Friday Favorites and Chunky Dip

TGIF! It’s Friday!! Wooooo! Do you have big plans for this weekend? I have a pretty busy weekend planned. Soccer practice, ballet, furniture shopping, painting the master bedroom, and taking my daughters to a play. Wow when I type it all out it seems like there is a lot going on.

Like I said we are painting our bedroom this weekend. We have been in our house for 3 1/2 years now and it is time for the purple to go! I will take some before shots to share with you. We have dark purple walls, dark purple carpet, dark wooden blinds, and yellow-gold closet doors. It is too dark in there. We are planning on painting the walls white, ripping up the carpet (there are hardwood floors under there!), and getting new blinds. It shall be a fun and cheap makeover.

Here is a short list of my Friday Favorites. Scroll down to the bottom for the recipe for Chunky Dip.

FRIDAY FAVORITES:

1. NEW COOKBOOK

Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales by Roberto Santibanez I love everything listed in the title. I picked this book up yesterday at the library and fell in love. This cookbook needs to be added to my collection ASAP

2. Dachshunds 

Mini dachshunds make my heart melt. So cute. My Aunt & Uncle have had mini dachshunds for as long as I can remember. I do want a big dog, but I think a mini dachshund would be the perfect little dog.

3. A lion, a tiger, a bear, Oh My! 

Apparently they were rescued during a drug raid when they were only two months old. It was decided to keep them together.

4. Closet Organization

I love the look of this organized closet. I am contemplating a DIY closet system that is similar.

5. Ryan Gosling Hey Girl Meme

This made me laugh so hard when I saw it. Growing up I heard my mom say repeatedly sewing scissors are not for cutting paper. Then in college I heard it in the costume studio. Now I find myself telling my children not to use mommy’s sewing scissors for paper. There is a Handmade Ryan Gosling Tumblr account with all sorts of “Hey Girl” related to sewing and crafting.

6. Mid Century Modern Furniture

I saw this sectional at the furniture store the other day. I am trying to decide if it would look good in our house.

7. Beach Vacation

The windchill was -9 degrees F this morning! I would love to whisk my hard working husband off to a beach vacation. Where would you go if you had to go on a tropical vacation?

9. Funky Hair

I really want to dye my hair an unnatural color. Is 29 too old to make such a drastic change?

10. Coconut Oil Cookies

These beauts are from Averie Cooks. I can’t wait to try them!

What are some of your favorite things you came across this week?

Ok. Now on to the Chunky Dip. The only reason I am calling it chunky dip is because a long time friend gave it that name. So I am honoring him by calling it that. You can call it pickle dip if you’d like

Have you ever had those pickle wraps? You know the dried beef or ham smeared in cream cheese and wrapped around a pickle then sliced into little pickle wrap coins? It is delicious. It is one of my favorite appetizers from my childhood. Grandma Bonnie would sometimes make them. Every time I have tried to make them I usually end up ripping the dried beef or ham when I try to spread the cream cheese on top. This dip invention saves me the trouble. Chop everything up, add it to the cream cheese, mix it together, then serve on crackers. Easy peasy! Whip up a batch to serve at your Super Bowl party!

CHUNKY DIP AKA PICKLE DIP
6 dill pickle spears, cut into small chunks
1-2.5 ounce package of sliced dried beef, chopped
1-8 ounce package of low fat cream cheese, softened
crackers for serving

The ingredients shown are for a half recipe. I didn’t want to have a ton on hand. 

Chop up the pickles and dried beef. Stir into the softened cream cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate until use. Allow to soften 10 minutes before serving. This will make it easier to spread on a cracker. Enjoy!

It was suggested that instead of chopping up dill pickle spears use dill pickle relish instead. I think that is a great idea!