Pizza Dip

Rating: 5 stars

Cost: less than $10

Comments: This is seriously the most awesome dip ever. If you love pizza you'll love this dip!

Ingredients:

-		8 ounces cream cheese - softened
-		3/4 cup sour cream
-		1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
-		1/2 teaspoon oregano - dried, chopped
-		1 1/4 cups pizza sauce
-		3/4 cup pepperoni - diced
-		1 small can diced black olives
-		1/2 cup green bell pepper - diced
-		2 cups mozzarella cheese - shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, & oregano. Spread mixture into the bottom of shallow baking dish. Spread pizza sauce over top. Sprinkle pepperoni, onions, and green peppers over top. Bake for 10 minutes. Take out and sprinkle cheese on top and bake for an additional 7 minutes. Serve warm with tostitos, bruchetta rounds, or pita chips.

Cream Cheese Chicken

Rating: 4 stars

Cost: less than $10

Comments: From what I understand, this is a very popular and traditional recipe that's been around for quite a while. I hear it's wonderful over pasta, but I also think it would be awesome scooped onto some garlic bread. We had it as a stand alone since I'm not a huge fan of pasta, but I was kind of wishing for something "bread-y" with it to soak up all the yummy cream sauce. Next time I'll be sure to pop in some rolls to have on the side!

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 packet Italian salad dressing mix
1 can cream of something soup (I used reduced fat cream of mushroom)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 8oz. package of cream cheese (I used reduced fat)

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Sprinkle with Italian salad dressing mix. Pour soup and broth over top and let cook for 6 hours on low, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred chicken using two forks. Place cream cheese on top and let cook on high for another half an hour. Serve over pasta or as a stand alone.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Rating: 5 stars

Estimated Cost: Less than $10

Comments: Whenever we have a family get together or party, I am always asked to bring this dip! It's a must have! When I first got this recipe from a friend, it had you heat everything up on the stove before transfering it to the crock-pot. I never understood this, so I simply skipped the stove and when right for the crock!

Ingredients:
1 10z can of chunk chicken (you can also boil chicken breast and shred it, but canned chicken is a lot easier!)
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened (can use low fat or fat free)
1/2 cup ranch dressing (can use low fat or fat free)
1/4 cup and 2 tbs. Texas Pete (or any brand of hot sauce)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Serving Size: 10

Directions:
Shred chicken. Dump shredded chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, ranch dressing, and cheddar cheese into crock-pot. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, until hot and bubbly. Serve with tostito chips or celery sticks

Black Bean Chicken

Rating: 5 stars

Approximate Cost: less than $10

Comments: I found this recipe online as I was trying to figure out an idea of how to get rid of some of the black beans we had in our pantry. I was a little skeptical about mixing black beans and cream cheese, but it was phenomenal and I will definitely make this again! It was also good the next day with some tostito scoops.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 can of black beans
1 can of corn
1 8oz. package of reduced fat cream cheese

Directions:
Put the chicken, salsa, black beans, and corn in the crock pot and cook on high for 5 hours. With a half hour remaining, add the cream cheese (just plop it on top and break it up with your spoon a bit) and let that cook for the remaining half hour. Stir all the ingredients together and serve.