Spinach and Artichoke Hummus

I love spinach artichoke dip, I love hummus. So...really...it just makes sense to combine the two! They're both delicious dips. They're both crowd pleasers. They both took some time for me to warm up to.

Yepp. When I first tried spinach and artichoke dip I was not sold. However, my best friend insisted we share it every time we went to Friday's together so I eventually grew to love it. And hummus I wasn't sold on, until I had my 10th bite. Then I couldn't get enough. Which is exactly what happened with this hybrid. At first I was all, "Ohhh...hmmm...I dunno."

And now I can't stop shoveling it into my face. Same thing with Michael. He was like "Eh, it's ok." 20 minutes later he yelled, "TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME I CANNOT STOP EATING IT!"

Thank goodness we got to the point of being unable to stop eating it becaaause...I totally should have waited to make this until there was a party, because it definitely makes a large party-sized amount. I was a little overwhelmed when I realized how much hummus I had just made. So--be prepared for that. If you're not planning on bringing it someplace, halve the recipe. You'll still have plenty. Not that any that I made went to waste. Oh nooo-I ate it right up. Yes yes yes!

And the taste? Honestly...it's exactly what you'd expect. It's like hummus merged with spinach and artichoke dip. 

So, yeah. That's the story of how Kayle got some veggies into her system thanks to hummus!

Sour Cream, Spinach, and Onion Dip (Lightened Up)

So...um...I guess it's football season?

I dunno, my brother and facebook feed seem pretty stoked.

I don't make a secret about the fact that I am not the kind of girl who likes or cares about sports (some people may say I cram the fact down their throats...I say that people who like sports try to cram it down mine so only fair). Here's the deal: where I come from...sports, especially football, is like...a huge deal. First of all the Midwest in general is super into the sport. Then, also, everyone knows how Ohio-ans are about Ohio State. Oh and Catholics love Notre Dame (my grandma, for instance). Oh and Canton (the city right next door to my hometown, where I went to high school) has the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oh yeah and Massillon (where I'm from) has the longest running high school football rivalry (Massillon vs. McKinley)-is generally all about football (Paul Brown, of the Browns-as well as many other football players-went to Massillon's high school). They're so football crazy that every little boy born in Massillon hospital is given a football at birth. And here I am, this un-coordinated, uber-girly, just...not sporty girl. And people tried SO HARD to make me like sports, especially football, that all it did was make me like it less.

So there you have it, a reason for my insanity.

Now, all my personal dislikes aside, I completely support people's desire to be into sports.

And even more so...I completely support the consumption of copious amounts of delicious foods at the parties, games, tailgates, etc etc. that go along with the sporty tradition. So, in honor of all of you-sports lovers and haters alike-let's eat some dip!

I don't know if any of you care but...ya know...if you wanna avoid a football season gut...or I dunno maybe delay it or minimize it (?)-this dip has a little bit of a secret weapon: it's been lightened up.
There's still sour cream, for taste. But it's also made with Greek yogurt (I used 2%) AND-in addition to, obviously, onions-spinach. You can't really taste the spinach, and I am by no means saying it makes this dip a health food but it's still spinach and it still gives you a bit of nutritional value. So, yay. :P

Funny story about this dip: I didn't love it at first. I thought it's onion flavor wasn't...well...onion-y enough.

Michael wasn't a big fan either, he thought there was too much onion (he didn't like biting into onion pieces). 

So I speculated on ways to potentially solve this problem: obviously chopping the onions as small as possible buuut...I'd already tried my best with that (secret shame: I'm awful at chopping). I thought maybe I could puree the cooked onions? (I'm still curious about the idea). 

Regardless, there we were, with a TON of dip, staring at it and trying to figure out how we'd finish it.

But then...something magical happened. I don't know if the extra time in the refrigerator made the flavor get more integrated over time or if it just grew on me but, um, I got addicted. Like...couldn't stop eating it. All the fears were for naught, I finished that bad boy in a few days. 

No shame.

If you like sour cream and onion stuff you'll like this (even if it means you don't eat it until after it's sat in the fridge for a day or two :P) Trust me. Would I steer you wrong? That's right.

Guest Post at Whipped Baking--Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles!

Today I'm guest posting at the FABULOUS Whipped Baking! The writer, Kristina, and I have become fast friends and I was thrilled when she asked me to guest post on her gorgeous blog while she is visiting NYC (here!). She features tempting treats-but with a healthier edge, you guys should absolutely look around and check her stuff out when you go over there. It's one of my favorites, and I am so excited that I am lucky enough to be guest posting. So, if you want to check out her wonderful blog, and the recipe for those delicious peanut butter pretzel truffles (so addicting--you will seriously eat 10 before you even realize what you're doing), hop on over there! Tell her I say hi! :)

Cheesy Chicken Dip (A Continuation of The Worst Housewarming Party Ever)

If you've read this previous post, you know I had a very anticipated and quite disappointing housewarming party. But c'est la vie, what's done is done! Anywhozzle, I made this chicken dip to serve as well. It's one of Michael's favorites, and honestly...just about anyone else who has had it. My mother was given this recipe by an old co-worker, and it's been a family favorite ever since. She now routinely brings it to big get-togethers. Speaking of which, I just returned home from a blissful (yet busy) 5 day visit home in Ohio. Michael's cousin, Jimmy, got married (CONGRATS JIMMY AND DIANA!), and we were visiting for the wedding. And I figured, I might as well make it a little longer of a stay so I can see some people! I haven't been home since Christmas, so it was so nice to see everyone :). As always there were people I didn't get to see, and that's always sad. But on my last day in Ohio, my mom's whole family came together at my Grandma Jo's house for the last Sunday at her pool, and to see me. It was just wonderful. I got to see my cousins, play with their adorable babies (so weird...other than Farrah I'm the next one in line to have a baby! Chill out all, not for a few years.), and just visit with loved ones I don't get to see often enough! Oh yeah, and there was food. I made some amazing cookies. And, my mother made her Cheesy Chicken Dip! As always, it was beloved. And now I shall share it with you:

Cheesy Chicken Dip

4 Layer Cookie Bars + The Worst Housewarming Party Ever

If you've been reading this blog/if you know me at all, you know how excited I was/am about our new apartment. So excited I decided to throw a housewarming party! The apartment's not huge so I wanted to make sure not to invite too many people (especially because some people might bring other people...etc.), but I also wanted to invite enough that people would actually come. I made a facebook event, and texted, inviting somewhere around 10-15 people, with around 2-3 weeks notice before the date. There were more people I would have loved to invited, but, again, space issues. I was so thrilled! A good amount of people told us they would at least maybe be coming, and some said they were definitely! I planned the menu, bought lots of soda, bought snacks, made cheesy chicken dip and 4 Layer Cookie Bars (recipe below). I decided to make the 4 Layer Cookie Bars because they looked good, but also like the kind of thing that are perfect for sharing (not like the thing you want to hide away all to yourself...like a certain chocolate decadence I will post sometime). I cooked, we cleaned the entire apartment, and then pretty much spent all of party day waiting...and waiting....and waiting. 2 people ended up showing up. One of them was my neighbor who's door is like 2 feet from mine. It was a disaster (don't get me wrong, Robert and Brandon were fun and I was so happy they came but....table full of food, me dressed up, music playing....4 people total). I was completely devastated. I started texting extra people. I got, all on that day, a barrage of texts from people cancelling (for perfectly good reasons, I'm not mad at anyone for not coming, I understand. It just figured they all would have something come up on the day of the one party I throw). It was just dead. I kept fighting back tears. Barely any of the food got eaten. Poor Michael had to eat practically nothing but chips for a couple weeks. And I ate way more of these cookie bars then my tummy should have allowed me. The cookie bars came out great, Robert and Brandon raved about them-definitely make them when you're entertaining! The moral of this story, for me, though, is that I just should not throw parties. They always end this way. *sigh*

4 Layer Cookie Bars

Adapted slightly from Picky-Palate "The Motherlode Layered Cookie Bars"