Cheeseburger Layer Dip

“The Big Game” is fast approaching! I’m a bit more focused on the snacks, halftime show, and commercials with a lesser priority being the actual game. Can I say that in New England? It is the truth. I’m really just here for the snacks. Playoff games have been especially helpful for that! Just the other night I whipped up this cheeseburger layer dip as dinner during the game. Maybe it was good luck?
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip

Bacon Cheeseburger Layer Dip

Ingredients:

3/4 pound ground meat (I used ground chicken, or use beef/pork)
2-3 strips of bacon
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/2 teaspoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon mixed seasoning (I used Todd’s Dirt, or use hamburger seasoning or Mrs. Dash)
special sauce: 1 tablespoon each: ketchup; mayo; mustard; 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 tomato
6 pickle chips
sturdy crackers (wheat thins or pita) or bread for dipping

Directions:

Saute the ground meat in a large pan, and add in the liquid smoke, minced onion, ground mustard, and seasoning for the last minute of cooking.
Chop the bacon into a hot pan and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towel.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and put the ground meat on the bottom and the crisp bacon on top.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
Add on a drizzle of special sauce. Then sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes to melt.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
While the dip is in the oven, chop the toppings. Take the dip out of the oven for ~5 minutes before adding toppings. It should be warm, but not hot to wilt all the toppings.
Sprinkle on the lettuce, tomato, pickles, and sesame seeds.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
Serve with crackers, chips, or bread to dip.
Enjoy!

This was so fun! It was our dinner of “sports snacks”. The little one totally go it, but asked for a spoon and seemed to enjoy in a bowl rather than dipped. Add this to your menu, especially if you already have spinach and artichoke dip and nachos. I love the cool toppings with warm and cheesy dip. Perfect!

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
What are you serving for the game?

Pomegranate Pear Salsa over Crispy Fish

At the first Pear Party/Iron Chef Pear, there was this pear, pomegranate pearl salsa that I loved, yet hadn’t made in years. It is so addicting with tortilla chips- multigrain scoops are definitely the best for it. I added some avocado and served mine on top of some beer battered fish filets for lunch and used the rest on pork tacos the following night. This is wintry and fresh with such great textures.

The Three Bite Rule - Pomegranate Pear Salsa

Pomegranate & Pear Salsa

Ingredients:

2 pears
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 red onion
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/1-1 avocado

Directions:

Chop the pear, cilantro, and red onion. Mix together with the pomegranate pearls, lime juice & salt.
The Three Bite Rule - Pomegranate Pear Salsa
Gently mix in the avocado.
Serve & enjoy! (If not serving immediately, reserve the pomegranate pearls until serving- they leave a reddish hue on the pears & reserve the avocado- it’ll turn brown.)

So easy! You know what’s even easier? I discovered the grocery store sells the pomegranate pearls already popped out of the pomegranate! That was my hang up to make this until now. This lunch as everything: warm crispy fish, the pop/crunch of the pomegranate pearl, the juicy pear, the creamy avocado. What’s not to love?

The red & green felt super cute and seasonal here. The avocado was a game-time decision. When they’re ripe that window to use it or lose it is brief! Plus, my frozen fish filets seemed tiny. I’ve used them in fish tacos but for size reference, this is a salad plate so I thought the avocado would bulk it up a touch. It did!
The Three Bite Rule - Pomegranate Pear Salsa

Caesar Deviled Eggs

I love caesar dressing which lead me to a caesar twist on deviled eggs. I made just a few for a mid-day Christmas appetizer. They were perfect for a few bites with the zing of caesar and a salty bit of Parmesan on top. I also like that they’re quick and easy to make a few or a bunch. I like them as an appetizer in contrast to dips, cheese, crackers, etc.
The Three Bite Rule - Caesar Deviled Eggs
I jazzed up some creamy caesar dressing but it is also pretty easy to make it homemade. They definitely taste caesar-y. The anchovy paste is necessary in the dressing. Necessary. It adds that hard-to-explain, not-fishy, but zing of good caesar flavor. I doubt these would really taste like caesar without it.

Caesar Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled eggs
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
4 tablespoons creamy caesar dressing + cracked pepper + anchovy paste
1 teaspoon shaved parmesan

Directions:

Hard boil the eggs, then immediately place into a ice bath.
When cooled, peal the eggs and slice in half. Pop out the egg yolks into a bowl and add in the mustard and creamy caesar.
The Three Bite Rule - Caesar Deviled Eggs
Whip together with a hand mixer or in a food processor until totally smooth.
Spoon into a ziplock bag. Then pipe the filling into each egg half.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Caesar Deviled Eggs

I was making these on-the-go bringing ingredients to our Christmas celebration, but a tiny piece of romaine lettuce would be fun for crunch or some crumbled croutons all over the top would be good too!

Boursin Crostini with Apple & Caramelized Onions

Of course I love dips, but some parties, or layouts for that matter, call for crostini. They’re also helpful to incorporate a few flavors annnnnd a plate/tray of crostini mean a few people aren’t stationed in front of the dip all night. Note, I’m one of those who can’t separate from the dip! 🙂 This seems like the season of get-togethers, family meals, and having company which these are perfect for!
The Three Bite Rule - Crostini with Boursin, Apple & Caramelized Onions

I prepped the boursin & the caramelized onions in advance. Then it took 5 minutes for assembly! I wanted it to be with pear, but mine weren’t ripe enough.

Crostini with Boursin, Apple, & Caramelized Onions

Ingredients: (Serves 8ish)

4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs (I used a dip mix, or have used Italian Seasoning before)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt & cracked pepper
splash of milk or cream
1 onion, caramelized
1 baguette, slices of Italian bread, or melba toasts
2 apples or pears, sliced thinly
~6 sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

In advance, caramelize the onions & refrigerate or freeze until using.
In a food processor, blend the cream cheese, garlic, dried herbs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add in a splash of milk to thin a bit to your preference.
The Three Bite Rule - Crostini with Boursin, Apple & Caramelized Onions
Refrigerate until using.
To assemble, toast the bread on a pan in the oven for just a few minutes. Then spread on the boursin, spoon on a some onions, lay on some apple slices, and sprinkle with thyme.
The Three Bite Rule - Crostini with Boursin, Apple & Caramelized Onions
Enjoy!

Loooove that this can be mostly made in advance, but also that the leftover boursin is so great for crackers, on bagels, etc. I made a big batch of caramelized onions the last time and froze them. That was a huge time & prep savor for these. Hey, this is a busy season – buy some boursin from the dairy section of the grocery store- that’ll speed you up even more!

My test one became lunch but I intended these as an app and I’d love these alongside soup for dinner too!
The Three Bite Rule - Crostini with Boursin, Apple & Caramelized Onions
I have a quick & healthy soup and a cocktail coming up next week! Stay tuned!

Bacon & Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

Appetizers make the world go ’round. I whipped up a few stuffed mushrooms and was reminded that the beauty of stuffed mushrooms are that a batch can be a ton or just a few. Make 4 or 40.

The Three Bite Rule - Bacon & Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

Bacon & Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

8 portabello mushrooms
2 strips of bacon
4 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon parmesan, grated
pepper
salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parmesan, shaved

Directions:

Pan fry the bacon until crisp. Lay the bacon onto paper towel to drain but leave a teaspoon in the pan. Chop the bacon.
Pull the stems out of the mushrooms and chop. Add to the pan with the bacon drippings, bacon, breadcrumbs, garlic, worcestershire sauce, and parmesan. Taste, and add in cracked pepper, salt, and garlic powder.
The Three Bite Rule - Bacon & Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms
Add in a teaspoon of butter and cook 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and top with shaved parmesan.
The Three Bite Rule - Bacon & Parmesan Stuffed MushroomsEnjoy!

I love the salty bacon in there with buttery toasted breadcrumbs. I made ~10 mushrooms for Thanksgiving since there were only a few mushroom-eaters.

I have a few holiday-ish inspired recipes coming and a few recipes I hope will provide balance & speedy meals for those un-ceremonial Tuesday nights! Stay tuned!