This recipe is the perfect make-ahead side dish that can be reheated in the oven or the microwave.

These creamy potatoes are fluffy with a nice buttery flavor.

Perfect if you ask me!

The Potatoes

For this recipe you’ll need 5 pounds of russet potatoes, or about 6 bakers. I find this variety of potato to yield the perfect smooth and creamy consistency.

No gritty or gluey mashed potatoes here. Please tell me you know what I’m referring to :)

The Cooking Method

Peel and cut potatoes into about 6-8 pieces each and place in large pot of salted cold water. Add a bay leaf, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a couple garlic cloves and salt to the water. Thank you to the Kitchn for this recipe tip!

We’re going to take advantage of any opportunity to infuse flavor into our potatoes. If you don’t want flecks of thyme leaves in your potatoes you can place the fresh herbs in a cheese cloth bundle, then discard after boiling.

Cook potatoes just until *fork tender, then drain and return to the hot cooking pot to dry. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf before mashing.

*the ideal way to achieve fork tender potatoes is when you can insert a fork easily but still lift the potato from the water before it falls off. Not scientific, but tried and true.

I still use a good old fashioned potato masher but have heard of great results when using a potato ricer as well. For best results, please resist the urge to use an electric mixer which tends to deliver a gluey mash.

Add the following ingredients to the mashed potatoes:

• butter (1/2 cup)
• cream cheese (8 ounces)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• salt & pepper to taste

Continue to mash until well combined. Transfer potatoes to a 9×13 baking dish. Add dollops of butter to top, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

The beauty of this recipe is it can be made up to 2 days in advance of serving. And you can reheat in the oven or microwave.

Oven Heating Method

Oven heating is my preferred method because we love the buttery golden top.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove potatoes from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature
• Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or lightly browned and heated through
• Heating times will vary depending on oven and if multiple dishes are being heated together
• Tent with foil If casserole begins to brown too quickly

Microwave Heating Method

Reheating in the microwave comes in very handy, especially during the holidays when oven space is in high demand.

• Microwave potatoes uncovered on high in one minute increments
• Stir after each minute, until hot

Family Favorite Side Dishes

If you’re planning your Thanksgiving or Holiday menu, here are a few our our family’s favorite side dishes.

• Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar & Pecans
• Summer Squash Casserole
• Herb Browned Butter Stuffing
• Fresh Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole with Crispy Shallots

Everyone loves mashed potatoes. When you’re planning a big meal, go ahead and make this side dish in advance. One less thing to worry about as you’re enjoying the company of friends and family.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

The post Easy Creamy Mashed Potato Casserole appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The ingredients are simple yet the sour cream & fresh dill dressing brings a lovely full flavor to this chilled salad. This salad, also known as Gurkensalat is fresh and light and makes a perfect side dish.

The Sour Cream & Fresh Dill Dressing

For the creamy dressing start with a base of sour cream. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper & lots of fresh dill.

We use white distilled vinegar but have seen variations of this recipe using cider vinegar. I’m certain that would give a refreshingly different taste.

For the German Cucumber Salad

I like to use English cucumbers because the seeds are very small and have less moisture. There’s no need to peel them either which makes this salad that much easier. We used a mandolin to thinly slice them and added a little white and red onion.

Once the dressing is added I like to chill the salad for a couple hours before serving. The cucumbers really take on the nice tart dill flavor.

Creamy German Cucumber-Dill Salad is best enjoyed within a few hours of dressing, but will keep in the refrigerator a couple days if needed.

Check out a few of our other Oktoberfest inspired recipes.

• Wienerschnitzel
• Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage
• Warm German Potato Salad
• Sauerkraut
• Simple Sage Brown Butter Spaetzle

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Creamy German Cucumber-Dill Salad (Gurkensalat)

This simple Creamy German Cucumber-Dill salad, also known as Gurkensalat, is fresh and light and makes a perfect side dish.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine German/Austrian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 2 hours hours

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Cucumber Salad

• 2 English cucumbers sliced very thin
• 1/4 cup or more to taste red or white onion sliced very thin

For the Dill Dressing

• 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons, plus more for garnish fresh dill chopped
• 2 Tablespoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For Cucumber Salad

• Thinly slice cucumbers and onion using a mandolin or very sharp knife.

For the Dill Dressing

• Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the sliced cucumbers and onions 2 hours before serving. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh dill to serve.

The post Creamy German Cucumber-Dill Salad (Gurkensalat) appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Yes, I referenced the holidays. They will be here in no time and this year we’ll be ready! We’ll have a whole line up of appetizers queue’d up and ready to go!

It just so happens this warm & cheesy dip is also game day worthy!

For this oven baked dip think bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed jalapeño popper flavors! Fresh jalapeños, 3 kinds of cheese, bacon-love, and a buttery crisp topping make this dip a fan favorite.

Jalapeño Popper Dip Ingredients

• For the Dip
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 5-6 jalapenos, roasted & diced
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crispy & chopped
• For the Topping
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 4 Tablespoons butter, melted

How to Assemble the Dip

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a rack in a rimmed baking pan lined with aluminum foil
• Arrange bacon slices and jalapenos on rack and bake for 20 minutes (or until bacon is crispy)
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the remaining dip ingredients
• Chop bacon and jalapenos (discard stems and seeds), mix into dip
• Transfer dip to an 8×8 baking dish coated with cooking spray
• In a small bowl, combine Topping ingredients and spread on top of dip
• Bake for 20 minutes
• Garnish with crispy bacon and sliced jalapeno
• Serve with favorite chips or crackers

Recipe Tips

• You can adjust the ‘heat’ on this dip by adding more jalapenos or including the seeds. I used 5 average sized jalapenos (about 4″ long) and discarded the seeds. The result was mild on the heat meter.
• Cooking the bacon in the oven makes for easy cleanup.
• Roasting the jalapenos first mellows them out a bit and adds a nice smoky flavor.

For my college cooking kids, this Easy & Delicious Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe is right up your alley! You can even assemble it the day before and just pop it in the oven before serving.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Easy & Delicious Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe

This Easy & Delicious Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe is perfect for holiday entertaining and a great addition to your game day spread!

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Dip

• 6 slices bacon
• 5-6 jalapenos
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

For the Topping

• 4 Tablespoons butter melted
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free for GF version)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded

To Serve

• garnish with reserved crispy bacon & sliced jalapeno
• serve with favorite chips or crackers

Instructions

For the Dip

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Place a rack in a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Arrange bacon slices and jalapenos on rack. Bake for 20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine remaining Dip ingredients. In a small bowl, combine Topping ingredients.
• Remove bacon and jalapenos from oven. Allow to cool slightly. Dice jalapenos, discarding stem and seeds. Chop bacon, reserving 2 Tablespoons for garnish. Add remaining bacon and diced jalapeno to dip. Transfer mixture to an 8×8 baking dish. Spread topping over dip. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Garnish with sliced jalapeno and crispy bacon. Serve warm from oven with favorite chips or crackers.

The post Easy & Delicious Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Last week I shared what would be the first recipe in a new series called College Cooking. My 21 year old bonus-son and his roommates requested some recipe inspiration.

College Cooking Challenge

“Start a recipe series called College Cooking and give us a new recipe each week that we can prepare in our off-campus housing kitchens!

Be sure the ingredients are readily available (and affordable) but help us break free from blue box mac ‘n cheese, frozen pizzas, and fast-food meals.”

When we went down for their initial move-in visit, little did I know that they had planned a cooking challenge for me. A ‘Chopped-like’ College Cooking Competition.

They gave me 5 typical college survival ingredients and asked me to turn them into an Appetizer, Entree and Dessert.

Oh boy!

My College Cooking Challenge Mystery Ingredients

• Instant Mashed Potatoes
• Ramen Noodles
• Frozen Chicken Tenders
• Steak-umms
• Cap’N Crunch

I can honestly say all but ramen noodles were making their debut on Lemony Thyme!

Before I planned my recipes, I was able to ‘shop’ from their pantry and fridge/freezer. No question they have their staple ‘survival’ ingredients, but they also had a nice array of spices and cooking essentials.

We made a run to their local Walmart for the remaining ingredients! That was an adventure in itself. Envision a college town Walmart the day after move-in weekend. Chaos but we nailed it!

The College Cooking Challenge Results

Cooking for these kids was a blast! I found some pretty creative ways to incorporate their go-to staple ingredients. And most importantly they loved the results and ate every last bite!

For the Appetizer Round I made Nashville Hot Chicken & Waffle Sliders, incorporating the frozen chicken tenders.

And I also made these Loaded Baked Potato Tots with Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce! They were a huge hit!

Loaded Baked Potato Tots

My challenged included a 4-pack of microwavable instant mashed potatoes. Let me say a couple things about that. Of all the mystery ingredients, this was the one I feared most. All I could envision were thin and flavorless ‘watery’ mashed potatoes.

I now feel a bit foolish! They are nice and thick and taste pretty darn good straight out of the microwave. I can see why these meat & potato loving kids stock their cupboards with them.

*Partly attributed to the sodium count which weighs in at 690 mg. per serving.

So for this recipe, whether you use instant or have leftover homemade mashed potatoes is completely your choice.

Loaded Tots Ingredients

• You’ll begin with 3 cups of mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup finely chopped crispy cooked bacon
• 2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• Panko or plain breadcrumbs

• Combine all ingredients and mix well
• Using a teaspoon, scoop out mashed potatoes and shape into ‘tots’
• Roll each tot in breadcrumbs
• Place tots on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet
• Bake at 375 deg. F. for 25 minutes
• Serve with Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce

You can certainly pan-fry these tots but oven-baked yielded a nice crispy tot with cheesy loaded mashed potato inside! And this dipping sauce is crazy good with cheddar cheese and bacony love.

There was not a tot to be found after the appetizer round!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our Instagram Story Highlights for how the entire College Cooking Challenge went down! More recipes to follow!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Loaded Baked Potato Tots Recipe

You can certainly pan-fry these tots but oven-baked yielded a nice crispy tot with cheesy mashed potato inside!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

For the Loaded Baked Potato Tots

• 3 cups mashed potatoes cooled
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup crispy cooked bacon finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives snipped
• 1-2 cups dry plain breadcrumbs

For the Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 Tablespoons crispy cooked bacon finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh chives snipped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (or garlic powder & salt)

Instructions

For Loaded Baked Potato Tots

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Using a teaspoon, scoop out potato mixture and form into tots. Roll tots in breadcrumbs then place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve with Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce.

For Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce

• Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Rachel Hollis.

The post Loaded Baked Potato Tots Recipe appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We’ve taken classic Mexican street corn and cut it off the cob. Because scooping corn chips through creamy fresh grilled corn that’s bursting with chili and lime flavors …is FUN!!

Each week our local Farmers Market blossoms with new fresh produce and gorgeous flowers. The first week was beets, carrots, cucumbers, broccolini, and peaches.

By the second week we added potatoes, green beans, and sweet corn on the cob.

We bought and grilled more corn than we could eat, it came down to Corn Chowder or a nice crisp flavorful corn dip. With the temps in the 90s, this dip recipe was born and you’ll love it.

I took all the same flavor profiles that you would slather on corn on the cob to make Elote. Elote, also known as Mexican street corn, means corncob or ‘ear of corn’ in Spanish and is traditionally served slathered with a mixture of mayonnaise, crema, cilantro, chili powder, garlic, lime juice and crumbled Cotija cheese.

For our this recipe I also added fine diced jalapeño and green onion. I served this dip at room temperature but it’s delicious oven warmed as well.

I’m certain my family is silently cheering right now. Witnessing me eat an ear of corn is not a pretty sight! Let’s just say I’m enthusiastic in my approach and committed until the end. So this Mexican Street Corn Dip has now become a family favorite. It sings of summer with fresh bright flavors like chili and lime, and delivers a delicious creamy corn crunch!

I’d love for you to comment below. Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Mexican Street Corn Dip

This Mexican Street Corn Dip has now become a family favorite. It sings of summer with fresh bright flavors like chili and lime, and delivers a delicious creamy corn crunch!

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn on the cob shucked and grilled until lightly charred
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons crema or sour cream
• 1/4 cup Cotija Mexican crumbling cheese
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves rough chopped
• 1 small jalapeño fine diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (we used Tajin chili lime seasoning) or more to taste
• salt & pepper taste
• fresh cilantro & cotjita cheese for garnish

Instructions

• Grill corn on the cob until lightly charred. Remove kernels from the cobs. Whisk together remaining ingredient, add in corn kernels and stir until well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese for garnish. Serve at room temperature with favorite chips or crackers. To serve warm, place in a greased oven proof dish and bake at 325° F. for 15 minutes.

The post Fresh Mexican Street Corn Dip You’ll Love appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Does anyone else buy boxes of “Little Bites” muffins for their kids (big or small)??

I can’t believe I’m admitting it – not because I’m a packaged food snob, but because muffins are so darn easy to make at home!

These bite sized homemade Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins are moist and cake-like, studded with chocolate chips throughout. They are a tasty grab-n-go snack, lunch box treat, or Sunday morning get ’em out of bed to start the day kind of breakfast.

We first made this recipe back during the summer of covid-cooking (2020).

In May, after being in quarantine for two months, we as a family decided to take on an ultimate cooking challenge.

Every recipe cooked was an entry to win the grand prize. Little did we know that we would cook our way through an entire cookbook (132 recipes) in just 50 days. Each one of them documented on Instagram @lemonythyme.

Covid Cooking 2020

This beloved cookbook titled “Eat What You Want” is by What’s Gaby Cooking.

It’s hard to precisely put into words how profoundly this cooking expedition shaped our lives during these challenging and difficult times.

• Let’s just say we simultaneously strengthened our family bond and our love of food
• We shared the love with neighbors we hadn’t previously had the time to get to know (many special deliveries were left on doorsteps and passed over fences)
• No doubt we challenged our cooking abilities
• All of us stayed mostly positive when a sea of negativity was brewing in the world around us
• We discovered a competitive over-achiever lay under the surface in each of us
• Without a doubt, we ate the most delicious dishes all prepared in our own kitchen

And while we were not chosen as the grand-prize winner of her competition, in our book this family adventure was Winning!!!

You can find our amateur how-to cooking video saved under stories on Instagram. @lemonythyme “Kids Cooking”

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

These bite sized homemade Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins are moist and cake-like, studded with chocolate chips throughout.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup vbegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk only
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheast oven to 375° F. Spray 4 mini-muffin tins with cooking spray (48 muffins total).
• In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder with 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In a separate small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder with hot water until smooth.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and yolk, and vanilla on medium speed until combined. Add the cocoa powder/water mixture and beat until just combined. Now alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in three additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir in 1 cup of each kinds of chocolate chips, reserving a 1/2 cup of the mini chips to sprinkle on top before baking.
• Bake in center of oven about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick instered in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Store in an air tight container or freeze in small batches.

Notes

This recipe can also be made as one dozen standard sized muffins (30 minute bake time) or 6 jumbo muffins (40 minute bake time).

The post Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

But that’s just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Fire roasted tomatoes, fresh lime juice, chili powder, cumin and oregano elevate the creamy black beans, making this hearty chili a super flavorful vegetarian meal.

When serving this chili, don’t skimp on the toppings. Sour cream, sliced avocado, radish and jalapeño, fresh cilantro and lime all bring nice bright flavors.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili is a delicious and satisfying meal. It’s perfect for when the weather starts to turn towards fall and the leaves remind us that Winter is coming.

I love all kinds of soups, stews and chilis. I rounded them up HERE for your viewing pleasure. Are you a black bean fan? Our Black Bean Puree is amazing, if I might say so myself!

Have you got a favorite cool weather go-to comfort food? I’d love for you to comment below.

Enjoy!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Black Bean Chili

Black Bean Chili begins like many of our soup and chili recipes….with a medley of carrots, onions and celery. But that's just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Chili

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 15-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• juice of 1 lime
• salt & pepper to taste

For Serving

• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 avocado diced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• radish & jalapenos sliced

Instructions

For the Chili

• In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced carrots, celery and onion and saute until just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 1 minutes then add the spices and stir to coat vegetables. Add the broth, black beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove 3 cups of soup mixture to a blender and puree, then return to soup pot. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.

For Serving

• Serve in bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced radish and jalapeno and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

The post Vegetarian Black Bean Chili appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

A packet of onion soup mix, a tub of sour cream, and a big bag of ruffled potato chips and we were in dip heaven.

Just think how far the dip world has come, evolved if you will.

On one hand you could say not a lot has changed. I was just texting with a friend. He shared a picture of the smoked deviled eggs he made for the big game.

SMOKED DEVILED EGGS!!!

Hello Mister! After I got done oogling the egg picture I asked what else he was serving. He shared it was the only day he was allowed to have chop dip. Chop Dip?!! I had to know….

Point being, with all the fancy dip recipes out there it’s hard to beat a good Chip Dip. This French Onion Dip takes a little longer than opening the pack of powdered onion soup mix. But if you can make the caramelized onions in advance, you can complete this recipe in mere minutes.

Two thing you need to know about making caramelized onions is it takes a TON to yield a decent cooked portion and it takes patience. I have a post on this process here.

So while I have a soft spot for Hot Party Dips (and a rather nice collection) there’s something nostalgic about a good Chip Dip!

No matter what you’re drinking or your favorite dipping vessel, you’re going to want to make this French Onion Dip for your next Game Day or family gathering!

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French Onion Dip

No matter what you're drinking or your favorite dipping vessel, you're going to want to make this French Onion Dip for your next Game Day or family gathering!

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 large sweet yellow onions small diced
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
• fresh snipped chives for garnish

Instructions

• Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions and saute for 15 minutes, stirring just a couple times. Then reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until onions become a beautiful deep brown color, about 25-30 more minutes.
• Remove onions from heat, add the vinegar and stir to combine. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer onion mixture to a bowl. Add the honey, mustard, mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir to combine. Season with salt & freshly cracked pepper. Garnish with snipped fresh chives.
• Serve with favorite chips and veggie sticks.

The post French Onion Dip is a Game Day Staple appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

While the guest list will be dramatically reduced, the enthusiasm will remain high and the food options plentiful.

As we started to kick around new and old-favorite recipe ideas for Sunday’s big game, we took a moment to reflect.

We’re likely not to pack our living room with dozens of screaming fans any time soon.

How we scale, prepare and serve dishes has and will continue to change.

So for those of you folks like us who love to cook and entertain….we’re in this together.

That’s when we decided to take our beloved dip and turn it into individually portioned Walking 7-Layer Mexican Dip!

Remember Walking Tacos served in single-serving bags of chips?!

Which reminds me… have you seen the pictures on social media of Jarcuterie?!! Mini mason jars filled with skewers of meats and cheeses, fruits and veggies, savory and sweet.

Simply Brilliant!

Our Walking 7-Layer Mexican Dip goes like this:

• Begin with 12 wide-mouth 8 ounce mason jars.
• Layer 1: Refried Beans (the smooth restaurant style works best) piped into the bottom of each jar.
• Layer 2: Guacamole
• Layer 3: Sour Cream & Cream Cheese with Taco Seasoning (also in piping bag).
• Layer 4: Shredded Cheese
• Layer 5: Diced Tomatoes
• Layer 6: Sliced Black Olives
• Layer 7: Sliced Scallions

Recipe Note: cover each jar and refrigerate until ready to serve. Preferably serve within 24 hours but will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Best served with Tostitos or Fritos SCOOPS.

If you have any leftover fixings grab yourself a small bowl and layer away, there should be no wasted ingredients.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Walking 7-Layer Mexican Dip

Without question, 7-Layer Mexican Dip should be included in your Game Day appetizer spread. While the guest list may be dramatically reduced, the enthusiasm will remain high and the food options plentiful.

Course Appetizer

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce can Refried Beans smooth restaurant style
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup guacamole
• 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese shredded
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced
• 1 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives about 1/2 cup
• 3 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

• Begin with 12 8-ounce wide mouth mason jars. Stir refried beans in a bowl to make them smooth, then transfer to a quart sized storage bag or piping bag. Combine sour cream, softened cream cheese and taco seasoning until well blended then transfer to a quart sized storage bag or piping bag.
• Pipe about a 1/2" layer of refried beans into the bottom of each mason jar. Next top each with a spoonful of guacamole, then pipe a layer of sour cream mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of sour cream, followed by diced tomatoes, sliced black olives and scallions.
• Store in refrigerator prior to serving. Best served with Tostitos or Fritos Scoops. Note: If you have any remaining ingredients you can make additional jars or layer into a small bowl.

The post Walking 7-Layer Mexican Dip appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

If you’ve never had Steelhead Trout it is similar to Salmon and smokes equally as well.  Here‘s a quick description of this fish species.  I’ve found it readily available (and fresh) at our local wholesale club or supermarket.

First the fish is dry brined overnight in a brown sugar kosher salt rub.  Then it’s on to the smoker for a low slow go of it.  The natural flavors intensify with this process, while also taking on delicious smoky tones, making it perfect for dips or spreads.

I followed this recipe from The Black Peppercorn for the dry brine and the smoking method. He’s got it going on!

We are loving our new Primo Ceramic Grill. Talk about upping our summer grilling game!

We smoked this beauty low and slow for 5 hours, gradually increasing the temperature from 100 degrees to 200 degrees over the course of five hours. Once the fish reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees it was time to dig in!

The result was an incredibly moist piece of smoked fish! Huge treat on it’s own. But this, after all, is a recipe for Smoked Steelhead Trout DIP!

The layers of flavors in the dip really come together. You pick up a little sweet, a good dose of smoky savory, with a spread of creamy comfort! If you don’t have a smoker grill, purchased smoked salmon works nicely too!

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All my best,
xo Libby

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