Artichoke Dip

A Freaking Mazing Artichoke Dip

I found this at http://www.joyfulabode.com/a-freaking-mazing-artichoke-dip/ when I was searching for an artichoke dip recipe.  This is the one we liked best.

A-Freaking-Mazing Artichoke Dip

Author: Emily Chapelle - Joyful Abode

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Grain-free, Gluten-free, Primal, Low Carb

This is the best artichoke dip you'll ever make. It's quick and easy, and everyone loves it.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• A dollop of sour cream - maybe ¼ - ⅓ cup
• A dollop of mayonnaise - about ¼ cup
• About a cup of chopped spinach (either fresh, cooked, or frozen, thawed). I use one box frozen.
• 2 ~15oz cans or jars of artichoke hearts (in water, not marinated), drained and roughly chopped
• Garlic salt to taste
• Chili powder
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• A handful of shredded mozzarella cheese for the top

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 2 minutes on 50% heat to soften it. Pre-microwaving the cream cheese will help you mix it with the other ingredients, so I recommend not skipping this step.
3. Mix all ingredients in a baking dish.
4. Be generous with the chili powder! The cream cheese and sour cream will act to "cool" the dip, so you can sprinkle away with the chili!
5. Bake 30-45 minutes until heated through.
6. Sprinkle on a bit more mozzarella, then broil until the cheese is browned.

Now you can get down to the business of eating and enjoying your delicious dip. Try it with:

1. Zero-Carb Homemade Baked Cheese Crisps
2. Carrot sticks
3. Celery sticks
4. Strips of raw bell peppers
5. Pork rinds
6. A spoon
7. Homemade grain-free crackers (I’m thinking of a sesame-seed based one that I may try to make!)
8. Slices of turnips, jicama, or large radishes

I also think it would be great in hollowed-out Roma tomato halves or jalapeno pepper halves, possibly wrapped with bacon. Dear goodness…. *sigh*

Make it in a beautiful enameled baking dish, and this artichoke dip will be ready for entertaining everyone’s tastebuds at your party in style.

Crochet Star

I was looking for a star pattern to put in birthday gift bags.

I found it on this website with great directions. http://habitualhomebody.com/how-to-crochet-a-star/

I would like them to look like this and I think if I put a SC boarder on the pattern below that it would look like that.

Star pattern:

Start with a magic ring. 15 Dc into the ring.
Click here for my video tutorial on how to make a magic ring.

Slip stitch to join in top of first DC. Pull the tail to close the hole (or leave it open if you wish). Chain 6.

SC in third stitch from hook. HDC in next stitch. Dc in next two stitches.

Skip two stitches. Slip stitch in third stitch to anchor down star arm. Repeat these last three steps 4 more times.

When you get to the last arm of the star, you will slip stitch into the first stitch, then finish off. Weave in ends.

How to block your stars:

You may wish to block your star so the arms stay flat. It’s very simple to do this. All you need is a piece of cardboard, some pins, and a spray bottle of water. Flatten and stretch the star to the shape you want it to be in when dry. Pin them in that position to the cardboard. Spray liberally with water and let air dry.

(Psst, I cheated by using a hairdryer to dry them because I was impatient – my yarn was wool so I wasn’t worried about melting, but acrylic may melt this way- so be careful and maybe test one first).

When completely dry, remove the pins and you’re done!

Here’s a blocking before and after:

Beaded Friendship Bracelet

I found this on http://www.1dogwoof.com/2013/04/crochet-beaded-friendship-bracelet.html

I just happened along her website.


For an intro on this project, check out my previous post.

 Supplies:

2.5mm crochet hook
6 strand embroidery thread
30 size 6 glass beads
large sewing needle small enough to go through the beads

Abbreviations:

sl st: slip stitch
ch: chain
st: stitch

Thread 30 seed beads onto your embroidery floss.

Row 1: Leave a 7-8 inch tail.  Ch. 39. Turn

Row 2: Sl st in back ridge of the 2nd ch from hook.  Sl st in each chain across.  Turn.

Row 3: Ch. 1.  Sl st in each of next 4 st. Sl st a bead in each of next 30 st. Sl st next 4 st.  Turn.

The bead part isn’t as hard as it sounds.  Push each bead tightly to the work before inserting your hook into the stitch to complete the slip stitch.  The bead should now be on the right of your hook, while the unused beads continue to be on the left of the hook.  (for right handers)

Row 4: Ch 1. Sl st in each st across.  Leave a 7-8 inch tail and fasten off.

Now you have the body of the bracelet with a two tails on the same side of the bracelet.  Now cut 3 lengths of embroidery floss, each about 14-15 inches (twice the length of a tail).  Loop one of the strands on the end with the tails, and loop the other two strands on the other end,so you have 4 “tails” on each end of the bracelet.  You can use a lark’s knot or just tie it however you need to secure it to the body.  Now work a 4-way braid on each end.  The length of the braid is up to you – it’ll depend on whether you want to make the bracelet adjustable or just tie the ends together.  If you want to make the ends adjustable, you’ll have to create an adjustable knot macrame knot  [bad link] (or a series of square knots) to hold the two ends together.

For mine, I ended the braids with a knot, added a couple more beads and tied another knot to hold them in place.  The finishing touches are completely up to you!