Spicy Chicken Dip

I tried this stuff at a baby shower a few weeks ago, and I'm kind of obsessed with it. I got the recipe, tweaked it ever so slightly, and made some a few days ago. We have actually been eating it for meals, as kind of deconstructed nachos. Brandon was skeptical at first, but when he smelled it cooking he insisted on trying some...and then his face broke into a big grin!

Spicy Chicken Dip

What You'll Need: 

2 large cans (12.5 oz each) cooked, chopped chicken (or 3-4 cups leftover cooked, chopped chicken)

Scant 1/2 cup hot sauce

1 cup ranch dressing

2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded cheddar, divided

1 tsp onion powder

Tortilla chips and veggies for serving

How to Make It: 

Drain the chicken and place it, along with the hot sauce, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to combine it well. When the chicken is hot, add the cream cheese and ranch dressing. Continue stirring and mashing the mixture until the cream cheese is melted, the chicken is shredded, and everything is fully mixed together. Add the onion powder and half the shredded cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted. At this point you can either add the rest of the cheese and transfer the dip to a serving bowl, or move it to a small slow cooker and turn it on the "keep warm" setting. This stuff is not remotely healthy, but it is amazingly delicious, and I'm really sad that we finished off the rest of our leftovers for lunch today.

Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

Looking for something a little different than your standard grape jelly-chili sauce combo? These meatballs Have a lot of familiar flavor, but with a twist! And who doesn't love cranberries, especially around the holidays?

Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

What You'll Need:

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tbsp finely chopped onion

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 lb ground beef or turkey

For the sauce:

1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce

1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

How to Make It:

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, ketchup, onion, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the beef and, using your hands, smoosh everything together until it's well combined. Shape the mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Place the meatballs on a wire rack set inside a shallow baking pan. Bake them uncovered at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until they're no longer pink. Drain the meatballs on paper towels before you put them in your slow cooker. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan, and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker, and heat them through until ready to serve!