I can safely tell you that I have been looking forward to this post for longer than I’ve even had a blog. People, I LOVE FOOD. It’s why I’m not exactly why I would call skinny, why I like going out to eat, why I’m poor (because of said going out to eat), why I like to bake. Food is life.
Last week for New Years Eve, I went to a housewarming party for my friends, and I went a little early to help make food for the party!! We made some FABULOUS snacks, and I want to share the love. So here you go, everyone….love.
Spicy Pretzels
2 bags pretzels
3/4 c oil
1 (1 oz) package dry ranch mix
1 T lemon pepper
1 t garlic salt
1 t garlic powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
Mix oil, ranch, lemon pepper, salt, powder, & pepper. Drizzle over pretzels and shake to coat thoroughly. Bake on cookie sheets at 200 degrees for 30 minutes, rotate pretzels, and bake for additional 30 minutes.
My Recipe Notes: The more cayenne pepper, the better, BUT remember that the flavor will intensify as time goes on. The heat will be hotter the longer the pretzels sit! Dry pepper flakes also work if you don’t have cayenne pepper on hand. Recipe credit goes to my old work friend Nancy!
Monster Cookie Dip
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
1 c creamy peanut butter
2 c powdered sugar
3 T brown sugar
1/4 c flour
1 t vanilla
1 1/2++ c oatmeal
2/3 c M&Ms
1 c chocolate chips
Beat cream cheese, butter, & peanut butter until smooth. Add in sugars, flour, and vanilla. Mix in oatmeal. Start with 1 1/2 cups and add more for desired consistency. Add M&Ms and chocolate chips. Chill for two hours or overnight. Serve with animal crackers, graham crackers, or other crackers of your choice.
My Recipe Notes: THIS IS THE BOMB. GO MAKE IT NOW. Recipe credit HERE
Chorizo Queso Fundido Dip
1 c shredded mozzarella
1 c shredded queso quesadilla cheese or oaxaca
1 clove minced garlic
8 ounces chorizo
Heat the oven to broil. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the chorizo and garlic and cook through about five minutes. Drain and set aside. In a cast iron skillet or ceramic dish, add the cheese and broil until melted. Top with drained chorizo and serve immediately with tortilla chips.
My Recipe Notes: Don’t skip the draining step! We were running late on preparing this (and had started drinking!), and the result was pretty greasy. We also mixed it all together before broiling instead of topping it with chorizo. Overall it still tasted good!! Recipe credit HERE.
Loaded Baked Potato Skins
4 large baking potatoes, washed
3 T butter, melted
2 t kosher salt
1 1/2 – 2 c of shredded cheddar cheese
7 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Wash potatoes and then cut the ends off of the potatoes and discard. Next cut the rest of the potatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides and edges of the potatoes with butter and sprinkle with salt. Place on the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning potatoes halfway through. When potatoes are done, top with cheese and bacon. Continue baking for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.
My Recipe Notes: You can pretty much use as many potatoes, bacon, & cheese as you want. We did not top with green onions or sour cream – BIG MISTAKE. I love fully loaded potatoes, so I would definitely top with cheese, bacon, green onions, and sour cream. Recipe credit HERE.
Champagne Cake Balls
1 package white cake mix
1 ¼ c Champagne
⅓ c oil
4 egg whites
1 (16 ounce) container prepared vanilla cake frosting
10 ounces white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, Champagne, canola oil, and egg whites at medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 30 minutes. Using your hands, crumble the cake into a large bowl. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, mix in the can of frosting until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Line a baking tray with wax paper. Form small round balls with your cake mixture by rolling between your palms or by using a melon baller. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds until smooth. Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray.
My Recipe Notes: Yeah…I have none. My friend made these. I just drank the leftover champagne and ate all the cake balls. Recipe credit HERE.
There you have it! Five fantastic recipes to use for really any type of party. There’s no need to wait until NYE 2016 to use these. Let me know how they work out for you!
