Rotel Dip

Do you have any recipes you have been making forever? I say forever because I have been making this recipe dip for longer than my oldest daughter has been welcomed to this world. I have been making this recipe before there was the internet. If you are wondering my age, I will say I'm 29. Just remember, I am 29 right now and I was 29 last year. Next year, I will be 29 again.

I received this recipe from an Air Force friend. I did some research and I could not find this recipe on the Rotel website. I did find it posted on several other sites. This is my oldest daughter's favorite dip recipe.

 Rotel sausage dip

1 (10 oz.) can of Rotel
1 1/2 (12 oz.) package of cream cheese
1 package of Jimmy Dean or pork sausage
chips, crackers, vegetables, or other items for dipping

Directions:

1. Drain the can of Rotel.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the cream cheese and Rotel for one minute.
3. In a skillet, cook the sausage thoroughly.
4. Add the cream cheese and Rotel to the skillet. 
5. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes.
6. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.

Recipe adapted from Kelly but unknown original source.

 Did you already know..................
-Rotel is diced tomatoes with green chili peppers.
-In 1943, Carl Roettele with his wife opened his canning factory in Texas.
-Mr. Roettele named his product Ro-tel because he didn't think no one would be able to pronounce his name.
-ConAgra Foods now own Rotel.

Cheesy Potato Gratin

I have an evasive teenager. I bring out the camera and she disappears. My mother is the same way so I am unsure if it a learned behavior or an inherited one. There are probably more photos of Bigfoot than my daughter as a teenager. I guess I could hide and wait for her to go by. A lot of the photos of my teenager, she thinks she is a movie star and holds up her hand so the photo can not be used or sold. 

My children especially my teenager likes to help in the kitchen. For some reason, my phone seems to ring when I'm cooking. I hear a lot of "Mom, it is important. The person on the phone wants to talk to you." When I pick up the phone, the call could have waited. You are probably wondering why we don't have a cordless phone. We do but it is always missing. Bigfoot probably is using it somewhere.

I saw this recipe and wanted to try it before Thanksgiving. It didn't happen but I am glad I made it this weekend. It is very, good especially with leftover Turkey.

Cheesy Potato Gratin


1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp flour, all purpose
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the flour and stir. Cook for about 1 minute.
5. Slowly, stir in the chicken stock and cream.
6. Add the Gruyere cheese and thyme. Stir until the cheese has melted.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the potatoes and gently stir to coat the potatoes with the cheese mixture.
9. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the lid and transfer the potatoes to a oven safe dish.
11. Sprinkle the Parmigiano cheese on top.
12. Cook uncovered for about 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are bubbling.
13. Let cool for 15 minutes

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.  

 Did you already know.................
-There are Bigfoot Field Researchers.
-Another name for Bigfoot is sasquatch which means "wild man".
-Bigfoot is purportedly to be native to the Pacific Northwest of North
America.
-The scientific community have no evidence of the existence of Bigfoot, sasquatch, or Yeti sightings.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My youngest sister loves chocolate. When I was a child, we would receive chocolate for the holidays. My sister would eat all of her chocolate and then wait. Why was she waiting? She knew I would eat a few pieces of my chocolate and hide the rest for later. After a couple of weeks, my sister would always find my hidden stash. I would normally catch her in my closet with the evidence. I never got mad at her. She was just to cute.

Today, I decided to bake up some cookies. Within the hour, my youngest sister happen to visit me. She didn't know I was making cookies and I wasn't expecting her. I wasn't surprised since my family would joke and say if there was chocolate around, my sister would find it.

My sister and I agree these cookies are good. Aren't all chocolate chip cookies good? I have previously told you how my youngest sister will eat dessert instead of her meals. These cookies were my sister's breakfast. These cookies do have my sisters stamp of approval.These cookies are a nice start to kick off the holiday season.

Warning: These cookies need to be chilled for at least 24 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jacques Torres
2 cups cake flour, measure and take out 2 Tbsp of the cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup (2 1/2 sticks) butter, unsalted
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup and 2 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 lbs. bittersweet chocolate disks or chips
sea salt for the top of the cookies

Directions:
Whisk the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Cream the butter and the sugars in another bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time and mix.
Stir in the vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour mixture and mix well.
Fold in the chocolate pieces and mix until the chocolate is incorporated.
Press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
Next day, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet about the size of a golf ball.
Sprinkle the top of the dough with sea salt.
Bake between 16 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and still soft.
Wait about a minute and then transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool.

Recipe adapted from New York Times website.

Did you already know....................
-Jacques Torres was raised in France but now makes his home in New York City.
-In 2000, Jacques Torres opened his first chocolate factory in Brooklyn, New York.
-Mr. Torres makes his own chocolate by starting from the cocoa bean.
-Mr. Torres is referred as Mr. Chocolate. He is married to a fellow chocolatier.

Poultry Seasoning

 Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so many seasonings in my cabinet. I know I have to use them so when I ran out of poultry seasoning last year. I read the container and did some research online. The recipes online didn't look like the ingredients listed on the container. I guessed the measurements and did the sniff test. I sure wasn't going to taste it. I even recruited my children to smell. They thought this was a lot of fun. I had everyone compare my concoction to the poultry seasoning bottle. Finally, I had something that appear to smell very similar. I use poultry seasoning in my meatloaf so I go through it often. Everyone told me the meatloaf tasted like before. 

Since it is Thanksgiving, no stores are open in my area. I wanted to post my poultry seasoning concoction just in case you need it.

Poultry Seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp sage
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp pepper
small, tiny pinch nutmeg

Directions:

1. Mix all the seasonings and grind if desired for a more ground texture.

Recipe from Jen of Sweet Morris

Love the snow!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I love hot and spicy foods. My two youngest children have no problem eating spicy foods. I call my youngest daughter spicy girl. Our two older children would rather I hold off on the hotness. It is funny to watch them try to eat a spicy dish and appear to be cool especially when their younger siblings have no problem. 

My husband loves spicy foods and request any type of dish with Buffalo chicken. My husband doesn't cook much but he will make this recipe. When I make this dish, I add a little more heat but you can always adjust the Buffalo sauce depending on how spicy you are feeling.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

8 oz. package of reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup reduced fat ranch salad dressing

3/4 cup Frank's Redhot Buffalo Wing Sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the chicken, cream cheese, ranch, and Buffalo sauce to a deep baking dish. Mix well. 
3. Add half the cheeses and combine. 
4. Spread mixture evenly on the dish.
5. Top the dish with the remaining cheese.
6. Bake between 20 or until mixture is heated through.
7. If the cheese is not golden, place under broiler for a few minutes.
8. Serve with chips, crackers, or vegetables.

Recipe adapted from Frank's Redhot.

For work, I have been to Buffalo, NY several times. The last time my friends talking me into going to the Anchor Bar. The wings were good and I would go back!

Did you already know............
-The owner of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY is credited for creating the Buffalo wings.
-On Oct. 30th, 1964, owner Teressa Bellissimo fried up some chicken wings and dipped them in a buttery, spicy hot chile sauce for her son and his college friends for a late snack.(There are several other versions on how Teressa Bellissimo created the dish but this version is from the Anchor Br website.)
-When in Buffalo, Buffalo chicken wings are called chicken wings.