Crave Wednesday: Warm Caramelized Onion Dip

2017 was the year Thatbaby fell in love with Santa.  It started simply enough,  a shopping center near us was having an event, and we stopped by.  Before we went, Thatbaby told me he wasn't going to sit on Santa's lap, he wanted me there to tell Santa what he wanted.

Then we got there and Thatbaby saw Santa.  It was all I could do to contain him as he ran toward the man in red.

Thatkid took the first turn, and then it was showtime.

My heart swelled when Santa took the time to really speak with him. 

The event had other fun activities for the kids,  like cookie decorating.

Cocoa and fun inflatables.

And a train!

 Later that day we went to another event - the town's tree lighting.  Because when we Christmas,  we Christmas hard.

There was more cookie decorating,  of course,  but also snow!

 And reindeer.

And face painting.

This is where you can tell how hard my child fell for Santa.

 They got their artwork hung in a gallery. Which I must prefer to bringing it home.

Thatbaby found some photo props and wanted to dress up like Santa.

As it got later, we headed over to the trees to watch some of the performances. We found out that instead of a tea lighting, this year we'd be watching a light show.

This is also where Thatbaby spotted Santa #2, and despite having seen him earlier that morning, Thatbaby was adamant we see him again. Look at the insanely happy face!

 Not too long later we went to the Botanical Gardens and I made the mistake of mentioning Santa would be there.  Thatbaby could not stop asking when we were going to see Santa and asking where Santa was.

They made a beeline when we got there.

 After that they were content to race through the lights.

We roasted marshmallows.

 And the kids spent some time sledding.

The summer is a great time for salsa and cold dips, but winter is for Santa, sledding, and warm dips. Dips that can serve as meals on their own.  Caramelized onions don't need much added to them, but when you throw in some cheese and herbs you end up with exactly that.  A dip that served with French bread is a meal unto itself. 

Warm Caramelized Onion Dip (from Cooking Light) 

2 tsp olive oil

4 cups chopped onion

3/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup cream cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil,  swirling to coat. Add chopped onion and thyme to pan, saute 10 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Reduce heat to low,  cook 20 minutes  or until onions are deep golden brown.  Remove from heat.
3. Add sour cream and remaining ingredients, stirring until cheese melts. 
4. Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Crave Wednesday: Chipotle Black Bean Dip with Corn Chips

On Monday I shared all about the kiddie concerts we've been attending this summer, but sometimes you have to leave the kids at home and take advantage of the summer concerts that don't involve "Old MacDonald."

The San Diego Symphony hosts "Bayside Summer Nights."  Which, as the name indicates, are summer concerts in the San Diego Bay.  There's a range of performers who accompany the San Diego symphony, from Wynonna Judd to  Tony Bennett.  When I noticed that Leslie Odom Jr. was going to be performing this summer, I immediately marked it on my calendar to buy tickets just as soon as they went on sale.

For those of you who don't live in the world of Broadway theater, Mr. Odom is the actor who won the Tony Award for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in Hamilton.   The role, and the critical acclaim attached to it, allowed him to pursue his singing career in a way he wasn't able to before.  Albums and concerts lay before him, an open door to do what he truly loved.  At least, that's they way he tells it.

It is a rare occasion that Thatboy and I are able to go out on a date night, most of our one-on-one time being relegated to days when we are both off from work and the kids are in preschool.

The venue for the summer concerts is one of my favorite aspects about it.  Music on the bay is lovely.  Boats drift in and bob gently against the shore, listening to the music.

While on the other side, you have the backdrop of the city.  San Diego doesn't have the imposing skyline of New York or Chicago, but it's not a bad view.

The evening itself was completely enjoyable.  In addition to listening to Leslie's voice, which is so unbelievably amazing, he kept us entertained with banter between numbers.  Talking about his career, his aspirations, and of course, Hamilton.  I'm too young to have ever attended concerts by any of the Rat Pack, but I would imagine the stage presence was similar.   One of the highlights of the evening was when he brought his wife, actress Nicolette Robinson, on stage to sing with him.  (It also made me feel incredibly old to realize we went to the same school, and she started after I was already married)

Thatboy loved that part too, because she also has a beautiful voice.  Their daughter is probably going to open the heavens when she gets older and starts to sing.

He sang a mix of songs from Broadway and his albums, and ended the evening with a bang.  Literally.  Bayside Summer Nights ends with fireworks, and these were the perfect accompaniment to one show-stopping number.



To top off the evening, after the show, Leslie stuck around for a meet and greet with all his adoring fans.  We waited in line for over an hour, but I can't complain because it wasn't like I had just spent the past two hours putting on a show.  The man must have been exhausted.  He looked tired.  But he was sweet, and kind, and generous with his time.  Plus, you make some pretty amazing friends standing in line for so long.  I was sandwiched between a mother and daughter, and an adorable couple, and we passed the time talking to each other.

I don't have as many tips for grown up summer concerts.  We sat in seats, so no blanket was necessary, although we did still bring snacks.  Grown up drinks were had, the kind you don't share with your kids.  And chips and dip took the place of cheese and crackers.  This dip is intended to be served hot, but it works just as well cold.  It was brought because it's a "grown up" dip, the inclusion of the spicy chipotle just doesn't fly with our kids.  Which is fine, because it worked perfectly well with our grown up, no kids allowed, evening with stars under the stars.

Chipotle Black Bean Dip with Corn Chips (From Cooking Light)

6 corn tortillas

cooking spray

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1  can black beans, undrained

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp crumbled queso fresco

1/3 cup canned no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges.  Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  
2. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook 8 minutes or until tender.
4. Add cumin and garlic.  Cook 1 minute.
5. Add oregano and beans and bring to a boil.  Mash with a potato masher and reduce heat.  Simmer 10 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.
6. Spoon bean mixture into a 3-cup gratin dish coated with cooking spray.  Top with cheese.  Bake for 12 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
7. Combine tomatoes and chile in a food processor and process until smooth.
8. Spoon tomato mixture over bean mixture and sprinkle with cilantro.

Crave Wednesday: Adobo Chips with Warm Goat Cheese and Cilantro Salsa

The San Diego County Fair is only open for a month.  And we've already been twice.  That's how you know summer has officially hit.

If Thatboy had his druthers, we'd be there when the fair opened, and stayed until it closed.  But sometimes he forgets that having kids means we don't always get to do what we want.  So both times we headed over after lunch, letting the kids nap in the car before heading into the fair.

Our first stop is always the rides and games.  Thatbaby found this statue and decided it was his new best friend.  Even better when he saw the dog, and asked me to take his picture with it.

This was the first year Thatbaby has been tall enough to ride the rides by himself.  YOU GUYS HE'S 2!  Thatkid wasn't tall enough to ride the rides by himself until he was 3!  

Of course the kids didn't want to ride any of the same rides.  So we ended up splitting up with them.

The theme of the fair is "Where the West was Fun" so there was a lot of cowboy theme going on.  They turned a whole section into "Frontier Town" and of course we had to check it out.

Mostly because that's where "World of Horses" was located.  And the boys love this section of the fair.

We also noticed on our way out that a Wild West Gun Fight show was about to start.  So we sat down to watch.  They did a great disclaimer ahead of time talking about how the first rule is to never ever ever touch a gun.  And if you see one, find an adult, don't touch it.

After the show, the cast stuck around and signed posters for all the kids.

Thatbaby actually did NOT like the gun show.  The shots scared him. We ended up making a quick exit and exploring the rest of Frontier Town while Thatkid stayed and watched with Thatboy.

We also spent a lot of time with farm animals and farm equipment.

And of course, there's the fair food.  This year I went with the buffalo chicken ravioli.

Thatboy had the fried chicken ice cream sandwich.  Yeah.  I know.  It was a fried chicken patty, topped with ice cream, on a krispie kream bun.  Topped with fruity pebbles.

And the kids had their very first churros.

There was also my fair-must have: funnel cake.  And Thatkid's special request - a Texas doughnut, the size of his head.  These ended up coming home with us in almost their entirety.

Thatbaby went with his own fair classic: Cotton Candy.

And we got another family photo to add to our collection.  As the kids get bigger it's getting harder and harder to fit all of us in!

The fair closes on the 4th of July, I think the boys are planning one more trip this weekend, while I'm out of town.  As for me, I'm done for the year.  I'm already looking forward to the next big thing - my girls' weekend!  And I get back just in time for the Fourth.  Do you guys have big plans yet?  We don't.  Things always come together last minute for us, but it usually involves our backyard, people coming over, and then watching the fireworks.

It seems like everyone is trying to figure out what they're eating or bringing to a Fourth of July bbq, so let me throw my hat into the ring.  These chips pack a quiet, unassuming heat that sneaks up on you, which is tempered by the goat cheese.  The cilantro salsa is going to be your new summer favorite.  I promise.  Fresh and easy, with a definite kick.

Adobo Chips with Warm Goat Cheese and Cilantro Salsa (From Cooking Light)

2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped and 1 tsp adobo sauce.

2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup finely chopped tomatillos

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp canola oil

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground cumin

8 white corn tortillas

4 oz fat free cream cheese, softened

2 oz goat cheese

1. Combine chiles, cilantro, tomatillos, onion, and all but 2 Tbsp lime juice in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375.  Whisk the remaining lime juice, canola oil, adobo sauce, paprika, and cumin in a small bowl. Brush a tortilla with 1/4 tsp juice mixture.  
3. Top with another tortilla and repeat.  Repeat with each tortilla.  Cut the stack of tortillas into 6 wedges.  Place wedges on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Turn wedges and bake for another 10 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 350.  Combine cream cheese and goat cheese in a small bowl, stirring until blended.  Spread in a shallow baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake for 10 minutes.