Chips and Dip Day

Normally, I refer to "Chips and Dip Day" to January 1st.  It's been a tradition in my family to gorge ourselves in junk food and snack foods while the TV is tuned to football all day long.  I love this day, although I get so sick by the end and regret it...!  But I also love trying new dips!  There's something about the old standbys of Onion Dip (sour cream and onion soup mix), Fiesta Ranch (sour cream and HV Fiesta Ranch mix), 7-layer Dip, and Nacho Cheese Dip, and seeing a counter full of different flavors and sampling them all day long.  It's terrible, but wonderful all at the same time!

(my husband being a goof...this is normal)

As Super Bowl Sunday is around the corner, I thought I'd share this year's Chips and Dip Day recipes in time for other parties of snack foods and fattening bellies.  Some of the ones I tried this year were bombs in my opinion, and others were a HUGE hit (and I will probably make it again before next year's Jan 1 just cause it's so wonderful!).  So here was the "line up" for 2013's Chips and Dip Day:

BAKED POTATO DIP

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve with your favorite potato chips or pretzel crisps. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

I honestly thought I'd like this dip.  I mean, come on...bacon was a main ingredient!  However, it was bland and very thick (I didn't even put in all 8oz of cheese) - the potato chips kept snapping...needless to say, I had plenty left over after the day was done and it never did get eaten entirely.  BOMB.  Won't be making it again.

CHEESECAKE DIP

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. package cream cheese
1 tub marshmallow creme
2 tubs cool whip
2 cans cherry pie filling

DIRECTIONS:

Combine first four ingredients and spread pie filling over the top.  Chill until ready to serve.  Serve with graham cracker sticks.

Oh. My. Goodness.  I stood over this dip and just kept eating.  It was pathetic.  I was sorry that I had ever put it out here for my family to enjoy - I wanted this whole thing to myself!!!  SO GOOD!!!!  (And so easy!!!!).  I halved the recipe since I thought it would make too much for the size crowd we were expecting and I'm glad I did.  I also left a quarter of the plate uncovered with cherry pie filling because my husband is not a fan of cherries.  This dip was eaten by the end of the day and I was so sad I had no leftovers.  Hmm...I wonder if I have more pie filling in the pantry right now...

GREEN CHILIES DIP

This one was a flop...only because I made it up.  And not really too much of a flop, but just kind of bland.  I used a can of chopped green chilies (not the smallest, but the next size up), 16oz sour cream, 8 oz mayo, and shredded parmesan cheese.  It tasted fine, but I was looking more for some spice.  Finally a friend of mine gave her recipe to me (the one I was trying to imitate) and I realized it was way off.  The *real* recipe is below (and it will look very similar to the picture!)

SPICY ARTICHOKE DIP

INGREDIENTS:

1 can unmarinated artichoke hearts

1 cup mayo

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 tbs diced jalapenos

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients (sprinkle additional parmesan cheese on top) and bake at 350 in shallow baking pan for 20 mins.    Serve warm with tortilla chips.

We had other dips as well - my sister's bean dip, the onion and fiesta ranch dip, caramel apple dip, but these three were my new contributions to Chips and Dip Day.  I hope you enjoy them!  What easy dip is your family favorite?

Easy-Peasy Chicken Pot Pie

My husband is not a fan of foods mixed together.  And actually, when you put it that way, neither am I.  But I am a fan of certain casseroles, which are, by definition, foods mixed together.  It just doesn't sound so weird when we call it Lasagna or Chicken Pot Pie.  But alas, my family is not gung ho about those gloriously easy to make casseroles, so I either force my kids and husband to eat them, or bypass the easy recipe.

So this recipe is for Chicken Pot Pie - which is near the top of the list for casseroles my hubby won't touch.  A pie, in his mind, should be sweet and have something like pumpkin or apples in it.  Not chicken.  I have learned this about him, and so I don't serve him pot pie anymore.  However, my daughters love this particular casserole.  And since they love it and he hates it, I only serve it when he won't be joining us for dinner!

My friend Eve gave me this recipe...I don't know where she got it from so I can't give credit any further than Eve.  But I will happily share it with you as it takes minuets to prepare and is really quite tasty!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 jar alfredo sauce (your favorite flavor)

1 bag frozen mixed veggies

2 pie crusts (prepared or homemade)

Shred chicken off of prepared rotisserie.  Mix chicken with jar of alfredo and frozen veggies.  Pour into crust-lined pie plate and top with second pie crust.  Seal/flute the edges and cut slits in crust.  Put in 350* oven and bake for 45 minutes or until crust is brown and filling is bubbling through the slits.  Let stand for 3-5 minutes before serving to give sauce a chance to settle.  Serve with chilled fruit or tossed salad.

My own personal notes:

• I shred the chicken and then divide the meat into two baggies and freeze them both.  I will only use one baggie for this meal (the other I'll make into enchiladas or something similar).  This is my preference - there's still enough chicken in the pie to be flavorful but yet I get two meals out of my rotisserie.
• I have made it both with prepared crusts (the kind you buy in the refrigerated section) and with my homemade crust.  I personally prefer the homemade as it's flakier and just plain better, but the prepared crusts are easy...pick your poison!  (Tonight I used prepared crusts)
• Tonight I had to take my oldest daughter to swimming.  So, with bated breath, I put the pie in the oven at 4pm at 300*.  We got home at 5:45.  The pie was nearly done!!!!  Gave me enough time to set the table and get the girls washed up and then we were having dinner at 6pm.  It still made me nervous to leave something in the oven that long - I was afraid it would be overcooked or boiling over - but my gamble paid off.