Would you like Buffalo Chicken Dip with your penne pasta?

If you follow my blog, you know that Swanson has a Facebook page for our famous recipe, Buffalo Chicken Dip, aka BCD. The page is a fun place to share the recipe, host giveaways, conduct trivia contests and have fun conversations about sports, entertaining and just about anything related to BCD. A few weeks ago, I posted this question to our fans, which resulted in a lot of great, unique responses: Do you ever have Buffalo Chicken Dip leftover from your tailgate party? If so, what's your favorite tip for using leftover BCD?

Today, I wanted to share with you some of the best ways to use leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip – as supplied by the folks on Facebook. Not that we ever have any leftover after our parties, but should you ever have any, here are a few great tips:

- “Take Tortilla wraps, place a piece of iceberg lettuce in there and put the BCD on top of it and wrap it up like a burrito!” –From Patricia
- “Take two crescent rolls...unfold them onto a flat shallow baking pan...bake till brown, then spread BCD over the crust, add chopped onion, broccoli, cauliflower, or any veggie you want...” –From Gene
- “Won-ton wraps. Put a spoonful in the middle of a wan-ton shell fold it in half (to make a triangle, seal the edges) and the deep-fry. Delish!” –From Karle
- “Use tortilla scoops, add a spoon drop of Buffalo Chicken dip, and sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice for an appetizer before dinner or an after school snack for kids.” –From Marianne
- “I like to put it over a nice bowl of penne pasta, it sounds strange but it is ohhhhh so good!” –From Brandon
- “I spread it on thick Italian bread, broil with cheese, and DEVOUR!!!” –From Kelly

What’s your favorite tip for using leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip?

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Football! Football! Football!

It’s that time of the year, again! It’s September, time for football, tailgating and a lot of Buffalo Chicken Dip consumption. Once the weather and the leaves start changing, you know it’s fall and you cannot say fall without thinking about football and of course what’s football without the most popular tailgating dips!  Nothing says fall like football and Buffalo Chicken Dip! Buffalo Chicken Dip has become so popular, it not only has it’s very own website, www.buffalochickendip.com, it also has more than 28,000 fans on Facebook www.facebook.com/buffalochickendip. 


There are a lot of recipes for Buffalo Chicken Dip, aka BCD, but my favorite is made with Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken and Frank’s RedHot Sauce.  Using the canned chicken makes my life a lot easier and because it is so convenient, I won’t have to miss a moment of the game! Today, I would like to share my favorite recipe with you and also share my favorite way of serving BCD to all my football-loving friends.  Try serving your Buffalo Chicken Dip in a bread bowl.  All of your guests can tear off pieces of the bowl until the entire dish is gone.  Clean up has never been easier!

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip 

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip 

From Campbell’s Kitchen®

Prep: 5 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Makes: 32 servings (2 tablespoons each)

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing

1/2 cup any flavor Frank's® RedHot® Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cans (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Assorted fresh vegetables and Pepperidge Farm® crackers

Directions:

1.     Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth. Stir in the dressing, hot sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.

2.     Bake at 350°F. for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture before serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Party for the Big Game!

Whether our favorite team makes it to the big game or it’s our rival who guns for the prized ring, there is one thing for certain, and that is we will be celebrating! The real main event of the Sunday Big Game is the food. Every year we have the delectable spread of dips, chips and finger foods. Today, I have two recipes to share. The first being our infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip and another football favorite, Chicken Nachos.

Since one of the best recipes for any party is Buffalo Chicken Dip, I usually have to make at least three batches of this stuff to satisfy all my guests. This dip is so popular that its fan page on Facebook has over 17,700 fans, and it has a new and improved website, www.buffalochickendip.com!If you haven’t served Buffalo Chicken Dip, aka BCD, at one of your parties, you and your guests are really missing out. It’s perfect to dip veggies, chips and even pretzels. Since it is certainly one of our most popular recipes, and I often receive visitors looking for this particular recipe, I wanted to share this super easy and quick video from Campbell’s Kitchen.

In addition to serving BCD, I will serve my guests another great recipe from Swanson, Chicken Nachos.

Chicken Nachos

From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 5 minutes
Serves: 6

1/2 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 bag (about 10 ounces) tortilla chips
Chopped tomato
Sliced green onion
Sliced pitted ripe olives


Heat the picante sauce, soup and chicken in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring often.

Place the chips on a platter. Spoon the chicken mixture over the chips. Top with the tomato, onion and olives.


Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

I also wanted to let all of those Buffalo Chicken Dip lovers know that we also have this really cool Evite for Football Parties. This will make your party planning that much more easy!

Shopping is Stressful!

We are only in week two of December and I am already stressed about Christmas gifts. Throughout the year, I generally like to take mental notes whenever close friends and family members mention products or ideas for gifts. Unfortunately, all those mental notes get lost somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

On top of all the stress of finding the perfect gift, my annual Christmas party is this weekend! Every year, I invite about ten of my closest friends for a night of good food, stories and a little game we like to call Secret Santa also called White elephant gift exchange. It’s similar to a Pollyanna but you can steal a present from someone! Here is a link to how we play: {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange#Gameplay} If you never played this before, it’s great way to celebrate the holiday without breaking the bank. On top of the Secret Santa, we will of course be enjoying some great food! I will, of course, be serving the infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip (it just wouldn’t be a party without BCD!}. I will also be serving a great holiday recipe: Puff Pastry Wrapped Brie. This appetizer is always a big hit during the holidays. And did I mention it’s only three steps!

Puff Pastry Wrapped Brie
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
Stand: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 (8 ounces) Brie cheese round
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Place the cheese in the center. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Reserve the pastry scraps for decoration.

2. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Brush the seam of the pastry with the egg mixture. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture.

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

The Eagle vs. The Giant

Wow! I cannot believe it’s the end of October already. Where did this month go? I live in Eagles’ country and in this part of the U.S., there are two things an Eagle fan really dislikes: one is a Cowboy (we all know the Dallas Cowboys are not welcome around here) and the other is a Giant. That’s right the New York Giants. This Sunday, the New York Giants will travel the measly two hours into our great city of Philadelphia and walk onto our field to get a good taste of good old Eagles football!

In honor of us beating the Giants this Sunday, I am throwing a small party at my house. There will be cheering, singing and of course the usual grunts. Besides all this noise, I am serving my infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip. A football party cannot function without this dip! But I am also serving another favorite around here, Barbeque Chicken Sandwiches. We have a great recipe, which I will share in a moment but I do want to say, if you are feeling adventurous, try making your very own BBQ sauce the day before. It will make it that much more special!

E-A-G-L-E-S! Go Birds!

Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1 small green pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup) (optional)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
4 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

Directions:

Heat the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir the pepper, onion and celery in the saucepan and cook until they're tender.

Stir the barbecue sauce and chicken in the saucepan. Heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Divide the chicken mixture among the rolls.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Happy Football Entertaining!

Happy Fall Everyone! I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus over the summer. Traveling, visiting family and of course, entertaining friends. I have a ton of new ideas, fun and easy recipes and party tips that I will be sharing over the next few weeks.

As some of you may know, I work with Swanson and we spent most of our summer months testing new recipes. I will be sharing those as we move away from the slow pace of the summer into the fall and then onto my favorite time of the year, the Holidays.

With the football season under way, I thought it would be great to kick it off with my favorite football tailgating recipe, the infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip! This dip has become so popular that the Facebook Fan Page has grown to over 10,000 Fans! Check it out here www.facebook.com/buffalochickendip. I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on their summer and the upcoming fall season. Most of all, I’d love your tips on how you like to spice up tailgating with new recipes and tips.

Until next time, I will be signing off… Enjoy the Buffalo Chicken Dip!

Frank’s® RedHot® Buffalo Chicken Dip:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (9.75 oz each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast, drained
½ cup Frank’s ® RedHot ® Sauce
½ cup blue cheese salad dressing
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers


Directions:
1. Stir cream cheese in 9” deep pie dish until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 20 min. until hot and bubbling. Stir. Serve with vegetables and crackers.

Tips:

* Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese for blue cheese crumbles.
* Make this in the microwave by heating it on high for 5 minutes instead of baking
* Keep it warm in a crockpot or slow cooker

Here is a great tip if you are grilling: Prepare the dip ahead of time in a heavy-duty disposable foil pan. Before serving, just heat over a medium to medium-high grill, stirring occasionally until dip is hot.

Getting Ready for Valentine's Day!

It’s officially February, and that means that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I know a lot of single women who absolutely hate Valentine’s Day – considering it cruel and unusual punishment – but I happen to love it, single or not. I look at it as a fun day to celebrate with my loved ones, whether it’s with family, friends, or a significant other. This year, I’m inviting all my single girlfriends over for our own Valentine’s celebration. Here’s my (budget-friendly) party plan, which would also work if you are cooking dinner for your spouse or family:

• Instead of using a traditional red, white and/or pink color scheme, I’m using a deep burgundy with silver accents to give my party a classier feel. I’m also abolishing all things “tacky,” including: expensive store-bought greetings cards, (Check out this site for a great alternative) heart-shaped balloons, and the viewing of any click-flick movies.

• I’m forgoing lots of expensive flower arrangements in favor of more creative and less expensive decorations. For example, I’m going to fill vases and glass mason jars with Valentine’s candy to use as my centerpiece.

• I’ll also use lots of inexpensive decorating items, like red ribbon, wrapping paper, candles, and table cloths to transform my house for the party.



• My menu will include lots of red-colored and spicy foods to keep with the theme. For my appetizers, I’m serving an array of dips, including the famed Buffalo Chicken Dip and my personal favorite, Sunset Dip. My main course will be Prego Easy Skillet Chicken Parm accompanied by spaghetti with Italian sauce (à la Lady and the Tramp). It’s an easy, inexpensive meal that still gives that Valentine’s Day vibe. I’ll serve it with a simple tossed salad and warm bread.

• For dessert, I’m making Amazing Red Devil's Food Cake in a heart-shaped pan, of course. Hint: I’ll add a few drops of red food coloring to the icing, to keep with my theme.

Also, check out these links for some other great Valentine’s ideas:
Inexpensive Gift Ideas
Gift Ideas for Men
Another Awesome Dessert
Yummy Treats

My First Office Holiday Party!

As a “recent college graduate” office holiday parties are a brand new experience for me and many of my friends. I’m already finding myself overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done before the end of the year! On top of that the first holiday party of my career has the potential to be a bit of an awkward experience for the newbie who doesn’t quite know the drill. So, when it was announced that our office holiday party was a potuck, I felt even more pressure to contribute something that would get notice and approval from all of my co-workers.

Yesterday was my office’s annual holiday party. The pressure was on, so I decided to make my Buffalo Chicken Dip, the dish that tested so well among my friends. This time, to change things up I substituted ranch dressing for the blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar cheese for the blue cheese crumbles. I actually preferred it this way, although blue cheese does give it that “wings and football” feel.

I held my breath as my co-workers asked “what is that?” when I unveiled my masterpiece. Since Buffalo Chicken Dip is so popular, I was surprised by how many people hadn’t tried it yet. Luckily, it passed with flying colors! There was none leftover after the party, and everyone asked for the recipe. The “new” girl had brought a great “new” dip. I took a big sigh of relief and silently said a thank you to the gods who invented Buffalo Chicken Dip.

As a side note, I made Buffalo Chicken Dip (which my co-workers now lovingly refer to as BCD) the night before the party and just heated it up in the microwave in the kitchen at the office. It couldn’t have been easier! I brought tortilla chips for dipping, but there were also vegetables at the party that some people used to dip. I know I have now written two full entries about Buffalo Chicken Dip, but I LOVE this recipe! I am not alone in my excitement over Buffalo Chicken Dip either, check out www.BuffaloChickenDip.com for more variations of the recipe. There are so many ways to spice it up!

Sometime in the next few weeks, you probably have a work holiday party on your calendar, right? I’m sure it’s there, somewhere in between the gift shopping, tree decorating and frantic wrapping. If you’re the one that got stuck planning your office’s holiday party, check out these blogs for some great tips:

http://newlycorporate.com/2008/11/24/5-secrets-to-a-classy-holiday-party-on-a-budget/

Recipe Test Run: Buffalo Chicken Dip

It has become apparent to me that being a college grad means two things in my family:

1. My parents are finished supporting me financially in any way, shape or form. (Well, it was nice while it lasted!)
   
   
2. I’m now expected to bring a “dish” to all of our holiday gatherings, celebrations and/or functions.

This may not seem like a big deal, but you should know that for the past four years I lived mainly on a diet of spaghetti and cold pizza, so my cooking skills are a bit rusty. Now that I’m out in the real world, my wallet hasn’t had a chance to catch up with me. So, with my lack of cooking expertise and a minimal budget, I wasn’t sure how I’d compete with my Mom’s amazing sweet potato casserole, my aunt’s pies, and my sister’s famed appetizers.

Last Sunday night, I decided to do a test run with Buffalo Chicken Dip, a recipe that has been getting a lot of buzz lately. I brought it to a Sunday Night Football party, and I was blown away by the reviews. Since “planning ahead” is not my strong suit, I didn’t have time to cook chicken, wait for it to cool, and then shred it in time to make the dip for the party. Instead, I used Swanson® Chicken which is made with only white chicken breast. Everyone loved it! Not only was the dip super easy and affordable to make, but I (ok, Buffalo Chicken Dip) was the hit of the party. Now I know what I’ll be bring to many holiday parties this season. I think it may even stand a chance against Mom’s casserole!

Frank’s® RedHot® Buffalo Chicken Dip:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (9.75 oz each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast, drained
½ cup Frank’s ® RedHot ® Sauce
½ cup blue cheese salad dressing
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers

Directions:
1. Stir cream cheese in 9” deep pie dish until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 20 min. until hot and bubbling. Stir. Serve with vegetables and crackers.

Tips:

• Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese for blue cheese crumbles.
• Make this in the microwave by heating it on high for 5 minutes instead of baking
• Keep it warm in a crockpot or slow cooker