How to be Popular

Well yesterday was kind of a big deal here in Houston. The Texans, our football team for all you non fans like me, played their first ever playoff game and won! Of course, I could really care less about all that but my husband is a fan. We actually have a deal that football takes over the TV on Sundays and as a trade off, he folds and hangs the laundry while hes watching. A TOTALLY worth it compromise for me.
Anyway back to the story... We had some friends over for the game which started at 3. These are really close friends of ours. The kind who you aren't embarrassed in front of if you have to go get a pizza because the new recipes are not exactly edible. Fortunately, for our taste buds but not so much my diet, I feel like they were a total success. We spent ALL afternoon munching. I don't know that any of us really even ate dinner, chicken on a throne (or beer in the butt chicken as my Grandma used to say) cooked in my hubby's new oil-less infrared deep fryer. Yes, its a pretty awesome contraption and everything we've tried thus far has been good. So, I figured I need to share the knowledge with you guys since Super Bowl is coming up and even if you don't like football you probably get sucked into it that day. Even if you aren't sure about all the football lingo and get annoyed with the hollering at the TV, you can still be the popular kid, just make these dips! -Haha, ok so you may not be the most popular but they really were good.

The first and most obvious game day dip is the Buffalo Chicken Dip. I have made this before but it truly was horrible for you and horribly delicious. The I cam across this modification from the blog Healty and Sane. One of our friends took one bite, then another and said "This is like crack."



Ultimate healthified buffalo chicken dip (serves a crowd)

• 2 poached chicken breasts, shredded - I  bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it then used about half.
• 2 packages (8oz ea) neufchatel (low fat cream cheese), softened
• 1 cup low fat sour cream - I used fat free
• 3/4 cup Frank’s RedHot buffalo wing sauce - I used 1/4 cup wing sauce and 1/2 cup original
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1.5 cups shredded reduced fat cheese, divided -I used cheddar
• Baby carrots and pita chips for dipping - and celery was requested for next time

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven, or toaster oven, to 350*.
2. Mix all ingredients together, hold 1/2 cup cheese. The Kitchen Aid with a paddle attachment does an amazing job of creaming it all together. Super easy!
3. Transfer to 9×5 loaf fan (or another baking dish), sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Broil for 1-2 minutes to get the cheese extra golden on top.

Be aware this make a ton of dip.  I made it earlier that day then put it in the fridge for a couple hours then cooked it right before everyone got here. I may try freezing half before I cook it next time.  I also used a pyrex bowl with a lid. 

Next I made a spinach and artichoke dip found at Joyful Abode. I like spinach and artichoke dip alright but I really just like her name for this recipe 'A-Freaking-Mazing Artichoke Dip' 
Funny right? Well here it is -

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese, warmed in the microwave for 2 minutes on 50% heat to soften it – (Even if you’re making your dip in the oven, pre-microwaving the cream cheese will help you mix it with the other ingredients, so I recommend not skipping this step.)
• A dollop of sour cream – maybe 1/4 – 1/3 cup - I used fat free
• A dollop of mayonnaise – about 1/4 cup
• About a cup of chopped spinach (either fresh, cooked, or frozen, thawed)- Make sure its dry so you dont make your dip runny
• 2 cans or jars of non-marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped -Next time I plan on only using one.
• Garlic salt
• Chili powder – be generous! The cream cheese and sour cream will act to “cool” the dip, so you can sprinkle away with the chili!
• A handful of shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix all ingredients in a baking dish, and sprinkle on a bit more mozzarella, then broil until the cheese is browned.
This one I also made ahead of time then cooked just before our friends arrived.

Last, but certainly not least, a very yummy BLT dip found on a blog appropriately name Tablespoon.Well I think its a blog. Regardless, its wonderful. The hubby's favorite. Eli enjoyed it too...

Sorry for the quality. It was a quick phone snapshot.

As I was cleaning up I was stacking the empty dishes on the table to make room on the counter for all the tupperware. Eli climbed right into the chair, grabbed a spoon, and dug in. In his defense, this dip tasted more like the most perfectly mixed baked potato, then a BLT, to me. Here it is, decide for yourself...either way, its a hit!
Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon - I didn't use quite that much. And I cooked it in the oven while I was making other dips so I could cook it all at the same time. It worked well.
• 1 cup mayonnaise - I used about a tablespoon, I felt like it would be too much with the mayo
• 1 cup sour cream - I used light
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened -I used light or fat free
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• Additional green onions, cooked bacon, tomato, and lettuce for garnish, if desired
  

 Pre heat oven to 350
Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Crumble bacon into mixture and stir. Add cheddar cheese, green onions, and tomato and mix well. Pour into a shallow dish or pie pan - I topped with more cheese, just a little sprinkled - and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with additional green onions, tomato, and crumbled bacon. -Since I used the cheese on top I did not garnish-  Serve with corn chips.

 BLT dip (silver pan), Buffalo Dip (clear bowl), Artichoke dip (red bowl)

 Sorry Guys, I really don't like to take pictures of food. It never looks appealing to me but, I wanted you guys to have some kind of idea.
Anyway I hope you like it. Please share your results and any other game day suggestions!