Cheese!

Eric and I are a cheesy couple.  Yes, we usually have some variety of cheese in our fridge, and recently have collected a small variety, whether it be for specific recipes or just for the sake of nibbling.  Tonight I came home from my first day at a new job, and I was in search of snack.  Cubed cheese and crackers wasn’t quite going to cut it.

Remembering another great episode of Good Eats, I took Alton Brown’s recommendation to use up leftover cheeses to make a spread!  You can use nearly anything!  I used fontina, swiss, shredded mexican and cottage cheese, with salt, red pepper flake, ground black pepper and a small spoonful of bleu cheese dijon mustard!  I used the mustard since I wanted some tang, but did not have any vinegar or white wine (we stock red wine in this house!)

Toss all the ingredients into a food processor until smooth and spreadable!  Add white wine, if you have it on hand, to thin it out, if it is too clumpy…

*I* think the dip turned out great!  But, sadly, Eric, who hates mustard more than anything was able to pick up on the teeny amount that was in it, and turned up his nose at it.  The boy who can’t smell, who can’t taste, who is sick and downing cough drops so fast you’d think it was his job, noticed the hint of mustard and didn’t like it.

UGH!

Whatever. More for me. And whoever wants to share.

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Do you have a quick and easy snack you like to throw together?  or tasty idea for leftovers?  Let me know!

Over and easy!

Open-faced breakfast sandwich for dinner

I was surprised!  For the first time in some time, Eric said he wouldn’t change a thing! (he’s usually picky about ingredients or spices)

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Here’s how it went:

Toast two pieces in a pan with hot olive oil on both sides, and set on plate.

Crack two eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper them, flip if you want them over-easy.

Place a few thin slices of the fontina cheese on the toast, and place the eggs on top, hot out of the pan.

Top with thin sliced scallion, and chopped fresh dill, and serve!

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Didn’t take too much time to make, let alone prep.  Not to mention it’s the first chance I’ve been able to use anything from my garden, so yay!  Double success for me!

Tonight’s dinner? I think it’ll be eggsellent!

My garden from about 2 weeks ago (it's even more full now)

I’m here looking at this year-old copy of Food Network magazine, and I’ve been inspired to try something lighter for dinner tonight.

I’m not sure what Eric’s got in mind, but I want to make a variation in mind of a recipe I’ve come across:

An open-faced fried egg sandwich (over easy or sunny-side up), with sliced scallions and fresh dill (from my AeroGarden!) and thin slices of fontina cheese…

Ugh… I’m so hungry now, and I won’t be home until after 5.

Grumble.

Buffalo chicken dip… finally

Wouldn’t you know it, the sore throat that has been coming and going for about a week (and i thought was nothing) has finally yielded sensitive sinuses and the whole yuckie, achy feeling of a cold.

Tea and toast for the second time today. (lemon curd on toast == amazing!)

Anyway, here’s what you’ve been waiting for:

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The best tailgate party food…

The best tailgate party food...

Ingredients:
1 8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
2 tbsp butter (melted)
1/4 cup sour cream
Frank’s Red Hot and Tabasco sauce (to taste)
Garlic salt, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste.
2 1/2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese
2 cups cubed cooked chicken

Directions:

Mix the melted butter with the franks red hot and tabasco. Add the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Taste test for desired spiciness.

Keep in mind that adding the chicken and cheese will mellow out the intensity of the sauces a little.

Season mix with garlic salt, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 3/4 cups shredded cheese and mix with mixer on lowest speed. Add all of the cubed chicken, mixing on low speed (will help shred the chicken and mix it evenly)

Transfer to an oven safe dish, and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover with foil.

Bake in an oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes to melt the rest of the cheese. Let rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving with tortilla chips.

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I usually make this in double batches when I have company over (Superbowl is coming up!), since it usually goes fast. Enjoy and let me know if you make it!