Cheesy Ranch Dip

Matt and I were in the mood for a snack, but didn't have much on hand. Using what we had, we came up with this. It is now one of our favorite dips. Best with pretzels, but awesome with tortilla chips and crackers too.

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 oz package dry Ranch Dip mix
1 cup shredded cheddar











DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together.
Eat right away (delicious) or let sit in fridge to blend the flavors together (even better!).

Ranch Chicken Lasagna

Delicious fresh out of the oven and just as good (if not better) reheated the next day.

INGREDIENTS
2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
1 (1 oz) pack dry Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (I actually used 1.5 but we are ranch lovers)
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
9 lasagna noodles
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Mix evaporated milk and dressing mix in a saucepan. Heat over low heat approximately 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cooked chicken to sauce mixture.
Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
Put 3 cooked noodles in a greased 9x13 pan. Top with 1/3 of the chicken sauce (it will be a very thin layer, don't worry about it). Top with about 1/3 cup of each cheese. Repeat all of the layers 2 times, except the last one use all of the remaining cheese. 
Bake @ 350F for 35-40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip

Simple and yummy! We have tried it on tortilla chips as well as carrots and both are delicious. I think it would be really good on Ritz crackers too.

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar
3 oz bag of Bacon Bits (the real bacon, not just bacon flavored)
1 pack dry ranch mix

DIRECTIONS:
Mix everything together. Chill in the fridge for several hours (or eat right away, the flavors will just blend together better after sitting for a bit).

Recipe from HERE

Crockpot Cheesy Bacon Chicken

I personally am not a huge fan of bacon, but this is definitely one of my favorite meals! The kids eat it willingly also, which is always a plus. Ill be honest, it doesn't necessarily look very appealing, but don't judge a book by its cover! ;)

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup Ranch
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

DIRECTIONS:
Place the chicken in the crockpot.
Mix together the teriyaki sauce, ranch, and garlic. Pour over chicken. Top with onion and bacon.
Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8. When chicken is done, top with cheese and put lid back on crockpot until cheese is melted, it only takes a couple of minutes.

Adapted from HERE

Taco Soup (or maybe Taco Stew...)

We call this Taco Soup, but its not exactly soup-y. It is thicker, like a stew, but not technically a stew because it only takes 15ish minutes to make. Matt pretty much eats it as a dip, so in that case it isn't really a soup or a stew. I may not know what it is exactly, but I do know it is delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can of corn (do not drain)
2 cans of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can stewed tomatoes (do not drain)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 packet of chili seasoning
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
Water (optional)
Fritos or tortilla chips
shredded cheese and/or sour cream for topping

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion.
While browning, mix remaining ingredients in 3qt (or larger, if you want it thinner) saucepan and cook over medium heat. Add the meat and onions when done. Simmer til heated through.
Add water if you want it more soup-like. 
Serve with desired toppings.

NOTES:
I use fritos because it is like a taco shell. I mix them in, along with shredded cheese (usually the Mexican blend). Matt prefers to top with cheese and sour cream, then scoop up with tortilla chips. Both are good, its just a matter of preference!

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

I make this to use for a variety of recipes, including Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese and Buffalo Chicken Pizza. Easy to make and freeze!

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts (the bag I use is 2.25 lbs)

8-12 oz of buffalo wing sauce

1 pack Ranch dressing mix

2 Tbs butter

DIRECTIONS:

Trim fat off of the chicken. Put chicken, sauce, and ranch mix into the slow cooker. Cook on low around 6 hours. Once chicken is done, shred it with 2 forks. Stir chicken so it will absorb the liquid. Add the butter. Add more wing sauce if needed or desired.  Cook for another hour on low.