Molly's Buffalo Chicken Dip

In honor of football season, tailgating, and fall weather... this is one of my favorite dips!!  Thanks to Molly for the recipe:

3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

1 c. Texas Pete Buffalo sauce

1 c. ranch dressing

2  8 oz. packages of cream cheese

1  16 oz. package of colby jack cheese 

Mix chicken with hot sauce and ranch dressing.  Slice and layer bottom of 8x10 pan with cream cheese. Pour chicken mixture of that. Spread colby jack cheese over the top.  Cover and cook at 350 for 45 minutes at least. 

Molly's direct quote:  "The hotter the better!"

Meaghan's Guacamole

Mmmmmm good.  Great for summertime...

2 avocados, chopped

1 lime, juiced

1 tomato, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1/3 c. sour cream

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Serve with chips!

Jan's Chicken Goodness

This recipe comes from my mom-in-law, Jan.  She doesn't believe in recipes, she is a rare talent that just throws things together and they come out fantastic.  I didn't get that gene, so I made her give me "approximations" for this dish.  It can be served in warmed tortillas with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and salsa toppings, or just by itself as more of a "stew."

1 rotisserie chicken, picked

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

juice of a lime (or two)

bunch of cilantro, chopped

one sweet Vidalia onion, chopped

a can or two of chicken broth 

1 tsp cumin

dash of ground cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Saute the chopped onion in a little olive oil.  Add cilantro and lime juice.  Then add the chicken, black beans, and some broth.  Let cook on the stovetop.  Use your judgment with how much broth.  If you're going to save it and reheat later (this dish just gets better and better), make sure it's more liquidy as it will evaporate some upon reheating.  

Danielle's Dill Potato Salad

Red potatoes, boiled and quartered
Fresh Dill, chopped
1 Red onion, chopped
Bacon, cooked and chopped
Stone Ground Mustard
Dukes Mayo
Lemon Juice
Salt/Pepper to taste
optional: lil' bit of sour cream

Boil your potatoes until fork goes in - trick is to not overcook them so that they hold their shape for the potato salad. Set aside and allow to cool before putting any mayo on them. Add the chopped red onion, but be careful cause they can taste really strong. Add the chopped bacon too. 

In a small bowl, mix a good hefty spoonful or two of mayo (i like dukes the best) and 2 tsp of lemon juice, some fresh dill and 2 Tablespoons of stone ground mustard (the one where you can see the little mustard seeds in them). Mix the dill, mayo, mustard, lemon juice (and little sour cream if you like it). Taste it before you add to the potato salad and I usually add a little more of this and a little more of that until you I get it right.

Brown Sugar Brie

This one comes from Danielle, too.  There's a similar version of this recipe that uses Havarti.  Both are delicious!!

1 Pillsbury Crescent Roll can
1 package baby/regular wheel of brie from deli
1/4 cup brown sugar
apple and crackers to serve

Spread out the crescent roll and smush the creases together to patch the lines. Lay the brie in the middle and cover with brown sugar. Wrap it up like a present and bake according to Crescent Roll directions or until a warm golden brown on top. Yummy - serve with sliced apples and crackers.

Danielle's Scrumptious Strawberries

Cream Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Strawberries:

20 whole large strawberries, hulled
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. 

Fan wedges just slightly (careful not to break them!) Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. These are really easy to do, but they are not great to do a day ahead - the strawberries start to 'bleed'.

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole

At Susan's request, I'm adding my mom's poppyseed chicken casserole.  This is the first dish I ever cooked for my husband, Stuart.  And it's by far the most beat-up, torn, blurry recipe card I own... a favorite that has been made over and over!

As follows:

1 hen or 2 large fryers (this is the same as about 4-6 chicken breasts...cooked)

1 8 oz. container of sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 sleeve Ritz crackers (I confess, I often use one and a half)

1/2 stick margarine, melted (because I use more Ritz crackers, I use closer to a full stick marg)

2 T. poppyseeds (I sprinkle to my liking)

Cook, debone, and tear chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Mix with sour cream and soup and combine well.  Put in greased casserole.  Melt butter in a saute pan, then add crushed up Ritz crackers to the butter.  Spread cracker/butter mixture over top of chicken.  Sprinkle poppyseeds on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Serves 8-10.