‘Buffalo Chicken Dip’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Recipe: Creamy Buffalo Chicken Bake

July 30, 2013 · Narrative

The kids and I were discussing what we should have for dinner.

Madeline wanted chocolate chip pancakes. “I know you got them for me when we went out with Miss Sarah, but yours are so much better.”

Keys to my heart? Yeah, she has them.

Nick had a craving for Buffalo Chicken Dip.

And I wanted to avoid being a short order cook.

Do I need to mention it was already after 4 pm and whatever we made required a trip to the grocery store?

Well, except for the Chocolate Chip Pancakes. Because we always have the ingredients for that.

Then I remembered a recipe for a Buffalo Chicken Bake that I had seen recently, one that is a little leaner than the dip we usually make. Ok, a lot leaner.

And so a compromise was reached.

Since the chicken needs to bake for thirty minutes (ours was done in twenty), I could make Madeline’s pancakes during that time, and be efficient. And with a quick run to the grocery store, and just thirty minutes of active cooking time, everyone’s requests were met, and bellies were full and happy shortly thereafter.

Which is mostly my favorite kind of evening.

If you like the heat of Buffalo Chicken, this is an awesome recipe to make. Because it seriously packs a punch. Which means my Mom will not be making this one. But as Nick and I discovered, even though it is hot hot hot and leaves you looking for more and more water, it’s so good, you keep going back for more.

Creamy, pretty healthy and lean, packed with a flavorful heat-packed punch, it was spot on, and kid-approved. Nick inhaled his portion, and we have another recipe to add to our rotation (Madeline has yet to jump on the buffalo chicken flavor bandwagon).

Hungry for more Buffalo Chicken flavor?
These Baked Buffalo Chicken Bites are a crowd pleaser.
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs from Rachael Ray were quick and easy to make, and a perfect party appetizer.

Tomorrow? Birthday reflections.
Thursday? Sharing new chapters in my weight loss journey.
Friday? Celebrating a newly minted 11-year-old.

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Weekend Photos in Review {Instagram Version}

July 15, 2012 · Narrative

I fell in love with Instagram sometime last year. I loved it from afar though, as it wasn’t on my phone (BlackBerry). Those awesome Instagram filters, giving photos a unique feel to them. Love. A few weeks ago, my brother-in-law gave me his old iPhone, so I now have an Instagram account of my very own (you can follow me here). Smitten for sure. This weekend, something new … this Weekend Photos in Review is an all-Instagram version.

{sending fun mail}…

Recipe: Tomato and Salami Salad

April 13, 2010 · Narrative

Tonight Jamie brought a boy over for dinner. A he’s-not-my-boyfriend yet, but she wants to know what we think kind of boy. At first blush, I felt honored that she wanted my opinion. Given the fact that I’m going through a divorce, that means a lot to me. The last time she brought someone over for us to meet, it was a guy she had been seeing for a few months, and it was two days before Christmas. After meeting him, and him spending some time here with us, I gave it a month when she asked me what I thought. Three weeks later, they were done. Of course I didn’t want to be right, as long as she’s happy, but it seems I established a bit of a track record for myself. I even met tonight’s guy before her parents, which tickles me.

So what to make for dinner? Jamie put in a request for Buffalo Chicken Dip and Penne with Vodka Sauce, both easy recipes that everyone likes. I added this Tomato and Salami Salad that, although she hadn’t had it before, the kids like, and Chocolate Decadence for dessert, another can’t-go-wrong crowd pleaser.

Nick took the above shot. I love that he grabbed a chair to get a view from the top, something he hasn’t seen me do before. Maybe I have a budding photographer on my hands.

As far as meeting Jamie’s guy, I think we’re an easy group to hang out with, and having kids around is a great equalizer. They usually make people feel comfortable right away, getting rid of any awkwardness, assuming, of course, that they happen to like kids. And with Nick and Maddie, well, we’re a pretty lively bunch.

Within minutes of walking in the front door, Jamie’s friend had taken off his shoes and was being dragged on the trampoline for some pre-dinner fun, in his work clothes. Big bonus points for going along with the program. Not like the kids gave him a lot of choice though.

For some reason, many dinners with company end with us displaying some of our, um, family talents. One of which being the fact that Nick and I can hang a spoon from our nose. I’m not sure what that says about us, but as a group, it’s a good icebreaker.

Project 365
April 13, 2010, Photo #77

Badi Biddie

There are a couple of things that Madeline has her own made-up words for. Sometimes they have no resemblance to the original word. I have no idea how she comes up with them. Oh to have the mind of a two-year-old. Probably some mix of Dr. Seuss and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory going on inside that little head. She calls pretzels “putt-putts.” Recently, she discovered marshmallows, and had her first one few. For some reason, she calls them Body Biddie (that might not be how she spells it, but we’re going with the phonetic approach here, folks), with her voice inflection going up high on the last syllable. I wish you could hear her, it’s the cutest thing ever, and we all giggle just a little bit whenever she says it. It just might be our new favorite household word.

One last thing before I sign off for the night … the folks at Babble put together their Top 50 list of Mommy Food Bloggers. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do give it a look. You just might discover your new favorite blog right there amongst the glitterati. I like that the list, while it still contains several popular, familiar names, it also has many new-to-me blogs. One of my dear readers nominated me/Sweetnicks under the write-in-your-own-favorite category. I don’t know who did it, but thank you so much – so deeply honored!

February 2010 Recipe Round-Up

March 1, 2010 · Narrative, Project 365

Cheesy Hash Brown Chili. Good, but not repeatable. Next!
David Garrard’s Buffalo Chicken Dip. The favorite of the month, and even made twice in one week. Reviewed here.
Mocha Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies. Good. Nice hit from the caffeine. Interesting sandy texture on the outside of the cookie. Review coming soon.
Deep Woods Salad Dressing. This recipe came from Serena, Food and Stories. Easy and packed with flavor. I served it on a salad at Madeline’s birthday party. Review and recipe coming soon.
Sour Cream White Cupcakes. This one is from the new Cupcake Doctor cookbook. I tried one without the frosting and nearly threw away the whole batch. Luckily, once it had frosting on it, all was right with the world.
Roast Ham with Marmalade Mess Marinade. This is another one from Serena, Food and Stories. Loved it.
Chocolate Chip Dream Bars. These are OMG good. If you haven’t made this one yet, you’re missing out. Favorite #2 of the month.
Veggie Bites. How to make good vegetables bad for you. Review coming soon.
Hershey Kiss Good Fortunes. A fun sweet treat. Review here.
Tuna Cakes. Easy and you likely have the ingredients on hand. A few days later, I warmed one up, and put it in between pumpernickel bread with melted cheddar and spicy mustard. So good.
Roasted Mushrooms and Asparagus. Super simple. Loved this. Review coming soon.
Go Green Stew for Eli. Nick and Madeline made a stew for Eli. He inhaled it so fast, we’re thinking he liked it, but we stopped short of taste-testing it ourselves. He was definitely looking for more the next day.
German Chocolate Cupcake. The failure of the month. You won’t be hearing about this one.
Peanut Butter and Honey Cookies. Favorite #3 for the month. You won’t think they’re anything special. Until you make them. Bet you can’t eat just one….
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Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

February 3, 2010 · Narrative

Thanks so much for voting on yesterday’s post and your comments. I think, for me, that it’s all case-by-case… depending on the person, the situation, the motivation behind the decision … that it’s all about them, you know? That it can’t be decided by age (so my answer would probably be you’re never too old) because it’s a personal decision. I loved hearing what you guys all thought, and it was a nice break from food. And speaking of food, how about some Buffalo Chicken Dip?

When it comes to buffalo wings, I’ve never been a big fan. For two reasons. First, in my pre-kids days, I seriously had an iron stomach and could eat anything. After kids, well, not so much, so I tend to be a little more cautious with spicy things. And the wing thing? Well, buffalo flavored or not, it always seems like an awful lot of work for little reward, you know? When The Ex got them, I stuck to the celery and bleu cheese dip. He didn’t like either, so in that respect, we were a perfect match.

Now when it comes to dip, that’s a different story. And when it comes to Buffalo Chicken Dip, there are a million and one recipes for it, and I’ve made a few. Mostly for the guys, not so much for me. Can’t stand the heat. But I made it last night, and this recipe suggested serving it with Frito Scoops as dippers. Hello, salt. I need no introduction. I am a total saltaholic. I don’t know if it was the Fritos or this particular dip recipe or the combination of both, but I was all over this one last night. Of course, that required a little more time on the elliptical tonight at the gym, but all in the name of good food. And it wasn’t just me. The Neighbor Wife, another one who doesn’t clamor for buffalo-flavored stuff, loved it as well.

The only change I made to the recipe, inadvertently at the time, was that I used real bleu cheese crumbles instead of the bleu cheese dressing the recipe called for. It was accidental at the time, since I had actually bought the dressing, but I would totally make the same switch the next time I make it. This Sunday. We’re celebrating Madeline‘s birthday (ack!!) and the Super Bowl, and this is a perfect party food. Quick, easy, full-on flavor and worth every bite.

Project 365
February 3, 2010, Photo #34

With Valentine’s Day just over a week away, I was more than tickled when I spied this heart-shaped chicken nugget this afternoon. And no, they weren’t made that way. I collect heart-shaped rocks and shells, but I promise I didn’t save this one. I did, however, make Nick grab the camera so I could take the shot before it got eaten. Love is in the air.

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