Beer Dip

My contribution for game night is a bottle of Vouvray and Beer Dip. Should be one hell of a night, provided I'm on the winning team!

Beer Dip

Yields: 3 1/2 cups

2 packages of cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup beer

1 envelope ranch dressing mix

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bag of Pretzels

In a large bowl beat together cream cheese, beer and ranch dressing mix until smooth. Mix in cheddar cheese. Serve with pretzels.

My suggestion to make this an even more festive appetizer is to put the dip in a glass beer mug to serve.

Oooey Gooey Chocolate Butter Cake

I love looking for recipes on www.foodnetwork.com! I stumbled onto this delicious dessert a couple months ago and just decided to try making it. It was very good, but what else would you expect from something with 2 sticks of butter?

Oooey Gooey Chocolate Butter Cake

Cake Layer

1 stick of butter, melted

1 package of chocolate cake mix

1 egg

Filling Layer

1 package of cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

16 oz powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts (optional, I don't like nuts in baked goods so I don't use them)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9X13 pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the 1 stick melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula.

Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

I sprinkled powdered sugar over mine before severing with vanilla ice cream and it was a big hit!

Creamy Veggie Pasta Toss

Here's what we had for dinner. A great dish full of fresh veggies! The original recipe yields 12 servings, which is a lot, so I only make half of it, but I'll give you the original.

Creamy Veggie Pasta Toss

Yield: 12 servings

12 oz uncooked bow tie pasta

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

2 cups fresh asparagus (about 1/2 pound)

2 medium sweet onions, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, julienned

1/3 cup butter, cubed

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup prepared ranch dip

1/ 2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/ 2 cup minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons mined fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute vegetables in butter for 5 minutes. Stir in broth, cook for 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, dip Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and salt, stir into skillet and heat through. Drain pasta; add to the skillet and toss to coat.

You Craisin' Cookies

A new family favorite cookie recipe. I'm calling them You Craisin' Cookies, apposed to oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chunk cookies, that just doesn't roll of the tongue.

You Craisin' Cookies

Makes: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

2/3 cup butter softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 oz craisins

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in craisins and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Neil's Still Got IT!!!

The Boston 4th of July tradition for many families is to camp out early in the morning, some as early as 2 AM to get a wristband. A wristband allows you access to sit around in the Esplanade in front of the Hatch Shell waiting all day for the performance of the Boston Pops and which ever special entertainment they come up with. Lucky for me this year the special guest was one of my all time FAVORITE pop singers of all time, Neil Diamond! Plus, aside from waiting in line for about 2 hours to get a wrist band we didn't come back until about an hour before the show and wiggled our way to great seats by a family from Philly!

One of the best singers, songwriters, performers and all around get musician Neil Diamond did not disappoint me over the 4th of July celebration in Boston. Yes, of course he did Sweet Caroline which has become a sort of anthem for the Red Sox's and by default the local fans. But Neil also delighted the crowd with Cracklin' Rosie, Forever in Blue Jeans and America. I have video of Forever in Blue Jeans, Sweet Caroline and America in my photo album if you care to view. **Note: the quality isn't the best since we didn't have the stamina to wait around all day to have close spots and I was too excited to hold the camera still for a great video, if anything I suggest just listening to it! Happy listening!

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July!

Things I've learned so far while in Boston:

1. There are only 4 ingredients in good beer. Hops, yeast, water and a grain and it's best to serve beer a little warmer so you can enjoy the flavor. I learned this on the Samuel Adams brewery tour where I got a free glass and three free samples of beer. Even though I'm not a fan of beer it was a good way to spend an hour!

2. J.P. Licks makes one hell of a brownie sundae! Two choices of ice cream (homemade of course) I picked coffee Oreo which was fantastic, two choices of toppings and then hot fudge and whipped cream. 

3. Bostionas are either hardcore about Neil Diamond or celebrating the 4th of July in large groups in public places. This was made evident when we showed up at 8:30 am to get wristband to for the free show tonight and people had clearly been waiting since dawn or before. It was also apparent when you see people hauling in tents, coolers and bags full of groceries! C-R-A-Z-Y!!!

4. Scrambled eggs and half a raisin bagel can be the best breakfast you've ever had if you've been truckin' it around the city for hours on an empty stomach to find your brunch destination is closed for the holiday.

5. These shoes AINT made for walking.... well so far I think my shoes have been a fine choice it's just my darn flat feet that are slowing me down. 

That's that, so far. We still have the rest of July 4th to celebrate! And whatever may come after that!