More stuff-bored

Individual Seven-Layer Dips

Makes about 8 individual dips

*Note: All measurements are approximate. Depending on whether you want thicker or thinner layers you will need more or less.
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning

1 cup guacamole or make homemade guacamole

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1 cup chunky salsa or pico de gallo; or make homemade pico de gallo

1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced

1 (2.25 ounce) can of sliced olives, drained

9 ounce plastic tumblers

tortilla chips

Directions:

In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans. Some people prefer to mix their taco seasoning with the sour cream layer but I wanted a bright white layer so I did it with the beans.

Here's how the layers are assembled:

Layer 1: beans and taco seasoning

Layer 2: sour cream

Layer 3: guacamole

Layer 4: salsa or pico de gallo

Layer 5: cheese

Layer 6: tomatoes

Layer 7: green onions and olives

In each plastic glass, layer about 2 Tablespoons of the beans, followed by 2 Tablespoons of sour cream, 2 Tablespoons of guacamole, 2 Tablespoons of salsa or pico de gallo, and 2 Tablespoons of cheese. Make sure you drain your salsa or pico to get the excess liquid out before you pour it on. Then top with about 1-2 teaspoons of tomatoes, olives, and green onion (If making ahead of time, wait to add these toppings until shortly before serving).

Garnish with one tortilla chip. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips. Makes around 8 individual dips.














Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Serves 12 ( one cup each)

16 oz. dry spaghetti, cooked
1 lb. Velveeta Light (2%)Cheese
12.5 oz can chicken breast, drained & flaked
1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
1 can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
10 oz. can diced tomatoes & green chilies (Rotel)
4 oz can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1 med. green pepper, diced
salt & pepper to taste
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving.










Cook one lb of bacon, chop up mix with chili, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and green onions.



put in pie dish in oven for 20 mins at 350. enjoy with chips...its bacon cheesy dip




another from the nice kitchen apron blog





buffalo crock pot chicken

3 lb. bag of frozen chicken, Frank's Red Hot Wing's Buffalo Sauce, & a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix.

We put all the ingredients into the CROCK pot:

One of the reasons I love this recipe is the chicken goes in completely FROZEN.  Many times, I lack the organizational skills to thaw things out ahead of time.  But with this recipe, it doesn't matter in the slightest!

I pour the entire bottle of Frank's Buffalo sauce right on top of the chicken.  The original recipe calls for 3/4ths of the bottle, but the first time I made it, we found it too dry.  Now I add the entire bottle and it is wonderfully juicy.  At my son's request, I tried the Frank's Hot Buffalo sauce once.  He liked it but it was too hot for me.  Now we make it this way and if he wants more heat, we add it to his individual portion.

I add nearly all of the Ranch Dip mix right on top of the chicken, put the cover on the crock pot, and cook it on low for at least six or seven hours.

At that point, I pull the chicken breasts out of the crock pot and pull them apart with two forks.  If it is difficult, I know they are not ready.  But usually, after about six hours, they just fall apart.

After all the chicken is shredded, I put it all back into the slow cooker, add a couple tablespoons of butter, and let it cook for another hour so the shredded chicken can soak up all that yummy sauce.

After an hour, all the sauce is soaked up and the chicken is nice and juicy.

Now it is time to eat!  My favorite way to have this is as a sandwich on a toasted deli roll with some melted pepper jack cheese.  But we also use it in scrambled eggs, macaroni & cheese, nachos, on crackers, egg rolls, quesadillas, melt with some Velveeta instead of Rotel to make a dip....

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

• 3 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts
• 1 bottle Frank's Wings Buffalo Sauce
• 1 packet Ranch Dip Mix
• 2 TBSP butter

1. Put frozen chicken, wing sauce, and ranch dip mix into crock pot.
2. Cook on low at least 6 to 7 hours
3. Using two forks, shred chicken & return to crock pot.
4. Add butter.
5. Cook on low for an additional hour.
6. Enjoy!
   
   
   
   
   

   
   

   Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

   barely adapted from Anna Olson, Food Network Canada

   
   

   Ingredients: 

   3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 

   3/4 c. brown sugar 

   1/4 c. granulated sugar 

   1 egg 

   2 tsp. vanilla extract 

   2 c. all purpose flour 

   2 tsp. cornstarch 

   1 tsp. baking soda 

   1/2 tsp. salt 

   1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

   
   

   Directions:

   1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

   
   

   2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.

   
   

   3.  Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.

   
   

   4.  Using a standard-sized cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.  (The tops will not brown, but do NOT cook longer than ten minutes.)

   
   

   5.  Let cool, on the sheet, on a wire rack for five minutes.  Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely.  Makes approximately 3 dozen.  Try not to eat them all.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Ingredients
   
   2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
   2 cans Ro-Tel (I like the lime & cilantro, but the regular is fine)
   1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
   1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
   1 can corn
   1 onion, chopped
   2 cans low-sodium chicken broth
   1-2 cups of water
   1 Tbsp garlic powder*
   1 Tbsp chile powder*
   1 Tbsp ground cumin*
   1 Tbsp dried cilantro*
   
   tortilla chips
   sour cream
   shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
   
   *Instead of these spices, you could include a packet of Taco seasoning if you prefer.*
   
   Put chopped onion, cans of beans, rotel, corn, chicken broth, water, and spices in CrockPot and stir to mix. Put chicken breasts on top of mixture and make sure they're at least partly submerged in liquid. Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours. Before serving remove the chicken breasts from soup and shred, if needed, (sometimes they'll just fall apart on their own, but sometimes they need some help). Return chicken to CrockPot, stir to combine.
   
   To serve put a few tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup over tortilla chips, top with shredded cheddar cheese, (today I used the Kraft Mexican blend and it was yummy), and a dollop of sour cream, serve with more chips if you like. Enjoy!
   
   
   
   
   Slow- Baked Mac and Cheese

   Recipe Courtesy of "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two"

   
   

   

   Ingredients

   
   

   
   

   1 1/2 cups milk

   One 12 oz can evaporated milk (I used skim, evaporated milk keeps the egg and milk from curdling)

   1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temp

   3 large eggs

   1/2 tsp salt

   3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend, recipe calls for Italian fontina cheese)

   1/2 pound elbow macaroni or mini penne tubes, par cooked and drained (this means cook them for about five minutes until tender but not completely cooked)

   Freshly ground black pepper to taste

   1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

   
   

   Spray the inside of your slow-cooker with cooking spray or grease it with olive oil. Combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt in slow-cooker and whisk until until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender to do the whisking for you).

   

   
   

   Add the shredded cheese (not the Parmesan) and macaroni, sprinkle with black pepper (and whatever other spices you want to use). Stir gently with a spatula to coat evenly.

   
   

   

   Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.

   After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender. The macaroni and cheese may sit in the cooker on the KEEP WARM setting for 30 minutes before serving. Before dishing it up, I sautéed some bread crumbs with olive oil and sprinkled them over the top to make it a little fancier.

   

   Serve and enjoy! '