Friday, July 3, 2015

Ranch Cheezball Dip







Here I sit, out in the middle of the Sequoia Trees in the middle of Kern County, California, in a little cabin that used to be a tiny home in a logging town. R Ranch of the Sequoias, as the place is called, is a step back in time. There are no phones, no interruptions from the outside world, just nature and all the creatures that live there. But this place does have a few attractions to keep you connected. It has a huge pool, spa, family game room, adult game room with internet wifi if you don’t mind the 10 minute wait to connect and slow service, a small lake with paddle boats and a way to connect with your family and friends around a fire pit with s’mores and chit chat. This place is heavenly. We love spending our 4th of July here with family and friends, just enjoying each other’s company away from the hustle and bustle of life. It’s our bit of solace and sanity to disconnect from the world and reconnect with those most important to us. And to wake up to the deer running around, the bears hanging out and the fox and raccoon near your door is amazing. The setting is fantastic and since I have done most of my meal prep already, I did a little photo shoot in this amazing setting with my granddaughter this morning too.
 

Another great thing about R Ranch, we do have basic stocked kitchens, cook tops and refrigerators. So when I decided to make this easy Ranch Cheezball Dip recipe, I knew it’d be a snap to make in little than 10 minutes and then I’d be back to my family/ friend time. My inspiration to make this delicious treat came from trying Beanfield’s Bean and Rice Chips at the Vida Vegan Convention in Austin, Texas recently. I couldn’t believe the flavors were so incredibly flavorful and that this chip was crunchy but almost airy too. I fell in love and had the company send me some more. It didn’t take long to know that these chips were heading to my holiday camping vacation with me and that I’d use it a couple ways. And I’m glad I did… and my friends and family were too.


Ranch Cheezball Dip Recipe
8 oz Vegan Cream Cheese
¼ tsp Onion Powder
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Chopped Dried Dill
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp pepper (I used a mix of white, green, black and pink pepper)
1 tsp Dried Parsley
2/3 cup crushed Ranch Bean and Rice Chips, Beanfields Brand (I do half crushed and half finely crushed)
Assorted Chips and Crackers to serve



Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. Chill in bowl for 5 minutes in your freezer while crushing chips. Remove mixture from bowl and roll into a ball, gently. Roll cream cheezball into chips and place in the refrigerator for about an hour (though, if you are impatient like myself, I dug in immediately. It will just be a bit softer and on a hot day in summer, it won’t keep its pretty shape as long.) Place in center of a dish and layer chips and crackers around the Ranch Cheezball. I added a sprig of fresh Parsley under my Cheezball for not only looks, but to also add a bit of fresh flavor to each bite. Think this is just a dip recipe? Oh gosh no! This is a delicious flavorful spread for a sandwich too and it adds just that perfect bit of crunch that we all crave. Add a slice of vegan turkey, a tomato slice and lettuce and you’ll have a delightful and satisfying meal. Go For it! (I even like to add a few more whole chip pieces on my sandwich too.) You deserve it. Not only for a holiday but for anytime!


Get your coupon Here for Beanfields chips

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