Our Dolce Vita

Thursday, September 1, 2011

College Football Friendly Recipes

Who's ready for College Football season?!?! It's gonna be a great year!!

The start of football season is the perfect time (for me) to grab my recipe binder and decide on some yummy dips for game days. Since BooMama is hosting a dip recipe link-up - DipTacular'11, I thought it would be the perfect time for me to post my top 3 fav dips!

The #1 fav dip in the Rooney house is Buffalo Chicken Dip {aka, Crack Dip}

- If you've ever had this dip then you know where the nickname comes from. If you haven't, beware, it's pretty addicting!

Here's how ya make it ~

8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup buffalo sauce or buffalo style barbecue sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (shredded mozzarella cheese can be substituted)
1 cup shredded chicken

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a deep baking dish, mix cream cheese, salad dress, buffalo sauce, and cheese. Stir until combined. Stir in chicken.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the dish is heated through. Serve with crackers, pita chips, sliced bread or vegetables.

Our 2nd fav has got to be Paula Deen's BLT Dip. This recipe is so easy yet so yummy! Perfect game day combo!!

Here's the recipe for this one ~

1 cup crumbled bacon

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
Iceberg lettuce shredded
2 large vine-ripe tomatoes diced
Sea salt bagel chips

Combine the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl with a snap-on lid. When well mixed refrigerate until serving time. When ready to serve combine ingredients in a large serving bowl by placing one layer of the mayonnaise mixture then a layer of lettuce tomatoes and bacon. Repeat layering as desired. Serve with bagel chips.

Last, but certainly not least - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip! No explanation needed on this one, the dip speaks for itself!!

Here's the recipe ~

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves. (You can also do this in the microwave but watch it closely. The butter/sugar mixture will boil over fast. Stir every 30 seconds or so.) Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla extract and set aside to cool. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar for 1 minute. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate. Garnish with additional chips, if you choose. Serve with Nilla wafers and/or graham crackers. Enjoy!

Do you have a Football favorite dip???

Summer Favorites

Since Labor Day {which I feel is the unofficial end of summer} is right around the corner, I thought this would be the perfect time to do a favorite things of summer post!

Favorite Summer Movies

We rented this one a while back but I loved it soooo much that I had to include it!! It's definitely one of my all-time favorite movies!! Seriously, if you ever need a boast of inspiration, watch this movie!

I'm not even sure if there is anything I can say/write that will do this movie justice. If you've seen it then you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen it, I highly...HIGHLY recommend seeing it as soon as possible!! Seriously, I can't wait to see it again!!

My favorite book of the summer....

I know, I know...I just mentioned the movie but there was just no way I could leave the book out of my summer favs. As much as I loved the movie, I loved the book even more!!! I'm just not sure that the movie can ever be as good as the book - ya know?!?

Fav summer treats...

Red Mango has got to be the best frozen yogurt ever!! It's one of those treats that you don't feel bad eating...their motto is "Treat Yourself Well" LOVE that!! Kinda takes the guilt out of it....which always makes the treat taste that much better! Ha!! ;)

Yum!!!

Starbucks...*sigh.* Pretty sure they are always on my fav things list!!

A while ago, I switched from sweet tea (*tear) to Starbucks shaken green tea lemonade (unsweetened). It was a good change and I can't tell you how much better I feel now that I've cut out so much sugar. If you're considering cutting back on (or cutting out) sugar, I highly recommend it - it's hard at first but soooo worth it!

Fun Summer Products

I know I've blogged about this product before but I couldn't leave it out!! Ok so, bad news first....I can't find this product in town anywhere!! And, I'm out!!! Eeekk!!! You can get it from Amazon...though. After using Surf Spray you will definitely look like you just spent a day at the beach!! LOVE it!!

Mac's Oyster Girl Lipglass!

At the beginning of the summer, my best friend Christina and I met in Kansas City for a girl's weekend. While we were there, she introduced me to this oh-so-perfect-for-summer shade! I love it!!

OPI's Pinkadoodle. It's a soft shade of pink and it looks great on toes!! It's been my go-to color this summer.

Fav Summer Candles

I love candles...in any season, you will find a yankee candle burning in my home.

These scents are my fav this year...light them and your house will smell like a wonderful Caribbean vacation!

Good-Bye Summer!! See you next year!!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

What I'm Loving Wednesday

What I'm loving this Wednesday is My Slow Cooker!!

I've decided to starting making a slow cooker recipe once a week - they are just sooo easy and yummy!! You just throw everything in and by the time you get home...*ta-da* you have a wonderful dinner waiting for you!! It's fantastic!!

Here's on of my favs ~ Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
salt & pepper
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup warm water
8 oz. package cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 small can cream of chicken soup
1/2 lb. cooked pasta
Basil, for garnish

Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper then place in a crock pot.
2. Combine dressing mix, water, cream cheese and chicken soup in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over chicken in crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
4. Take chicken out and shred it then toss it back in with the sauce.
5. Pour over pasta or rice works too. (Serves 6)

It's yummy!

For more great slow cooker recipes, head over to Kelly's Korner for Crockpotalooza!!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Lately...

Here's what I've been up to lately...

Reading: Well, I just finished the Help. It was sooo good. Let me know if you have a great book recommendation - I'm looking for my next book! Here's what I've been up to lately...

Journaling: Blogger is such a great way to journal. I love looking back at old posts.

Eating: Road tripping food - which has all been delicious!! Plus, I packed lots of snacks - Lara bars are my new fav 'go-to snack.'

Listening to: My itunes 'Summer' playlist...it just makes me happy!

Watching: not much really...of course, HGTV and Food Network.

Anticipating: We are going on a beach vacay in a few months and I'm definitely looking forward to it!!

Praying: Health and a more calming spirit - I need to not stress out as much. Soooo much easier said than done, huh?!? I keep praying 1Peter 5:7 "Cast all your care upon Him; for He cares for you."

Studying: Spanish! After spending some time in Albuquerque, I'm very sad at how much I've forgotten - brushing up on it!!

Counting down til: Hmmmm, seems like such an easy question - doesn't it?!? HA!!! ;)

Laughing: At myself!! I worry so easy about the littlest things, it's really comical at times. Just ask my husband, he'll tell ya! Hahaha!!

Wishing: I had unlimited airline miles to fly all over the country and visit our friends and family. No more of this, “We really want to come visit…” business.

Wearing: Lots of dresses. It’s all I wear in the summer… Short dresses, long dresses, spaghetti strap dresses, strapless dresses, sun dresses…I'm in LOVE with dresses right now!!

Eyeing: This amazing dress... (*see above regarding my current dress obsession)

Missing: My friends and family that live far away.

Thankful for: Blessings from God!!!! My husband!! Friends!! Friends that are prayer warriors!!! This list could be a mile long right now!

Loving: My husband! Sometimes relationships become strained during times of transition and new beginnings, but our communication has only gotten better and our relationship had deepened. He’s wonderful!!