Nutella-Yogurt Fruit Dip

In case you haven't noticed, I kind of have a thing for Nutella. But let's be honest here: it's not exactly the healthiest food in the world. However, when you combine it with protein-rich, fat-free Greek yogurt and use it as a dip for fruit, it takes away a little bit of the guilt but still tastes amazing. This dip couldn't be easier and is SO delicious. It is thick, rich, and creamy--I think it tastes kind of like Nutella cheesecake.

Use it as a dip for fruit--I love it with bananas, strawberries, oranges, and apples, and it's also good with fresh pineapple, kiwi, and probably any other fruit you can think of. We also dipped pretzels, marshmallows, and graham crackers in it. I even used some as a topping on some whole-wheat waffles with strawberries and bananas, and I think it would be amazing stuffed inside of crepes. You really can't go wrong here--anything dipped in this magical stuff is bound to be delicious!

 
Nutella-Yogurt Fruit Dip

1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup Fat-Free Plain Greek Yogurt

Mix until completely combined. (If the Nutella is extra thick I microwave it for about 10 seconds so it's easier to stir.) Serve with fresh fruit for dipping. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to one week.

Jalapeno Jelly

Remember those amazing cheddar garlic biscuits I made last week? Well, this jelly is what I smothered them in and it was out-of-this-world-delicious. I love that sweet/spicy/salty combination, so this is right up my alley. I also had this jelly with crackers and cream cheese, and it was delicious that way too. I got this recipe at a church event (but I also found it online here)...we made this together for one of the activities. I promptly brought mine home and had to try some before it had even cooled completely...and I'm pretty sure I've eaten some if it every day since. It is addicting and delicious!

Jalapeno Jelly

1 cup red or green bell pepper, diced (we used a combination)
1/3 cup fresh jalapenos, quartered (seeded if you want it less spicy, I prefer it with seeds for a little more heat)
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
 5 cups sugar
1 pouch (3 oz.) liquid fruit pectin

1. Combine peppers and vinegar in blender. Pulse until peppers are finely chopped.
2. Combine vinegar/pepper mixture with sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, skim foam off of the top. Cool for 2 minutes, then stir in pectin.
3. Pour into sterilized jars and fasten lids. Process with pressure cooker/water bath to seal if desired or refrigerate and store up to 2 weeks. Makes 6 half-pint jars or 3 pint jars.

Barbecue Chicken & Caramelized Onion Quesadillas

This is one of my favorite ways to eat a quesadilla...and I eat a lot of quesadillas, so I should know! This is not your traditional quesadilla, I don't even eat it topped with salsa & guacamole, just plain is great with me. If you really wanted to top it with something I'm sure it would be great with ranch or quacamole, but I think it's perfect just as is.

Barbecue Chicken and Carmelized Onion Quesadillas

1/2 large sweet (Walla Walla or similar) onion, thinly sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 Tb. canola oil
1 Tb. honey
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
4 tortillas
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I recommend Bulls-eye)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. In medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-10 minutes or until onions are brown and caramelized. Stir in honey, barbecue sauce, and chili powder. Stir until well combined. Add diced chicken.
2. Place one tortilla in large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Top half of quesadilla with a quarter of the chicken/onion mixture, and a sprinkle of cilantro, if desired. Fold in half. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas. Cut each tortilla in quarters. Serve with fresh veggies or green salad.

Better-For-You Deviled Eggs

I love deviled eggs. I think they're amazingly delicious, but I've never made them because Corey can't handle the smell of them. This year Corey decided that he could handle the smell of them as long as he didn't have to eat any, so I whipped up a batch for our New Year's Eve party. I wanted to make them healthier, since we were going to be having so much other junk food, so here is the recipe I came up with. They taste as good or better as the original version, but with less fat and calories--and who doesn't want that?

Better-For-You Deviled Eggs

10 large eggs, hard boiled and cooled
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. honey Dijon mustard
salt
pepper
smoked paprika

1. Peel hard boiled eggs. Slice in half lengthwise and remove yolk. Place yolk in medium bowl and place egg whites on large plate or platter.
2. Add mayonnaise, yogurt, and mustard into bowl with yolks. Mix well until no longer lumpy. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place yolk mixture in large pastry bag fitted with flower tip. Pipe filling evenly into egg whites on platter. Sprinkle with paprika and serve immediately or refrigerate up to one day.

Caramel Apple Dip

I made this for a get together with Corey's family tonight. I wanted to have something a little healthier since we've been eating so much junk lately. It was amazing, and I can't wait to try it again! Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Dip

4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
20 caramels, unwrapped
2 Tb. milk
1/4 cup Mrs. Richardson's butterscotch caramel ice cream topping (feel free to skip this if you don't have it on hand, it just adds a little more contrast to the dip instead of pure sweetness).

1. Whip softened cream cheese and brown sugar with electric mixer.
2. Melt caramels and milk in microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. stir until smooth. Add ice cream topping. Let sit in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Mix melted caramel and cream cheese mixture until smooth and well blended.
3. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 days. Serve with sliced apples, fresh pears, or graham crackers. (I also tried it with marshmallows and it was great. It would also be a great sauce for ice cream or apple cake. Yum, yum, yum).

Coconut Chicken Bites

I got this delicious recipe from my sister-in-law Becca and it has made many appearances at my table since then. It does take a little bit of time to make it, but once you taste it you'll know it's all worth it. Serve with dipping sauce for an appetizer or serve with rice, stir fry, and sauce for a complete meal. Either one is great!

Coconut Chicken Bites

2 cups flaked coconut
1 egg
2 Tb. milk
1/2 cup flour
dash each onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with non stick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor or mini chopper process coconut until finely chopped. Place in pie pan. In another pie pan beat egg and milk. In another pie pan combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder.
3. Toss chicken in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture, then in coconut. Place in single layer on a spray baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Place in large bowl and sprinkle with celery salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Toss to coat. Serve warm with your choice of dipping sauces (I recommend sweet & sour sauce, orange chicken sauce, or barbecue sauce).

Egg Rolls

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup minced onion
1 egg, separated
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
25 egg roll shells

1. Mix everything except egg white in large bowl. Spoon 1 1/2 - 2 Tb. filling down center of each egg roll shell. Fold up bottom of shell, then fold sides over and top down. Seal ends with egg white.
2. Deep fry at medium heat for 10 minutes or until golden brown OR spray pan and egg rolls with olive oil cooking spray and bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

Ranch Cheeseball

I honestly have never understood why people buy cheeseball. It's cheap and easy to make, and if you make it at home you know exactly what is going in it so you don't have to worry about any weird preservatives or ingredients. This cheeseball is always a hit and can be made in less than 5 minutes, so it's great for last minute get togethers.

Ranch Cheeseball

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg. (1 oz) Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (dry)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine cheeses, dressing mix, and green onions in medium bowl. Form into ball. Roll in chopped nuts (or parsley flakes if you don't like nuts). Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm. Serve with crackers (I prefer Ritz, honey-wheat Wheatables, and Triscuits). Enjoy!

Southwestern Eggrolls

This is one of my most requested recipes. It's pretty much a classic with the family. The recipe is originally from Todd Wilbur, based on Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls, but after making it many, many times, I adapted it. If I may say so myself, I think mine are even better than the originals.

Southwestern Eggrolls

4 chicken breasts (1 - 1 1/2 lbs), cooked and diced or shredded

2 Tb. vegetable oil

1 medium red bell pepper, minced

1 small or medium onion, minced

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 c. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 c. diced, canned jalapeno peppers

2 Tb. minced fresh parsley (or use 2 teaspoons dried parsley)

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chili powder (I use 1 tsp regular chili powder and 1 tsp chipotle chili powder)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

dash smoked paprika

3 c. shredded Monterey Jack (or Colby jack) cheese

20 7-inch flour tortillas (Mission brand tortillas work best)

Directions:

1. Preheat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and saute for a couple minutes until tender.

3. Add the chicken, corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, and spices to the pan. Cook for another 4 minutes. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.

5. Wrap the tortillas (10 at a time) in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 minute or until hot.

6. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of a tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture. Roll the tortilla very tight. Brush edge of tortilla with a beaten egg and press to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have twenty eggrolls.

7. You can either deep fry the eggrolls or bake them. I prefer to bake them. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, spray baking sheet, and brush each eggroll with one beaten egg. Bake 10-15 minutes or until crispy. If desired, you can turn the eggrolls halfway through baking time and brush the other side with egg so both sides are extra crispy. To deep fry, preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.

Serve with Avocado Ranch dressing for dipping.

Note: I usually chop the onions, pepper, and chicken in a food processor to save time. I just use whatever cheese I happen to have at the time—colby jack is good, but anything works. You might want to cut back on the jalapenos as it can get pretty spicy. For the avocado ranch I just use a ranch dip mix and prepare according to directions and add one or two diced avocados (mash them a little bit when you mix it into the dip). You can halve the batch if you want as this makes a lot. Or you can freeze them (cooked or uncooked), that way you have more on hand without going through the trouble of making them again.