Hot Artichoke Dip

Hello lovelies.  It is me, Ashley, posting a recipe!  Don't get too used to it though...

We have had some much needed rain here in Montana lately, and it has been so wonderful!  It was cool outside and now everything is lush and green.  I love it.  As fire season approaches/gets into full swing, I love having a couple of days of rain to hopefully help keep the fires at bay.

I was in Minnesota for about a week, which was nice, but since being back, we haven't had the chance to actually go grocery shopping.  Bryan was sweet enough to buy a few things the morning I got back in town so we would be able to eat that night and the next morning.  As in the morning that I started my summer classes (May 13) and was not willing to make anything the night before.

Ingredients:

• Two 14oz cans artichoke hearts, drained
• 8oz cream cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. In a food processor, add one can of artichoke hearts, cream cheese, mayo, and green onions
3. Blend together until a mostly creamy consistency
1. Don't liquify, but you don't want large chunks either
4. Sprinkle in cayenne to taste
1. Depends on how hot you like your dip
2. It doesn't end up being a spicy hot, but more of an after-lingering heat.  Got it?
5. Mix in the parmesan, salt, and pepper
6. Roughly chop the second can of artichoke hearts
1. Or you can just throw them in and pulse a few extra times
7. Stir in the chopped hearts until well mixed
8. Pour dip into an oven safe dish
9. Bake at 350*F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and warmed through
10. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, baguette slices, button mushrooms - pretty much anything this sounds amazing with...

It's also excellent reheated as a sandwich spread!

This is the perfect dip for pretty much anything.  It's nice and salty, but not too salty where you can only eat a few bites.  We prefer our dip with tortilla chips (like they do at most restaurants) or with toasted baguette slices (I usually put olive oil on them before toasting).  It's a great game day snack, or a Sunday afternoon study snack.  Either way, it's one of our favorites!  I especially love it, because Costco sells large jars of artichoke hearts, so I just use one jar per recipe instead of having to buy a couple cans.  Either way, have a lovely weekend!

Things I've Learned While Living in MT

I've lived in Montana for 3 years now.  Technically it'll be 3 years at the end of the month, but who likes technicalities?  Since living here, I've learned a few things.  Some of these things I already knew and didn't realize.  Other things I didn't know.  If you have anything to add, please feel free to in the comments!

Top 10 Things I've Learned:

1. People have "seen" everything
1. I seen you yesterday
2. I seen it on TV
3. I seen that truck twice now
• Actually, most of the time, you saw...
2. I get really annoyed when I see "Montana Wear" in magazines or online
1. Usually consisting of flannel, jeans, and cowboy boots
• Most of the people here, with the exception of those who dress practically on farms/ranches, wear exactly what you wear in the Big City - t-shirt and jeans with nikes.
3. Speaking of boots, I learned that when wearing cowboy boots you do not wear them with your jeans tucked into them.
1. Nor do you wear them with shorts
2. Nor do you wear them with dresses
• You wear cowboy boots with your jeans on the outside.  That's it.
4. Just because it's "Big Sky Country" doesn't always mean that you have a big sky.
1. Last year's fire season was horrible.
2. Living in the valley with 3 ranges surrounding us, we have amazing views almost all the time
3. Except last summer when we didn't have any mountain views all summer and the hikes weren't worth it.
5. I have also had to add new words to my vocabulary
1. Snow Pack: vital for spring and summer
2. Run-off: also vital for spring and summer
3. "Crick" (no, it's still a creek)
6. I have also had to defend how Minnesotans talk on too many occasions
1. "You're from Minnesoooooota???  You don't really sound like it...?"
2. Yeah, that's because the majority of us don't talk like that.
7. Having snow in June is totally normal.
1. It is also totally normal to have snow in September.
• I don't like snow in June, especially late June.  I'm a summer baby, not a snow baby...
8. I can handle living away from family.
1. I can handle living far from family.
2. My parents and brother are 1,000 miles away and I see them once a year.
3. Before moving to MT I didn't think I would be able to live that far from my family who is pretty close
• Here I am, 3 years later, happy as a lark!  I had to look that phrase up, because I couldn't think of on :P
9. I miss water.
1. By water, I mean bodies of water.
2. Growing up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, I didn't realize how much I love water
3. We have rivers and streams here, but it is so dry.
10. I love dogs.
1. I've always loved animals: cats, dogs, horses, etc.  I love the zoo, too
2. Growing up we always had cats - family allergies...
3. Since getting a dog and having her for a year and a half, I would much prefer a dog over a cat

Well, that's what I've learned.  Do you find any of that surprising?  I kind of do.

It's finals week!

Lucky for me, I only have one "official" final on Wednesday night!  Bryan has 3 this week though...  I was able to take 3 of mine last week and have already turned in all my papers for the semester.  So, according to my brain, I'm done, even though I technically have one more test this semester.

Generally, once finals are done, Bryan and I try and get out of town for a couple days just to clear our heads.  School can be a little intense sometimes.  As you can tell by my lack of posts.  We're heading down to Laramie, WY this time.  We've been looking into living there as a place to gain some experience before truly settling somewhere.  So, we're going to take a few short days and see if we should do more in depth research on the place or move onto a different town.

When we get back from Laramie, we'll be home for a few days and then I'll be flying to Minnesota to see my family.  I'll be in MN for 6 long days.  Bryan will be heading to Idaho to see his parents.  Definitely not what our original plan was, but it worked out!

Once back from MN, I start right up with my summer semester, which runs May 13-June 21....  However, I'm really looking forward to it!  I didn't have the chance to take any psych lecture classes this year.  I'll be taking my senior thesis class this summer, so I'll be able to do some research and grant writing.  I'm also taking a psychology of prejudice class, which should be really interesting!

Otherwise, there isn't a whole lot going on.  Just finishing up the semester and getting ready for summer!

Rodney Atkins Concert ~ April 18

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

I decided to make these instead of granola bars for school.  Lately my bars don't want to stay together and I just don't have the time to figure out why right now!  I love craisins much more than I tolerate raisins - which is why I hardly ever use raisins...  These cookies are soft and chewy just the way I like them!  And hopefully they'll hold up a little better in Bryan's backpack than the granola bars...

Ingredients (I got 4 dozen cookies):

• 3/4 cup crisco vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup cugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F
2. Beat shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla
4. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl
5. Beat flour mixture into shortening mixture until well combined
6. Fold in walnuts, cranberries, then oats
7. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on a lined cookie sheet
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown
9. Cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes
10. Move to wire racks to finish cooling
11. Store in air tight container

Did March really just happen??

Oh, hello.  Remember me?  Yeah, apparently I don't either....  The month of March has come and gone (pretty much) and I have posted once.  I can make as many excuses as I would like, and the majority of them are incredibly valid: school, work, interning, yoga, having a husband and dog....  Oh, and we're never home to cook!  We made a new potato soup the other night.  And I made blackberry muffins with vanilla the other morning (so amazing!).  But here we are on March 29th without a post since March 3rd.  I would like to think that I will be able to get back into the swing of things and start cooking/baking more, but we'll see.
There are 4 weeks of lecture and then finals week and we're done with Spring semester.  Hopefully, after that we'll have more time to cook and I'll have more time to post...  Until then, take a look at some of the most popular recipes on this site and try them out if you haven't yet!

S'more Brownie Bites
My personal favorite that I make myself for my birthday.

Chicken Nachos
My go-to recipe when I don't really know what I want, but I know I want it to be easy and satisfying.

Cranberry Walnut Granola Bars
Simple and amazing; great for on the go or breakfast.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne
Who doesn't love pasta?!  One of my newer favorites.

Taco Pie
This recipe will always remind me of my Grandma S.  She always makes it for me whenever I come over.