Big Game Bacon Onion Garlic Dip

What's Super Bowl without GOOD FOOD?

That's right...NOTHING!

The big game isn't ONLY about ordering pizza and wings. That's regular season game stuff.

Super Bowl is about bringing your "A" game when it comes to the food.

Maybe that means cooking and keeping a close eye on your "HOLY MOLY" chili all day as it simmers in the pot so it's perfect for when the game starts. Or maybe it means turning a blind eye to the fact that it's forty below outside and braving the elements anyways in your New York Giants jammies to grill some awesome ribs!

As for the dip, you can whip up a fresh batch of this Bacon Onion Garlic Dip. Save the store bought chip dip in the plastic tub for the preseason.

Surround this creamy dip with veggies (yes I said veggies) and chips and your set for the pre-game show!

This dip isn't fancy schmancy (that's what makes it perfect for a football game) but it's damn good! The picture below will give you a sense about how much I liked it. It was taken about 10 minutes after I took the photo at the top.

The Giants and Patriots will be bringing their "A" game...how about you?

Or will you even be watching the big game?


Big Game Bacon Onion Garlic Dip
A creamy dip with bits of bacon and a hint of garlic and onion

Apparently the recipe below makes enough for one person. Double or triple the recipe if you're having friends over for the game.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

4 slices bacon
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion salt (or you can use onion powder)

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Chop into small bits.

In a bowl, mix together mayo, sour cream, cheese, garlic powder and onion salt. Stir in half the chopped bacon. Sprinkle remaining bacon bits on top. Serve with cut fresh vegetables and chips. 

If you're looking for more food ideas for the Big Game, I'll be sending newsletter subscribers a collection of Super Bowl recipe ideas this Friday. Subscribe to get your copy!   

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Beef Stew, Homemade Pizza and Omelettes - A Look Back on the Cooking Week

This week reminded me to never underestimate the power of leftovers. They definitely saved my butt from hitting the fast food joints.

The meals I made are ones I would whole heartedly recommend to put into your rotation if you’re strapped for time.

Here’s how the cooking week went down.

Monday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew 

On the weekend I cooked the largest batch of beef stew I have ever made (it was borderline ridiculous). It covered Monday’s meal as well as Wednesday's. I also had it for lunch a couple times. Sometimes making WAY too much food pays off BIG TIME! The Beef Stew recipe I used was one I shared in my newsletter not long ago. 

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza 

Technically it’s not entirely homemade because I don’t make my own dough…I buy it fresh from the grocery store. I used to struggle with stretching the dough but learned if you let it come to room temperature (before stretching) it’s becomes very cooperative and easy to work with.

Once you get past that obstacle, homemade pizza is economical and I always find it fun to make! Here's a post on how I sometimes make mine. In that blog post I used a whole wheat crust and I no longer do that because I find it too heavy.

Wednesday:  Round 2 on the Beef Stew 

Thursday:  Cheese and Green Onion Omelette

2 eggs + shredded cheese + chopped green onions + salt and pepper + 1 tbsp of water (whisk in a bowl and cook in a skillet) = One Hell of a Fast Good Meal!
(In case you’re wondering, the water steams the eggs while they cook and makes the omelette nice and fluffy.)

If you’re cooking at college or university, omelettes should definitely be part of your cooking rotation because they are a cinch to make.

Friday: Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

This is delish! My wife made a large batch of it earlier in the week and thankfully there was still some leftovers on Friday to pair with grilled cheese sandwiches! Here's the recipe if you would like to give it a go.

No Fast Food this Week! Hurray!!!

If you want see what's planned for the upcoming week, you’ll find a picture of my menu plan on the Cookapalooza Facebook Page!

I hope you have an amazing week ahead! Feel free to comment, tweet me or Facebook me and let me know any meal ideas you would like covered in the future!

Perfect Scrambled Eggs - 2 Minute Cooking Tip Video

Scrambled eggs could be one of the easiest dishes to make but it has taken me years of trial and error to find a way to consistently get them moist and fluffy.

I've posted these scrambled egg tips on this blog in the past and thought it was time to share them in a video format.

It's all part of my secret mission to rid this world of runny and dried out scrambled eggs FOREVER!!!

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Top 10 Easy Recipes for College Students

My college and university cooking event season has begun for the second semester so I figured it would be a good time to do a top 10 list of the easiest college recipes I've posted on this blog. 

One thing I notice from my events is students have bigger priorities than cooking and often end up preparing (or buying) the same foods over and over again.

If you're stuck in a college cooking rut, here's 10 easy student-friendly recipes that'll get you out of it!

1. Mango Avocado Smoothie

3 ingredients...that's it!!!. The frozen mango and pineapple juice supply the sweetness and the avocado makes it nice and thick! Bonus: Avocado happens to be one of the healthiest fruits you can eat.

2. Apple Pancakes - Video

This is the quickest and easiest method I've ever seen how to make pancakes from scratch. No measuring spoon, measuring cup or recipe required. 

3. Grilled Ham and Swiss

Grilled cheese connoisseurs...I have something for you!!!

4. Taco-roni

This quick approachable recipe was sent to me from the folks at Chef Boyardee. It has college cooking written all over it!

5. Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Baked beans slowly cooked with chopped green bell peppers and onions in a sweet barbecue sauce. Oh yeah...it's good!

6. Epic 3 Cheese Nacho Dip - Video

Bring this to share at residence movie night or make it for your intramural team or study group.They'll never forget you! Great with tortilla chips or rolled up in a flour tortilla. 

7. English Muffin Mini Pizza

This was my favorite thing to make when I was living off campus at university! 

8. Salami and Cheese Salad

Healthy, super easy to prepare and absolutely delicious...what more could you want?

9. Super Healing Chicken Noodle Soup 

For those times when your cough gets so nasty it scares other students away. 

10. Late Night Student Snacks 

3 recipes you can whip up quickly and avoid the same ole snacks that come in a wrapper.

Your turn....what do you regularly make while living at college or university?

Chicken Dishes Dominate the Week - Meal Plan #2 Review

I felt like week #1 was a good start to this weekly meal plan experiment I'm doing. I hope by sharing what I posted on my kitchen blackboard also gave you some recipe ideas and inspiration to set your own weekly plan.

I wanted to do EVEN better on week #2!

Here's the meal plan I posted last Sunday on the Cookapalooza Facebook page.

Here's how things went.

Monday: My Mom's Minestrone Soup 

The week started off GREAT as my mom sent over some of her amazing Minestrone Soup! It was sort of spooky since I had Soup and Sandwiches on my meal plan. Weird eh? This soup is absolutely delicious! The funny thing is, I never ask my mom for this recipe. I think it's because I always want it to be "Mom's" soup and it wouldn't be the same if I started making it myself. 

Tuesday: Chicken and Vegetable Pita Pockets 

The plan on the kitchen blackboard was to make Veggie Pockets. They turned into Chicken and Vegetable Pockets because I had some leftover chicken to use up. These were tasty! I've shared the recipe below in case you want to use your leftover chicken up in a different way.

1. Take a bag of frozen veggies (stir-fry variety), toss them in a skillet. Cook over medium high heat.
2. Once veggies have thawed toss in leftover chicken. Cook and stir for a few minutes to warm the chicken.
3. In a bowl, mix together 1/3 low-fat cup mayo, 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream, 1 tbsp grated Parmesan and a 1/4 tsp each dried dill, garlic powder and ground black pepper.
4. Take a pita (with a pocket), cut in half. Spoon some of the sauce inside and then fill the pita with the veggie and chicken mixture.  

Wednesday:  Grilled Jerk Chicken 

I had prepared the marinade for this Jerk Chicken on the weekend and was waiting for the weather to warm so I could get outside and grill. Wednesday served up a balmy 5 degrees celsius and that was warm enough grilling weather for me.

I can't tell you how many people have asked me for this recipe. I think it's because it's sweeter than your typical Jerk Chicken and not nearly as spicy. It's also one of my favorite dishes! As for the recipe, well you'll find that on page 71 of The Cook-a-Palooza Experience Cookbook. Hey, I can't give away all my secrets! ; )

Thursday:  Spaghettini and Salad

I had a beer league hockey game at 7 pm and needed something quick for dinner. I cooked some spaghettini (thinner than spaghetti), warmed the leftover pasta sauce I had in the freezer and made a healthy lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad. Not on the meal plan. Not fancy...but good!

Friday: Mickey Dee's Southwest Chicken and Fries

Yeah, my meal plan sort of fell apart on Friday. At least what I ordered was slightly healthier than a Big Mac...that's what I'm telling myself.

Move over week #2. It's on to Week #3!!!!

If you want see what I have planned, you’ll find a picture on my menu plan on the Cookapalooza Facebook page this Sunday!

I hope you have an amazing week ahead! Feel free to tweet me or contact me on Facebook to let me know how YOUR meal plan is going for the week!