Freeze Dried Green Chili Dip

I am so in love the the new Shelf Reliance Freeze Dried Green Chilies.   They are so good.  By far my favorite of the new products.  

They are also cheaper than the canned variety. 

Freeze Dried Green Chili Dip—modified from Sariah Schmickrath’s recipe
Printable Recipe

1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese softened
1  cup Thrive Sour cream powder plus  ½ cup  water
3/4 cup of Thrive green chilies re-hydrated
2 green onions chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
 a few twists of fresh ground pepper 

Cream together cream cheese, sour cream powder and water. Add green chilies, green onions, cumin, salt and pepper.  Mix together, scrape the bowl and mix a little more.

This dip can be served cold or hot.  Chill and refrigerate or put in small stoneware and bake for 20 min at 350 degrees.  Serve with veggies and tortilla chips.

Chocolate Lover’s Bunt Cake Coconut Whipped Cream

I started storing coconut milk as part of my food storage last summer.   I had found that I was using it more and more in my cooking and that I was always out.  So I bought a case of coconut milk.  Why did it take me so long to add it to my food storage?  It is now one of my go to ingredients.  

 I bought mine at Macey’s  (My local grocery store) during the case lot sale and keep it in my cold storage.  It doesn’t have to be kept cold but if you have the space to store it somewhere cool you will always be ready to make coconut whipped cream.  Yum!  I didn’t come up with the idea of coconut whipped cream, but when I first read about it on The Kitchn.  I knew it was an idea I would love.

 
Chocolate Lover’s Bunt Cake Coconut Whipped Cream

1 package chocolate cake mix

1  3-oz. package chocolate pudding mix

1 C. sour cream powder

4 eggs (1/4 cup powdered eggs plus 1/2 cup water)

1 C. water

½ C. oil

12 oz. chocolate chips

¾ C. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Coconut Whipped Cream-recipe follows

Shredded Coconut

Beat together all ingredients (except chocolate chips and nuts) for 10 min. Preheat oven to 350º. Stir in chips and nuts. Grease a Bunt pan and then sprinkle with cocoa to “flour” it, mainly on the bottom of the pan. Pour in batter; bake 50-55 minutes or until done. Invert cake on plate. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Serve with coconut whipped cream.

Coconut Whipped Cream

One 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator and leave it there until well-chilled; Several hours or overnight. (Or store your coconut milk in your cold storage and it will always be ready)

2. Open the can of coconut milk. Scoop out the firm layer coconut cream that has solidified at the top of the can.  Stop as soon as you reach the water at the bottom of the can; don't include anything but the solid cream. (You can use the water in smoothies, or just drink it straight.)

3. Place this cream in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl.  Turn your mixer or hand beaters to high speed, and whip the coconut cream for 3 to 5 minutes or until it becomes fluffy and light, with soft peaks. Mix in sugar or vanilla, if using.

 

Brown Sugar Sour Cream Fruit Dip

This is one of my favorite recipes.  I have posted about it before but I have changed it a little and I like it so much more. 

This easy dip reminds me of cheesecake.  But I feel virtuous when I eat it because it has very little fat, and I dip fruit in it so it must be healthy. Right?

Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Fruit Dip
1 cup THRIVE sour cream powder
1/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons THRIVE brown sugar, plus a little extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Mix sour cream, water, brown sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract together. Let stand in refrigerator for flavors to combine (at least an hour or two or even better overnight). Garnish with a sprinkling of brown sugar.  Serve with fresh fruit such as apples or strawberries. 

Pantry Challenge: Spinach Artichoke Dip

I have had a jar of artichoke hearts in my pantry for a couple of weeks.  It was purchased to be backed chicken bacon alfredo.  But that didn’t happen, and I’m glad it didn’t because as I was looking through my pantry I saw it and knew that Spinach Artichoke dip was in my future.

To Cut Up Messy Canned foods--Like Artichokes 
Just cut them right in the can with your clean kitchen shears or use a knife cutting the food against the side of the can. This recipe takes about 1/2 a jar of artichokes.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
2/3 cup sour cream powder (add to ¼ cup hot water mix well, don’t worry if it is a little lumpy, after you bake it the lumps will be gone.)

1 cup FD Spinach (rehydrate in 1 cup hot water and drain)
1 cup coarsely chopped artichoke hearts, drained
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoons

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400°. 

In a medium bowl -combine sour cream and hot water mix well,
Add the cream cheese.  Beat till smooth, either by hand or on low speed with a hand mixer. 

Add in the salt.

Fold in the drained spinach, garlic, artichokes, and Parmesan cheese.

Spread into a small baking dish or hollow our a loaf of artisan bread and fill the cavity with the dip.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.  Avoid over baking to prevent it from separating.

Sprinkle additional grated Parmesan cheese over the top if desired, during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve warm with baguette slices, pita chips, crackers, etc...

Recipe Substitutions: 

If you don’t have the sour cream powder that I used, use regular sour cream or 1/3 cup sour cream and 1/3 cup mayo.

If you don’t have Freeze Dried Spinach it is okay to use fresh cooked spinach or defrosted frozen spinach, just make sure that whatever you use is very well drained.

Dill Dip using Sour Cream Powder

Dill Dip

1 cup sour cream powder

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water

1 cup  mayo

2 teaspoons Dill weed
2 teaspoons dill pickle juice  (the brine that surrounds the dill pickles)

2 teaspoons Bon Appétit

2 teaspoon minced onions

Mix ingredient together and refrigerate. 

Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Fruit Dip

Over the next few post I will share some of our favorite dips, dressings, and sauces.
I choose this sour cream and brown sugar dip because it is made completely from food storage ingredients and we love it.  The dip tastes like a creamy caramel, and it reminds me a little bit of cheese cake.

The two THRIVE products in this recipe are some of my favorite.  Sour Cream powder and brown sugar.  Now I know you are thinking what is the big deal with THRIVE brown sugar?   Well it is soft, and it stays soft.  It is flavorful with a hint of molasses.  The sour cream powder I love because it is just so easy to use.  I love it for baked goods and have just figured out how to make it into smooth sour cream good for dips, baked potatoes, or tacos.  

The trick to using sour cream powder is to use hot water and then stir until smooth.  I think the sour cream powder tastes better after it has been refrigerated, and I always stick mine in the fridge until it is time to serve it, even if that is only a few minutes.  The sour cream powder really thickens up when it is refrigerated. 

Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Fruit Dip
1 cup THRIVE sour cream powder
1/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons THRIVE brown sugar, plus a little extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix sour cream, brown sugar and vanilla extract together. Let stand in refrigerator for flavors to combine (at least an hour or two or even better overnight). Garnish with a sprinkling of brown sugar.  Serve with fresh fruit such as apples or strawberries.