Chicken Stuffed Croissants

I wish you could taste test through the internet.

I just don't think that anything I can say will do this recipe the justice it deserves. So you should be able to taste test. 

Someone get on that already.

These are seriously SOOOO good. Warm, gooey cheese mixed with chicken chunks, onion, and garlic stuffed inside a buttery, flakey croissant... You know you want a taste test.

Actually, just go in your kitchen and make them. 

Now. 

And then eat them all. 

This is one of those recipes that I'm pretty sure you just can't mess up. You really can't go wrong with stuffing delicious cheese mixtures into bread. 

And they are actually quite filling so I usually serve these as our main dish. However, I have made mini versions for a party once and everyone thought I was cool.

Or they were cool. 

I can't quite remember...

Serve these hot. 

Or cold. 

For lunch.

Or dinner.

In sickness. 

And in...Ok ok. I'm not going to say these are so good you should marry them. 

I mean, that would be crazy...

But seriously. 

Go. Make. Them. Now.

Chicken Stuffed Croissants

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 tbsp butter

1 8oz. package cream cheese

2 cans buttery crescent rolls (regular size)

1 egg white mixed with 1 tsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a skillet, melt butter and sautée onion and garlic until translucent and kind of caramely. Pour the onion, garlic, butter, and cooked chicken chunks over the cream cheese and mix. It is a lot easier to mix if you do it while it's hot. 

On a greased cookie sheet, spread the crescent rolls out. Pinch and seal two triangles together to create a rectangle. Repeat with remaining rolls. (Each package should make four large rectangles.)

Place a large spoonful on each dough square. Pull each corner to the top and seal. 

Once all the rolls are stuffed and sealed, brush a thin layer of the egg white mixture on each top. (I always sprinkle a little garlic salt and shredded parmesan on each one before baking, but that is completely optional.)

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Recipe adapted from: Allrecipes.com

Just say "I do" already.

Roasted Garlic Dip

So I'm not gonna lie. I feel super proud of myself with this one.


This dip was an I'm-craving-garlic-and-cheese-spread-all-over-a-cracker-somehow-and-I-want-it-right-now kind of concoction.


I happen have a thing for cheese and garlic. You're probably sick of hearing me say that, but the truth is...I can't go a day without eating cheese and/or garlic in some way or another.

So the other day I roasted a head of garlic... you know... just because.

But then I didn't know what to do with it.

I seriously considered just smearing the garlic on crackers. But I happen to love my husband. And I just so happen to love being married...

I have a feeling he wouldn't stick around for... that.

So naturally I felt it should be mixed with cheese somehow. I took inspiration from my Parmesan Artichoke Dip, only nixing a bunch of ingredients and all that wait time.

I wanted my dip now! or then.. or whatever. I didn't want to bake it.

Here's my disclaimer: When I made this dip I tossed a little of this and a little of that... I didn't measure anything out.

I do have a very good idea of the quantities of ingredients I used, but just know that this is made "to taste." You can't wreck it. Follow my basic guidelines and if you feel it needs more cheese of
something...then just add it!

Roasted Garlic Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 head of roasted garlic
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
3/4 cup mozzarella
Salt and pepper, a pinch
Red pepper flakes, a dash or two

Directions:
After removing the garlic cloves from the papers, smash them with a fork. Mix all of the ingredients in a  bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is completely melty. Serve with crackers.

I found that this dip is delicious served hot AND delicious served chilled. The flavors become stronger the longer it chills.


I'd like to say that I didn't eat the entire batch of dip by myself...

Guacamole

My idea of vacation is laying at the pool in 95 degree weather and eating tortilla chips with fresh guacamole. Actually my first choice would be on a beach...but whatev.

We spent this last week in a condo at a lake. Ooohh..to be in the sun again. I haven't enjoyed heat and sun since before I was pregnant. This last week was hot, sunburnt, and just what I needed.

My son enjoyed many firsts this vacation. Including vacation itself!

He swam for the first time. He was pushed in a real swing for the first time. He saw a horse for the first time.

And he ate ice cream for the first time! He loved it.

Another thing my wonder child loves?

Guacamole. (he is his mother's child)

I have a serious thing for guacamole. Maybe it has to do with the cilantro...or garlic.

I don't know. If you can smash it and mix it with cilantro, jalapeño, garlic and freshly squeezed lime juice... That's my idea of yum.

Eat it with tortilla chips. Or on tacos. Or on anything.

Or on everything.

Or with a spoon.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 avocados, ripe

3-4 tbsp diced red onion

1 jalapeño, diced

Juice of 1/2 lime

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder (to taste)

Handful of cilantro

Directions:

Mash the avocado to desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients.

It's important to taste test throughout the process so you get the flavor you like. Sometimes it feels right to add less or more of one ingredient. Sometimes I toss in a couple tbsp of salsa. It's all about making it to taste. Make it so you like it. That's the most important part. :)

Don't wait for a reason to make guacamole. It's perfectly appropriate if it's midnight and your feeling munchy...

Parmesan Artichoke Dip

I'm on vacation so I'm keeping this post short. :)

This Parmesan artichoke dip is super easy and super delicious. Every time I've made this it hasn't made it to the end of the party. Sometimes it has a hard time making it TO the party.

Just toss all the ingredients in a food processor and...Process? Chop it up.. Whatever.

Bake in a shallow dish and serve this deliciousness with chips or veggies.

Parmesan Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

14 oz artichokes (not marinated or pickled)

1 package cream cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan (not grated)

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1-2 jalapeños (diced)

2-3 garlic cloves (minced)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. Bake in a shallow dish for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with crackers, chips, or veggies.

 

Spring Rolls

I usually have spring rolls that are cooked; the insides all warm and delicious and the outsides crispy and fried. Well these are the opposite. The vegetables are uncooked and they are served cold.

But trust me in this, they are surprisingly refreshing and extremely tasty. The perfect appetizer to an asian meal.

I made these off a memory of eating them 6 months ago AND three different recipes. I don't even know who to give credit to. My friend Fiona probably deserves all the credit actually because I ate them at her house. Regardless of how they made their way into my kitchen, they were super delicious.


The rolls are filled with vegetables, but also with rice sticks. This pasta sits for a few minutes in hot water until soft. I tossed the veggies and pasta with a little soy before wrapping them. 

I made a garlicky, asian sauce to dip the rolls in. We also dipped them in (store bought) sweet chili sauce. Either way was tasty.

So next time you're making asian food, pick up some ingredients for these rolls. It's a little time consuming, but way worth it!

Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
1/4-1/2 small cabbage, sliced into eatable size portions
3 medium carrots, julienned or shredded
1-2 tbs fresh minced ginger
4 oz rice sticks (a little over half a package)
Cilantro (amount to preference)
4 tbs soy sauce
1 package rice paper

Directions:
Cook the rice sticks according to the directions on the package. In a large bowl combine the first six ingredients.

The best way to make these rolls is to set up an assembly line. You'll need a large plate filled with warm water, a dry plate, and a serving plate. One roll at a time, dip the rice paper in the warm water and let soak for about 30 seconds, until it is pliable but not completely soft. Move it to the dry plate and let it sit for another 30 seconds or until it is completely soft. Place a couple spoonfuls of the veggie/rice mixture in the top third of the paper. Starting at the top, roll the mixture one turn. Turn the sides in and then finish the roll. Repeat until you are completely out of the mixture. 

This process was a little time consuming, and I didn't perfect it till the last plate of spring rolls. It takes some time to get the best technique for creating a tight roll. It really doesn't matter if they are perfect, it only really matters that they're delicious.

I found that the rolls were best served after being chilled for an hour or two.

You need to make these sometime in your life.