaller and separate platters for different types of sandwiches, placing only one type of sandwich on each platter.

Also, line the platter with something that won't compromise the sandwiches, such as wax or parchment paper.  I keep deli sandwich paper on hand for lunches and use them to line a sandwich platter with.

Arrange sandwiches.  This used to be the difficult part about arranging a sandwich platter for me.  Then I realized the key to it all~ leave space between the sandwiches.  Don't try to layer them or overlapping in an effort to hide the platter itself.  Place the sandwiches flat on the platter so they don't smoosh each other.  Don't worry about the spacing between and parts of the platter showing.

Fill in gaps with garnish.  Choose a fruit or vegetable or non wilting herb to fill in gaps on the platter.  Look at ingredients of the sandwiches for ideas.  The muffaleta recipe uses a tapenade which has olives and peppers.   For the muffaleta platter, after cutting the sandwiches in halves I spaced them around a ramekin of olives.  the space between was filled in with mini sweet peppers.  The olives and peppers both add needed color to the platter.

The curry chicken salad croissants were also cut in half {halves make a nicer portion size for party platters}.  They were arranged in alternating rows with space left between so the delicate croissants wouldn't be smooshed.  The space was filled with green and red grapes.  Although this recipe doesn't use grapes in the chicken salad, they still compliment it nicely.

Here are two recipes to get you started on your own sandwich platters for your next party or get together.  For best flavor and texture, follow the cooking directions for the chicken used in the chicken salad.  I use this method whenever I am making chicken breasts to be used in another recipe.

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich on Croissants

Ingredients
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 green onions, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 c dried cranberries
8 croissant rolls
red and green grape clusters for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F.  Rinse and pat-dry chicken; place in glass or ceramic baking dish. Combine thyme, salt, pepper and onion powder.  Sprinkle on chicken.  Roast in preheated oven for 1 hour.  Turn off oven and let chicken sit for 20 minutes before removing.  Once removed, place on cutting board and let cool for 10 minutes to ease handling.  Discard skin; remove chicken from bone.  Cut chicken into bite size pieces.  Set in bowl to the side.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, curry powder, pepper and salt.  Add to chicken and stir.  Add green onions, celery and cranberries.  Stir well.

Slice croissants from the back to the curled tips, leaving the tips intact {see pictures above}.  Fill the croissants well; lightly press down.  Slice in half.  Arrange on a platter and fill in gaps between halves with small grape clusters.  To make ahead, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and enjoy within 24 hours.

Italian Muffaleta with Tapenade

Ingredients
8 Ciabata rolls
1/2 lb mortadella
1/2 lb sandwich salami
1/2 lb sandwich pepperoni
8 slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 c tapenade
olives and mini sweet peppers for garnish

Slice Ciabata rolls in half horizontally {to open for sandwich making}.  Spread one tablespoon of tapenade on the middle of each bottom slice of the roll.  Add mozzarella, three slices of mortadella {I folded into fourths for a 'pie' shape then layered on}, three slices of salami and four slices of pepperoni.  Top with other half of roll.  Press lightly and slice in half.  Arrange on platter and garnish with olives and peppers.  To make ahead, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and enjoy within 24 hours.

Savory Salmon Spread

When choosing an appetizer or snack to have for small gatherings, I will often choose something that is served warm like spinach dip or meatballs.  Often I will need something a bit lighter before a full dinner though.  Sometimes I'll choose a seafood based appetizer when I need something lighter, like this crab salad.  But more often I want something even simpler.  One of my favorite snacks that is simple to pull together and is served chilled or at room temperature is Savory Salmon Spread.  It is perfect as an appetizer before a spring-time dinner, especially Easter or a Sunday brunch.

The flavor improves as the ingredients sit together, so I suggest making the spread the night before or at least two hours ahead of time.  Another tip~ use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to blend the ingredients.  So easy.

I usually serve the spread with buttery crackers but it is just as scrumptious atop cucumber slices.  Low carb and gluten free!  I am partial to the canned tuna.  I know, lack of sophistication.  I think those who want to make this a bit more elegant can easily substitute about a cup of shredded smoked salmon.  I've even served this spread in mini fillo shells topped with some scallions for a bit more pizzazz.  This is a base recipe that can be adapted to your needs and tastes.  Enjoy!

Use mini cookie cutter to cut out cute spring~time shapes of cucumbers.

Pie shape cutters work too!

 Keep cut cucumber shapes in a glass jar filled with water in the refrigerator until serving.  Cucumber will be extra crispy!

Savory Salmon Spread
2 5 oz cans boneless and skinless salmon, drained with some liquid reserved
1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried dill
pinch of salt
pinch of dried thyme

Blend all ingredients together well.  If too thick, add a bit of reserved liquid to thin.  Chill at least 2 hours.  Set out about 30 minutes before serving to soften.  Serve with buttery crackers or cucumber slices.

Reuben Dip~ Just Like the Sandwich But Easier!

Reuben sandwiches, loads of corned beef with Swiss cheese and cabbage, are the essence of a game night for me.  Have you ever tried to make Reuben sandwiches for a crowd, though?  It's not too easy.  Here's a great alternative and one of the best last minute dip recipes~ Reuben Dip.  Ingredients are readily available at your local deli, and the dip can be made quickly.  Either cook it in the oven or in the slow cooker, which is useful in keeping the dip hot throughout the game.

I will often grab the corned beef from the deli, but if you have leftover corned beef, it would be excellent in this dip.  Another way to fancy up this dip is by making your own thousand island dressing.  Simply combine mayonnaise and ketchup in a 2:1 ratio then add about some chopped up sweet pickles and pimentos.  Of course, to keep it last minute friendly, just use the dressing from the bottle.

Serve with traditional pumpernickel or dark rye bread.  Another easy option is using the pumpernickel or rye cocktail bread.  They are dip~serving~size already.  If you want this to be over the top scrumptious, serve it with everything bagels.  Just cut them into big bite size pieces.  The chewy bagel with all the onion flavor is sooooo good with Reuben dip.  And to satisfy those who want a crunch, use everything bagel chips.  Having some sweet gerkins and extra dressing on the side is a must, too.

Off to win the next bout of Twister.  Oh, did you think I was talking about a different kind of game?  Well, this dip is a winner for any kind of game.

Reuben Dip
16 oz sauerkraut, drained
8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
3/4 lb corned beef, {about 3 c} chopped or shredded
1/2 lb shredded Swiss cheese {about 2 c}
1/2 c Thousand Islands dressing

Combine all ingredients by hand or with paddle attachment of mixer.  Spread in 2 qt baking dish or two smaller dishes.  Cover and cook in 375F oven for 25~30 minutes, or til hot and bubbly.  In slow cooker, heat on high for an hour; reduce temperature to warm once melted and stir before serving.

Chocolate Cream Filled Puffs

Pastries seem so difficult.  When I think of making pastries, I think of croissants and folding endlessly.  Or I think about working with puff pastry which is my culinary enemy.  Cream puffs are not so.  Cream puffs are easy.  They are my friend.  There's no folding in butter.  The only butter you work with is melted.  The dough is done entirely with a saucepan and a spoon. They come together quickly and almost effortlessly.  The most difficult part is cutting off the tops of the cooked puffs.

One of my absolutely favorite pastries is an eclair.  I know that these are chocolate cream filled and do not have frosting, but I like to think of these as mini eclairs.  Sometimes the richness of the frosting on an eclair is overwhelming for me.  I remember as a child not finishing eclairs that my mother bought for me as a special Valentine treat.  They tempted me and I was indulged, but they always won.  These chocolate cream puffs are a smaller taste of an elegant pastry.  And I plan on making them for my little valentines.  They are so easy!

After making these a few times, I found it easiest to perforate a small section and lightly lift the tops off.  This exposes the soft inside that should be scooped out.  The puff is like a piece of delicate French toast.  Just gently pinch out the excess soft dough.  The puff on the left has not had the soft dough removed but the one on the right has.

 

Chocolate Cream Filled Puffs
chocolate cream filling {recipe follows}
1 c water
1/2 c butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 c all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tbsp powder sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Prepare the chocolate cream filling according to the recipe and chill for at least two hours.
Preheat oven to 400F.

Put water, butter and salt in medium saucepan; stir continuously until the mixture begins to get foamy.  Bring to a full boil.  Dump flour into boiling water.  Stirring quickly, reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 1 minute until dough forms a ball.  Remove from heat.  Add eggs, one at a time and whisking after each one to form a smooth dough.

Drop dough by tablespoonsful onto lightly greased cookie sheet, making 16~18 puffs.  Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden.  Let cool slightly before slicing tops off horizontally and set aside.  Remove soft dough from inside of puffs.  Cool puffs and tops completely before filling.

Fill each puff with chilled chocolate cream, about 3 tablespoons, and replace top of puff.  Combine 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder.  Dust tops of puffs with sweetened cocoa.  Keep chilled until serving.

Chocolate Cream Filling
3 egg yolks
1 1/4 c sugar
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3 c whole milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla

Place egg yolks in a small bowl; blend together to break up yolks.  Set aside.  In a saucepan whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt.  Add milk and whisk to blend smoothly.  Heat over medium heat, whisking slowly but continuously, until mixture bubbles {you should notice the mixture thickening considerably and steaming as it reaches this point}.  Continue to whisk slowly and let mixture continue to cook, bubbling, for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and add a small amount, about 1/4 cup of chocolate mixture, to eggs.  Stir well to temper.  Add eggs to chocolate mixture in saucepan. Whisk til smooth.  Return to medium heat and continue to cook for about 30 seconds, until mixture begins to bubble again.  Remove from heat immediately.  Stir in butter and vanilla, until smooth.

Transfer filling to a bowl.  Cover chocolate filling with parchment paper, touching the surface to keep from forming a film as it cools.  Chill in the refrigerator at least two hours before using.

Tips and Tricks~
*Crack eggs and empty into a bowl to have ready for the recipe.  When instructed to add one at a time, just tilt the bowl of eggs so one yolk comes out.  Most of the egg white will stay with its yolk.  It just does.  You don't want to crack eggs directly into the batter though.  If you drop a piece of shell, that ruins your puffs.
*Use of a cookie dough scoop {looks like a small ice cream scoop} to put batter on foil lined cookie sheet makes this job quick, easy and less messy than using a spoon to divide batter
*If you want larger puffs, use a traditional ice cream scoop and make about 8~10.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.
*While cooking the chocolate filling, watch carefully as the bubbling is not easily noticed unless you are looking for it.
*These make an elegant but easy dessert for a dinner party or reception.  Make the puffs and filling ahead of time, up to two days.  Earlier in the day before serving, assemble and keep refrigerated.  Dust with sweetened cocoa just before serving.
*If you need to save time or are intimidated by making the chocolate filling, just use a boxed pudding mix.  It works just very well.

Holiday Snack Food~ Mini Grilled Sandwiches

Making holiday menu plans isn't always easy.  As I was planning my Thanksgiving meal, I knew I would need some snacks to bridge family and guests from breakfast to dinner but not overwhelm them.  Sometimes veggies and fruit may not be enough.  Anything more and I am have an abundance of leftover turkey, potatoes and green beans.  And, I always want to do something a bit different.

My children really inspired this idea.  They like small food.  Small amounts of food at a time.  Small food because it's cute.  Small food helps them try things they may not otherwise try.  But mini food doesn't have to be for the children only.  These mini sandwiches are perfect for holiday snacking.  They are also perfect to have while watching the football game.

Need more inspiration for grilled sandwiches?  Check out the Grilled Cheese Academy for more grilled cheese sandwich ideas.  Cocktail bread can be found in rye, pumpernickel and sourdough.  Check back in a few days to see what I did with the sourdough cocktail bread {your kids will love it}.

Mini Grilled Sandwiches
Rye Cocktail Bread
Deli Roast Beef
Muenster Cheese
Coleslaw
Thousand Island Dressing
Butter

Preheat griddle to 325F {or a frying pan over medium~high heat}.
Assemble sandwiches by cutting a slice of Muenster cheese into four equal pieces.  Place one piece of cheese on a piece of rye cocktail bread.  Add some deli roast beef {just tear it into smaller pieces to fit on top of the cocktail bread}. Add a bit of coleslaw, then top with a second piece of Muenster cheese.

Melt a few tablespoons of butter on griddle. Grill the mini sandwiches for about 1 minute, or until bottom piece of cheese begins to melt. Top with second piece of cheese. Add a more butter to an empty spot on the grill and flip the sandwich to grill the other side. Remove from heat. Either serve with a small ramekin of Thousand Island dressing for dipping.

Tips and Tricks
*Make a mini Reuben with corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on pumpernickel cocktail bread.
*Make a mini Rachel with pastrami, Swiss and coleslaw.
*Let the cheese and meat sit on the counter while you are assembling the other ingredients and heating the griddle.  The sandwich with heat through better and the cheese will melt easily if it isn't straight out of the fridge.
*Per two mini sandwiches I used one slice of Muenster and one slice of roast beef. Use this to calculate how much you will need to buy from the deli for the amount of sandwiches you plan to make.

Almost~Brownie~Batter Dip

I really haven't worked in the kitchen for six months. Honestly, it has been pretty tough to get back into the swing of cooking and cleaning but I think I may be making a comeback. And I'm coming out swinging, with a Nutter Butter in hand. Let's get right to the punch~ Brownie Batter Dip.

The only thing I like better than brownies is brownie batter. I grew up licking the bowl clean and never ended up sick from eating the batter with raw eggs in it. Same thing with cookie dough. But, I'm grown up now. No more licking the bowl or beaters for me. I live in the present. You have to be healthier. So, you have to eat batter without the raw eggs. {What, you think I would give up on the entire idea of eating brownie batter altogether?}

I pinned this recipe about six months ago thinking I would try it soon. I guess I really wasn't in a rush since I've been disappointed with recipes for egg~less cookie dough. Being invited to a gathering where you are expected to bring something and not disappoint, I made brownie batter dip.

Verdict? It does not taste just like brownie batter but it is close. And it tastes really good anyway {I honestly can't say I've been a fan of any of the cookie dough recipes, sorry}. I think having a variety of dippers made it fun and can completely change the taste of the dip. I chose mini graham crackers, vanilla wavers, Nutter Butters and pretzel crackers as dippers. The last two were by far my favorite. Chocolate and peanut butter can NEVER be wrong, and the contrast of sweet chocolate and salty pretzel crackers is a winner.

What makes this even better is how quickly it whips up. I used the microwave {Gasp! Bad word in my kitchen} to soften the cream cheese and butter. Then my handy Kitchen Aid mixer quickly blended all the ingredients. Once the dip is blended, it's ready to go. Some dips need to be refrigerated before they can be enjoyed. This one does not. Whip up a batch for a last minute get together.

Almost~Brownie~Batter Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c powdered sugar
2+ tbsp milk
5 tbsp flour
5 tbsp cocoa powder {not ground chocolate}
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
mini chocolate chips for garnish
a variety of dippers {pretzel crackers and Nutter Butters recommended}

Blend cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and two tablespoons of milk. Blend well. If mixture is still lumpy or too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. Add flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar and vanilla. Blend til smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add a bit more milk.  Garnish with mini chocolate chips and serve.

Oh, this is what I've been so busy with. Little Dianna is 6 months old now! She's doing great. She's successfully made it through heart surgery and is on the move, well roll and working on sitting up all by herself.

Cup of S'mores

One of my fondest memories is driving out to the middle of the country with my dad to enjoy a drive~in movie.  It was so much better than watching a movie at the theater, though I have yet to understand why.  Perhaps it was the fresh night air with the sounds of the outdoors in the middle of a quiet scene.  Or maybe the hike to the snack stand and numerous bathroom trips made the evening more of an adventure than just pure entertainment.

The only part of these summer and fall evenings I didn't appreciate was the drive home.  It seemed to me to be so much colder and to take eons longer than the trip out to the drive~in.  Though now that is probably the part I like to remember the most.  My dad would always have a blanket or shirt he would give me.  I could curl up next to him on the bench seat of our car.  And often he would have a little snack left over, something like a caramel cream {I still love those today}.

We have a drive~in in our area.  It would be a long drive out to the country like it was in my childhood, and I plan to do this with the family sometime this summer.  Until then, we have decided to turn our backyard into a theater.  My two older boys set up our dvd player system with a projector. We had a small fire in our fire bowl and all worked on roasting marshmallows as we waited until it was dark enough to watch our feature presentation {The Fantastic Mr. Fox, we loved it!}. As we were waiting, some of us noticed how peculiar the clouds looked.  It only took a few raindrops before we were packing up. Thankfully, the boys got all of the equipment inside before the downpour!

I know we'll try to make it out there again soon, and hopefully I'll have picked a better night of weather for our home drive~in show. I already have a snack for the next showing~ Cup of S'mores. I like to make a variety of pudding cups {Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Pots of Gold} and thought I could whip up something like s'mores. Unlike the mousse I make, these pudding cups are a bit sweeter and are inspired by the pudding from my Old Fashioned Banana Pudding {which is out of this world!}.

Cup of S'mores
1 5.9 oz box instant chocolate pudding mix
2 c cold milk
1 c cold whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
3 c mini marshmallows
semi~sweet chocolate chips, for garnish
For Serving~ 12 clear punch cups {9 oz size}

Whip cream on medium~high until stiff. Set in fridge. Blend pudding mix and milk; set in fridge til ready to use. Blend cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Fold pudding into cream cheese blend; fold in whipped cream. Set aside.

To assemble~ In the bottom of each clear punch cup put one tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs. Top with one fourth cup of mini marshmallows. Lastly, divide pudding mixture between the twelve cups of graham cracker crumbs and marshmallows. Refrigerate until serving.

After I made these, I decided the next time to actually toast the mini marshmallows in the oven and let them cool before assembling the cups.  Fun!