Low-Carb Buffalo Chicken Dip

Recently I have decided to take a new approach to how I eat and have switched to a low carb eating lifestyle.  I'll go into detail in another post about all of that, but, with this new way of eating, I'm always coming up with new ways to find meals and dishes that work for me.  As an example, I have a few holiday pot luck events coming up and I wanted to come up with recipes that I would love to be able to eat.  What I enjoy about eating low carb is that I still can gnosh on foods I really like....hot wings, stuffed jalapenos, steak, creamy cheesy just about anything and of course delicious veggies (yum).  So, what's a low carb loving girl like me to bring to a holiday pot luck?....I say, Buffalo Chicken Dip.....cause it's da bomb!

This is such an easy recipe to make with just a few basic ingredients.  If you're doing low carb, check the nutritional label of the brand you're using and be sure the carb count falls within the range of your daily allowance.   Otherwise, simply use your favorite brand for the ingredients listed.

Recipe:

10 oz Cut/shredded cooked chicken
1 Cup Buffalo Wing Sauce
1 Cup Ranch Dressing
8 oz Softened Cream Cheese
1 Cup Shredded Cheese
1 Chopped Scallion


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Reserving 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined and pour into a baking dish.  Top with with remaining cheese.
3. Bake for 30 -  40 minutes or until bubbling.

I plan to eat these with crisp mini peppers and celery, but you can also serve it with tiny toast bites, crackers or nacho chips!

Enjoy!

Print out the recipe here.

{Party Styled} Merry & Bright Christmas Candyland

I was so excited to be featured in the most recent issue of Everyday Party Magazine last month.  I shared a link, but wanted to show you all the details here as the holiday grows closer.  

I came up with this Merry & Bright Candyland themed Christmas party idea while doing a little after Christmas shopping last year.   These bright, jewel toned colors were so different and cheerful and I was just drawn to them.  It didn't hurt that I got all of my colorful decor for less than $20 (hint: shopping after Christmas sales not only preps you for the following year's theme, but will also save you big bucks!)

You will notice, that for this party, I didn't use printables, I just loved how all the colors looked and didn't feel adding printables was necessary.  So, I found a lot of use for gift wrap and yarn pom poms as my decorative elements.  To create this a wintry scene I used a simple white pair of canvas curtains I had on hand to create a clean backdrop.  I also added a length of 'snow' fabric over the table.  I ordered a white Christmas tree for $20 on Walmart.com and it arrived just in time for this shoot.  The over sized bulb garland was another amazing after Christmas find that added a great splash of color against the white backdrop!

The colors of the bulbs and garland, along with an adorable Christmas Elf who I lovingly nicknamed, Mabel, gave me the idea to create my idea of a Christmas 'candyland' of sorts.  I called on my good baker friend, Fresh Dizicheh of Fresh Bakes to make candy inspired cookies and delicious macarons.  She's awesome and came through as always.

Have you been wondering why I don't share my cupcake creativity that often?  Well.....I gotta fess up......ya'll my oven is broke!   You know I am a girl who loooves to bake delicious cupcakes and decorate them....but, until we get that oven replaced, I'll have to settle for someone else's tiny tasty cakes!  So, instead of going without, I purchased cupcakes from my local grocer's bakery, added these edible candy cupcakes as toppers and presented them on a glass platter that I decorated with coordinating beading and a glittered snow flake!

I also filled glass jars with candy and treats to coordinate with my color scheme.  Delicious salt water taffy (my fave), Whirly Pops and sugar swizzle sticks from local candy shop, Candi's Candy in Old Town, Alexandria also had a featured spot on this table.  The taffy was packaged in these favor bags that I made by adding glittered paper and ribbon as toppers to clear cellophane bags.  Wrapping chocolate bars in wrapping paper to look like little packages is kinda fun too....you know it is!!!

Some other decorative elements that pulled this table together was a  fun wooden gingerbread house display case I found. I painted it to match the decor and placed a few pieces of taffy on it.  Wrapped Styrofoam forms were to look like gift boxes and made for some pretty adorable props.  I'm sure if you have been following me wee blog you're fully aware of my obsession with yarn pom pom garlands. I created one for the table that are available in my Etsy shop.

(Did I mention I have MAD love for Mabel The Christmas Elf?)

{Cupcake Monday} St. Patrick's Day Cupcake Fun & Sneak Peek

Here is a little somethin'-somethin' I made this weekend for a little St. Patty's Day inspiration.

I have been in a rainbow kind of mood and was inspired to create these Thin Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Rainbow Frosting.

 mmmmm......

I also made a few with Peppermint Frosting!

Oh....and how neat is that cupcake pedestal??? I've seen these at a lot of different shops online, but when I realized that I could make them myself for just a couple bucks, I did!  I made them over the weekend and just made three but they were so easy to make. The are very versatile and I just love all the different ways to dress them up.  I will share a tutorial with you tomorrow on how you can make your own!

Back to the cupcakes.....

I actually used cake box mix for these cupcakes, because I was so tired by the time I got around to making them (and high off of spray paint from my little craft project), I didn't want to pull out all of the ingredients....lazy me.  I did doctor up the cake mix a bit to add some richness to it.

In place of water, I used buttermilk and instead of three eggs, I used four.  I like Betty Crocker's Devil's Food Cake Mix for no other reason than we get box tops for my daughter's school, but you can use whatever mix you prefer.  After I combined all the ingredients, I just folded in one sleeve of crushed Girl Scouts Thin Mints and added a teaspoon of Peppermint Extract.  These cupcakes bake up nice and fluffy and have a subtle, yet delicious peppermint flavor!

The frosting is a simple Buttercream recipe and I added 1 tsp Peppermint Extract to the frosting.  For the rainbow frosting, I divided the batter in half and set it aside for the plain cupcakes.  Then divided the remaining batter into six small bowls, I added food coloring until I got the colors that I liked.  Then, I filled a piping bag for each color and swirled one ring of frosting onto the cupcake for each color.  The plain peppermint cupcakes were frosted then topped with crushed Thin Mints and green sprinkles.

If you try this recipe out, I would love to hear your thoughts or leave a comment and share a photo!

I am finalizing some printables for St. Patrick's Day and can't wait to share them with you.  So, be sure to check back this week for more St. Patrick's Day ideas & inspiration!

Linking to:

 

{Real Parties} Office Holiday Party - Sweets Station

As it goes, with me being a self-proclaimed 'party planner extraordinaire' (I giggle) - I decided to take the helm this year and plan our department pot luck. (BTW, if you're new to reading this blog, I do have a day job that, albeit I'm grateful to have, it pales in comparison to the job I get full life out of - being a party planner.....EXTRAORDINAIRE!!!!) We usually have one every year, but put the kabbash on it for the past two years because our group downsized a bit, but for whatever reason and I can't remember why, this year we were all gung ho to just have another one!!! Anyhoo, everyone brought in their favorite food dishes and I ambitiously decided to set up a sweets station!!!! Yay me....it was a lot of work - but so fun....and sooooo rewarding (in my head).

I created this printable Christmas Party set specifically for my Etsy shop - but felt compelled to use some of the the printables for the table set up.  I found out early in the summer that the happenin' color for xmas this year would be red and turquoise or light blue, so I went with that for our color scheme.  I used a roll of gift wrap I found at the discount store and my Christmas pom-pom garland as the backdrop.

A great tip on making a sweets table is to go to your local grocery store and pick out what you like and present it fabulously! I found a lot of really delicious treats at my local Aldi (by the by....I love Aldi for this reason only - they have AMAZING treats that you can't get anywhere else, they look and taste gourmet, but you pay a fraction of what you'd pay at a fancy high end food store....just sayin'). 

With the schedule I have right now, I didn't have much time to make a lot of desserts from scratch, but I did have fun dippin' stuff into chocolate and making it look pretty.  I was able to make chocolate dipped pretzels, cake pops and snowballs for my display!

I also was dying to make a hot chocolate bar.  I placed a large carafe of hot chocolate on the display and put a varied selection  of marshmallows on a tiered stand and in glass containers. Guests were also able to use chocolate peppermint sticks as stirrers and crushed mints, whipped cream and chocolate syrup for toppings!

I'm really glad we were able to do a holiday pot luck this year, it's always a blast and I'm especially happy that I was able to spread some 'sweet' Christmas love to my co-workers!

{Holiday Recap} July 4th Holiday & Bloggerversary Announcement

What a faaaabulous time I had this year with my family! 

Every year, my mama hosts a huge gathering at her home for our big family.  It’s both sides from my grandmother’s half of the family and that’s a whole lotta kin folk.  Everyone brings a huge aluminum pan of something or other and it’s a good time to be had by all.

This year I was appointed the task of decorating the party space, so I designed these printables and set up a sweets table, as well.


 
 


Just to share some of the fun – here are some personal photos of us during our visit.  Despite wet conditions, we got to enjoy the town parade, a visit to the beach with granny and fireworks!


After all that fun and traveling back to the Nation’s Capital, I’m POOPED!!!!  Hope you all enjoyed your holiday as much as I did.  Now, onto other blog business….

My bloggerversary is here!!! Actually it was on Saturday – that is when I wrote me first post almost two years ago!  Well, because I’m just back from our holiday trip and I am super spent so, I will celebrate my bloggerversary next week with lots of giveaways and prizes!



Please be sure to check back on Monday, July 11th to get in on all the fun and action!!!