Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Creamy Baked Jalapeño Popper Dip

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Warm, cheesy, melty, and perfectly spicy,  Creamy Baked Jalapeño Popper Dip is the perfect easy, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead recipe for your next party (or regular Friday night).

Warm, cheesy, melty, and perfectly spicy, Creamy Baked Jalapeño Popper Dip is the perfect easy, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead recipe for your next party (or regular Friday night).

We had yet another school staff party a few weeks ago, this time celebrating our sweet school nurse and our rock star high school counselor. The Creamy Cheese and Bacon Dip and S’mores Cheesecake Bars I’d made the week before were both huge hits, so I knew I had a lot to live up to.

This jalapeño popper dip is something I’ve wanted to make forever. I love real jalapeño poppers, so I knew there was no way I wouldn’t love an easy dip version. Also, I knew it’d be moderately spicy enough to appeal to a variety of preferences. Besides, who can resist a dish of oozy, melted cheese?

No one, it seems, because this jalapeño popper dip was gone by the end of the day. The secret to taking the dip over-the-top is the crunchy, cheesy topping. Breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese are tossed with melted butter and sprinkled over the cream cheese mixture. The whole thing is baked, resulting in a crispiness that mimics the real fried version.

Warm, cheesy, melty, and perfectly spicy, Creamy Baked Jalapeño Popper Dip is the perfect easy, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead recipe for your next party (or regular Friday night).

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S’mores Cheesecake Bars

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What happens when you combine the classic flavors of s’mores with rich cheesecake? You get these creamy, dreamy S’mores Cheesecake Bars.

What happens when you combine the classic flavors of s'mores with rich cheesecake? You get these creamy, dreamy S'mores Cheesecake Bars.

Am I the only one whose greatest culinary creations are borne out of the simple need to use up ingredients in the kitchen? It’s the motivation behind my Crushed Oreo Triangles and Glazed Strawberry Lime Scones.

Now, it’s also the motivation behind these S’mores Cheesecake Bars. As I was mulling over ideas for a sweet treat to take to a staff party at school, I discovered we had two bricks of cream cheese chilling in the fridge. They needed to be used. J is a huge cheesecake junkie–when he isn’t requesting Homemade Peanut Butter Cup Bars–so I knew he’d be pleased if I went that route.

What happens when you combine the classic flavors of s'mores with rich cheesecake? You get these creamy, dreamy S'mores Cheesecake Bars.

Well, I love s’mores as much as J loves cheesecake, and I knew I could marry those two obsessions. Because I love being able to develop a recipe using just what I have on hand, I knew it was fate that I had a stray Hershey bar in my drawer of baking supplies.

Making these S’mores Cheesecake Bars was a solid decision. They’re surprisingly easy to make and, since they’re topped with s’mores ingredients, there’s no need to stress over getting that perfect crack-less top. People will be too blinded by the gooey marshmallows and melted chocolate to notice the fault lines.

What happens when you combine the classic flavors of s'mores with rich cheesecake? You get these creamy, dreamy S'mores Cheesecake Bars.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

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This stuff is rich, creamy, sweet, and smooth- it’s everything you expect a decadent cream cheese frosting to be.

This stuff is rich, creamy, sweet, and smooth- it's everything you expect a decadent cream cheese frosting to be.

Truth: I’m sitting here writing this blog post and catching up on The Voice on Hulu. This is the first season I’ve watched, but I’m loving getting to see the journey of all the contestants. It’s all so much more uplifting and positive than that other singing competition show.

As I’m writing this, I’m kind of wondering how to craft an entire post around a frosting recipe. After all, it only has four ingredients. And while every frosting lover knows it’s the true star of any cake or cupcake, a lot of people regard it as an afterthought to the confection it’s covering.

If you’re wondering what this cream cheese frosting pairs best with, the answer is: everything. Seriously, I dare you to make this stuff and not eat at least a little right off the spoon. But if you’re wondering about what socially acceptable vehicle you can use to deliver it to your guests- assuming spoons are out- you can’t go wrong with a rich Oreo cupcake or a light and sweet strawberry layer cake.

It doesn’t really matter what you serve this frosting on. What’s more important is that you make it, and that you share it with those you love. Nothing says, “you’re one of my favorite people,” like the gift of homemade cream cheese frosting.

This stuff is rich, creamy, sweet, and smooth- it's everything you expect a decadent cream cheese frosting to be.

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Oreo Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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With an Oreo baked inside the moist chocolate cake and a topping of rich cream cheese frosting, these Oreo cupcakes are decadent, sweet, and mouthwatering.

oreo cupcakes cream cheese frosting4

I first made these cupcakes- or a variation- for G’s first birthday. We let him have one, but he wasn’t sure what to think. I think his dad ended up eating it.

I made them again a few weeks ago for a baby shower at school. It was a “sprinkle,” really, and it was for us and for another teacher who is also expecting a sweet baby girl (really, by the time this is published, little Wiley Jo might already be here!). I volunteered to make the cupcakes because I have a hard time passing up an opportunity to bake something.

I’d considered going with soft colors, specifically pink, but this recipe was in my brain, nagging me and begging to be made. I make it a habit to listen to that voice, so I bought a package of double stuf Oreos and got to work.

Just like with my strawberry limeade cupcakes, I went with a boxed cake mix to save time and mess. If you’re careful not to over-bake your cake, you can still get moist, light cupcakes from a box. These devil’s food cupcakes were begging to be matched by an equally rich, smooth topping; cream cheese frosting was the obvious choice.

 

As a whole, these Oreo cupcakes are delectable and full of flavor. The Oreo at the bottom is an unexpected treat that’s matched by the decadent frosting. It doesn’t really matter what occasion you’re celebrating, these little guys will make it memorable.

With an Oreo baked inside the moist chocolate cake and a topping of rich cream cheese frosting, these Oreo cupcakes are decadent, sweet, and mouthwatering.

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Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Dessert Quesadillas

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Warm and gooey chocolate chip cream cheese dessert quesadillas are the perfect rich, indulgent way to end your day.

I can’t lie to you. These dessert quesadillas are dangerous. The biggest threat is that you probably always have the ingredients on hand to make them. We don’t buy any packaged desserts at my house, and we rarely have ice cream in the freezer. But chocolate chips, cream cheese, and tortillas? Yeah, we have those.

Warm and gooey chocolate chip cream cheese dessert quesadillas are the perfect rich, indulgent way to end your day.

That’s why J whips these guys up for us at least once a week. They only take minutes to prepare, but the way the chocolate and cream cheese melt together inside the crunchy tortilla will make you want to savor every.single.bite.

Not only is J the primary dessert quesadilla-maker in our house, he’s also the genius behind this recipe. I don’t remember how they first came to be, and I don’t remember exactly when he made them for the first time, but I know they’ve been a staple in our lives since the early years of our marriage.

Did I mention how crazy easy these chocolate chip cream cheese dessert quesadillas are to make?

Warm and gooey chocolate chip cream cheese dessert quesadillas are the perfect rich, indulgent way to end your day.

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Spinach and Artichoke Hot Dip

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This is not your average dip. Served warm and beefed up with artichoke hearts, garlic, and the beautiful saltiness of Parmesan cheese, this spinach and artichoke hot dip is hearty enough to be a meal. That’s a good thing, because you won’t want to stop eating it.

This is not your average dip. Served warm and beefed up with artichoke hearts, garlic, and the beautiful saltiness of Parmesan cheese, this spinach and artichoke hot dip is hearty enough to be a meal. That's a good thing, because you won't want to stop eating it.

Late October/early November is shaping up to be a sports lover’s dream. It seems like there’s some sporting event or another on TV just about every night of the week. We’re big Mississippi State fans in my house (#HailState), but we’ve usually got one game or another going on Saturdays.

This spinach and artichoke hot dip is the perfect companion for game day. It’s super easy to prepare, and it’s served warm, a nice departure from other dips. The dip is hearty and packed with flavorful ingredients like garlic, Rotel tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. The whole thing gets melted in the oven, resulting in a gooey appetizer that’s filling enough to double as a meal.

My mother-in-law threw this together several weeks back while my sister-in-law and I were doing some freezer cooking. It was beautiful when it came out of the oven, with its golden bread crumb topping and flavor-packed creaminess. It didn’t matter that spinach and artichokes aren’t usually my thing. It turns out I’ll eat pretty much any vegetable, given that it’s bathed in some form of cheese and flavored with garlic.

We couldn’t stop sampling this dip as we cooked. When they left- and took the dish of dip with them- I saved myself a generous portion and proceeded to eat nearly the entire thing for lunch. I feel no shame about it because 1. Spinach and 2. It was so freaking good.

This is not your average dip. Served warm and beefed up with artichoke hearts, garlic, and the beautiful saltiness of Parmesan cheese, this spinach and artichoke hot dip is hearty enough to be a meal. That's a good thing, because you won't want to stop eating it.

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Frosted Cranberry White Chocolate Cookie Bars

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A hearty oat cookie bar base, packed with cranberries and white chocolate chips, spread with a thick layer of white chocolate cream cheese frosting, and topped off with more cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle.

A hearty oat cookie bar base, packed with cranberries and white chocolate chips, spread with a thick layer of white chocolate cream cheese frosting, and topped off with more cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle.

Frosted cranberry white chocolate cookie bars taste like home. My mom, whose cookie prowess I’ve mentioned before, makes a cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookie that’s to die for. Like, good enough to convert cranberry and white chocolate hating people like J. Seriously, her cookies have powers.

So I texted her a couple weeks ago and asked if I could blog that recipe. She didn’t hesitate to send it to me, but the wheels in my head were already turning. My mother-in-law, a darn good cook, too, had mentioned her affection for Starbucks’ cranberry bliss bars. I checked them out and the basic idea reminded me of my mom’s cookies.

So I decided to combine the two. To make my mom’s cookies a little more holiday-friendly, I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest. I baked them in bar form, as much to save time as to mimic the coffeehouse kind. And then I smothered the whole thing in a decadent white chocolate frosting.

I’ve got to confess that I’ve never had a cranberry bliss bar, but these bars are the definition of bliss (perfect happiness; great joy). Happiness is devouring a generous square of these frosted cranberry white chocolate cookie bars.

A hearty oat cookie bar base, packed with cranberries and white chocolate chips, spread with a thick layer of white chocolate cream cheese frosting, and topped off with more cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle.

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Cinnamon Roll Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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(this isn’t a sponsored post; I just really love this product)

Pillsbury Traditional Yellow Cake Mix gets a boost with cinnamon and brown sugar. They’re baked until chewy, and then spread with a thick layer of icing for cinnamon roll bars with cream cheese frosting.

Pillsbury Traditional Yellow Cake Mix gets a boost with cinnamon and brown sugar. They're baked until chewy, and then spread with a thick layer of icing for cinnamon roll bars with cream cheese frosting.

Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? I know I do, and I even make them on occasion. I’m not afraid to work with yeast and there’s just something about a warm homemade cinnamon roll that defies description.

But this is real life. Sometimes it’s 10 p.m. and you remember, as you’re about to climb into bed, that you promised a group of students you’d feed them at your 7:30 a.m. meeting. And since cinnamon rolls are certainly not happening, you rack your brain for a simpler solution. Something mouth-watering, yes, but something that comes together quickly.

That’s where these cinnamon roll bars come in. The base is Traditional Yellow Cake Mix, so it doesn’t take too many more ingredients for the bars to come together. As soon as you open the bag of cake mix, you’re hit with its rich vanilla-y smell. By the time you add the cinnamon, brown sugar, and other ingredients, your whole kitchen smells like a decadent cinnamon roll.

As I put the bars in the oven, J walked in the kitchen and said, “That smells so good; what did you make?” He was surprised I hadn’t baked anything yet because the kitchen smelled that good. And by the time I pulled the cinnamon roll bars out of the oven, the whole house smelled like cinnamon and sugar.

Sure, you could make this recipe from scratch, but the Pillsbury Traditional Yellow Cake Mix does all the work for you. It delivers deep flavors while doing most of the hard work for you. You get the convenience of a boxed mix with the ability to transform it into something entirely your own.

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