Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
8 oz ranch dressing
3/4 c. hot sauce (more or less)
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
In a greased slow cooker*, combine the chicken and hot sauce. Stir in the cream cheese, ranch dressing and cheddar cheese until well combined. Cook on low for 2 hours or so until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

*Another option is to put into a greased casserole dish and bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot.

Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks. You can tone down the heat a little by adjusting the amount of hot sauce. Even the little ones in our family like this, despite the fact that it bites back.

Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cake 

2-1/4 c. PLUS 2 T. flour

2 teas. baking powder

1/2 teas. baking soda

1/2 teas. salt

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

1 c. butter at room temperature

1-2/3 c. sugar

4 eggs

1/2 c. sour cream

2 teas. vanilla

1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans.

Mix 2-1/4 c. flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Toss chocolate chips with remaining 2 T. flour.

In a bowl, on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until combined. Alternately beat in flour mixture with the milk. Stir in the flour-coated chocolate chips.

Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pans, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Chocolate Frosting

 

1-1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

1 c. butter at room temperature

2 c. powdered sugar

Additional mini chips (optional)

Chocolate kisses (optional)

Microwave chocolate chips on 50% power until melted. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

On medium speed, beat butter until fluffy, beat in melted chocolate, then gradually beat in powdered sugar, until fluffy.

Frost cooled cake layers. You can decorate the cake with mini chocolate chips and chocolate kisses, if desired.

Portabello Spaghetti

• 4 large Portabello mushrooms, wiped clean
• 26 oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz. grated Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. spaghetti
• olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and cook the mushrooms for 3 minutes, per side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pour half the sauce in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Place the mushroom caps (bottoms up) in the sauce. Ladle more sauce into each cap. Place the mozzarella and Parmesan into each cap.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or so, until cheese is bubbling and brown.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed on box.  Divide the pasta among plates, and top with sauce and mushroom(s).