Chocolate Chip Truffle Bars

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There are so many people in my immediate family, and since we all have crazy schedules we find it hard to pick a date and time when everyone is available to celebrate birthdays. My oldest brother turned 40 this month, and we aren't due to celebrate as a family for another few weeks, but I couldn't let this momentous occasion go by unnoticed. I'm sure he wanted to be reminded of it, too!!! Riiight.

On his actual birthday, I showed up at his office with a few surprises. Balloons, of course, and a little gift I made. I saw it on Pinterest and knew it would be perfect to make. I decorated a shoebox using decorative paper and mod podge, layered floral foam inside, topped it with some shredded green paper, and then added 40 assorted lollipops inside with a sign that read "40 Sucks!" So that was the "bouquet" I brought him. I thought it was the best gag gift. Not sure how he felt about it... :) I added some pictures below in case you're interested. They aren't the best quality because I was using my Blackberry, but you get the gist!

I also made him this chocolate chip truffle dessert. It was a cinch to make and so decadent. I couldn't taste any because of this silly old thing called a diet, but my brothers and mom all said it was delicious and very rich. My brother said it was even better the next day after being in the refrigerator overnight. Yum! Enjoy :) 

His cake!

Here's the front of his "bouquet"

Here's the back side...so cute!

Surprising him at work!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For bars:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix

For frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom of a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together softened butter and egg. Stir in cookie mixture until soft dough forms. Press mixture in bottom of pans, using floured fingers.

Bake 19-21 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes.

 

In medium saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar, milk, chocolate chips and vanilla. Continue to whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Allow to cool slightly and then spread over cooled cookie.

 

Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Once cooled, using frosting with a tip or a gel pack to decorate. Top with your favorite candy.

 

For bars, cut into 7 rows by 5 rows.

Source: For bars: Betty Crocker; For frosting: Cooks.com

Chicken Sausage, Peppers and Onions

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My goal to stay on a low carb diet is still going strong, and it's surprising how many recipes I've found or come up with that are actually fitting. I thought for sure that once I started I'd be having salads every night. I'm so glad that's not the case because I like variety and I don't think I'd be as successful if I had to have the same meal over and over again.

I've been reluctant to try any flavor of turkey or chicken sausage until Christmas when my sister-in-law served some with dinner. I just feel like sausage needs to be made with pork in order for it to be good, but she instantly proved me wrong. I tried the Italian and Garlic flavored chicken sausage, which were both delicious! I don't know why I was so hesitant to try them since I love both chicken and turkey, so I'm glad she pointed me in the right direction. My mom suggested making my usual Sausage, Peppers and Onions but modifying it to fit my low carb diet, which turned out great and didn't taste much different. Hope you enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 links Mild Italian Chicken Sausage
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Add the chicken sausage and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, flipping so that all sides are evenly cooked, so about 8-10 minutes total. Remove from skillet and cool slightly. Cut the sausage into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil to a large skillet. Add the onions and peppers and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and cooked sausage. Cook for a few minutes until sauce is warm and thickened. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Chicken Parmigiana

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Chicken Parmigiana. An Italian classic and one of my favorites at that. Albeit it might not be one of the healthiest things in the world, but it sure is one of the tastiest.

I served this when we had Chris' family over for dinner and I'm glad I did. I didn't want something that took a lot of time because I wanted to be able to enjoy our company. Since I made my homemade marinara sauce that morning, it was ready to go by the time I had to make the cutlets. I breaded them beforehand and stored them in the refrigerator in between sheets of plastic wrap. About 15 minutes before our company arrived, I began browning the chicken so that when they got there all I had to do was put it in the pan, pile on the sauce and cheese and pop it in the oven. This really is a perfect dinner to make when expecting guests! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1-1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• Canola or vegetable oil
• 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pound cutlets until 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in shallow plate. In separate plate, whisk eggs. Put breadcrumbs in a separate plate. Dip each cutlet in flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs, allowing excess to drip off in between each plate.

Heat 1 tbsp. canola oil over medium-low heat. Cook breasts on each side until brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, heat the marinara sauce until hot. Coat the bottom of the pan with marinara sauce. Lay the chicken pieces on top and cover each piece with a generous amount of marinara sauce.  Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. 

Cook in the oven for 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way through and cheese is melted. Serve hot with pasta.

Source: SK Original

Asian Grilled Salmon

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Here's another recipe that's low carb, easy and delicious. I feel like most people I know enjoy salmon, and it's a definitely go-to of mine when I'm trying to eat healthy. It can be made on the grill, stove top, in the oven or on an indoor grill (which is what I did), so it's convenient no matter what your setting is.

My favorite salmon recipe of all time was posted here on The Savvy Kitchen a while back, but this is a close second. I like Asian flavors, so it didn't really surprise me that this was a front runner. Both recipes also used Dijon mustard, so I guess I can conclude that I enjoy a little mustard on my salmon. It gives the fish a little kick. I paired it with a side of wilted spinach, which was the same recipe I used when I made Seared Scallops. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 1.5 lbs.)

For the marinade:

• 2 tbsp. whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced

Heat grill and spray with olive oil to keep the salmon from sticking.

While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Place the salmon skin side up on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 5 to 6 minutes (or longer depending on how thick your salmon is).

Remove skin from the fish. Transfer the fish to a flat plate and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Serve warm or room temperature.

Source: Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Bruschetta Steak

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This tomato, red onions and balsamic vinegar mixture is a perfect compliment for beef, chicken, or seafood. The flavors are fresh and crisp, which makes a light, yet hearty, dinner. I'm also trying to keep a low-carb diet until the wedding, so this fits the bill perfectly.

I have never been great at cooking steak indoors, but this broiling technique worked wonders. And it didn't even smoke up the kitchen. Score! Chris probably appreciated it since he usually gets stuck making the steak whenever that's in one of my recipes. Or else I cook it on my indoor grill, which takes twice as long. This recipe will definitely have you going back for seconds. Hope you enjoy!

Printable Recipe


Ingredients

• 2 lb. flank steak, fat trimmed
• Salt and fresh pepper
• Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 tbsp. basil leaves
• 1/2 tbsp. parsley

Pierce steak all over with a fork. Season generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder and set aside about 10 minutes at room temperature.


In a large bowl, combine onions, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Let onions sit a few minutes with the salt and balsamic to mellow a bit. Combine with tomatoes and fresh herbs and adjust seasoning if needed.


Heat grill or broiler on high heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes on each side for medium rare or longer to taste. Remove from grill and let it rest on a plate for about 5 minutes before slicing.


Slice steak think on the diagonal; top with tomatoes and serve.


Source: Adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Quick Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

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Here's the recipe for the frosting I used when I made my brother's chocolate birthday cake. Like I said, this was a perfect recipe. Many times when I try chocolate frosting, they are way too sweet or not sweet enough. This was a perfect balance and the consistency was perfect. It was thick, but melted in my mouth.

Oh, and I trick I found while spreading icings like this (ones that are a little thicker) is to run your knife under hot water before spreading. It makes the icing spread smooth and it doesn't take up chunks of cake along the way. It really works and makes my life so much easier!

OH, and one more trick. Don't you love these? Before you put your cake on the serving dish to ice it, lay two pieces of parchment paper (side by side) underneath. That way, when you're spreading the icing and any gets on the bottom you don't have to worry about cleaning it up. Just pull the parchment paper from either side of the cake and your clean-up is done! So simple! Enjoy :)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 6 Tbs. milk, plus more, if needed
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Put the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler set over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, the 6 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Source: Williams-Sonoma

Moist Chocolate Cake

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Since my family is so large, we draw names once a year to see who gets to make whose cake. This past time I got my Dad, but since I was sick on his birthday, my mom graciously swapped with me. I ended up getting my older brother, Mike, which I didn't mind one bit. Some people in my family (I won't mention names) request extravagant and multi-step cakes, so I was happy with Mike's request of chocolate cake with a marshmallow filling. Simple enough!

I decided to use Ina Garten's chocolate cake recipe since it had such great reviews. I made a few tweaks to it and it still came out perfect. For the marshmallow filling he requested, I just made a batch of the filling I used when I made Whoopie Pies a while back. I already knew I liked it, so why mess with that? The chocolate buttercream frosting, which I'll post later this week, was thick and creamy and chocolately, but not overwhelmingly so. Just what I wanted. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Cooking spray for greasing pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line bottom with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

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Everyone loves potatoes. Mashed, loaded, baked, fried, salad...there's something for everyone. And everything they're in is so, so good. But the carbs. My goodness, the carbs. Those little suckers will get ya.

Not to worry! If you're like me and are getting married in a few months and are trying to cut back on those cruel things (or if you're just trying to eat healthier/lose some pounds), I've got the solution for you. Now, I'm not going to lie. Obviously these aren't going to taste exactly like classic mashed potatoes. They aren't made of potatoes, so they just won't. But I really think they are the closest thing you'll get to it.

I made these low-carb so I didn't want to add a lot of butter or cream like traditional mashed potatoes, but I still wanted them to taste as close to them as possible. I added the usual ingredients like salt, pepper and garlic. But the trick was the Laughing Cow Cheese slices. These little slices are crazy. They're packed with so much flavor, come in a bazillion flavors and the light ones have only 35 calories per slice!! Plus they completely alter the taste of something bland like mashed cauliflower. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did! They're perfect for your 2012 diet!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 (20 oz.) package frozen cauliflower
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1-2 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese Light, Creamy Swiss flavor (or whatever you prefer)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• Herbs such as parsley, optional

Heat water in a large saucepan. Put frozen cauliflower in the pan and heat to boiling. Once boiling, cover and lower the heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender.


Drain cauliflower and put in a food processor. Add garlic, salt, pepper and 1-2 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese (depending on your preference). Pulse until combined. 


Slowly drizzle in a small amount of olive oil until the cauliflower becomes the texture of mashed potatoes. Spoon into a bowl and top with herbs.


Source: SK Original

Quick Garlic Toast

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Pretty much every time we eat pasta, it is accompanied by some type of bread. Carb overload? Yes. But necessary? Even more yes.

I usually have some Texas Toast on hand or Chris stops at Panera on his way home from work to pick some up, but pasta was a last minute idea when this Garlic Toast came into play. We had recently gotten back from going to Mario Batali's restaurant/grocery store, Eataly, in New York (completely amazing by the way) where we purchased some pasta and sauce that we decided to try. Since no bread was in sight except for our regular sandwich bread, I had no other choice. This combination really worked, though! It was garlicky enough and the Parmesan and herbs really enhanced the flavors. So next time you have a bread shortage like we did, try this one out!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 slices white bread
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. basil leaves
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the garlic, basil, oregano and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined.

Preheat broiler to medium.

Place slices of bread under the broiler and cook until light brown. Remove from oven and place toasted side down on a cutting board. Spread mixture over the top of each slice (uncooked side), reserving a small amount. Place pieces of toast back under the broiler with the buttered side facing up. Allow to cook for a few more minutes until golden brown. Remove from broiler and spread remaining mixture over top. Enjoy!

Source: SK Original

Pasta with Bacon and Shrimp in a Tomato Cream Sauce

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I don't think it's any surprise that one of my favorite things to cook is pasta. Shrimp is a close second, and you can never, ever go wrong with bacon. Ever. Put them all together? And you get this.

Despite the bacon and pasta, it's still a surprisingly light dish that will definitely leave you satisfied. It's a nice twist on traditional pasta recipes and everyone will enjoy the layers of flavors. I made this on a weeknight and it was done in no time. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. thin spaghetti
• 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, add 1 tbsp. butter. Heat the oil to medium heat and cook until shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a separate large skillet until crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined dish to soak up extra oil. Once cool, chop into small pieces.

Meanwhile, drain leftover bacon grease from the pan. Add about 1-2 tbsp. of the grease back into the pan. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until onions are tender.

Add diced tomatoes, chopped bacon, diced tomatoes, white wine, milk, basil and red pepper flakes.  Turn heat down to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp back to the pan for 1-2 minutes to heat through and then toss sauce with pasta. Add 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir until combined. Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan cheese.

Source: SK Original 

Flatbread Pizzas

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Around Christmastime when I was trying to keep myself on a budget and had a lot of other things to take care of, I relied on one of my many go-to dinner recipes: pizza. Instead of making my own pizza dough, I was just going to make English Muffin pizzas like my mom always used to make. However, when I was in the bread aisle of the grocery store I came across these cool mini flatbreads and I just couldn't resist!

I decided to make three different varieties of pizzas: an "Everything Flatbread Pizza," a "Pesto Flatbread Pizza," and a "BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza." Variety is my friend. And I'm sure those who you are serving these to will appreciate it as well! Although it seems like a lot of ingredients, most were already on hand and it took hardly any prep work. This would also be a great appetizer for a get-together since it's so quick and easy and can be cut into small pieces. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 pieces of small flatbread
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 green onion, chopped
• 1 jar canned black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
• 1 cup pesto sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1-2 cups cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange flatbreads on two baking sheets.

For "Everything Flatbread Pizza": Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over flatbread. Sprinkle Mozzarella over the pizza sauce and top with green onions, olives and pepperoni.

For "Pesto Flatbread Pizza": Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce over flatbread. If dry, add a little olive oil on top. Sprinkle a thin layer of Mozzarella cheese and then add tomato pieces on top.

For "BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza": Combine cooked chicken with 2-3 tbsp. barbecue sauce. Spread a thin layer of barbecue sauce over flatbread. Top with Mozzarella cheese and then add the coated chicken pieces and slices of red onion.

Cook flatbreads for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  Cut each flabread into quarters. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Happy 1st Blogiversary!

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Today is The Savvy Kitchen's 1 year Blogiversary! Woohoo!!

Thank you to everyone who has continued to read and support me this past year. I've had such a fun time trying out new recipes and documenting my adventure. I truly enjoy reading each and every one of your comments as well, so keep 'em coming in 2012! I hope everyone has a magical new year :)



Source



Steak and Eggs

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Who doesn't like waking up to a warm, home-cooked breakfast? Once in a while I'll be super lucky Chris and will treat me to this. It's one of his specialties and it's always a treat to wake up to. And since breakfast is my favorite meal, it works out in his favor!

I'm not a huge steak girl, and having it for breakfast absolutely never crossed my mind, but when we had some leftover steak that we bought on sale Chris immediately had the idea to make Steak and Eggs. I know it's a well-known dish, but I never thought steak and eggs would go together. Especially not for breakfast. If you're like me and have never eaten this before, I suggest you do. It has slowly become one of my breakfast dishes and I guarantee the same will happen to you! And since steak can always be found on sale, it's a money saver as well!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sirloin steak, about 1/2-inch thick
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 6 large eggs
• 1-2 tbsp. 2% milk
• Cooking spray

Season the steak with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet medium-high heat. Once the pan begins to smoke, add the butter. Immediately add the steak and cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until it reaches desired doneness. Remember, the steaks will cook quickly since they are so thin and are over such high heat. Remove steaks from skillet and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk and salt/pepper to taste. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add egg mixture and let set. As the bottom of the eggs begin to cook, pull the eggs across the pan towards the center. Turn the pan so uncooked egg mixture fills the gap. Continue to do this until the eggs are cooked through all the way.

Serve steak and eggs immediately with your favorite steak sauce. Enjoy!

Source: Chris

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

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My family is big on traditions. Some have been passed down for generations, some were forgotten for a few years and then started back up again, and some are my parents' doing that we've done since we were little. The one tradition my dad has passed down that he is very adamant about takes place during the holiday season. It was his mother's tradition, and after she passed away when he was in his 20's, it was something he knew he wanted to keep passing down. 

He gets Bayberry candles and sometime during the holiday season, we each have to burn the candle in our homes. It brings happiness, wealth and good luck. The only catch is that you can't burn the candle out--it has to keep burning all at one time until it is fully melted. Hazardous, maybe, but something I know I will continue doing and will be sure to pass down to my kids.

Before I started dating Chris, I had never heard of the well-known tradition of eating Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's Day for good luck. Since this is something his family has done and continues to do to this day, we have started doing it as well. Last year we forgot until last minute and just took spoonfuls of beans out of a can to say we at least had our share. This year, we remembered early and I wanted to make something to mask the taste of the beans (we aren't huge fans). This dip was perfect and I can definitely see myself eating it on occasions other than New Year's. It resembles a Mexican dip, which is fine by me!

Happy 2012 to you all and I hope you have a happy and blessed year!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 can (15-oz.) can Black-eyed Peas
• 1/4 whole onion, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 slices jarred jalapenos
• 1 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 3 tbsp. salsa
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.

Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 9-inch pie dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

*Note: if you have them available, you can use the canned black-eyed peas and jalapenos (they're canned together.) If you do this, you can omit the extra jalapenos.

Source: Adapted from Pioneer Woman