Red Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese Dip

This is one of the easiest appetizers to create, and always seems to be the first to go at parties. If you have a nice sweet and spicy jelly, like the one by Stonewall Kitchen pictured above, you don’t need much else to create a delicious gluten free appetizer.

Ingredients:

– 1 8 oz. block (or container) of cream cheese
– 1 jar spicy jelly (I used Stonewall Kitchen Red Pepper Jelly)
– 1 box crackers (I recommend Blue Diamond Nut Thins)

Directions:

– Place your cream cheese in the center of a plate
– Smother in jam
– Surround with crackers
– Eat

So easy, and so yummy.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

NOM nom Nom.. I love anything buffalo flavored. I also love cheese. And my crockpot. So when I have an excuse to make a party dish like this, I pretty much eat the entire thing…which is not good, because *warning* this is not a healthy recipe.

There are two easy ways to make buffalo chicken dip: crock pot or oven.

Ingredients:

-3 chicken breasts
-1 package (8oz) cream cheese
-1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
-1/3 cup blue cheese or Ranch dressing(Wishbone and Kens are definitely gluten free)
-1/2 bag of cheddar cheese
-3 tbs butter (optional)

(Corn chips or celery for dipping)

Directions for crock pot:

-Place chicken breasts, butter and hot sauce into the crock pot. Set on High.
-Once the chicken starts to soften, pull it apart with two forks, creating pulled chicken.
-Let chicken continue to soften, and once it begins to look stringy and pulled, add in cream cheese, cheddar cheese and dressing.
-Mix together until totally blended. You should see the chicken start to really break apart
– Once it starts to bubble around the edges it is ready to serve

Directions for stove: (I don’t use butter in this version)

-Boil chicken breasts in water on the stove.
-Once chicken is cooked  (10- 15 minutes depending on thickness), remove from water and set aside to cool.
-Preheat oven to 375.
-Once cool, pull it apart with two forks, creating pulled stringy chicken.
-In a large mixing bowl add cream cheese, cheddar cheese and dressing.
-Mix together until totally blended, then pour into glass/ceramic dish.
-Bake dish on 375 for about 15 minutes until dip is heated through
-Switch to broil for 1 -2 minutes to make the top crispy. Watch it while the broiler is on! It can burn quickly.

Serve it straight from your crock pot/baked dish with corn chips ….or celery if you’re being “healthy”.

Can’t get enough buffalo? Try this buffalo chicken stuffed avocado or these traditional buffalo chicken wings.

Lobster Guacamole

Basically, put lobster in your guacamole. What a great idea!

Ingredients:

-4 avocados
-2 heaping tbs worth of red onion
-1-2 cloves garlic
-1.5 cups lobster
-lemon or lime
-salt
-pepper

Directions:

-Cut your avocado in half length wise, twist slightly and pull your two halves apart. Holding the side containing the pit, pop your knife into the pit, and twist to pop it out. With the open side facing upward, slice the avocado vertically and horizontally. Scoop the insides out. Slicing it up while its still sitting in the skin just makes it easier to remove and smush up.
-Fold in red onion, garlic, and lobster meat. (I like the guac chunky for this recipe)
-Mince red onion and garlic, stir into guac.
-Add lime and (or lemon)
-Salt and pepper to taste

I’d recommend eating with Tosito’s Scoops.

Mango Guacamole

 

Guacamole, with a tropical twist!

Ingredients:
-4 avocados
-2 heaping tbs worth of red onion
-1-2 cloves garlic
-1 mango
-lemon or lime
-salt
-pepper

Directions:
-Cut your avocado in half length wise, twist slightly and pull your two halves apart. Holding the side containing the pit, pop your knife into the pit, and twist to pop it out. With the open side facing upward, slice the avocado vertically and horizontally. Scoop the insides out. Slicing it up while its still sitting in the skin just makes it easier to remove and smush up.
-Really smush up your avocado. Whip it with a fork  until it is super creamy. This is key!
-Mince red onion and garlic, stir into guac.
-Chop up the mango into chunks… about 2 cm wide. (Note: peel the mango first, then slice the mango vertically, and again horizontally against the pit). Slice the mango off the pit and mix into your guac.
-Squirt in lime and or lemon to taste
-Salt and pepper to taste

Some people really like onion. If that person is you- add more!

 

Easy Gluten Free Appetizer- Smoked Salmon

The easiest gluten free appetizer, that is sure to please your guests. And more importantly, sure to please the host who won’t be stuck in the kitchen while everyone else is socializing.

Ingredients:
-Smoked Salmon (Buy a flat package – they should all be gluten free, but always double check!)
-Cream Cheese (I used soft chive cream cheese)
-Crackers (I used Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers, Rosemary and Olive Oil)

Directions:
-Using a knife, spread cream cheese onto crackers
-Cut up Smoked Salmon into small squares
-Put squares on the crackers

That’s it!
Now leave the kitchen and go enjoy your party!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo Chicken dip. Nough said.

There are two easy ways of doing this. Crock pot versus stove.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts
1 package (8oz) cream cheese
1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
1/3 cup blue cheese or Ranch dressing(Wishbone and Kens are definitely gluten free)
1/2 bag of cheddar cheese
3 tbs butter (optional)

(Corn chips or celery for dipping)

Directions for crock pot:

-Put chicken breasts, butter and hot sauce into the crock pot. Set on High.
-Once the chicken starts to soften, pull it apart with two forks, creating pulled chicken.
-Once chicken is softened and beginning to look stringy and pulled, add in cream cheese, cheddar cheese and dressing.
-Mix together until totally blended. You should see the chicken start to blend in and fall apart even more.
-Let it all  heat up thoroughly before you serve – it’s done once it starts to bubble (this will happen quickly).

Directions for stove: (I don’t use butter in this version)

-Boil chicken breasts in water on the stove.
-Once chicken is cooked through (10- 15 minutes depending on thickness), remove from water and set aside to cool.
-Preheat oven to 375.
-Once cool, pull it apart with two forks, creating pulled chicken.
-In a large mixing bowl, add in cream cheese, cheddar cheese and dressing.
-Mix together until totally blended, then pour into glass/ceramic dish.
-Bake dish on 375 for about 15 minutes until dip is heated through
-Switch to broil for 1 -2 minutes to make the top crispy. Watch it while the broiler is on! It can burn quickly.

When it’s all melted down serve it straight from your crock pot/baked dish with corn chips

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

-between 3 cups and an entire bottle of canola oil (for frying)
-1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot
-1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
-1 cup gluten free flour ( I used Bob’s Red Mill)
-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-dash of Black Pepper
-20 chicken “wingettes” (this just means the drum and tip of wing are already separated)

(You should also get blue cheese dressing and celery to go with! Ken’s and Wishbone are both gluten free)

Directions:

-Fill a large, deep pan with oil and set on high. Oil should be just deep enough to fully emerse a chicken wing.

-While oil is heating: Mix flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt together in a large ziploc bag, shake it up.

-Toss your chicken wings (10 at a time) into the ziploc bag and shake it all up until wings are evenly coated with flour mixture

-Remove each chicken wing one by one, shaking off excess flour into the bag

-Once oil is heated (375 or so) slowly drop in your chicken wings. They should start to sizzle immediately, and the sizzle will soon turn to a bubble. Let cook for about 10 minutes, or until edges turn brown and crispy.

PLEASE be careful by using long tongs to insert and remove the hot wings!
(try using your grill tools) 

-While wings are cooking: Melt  butter in a non stick pack on medium/medium-low, once butter is melted add Franks Red Hot, and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir until ingredients are mixed, then remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl.

-When wings are done, remove with tongs, let excess oil drip off, and then place in bowl of sauce. Mix wings in sauce until fully coated. Let sit for 5 minutes or so, and then serve with blue cheese and celery!

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