Bacon Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

♥  Happy Valentine's Day, my loves! ♥

While I'm not sharing a Valentine's-related recipe today, I do love you. So I had to bring you something good to eat to show you just how much I love you.  

No those are not bacon-wrapped apples you're seeing. Though that's not a bad idea....

 

























































Those are bacon-wrapped potatoes.

 

Bacon + Potatoes + Cheese. These are a few of my favorite things. *In my Sound of Music singing voice. 

Side note, I watched like 5 minutes of the new Sound of Music musical and man, I like Carrie Underwood and all, but it was pretty bad. Can't replace Julie Andrews.

Anyways, back to my favorite things.... Bacon + Potatoes + Cheese.

We made these for Super Bowl and I'm just now posting them! Silly me. I've been holding out on you guys. Sorry bout that. 

But they're worth the wait. I mean, can you really go wrong with bacon-wrapped potatoes dipped in a queso cheese dip? 

The answer is no.

Bacon Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

adapted from Southern Living December 2012

• 2 medium red potatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• *16 center-cut bacon slices (we used 8 long slices, cut in half)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 12 ounces Velveeta Queso Blanco pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed
• 1 (8-oz) block pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 (4-oz) can chopped green chiles
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease a wire rack and place it in the foil-lined baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle potato wedges with salt. Wrap each potato wedge with 1/2 or 1 bacon slice (your preference). Arrange potato wedges in a single layer in prepared pan. Sprinkle with pepper.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until bacon is brown and cooked through.

Meanwhile, saute onion in butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.

Combine queso blanco, shredded pepper jack cheese, half and half, green chiles and onion mixture in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 and a 1/2 minutes. Stir and microwave 2 and a 1/2 more minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring at 1-minute intervals.

Stir diced tomato and cilantro into queso blanco mixture. Serve dip with potato wedges. 


Printable Recipe


















































I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I used less bacon than the recipe called for. **GASP!** I know, I was in shock too. I don't even know who I am anymore. I use center-cut bacon that are really long slices so I just cut them in half and wrapped them around each potato wedge, so I only used 8 slices of bacon instead of 16. A grad student's gotta save on money when she can! But there's also no such thing as too much bacon. Next time I think I'm gonna splurge and try each wedge with one whole slice of bacon each.

I burnt my potatoes a little bit because I just baked em for the whole time without checking them first, plus I baked them for the full 45 minutes the recipe called for. I changed the timing in this recipe to 35-40 minutes. Even if they burn a little bit, they're still good. But you don't want that bacon to get too dried out. Even cooked the whole 45 minutes, these were still gobbled up in no time.

I could seriously eat the bacon-wrapped potatoes alone, but the queso dip definitely brings it up a notch. See for yourself.


Linking up here.


Peace, and bacon grease!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Can I just tell you how happy I am to be healthy again!?

Last week was the week from hell. I was so sick, throwing up for days and missed a bunch of work and my first week back to school. I never thought Gatorade and water could taste so good when I could finally keep it down.

And now I'm finally back to eating foods!

I slowly but surely crawled my way back into a bacon and sushi-filled life. It's good because I was missing the old me! 

And just in time for The Secret Recipe Club and to make and enjoy this delicious dip from Rachel at The Avid Appetite. She's the cutest! I really enjoyed reading her blog and getting to know her better... sounds like we both share a love of food, our men, and trying new restaurants! I bet we'd be good friends.

Plus the girl knows how to cook a mean dip. That's the kinda friend you definitely want by your side.
 





Spinach and Artichoke Dip
adapted from The Avid Appetite

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 oz fresh spinach, rinsed, drained, and chopped
• 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 1 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese, divided
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• tortilla chips, crackers, veggies and more for dipping
• cooking spray

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Mix in the spinach & artichokes and heat through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Meanwhile, add milk to the saucepan and warm over low heat, being careful not to boil the milk. Whisk in the softened cream cheese. Mix the spinach mixture back into the milk mixture. Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour into a baking dish lightly greased with cooking spray. Top with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.


Printable Recipe

This is the perfect dip for the big game coming up! Who are you guys rooting for? I love me some Peyton Manning :)





 



Linking up here.
 

Peace, and bacon grease!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

Secret Recipe Club time!

This month I was assigned to Brittany's blog, We Heart Vegan. I was intrigued looking through her recipes since I'm not familiar with vegan foods. I was tempted by Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, Vegan Enchiladas with a Creamy Pumpkin Sauce, and Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes, I chose this recipe. 

I am all about pumpkin everything during these fall days! I'll take any opportunity I can to eat something pumpkin flavored! 

Crazy thing is, I used to think I didn't love pumpkin. I'm not big on pumpkin pie actually, but I tend to like most other things pumpkin-flavored.

This dip was no exception. Creamy, a bit sweet, and that comforting pumpkin flavor. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
adapted from We Heart Vegan

Yields: 1 cup (about 6-8 servings) 

• 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• Pinch of sea salt

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well with a spoon until no lumps remain and all ingredients are incorporated.


Printable Recipe


Serve this delightful dip with crackers, cookies, fruit... whatever your little heart desires. 

Or you can eat it by the spoon. 

No judgment here.


Peace, and bacon grease!

Chipotle Ranch Dip

Look what we ate on Superbowl Sunday.

This delicious dip. 

With veggies.

And Grippo's Sweet Bermuda Onion chips.

Bottled ranch just isn't the same as using the package and sour cream. 

And the chipotle peppers add a nice smoky kick.  You'll practically be drinking it.
 

Chipotle Ranch Dip
from Southern Living

• 1 (1-oz.) envelope Ranch dressing mix
• 1 and 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can
• Chips or veggies for dipping

Whisk together first 4 ingredients. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with chips or assorted raw vegetables.


Printable Recipe

This would also be perfect for some chicken wing dippage.

The morale of the story is... this is so easy, quick, and delicious so make it. You may even have the ingredients on hand. BOOM.


Happy Tuesday! 
  
Peace, and bacon grease!

Chipotle Salsa

Earlier this week I promised you Superbowl recipes, and I'm back to deliver. I don't break a promise.

After making some amazing Crab and Chipotle Aioli Deviled Eggs last week, I had some leftover chipotles to use. Can't let those go to waste.

 
























And I knew I wanted to make some apps for snacking during the Superbowl, so Chipotle Salsa only seemed right.

I'm not a huge fan of the jarred salsas. But homemade salsa has opened my eyes to the beauty of a good salsa.

Now I just gotta learn how to make it look all pretty and salsa-y. Next time we make this I'll be sure to take another picture as my salsa-photographing skills need some work. I think I need a new food processor, one that doesn't only hold like a cup of ingredients and therefore doesn't really chop like it's supposed to. It's on the list.


























Chipotle Salsa
from Eclectic Recipes on the Betty Crocker site 

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Hunt's fire roasted tomatoes, undrained 
• 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from a 7-oz can)  
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves 
• tortilla chips or Sour Cream and Onion Doritos for dipping   

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil, stirring frequently, until onion is soft. Add Roma tomatoes and cook 4 to 5 minutes. 

Stir in the canned tomatoes and chipotle chiles. Heat to boiling; then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Place the salsa and cilantro in a food processor or blender. Cover; process with on-and-off pulses until cilantro is finely chopped. Transfer to serving bowl. Serve salsa with tortilla chips.


Printable Recipe

How do you guys like your salsa? Spicy? Chunky? Liquidy? 

All of the above?

I thought so.


Peace, and bacon grease!

Tex-Mex Pinto Bean Spread

This weekend is the Super Bowl, friends! 

I'm super excited! My Bengals, Broncos (love you, Peyton), and Patriots (love you, Brady) aren't in it, but I'll still be watching.

 























And eating of course. 


























Cuz let's face it. For foodies like myself, The Super Bowl is an appetizer fest!


 























So this week I'll be bringing you some appetizer recipes for you to get your Super Bowl on.

Because I love you like that  :)

But for now, for now it's all about this pinto bean dip.

Tex-Mex Pinto Bean Spread
from My Recipes

• 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato 
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, toasted (optional)

Place first 6 ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Place bean mixture in a bowl. Stir in chopped tomato, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if desired.

Printable Recipe

 















You can use this as a dip, or as a spread! After dipping tortilla chips and crackers in it, we had some leftover to spread onto flour tortillas for chicken tacos. 

Mayyyyyyyybe don't use as many pumpkin seeds as I did. I went a bit overload.

Peace, and bacon grease!

Creamy Fruit Dip

It's like a must that I have some kind of fruit dip with my strawberries. 


















But Kroger charges so much for a tiny cup of theirs!

So one day I took a glance at the ingredient list on one of those cups and saw some strange words starting with x and z or something like that, but the main ingredients that stood out to me where marshmallow creme, sugar, and cream cheese. So to the internet I went!

 





 











 I came across this super easy fruit dip recipe. 3 ingredients. Marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. 

Cha-ching!

Creamy Fruit Dip
from Simply Real Moms

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 7 oz jar marshmallow cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Mix together marshmallow cream, softened cream cheese, and sifted powdered sugar in a bowl. Serve with fruit.

Printable Recipe


















Next time I need to sift the powdered sugar to prevent lumps because mine isn't as smooth as it should be. But it tasted delicious, lumps and all!

Of course I find a way to make fruit less healthy :)

Eat up!

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!