Okie Dokie Artichokie Dip

I love artichokes. They are delicious on pizzas, amazing in pasta dishes, and great in salads. I love this artichoke dip recipe because it really brings out the bite that artichokes naturally have. Using a little citrus and tangy yogurt makes the artichoke come alive.

Having a can of artichoke hearts in the pantry can be a life saver when you need a last minute appetizer for impromptu company or for those lovely nights when your husband forgets to tell you, until you’re brushing your teeth for bed, that he signed up to bring something for the potluck at work the next day.  🙂

Artichoke Dip

Servings: 8
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

1 can artichoke hearts
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. mayo
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire
1 tsp. lemon or lime juice
1 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Drain artichoke hearts and chop them into bite sized pieces.

Mix all ingredients together and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Yum!

Tips
– Making this ahead of time will help enhance the flavor. Honestly, it’s not that great immediately. Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour if you can.
– I used non-fat yogurt and low-fat mayo.
– Try using Greek yogurt instead.
– Don’t have yogurt? Use  1/2 c. of extra mayo or 1/2 c. of sour cream.
– Serve dip with crackers or veggies.

Quinoa and Salsa… Quick 1 Minute Side Dish Using Leftover Quinoa

This shouldn’t even be a post, it’s so easy! But it was so dang good that I figured I’d post it because that’s the reason I started this blog anyway. I always come up with random stuff to throw together that ends up being really good and then, poof!, I’ve forgotten what I did as soon as I’ve done it. So, here it is…

Quinoa and Salsa

Quinoa, cooked
Salsa

Mix leftover quinoa with enough salsa to coat it completely. Heat in a small sauce pan on the stove until warmed throughout. Yum!

Tips
– I used a really good black bean and corn salsa.
– Try using mango salsa… I think that would work and be delicious!
– Add a few black beans and a handful of corn to bulk up this side dish.
– Add a few veggies, like beans, corn, bell peppers, onions, and avocado and throw the mix into a tortilla for a quick lunch or dinner.
– Serve as a side dish instead of rice.

Roasted Ranch Potatoes

These potatoes are probably common sense but we love them so much I figured I’d post. They are really versatile and easy to whip up in a pinch.

Roasted Ranch Potatoes

Time: 35 minutes
Level: Easy
Servings: 4

3 medium sized potatoes, any variety or you can mix and match
1 tbsp. dry ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°. Cube potatoes into bite sized pieces taking care to make all pieces roughly the same size.

In a zip-loc bag, put potatoes, dry ranch dressing mix, and olive oil.  Close bag and shake until all pieces of potato are coated evenly.

Pour out onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Turn potatoes and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Yum!

Tips
– My best friend, Alissa, introduced me to this one… swap the dry ranch dressing mix for onion soup mix.
– Make up your own spice blend in place of the ranch mix. Try using dill, garlic powder, cayenne, etc. Greek Seasoning is also a great choice.
– Dip them in whatever condiment you like if you want to or just eat them plain.
– Have any leftovers? Save them and mix them with scrambled eggs in the morning and serve wrapped in a tortilla with a little salsa. Yum!

Mexican Cornbread

Mexican cornbread shows up at our house on just about every occasion. A personal favorite… Christmas! Go figure. We have all the normal Christmas fare; dressing, turkey, ham, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, aaaaannnndddd Mexican cornbread. Leave it to us to be bizarre.

Mexican cornbread could very well be a meal in itself. If my husband wasn’t such a die hard meat eater, that is exactly what it would have been for both of us tonight. Instead, I added chicken to his side salad and he was a happy camper.

We had a lot of leftovers when dinner was over but Jason kept going back into the kitchen and eating a bite here and there so now there isn’t quite so much! This cornbread is wonderful at room temperature.

Mexican Cornbread

Time: 1 hour
Level: Easy
Servings: 8

1 can creamed corn
1 2/3 c. cornmeal
2/3 c. oil
2 tbsp. green bell pepper, chopped
2 eggs
1 tbsp jalapeños, chopped
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cheese

Preheat oven to 375 °. Mix all ingredients together.

Pour into a well oiled cast iron skillet.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Yum!

Tips
– This cornbread really does take a full hour or more to bake but it’s well worth it! It might look done on the top but still be gummy in the middle. Don’t be afraid to let the top get a little darker than you think it should. Patience is a virtue with this one.
– I was out of sour cream tonight so I substituted cottage cheese. It worked out great.
– I normally use a Mexican cheese blend but tonight I used some AMAZING Mississippi State Edam. If you haven’t tried it, do yourself a favor and go order some. You WON’T regret it. Go Bulldogs!
https://msucheese.com/