Creamy Jalapeño Popper Dip

Dip is my thing. You know this. I've shared this with you in the past and I just want to restate it one last time: I heart dip. Any dip. The creamier and cheesier the better... There comes a time in every girl's life where she makes a dip that she loves almost as much as she loves her family. Okay, so maybe that was a little exaggerated, but what I'm getting at here is that this recipe for Jalapeño Popper Dip that i'm going to share with you today is one of my new favorite things in the whole wide world. And that's the truth.

The next time you're looking for a dip to make for a party, a get-together, the Oscars (coming up later this month!) I would highly recommend giving this one a try...

But only if you love things that are ooey gooey and delicious. If you don't love things that are cheesy and flavorful and filled with delicious bits of bacon then definitely look the other way and avoid this recipe completely. It's not for you. RUN!

But, if you're like me and you love bacon and cheese and jalapeño poppers, then you're going to be in heaven when you taste this dip. And you're going to want to make it again and again and again. 

And you will make it again and again and again. Your husband will also ask you to make it again and again and again. And... when you think you've had it too much and that you can't possibly eat it again, a friend will ask you to make it for your next get-together. 

Basically, I'm gifting you this delicious dip recipe today because I care about you and your well-being. I want you to be happy and I want your friends and family members to be happy, too.

So, just make the dip. The end.

Jalapeño Popper Dip:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients: 

• 1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeños
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese
• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 7 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 tablespoons sliced green onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine jalapeños, cream cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, jack cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and bacon (reserve about 1 tablespoon for garnish!). Make sure the mixture is well combined and there are no huge lumps of cream cheese. Spread mixture into your baking dish (a pie pan works great!) Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the top. 

Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until dip is bubbly and cheese is melted. 

Top with green onion and crumbled bacon, or you can add some sliced jalapeños!

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Sweet & Smoky Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

This past weekend the fam and I went to the local Chili cook-off where we got to try some of the most delicious and also some of the spiciest chili I have ever tasted. My insides are still recovering from the amount of heat that was packed into some of those tiny little taster cups. The truth is, though, there was one thing I ate that day that stood out among everything else... and it wasn't chili. It was a bacon-wrapped shrimp that was doused in soy sauce! I can still taste that divine little shrimpy...

If you know me, you know that I like shrimp, but I don't loooove shrimp. Shrimp and I don't have any beef, we pretty much see eye-to-eye and we get along, for the most part... But, after I tasted that little bacon-covered bite of deliciousness, I knew that our relationship was going to change in a big way, and it did... I knew I had to make my own version of those little gems and I had to make them right away.

So, last night I pulled out the big guns and made my very own bacon-wrapped shrimp, but I decided to add a little sweetness, a little garlic and a little something extra to mine to make them even more delicious. It totally worked. What I'm about to share with you might change your life forever... and I hope it does. I hope that you can never go back to your "normal" life... I hope that you will be a changed woman (or man) and that you will look at life through different eyes...

Okay, so I might be getting a little carried away... The shrimp are good, no, scratch that -- they're great -- but maybe, just maybe, not life-altering.

You might just have to make them for yourself and see if anything changes... then get back to me. For research purposes, of course.

These little shrimp would be a fabulous appetizer at one of your holiday parties, and they are great served atop a heaping pile of Sesame noodles! They're packed with flavor and sweetness with a hint of smoke from the bacon. Enjoy!

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Sweet & Smoky Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp:
{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 1 pound medium, raw shrimp, deveined and tails removed (about 36 shrimp)
• 9 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut bacon slices into 4 equal pieces and wrap each shrimp in one of the quarters, securing with a toothpick. Place on a large baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, pepper and sesame oil. Drizzle half of the mixture over the top of the shrimp, brush with a pastry brush to coat and set remaining sauce aside.

Place shrimp in preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes, brush remaining sauce over the top, return to oven and cook for additional 5-7 minutes, or until bacon is cooked and shrimp are pink.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Bacon Wrapped Pulled Pork Stuffed Jalapeños aka "Piggy Poppers"

(BBQ Pulled Pork + Cream Cheese + Cheddar Cheese + Bacon + Jalapeños = Perfect Appetizer!)

I'm going to tell you a little secret right now... are you ready? I love poppers. I love them so, so, so much. I could eat 20 of them in one sitting... Okay, so maybe I shouldn't brag about that. I've actually never gotten to do it, but I know I could... I have that much faith in myself.

This past weekend hubby and I were in a snacking mood. I don't often find myself wanting a snack, but when I do, I want it more than I have ever wanted anything in my whole entire life. That means, when the craving hits, there is no stopping me. I'm like a crazy, hungry, whirlwind of emotions. 

One of the problems I always seem to come upon when I'm making poppers is a lack of proper protection for my hands. Meaning: no gloves. Someday, it's my goal to have a pair of gloves designated specifically for my popper making. They will have their own special little box with gold embellishments and a beautiful inscription. But, until that day comes... I will just try really, really hard not to touch the insides of the peppers as I deseed them. I will also go as quickly as possible and I will not rub my eyes... again. 

For this weekend's special snack I decided that we would need to go all out. I made a small batch of BBQ pulled pork in the crockpot, I bought a pound of bacon, a block of sharp cheddar cheese, a package of cream cheese and, of course, a bunch of Jalapeños. 

These little guys were the best tasting poppers we've ever had! The sweetness of the bbq pork was a perfect addition to the mix and even caused a delicious caramelization on the bacon. Yum! We lovingly nicknamed these "Piggy Poppers" because of the sheer amount of pork in each pepper! Almost too much goodness to handle! Whip up a batch of these for the next football game and you're bound to have guests (or spouses) drooling and begging for more!

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"Piggy Poppers"

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pound pork loin roast
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 pound bacon, cut in half
• 1 - 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 12 fresh jalapeños

Also needed:

• Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place pork roast and chicken broth in slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours. Remove from slow cooker, place in bowl along with bbq sauce, and shred. Set aside.

Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise, remove seeds and place on (lightly greased) baking sheet. Fill the bottom of each jalapeño with about 2 teaspoons of cream cheese (depending on the size of your pepper.) Top with about 1 heaping tablespoon of the bbq pork mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Wrap bacon half around the pepper and secure with toothpicks.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and jalapeños are soft.

The Monday Sundae

For years now my daughter has been talking about starting her own restaurant. She's 7 and she has decided that her goal is to have a family restaurant where the children get a sucker on their birthday. A cherry sucker, specifically. She has also decided that there will be an ice cream sundae on the menu called the "Monday Sundae" and it will help you get through the long week of work/school. She has been begging me for months to help her bring her vision of the Monday Sundae to life, so I thought it was time to finally see it through...

We wanted the Monday Sundae to be the most comforting ice cream treat in the whole world. It had to give people a warm, fuzzy, happy feeling that would help ease them into the work week... We all know how hard it can be to get out of the "weekend mode!" So, we had to start with a base of something that was so amazing, so ooey-gooey, warm-you-from-the-inside-out delicious that all other things would pale in comparison... soooo... we used a Warm Cinnamon Roll. Oh yes, we went there...

Next we scooped on a heaping pile of Butter Pecan Ice cream, because it is most definitely a comforting ice cream... We followed that up with a massive amount of Salted Caramel and finally, the pièce de résistance, Chocolate Covered Candied Bacon. How badly are you drooling right now?

Let me warn you, though... This is probably the best ice cream sundae you will ever taste. The Chocolate Covered Candied Bacon alone is absolutely mind-blowing... Plus, the caramel?! And the cinnamon roll?! You must think we're crazy... But, I promise you, this time, our craziness has paid off and because of our craziness you will be able to fly through the week and the weekend will be here before you know it. And guess what... from now on you will look forward to Mondays because the Monday Sundae is here to help you.

Monday Sundae:

{Print Recipe}

INGREDIENTS:

4 Slices Bacon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 jar caramel dessert topping

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 cinnamon rolls

Butter pecan ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack (coated with baking spray) over the top. Coat both sides of the bacon with brown sugar and place on the rack. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is firm and crisp. Remove from oven and immediately remove from rack. Place on parchment paper and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Meahwhile, heat chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl until melted, then, carefully spoon it over the top of each strip of bacon and allow it to cool. Once it has cooled you can break it into pieces.

Add sea salt to jar of caramel and mix well.

Place warm cinnamon roll into your serving bowl, top it with a giant scoop of butter pecan ice cream, as much salted caramel as your heart desires, and finish it off by sprinkling the chocolate covered bacon over the top.

You now have the most comforting dessert in the entire world at your fingertips… You can now conquer the world.  

Makes 4 Sundaes.

The Best Stuffed Mushrooms Ever

Here in California it seems like we've somehow missed Spring. It's been mid-70's weather for weeks now and i'm totally not complaining because I know most of the country has been experiencing snow-crazed weather, but seriously, where's my Spring? The only real benefit to this that I can see is that it's caused my darling husband to break out his grill, spatula and tongs and once again take his position as Grill Master. I love when he becomes Grill Master for the Spring & Summer seasons because that means I get the night off from cooking (with the exception of the side dishes & appetizers, of course!) 

Which brings me to today's recipe... what i'm about to share with you will change your life. Hopefully. No, no... I know it will... I made these amazing stuffed mushrooms this past Friday to go along with some juicy steaks my dear hubby was going to barbecue and we loved them so much that we made them again on Saturday. They are really that amazing.

If you love creamy, garlicy, bacony goodness and you love mushrooms then you're going to fall madly in love with these delicious mushrooms. I love them so much that I'm picturing them in my mind and debating making them again tonight as I type this. Once you've made these you will either love me because I've introduced you to the best stuffed mushrooms you have ever tasted or you will hate me because you will never be able to eat another stuffed mushroom as they will never ever compare to their awesomeness. Either way, prepare yourself for the tastiest thing to hit your mouth since... well... since whatever the last tasty thing was that you ate... 

The Best Stuffed Mushrooms Ever:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 12 white button mushrooms
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3 strips bacon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter (or oil)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook bacon and reserve about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease. Allow bacon to cool, then crumble. Remove stems from mushrooms, mince and place into medium skillet over medium heat, along with reserved bacon grease and minced garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, bacon and garlic/mushroom mixture. 

Fill a mushroom with [about] a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and place into shallow baking dish. Repeat with all mushrooms.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and filling is starting to brown.

Allow mushrooms to cool slightly then, try really, really hard not to eat them all within a minute or two.


Linked To:

TipJunkie

Top 15 Bacon Recipes for Super Bowl

The big day is almost here! Super Bowl is coming which means Super Bowl food is coming! I'm going to be completely honest here when I say that, for us, Super Bowl is all about the food! Now, don't get me wrong... I do like to watch the game... while I eat my food. I'm a huge appetizer/dip/finger food kinda girl and Super Bowl is a time when I can really just be myself and eat a huge bowl of buffalo chicken dip and 10 stuffed mushrooms without anyone passing any judgement on me because it's "normal." Thank you, Super Bowl!

Today I've put together a list of 15 of the best Bacon recipes out there! All of these bacon appetizer recipes are perfect Super Bowl Party foods! If it were up to me, I would make every single one of them this year... but I have a feeling my arteries would be so clogged afterwards that I wouldn't be able to continue on for the rest of 2014... and that would be bad... So, I will probably limit myself to just 7 or 8 of them instead ;) 

Enjoy!!

Avocado Bacon Egg Rolls via Home Cooking Memories

Bacon Wrapped Smokies via Lil' Luna

Bacon Ranch Cheese Log via Diddles & Dumplings

Bacon Cheeseburger Dip via Raining Hot Coupons

Cheesy Bacon Bombs via Oh Bite It

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Hot Dogs via Barbara Bakes

Blue Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms via Supper for a Steal

Cheesy Spinach Bacon Quesadillas via Sprinkled with Flour

Warm "Crack" Dip via Plain Chicken

5 Minute Pimento Cheese Melts with Crispy Bacon via Climbing Grier Mountain

Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers via Closet Cooking

Shrimpies in a Blanket via The Lucky Penny Blog

Beer Candied Bacon via Tide & Thyme

Chicken Bacon Artichoke Dip via Pip & Ebby

Bite Size Bacon Double Cheeseburger Puffs via The Slow Roasted Italian

Bacon Ranch Cheese Log

Today is New Year's Eve! Can you believe it? Where has this year gone? There have been so many wonderful things that have happened to our family this year, the best of them being the birth of our second child! Our baby boy is going to be 8 months old in just a few days... He has brought such joy to our lives and has made this year one of my favorites! There have also been a lot of big opportunities for Diddles & Dumplings this year. I can hardly believe that I was able to be a part of some huge projects this year and I can't wait to see what next year holds!  

This year, like most other years, we hosted Christmas at our house. It was a great day filled with great fun, great company and even greater food! For me, personally, I always look forward to the appetizers. Dips, cheese balls, bacon-wrapped-this, fried-that, you know... the good stuff! This year I decided to whip up something that I know all you bacon-lovers will enjoy. Well, enjoy is definitely not a strong enough word... you will, you will... take a bullet for it. Let's put it that way. I thought i'd share the recipe with you today in case you're looking for a last minute idea for some New Year's Eve party food! It's pretty, it's tasty and it will be loved by people of all ages. It's pretty much the most perfect food that ever existed. The end.

Bacon Ranch Cheese Log Recipe: {Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 (1 ounce) package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Crackers to serve

Instructions:

Combine cream cheese, ranch dressing mix and cheddar cheese. Form into a log shape, about 2" wide, roll in plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is best!). 

When you're ready to serve, roll log in bacon pieces and serve with crackers.

Linked to:

Craft-o-Maniac , Nibbles by Nic, Tip Junkie, Hun...What's for dinner?, Pint Sized Baker, Our Table For Seven, Chef in Training, Nap-Time Creations

Garlic Bacon Mushrooms made with Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I love cooking with different types of ingredients and trying out new things, but sometimes I love just using what I know will taste amazing and what I know works for my recipes. For the recipe i'm going to share with you today, I used Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil to do all my sautéing.  I've cooked with this oil quite a bit in the past and I always love how amazing my recipes come out when I use it! It has a great flavor and is perfect for sautéing! It's a super high-quality product that is very affordable -- which is a huge plus!

It's also great for roasting veggies and browning meat for stews... Perfect for that cool-weather cooking! Oh, and I'm also going to be using it to make a big batch if Pesto this week -- yum! 

For the very special recipe I have prepared for you today, I decided to use a few of my favorite things! Mushrooms are one of my favorite things to cook with... So is bacon...And Garlic... and Pompeian Olive Oil, of course... Which is why I came up with the recipe below for Garlic Bacon Mushrooms. Makes sense, right? This recipe is great as an appetizer, a topping for steak, chicken, pork ... Or simply just eaten by the forkful as you stand over the pan. The possibilities are endless, really...

Garlic Bacon Mushrooms Recipe:

Ingredients:

16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms

8 cloves fresh garlic, minced

6 slices bacon

2 tablespoons Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove and set on paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease and add 2 tablespoons Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add garlic, cook for two minutes then add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms for 7-8 minutes. Add bacon and cook for additional 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve. 

Makes about 2 cups.

Click here to download a $1 coupon for any Pompeian Olive Oil

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**I was provided a free Pompeian product for review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.**

Beer Mac and Cheese with Bacon

I have another recipe for you... I know, I know... I'm too generous! This one is simply amazing and perfect for any Oscars Night Celebrations, parties or gatherings you might be having. As i'm sure I've mentioned before, my hubby is a craft beer enthusiast and he loves when I use craft beer in my cooking. In order to appease him... Is appease a good word for that? I think so. In order to appease him, I decided to use some more of that delicious Cabot cheese... the Seriously Sharp variety, which is, by far, my favorite one! It's tangy and the flavor is out of this world! It's so good and unique that I can't even properly describe it. You just have to taste it...

So, anyways, I decided to use my Seriously Sharp Cabot cheese and some Blue's Golden Ale from 16 Mile Brewing Company to make a creamy, cheesy, insanely-flavorful macaroni and cheese loaded with bacon. Yes, you heard right... BACON! It turned out absolutely divine. Make this tonight for your husband/boyfriend/fiance and show him how much you love him, because this dish really does scream "LOVE" -- every last cheesy bite of it.



Beer and Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe: {Print Recipe}

Ingredients:
1 pound Shell Pasta (cooked to al dente and drained)
12 ounces bacon (cooked, crumbled and divided)
3 tablespoons reserved bacon grease
6 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces beer (amber, golden or lager - I used 16 Mile Brewing Company's Blue's Golden Ale)
1 cup milk
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
2 cups Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded and divided)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a dutch oven (or large pot) add bacon grease and butter and melt over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in beer, milk and cream. Cook for 2-3 minutes, while whisking, or until mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in all but 2 slices of bacon. Remove from heat. Add 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese, paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir until cheese has melted. If mixture seems too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of cream until you reach the consistency you want. Add cooked noodles and mix well.

Place mixture in a lightly greased 2-1/2 quart baking dish. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup (remaining) cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Top with remaining bacon pieces.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and delicious.

Check out these other Academy Award-Worthy Dishes:

Santa Fe Chicken Dip

Buffalo Wings

Chicken Bacon Italian BBQ Pizza

Chicken & Corn Chowder

Cheesecake Brownies