Party Like A Pro: Watermelon Tomato Salad

Mmm hipster watermelon

And we're back. Apologies if you were disappointed with the complete lack of posts, things just got crazy busy. I continued to cook, Jordan kept snapping pictures, I just never got around to writing about it. So I've got a bunch of images and posts waiting to be written. Then I kept procrastinating because I didn't know where to start, finally found this recipe and it was the clear choice. Great story, right? Anyway, here we go, back on the horse!

I've always been intrigued by the idea of watermelon in a salad, but strangely had never had it. I was looking for a quick meal to make one Saturday afternoon and found this recipe on epicurious. I tweaked it of course,  the end result is a great summer salad that isn't potato salad. Note: I don't like potato salad, it almost always has too much mayonnaise and after the bacon incident I have absolutely no interest in eating it in the future, sorry Jordan. 

Party Like a Pro: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is one of those recipes that has thousands and thousands of ingredients. Ugh I know. Before you balk and click away, the payoff is that it isn't terrible for you and you don't feel like you want to die after eating it. A similar dish going by the same name at Applebees has almost 1600 calories....but I bet their recipe is much simpler. So when push comes to shove, I'll deal with a ton of ingredients if the payoff could lead to less inches around the waist.

I work in an office of fellow foodies, so potlucks occur on a monthly basis. Aside from being delicious, and relatively easy to make (yes, even with all the ingredients), it's also made in a crock-pot...which makes it a winning potluck dish. You can phone in the dipping hardware and buy some pita or tortilla chips, but I prefer crostini. Just slice your favorite type of bread, brush with olive oil and broil for a few minutes. While its still hot, rub with a little fresh garlic...delicious and more impressive than chips. 

Party Like A Pro: Jalapeño Poppers

I'm of the school of thought that if you invite people over, you should feed them. Doesn't have to be a three course meal, but I think having a few light options to nosh on is polite. I'm not trying to sound pretentious, it is more an excuse for me to try out new recipes on the masses. Everyone appreciates food, especially when you cook it for them! So I bring you a new series: Party Like A Pro. Check out this tag for recipes to bring to your potluck, bookclub, or live action role playing weekend.

This recipe has been in the queue for over a year. I first tried it last year, when we invited a few friends over for a Oscars viewing party. All the other dishes were pretty big hit, but these little devils burned the crap out of everyone's mouth. The reason? Well I didn't take enough time to de-seed and devein the jalapeños, so they were super spicy. A little over a year later I decided it was retribution time, put more love and attention into removing the seeds, and not only did they come out edible, they were pretty damn delicious! Huzzah!