Fancy BBQ Nacho Several Layer Dip

I am a food-aholic.  I am not here to lose the -aholic status.  My goal in life is to make you love food, too.  I believe whole-heartedly that I will not go down alone.  I'm taking you bitches with me!

 

In other words, I fall prey to the food e*mails: Food Network, Better Homes & Gardens, etc.  In the process, I find all kinds of fun recipes that I force upon my husband, my friends, and sometimes the entire extended family--like I did this weekend!  Hey, it is the mother-in-law's entire family reunion-style Christmas.  There are guinea pigs to test!  I found the basic recipe a whole day ago and HAD TO TRY IT NOW!  The recipe I found was boring, so I had to spice it up.  Go figure.

 

Fancy BBQ Nacho Several Layer Dip

 

You will need the following supplies:

1. 8x8 Pan.  If making ahead of time, use metal so you don't accidentally explode your Pyrex.

2. Large Mixing Bowl

3. Small Mixing Bowl

3. Rubber Spatula

4. Another Rubber Spatula

5. Empty Counter (something I usually do not have)

 

Step One, The Base Layers

Ingredients:

1 box Spanish Rice (I use Zatarain's, see box ingredients below)

     -14 oz can of Spicy Tomatoes

     -Water, amount as provided on the box

     -1 tbl Butter

1 can Yellow Corn, drained

1 bar 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened (microwave that tasty crap for about 15 seconds)

1 cup Chipotle Deep

1 can Diced Green Chilis (found in Mexi aisle in grocery store)

1 16 oz Refridgerated BBQ Pork in Sauce (I use Jack Daniels BBQ Pork)

1 can Spicy Chili Beans, undrained (I found a chipotle chili bean!)

1/4 cup Diced Jalapenos

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare Spanish Rice as directed.  While the rice takes a chunk of your life to prepare, put your bar of Cream Cheese in the microwave to soften [small mixing bowl], then mix in your Sour Cream and the can of Green Chilis.  After forking (ha ha) the rice, dump in your Yellow Corn and give 'er a good stir.  Put the rice mixture into the bottom of your 8x8 Pan.  [Here's the catch: I doubled this recipe, and you may not need all of the rice for a single version.  Consider using half for now.]  Frost your rice with the cream cheese mixture.  If your cream cheese is not softened, you will just drag the rice all over, and it won't look all fancy layered.  Next, mix up your BBQ Pork, Chili Beans, and Jalapenos [large mixing bowl].  Dump the meat and bean mix on top of your cream cheese and spread evenly (TWSS).  Pop this bad boy in the oven for about 15 minutes until thoroughly warmed.

 

Step Two, The Toppings

Ingredients:

Tangy Coleslaw (I used this lady's fantastic recipe.  I'm probably committing a crime linking this.  So be it.)

Shredded Cheese (I use Mexican Cheese with the taco seasoning already included)

 

Once the deep is warmed, put on your cheese and put back in the oven until melted.  Immediately put on your coleslaw.  Feel free to eat with a spoon.  I prefer tortilla chips.  But to each their own!

 

Enjoy!

Five Minutes: Chipotle Deep

In the Summer of 2012, my mom, my friend Stef, and I went to a Mexican joint in the area because we had a sweet Groupon (or LivingSocial (I love coupons)).  This place wasn't the most fabulous or best enchiladas or really great at anything.  The menu, however, has changed our vocabulary forever.  Everything on the menu that had a long "i" sound to a Spanish speaking individual was spelled...differently.  For instance, they had a great "cheese deep".  I believe that should be cheese dip, but hey, who am I to spell check the menu?  I'm not Mexican, and I was only in Mexico for about four hours once on spring break.  Yeah, that's all you will get about spring break.  Yikes.

Anyway, this lovely sour cream concoction will always be "deep" to us.  So now, I pass onto you the greatness.

If this takes you more than five minues, you are doing it wrong!

Chipotle Deep

Ingredients:
8 oz Sour Cream (I like the vats; you can start small with 8 oz.)
1 tbl Chipotle Chili Pepper, ground.  Spice Island has a great spice w/ grinder available for this!
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper, ground
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Honey
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Ranch

Mix everything together in the sour cream container, be green.  If it tastes good, call it good.  However, I like mine with a little more chipotle and a little more cayenne.  Don't go overboard on the ranch.  It will taste like ranch with a hint (maybe) of chipotle.  That's not what you are going for here.  If you want a chipotle ranch recipe, this isn't really it.  I also make this in 32 oz amounts, and my fat hearted friends (Fat Amy, I love you!) easily finish it off in a few minutes with a bag of Ruffles.  I also don't truly believe in measuring, so this is me guessing.

Enjoy!

Super Hungry Destination: Pittsburgh, Primanti Bros

I spent a few days in Pittsburgh in June for work.  On the last day in Pitt, I hit a hot spot, known in Pittsburgh as Primanti Bros.  I got a "sandwich" made of roast beef and cheese...and fries...and cole slaw...and onions...and peppers...and tomatoes...all for less than $7.  This place don't joke.  It was the perfect sized sandwich for the Beninator and about three meals for me.  I knew this was possibly the last time I would ever eat here (I love to travel to new places, not old ones).  So I made the most of it and ate at least half.  Also, what I am trying to say here, do not order a side.  You are stupid to do that.

The sandwich was fantisimo!  The texture of the fries, the vinegar dressing on the slaw, the melty cheese, the almost there of some roast beef...magical.  I vaguely remember regretting asking for the 50 cent extra grilled peppers and onions when I saw the size of the sandwich, but I would do it again!  The burst of flavors was heaven in my mouth.  Primanti Bros has five generous locations, so you have no excuse not to make a trip when in Pittsburgh!


That's just half!  And three times the size of my mouth!

Happy faces in apprectiation of satisfied bellies!

Drunk Chicken

To have forever in your recipe book: a simple drunk chicken.

                                Carefully pulling up the skin and putting on the rub.

Ingredients:

Whole chicken, nasty gizzards and all

Favorite spices for a rub (Cayenne pepper, Essence of Emeril, MoRub (Iowa grown seasoning), brown sugar, chili powder, fresh cracked pepper, etc)

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Can of beer, half drank (or pop for the lame asses)

Yellow onion, one quarter

Pie pan

ChickCan, if you have one, mine was stolen.  (KRISTIN!!)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Dump out the nasty that comes inside your chicken, and call your dad to ask if he wants it (that's what I do).  Put together your rub.  I always suggest brown sugar as your base and go from there.  I'm a spicy gal, which means I always go a little heavy on the cayenne.  There's no wrong (not spicy) or right, make it to your desired flavor palate.  Taste the rub first.  If you don't like the rub plain, why would you like it on your stumblin' drunk chicken? 

Rub on some olive oil.  Get frisky with that chicken, pull up the skin--carefully--and get the oil up in that.  Do the same thing all over again with that tasty rub.  Once you have satisfactorily given that chicken some rub lovin', stick a can up its ass and an onion down its throat.  Stand up the chicken in your pie pan, and put that bad boy in the oven for at least one full hour (up to two).  If you are wise enough to know where your ChickCan is, put the beer in the wire container and stick the whole thing up the chicken's ass.  When the leg pulls off with no resistance, you got a tasty drunk chicken.  Or if you are lucky enough, when the little red guy pops out on the back of the chicken.  Beware: waiting until the red guy pops up may be too late, and you will have dry, hungover chicken.

See the onion in there?

Enjoy!

Cooking Creme Bruscetta Pizzas

It's imperative you understand something very important. I am in love. I am in love with cream cheese. I can't help it. Some would call it an addiction. Those some don't understand my connection. The delicious, creamy, cheesy concoction goes into almost any entree I can dream up. My husband understands this relationship, and he even allows me to buy two or three blocks at a time. Then Philadelphia blew my mind. They made cooking creme. So I threw a party, made everything with cooking creme, and *BAM* here's a sweet recipe.

Cooking Creme Bruscetta Pizzas

Ingredients:
1. Pepperidge Deli Flats
2. Philly Cooking Creme (Quite a few flavors would work: Italian Cheese & Herb, Savory Garlic, Creamy Pesto, or Tomato & Basil)
     -they come in cute little tubs, and you might have to seek them out!-
3. Cherry tomatoes, quartered
4. Basil, shredded
5. Red onions, very thinly sliced (the green onions are not colorful enough!)
6. Parmesan cheese
7. Balsamic glaze

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cooking creme on open face of each half of deli flats. Place creme side up on pan. Add tomatoes, basil, onions, and parmesan cheese. Cook until creme is bubbly and flats are crispy, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for up to 5 minutes. If adding balsamic glaze, swirl on top in funky design right before serving.

Enjoy!

My stomach, an introduction.

Someday, when you are cruising the webs, you will find me.  You will find me and wonder, who is that fantastically splendid big eater?  Since I plan to be a postin' away, you'll have to dig to find this.  For those of you that worked so hard to find this: kudos, internet stalkers; now, get a day job.  (Damn, ya got me.  I would do this, too.  Pot calling kettle black.)

I'm an Iowa girl raised on beef traded for my dad's labor, pork straight from my farm (stop at the butcher first, obviously), veggies from a garden in part of our many acre living arrangement, canned somethingorothers from my grandmother's garden, unbelievable pickles canned by my great-grandma, etc.  Important note: My in-laws make a sick homemade salsa.  If you come over, don't expect to be given any, my husband might flip out.  You don't want no 260 pound, bald man flipping out.  My nice things might get broken.

What you should get from all of that...
I LOVE food.  I wake up thinking about breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I cruise the pinternet for new recipes.  I borrow recipes from friends.  I experiment (most times pass, few times fail).  I ask my mom for her recipes, often more than once because I misplace the piece of paper I wrote it on.  I have piles of recipes saved in a folder that I pick through quite often to make something again.  I love having parties; it's an excuse to make more food for an audience.  And when I make something new, I don't consider the consequences.  It could taste like poop, but I go in thinking it is going to be fabulous, daahh-ling.  It sucks real bad when I don't like it.  All that effort for the trash can?  It doesn't deserve it!

A few other not so important facts: I love grammar, but this is a blog and mistakes will happen.  I don't like negative attention, I will delete, block, report, etc.  I don't like criticism; don't expect a response.  I love sharing good tasting food, expect a lot of that.  I am a crazy procrastinator, which means I may go weeks without posts and then fill one day with several.

Cheers to many upcoming fabulous foods.  Enjoy!