Jalapeño popper dip #2

• 4oz can diced jalapeños, well drained OR 4-6 Fresh Jalapeños, roasted and diced (include seeds for extra spice)
• 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley

Instructions for roasting jalapeños:

Cut fresh jalapeños in half, then place face down on a baking sheet.  Broil jalapeños until the skins blacken and bubble up.  Remove from broiler and peel outer skin.

Directions for the dip:

1. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and sour cream.

2. Add cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, and diced jalapeños. Mix well.

3. Spoon into 8x8 baking dish, or medium sized cast iron pan, spreading evenly.

4. In a medium bowl, mix bread crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 parmesan cheese, and dried parsley.

5. Sprinkle bread crumb topping evenly over jalapeño mixture.

6. Bake at 400˚F / 200˚C for 20 minutes, or until hot and bread crumbs are golden brown.

7. Serve with chips, warm tortillas, bread, or crackers. 

The Cheese Dip That Will Make You Popular

Ingredients

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
2 cups grated cheddar cheese OR grated jalapeño jack
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small purple onion, diced or chopped green onions

Thinly sliced poblano peppers, roasted if desired

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a shallow baking dish (a 9″ square pan or round quiche pan will be perfect!)
2. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes or until the ingredients are melted enough to stir together.
3. Stir until combined.
4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Serve with tortilla chips, fresh heated tortillas, or Frito’s Scoops for dipping.

jalapeño popper dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound bacon, (cooked and crumbled) divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Colby Jack Cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded pepperjack cheese, divided
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapenos , well drained (or 2 fresh jalapenos, deveined, deseeded and diced)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Crackers, chips, or warm tortilla wedges

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, New Mexico chili powder, ground cumin, pepper, garlic powder. Stir with a spoon until well mixed. Add 3/4 of the bacon, 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, 1 cup pepperjack cheese, and drained jalapenos.

Spread into a 10" cast iron skillet (or (2) 5" skillets for the perfect party plate). Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve with crackers, chips, or warm tortilla wedges.

Zuccini cheese “bread”

Love cheese but hate carbs?
TOTAL TIME: 0:50
PREP: 0:15

INGREDIENTS

3 medium zucchini, or about 4 cups grated zucchini
2 large eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
3 c. shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 c. cornstarch
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. Freshly Chopped Parsley
Marinara, for dipping

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425º and line a baking sheet with parchment. On a box grater or in a food processor, grate zucchini. Using cheesecloth or a dish towel, wring excess moisture out of zucchini.
Transfer zucchini to a large bowl with eggs, garlic, oregano, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and cornstarch and season with salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
Transfer “dough” to prepared baking sheet and pat into a crust. Bake until golden and dried out, 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella, crushed red pepper flakes, and parsley and bake until cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Slice and serve with marinara.

Bacon cheddar beer scalloped potatoes

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground chile de arbol (can substitute cayenne pepper, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup beer, Belgian style wheat beer (Blue Moon)
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth*
8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup half & half
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
24 ounces bacon, cooked, drained and chopped
3 pounds red potatoes, sliced thin


Move rack to center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk; allow flour to cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the ‘floury’ taste. Add garlic, chile, paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Slowly add beer, chicken half and half. Whisk until there are no lumps. Add cheese and whisk constantly until you have a smooth mixture. Add milk and Worcestershire. Reduce heat to low.
Butter a 3 quart casserole dish. Layer potatoes in casserole dish, topping each layer with about ½ cup of cheese sauce. Halfway through add half of chopped bacon on top of cheese layer. Continue layering cheese sauce and potatoes. Reserve the remaining bacon.
Bake for 70-90 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Top with remaining bacon for the last 10 minutes of cook time. Allow potatoes to rest for 20 minutes before serving to thicken up. Serve and enjoy!

*If you do not have chicken broth, you can heat ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon to substitute.

Slow cooker Chicken tortilla soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup 
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• tomato, optional topping
• avocado, optional topping
• sour cream, optional topping
• crushed tortilla chips, optional topping.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place chicken into slow cooker.
3. In a bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, salsa, corn, black beans, water, cumin, and cilantro. Pour over chicken in slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours (or high for 2-3 hours).
4. Remove chicken and shred using two forks.
5. Put chicken back into slow cooker, add cheese, and let cook for 15 more minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite fajita toppings.

Brussels sprouts and bacon au gratin

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved
• 8 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Toss brussel sprouts in olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place them in a large glass baking dish and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until semi-softened.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes (if using), then stir in the cheese.
4. Remove brussel sprouts from oven and add 3/4 bacon to the baking dish. Pour cheese mixture over the top and stir everything together, then top with remaining bacon.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350F° return baking dish to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and just set.
6. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving

Mexican breakfast casserole

Ingredients

• 2 14.5-ounce cans whole mild green chiles or fresh green chiles roasted and skinned
• 1 lb monterey jack or pepper jack cheese whole brick, cut into finger sized long strips
• 1 lb cheddar colby cheese shredded 
• 5 - 8 large eggs, depending on size of crowd to serve
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered dry mustard 
• Cooking Spray 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a large rectangular glass baking dish (9×13) with cooking spray.

2. Open and drain each can of chiles. Stuff each chili with finger sized pieces of monetary jack cheese and arrange in the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Sprinkle 1 1⁄2 cups of shredded cheddar colby jack over chili’s.

4. In a separate medium sized bowl combine eggs, flour, milk, salt and dry powdered mustard and whisk until most of the clumps are gone (some may remain).

5. Pour egg mixture over chiles.

6. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Add remaining cheese to the top of the casserole and return to 350 degree oven for an additional 5 minutes or until firm.

7. Remove and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes
You can order Hatch Green Chiles and other varieties from ChileMonster.com. Canned chiles will give you anywhere from 8-12.  If you can't find whole green chilies, you can use the chopped green chilies, four small cans. Drain them well and put them on a paper towel lined plate to draw out excess moisture. Instead of cutting jack cheese in fingers, cut into cubes and toss with chilis. Use this for bottom layer of casserole.

Cheese Dip

8 oz cream cheese 
1 cup grated cheddar
Half cup grated Monterey Jack
1 Cup mayo

Mix all the above, spread in oven safe baking dish. 

Crackers crumbled with Dash cayenne pepper, spread on top of the cheeses. 

Bake at 350 about fifteen or twenty minutes. Top with bacon crumbles and serve. 

Goat Cheese Roasted Chicken

5 pound fresh chicken, giblets removed

8 ounces goat cheese, slightly softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 lemon
1 bulb garlic, top cut off
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels.

In a bowl, combine goat cheese with herbs and garlic salt, mixing well until combined. Rub the non-breast side of the chicken with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put that side down in a baking dish or roasting pan. Lift the skin of the chicken above the breast and stuff with goat cheese, pressing it into the thighs and as far back as possible. Rub the outside of the chicken with some goat cheese as well, using up the mixture. Rub with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff the garlic bulb, cloves-facing inward, in the top opening and the lemon, slice-side up, in the bottom opening. Roast for 75 minutes, then remove and let rest for 30 minutes before cutting.

White Pizza Dip

1 pint grape tomatoes, tomatoes cut in half

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 (12 ounces) blocks cream cheese, softened

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

8 ounces provolone cheese, freshly grated

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese + more for garnish

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves

2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano leaves

crackers, bread or chips for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil then place tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt, then roast for 20-25 minutes, until bursting. Set aside.

While tomatoes are roasting, mix softened cream cheese with about 7 ounces each of provolone and mozzarella, then and parmesan. Stir in fresh herbs, garlic and roasted tomatoes, mixing well to combine. Transfer mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining provolone and mozzarella. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately with crackers, chips or toasted bread.  

No-boil Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups macaroni, uncooked
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cube butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed or shredded
4 cups shredded cheese
1 tsp. dry mustard powder or 3 tbs. prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Into dish, combine milk with melted butter, add salt and mustard. Pour in uncooked macaroni and Velveeta. Add half of shredded cheese and stir. Cover with lid (or aluminium foil if your baking dish doesn't have a lid.) Bake for about 50-60 minutes until macaroni is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from oven, remove cover, and top with remaining cheese.  Return to oven uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly and golden.

Warm Bean Dip

Recipe adapted from: allrecipes.com

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 cans (16 ounces, each) refried beans

1 packet taco seasoning

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix in refried beans until combined. Stir in taco seasoning.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with both cheeses.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese in melted and slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips.

Cheese Bread from Jillee's mom

1 loaf french bread, sliced lengthwise
3 Tablespoons chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, then spread out on sliced french bread. Place bread onto a foil lined baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it after about 10 minutes). Allow to cool for a few minutes and slice.

And apparently once you buy green onions, you can re-grow them again and again, just submerge the ends (the root ends) in water, put in your windowsill, and new green onions will grow an inch in just a few days.  After a week or so you'll have a little crop you can snip and use again.  Gotta try this. Thank you, Pinterest!

Panera’s Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

16 oz shell pasta or other small pasta shapes

4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)

¼ to 1/3 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk, cream, or half-and-half

4 oz American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces

8 oz extra sharp Vermont cheddar, shredded

2 tsp – 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (adjust according to your tastes)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp hot sauce (like Frank’s)

In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain well.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat.  When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1 1/2 minutes whisking constantly.  (If you use the lesser amount of flour, you’ll need to cook it a little longer, but it’ll taste less “floury.”  Sauce will be a little thinner, but will be just a cheesy.)  Gradually whisk in the milk/cream until no lumps remain.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes. Remove sauce pan from the heat and by the handful, stir in the cheeses allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more.  Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce.  Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta.  Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce.  Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through.  Serve hot in bowls with spoons.   (You can use white american cheese and white cheddar cheese to make white macaroni and cheese.)

Grandma O's Breakfast Cheese Souffle

Okay, this isn't cheese souffle in the truest sense of the word, but it's what Grandma O served every Christmas morning for years, along with "funeral potatoes" and bacon, sausage, and fruit.  Dad has served it for the last few years, reviving the tradition and I'm happy about that. I had forgotten how tasty it is.  

• 1/2 lb. Kraft Old English Cheese (It comes in those little bottles that you can use for juice glasses if you want, once they're empty and you remove the labels)
• 1 cube butter
• Garlic salt and pepper to taste.  

Bring butter and cheese to room temperature, then mix thoroughly with seasonings.  Trim crusts off approx. eight slices of bread and put in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Spread cheese mixture thickly onto bread.  (This is easier if the bread is frozen, according to Gary.)  Pierce thoroughly with long-tined fork.  

Lightly beat 6 eggs and add 2 cups milk.  Beat together and pour over bread.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake covered 1 hour at 350 degrees or until it is set up and the edges are nicely browned.  (People will fight over the corner pieces.

Feta Dip

Awesome super easy no-cook appetizer, always a hit.  This is that ONE recipe that always gets asked for.  And it’s ridiculously, embarrassingly easy. Here’s what you need:

• olive oil
• 1 block (1#) of feta cheese
• tomatoes (any kind)…I use about 3 Roma’s
• 1 bunch of green onions
• 1 baguette
• Greek Seasoning
• 1 large platter

Wet the platter generously with olive oil.  Dice the green onions and tomatoes.. Throw them on the olive oil. Crumble the feta cheese and throw that on the platter.. Sprinkle the Greek Seasoning on top. (use about 3 tsp.)

(If you can't find greek seasoning, you can sub with oregano and a little pepper and some salt to taste.). Mix it gently all together until it looks like this.

Slice the baguette.  A special word about the bread…it MAKES the dip.  I have found that the best bread is FRESH, bakery kind….the kind that comes in the long skinny paper bag.   You want it bite-sized and you want to cut it thin  because this is how people will “dip”.  Or you can include a spoon if the people you hang around with are super polite.

Lasagna Soup

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:

8 oz. ricotta or cottage cheese

1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings:  8

Source:  adapted from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, as seen in the February-April 2011 edition of At Home with Kowalski’s magazine

Clam Chowder or Cheese Soup

2 cup finely chopped onions

2 cup finely chopped celery

4 cups finely diced potatoes

1 tbs. Parsley

2 6 ½  oz. cans minced clams, reserve juice

1 cup butter 

1 cup flour

1 quart ½ and ½

1 ½ tsp. Salt

few grains pepper

½ tsp. Sugar

Drain clams over vegetables in a large soup pan.  Add enough water to barely cover veggies and simmer till barely tender; do NOT drain.  Melt butter, add flour and blend.  Add ½ and ½ and cook till thick, stirring constantly. Stir this mixture into the pan with the cooked veggies.  Add clams, salt and pepper, sugar.  This makes a LARGE pan of soup.  Do not substitute margarine for butter or milk for half and half.


To make Cheese soup, omit clams, add 1 large can chopped green chilis when you are simmering the vegetables, and as much grated cheddar cheese as you like (at least 1 1/2 lbs) after you stir the half and half mixture into the cooked veggies.  Serve with heated tortillas.

Raclette Dinner

Ingredients:

·        1 ½ to 2 lbs raclette cheese, sliced ¼ inch thick (Substitutes:  Emmenthaler, Gruyère, Swiss, Fontina, Morbier, Fribourg, Comte or Cantal. We've also used muenster, cheddar, mozzarella, provalone, and whatever else we have on hand.)

·        5-10 lbs small firm potatoes (Yukon Gold, small red “new” potatoes) boiled, steamed, or baked, with skins intact just till fork tender.  (Hearty, grilled bread slices, such as sourdough or rye, can be substituted for potatoes.)

·        Salt and fresh black pepper

Optional Toppings:

·        Bacon, thick-cut ham, chicken slices, shredded pork, browned sausage, beef strips, pepperoni slices

·        Green, red, or yellow peppers, cut in strips

·        Cherry or sliced tomatoes

·        Sliced mushrooms (raw or sautéed)

·        Pickled gherkins (sweet or dill)

·        Steamed broccoli or cauliflower

·        Onion (raw scallions, pickled, or caramelized)

·        Sliced black olives

1.      Put the potatoes on the table in the pan, covered, to keep warm while the cheese is cooking. 

2.      Each diner takes a slice of cheese and pops it into his/her individual cheese tray, tops it with a slice of tomato (optional) or cracks an egg into it if he/she so desires and slides it under the grill. 

3.      While waiting for the cheese to cook, use the top grill for meats, veggies, and another egg (optional.)

4.      Each diner sprinkles salt, fresh ground pepper, and paprika (optional) onto the plate. 

5.      Spoon a few potatoes onto plate and mash with fork, incorporating spices into potato.

6.      When the cheese is bubbling convincingly and going brown around the edges and the egg is cooked to the desired doneness, remove the tray from under the grill, scrape the contents with a small wooden spatula on top of the potato.

7.      Top with desired optional toppings.

8.      As it can take five minutes or so for each slice of cheese to cook, particularly before the grill has warmed up properly, it's a good idea to put a new slice of cheese in as soon as you've scraped the last one onto your potato.