Secret Recipe Club: Caramel Apple Marshmallow Dip

Good morning all!  It's my favorite time again.  Yep!  Secret Recipe Club time!  It's almost like waiting for Christmas every month!  I always look forward to trying a recipe or ten from my assigned blog, seeing who had my blog and drooling over all the delicious food from everyone in the group.

This month, I was assigned Steak N Potatoes Kinda Gurl.  And just let me say, awesome blog!  There is a great variety of recipes and restaurant reviews.  But my favorite thing about Desi's blog is that there isn't anything too gourmet for my family!  Some fancy stuff, sure, but it's all the kind of food I'd make with ingredients that I always have in my cupboards.  Love it!

Now for the recipe!  I chose to make Caramel Apple Marshmallow Dip.  See, I was invited to a get together at a friend's house and I offered to bring something to help out.  She is on a diet (swim suit season is right around the corner) so she requested something "semi-healthy".  I can't tell you how glad I am the she added the "semi" in there.  Because I can't think of one healthy appetizer/dip recipe.  But since it only needed to be "semi" healthy, I  figured a dip filled with cream cheese, marshmallow cream, caramel and toffee bits would qualify since you dipped apples in it.  (Are you lovin' my logic?)  Needless to say, my friend had to start her diet over again because, lets face it, I took a dip with cream cheese, marshmallow cream, caramel and toffee bits in it.  And regardless how many apples you dip in it, there's nothing healthy about this stuff!  But there is something very sinful about it!

Don't let apples have all the fun with this dip though.  Because the strawberries will be very angry if you leave them out.  Thanks goodness I thought to include them, because they were delicious!  But lets be honest here, I'd dip celery in this stuff.  It's luscious!

Caramel Apple Marshmallow Dip
 Serves about 20


8-oz block of cream cheese, softened 

1 cup marshmallow cream 

1/3 cup caramel topping plus more for drizzling 

1 tbsp dark brown sugar 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup heath toffee bits (or however much you want to cover the dip)

2 granny smith apples, sliced 

2 honey crisp apples, sliced

Blend cream cheese and marshmallow cream in a medium mixing bowl until creamy. Add 1/3 cup caramel, dark brown sugar, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to a decorative bowl, or the center of a platter. Drizzle more caramel topping on top and sprinkle generously with toffee bits. If using bowl, place it in the center of a platter and surround with the sliced apples.

Cake Batter Cracker Dip

I'm not sure I've mentioned this before, but I'm a cake-batter-a-holic.  Seriously.  I love cake batter.  Its a wonder that there is ever a baked cake in my house because I eat the batter by the spoonful.  Yes, I'm a little ashamed.  Don't think less of me for my addiction.  But the first step to overcoming it is admitting it, right?  So there it is for the whole world to see.

I do have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only one.  Cold Stone wouldn't have come up with cake batter ice cream just for me.  Although if they did, it would be AWESOME!  Anyway, I'm always trying to find new ways to enjoy cake batter sans the salmonella risk.  (What fun is it to eat something you love if it won't love you back.)  I found this idea on Pinterest--the birthplace of all great ideas and a colossal time waster (move over Facebook).  The original site didn't really have a recipe, just guidelines, but really, its 3 ingredients.  It can't be that hard.

Let me tell you, this dip is delish!  It tastes exactly like cake batter.  I love that I can tailor it to any occasion.  My daughter, Brinlee, will be having a birthday party in February so I'll make this with a strawberry cake mix.  You can also dip a plethora of crackers and fruit.  Chocolate cake mix with strawberries.  Spice cake with apple slices.  Or you can go with just crackers.  We used animal crackers, Nilla Wafers, and graham crackers.  Whatever you do, it will be yummy!

Cake Batter Cracker Dip
Serves about 20

1 box of cake mix (any flavor)
1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt (plain yogurt will give it a tangy flavor)
2 cups cool whip
Powdered sugar to taste (I liked the tang the yogurt gave it, but mix in some powdered sugar if you like it sweeter)
Animal crackers, graham crackers, Nilla Wafers or fresh fruit

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.  Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.  Serve with your favorite crackers. 

**This dip actually stores really well.  I made it on Saturday and here it is, Monday morning and I'm having this for breakfast while I type!  YUM!**

Inspired by:  Lee, Me & the Girls

Bacon Wrapped Lil' Smokies

Lil' Smokies are a weakness of mine.  I love 'em!  They were on sale over Christmas and I bought 18 packages of them.   They are in the freezer right now just waiting for me to eat them.  There are so many things you can do with them.  My kids' favorite way to eat them is in Piggy in a Blanket form.  (Those will also be on my Superbowl Menu.)  But they can be slow cooked in a pineapple BBQ sauce or my favorite, wrapped in bacon and smothered in BBQ sauce.

Bacon Wrapped Lil' Smokies
About 64 smokies
2 (14 oz) packages of Lil' Smokies

1 package bacon

1/4 cup bbq sauce

2 tablespoons water

3/4 cup brown sugar

Mix together the bbq sauce, water and brown sugar and coat all the Lil' Smokies in the sauce. Cut each bacon slice into fourths and wrap around the little smokies. Bake on a foil lined baking sheet at 375 for 45 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked. Serve with more bbq sauce. 

Source:  A family recipe I've been making forever.

Fiesta Bean Dip

This is one of those dips that everyone has a recipe for.  I've seen and tried several different versions, but I always come back to this one.  It's always a hit and I always come home with an empty dish.  Now I have to confess, I'm not a huge sour cream fan.  I cook with it a lot, but I really don't like when its a dominant flavor in any dish.  I solved that problem by mixing taco seasoning into the sour cream to disguise it a bit. 

I like spicy Mexican food, and this dip is no exception.  You can easily spice it up by using jalapeno refried beans and spicy taco seasoning.  This dip is a Superbowl tradition at our house.

Fiesta Bean Dip

Serves 15-20

2 (15 oz.) cans refried beans

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 1/2 cups guacamole

1 1/2 cups salsa

Shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

Sliced black olives

Diced tomatoes

Spread the refried beans in the bottom of a 9 x 13 in pan.  In a bowl, combine the sour cream and taco seasoning and mix well.  Spread over the beans.  Spread the guacamole over the sour cream and the salsa over the guacamole.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese, olives and tomatoes.  Chill for 2 hours before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips or Frito's.

Source:  A Mommy's original recipe

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip

Since the Superbowl is only a week and a half away, I thought I'd share some ideas for party food.  I love to have an excuse to have friends and family over for some good food, good company and of course a little football thrown in.  I usually try to keep the menu simple and do as much ahead of time as I can.  The menu includes both finger foods and something hearty like my Secret Ingredient Chili (I'll share that recipe soon).  Today we'll start with my favorite dip.

A local grocery store makes a version of this dip that I absolutely love!  But it is super expensive so I never buy it.  I just put my blinders on as I walk through the deli section, but I can still hear it calling my name.  Since I obviously can't live without it, I just had to recreate it.  I happened to find a container that was marked down for quick sale so I snatched it up, took it home and created my own version.  Which for the record is better than the store's.  It would be great to serve on New Year's Eve, Super Bowl Sunday or on Tuesday!  So give it a try!

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. dry ranch dressing mix
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions with tops, sliced
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

In a bowl, mix the sour cream and ranch dressing mix.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  For best results, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors blend.  Serve with crackers or veggies.

Source:  A Mommy's original recipe

Piggys in a Blanket

These little beauties are better than your average pigs.  Most of the time these are made with crescent roll dough and hot dogs.  I love that this version is made with breadstick dough and lil' smokies.  The flavor of the smoked sausages just cant be beat.  My kids love making these, and we all love eating them.  Try using the cheddar cheese flavored lil' smokies for a new twist.  We love these dipped in BBQ sauce or honey mustard.

Piggys in a Blanket
Makes 36 appetizers

1 pkg. lil' smokies smoked sausages
1 pkg. Pillsbury bread stick dough
1 egg white
1 Tbs. water
Poppy seeds (optional)

Unroll the bread stick dough and cut into thirds.  Roll each sausage in a piece of dough.  Place on a greased baking sheet.  Mix together the egg white and water and gently brush over the top of the bread dough.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Source:  My friend Carrie S.

Baked Cinnamon Chips

My friend asked me why in the world I'd start another food blog when I already have one that I post on everyday.  There are 2 answers to that question.  First, in January I'll only be posting on my dutch oven blog once or twice a week.  The second answer requires a picture.

This is the contents of what I call my recipe drawer.  It is a 6" high, colossal, unorganized mess!  As I sit here thinking, I have another stack in one of my kitchen cupboards that is almost as big.  And that doesn't include the 100+ pages of recipes I have on CD or the dozens of files I have saved on my computer.  I've never even tried most of these recipes!   See why I need another food blog.  I really need a way to organize all of this.  Whew!  That's going to be a big job.

But for today, I'll share one of my kids favorite treats.  I've been making these forever and my kids love them.  They make great after school snacks and are yummy additions to school lunches.  During the summer I make a fruit salsa to dip them in or a Strawberry Marshmallow Fluff dip.  This is also a great way to get your kids involved in the kitchen.  My 5 year old daughter, Brylie, helped make these.  She doesn't normally have a beard, but it happened to be Pirate Day in kindergarten and she didn't want to wash it off.  She is so funny!

Baked Cinnamon Chips

Flour tortillas (I like the 6" tortillas, but any size will work)

Melted butter

Cinnamon sugar mix

With a pastry brush, spread melted butter on one side of each tortilla.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Be generous with both the butter and the cinnamon, this is one case where more is better!  Cut into wedges or strips and transfer to a baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.  The tortillas should be crispy and curl on the edges, but not browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

Marshmallow Fluff Dip

Strawberry flavored cream cheese

Marshmallow cream

Mix until it is uniform in texture and color and serve with these chips or fresh fruit.

Source:  A recipe I've been making my kids for 15 years.