Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

I don’t know about you, but buffalo chicken dip is one of those naughty comfort foods I just can’t resist. If someone has it as an appetizer at a party, I find myself reaching for it again and again, telling myself it’s okay, as long as I’m dipping some celery into it :) This is a dish that is suited for all seasons, but there is one time of year that people tend to cook it in droves. That’s right, Super Bowl Sunday. And if they aren’t whipping up for buffalo chicken dip, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were trying for roasted buffalo cauliflower. With the Seahawks out of the playoffs and my interest in the event waning (with the exception of the yummy food), I started thinking about the cauliflower in my fridge and whether or not someone had ever tried to make a buffalo cauliflower dip! I thought that sounded delicious, and a smart way to work more vegetables into this cheesy, decadent dip. I decided to test it out on a game night I hosted with friends in January and it was a hit! At one point, my friend to my right reached over me as I was about to roll to grab the dish and scoop out the last bite. Even though I lost, I was so thrilled my friends loved this dip. Now I’m even more thrilled to share it with you. So here’s to football, here’s to vegetables, and here’s to whatever team is going to beat the Patriots!

• Cauliflower

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• Hot Sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)

• Sharp Cheddar

• Cream Cheese

• Gorgonzola Cheese

• Plain, whole fat, Greek yogurt

• Lemon

• Dried Dill

• Garlic Powder

*This recipe was inspired by two blogs: Ambitious Kitchen’s Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing and A Kitchen Addiction’s Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip. Thanks for the help with the ratios ladies!

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spread cauliflower florets on a sheet pan. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and be sure to space evenly on the pan so no two florets are touching. Roast for 15 minutes, toss the cauliflower to their other side, and roast for 15 minutes more.

2. Once the cauliflower has cooled slightly, pulse the florets in a food processor so it becomes riced cauliflower; and has small to medium grains.

3. Grab a mini crock-pot (or a full crock-pot if that’s all you have), and combine the cauliflower with ½ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, and ½ cup gorgonzola crumbles.

4. To make your Ranch dressing, combine ½ cup greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dill, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Add to the crockpot.

5. Cook on high for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring at 30 minutes. Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, or tortilla chips. And if you happen to have leftovers, broil on bread for 5 minutes to make buffalo crostini!