Chorizo Queso Dip

I am such a sucker for cheese dips. It is a snack I can never say no to. Unfortunately my husband does not share my love for cheese dips. But he did really enjoy this dip. He said it was more filling than the other cheese dips I have made. I loved how creamy the dip was and the chorizo added not only spiciness to the dip, but great flavor. 

Chorizo Queso Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces chorizo
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups half and half
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese
• black pepper, to taste

For Serving

• tortilla chips

Directions:

1. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Remove the chorizo from the casings if needed, add the chorizo to the skillet and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes, breaking up the sausage as it cooks.
3. Transfer the chorizo to a paper towel lined plate and drain all the oil in the skillet leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.
4. Add the diced onion and poblano to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and peppers are soft, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add in the garlic and cook stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
6. Whisk in the flour and cook stirring constantly until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
7. Reduce the heat to low and gradually whisk in the half and half.
8. Whisk in the tomato and cook whisking constantly until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat and gradually stir in both cheeses until melted and smooth.
10. Season with black pepper and stir in the chorizo.
11. Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 361
Total Fat		27.7g
Saturated Fat		14.8g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		96.2mg
Sodium		617.9mg
Potassium		45.5mg
Total Carbohydrates		7.9g
Dietary Fiber		0.8g
Sugars		2.3g
Protein		20.9g
Vitamin A 9.5% Vitamin C 0.1%
Calcium 17.9% Iron 3.1%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Damn Delicious. 

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Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

I previously made these Crunchy Granola Bars and they were a hit with the family, however the amount it made was a lot and I knew I needed to make a smaller batch. So while I worked on making a smaller batch I also worked on a peanut butter variety. The result is a delicious peanut buttery crunchy granola bar.

I will say reducing the ingredients and baking the bars in a 9x13 instead of a sheet pan made the bars slightly thicker and not quite as crunchy, but still just as delicious and crunchy.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup whole almonds
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375º F.
2. Line an 9x13 baking dish with aluminum foil.
3. In a large bowl combine the oats and oil until well mixed and oats are evenly coated with oil.
4. Spread the oats out into an even layer on the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
6. Remove the oats and reduce the oven temperature to 300º F.
7. Place the nuts into a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.
8. In a small saucepan combine the honey, brown sugar and 3 tablespoons peanut butter. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
9. In a large bowl, with a rubber spatula, stir together the oats, nuts, honey mixture and 1/4 cup peanut butter until everything is evenly coated with the honey mixture.
10. Spray the foil in the baking dish with cooking spray.
11. Spread the oat mixture on the prepared baking dish spreading it into an even layer. Spray the bottom of a measuring cup with cooking spray and firmly press the oat mixture into the baking dish, creating a firmly packed even layer.
12. Bake until golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
13. Cool in the baking dish, on a cooling rack, for 10-15 minutes, then cut into bars. Make sure you cut all the way through and then allow the bars to cool completely.
14. Do not wait longer than 15 minutes to cut the bars as they harden up significantly as they cool and you will have a very difficult time cutting them into bars.
15. Store the bars in an air tight container on the counter for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 181
Total Fat		9g
Saturated Fat		1.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat		1.6g
Monounsaturated Fat		2.9g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		0mg
Sodium		31.7mg
Potassium		17.5mg
Total Carbohydrates		22.9g
Dietary Fiber		2.3g
Sugars		10.2g
Protein		4g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0.1%
Calcium 0.6% Iron 5.8%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

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Make Again Monday: Marshmallow Latte

My family loves to eat marshmallows plan, but I prefer the flavor of marshmallows in my coffee. I am still working on a latte that uses marshmallows instead of marshmallow topping, since I always have marshmallows in my pantry. I just haven't got it quite right yet. 

To see the recipe and original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Firehouse Sausage Chili

The addition of Italian sausage to chili is such a tasty change. My whole family loved it. Plus it is super easy to make. You brown the sausage and then dump everything in a crock pot and let it cook. It does not get much easier than that.

Firehouse Sausage Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Italian sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 15.5 ounce can dark red kidney beans
• 15.5 ounce can light red kidney beans
• 16 ounces frozen corn
• 2- 10 ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups low sodium beef broth

Optional Toppings

• shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• pickles jalapeño slices

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown the sausage.
2. Drain and fat and transfer the sausage to a crock pot.
3. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and stir to mix.
4. Cover and cook on low heat for about 6 hours.
5. Serve with optional toppings if desired.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:
I used 1 pound hot Italian sausage and 1 pound sweet Italian sausage.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 483
Total Fat		23.8g
Saturated Fat		8g
Polyunsaturated Fat		1.1g
Monounsaturated Fat		6.1g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		78mg
Sodium		1253.8mg
Potassium		669mg
Total Carbohydrates		37.5g
Dietary Fiber		8.7g
Sugars		6.4g
Protein		30.6g
Vitamin A 11.8% Vitamin C 11.5%
Calcium 10.2% Iron 18.3%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen.

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Crispy Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This sandwich is a take on my Spicy Chicken Sandwich. I kept the chicken the same, but instead of a hamburger bun with lettuce and tomato, I used bread and made it a grilled cheese with bacon.

This sandwich is such a delicious combination of a spicy chicken sandwich and grilled cheese with some bacon added in, cause bacon makes everything better. The crispy spicy chicken and bacon pair so well with the melty cheese.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup Franks Original Red Hot Sauce
• panko bread crumbs
• 8 slices bread
• 8 ounces cheese, shredded or sliced
• 8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Put a rack onto a cookie sheet and spray the rack with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl.
3. In another bowl pour the Franks sauce in.
4. In yet another bowl pour some panko bread crumbs in.
5. You will have three separate bowls at this point. Put the flour bowl first followed by the Franks bowl and last the panko bowl. This will make it easier for the dredging process.
6. Now take your chicken breasts and cut them to approximately the size of your buns (some hanging out is not a big deal you just don’t want too much hanging out.) If you chicken breasts are thicker than approximately 3/8 inch you will need to either pound them down or cook a bit longer in the oven.
7. Working with one chicken breast at a time, coat it in the flour mixture, then coat it in the Franks sauce, then coat it in the panko bread crumbs and then place onto the rack.
8. Once all chicken breasts have been dredged and coated put into oven for 20 minutes.
9. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
10. Sprinkle or place half of the cheese on 4 slices of bread.
11. Place the chicken on top of the cheese followed by the bacon slices.
12. Sprinkle or place the remaining cheese on top of the bacon followed by a slice of bread.
13. Carefully place the sandwiches into the hot skillet and cook on both sides until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown.

Enjoy!!!

You can use any cheese you would like, I use muenster cheese because that is one of our favorite.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 728
Total Fat		28.7g
Saturated Fat		13.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat		1g
Monounsaturated Fat		0.4g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		80mg
Sodium		1604.7mg
Potassium		186.6mg
Total Carbohydrates		55g
Dietary Fiber		3.8g
Sugars		5.1g
Protein		62.8g
Vitamin A 29% Vitamin C 1.5%
Calcium 48.1% Iron 14.8%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

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Brown Sugar Banana French Toast Casserole

Bananas are cooked in a brown sugar mixture to create a caramel like sauce that is used to fill the french toast casserole. Then the casserole is topped with a crumble topping. This whole casserole is prepared the night before and then baked the next morning. A sweet and decadent breakfast casserole.

Brown Sugar Banana French Toast Casserole

Ingredients:

Brown Sugar Banana Filling

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3 firm yellow bananas, sliced

French Toast

• 8 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 15 ounces French bread, cut into large cubes

Crumb Topping

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

Brown Sugar Banana Filling

1. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter.
2. Add in the brown sugar and maple syrup. Cook stirring constantly for a few minutes until the mixture is well mixed and smooth. If lumps remain use a whisk to remove the lumps.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and gently stir in the bananas.
4. Set the mixture aside and allow to cool to room temperature while you prepare the rest of the French toast.

French Toast

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half and half, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
2. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Place half of the bread cubes into the prepared baking dish.
4. Spoon half of the banana-brown sugar mixture over the bread cubes and then top with the remaining bread cubes.
5. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Lightly press down on the bread cubes to allow the top bread cubes to absorb the egg mixture.
6. Spoon the remaining banana-brown sugar mixture over top of the French toast.
7. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Crumb Topping

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.
2. Pour in the melted butter and use a fork to mix the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is evenly mixed and the mixture resembles wet sand.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Baking

1. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Remove the French toast and the crumble topping from the refrigerator and uncover both.
3. Crumble the topping over the top of the French toast.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 40-55 minutes or until the bread has puffed up and is golden brown and the center is set.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 683
Total Fat		24.4g
Saturated Fat		11.6g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		3.4g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		235mg
Sodium		667mg
Potassium		210.1mg
Total Carbohydrates		97.9g
Dietary Fiber		1.3g
Sugars		37.6g
Protein		18.3g
Vitamin A 6.7% Vitamin C 29.5%
Calcium 12.1% Iron 19.9%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Celebrating Sweets.

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Bacon, Beer and Cheese Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are simmered with the typical ingredients and dark beer for subtle beer flavor. Then just before serving, bacon and cheese are stir in to add more flavor. 

Bacon, Beer and Cheese Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 cup dark beer
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
• 6 hamburger buns

Directions:

1. In a large skillet cook the bacon on medium-high heat until crispy.
2. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain the fat, leaving 2 tablespoons. If your bacon does not leave enough fat for 2 tablespoons add some olive oil.
3. Add the onions to the skillet and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Add in the ground turkey and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until well browned, about 5-6 minutes.
5. Add the ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, beer and beef broth.
6. Stir everything together and cook until the sauce starts to reduce and slightly thicken. The sauce should be reduce enough that when a spoonful is placed on top of each other it does not spread more than 1/2 of inch.
7. Stir in the bacon.
8. Add in the cheese cubes and stir just slightly to start melting them. You want pockets of melted cheese in the sloppy joes.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:
I used turkey bacon and added a little bit of olive oil to make 2 tablespoons.

I used Guinness for the dark beer.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 503
Total Fat		24.2g
Saturated Fat		12.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		133.3mg
Sodium		732.6mg
Potassium		171mg
Total Carbohydrates		30.8g
Dietary Fiber		1.7g
Sugars		5.9g
Protein		38.8g
Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 2.2%
Calcium 33.2% Iron 19.7%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Dinner then Dessert.

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Make Again Monday: Green Chili, Chicken and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

I hope you are enjoying my Make Again Monday recipes, I know I am. With almost 1,500 recipes on this site it is super easy to forget about some of the recipes, like this one. So I have been enjoying revisiting some of the "forgotten" recipes on this page.

To see the recipe and original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Dark Chocolate Latte

A mocha has never been my go to coffee drink, unless it involved white chocolate. But when I saw a recipe for a dark chocolate latte, I knew I wanted to make it. White chocolate is my favorite, but dark chocolate is my second favorite. After a few attempts I got the latte just right and it tastes fantastic. The dark chocolate flavor comes through perfectly making it the prefect latte for anyone who loves dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Latte

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons dark chocolate sauce
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, hot

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan stir together the milk and chocolate sauce.
2. Heat over low heat until the milk is hot, but not boiling.
3. Whisk the milk until frothy or use a blender to make the milk frothy.
4. Pour the hot coffee into a mug and pour the frothy milk over top.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

I used my Homemade Dark Chocolate Sauce in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 257
Total Fat		4.2g
Saturated Fat		2.6g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		7.5mg
Sodium		172.1mg
Potassium		377.3mg
Total Carbohydrates		45.2g
Dietary Fiber		1.5g
Sugars		39g
Protein		7.7g
Vitamin A 7.5% Vitamin C 1.5%
Calcium 18.8% Iron 12%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Inside BruCrew Life.

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