Festive Pumpkin Dip

I'm back!  I apologize for my serious lack of posts last month.  December is a crazy time of preparing for the holidays and celebrating the holidays and all.  I had so much going on, and so much on my mind, that I had little time or energy to dedicate to blogging.  

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite recipes from the holiday season.  It was introduced to me by my good friend Danielle.  She made it for a party and brought me the recipe because she knew I would want to blog about it.  She was SO right!  I ended up making it for two family gatherings over the holidays, and it got rave reviews.

It's a pumpkin dip, and you all know how much I adore pumpkin.  Me and pumpkin...we're tight.  Amazingly, though, nobody knows there is pumpkin in this dip unless you tell them.  It tastes like a taco dip, and it is oh so yummy!

Festive Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients: 

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

2 Tablespoons taco seasoning

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup dried beef (I used beef jerky and chopped it up in a mini food processor.)

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/3 cup chopped red pepper

1 can sliced ripe olives (I also chopped these up in the mini food processor.)

Italian bread, crackers, pretzels, or veggies

Directions:

1.  Beat cream cheese using an electric mixer until smooth.  Add pumpkin and beat until combined.  Add taco seasoning and garlic powder and beat until mixture is smooth.

2.  Stir in remaining ingredients.

3.  Chill before serving.

Source:  Danielle 

Beer Dip

I like drinking beer, but I LOVE baking and cooking with beer!  I repeat, I LOVE it...in all capital letters.  First I discovered these savory beer pork chops, then I discovered this amazing beer bread, and later I stumbled upon this delicious beer and cheddar risotto.  

Oh, but it didn't stop there!  My sister found the recipe for an addicting beer dip when we were celebrating my grandpa's birthday in beer-themed fashion.  It is to die for!  I made it again for my birthday and proceeded to eat most of it myself.  

Beer Dip

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup beer

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

pretzels

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.  

2.  Add beer and salad dressing mix and beat until smooth.

3.  Stir in shredded cheddar.

4.  Serve with pretzels and refrigerate leftovers.

Source: Taste of Home

WARNING!

You cannot say I didn't warn you.  This Corn Dip is SO addicting.  You will be tempted to sit down on the couch with a bag of Fritos Scoops and a bowl of this dip and just eat to your heart's content.  Do NOT do it.  You will overdose, and then you won't like the dip as much any more.  And that would be a shame because it's delicious.  

My sister-in-law, Rebekah, brought this dip to our family gathering earlier this month, and everybody was begging for the recipe.  She kindly shared it, and I made it for a party last weekend.  It was my first attempt, and it wasn't quite as good as Rebekah's, but it still got rave reviews by guests.

Corn Dip

Ingredients:

2 cans Mexicorn, drained (I used Green Giant 11 ounce cans...doesn't seem like a lot, but it sure is!)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup mayo

3/4 cup cup sour cream

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (I didn't use the entire bunch because it looked like a lot...I would use them all next time.)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (I didn't use the entire bunch because cilantro is not my favorite...I liked it better with less cilantro.)

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

2.  Enjoy!

Party Food!

Last weekend, I was blessed to be able to spend some quality time with my sister, Jill.  She recently moved to the big city of Minneapolis, and I have missed her!  She and her new roommate had a little housewarming party in their beautiful apartment, and a good time was had by all.  

Here they are enjoying some beergaritas (which are delicious, by the way)!

    

They were kind enough to let me make this delicious Hawaiian Cheese Bread.  Although we couldn't find the loaf of Hawaiian bread that the recipe called for, one package of Hawaiian rolls was a decent substitute.  It turned out really cheesy and wonderful!

Hawaiian Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf (1 pound) Hawaiian sweet bread

1 block (8 ounces) Swiss cheese

3 slices red onion, chopped

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cut bread diagonally into 1-inch slices to within 1 inch of bottom.  Repeat cuts in opposite direction.  Cut swiss cheese into 1/4-inch slices; cut slices into small pieces.  Insert into bread.  Combine the onion, butter, garlic and salt; spoon over bread.  

Wrap loaf in foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve warm.

Source:  Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious, April/May 2011