What's for Dinner? Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos

Spinach artichoke dip? Yes, please! Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos? Are you kidding me?

Say hello to your new favorite nachos - Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos!

These nachos are cheesy and creamy and packed with delicious bites of garlicky spinach and briny artichokes. My, oh my. Matthew says this is the best tray of nachos yet. I'll let you be the judge of that.



The spinach artichoke dip I use for these nachos comes together quickly on the stove. If you don't want to make your own, feel free to buy one ready to go from your grocery store's deli. Or, you can mix up this 4 ingredient version from Pickett's Pearls, bake it up, and then scoop it onto your nachos after you've melted some cheese on 'em.

Here's what I do for my stovetop version:



In a medium pot, melt a little bit o' butter and briefly saute some garlic.

Throw in the spinach and cook until wilted.



Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, a dollop or two of mayo, and a dash of cayenne. Then, melt in some Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, and Cotija cheese for sharp cheesy flavor. Lastly, throw in some lovely artichokes.

Spoon the dip over a sheet pan of corn chips and sprinkle on some more Monterey Jack and Mozzarella.

A very welcoming tray of Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos.

Bake until melty and toasty and starting to brown. Then, sprinkle a little more Cotija over the top. Just because. 😉

Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos

INGREDIENTS
7 to 10 oz bag corn tortilla chips
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups fresh spinach
6 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz sour cream
2 Tbsp mayo
hefty pinch of Kosher salt
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Cotija cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups jarred or canned artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 cup more shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup more shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp more grated Cotija

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay down a layer of corn chips on the pan and set aside.
2. In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
3. Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and seasonings and cook, stirring often, until melted.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup of each each cheese until melted and then add the artichoke hearts.
5. Spoon dip over tortilla chips and top with another 1/2 cup Monterey Jack and 1/2 cup Mozzarella.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes until chips are toasty and cheese is melty and starting to brown.
7. Sprinkle another 2 Tbsp of Cotija over the top.

The Fudgiest Blondies You Will Ever Have!

Mmmmmmmmmmm, fudgy! Who doesn't love fudgy? I've had many a fudgy brownie in my lifetime, but rarely do I bite into a blondie that's just as fudgy - until now. Are you ready for the fudgiest blondies you will ever have? Pull out your aprons, people. It's time to bake.

The fudgiest blondies ever!

My hubbie loves blondies - especially blondies that are packed with nuts. The pecans in this version make these fudgy bars taste just like pecan pie. You can sub in walnuts, or skip the nuts altogether and just use chocolate and butterscotch chips. The possibilities are endless with this recipe.

These blondies happen to be gluten free, but you can make them with regular flour too.



Start the fudgy fun by melting two sticks of butter and some white chocolate over the stove.



The brown sugar and vanilla get mixed in next. Then, the eggs get beaten in one at a time so that each one is well incorporated into the batter.

If you're using gluten free flour, mix it in well. Gluten free flour needs to be well incorporated into batters. If you're using regular wheat flour, you want to mix until it's just combined and then stop. You should still see a little unincorporated flour in your batter. If you over mix wheat flour your baked goods will end up tough. No buéno.



Fold in the butterscotch and chocolate chips and pour into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the pecans on top and gently push them into the batter a little - but just barely. I left 1/4 of my pan nut free for my 5 year old, 'cause he's anti-nut. We're all praying he sees the light some day.



Bake these fudgy lovelies for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some fudgy crumbs stuck to it. If the toothpick looks too gooey or has liquid batter on it, bake longer. If your toothpick comes out clean, you've baked it too long. 😭 Don't worry. It happens to everybody. You'll get the next batch perfect.

Also, the colder your bars are, the nicer they'll slice. I like to put my pan in the fridge for a few hours before I take a knife to 'em.

These fudgy blondies can be made gluten free or not.

The Fudgiest Blondies Ever

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
4 oz baker's white chocolate, broken up
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
hefty pinch of Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend with xanthan or guar gum. I used Betty Crocker's. (You can also use regular flour)
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
heaping 1 cup pecans

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium pot, melt butter and white chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla until well combined.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Mix in gluten free flour until well incorporated. (If you're using regular wheat flour, stir until just combined. You don't want to over mix.)
6. Fold in butterscotch and chocolate chips.
7. Pour into prepped pan and sprinkle the top with pecans. Gently push them into the batter a little.
8. Bake 40 to 50 minutes (check after 30 minutes) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with sticky crumbs stuck to it, but doesn't look too gooey.
9. Cool completely and then cut into bars.

* If you're making these blondies gluten free, make sure your butterscotch chips and chocolate chips read "gluten free" on the packaging.

Fresh Peach, Walnut, and Poppy Seed Green Salad

Move over peach pie. This Fresh Peach, Walnut, and Poppy Seed Green Salad showcases summer fresh peaches like no other dish.

If you're heading to a barbecue over the Labor Day weekend, bring along this fresh green salad loaded with ripe fragrant peaches. I love it alongside anything grilled - chicken, steak, even burgers.

Bright and fragrant peaches totally make this Fresh Peach, Walnut, and Poppy Seed Green Salad.

I didn't want to let peach season pass me by before I got to enjoy this lovely salad - and I'm not much into green salads, let me tell you. I'm more of a slaw or marinated veggies kinda gal, but this is one of my favs. It is so fresh and fabulous. And it's pretty too.




Gorgeous green romaine, spinach, and sliced green onions form the perfect bed for bright and beautiful sliced peaches and toasted walnuts. All is tossed with perfectly sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing. So yum!

A drizzle of sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing is just lovely over this Fresh Peach, Walnut, and Poppy Seed Green Salad.

Fresh Peach, Walnut, and Poppy Seed Green Salad

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 a head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn
2 large handfuls of spinach, torn
3 to 4 peaches (ripe, but firm), sliced
3 green onions, sliced
about 1/3 cup of poppy seed dressing, maybe more (I love Brianna's)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add walnuts to a baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes until you can smell the walnuts toasting. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Cool walnuts and then roughly chop.
3. In a large bowl, lay down the romaine and spinach. Sprinkle on peaches and then the green onions and walnuts.
4. Drizzle on the the dressing and toss gently just before serving.

What's for Dinner? BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos

Homeschool is in session over here at the Loverbee's and quick dinners are a total must. Nachos are a quick and easy dinner that graces our table on a weekly basis. Surprise, surprise.

These BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos are deliciously sweet and tangy.

These BBQ Chicken Nachos are one of our favorites. They're sweet and tangy and oh so satisfying.



I start by smothering my corn chips with cheddar cheese and BBQ pulled chicken. The tray gets popped into a hot oven until the cheese is melty and the chips are toasty. Pulled pork or grilled chicken will also work great in this recipe. Or, you can use leftover Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken.



Sour cream and BBQ sauce get drizzled on top of the hot and toasty pan. With most nachos, it's all about the sauce. The BBQ sauce in these nachos adds sweet and smokey flavor, the right amount of moisture (you don't want a dry nacho), and the messiness that a tray of nachos is really all about.



A fresh and fabulous sprinkling of green onions and cilantro finishes off the dish. I left the greens off a third of the tray for my boys. They aren't totally opposed to green food - only when it's on top of, or mixed into, other foods. Because you can't mix green food with other food!?!? There is some madness not worth fighting.

BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos

INGREDIENTS
1 10 oz bag corn chips (you don't have to use the whole bag)
1 8 oz bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups BBQ pulled chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Lay down a plentiful layer of tortilla chips on your sheet pan. Sprinkle with all of the cheese and pulled chicken.
3. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and chips are toasty.
4. Drizzle on sour cream and BBQ sauce. I like to put each sauce in a ziplock bag, snip off the corner, and squeeze it out in diagonal lines across the whole sheet pan.
5. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro.
6. Serve with a smile.

The Best Grilled Potato Salad Ever

Okay, guys. This is it. This is the one. If any recipe was ever gonna make me famous, it is this recipe. And I'm gonna share it with you. Why? Because I can't hold it in anymore. I just have to share the magic.

This grilled potato salad truly is the best potato salad ever.

If you're not a potato salad person, get ready to fall in love with potato salad. This recipe is beyond amazing. If you are a potato salad lover, get ready to meet the dish of your life. Extreme words, I know. But an extremely delicious dish deserves such high praise.

It was like discovering penicillin the day I made this potato salad. Okay, slight exaggeration, but you have to try it. I had seen someone throw grilled potatoes into a potato salad and decided to give it a try. I just happened to have balsamic mayo in my fridge that day (along with celery, green onions, and eggs) so that's what went into the salad. It also occurred to me, in a moment of utter inspiration, to amp up the smokey flavor with some smoked paprika. What a grand idea that was. Okay, here it goes.






Slice about a pound of red potatoes into rounds. Toss them with plenty of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Grill 'em on a grill pan for about 20 minutes or so, turning them over a few times for even cooking and browning.






Slice up a couple of hard boiled eggs, some celery, and a few green onions.



Dump in the grilled potatoes and the rest of the ingredients and gently toss together.

There is no better potato salad than this Best Ever Grilled Potato Salad!

Taste your salad and add in more mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika, and/or salt.

Friends, keep this recipe close to your hearts. Print it out and put it in a safe deposit box. Put it in a trust for the generations that will come after you. Okay, I'm stopping now. Just promise me you'll try this recipe and cherish it forever.

You're welcome.

The Best Grilled Potato Salad Ever

INGREDIENTS
1 to 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
olive oil to coat potatoes
salt and pepper to coat potatoes and more for salad
1/2 cup mayo, maybe more
2 celery ribs, sliced
4 or 5 green onions, sliced
2 or 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced into rounds
1/4 tsp smoked paprika to start
1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard to start
2 tsp balsamic vinegar to start

DIRECTIONS
1. Toss potato rounds with plenty of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Grill potatoes on a grill pan over medium high flame for about 20 minutes or so, turning a few times for even cooking and browning.
3. Toss grilled potatoes into a large bowl with celery, green onions, and eggs.
4. Dump in the rest of the ingredients and toss gently to coat.
5. Taste your salad and add in more salt, pepper, smoked paprika, mustard, and/or vinegar.
6. Add a comment to this post thanking me profusely for this life changing recipe. Ha!

Back to School: Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Granola Bars

My kiddos eat a LOT of snacks. I often announce lunch as just another snack time so they'll be more inclined to eat what I put in front of them. Whatever works, right?

The Loverbees are back to school with these Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Granola Bars.

As the start of a new school year is upon us, fun and tasty snacks are a must - for all of us. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Granola Bars will provide great energy and incentive to my boys and me as we begin the hard work of learning and teaching. These bars also make a fantastic after school snack or lunch box surprise.

Toasted oats make a big difference in these deliciously fun granola bars.

Start off by toasting your oats. Toasting them brings out a lovely nutty flavor. Let them cool a few minutes and then mix them up with the rest of your dry ingredients. In this funfetti version, I also added a couple tablespoons of sprinkles.



The gooey ingredients get microwaved for 30 seconds until they come together into a thick syrup.

This funfetti peanut butter granola mix has fun written all over it.

Pour the gooey stuff over your dry mixture and mix until well incorporated.



Pour out your luscious peanut butter scented mixture into a parchment lined pan and push the funfetti out of it with a rubber spatula. The better you pack it down, the better the bars will stay together when cut.



Melt your chocolate with a little bit of coconut oil in the microwave and spread evenly over the bars. Sprinkle with another tablespoon of sprinkles.



Set your pan in the fridge until cold and then cut into bars. They cut better when cold. Store them in an air-tight container. They'll last longer in the fridge, but make sure you take them out at least an hour before you want to eat them so that the chocolate is the right temp and texture.

Kids go nuts over these Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Granola Bars!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Funfetti Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS
2 1/3 cups whole oats
1/3 + 2 Tbsp almond flour
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
a pinch of salt
a dash of cinnamon
2 Tbsp sprinkles (I used rainbow jimmies)
2/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp sprinkles for the top

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread your oats out evenly on your baking sheet and bake 7 to 9 minutes.
3. After the oats have cooled for a few minutes, combine them with the rest of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey. Microwave for 30 seconds and then stir in the vanilla until mixture is smooth.
5. Pour peanut butter mixture over dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
6. Smash into a parchment lined 9 x 9 inch square pan with a rubber spatula. Really pack it down.
7. In a small microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil and microwave in 15 second intervals until almost melted. Then, stir until all the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Spread over bars. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sprinkles.
8. Refrigerate your pan until cold and then cut into bars.

Back to School: Prepping Our New Homeschool Space

This homeschooling mama is gearing up for the new school year. It starts NEXT WEEK! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I'm only slightly panicking and lamenting and wondering where my summer has gone.

Most moms are rejoicing right now as their kids are starting school. I love those pics of mom's jumping for joy or lounging in a pool while their children, all dressed and ready for school, watch on. Ha! So great. Homeschool mamas enjoy that experience at the end of the school year when summer starts. We all get to take turns celebrating.

Okay, back to gearing up. I've been working on revamping and reorganizing our school area. Nora got her own room this past year and we moved the boys into the nice big room we were using for school. We spent the end of the last school year utilizing half of the dining room for school work and storage. Not a pretty sight.

We've got the benefit of sweet morning sunlight flooding our new homeschool space.

Fortunately, we just got rid of an old couch that was on its last leg. That cleared up a whole bunch of space in our spacious living room. I divided the room in two and moved in a work table and a couple of bookcases to house our school supplies. Now my dining room is free to be pretty again. That is very happy for me. 😂



A new space is exciting and encouraging for me and the boys as we jump into a new school year. When I was little new clothes, new school supplies, and a brand new backpack and lunch box helped launch me into a new school year with excitement and a better attitude than I would have had otherwise. Since we homeschool we don't really need a lot of that same equipment that worked so well to motivate me, so I'm getting creative.



Along with our new work space, some new supplies gorgeously displayed and a slew of exciting school snacks on my docket are just the right touches to boost our morale as we get back to formal learning.

An easy back to school snack mix made up of our favorite snacks.

To kick things off I put together a quick snack mix full of the boys' favorite store-bought snackies. I filled a big jar with cheese crackers, BBQ kettle chips, pretzels, and cheese puffs. Having something like this on hand makes my life so much easier. We can grab a handful without losing too much traction when we're right in the middle of something.

I've also been trying to anticipate the Nora factor. I'm using the bottom shelves of our new school storage area for wood puzzles and baskets of toys that will, hopefully, distract our little princess from distracting us during school time. I'll let y'all know how that goes. I'm not super hopeful, but I gotta try. Wish us luck.

Stay tuned for one of my favorite new school-time snack recipes.