I made this themed appetizer for dinner inspired by the recent Total Solar Eclipse.

Four ingredients are melted together to make the ultimate easy, cheesy, and creamy dip that is a little eclipse of heaven!

We drove to the middle of the state to experience the total eclipse April 8th, and it was such an amazing experience to see in person.

We stopped in Clarksville at the city park and got a good spot on the lawn to watch the hour long event.

At 1:50, the sky darkened, it got cooler, and everyone cheered!

We watched the eclipse in its Totality for 3 1/2 min.

It really was an experience of a lifetime, and I am glad I got to see it was my kids and husband!

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Solar Eclipse Party Creamy Beef Queso Dip

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes I used fire roasted
• 8 oz package cream cheese softened and cubed
• 2 cups shredded Mexican mix cheese
• black bean chips for topping and dipping
• orange tortilla or nacho chips for topping and dipping

Instructions

• Add ground beef to a large skillet over medium heat.
• Cook, breaking up, until no longer pink.
• Drain grease and turn heat down to medium low.
• Pour in Rotel and cubed cream cheese.
• Cook, stirring until melted and completely combined.
• Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese until creamy and melted.
• Pour into a round pan for the sun shape like a pie dish or cast iron.
• Top with black bean chips on half, slightly crushed then add the orange chips, slightly crushed in a crescent moon shape.
• Fill in any open space with the black bean chips so it resembles an Eclipse!
• Serve queso warm with additional tortilla chips in a bowl on the side.

I love how easy this appetizer is and in my opinion there are a few special ingredients that really “make” this queso over the moon (ha get it?!).

The fire roasted Rotel, which isn’t spicy but more sweet and lightly smokey is my favorite. Then of course, cream cheese, my old go to for making dip rich and creamy. And finally, these Beanitos black bean tortilla chips. I needed black chips for the Eclipse look. These look great but also taste delicious. My daughters compare the taste to Sun Chips!

Add ground beef to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, breaking up, until no longer pink.

Drain grease and turn heat down to medium low.

Pour in Rotel and cubed cream cheese. 

 Cook, stirring until melted.

When completely combined, remove from heat. 

Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese until creamy and melted.

Pour into a round pan for the sun shape like a pie dish or cast iron. 

Top with black bean chips on half, slightly crushed then add the orange chips, slightly crushed in a crescent moon shape.

Fill in any open space with the black bean chips so it resembles an Eclipse!

Serve queso warm with additional tortilla chips in a bowl on the side.

The post Solar Eclipse Party Creamy Beef Queso Dip appeared first on For the Love of Food.

The total solar eclipse is happening on April 8th!

This spectacular space roundup features over 30 themed recipes and craft ideas to help you host an epic eclipse viewing party this month!

Scroll down to check it out.

1. Easy Earth Moon Sun Paper Craft for Kids – Two Kids and a Coupon

2. Galaxy Popcorn – Mama Cheaps

3. Printable Eclipse Color Code Worksheets – The Artisan Life

4. Galaxy Bark – Family Around the Table

5. Eclipse Snack Box – For the Love of Food

6. Galaxy Candy Charcuterie Board – Cutefetti

7. Galaxy Cupcakes – Rainy Day Mum

8. Galaxy Donuts – Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

9. Solar Eclipse Bento Box – Raising Whasians

10. FREE Printable Outer Space Party Decoration – Play Party Plan

11. Sunshine Cookies – For the Love of Food

12. Space Cake – Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

13. Astronaut Puppet Printable – Red Ted Art

14. Easy Fruit and Marshmallow Space Rocket Snack – Mama Cheaps

15. Galaxy Star Cookies – My Kids Lick the Bowl

16. Man on the Moon (Pie) Space Snacks + Printable Astronauts – Mama Cheaps

17. No-Churn Galaxy Ice Cream – A Magical Mess

18. Total Eclipse Half Moon Cookies – For the Love of Food

19. Free Printable Solar Eclipse Dot Marker Coloring Pages – The Artisan Life

20. Sun Bread – Savory Moments Blog

21. Solar Eclipse Party Creamy Beef Queso Dip – For the Love of Food

22. Total Solar Eclipse Tostadas – Alison’s Allspice

23. 10 Minute Light Up Galaxy in a Jar – Cutefetti

24. Easy No Bake Eclipse Cookies – Craft Create Cook

25. Galaxy Fruit Dip – Little Cooks Reading Books

26. DIY Solar Eclipse Glow-in-the-Dark T Shirt – Homeschool Super Freak

27. Agate, Geode and Rock Cupcake Toppers – Ever After in the Woods

28. Out of This World Space Snack Tray – For the Love of Food

29. Solar Eclipse Connect the Dots Free Printables – The Artisan Life

30. Homemade Moon Pies – Family Around the Table

31. Oreo Moon Phases – The Best Ideas for Kids

32. Moon and Sun Party Tray – The Gifted Gabber

33. Galaxy Handprint Spritzer Art – The Soccer Mom Blog

34. “You Are My Sunshine” Paper Plate Craft – The Soccer Mom Blog

35. Printable Solar Eclipse Bingo – The Artisan Life 

36. Rocket Cake for a Space Party – Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

The post 30+ Total Eclipse Epic Party Ideas appeared first on For the Love of Food.

 Check them out below and let me know what you think!

 Moon Cheese is known as the “cheese that crunches” and is high in protein,
 low-carb, all natural, gluten free and a good source of calcium!

More about Moon Cheese! 

• Every variety of Moon Cheese has 70 calories and 4-5 grams of protein per serving.
• Moon Cheese is all natural and contains nothing but 100% cheese.
• It’s non perishable. That’s right no refrigeration is required for this cheese snack! 
• Find Moon Cheese for sale at Target, Whole Foods, CVS, Starbucks, Wegman’s, Weis and REI stores.

Moon Cheese is available in three tasty flavors: Cheddar, Gouda, and Pepper Jack.

Connect with Moon Cheese

Website: https://mooncheese.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mooncheesesnacks/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/MoonCheeseSnack

Instagram: www.insatgram.com/mooncheesesnacks

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Out of This World Space Snack Tray

Ingredients

• 1 package Moon Cheese {or mix and match a few flavors}
• 4 rock candy
• 4 planet suckers {blowpops and gummies}
• 3 slices of cheese cut into star shapes
• 4 rocket fruit skewers {strawberries bananas, and melon}
• galaxy sugar cookies
• 2 cups galaxy popcorn

Instructions

• Line a large serving tray with star printed black paper or napkins.
• Place moon cheese on a plate in the center.
• Add other items to small plates and bowls and add to the tray.
• Serve right away to your hungry party guests and enjoy these out of this world snacks.

I love serving Moon Cheese as a healthy, all natural snack for my family. 

It is non perishable so I toss them in our beach bag, take them with us on road trips, and of course, serve on movie night. 

I came up with this space themed snack tray when we were watching an alien cartoon with my kids. I thought it would be a fun addition to movie night with their friends!

  I added all three flavors of Moon Cheese along with fruit skewer rockets, galaxy popcorn, cheese stars, galactic cookies, rock candy, and planet suckers.

The options are endless with this snack tray as long as you stick with the space theme.
You could add veggies or chips and dip in a sun shape or even make popcorn ball planets!

These are a breakfast favorite!
 Rocket fruit kabobs are made with strawberries, bananas, and cantaloupe.

Sliced cheese can also be served too if you are a cheese lover like me!
I used a small star cookie cutter to make stars out of cheese slices.

Candy is a requirement at the movies, right!? Rock candy looks like space to me and planet suckers, lollipops with gummy rings, are almost too cute to eat.

These cookies were fun-and messy- to make and eat!
Galactic iced sugar cookies look spectacular on any snack table!

Galaxy Popcorn is my new thing, y’all!
I drizzled popped popcorn with leftover cookie frosting and topped with sprinkle stars.
It looks so cool and it tastes delicious too!

Serve right away to your hungry party guests and enjoy these out of this world snacks.

This post is sponsored by Moon Cheese in collaboration with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own. 

The post Out of This World Space Snack Tray appeared first on For the Love of Food.