3 Super Easy Fail Proof Dips for Summer BBQ's

Sexy Domestic is back from hiatus and ready to rumble! Thanks everyone for your patience while I got my new health and fitness blog up and running. If you get a chance go check it out www.thrivery.co.uk.

Now, being in the full swing of summer and having my inbox overflowing with invites to summer BBQs and parties I thought I'd share the recipes for my 3 most popular party dips. Whenever I bring along any of these moorish delights I am suddenly bombarded with requests for the recipe so here they are!

I know it's not always mandotory but if you've ever been to a friends shin dig and its gotten to that point where everyone is desperately scratching at the bottom of a chip bowl for crumbs and the host either has to make a food run or dish out cash to order pizzas, it's just nice to help avoid that. After all, it's better to have too much food than not enough. This goes for booze too but I particularly love bringing homemade goods. 

In my experience, a good dip is always the best way to go. Dips are a great for sharing/serving, easy to make and they make socializing whilst eating a cinch. These 3 dip recipes are my staples which have been passed down to me from my mother. Trust me, these are crowd pleaser guaranteed.

7 Layer Mexican Dip

Serves 12-14

3 16oz. (435g) cans fat free refried beans

6 ripe avocados, mashed

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp hot sauce

Juice of 2 limes 

Salt and pepper

16oz (454g) sour cream

1 pack taco seasoning 

8 oz. (250g) shredded cheddar cheese or 4 cheese mix

1 1/2 c. (300g) fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 16oz (435g) can pitted black olives, sliced

6 green onions, sliced

Doritos or plain tortilla chips for serving

First, spread the beans into a thick layer in the bottom of a large platter. For the guac, mix the mashed avocado with the onion, garlic powder, hot sauce, limes and salt&pepper then spread the mix evenly over the beans. Next, mix the sour cream with the taco seasoning and gently spread that over the guac. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the sour cream mix and top with tomatoes, olives and green onions. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

French Onion Dip From Scratch

Serves 20-25

2 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red onion, diced

5 shallots, minced

3 cloves of garlic

16 oz. (450g) container of sour cream

1 cup (226g) light Mayo 

2 Tbsp chives + 1 tbsp for garnish, chopped 

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp seasoning salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Plain ruffled potato chips for serving

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and shallots till soft them add the garlic and sauté everything together till the garlic is toasted and the onion are slightly browned. Remove from skillet and let cool. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl till well combined. Now stir in the sautéed onion mix and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir then top with chives before serving.

Creamy spinach dip

Serves 15-20

2x 10oz. (566g) Packs of frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly

3/4 cup (190g) light mayo

2x 16oz (900g) containers of sour cream

1 packet of Hidden Valley ranch mix

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 4 oz can water chestnuts, chopped

1 red bell pepper, minced

Cubed French bread, pumpernickel or Rits crackers for serving

Make sure all the water has been drained from the spinach by pressing down hard on the thawed spinach though a strainer then use your fingers to break it up into loose pieces. In a large bowl mix the Mayo, sour cream and ranch mix then fold in the spinach. Next, stir in the green onions, water chestnuts and bell pepper. Let sit in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. 

Herby Chicken Scotch Eggs

One of the first items of food I ever had at a real British pub was a fabulous Scotch egg. The Scotch egg is fantastic for so many reasons. Crunchy on the outside, the amazing sausage and egg combo on the inside and best of all they make for a perfectly filling and compact snack. 

I decided to experiment with a healthier version using chicken instead of sausage and to my surprise they turned out spectacularly well on the first try! You can make this recipe using sausage meat if you really want but the chicken version is pretty amazing. Even my friends' kiddies were loving them!

Makes 7 Scotch eggs

Ingredients:

6 skinless boneless chicken thighs

A handful of fresh herbs (I used rosemary, parsley and sage)

1 Tbsp dijon or grainy mustard

1 tsp seasoning salt + fresh cracked pepper

7 eggs, soft boiled (6 minutes) and peeled

1 cup flour

1 beaten egg mixed with 2 Tbsp water (the egg wash)

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

3 1/2 cups (810ml) sunflower or vegetable oil

Equipment: 

Food processor 

Slotted or perforated metal spoon

Small pot

Food thermometer 

Large plate with paper towels to absorb grease

1.) In a food processor, blend the chicken, herbs, mustard and seasoning salt and pepper all together then transfer contents to a bowl.

2.) Roll an egg in the flour then using your hands flatten a small handful of the chicken mixture and coat the egg with it. Keep adding small bits of the chicken mixture to coat the egg till it is completely covered evenly then roll in flour. The chicken coated egg will feel much firmer and easy to handle now. Next, dip into the egg wash then directly into the Panko crumbs till well coated and set on a plate. Repeat this till all the eggs are coated and ready to be fried. (See all steps in photos below)

^ what the egg should look like as you add small bits of the chicken mixture.^

3.) Pour all the oil into the small pot and turn on high heat. Bring the oil's temperature to 325f/160c then use the slotted spoon to gently place 2 scotch eggs in the hot oil one at a time. Fry for 6 minutes occasionally rolling the eggs around with the spoon for even frying. Also, keep checking that the temperature stays in the 325f/160c region the whole time, turning the flame down or off if it gets too hot. You don't want a burnt egg!

4.) Remove each egg and let sit on the paper toweled plate. When ready to serve, cut each egg in half. *these eggs can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. Enjoy! 

PJJ xx

Psychedelic Tie Dye Zebra Cake!

A couple of weeks ago my sister Whitney and I watched a video on YouTube about how to make a chocolate and vanilla zebra cake that blew our minds. That's when Whitney got the idea to do the same with different colored vanilla cake mix and we went strait to the shops to get all the ingredients. Now, I must warn you that we cheated a bit because the actual technique of making this cake requires a lot of time and concentration so we didn't make any of the cake or frosting from scratch. To make things easier we went with the boxed Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix and tub of vanilla frosting. 

We happened to have leftovers of the rainbow chip frosting that I made which is basically white chocolate that I melted, dyed and made into tiny multicolored chips (photo of that process below) and stirred into Betty Crocker vanilla frosting. If you have the time and patience, I would strongly recommend this yumminess! 

Anyway, this crazy psychedelic cake was so much fun to make with my sister and even more exciting to cut into and see the SPECTACULAR results! If you decide to give it a try I would love to see your results too. This cake would be great for children's birthdays or even a groovy hippie themed adult party. Actually, I'm sure you'll love it so much for any party. It's pretty special.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of Betty Crocker classic vanilla cake mix

5 different food colorings in vibrant colors 

1 tub Betty Crocker vanilla frosting or any flavor you wish (more if you like a lot of frosting on your cake)

Equipment: 

6 medium glass cups or bowls

2 ice cream scoopers, mine were on the small side but large ones will work too

2x 9 inch round cake pans

Non-stick parchment paper

 

Preheat oven as instructed on cake mix box.

Mix both boxes of cake mix as their instructions say and divide all the batter into the 6 glass cups or bowls. Leave one glass cup of batter uncolored and stir a couple drops of food coloring into each of the other cups making 5 different colors of batter. 

Now, grease the bottom and sides of each cake pan and use a pencil to trace and then cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of each pan. 

Start with the white batter and scoop one ice cream scoop full of batter directly into the center of each pan. It helps to have one person on each cake to speed things along. Now scoop one of the colored batters directly into the middle of the pan. You'll see that the batter naturally spreads out with each scoop. See photos below. Do not shake or tap the pan, just let it naturally spread! Keep repeating with a different color each time until all the batter is gone and evenly distributed between both cake pans. You can make sure they're even by counting the rings on each cake. 

Place the cakes in the oven side by side on the middle rack and bake as instructed on box. Remove cakes once a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let cool then slice off the tops to make each cake even for stacking. Sandwich a layer of frosting between the two cakes then spread the remaining frosting evenly over the rest of the cake. Refrigerate till ready to serve and enjoy!

PJJ and Whitney J xx 

Endometriosis Awareness: My Story and Support for Fellow Sufferers

March 2nd-9th is know internationally as Endometriosis Awareness Week and this year I've decided to share my own experience with this affliction in hopes to help other women out there that have been diagnosed or suspect they may have it. Endometriosis is a condition in which the cells of the uterine lining, the same ones that are shed with each period, somehow escape the womb and end up attaching themselves to different areas of the body, mainly within the abdomen. Problems then arise because these cells react with menstrual hormones the same way they do inside the uterus and start to collect blood that has no way of being expelled therefor resulting in large cysts, inflammation and scar tissue that grows more and more with each period, sticking to organs and distorting their normal positions. It can become extremely painful with time and cause permanent damage if not treated.

 The current statistics say that 10% of women worldwide are living with endometriosis, thats roughly 176 million women. And the reason that raising awareness is so incredibly important is because there's still so much unknown about what causes this disease and how it can be prevented/cured. To donate to Endometriosis research please go to http://www.endometriosis-uk.org/donate there are so many easy ways to help out!  I myself suffered terribly with it for 11 years till a diagnosis was reached and sadly thats the case for most women.

See, in 2008 I became extremely ill. I withered down from 124 lbs to 103 lbs in the space of about 5 months without any change in my diet or exercise. I was very anemic, had zero energy and had terrible twisting pain in my lower abdomen which was unbearable during periods (sorry guy readers, TMI). Everyone around me was getting increasingly concerned because of my shrinking frame yet I was still in denial, mostly out of fear that it was something scary but when I actually started to feel a palpable hard object when I pressed down on my lower tummy I decided to put my fears aside and go see a doctor. They took blood and other tests which didn't ring any cancer alarms so then I was sent for an ultrasound and thats when I got my first glance at the monster that is Endometriosis. The technician pointed up at the screen as she rolled over the hard spot in my lower abdomen and a huge black oval slowly appeared. I watched her take screen measurements with her mouse...12 by 14 cm! And another golf ball sized one right next to it! These things were attached to my tiny left ovary. I was sent for surgery 3 weeks later which was supposed to be laparoscopic but the large cyst had grown too large so they had to cut me wide open. Luckily, they were able to save both ovaries and my uterus during the procedure. Five days in the hospital and a six inch scar later, I was home recuperating.

I was put on birth control which I have to take continuously for three months at a time to avoid any further cyst growth though I did have to go back into surgery a second time (laparoscopic this time, phew!) to remove the second cyst which had gone from golf ball sized to orange sized a year later. Since that last surgery I haven't had any major crisis', just a few minor period problems and for the last 2 1/2 years I've been completely all good! I still stay on the continuous birth control but now I even consider my diet when it comes to endometriosis. Some studies speculate that the hormones and antibiotics in mass produced meat can be to blame for not only endometriosis but all kinds of reproductive disorders, especially in women. And a diet high in vitamins, minerals and good fats and regular exercise can help keep symptoms at bay. Following this kind of lifestyle is the best thing to do for your health anyway so it's a win win for me!

Now, here are some quick facts about Endometriosis that definitely helped me in the beginning:

Symptoms Include:
Heavy and painful periods, twisting pain before and after periods, occasional pain during sex, tiredness, lack of energy, digestive problems, pain during vigorous exercise or ab work outs, pain when you press down on parts of your lower abdomen.

If you have more than a few of the symptoms above you should see your gynecologist asap.

- Endometriosis is not an infectious or contagious disease.

- Endometriosis can occur in females of any age or race.

- What causes endometriosis is still unknown.

- Exercises like yoga, Pilates and swimming can help alleviate pain and stress caused by endometriosis.

- Though getting pregnant might be challenging for endometriosis sufferers there are plenty of options nowadays and once you are pregnant, your endometriosis should not cause any problems.

Well I hope anyone reading this has found the information they need and if you what to learn any more please visit: http://www.endometriosis-uk.org


PJJ xx

Our Visit with Anne, Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace

A few weeks ago my husband and I received a very exciting invitation in the mail that instantly made me feel like a giddy little girl in a Cinderella fantasy. It was an invitation to join Anne, Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace in support of the Animal Health Trust which is a charity organisation my husband does work for. We were invited to Buckingham Palace and to meet a real life princess!!!

Anne, Princess Royal who, ahem, happens to be the Queen's only daughter is the President of the Animal Health Trust which raises funds to research animal diseases and injuries, find cures and learn how to prevent them. It's absolutely AMAZING what this charity can do for our furry family members using top of the line diagnostics and equipment. And every penny goes into more research, research that is shared with ALL veterinarians everywhere so that our pets have the very best of care when they need it. How cool is that?! If you want to learn more and even donate, check out their website here: http://www.aht.org.uk 

So, we got all dolled up and headed off to Buckingham Palace. When we arrived the changing of the guard had just begun and there were about a thousand tourists outside the gates snapping photos and watching. We got a little bit confused by the parking instructions on the invite and thought that surely we don't just drive in through the front gates, like, that would be crazy.....BUT WE DID! We asked a security guard and showed him the invitation and he actually stopped traffic and directed us straight through the gates! And even crazier, we got to park our car right in front of the actual Palace! As if we were just popping into a pal's house for tea and cookies or something. We couldn't believe it. My husband really wanted a photo of his Range Rover parked in front of Buckingham Palace so I asked a guard who very politely advised us that no photos are allowed once you're inside the gates or everyone gets in trouble. So unfortunately we don't have any personal pics from that day but luckily there was an in house photographer (Matt Leete mattleete.com) to take a few snaps. 

Upon entering the palace through the Privy Purse entrance we had to leave our coats and cell phones in the cloak room before our lovely greeter lead all of us (about 50 people) up the grand staircase to the Principal Corridor for sparkling wine and juice. We mingled with the other guests for a bit but couldn't help but look all around and really take everything in. Glancing out of the big windows of the Principal Corridor we saw two stunning horse and carriages on stand-by in the courtyard waiting to whisk away whatever important ambassadors were meeting with the Queen that day. The Queen was in though we didn't get to see her. We were even allowed into one of the guest bedrooms to use the restroom. The bedroom looked as if they hadn't changed its decor since the Victorian era with a HUGE comfy bed and very ornate antique furniture and paintings. From the window you could see the front gates and the crowds behind them, that's when it really sunk in that I was actually inside!

From the Principal Corridor we moved to the Chinese Dining Room for the AHT presentation in which the Princess Royal spoke to the group about the importance of the organisation and what has been achieved so far. She was a terrific speaker with so much passion for the cause and for animals. My admiration for her definitely grew to new heights, what a woman. After the presentation we moved on to the Center Room which is has the famous balcony we've all seen newly wed royals kissing and waving from. They served us delightful little canapés of smoked salmon toast, fish cakes, pesto pastry scrolls and chocolate mouse squares with gold flecks and of course, more sparkling wine. 

We were divided into groups for Anne, Princess Royal to meet and greet us. When she finally got to our group, which was the last group, I was so anxious. One of the women in our group gave me a bit of a panic because she said we MUST address her as Ma'am and nothing else. No , "lovely to meet you" or "your royal highness" just "Ma'am". I had no clue of this protocol so it suddenly made me kind of nearvous. Well, there was no need to be nearvous at all really. She was very gracious and warm and quite easy to chat with. I honestly don't know how the royals do it! Always meeting and talking to so many people in a single room with an ounce of apathy. She chatted with some of the men about golf and rugby and even threw in some jokes with my husband about him being a Welsh man that's not into rugby and doesn't know anything about Welsh Corgies. 

We somehow got onto the topic of our dogs and their genetics and she explained to us about the Animal Health Trust's genetics testing for dog breeders because there are certain genetic illnesses that need to be bred out in which I spoke to her about our dog Frances' hereditary deafness. She explained to me that in white pure bred dogs if a color hasn't been bred in after two generations then the deaf gene will keep getting passed on. Well I can now say I've learned an interesting fact personally from a royal. Whip smart, funny and very kind. Anne, Princess Royal is exactly the kind of princess you'd hope a princess to be. 

PJJ xx

Quick and Easy Breakfast Toast Fingers

No need for a long explanation for this one. All you need to know is that these a superbly tasty little breakfast bites and you will love them. Nuff said.

All you need is:

1 or 2 slices of toast per person (I used gluten free but choose what you want)

A little bit of butter or sunflower oil spread

3 strips cooked bacon per each slice of toast

Grated cheddar and/or Gruyere 

1/2 cup sliced baby tomatoes

1 egg per slice of toast

Fresh chopped chives

Salt and pepper to taste

First, Heat your oven broiler to high. Butter your toast and place in a large baking dish side by side. Lay the bacon strip diagonally on each toast. 

Sprinkle a handful of the cheese over the bacon evenly then dot the sliced tomatoes on top. Broil for about 5 minutes or till cheese is bubbling. 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet and using a tiny bit of oil, start frying each egg on both sides and setting them aside. Remove, the toast from the oven and place a fried egg on each piece. 

Use a large knife to slice the toast into 4 strips. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives then yum it up! 

Oooooh....ahhhhh.

PJJ xx