Jalapeno Popper Scoops

This recipe uses the classic jalapeno popper flavors and puts the dip into scoop tortilla chips for a fun appetizer.  This would be perfect for a New Years Eve party.

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat oven to 375

Mix together the usual jalapeno popper suspects until evenly distributed:

8oz cream cheese

1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 large jalapenos, diced

Lay out the scoops on a foiled pan and then fill each of the scoops.  
The picture below was about half of the mixture.  

Bake for 10 minutes until nice and toasty.  

I turned our oven to a low broil for the last couple minutes.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day.

Reindeer Chow

Ms. Emily gets very excited about setting out snacks and treats for Santa.  This reindeer chow was a fun mix to make and very tasty.  I love these kinds of recipes that you can have an idea with and then do your thing to make it what you want it to be by adding in your favorites and leaving out things that don't tickle your fancy.

This is an easy no-bake recipe that makes a bunch.  It is a great little something extra to include in goodie containers to share with neighbors and bonus points because it is fun to make with your kids.

Let's Get Crafty!

Ingredients:

4 cups Chex cereal

3 cups Cherrios

1 cup Pretzels

1 cup M&Ms (we did peanut butter filled)

Peanuts would be good too (we didn't do those because Emily didn't seem excited about them)

20oz White chocolate melting chocolate

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sprinkles 

Line a large baking sheet with wax paper

Combine the cereal, pretzels and nuts then set aside

Melt the while chocolate with the vegetable oil until smooth.  Add a little vanilla, if it tickles your fancy.

Pour the chocolate over the cereal and gently stir until the white chocolate covers the rest of the ingredients.

Add sprinkles over the top until your heart is content.

Ours dried and was ready to eat pretty fast.  Maybe 30 minutes - tops.

Merry Almost Christmas!

Jalapeno Popper Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer

The filling options for egg rolls are endless.  When you love jalapeno poppers like us - it is fun to find different ways to use the filling.  These were amazing.  I love the crispiness you get with the air fryer with a little less guilt.

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat the air fryer to 370 for a couple minutes

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 green onion, sliced

1 cup cheddar cheese

3 large jalapeno peppers, finely diced

1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 package egg roll wrappers (the brand we buy has 15 in one package)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stir together the filling ingredients (first 6 in the list) and then wrap up the egg rolls.  

Our air fryer can now fit 5 at a time without over crowding.

Brush vegetable oil on all sides of the wrapped egg roll and place in the air fryer

"Fry" for 10 minutes turning over around the halfway point.

You will want to give them a few minutes to cool because the filling is super hot and melty.  

These are so good!!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you give these a try and have a great day.

Jalapeno Popper Dip (Yes... Again)

My husband and I are huge fans of jalapeños poppers and I'm a huge fan of dips.  So... in the words of Joey from friends - Put your hands together!

I know that I already did a jalapeño popper dip last year, but this one has a fun and different twist.  If you're curious - you can find my first recipe here.  The recipe last time includes bacon crumbles (and this time we are doing the real deal) and last time was fresh jalapeños (and this times we are mixing it up with pickled jalapeños.)  I also added siracha this time and it was a fun twist on the flavor profile.

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:

8 oz of cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayo

2 teaspoons siracha (Dial it back to 1 or less if you aren't a fan of heat)

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I did a mix of cheddar and colby jack), divided

1/2 - 3/4 lb bacon, cooked and chopped

3/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped

You'll also want to have a few extra pickled jalapenos aside for topping

Combine everything except the bacon, jalapeños and 1/2 cup cheese until well combined 

and then gently fold the bacon and jalapenos in until evenly distributed.

The dip then goes in your favorite baking dish for dips after spraying it with Pam to help it not stick.

Top it with the reserved 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Bake for 20-25 minutes until all bubbly and brown

Top with more pickled jalapenos - if your heart desires.

This dip is great with crackers or veggies like carrots and celery.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a great day.

Cajun Mussels in a Rich Tomato Sauce

Mussels are something that I didn't try until I was an adult.  I'm all about the sauce and the crusty bread that goes along with them.  These mussels are simple and delicious.  I wish we had some parsley on hand to sprinkle over the top.  That would have added the perfect layer of freshness to the dish.

Mark and I had a date afternoon in July 2016 in Breckenridge at a fun place right off main street for drinks and appetizers.  Mussels was one of them and they were amazing!  That is what inspired this dish.  We have made it several times and I haven't written it out before.  I hope you enjoy!

Let's Get Crafty!

Simmer together until onions are cooked through:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1 cup colored peppers, sliced
1 cup mushrooms

Add to the party and let simmer for 30 minutes:
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Depending on how much time you have - it could be ready to roll for the mussels now.  I like to simmer ours for quite a while.  I added another can of chicken broth in 30 minute intervals.  As it reduces each time - the flavors develop that much more.

Cleaning and debearding mussels is a very important part of the process.  (Google it for videos and instructions.)  I HAVE to clean mine extra good because any grit ruins the entire dish for me and I can't eat it anymore.  If you have open ones that don't close when you tap on them - throw them out.  If you have ones with shells that have broken - throw them out too.  If any of them smell wonky - yep.  You got it.  Throw it out.

When you are ready to add the cleaned and debearded mussels - turn the heat down as low as it will go.  Then gently add in the mussels and gently stir them into the sauce.  Put the lid on and let them do their thing for around 5 minutes.  They cook super fast.  

When you take the lid off - you should see the shells popped open.  If they don't open - don't eat them.  If a lot of them aren't open - you might need to put the lid on and cook them another minute or two.

This was mine after the first 5 minutes.

After putting the lid on for a couple more minutes... the magic happened.

Toasty, crusty bread is the perfect companion to these mussels to help get some of that tasty sauce.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a great day.

Creamy Shrimp Dip

Funny story.  My husband really liked this dip and similar ones I have made in the past when I throw together shrimp with veggies and different cheeses we have on hand.  It wasn't until we snuck away for a recent date night at the Rio that he got Queso Fundido that he likes served with their fabulous tortillas.  I said we should try to make it at home and he said that he thinks we already do and he was talking about this dip.  I guess I hadn't connected the two because they were different to me.

If you love cheesy, melty goodness with some shrimp included - give this a go.  My favorite way to eat it is on a cracker like the picture below.  If I am trying to also make it feel a little healthier - I might eat it with carrots or celery.  :D

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients: 

1 pound cooked shrimp 

Sauté in 3 tablespoons of butter (I generally start onions first to make sure they have time to cook all the way through because I hate to bite into raw onion): 

        1/2 onion, diced
        Mushrooms (handful of 5 or so), sliced
        Yellow pepper, diced
        Poblano, diced
8  oz cream cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup panko crumbs

 

We grilled the shrimp today on a grill pan.  
The texture and flavor added was fabulous.   

After sautéing the veggies - combine them with the mozzarella, cream cheese and Cajun seasoning.  

I like to mix this all in the same dish that I plan to bake in for one less dish to clean.  

You do you boo!  Once that is nicely combined, gently fold in the grilled shrimp.

(It is best to stir the shrimp in last because I don't usually take the time to soften the cream cheese so it might need a little elbow grease to get combined.)

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes

Then bake another 10 minutes at 400 with the panko/butter
until the top is nice and toasty.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day.