Food Friday: Party Idea - Buffalo Chicken Dip

Here is an excellent party dip for your mid-winter get together this weekend. If you are snowed in like the rest of us, treat yourself just because spring is on the way. At least the dip will make you feel warm again!

2 - 10 ounce cans of chunk chicken breast, drained
2 - 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot or Chipotle Tabasco Sauce)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat chicken and hot sauce in skillet over medium heat until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Continue cooking and stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of shredded cheese and then transfer mixture to slow cooker. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, cover and cook on a low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and chips.

Tip Tuesday: Special PARTY Favor Ideas!

Now that spring is upon us, many people are gearing up for parties of all kinds. Baby Showers, wedding showers, weddings, birthdays, and Easter to name a few spring occasions. And if you are like me, you are looking for party ideas that are original and special for such special occasions.

I was cleaning out the back of my freezer recently and discovered I had saved some packages of M&M's. These were not ordinary M&M's though. These were special packages specifically ordered to be used to celebrate different life events.

I still had some blue and green ones from when my husband proposed to me. I love peanut M&M's, making them probably my most favorite candy. As a back up plan to the carriage ride we took, my husband had ordered directly from the company, M&M's that said (in our favorite colors) "will you marry me" and our initials on them. He then took these and carefully added them to a package of peanut M&M's before skillfully repackaging the bag back together. I was surprised and of course I said, "yes."



The theme stuck. So for our wedding we ordered as part of the cake table, M&M's in our purple and green wedding colors, M&M's to celebrate the special day. Then later on, we again ordered pink and blue M&M's to hand out to the prospective grandparents to tell them we were expecting a baby.



When I cleaned out my freezer, I did finally throw away the M&M's after five plus years. My son snatched a few while I took pictures of them to remember them. The special sentiment though will last forever in my heart and memory.

If you are looking for an original idea to share with someone special, consider customizing your own M&M sayings. Order a short, clean saying in colors of your choice to be shipped to your house for your special occasion. It is easy, fun, and definitely original!