Every time I put together a Mexican dish, I can’t help but think of my Aunt and Uncle living down in Baja Mexico doing exactly what they were meant to be doing.
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Savory Sausage Soup
Spring has officially arrived, and with it comes the end of soup season. As much as I love the warmer weather, I always find it a little bittersweet to put away my hot and hearty creations. There is just something so satisfying about a steaming, restorative bowl of meat and veggie-filled liquid goodness.
If I’m honest, I’ll tell you that even though you won’t see a hearty soup on this blog in the blazing heat of July, chances are that a bowl may still grace my dinner table every now and again. I just can’t get past the benefits soup provides:
Cheesy Bacon Bean Dip
Football lovers rejoice! The Super Bowl is almost here. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to the big game. On top of the fact that its arrival ushers out the long, cold month of January (it’s only 31 days, but I swear it feels twice that long), I also find that it provides me with an excuse to create some seriously satiating appetizers.
I’ve been toying with the idea of a bean dip for some time now. While there’s always freedom to experiment with flavors, a couple of requirements were necessary for this endeavor straight out of the gate:
- It had to be hot because, let’s be honest, hot dip rocks.
- It had to be cheesy because, well, I myself am a bit cheesy (this girl does love her Wisconsin dairy).
- Last, but most definitely not least, it needed to be crudité worthy, therefore satisfying my veggie intake needs for the day.
Well, get ready, because I achieved all three goals and scored a two-point conversion in the process with the bonus addition of protein-charged beans to the mix. The final result is flavorful football fare that will leave you and your guests filled and content.
Kick off your Super Bowl party right by cooking up a couple slices of fresh-cut bacon. When the bacon is crisp and hot, remove it from the pan and chop. Reserving a teaspoon or two of the grease, slide your heat dial to medium and drop in a bit of diced onion and fresh garlic.
Sear it up for a minute or two and then toss in a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans.
Swirl around the pan for a couple moments allowing them the opportunity to heat up. Dial the heat back down to medium low and stir in a bit of sour cream (light is ok), mayo, and one of the two chopped bacon slices. Transfer the hot mixture to a food processor and spin until smooth.
Finally, drop in a few handfuls of pepper jack cheese, a pinch or two of Parmesan and a few choice flavor enhancers including oregano, Worcestershire and hot pepper (to taste). Add salt if needed and sprinkle the remaining chopped bacon and a little green onion over the top.
Even if your team doesn’t make it to the big game this year, you can be assured that between the clever commercials and the over-abundance of pigskin-dedicated fare, you’ll finish the evening with a satiated appetite and, if you’re lucky, a coveted Super Bowl win.
And if not, there’s always next year.
This post is being shared over at MSN’s Kitchen Cookoff. Be sure to drop by and show a little love!
Cheesy Bacon Bean Dip
Yield: About 2 Cups of Dip
Total Time: 25 min
Ingredients:
2 Slices Bacon
1/4 Onion Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 15 Oz. Cannellini Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
3/4 Cup Shredded Pepper Jack
3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire
1/4 tsp Oregano
A Few Drops Hot Pepper, to Taste
Optional Garnish: 1 Green Onion, Chopped
Directions:
Cook up the two bacon slices until crisped and brown. Pull out and chop.
Reserve a teaspoon or two of the grease and on medium heat, brown up the onion and garlic.
Add in the beans and stir around for a minute or two to heat them up.
Turn the heat down to medium low and add in the broth, sour cream, mayo and one of the chopped bacon slices.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Pour back into the pan and add in the cheeses, Worcestershire, oregano and hot pepper. Add salt if needed.
Garnish with the remaining bacon and a chopped green onion. Serve with crudités and pita chips and/or a hunky loaf of fresh baked bread.
Curried Potatoes and Squash
The big day is officially here. No I’m not celebrating a birthday (but if I was it would be my 21st of course) nor am I reveling in the fact that I single handedly made it through that Panettone cheesecake with only the slightest help from my children (God help my waistline). None of that can compare to the simple fact that, as of this afternoon I’m published over at MSN and Delish’s Kitchen Cookoff!
I hope you’ll head over and check out part one of a ten part, once a month, series and show me a little love. I’ll be dropping the recipe below, but for the full post with associated jibber jabber, you’ll need to fly on over to the cookoff site where I’ll be officially introducing myself and sharing a few things that you may or may not already know. I hope to see you there!
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Let the Cookoff Commence!
Photo Courtesy of Yasmin Alishav
Who loves a good ol’ fashioned cooking competition? I know I sure do. There’s nothing more satisfying than plopping myself down on the couch with a couple of pillows and sinking in for an episode of “The Next Food Network Star,” “MasterChef” or, heaven help us, “Chopped.”
Honestly, that show amazes me every time I watch it. I’m still reeling from the last challenge I witnessed with the buckwheat groats, jews mallow, hard cider and elk tenderloin.
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be on one of those shows? I’m pretty sure I’d melt like a hot pad of butter on a skillet as soon as the mystery ingredients were revealed. It’s hard enough to put together a recipe when you’re not being timed, let alone when the clock is ticking and the world is watching. Still, I will admit that the thought of someday participating is intriguing to me.
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Introducing Kitchen Cookoff!
Photo Courtesy of Yasmin Alishav
A wise friend once told me this: If you’re going to cook a recipe to share with others, by God, cook it with flourish. Well, get ready, because I’m about to join a new campaign that will have you running for your kitchen, inspiration in hand, with flourish to spare.
I am thrilled to announce that I am partnering over the next 10 months with MSN and Delish for “Kitchen Cookoff,” a new experience sponsored by Hillshire Farm! Hosted by food connoisseur and Sara Lee chef Jill Houk, the campaign launches in early November.
Get ready for cooking competition videos, cooking tips, recipes, and the opportunity to share your own cherished family dishes, along with the memory-filled stories behind them.
I’ll be talking about the campaign here for the next month and a half, and beginning in December, I’ll be blogging monthly on the “Kitchen Cookoff” site along with Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.
I hope you’ll join me for a fabulous, food-filled experience. Oh, and bring your flourish, you’re gonna need it.
Note: I am working in conjunction with MSN.com and am being compensated for my time. As always all opinions and recipes are my own.