Let's Snack: Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

Historically, my kids are not really big snackers. That is, unless we have apples, oranges, or any other sort of fruit in the house. Then, they continuously eat piece after piece of fruit until not a single one is left in the fruit bowl. Only then are they seemingly satisfied.

I love that my kids enjoy fruit so much, but during these winter months the price of most fruit skyrockets. Plus, since our grocery store relies on local markets, the types of fruit we enjoy most as a family can be often difficult to find or of really poor quality (small, bruised, or underwhelming in taste). Thus, I have begun relying on frozen, canned, and bottle fruit to curb the kids' cravings. I recently been buying applesauce - simple, unsweetened, applesauce. We'll add cinnamon, nutmeg, and sometimes a touch of maple syrup to it or just eat it plain. The kids love it. However, they do have a caveat. Their applesauce must be chunky or else they consider it unworthy of their delicate palates.

I had just come downstairs with Emma and Matthew wanted a picture.
It must be because his outfit is so stylish. And yes, Emma is wearing my shoes.
Well, they're technically my shoes. Everything is Emma's, according to Emma.

The other day, I made the fatal mistake of purchasing a large bottle of smooth applesauce. I simply grabbed the wrong one and did not notice my mistake until I was spooning it out for the picky ones. Of course, many groans ensued and they did not touch it. This left me with a rather huge bottle of applesauce that they were not going to eat. And I wasn't going to eat it either because, just between you and me, I agree with them. Chunky applesauce is where it's at.

So, I pulled this oldie of a recipe out of my archives and made a batch one evening after the kids had gone to bed. I left them out on the table in a Rubbermaid so that Matthew could help himself if he was hungry in the morning. He's been waking up around 5:00 AM lately and has been gracious enough to simply color or paint until Paul and I wake up. 

The kids adored the muffins. They snacked on them all day - and the first batch disappeared very quickly. Then, they begged me to make more. I used the rest of that applesauce up in no time on batch after batch of these muffins. They are very healthy - including whole grains from the oats and whole wheat flour - and are very lightly sweetened. Of course, you can add in nuts, dried fruit, chopped fresh apples (whenever they FINALLY are affordable again), or pears to put your twist on them. They really are very humble, underwhelming-looking little muffins but they pack a tasty nutritional punch.

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons butter or oil (I used walnut oil - yum!)

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins, nuts, finely diced fruit - or a blend!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter or else the muffins will come on the dense side. 

Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touch. Be careful not to overbake or else they will dry out!

Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. In all honesty, these taste the most fantastic when they are slightly warm with a smear of apple butter.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

This week has been crazy. Paul has been running everywhere trying to finish various work projects, the kids are active as ever and getting fed up with being cooped up indoors, and I've been scrambling to catch up with cleaning, organizing, and cooking after our three week hiatus due to illness. I've been enjoying the boost of energy compared to how I was feeling this time a week ago. But, thankfully, the house is completely clean (well, as clean as can be with Emma the hurricane), the laundry is caught up, decorations have been put away, and every surface and floor has been swept, dusted, and vacuumed.  And now I need a nap.

In addition, we had a meeting with Matthew's preschool teacher to assess his progress and whether he is eligible to move on next year. Both Paul and I were a little nervous because Matthew is our first kid in school and he is very, very quirky. However, she assuaged any of our fears by telling us he is very bright, gets along great with the other students, and is more than ready to move on to Kindergarten. Next year, he will be a full-time student which breaks my heart a little bit. I'm going to miss spending time with him at home. Plus, he's been such a big help to me lately.

Weeks like this make me so happy that appliances like the slow-cooker have been invented. I'm not a huge slow cooker-user. I break it out a couple times each month for various reasons, but it definitely is not used on a weekly basis. However, every time I make a dinner in the slow-cooker I wonder why I do not use it more. The evenings are so hectic and I'm normally tired by the time I have to prep and cook dinner. The slow-cooker eliminates all that stress. Plus, I love the delicious smells of dinner cooking away throughout the afternoon.

I made this Chicken Teriyaki recipe for dinner this week and it could not have been easier. Everything took about 15 minutes total to throw together and then a teeny bit of work at the end is required to thicken the sauce and shred the chicken, but really it was nothing compared to what normally has to go down for dinner to materialize. I had my rice cooker make and keep the rice warm until serving time and then I just chose to steam some oriental vegetables to serve alongside while the sauce was thickening. In the end, the sauce was perfectly flavored, the meal was loved by kids and adults alike, and the cleanup was a breeze. This is definitely a recipe to keep in the rotation. I'm also adding it to the list of easy dinners to make once the baby arrives.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Note: If you like a little more heat, add a little more Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce. If you don't want any heat, omit it entirely. Also, you can use frozen chicken breasts but everything will cook for an extra hour or two. 

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce (use low-sodium if desired)
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce
1-2 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
1/4 cup cold water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
A mix of steamed oriental vegetables (for serving)

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow-cooker in a single layer.

Whisk together the garlic, onion, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, chili-garlic sauce, and sesame oil.  Alternatively, you can blend everything together in a blender or Vitamix until smooth. Pour the mixture over the chicken.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Shred with two forks and return to the slow cooker bowl. Cover to keep warm (but make sure the slow-cooker is unplugged).

Pour the teriyaki sauce from the slow-cooker to a saucepan large enough to hold all the liquid. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Pour into the sauce and carefully stir until thickened. Once thickened, pour over the chicken. You can reserve a little bit of the sauce to toss with the steamed vegetables, if desired.

Serve atop freshly steamed rice with the vegetables. Enjoy!!

Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup with Red Curry

My favorite soup in the whole wide world is probably the one served at my favorite Asian restaurant in town. It is so spicy, warm, and comforting - a bit creamy from the coconut milk, spicy from the red curry paste, and full of delicious rice noodles and thinly sliced chicken. It is served topped with a cilantro bouquet garnish and is everything I need to feel satisfied.

While we have been struggling with illness over the past month, I have been craving this soup. Paul ended up taking me out to lunch just so I could have it and I swear that it cleared my sinuses and helped spur my body towards a full recovery. Since I love this soup so much, I figured I should probably take a shot at recreating it at home.

On a completely unrelated note, these two have been so cute hanging out together.

Reading before bedtime.

An intense art session in progress.

The soup itself is really simple - it has red curry paste, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, thin rice noodles, chicken broth (I think), chicken and cilantro. That's pretty much it.

The biggest problem was finding a red curry paste that was spicy enough. The only one available from our local grocery store was the Thai Kitchen brand - and, while tasty, it is not spicy at all. Since it was all they had, I had to use it this time around but I still highly recommend the Mae Ploy brand of curry paste (both green and red). You can order it on Amazon and it is extremely inexpensive.

Anyway, with a spicier curry paste I feel this recipe would have been perfection. It was still delicious and Paul actually liked that it wasn't nearly as spicy as the restaurant's version (although I certainly missed it!). If you like Thai flavors, this is a great soup for you - and it comes together in about 20 minutes!

I like my bowl of soup with a lot of broth (as pictured above) whereas Paul prefers a high amount of noodles (as pictured below!). We also threw a few chopped red chili peppers on top - I told you, I really am liking the heat right now!

Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup with Red Curry

Note: Add the amount of curry paste suitable for your preferences. Some people can stand the heat well enough, while others might find it overwhelming. This will also depend on the type of curry paste you use since they are wildly different in heat levels. You can always add more once the broth is simmering if you feel you need more heat. Also, to get your chicken breasts to slice evenly, I usually stick them in the freezer for about 20 minutes so they "stiffen" just a bit. The slices will look prettier if they are a little bit frozen.

4 cloves garlic, minced
2 heaping tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3-4 tablespoons red curry paste (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
2-3 cups coconut milk (I like two; Paul prefers three)
6-8 ounces thin rice noodles (sometimes called rice sticks)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, thinly sliced

Combine the garlic, ginger, curry paste, and oil in a dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium and cook, mashing together with a wooden spoon or spatula, until sizzling and very fragrant. Add the chicken broth, scraping the bottom with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and taste the broth. Add more salt/curry paste if desired. Add the chicken pieces and simmer gently until cooked all the way through, about 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and rice noodles and allow to simmer very gently while the noodles soak up the broth - about 15 minutes.

Serve in large bowls topped with lots of fresh cilantro!

How to Be Fitted for a Bridesmaid Dress While Pregnant

My beautiful sister Catherine is to be married in two weeks to her fiance of over 18 months. The wedding has been a longtime coming and we are so excited for it to finally be here! Shortly after she and Matthew were engaged, Catherine asked me to be her Matron of Honor and I was thrilled to be asked. I visited her in February of last year and we picked out her wedding dress (it's gorgeous!!!) and the bridesmaid dresses. At that appointment, I was fitted for a size 4 dress. However, I was a little nervous about officially purchasing the dress and committing to that size since the wedding was still a year away and...let's just say a lot can happen in a year.

Catherine with 9-month-old Emma.

I ended up purchasing the dress anyway and it sat in my closet for a good six months.

Then, baby fever hit and my husband just wouldn't stop being so irresistibly cute. Needless to say, the positive pregnancy test came.

I waited a few months to see how my bump would grow before taking the dress back to David's Bridal and asking them what I should do about the size. They took my measurements again and added a little room for growth and suggested that I go up two dress sizes to accomodate a growing midsection. They would alter the top of the dress to fit me better. It sounded like a great plan, so I ordered that size. I was told that the dress would come right before Christmas - plenty of time to get it altered and ready for the wedding.

Well, something happened over December. Something completely outside of my control. That belly of mine just exploded. It might have been helped along by the cookies, cake, or fudge. I began carrying higher. So high, that I feel an incredible amount of pressure against my diaphragm when I breathe or sit in certain positions. I have never had that with my previous pregnancies.

I went back in for that alterations appointment and slipped into the newly arrived, substantially larger bridesmaid dress. The associate came into the room to help me zip it.

And we couldn't zip the darn thing up. My belly had gotten too big and based on the way I am carrying right now, the largest portion rides up right against the waistline for the dress.

All the associates started to freak out. They left me standing there in front of all those mirrors - those horrible, horrible 360 degree mirrors - holding up my unzipped dress while examining my bloated shape. It was very flattering.

After what seemed like hours, one of the associates came in to tell me that it was too late to order a new dress in an even larger size. However, they had done a search of their storage room and they had found the same dress in the right color.

"Great!!" I said, relieved.
"It's a size 24."

Apparently it was a special order size that had been returned at one point. They brought in the gigantic dress and let's just say that it definitely zipped up that time. I don't think I even unzipped it to climb inside! They pinned off the sides for alterations and played with the hem. I was a human pin cushion by the end.

"We'll get this looking like it was made for you!" they promised with an unmistakably apologetic tone.

I just went with it. We finished off the appointment and I was told to come back in a week for another fitting. They were super great to work with and so accommodating. I am very grateful that we found something that worked.

When I arrived home, Paul asked me how everything went. "Well," I began, "I went from being a size 4 to a size 24 in 10 months."

In the end, I should have just ordered a much larger size to begin with and had it altered down to fit. To other pregnant bridesmaids out there, bite the bullet, realize that your midsection is growing at a quick rate and you will not fit into conventional sizes, and don't be afraid to order a size that is three or even four times as big as your pre-pregnancy size. It is much easier to have everything taken in than to scramble to go up a size at the last minute. Thankfully, it worked out for me this time but it very well could have been a complete disaster.

They are worth every bit of every pregnancy woe.

I will post pictures later of the wedding. Less than two weeks to go!

I'm linking up this post at Jess and Katie's website for Tuesday Talk!

New Year's Resolutions

Currently, we are buried in MOUNTAINS of snow. The kids have been itching to get out and play, but the temperatures are still too cold for them - averaging about three degrees with a negative windchill. Their little cheeks instantly chap if any bit of skin is exposed. They've been very understanding - I let them help shovel the driveway and they each lasted a grand total of five minutes before begging for hot chocolate.

Right before going to sleep the other night, I turned to Paul and said: "Shouldn't we be making some New Year's resolutions?"

Ever year, we normally make a few and every year we fail miserably together. It's an experiment in perseverance that we have enjoyed flunking together each year. Paul thought for a moment and then came up with his list of resolutions. Unfortunately, most of these are ones we MUST succeed at or else.

Resolution #1: Potty Train Emma. We need to get this done before the new baby. We do not ever want to have two babies in diapers. Too expensive! She's still so tiny to me, but we need to get this done soon because she wants to learn right now. It's just not my favorite activity.

Resolution #2: Continue to Grow His Business. Paul has a small business on the side that he started a little over a year ago. He's been doing well with it so far but it is still basically a hobby. I'm proud of what he has done with it so far but he would like to see things really amp up this year.

Resolution #3 (my addition): Welcome a healthy baby into the family. Big, scary, day-of-birthing on the horizon. Yikes.

Resolution #4 (also my addition): Read the Mass readings for each day. My parents gave us a new missal for Christmas and I figure we should put it to good use! Paul usually does this on his own anyway using an app from the Notre Dame Campus Ministry, but I need to really commit to this. I'm more likely to read something if it is in book form rather than electronically delivered.

Resolution #5: Swim more, bike more, relax more. Both of us are so uptight about "getting things done" that we fail to sit back and enjoy our family life. We just need to relax. But also plan more outings with the whole family. I'm currently researching new bike carriers so we can make this happen with THREE kids.

Resolution #6: Speaking of biking, I just came up with a new resolution while typing this out. Get Matthew to love riding his bike. He poops out after about 5 minutes. If there is any incline (or decline) for that matter, he gives up. It's been really frustrating for Paul and I because we both love biking and want Matthew to enjoy it just as much. This has just not been the case. We have to figure out some way to show him that it is enjoyable. I can't tell you how many times we'd be out walking at a snail's pace as Matthew "biked" very cautiously besides us and then a little 2-year-old on a plastic tricycle would go zooming by with a panting parent running to keep up. Embarrassing. We need to fix this.

Here's to more success than we've had in the past! At least Paul is not trying to lose weight again.

The Shut-In Family

Since Christmas Day, we have been afflicted with multiple illnesses. Scratch that, since the beginning of December Paul and Emma have been passing a cold back and forth with Matthew and I finally falling ill right after Christmas Day. Then, the entire family came down with a nasty stomach bug while Emma continued to struggle with an ear and throat infection. We've been spending our days shut inside (the weather has been nasty anyways) lying about, feeling miserable and completely sorry for ourselves.

The little sickies preparing for yet another movie. This time with popcorn.

The kids have been complete slugs. They wake up looking as if they haven't slept a wink, refuse to eat anything for breakfast, lay on the couch for a few hours staring at the television, and then go back to sleep for the rest of the day. Paul and I have been doing pretty much the same thing. That and struggling with the monster that Emma has become. When Matthew gets sick, he turns into the sweetest, most cuddly child ever. However, sick Emma is a beastly diva who whines constantly, cries nonstop, hits, and screams until her face turns a disturbing shade of crimson. It's almost as if she is infuriated by whatever virus or infection is slowing her down and takes her aggression out on everyone (and thing) in sight. I left her on the floor throwing a huge tantrum after bathing her (I struggled to clothe her first - that was fun) and she kicked and screamed for nearly an hour before coming downstairs to announce she was thirsty. Big surprise.

On the food front, I have pretty much not cooked a thing since Christmas Day. I escaped to the grocery store during one of the days and came home with a billion cans of soup. Each meal, we line the soup cans out on the counter-top and have each person choose the type they want. We've pretty much lived off scrambled eggs and canned soup since January 1st. Paul was pleased to report that this "New Year's diet" has already helped him lose five pounds according to his weigh-in at the doctor's office a couple days ago. I, however, only continue to gain weight no matter what food I put into my mouth. Ahh, pregnancy.

Would you like Minestrone, Chicken Noodle, or Vegetable Beef?

Speaking of the pregnancy, all continues to be going well. I finally switched offices and am now back with the midwife that delivered Emma. The baby is moving around a lot and appeared perfectly healthy, although measuring large according to the latest ultrasound. I wish I could sleep through the rest of the pregnancy. I've been so exhausted. That's one thing I do well right now: Whine, whine, whine.

Wine sounds good. Not for four more months.

Little girls with ear infections still love popcorn!

Hopefully, we'll all be back to normal soon and I'll have something more interesting to blog about. Until then, I still think Campbell's Chicken Noodle is the best even though it is very lacking in noodles. And chicken.

A Look Back at Our Christmas Day

This is long overdue, but somehow fitting to post our Christmas Eve/Day highlights on the Feast of the Epiphany - and the 12th day of Christmas. While we are no longer in a festive mood - the kids have been really sick for a few days now - we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas together. We spent lot of time indoors, playing games, drinking cocoa, cuddling, and just enjoying our time together as a family. Christmas was so fun with the kids this year - Matthew truly was able to grasp the meaning of the season (as well as a little bit of the greediness as well) and it was a blast watching both kids open gifts on Christmas Day.

On Christmas Eve, Paul and I spent the majority of the day putting some final touches on our Christmas preparations and getting ready for our fancy dinner and nighttime Mass. As usual, we had a late lunch of sliced charcuterie, crackers, homemade ciabatta, and hot crab dip. I tried a new recipe this year because I have been in love with Worcestershire sauce lately and I don't think we're ever going back to our old one. It was so delicious - we couldn't stop eating it! I'm posting the recipe at the bottom of the page because it really is a keeper!

Anyway, after our snack and a quick nap, I made some cinnamon roll dough for Christmas morning and Paul began making the broth for Cioppino. We splurged a little bit on our seafood by ordering some high quality scallops, shrimp, and sea bass from an organic grocer. The freshness was out of this world. That sea bass was the most beautiful piece of raw fish I have ever seen. Paul and I almost felt bad about filleting and skinning it.

While Paul cooked the mussels in butter and wine, I set the table. I had to take a picture of our fancy dining room all ready for a disastrous, messy dinner with young children. Since we have white carpet, we have to line them with towels because both kids are prone to spillage. It does take a way from the "fancy" atmosphere we were trying to create.

Finally, we sat down to eat! Matthew was so adorable the entire day, but he really exceeded our expectations by eating his entire bowl of Cioppino! I don't consider him very adventurous with food, but he does seem to enjoy seafood - especially mussels! Emma, on the other hand, was an absolute beast. She ate most of her bass and preferred spending the rest of the meal slugging back sparkling cider.

After dinnertime, we immediately bathed the children and dressed them in fancy clothes to try to make them look presentable for Christmas! Matthew cleaned up nicely, but Emma kept pulling her hair ties out. She looked like a street urchin.

Christmas Mass was so beautiful. Instead of going to Midnight Mass as we have every other year, we opted for the 7:30pm Mass hoping that the kids would be a little more enjoyable. We were wrong. Emma was a beast. Seriously, she was the most terrible she has ever been in church. I spent the majority of Mass so tense about her behavior. It seemed that every other child was perfectly angelic and then there was our daughter, thrashing and crying in the back while one of her parents (we took turns) struggled to not drop her.

I shouldn't really lump Matthew in with her behavior. He was pretty good except for one point when he wouldn't stop kissing my arm (sweet but annoying) and then during the sign of peace when he preferred growling at everyone who wished him "Merry Christmas!"

We survived Mass and afterwards spent a bit of time gazing at the life-size nativity scene our parish sets out on Christmas Eve. It's absolutely beautiful and the kids just love looking at it. Then, we headed home and took some obligatory family photos before getting them ready for bed.

In case you are wondering, they are clutching pieces of our Nativity Scene. 

I was so done with the children by that point - they were both whiny and in desperate need of sleep. We said our prayers in front of the Nativity, sang some carols, and then threw them in bed. They fell asleep really quickly. Paul and I watched the last bit of It's a Wonderful Life on NBC before piling all the gifts under the tree. I of course could not make it through the end of that movie without crying my eyes out. Darn these hormones.

We collapsed into bed, completely exhausted from the activities of the day. I had a hard time sleeping - I was so excited for Christmas morning with the little ones! I ended up staring at the ceiling while feeling the baby kick for a good hour before I was finally able to fall asleep.

Soon enough, the pitter-patter of little feet in the hallway woke both Paul and I up. That and Emma's timid little knock on the door: "Mommy? Daddy?" The kids were awake! We had instructed Matthew before bed to not go downstairs until we were all awake. So, he had woken Emma up and dragged her out of her crib before attempting to wake us up. He was so darn excited.

Riley seemed to really like his catnip. He couldn't wait to tear open the package!

Pooh Bear!

Showing off his new Gorilla slippers and train hat from Grandma and Grandpa!

We headed downstairs. Emma began chanting that she wanted cereal before seeing the presents under the tree. Suddenly (and this is a shocker!), she forgot about her stomach and was fascinated with all the gifts! Matthew headed straight for the stockings. Since my kids are so weird about candy, they received relatively no sweets - just lots of Cuties and a few Fruit Roll-Ups. They also received a lot of bath accessories - bath bombs, bubble bath, bath toys, etc. Emma was very happy with her "Princess" bubble bath and wanted to take a bath right then and there. We had to convince her to hang around and open the rest of her gifts.

She loves her stuffed animals. Her collection is getting a little out of hand.

Thanks Uncle Peter for the giraffe! She loves it!

Matthew received a robotic dinosaur that he quickly named "Raptor Rex" that we have been enjoying siccing on the cat in addition to a couple new board games that are fun for both adults and kids. The highlight for him, however, was unwrapping a Michelangelo TMNT action figure. Emma received several new books and stuffed animals that she has been enjoying while snuggled under her blanket. I often find her reading to herself in the rocking chair with her blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She's an old lady in the making. Paul received a Little Giant ladder system (that was tons of fun to wrap AND carry down the stairs to its spot under the tree) and an addition to his growing collection of board games. Santa brought me Photoshop - so hopefully my pictures will be looking a heck of a lot nicer (let's hope!).

We spent the rest of the day playing, reading, sleeping (we needed naps!), and eating. It was pretty perfect and everyone was really happy. The greatest Christmas gift for me, however, was the beautiful weather we enjoyed in the days following Christmas morning. The temperatures were in the 60s and it was sunny. We were able to take some walks as a family and bask in the sunlight. Now, it's an arctic tundra and we're seeing windchills around 0 degrees, so I'm grateful for the time we were able to enjoy the outdoors.

I'm telling you, after all the excitement of Christmas morning everyone needed a nap!

We hope you had a very, merry Christmas with your family! Here's to a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2015!

Now, here's the recipe for that crab dip. So darn good.

Hot Crab Dip
adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces lump crab meat
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I love the Greek Cream Cheese)
1 cup mayonnaise (We use Hellman's Light)
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup shredded)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon hot sauce (always Frank's!!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 1½-quart casserole dish; set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the red pepper and onion and cook until softened and all moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Remove the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool.

Add the rest of the dip ingredients to the bowl with the pepper mixture and gently stir together until combined, being careful not to smash the crab meat too much. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with baguette slices, chopped vegetables, and crackers. Leftovers make great "Crab Melt" sandwiches.