Baked Cheese Dip with Tomato and Basil


I'm excited about this years Superbowl, yes, me, excited lol. And of course it has nothing to do with football but more so for the sole fact that Beyonce will be performing during halftime, yay! Anywho, whether I'm into the game itself or not I always enjoy cooking things to snack on during that highly anticipated Sunday. Instead of making a big dinner I prefer whipping up a variety of small dishes such as appetizers. I've never tried a homemade cheese dip before and this one caught my attention because of the pretty garnish lol. You can dip this in veggies, chips, bread, basically whatever you see fit, enjoy!


Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Total Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 cup (233 grams) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces (227 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
12 ounces (340 grams) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 cups)
1 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Extra basil leaves

Method:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Stir sour cream, mustard powder and thyme in a large bowl then add mozzarella, Monterey Jack and the cup of chopped basil leaves. Stir then add to a small baking dish or pie dish. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese has melted and is bubbling. After baking the cheese dip, turn oven to broil and broil the cheese dip 2 to 4 minutes until golden brown on top.

Notes:
I'm still on the fence about the basil. Maybe I should've chopped it up smaller (or used basil spice instead) but it has a very dominant taste that almost overpowers the dip. I think I may try cilantro next time just to play around with taste. Other than that it's a really tasty dip with lots of potential!

Recipe from Inspired Taste
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Sweet 'N Spicy Garlic Honey BBQ Wings


I particularly love cooking on the holidays so I'm always looking for snazzy recipes to try. I especially love simple dishes with minimum ingredients in case I want to whip up something really quick. As I was thinking of what I wanted to cook to ring in the new year I remembered a recipe from one of my favorite beauty blogs that I had previously  made a mental note to try one day.

You really can't go wrong with wings in general because there are so many ways they can be prepared. Whether you're entertaining guests or just in need of a quick solution for dinner These Sweet 'N Spicy Garlic Honey BBQ Wings will truly have you licking your fingers in pure bliss. And best of all? They are super easy to make!


Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Total Time: 35 mins | Serves: 5-6 

Ingredients:
1 lb frozen chicken wingettes or fresh wings, halved
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp Adobo w/ Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 packet Goya Sazon Seasoning
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 bottle of Honey BBQ Sauce
6 tsp Sriracha Sauce
1 tbsp Minced Garlic

Method:
Preheat oven to 400°. Soak wings in lemon juice and water for 10 minutes. Remove any feathers and fat, rinse and pat dry. Season with adobo, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and old bay, cover and let sit in the fridge for a few hours. I leave mine overnight. In a small bowl, mix the bbq sauce, sriracha sauce and minced garlic, set aside. Turn your oven to the broiler setting, line your broiler pan with aluminum foil, place wings on the pan and put into the bottom of oven to broil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until a little crispy, turn over and cook for another 10-15 minutes. I do this in batches of about 15 pieces. Remove wings from the broiler pan and place them in a baking dish.

Notes: I'm queen of taking shortcuts so instead of allowing the wings to sit overnight with the seasoning I just skipped that part to cut the time in half. Also, I left out the adoba seasoning, the highlight of this recipe is predominantly in the sauce so you can prep the chicken with seasoning of your choice whichever you prefer.

Recipe from The Glamorous Gleam

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Top Foods To Help Boost Your Immune System This Winter


Coughs and colds are nasty to have at any time of the year, but they are more likely to be caught during the winter. Infections like this can quickly spread and can be caught easily - germs can be picked up from things like public doorknobs and communal hand towels.

You can reduce the risk of picking up infections by keeping your hands clean as well as building up a healthy immune system so you can fight any infections. So before you pause your game of http://www.foxybingo.com/ or chess online to order some pizza or get a drink of Cola, why not read our top immune-fighting health foods which are sure to keep you fighting-fit this winter?

Yogurt
These creamy desserts are packed full of probiotics; a form of healthy bacteria which keeps the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. In addition, yogurt is thought to be able to strengthen white blood cells which help fight infections.

Oats and Barley
All it takes is an oat- packed cereal bar or a bowl of porridge to benefit from the healthy fibre enriched with antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities found in oats. Oats and barley are thought to help boost immunity, speed wound healing and possibly make antibiotics work better.

Fish
Oily fish like tuna and salmon are loaded with healthy fats called omega 3 oils which stimulate a healthy gut. Fish is also full of selenium which helps white blood cells produce cytokines-proteins that help clear flu viruses out of the body.

Mushrooms
It is thought that mushrooms can improve production and activity of white blood cells by making them more aggressive. When you have an infection, white blood cells being aggressive is a very good thing because it will fight the disease quicker and more effectively.

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5 Grocery Staples for Youth & Vitality


Next Time You Stop at the Store, Pick Up These Tasty, 
Nutrition-packed Foods, Physician Advises

It’s the question we ask ourselves almost every day: What’s for dinner?

Entwined in this daily dialogue is wondering whether we’ll need to dash into the grocery store on the way home from work. The next time we make one of those supermarket pit stops, Dr. Eudene Harry, author of “Live Younger in 8 Simple Steps,” would like us to veer in a new direction.

“When people shop on the go, they tend to gravitate toward old standbys and foods they can multipurpose with – usually not the most nutritious choices possible. But by substituting a few items on your list, you can not only look and feel more youthful, you’ll boost your resistance to certain cancers and other illnesses.”

Some of the most nutrition-packed foods not only taste great, they’re readily available at the grocery store and easy to prepare, Harry says. “The more you eat, the more you’ll crave them.” While you're out this holiday season picking healthy alternatives and entertaining guests maybe you could win a little extra Christmas money on partybingo.com!

Here are five food combos for shoppers with healthy eating on their minds:

Tomato, garlic, chicken and almonds: Tomatoes contain one of the world’s most concentrated sources of cancer-fighting lycopene, which is best absorbed from tomatoes that are cooked. Garlic has been used for centuries for various health purposes and is a known free-radical destroyer. Nuts help to lose weight, maintain healthy blood pressure and support moods; almond crumbs are a great substitute for bread crumbs on chicken. Pair these goodies with whole wheat couscous for a full dinner.

Pomegranate-Balsamic tempeh: With its high protein, fiber and isoflavones content, and meaty texture, tempeh is heavily utilized by vegetarians. It’s made from soybeans processed in a manner similar to cheese making. Like tofu, tempeh takes on the flavors with which it is cooked or marinated, including zesty-tangy balsamic vinegar – perfect for accentuating salads.

Mashed cauliflower gone Greek: Not only does the “original” yogurt have a thicker texture and richer taste, it’s also denser in lactobacilli, the healthy bacteria that may delay the onset of cancer. And yogurt is low in fat and high in protein, which is essential for many body functions, including building and repairing muscle tissue, organs, bones and connective tissue. Rather than add fatty, cholesterol-filled butter and sour cream to starchy potatoes that stick to your ribs, why not pair two healthy options with mashed cauliflower with Greek yogurt and fresh black pepper for simple goodness?

Sushi – wild salmon, minced cucumbers, shredded carrots, kelp, sesame seeds and rice: A sushi roll is much more filling and satisfying than a non-sushi eater would think. Many grocery chains offer ready-made rolls, but they are also fairly easy to make. A bamboo roller is a great start; place a sheet of nutrient-dense kelp as the first thing on the roller, and add, lengthwise, desired ingredients. Your first try is not likely to be perfect, but the tasty and healthy ingredients will be there.

Fruit salad for dessert: Bring together chopped apples, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon and pineapple with blueberries and grapes for a sweet and juicy post-dinner palate-cleanser. Lemon juice prevents fruits from bruising. If that’s not enough, combine the salad with Greek yogurt – perhaps blended with vanilla or almond extract – and fiber-filled granola for a parfait.


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Oreo Stuffed Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing


I mean who doesn't like a good cupcake? I've been meaning to post this one for awhile now but I originally made these a couple of months ago for my dads birthday. This is actually my first time ever making cupcakes and of course being me I couldn't just make a plain jane ole cupcake, I had to try something fancy on my first attempt. My absolute favorite dessert combination is cookies n cream, so I figured why not make Oreo cupcakes! This recipe is super simple and doesn't require many ingredients.

Originally I didn't anticpate posting this recipe at all which is why there aren't any step-by-step pics this time. However once I started topping them with icing I just had to go grab my camera! Anywho, this is a super easy recipe, great for parties, entertaining or just indulging ;-) enjoy!


 I was going for a Tiffany Blue for some of the cupcakes but they came out green lol.


Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Total Time: 35 mins | Serves: 18

Ingredients:
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (usually requires, eggs, water and oil)
24 Whole Oreo Cookies
18-24 paper cupcake liners

Cream Cheese Icing:
8 ounce Philadelphia cream cheese
1 stick of butter (Land of lake unsalted) - sit it out until it is at room temperature
1 box of confectioners sugar (1 pound box)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method:
Make cupcakes according to the box instructions. Fill each cupcake liner a quarter up the liner then place one Oreo cookie inside, continue to fill with cake batter until 3/4 full. Bake per box directions then allow to cool. For the Cream Cheese Icing make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. Mix all ingredients together with blender until smooth and soft enough to spread. Top the cupcakes. 

Notes:
I didn't list it with the ingredients but you need to buy food coloring if you plan on making colored icing or batter. Also I used a box cake as a quick alternative method but of course if you prefer homemade batter you can make that instead.

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