Taco Dip

It's that season again . . . the crisp hint of chill in the air, the tips of the leaves are just beginning to turn colors, you feel the need for that last-minute reach for an extra blanket at night.

Yep, it's football season!!! And that means tailgating. Here is a delicious dip that we enjoyed at our own tailgate this past weekend. It was the Georgia Bulldogs' first home game, and it was a great one! Enjoy the recipe and the season.

Taco Dip
from my Aunt Cathie

1 lb. ground beef
1 1.25-ounce package dry taco seasoning mix
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives
Cilantro or green onion, chopped (optional)
Tortilla chips (I like Frito Scoops for this)

Brown ground beef and drain all grease. Add the taco seasoning mix and set aside.

Beat cream cheese with sour cream. Spread mixture in a pan. Cover with the meat. Top with chopped green pepper, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheddar jack cheese and black olives. Garnish with cilantro or green onions. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Tip: Add a layer of refried beans, black beans, and/or guacamole for a delicious seven-layer Mexican dip!

Beer Dip

As soon as I heard that there was such thing as a "beer dip," I knew I was interested. Two of my favorite things in life are undeniably beer and cheese. Most dishes that bring these two heavenly ingredients together make me an extremely happy camper. After perusing several recipes for this heavenly dish, I decided upon incorporating several of my favorite ingredients into one to-die-for dip.

Beer Dip

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 5-ounce jars of Old English Cheese (or 10 ounces Cheese Whiz)
1 1-ounce package dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup beer (go ahead, you can drink the rest)
1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Pretzels, crackers, or chips for dipping

In your microwave, heat the cream cheese and Old English Cheese for about 40 seconds on high. This will make it easier to blend them together, using a whisk, with the ranch dressing. Add the beer gradually as you whisk the mixture together, until you reach your desired consistency for the dip. You may not use it all. If so, feel free to drink the remaining beer.

Pour into the serving bowl. Sprinkle your toasted pecans evenly over the surface of the dip. Chill for 1 hour or up to 2 days. Serve with pretzels, crackers, or chips!

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

These parmesan potatoes are creamy, rich, indulgent. The perfect pair to a nicely marinated steak or a juicy piece of roasted chicken.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk or cream
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the clean potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cool water. Add about 2 teaspoons of salt to the water. Boil potatoes until fork-tender (depending on the size of your potatoes, this will probably take about 30 minutes).

Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the liquid. Mash up the potatoes and add the remaining ingredients. Adjust the texture to your liking using the reserved liquid. Enjoy!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #10: Vidalia Onion and Tomato Pie

Vidalia Onion and Tomato Pie
Submitted by Tasha of Life as I know it . . . is just beginning

1 prepared pie crust
One large Vidalia onion, halved and thinly sliced
One large tomato, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 palm full herbes de provence
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Gently place prepared pie crust in a deep dish pie plate.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Carefully transfer to the pie dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #9: Vidalia Onion Casserole

Vidalia Onion Casserole
submitted by Mrs. G of The Givens Chronicles

5 large Vidalia onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 Ritz crackers

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Apply cooking spray to a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring until tender - about 7-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream and parmesan cheese. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and crumble the Ritz crackers on top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until top is browned and sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #8: Caramelized Vidalia Onion Dip

Vidalia Onion Dip
submitted by Kathy W.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 large Vidalia onions - peeled, halved and sliced
16 ounces of shredded swiss cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the shredded cheese and toss until it melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a small crock pot or a bowl and serve with crackers, pretzels, or veggies.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #6: Caramelized Vidalia Onion and Goat Cheese Grits

Caramelized Vidalia Onion and Goat Cheese Grits
submitted by Courtney of Cook Like a Champion

2 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cups water (or amount specified by grits package directions)
1 cup quick-cooking grits (not instant)
2 ounces fresh goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl to coat. Add onions. Cover and allow the onions to cook for about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions reach a deep, golden brown color. This should take about 25 minutes, depending on how thin you slice your onion.

Remove the onion and add water to the skillet, scraping up any brown bits that may have formed. Bring the water to a full boil and gradually whisk in the grits, stirring constantly to prevent any clumps from forming. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until grits are thickened, no more than 5 minutes, adding extra water if necessary.

Remove the grits from the heat and stir in the caramelized onion. Crumble in goat cheese and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #4: Vidalia Onion Soup

Vidalia Onion Soup
Submitted by h2babe of Blissfully Delicious

4 tablespoons of butter
4 large Vidalia onions, sliced
5 cups chicken stock
A pinch of dried thyme
A pinch of dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
2 tablespoons cognac (optional)
Croutons (optional)

Melt the butter over medium heat in a pot. Add the sliced onions and cook for 30-45 minutes, until soft and golden brown.

Add the chicken stock, and turn the heat to medium high. Bring just to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer.

Add herbs, cognac, pepper, and salt. Cook for 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place croutons and one tablespoon parmesan cheese on the bottom of each bowl. Add soup, and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #3: Vidalia Onion Tart

Vidalia Onion Tart
Submitted by Ashley P.

1 9-inch deep dish pie crust
3 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 packet dry leek soup mix
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a large, heavy skillet, saute butter and diced onion over medium heat. Cook until lightly caramelized. Place your pie crust in a deep dish pie pan and set aside.

Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream. Next, slowly whisk in the evaporated milk. Then blend in the dry soup mix until it is completely incorporated. Add the eggs and mix in the shredded cheese until blended.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pastry. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in teh center comes out clean. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Vidalia Victuals Finalist #1: Vidalia Onions au Gratin

Vidalia Onions au Gratin
submitted by tinysbridetobe of Confessions of a Broke Bride

2 tablespoons of butter
5 medium vidalia onions, quartered and thinly sliced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup packaged biscuit mix (recommended: Bisquick)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be soft and tender. Remove the onions from the heat and stir in the 2 cups of cheese, the biscuit mix, and the pepper. Transfer this mixture to your prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top with the bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Vote using the poll in the right-hand column. Thanks!

Pesto and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Here is an amazingly flavorful chicken recipe from my friend Ashley. We loved the freshness of the basil with the sweet sundried tomato and the tang of the creamy goat cheese. This is the perfect upscale weeknight dinner!

Pesto and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken
adapted from a recipe by Ashley of HauteCakes

4 chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/4-inch thin
1/2 cup sundried tomato pesto (you can buy this at the grocery store or make your own)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
7-8 large fresh basil leaves
about 2 ounces of goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, blend the pesto, basil leaves, garlic, and goat cheese, just until combined. Spread the mixture over each chicken breast, and roll it up, securing with toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake, uncovered, for about 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the toothpicks and serve hot with your favorite veggies.

Garden Pesto Tortellini

This meal was the unplanned love-child of a rushed trip to the grocery store and a night of cleaning out the fridge. When I asked the hubs what we should call it, he said something like "Good Garden Pasta Surprise." I said, "Um, no."

Garden Pesto Tortellini
1 package of refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
12-15 spears of asparagus, washed and cut into 1" pieces
2 big handfuls of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced and reconstituted in water (soak for 10 min.)
1 cup fresh basil pesto (buy pre-made or click here for recipe to make your own)
1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked chicken, torn into bite-sized pieces (optional ~ for vegetarians)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook tortellini according to package instructions. When they have about 3 minutes left to boil, throw the asparagus, spinach, and tomatoes into the water with the tortellini. Drain and return to pot. Add the pesto and the chicken, tossing to coat.

Serve immediately with toasty garlic bread. Or chill thoroughly and serve as a fresh tortellini salad!

Georgia Shrimp 'n' Grits

Like many other aspiring chefs, I looooove to watch the Food Network. One of my favorite shows is called Throwdown with Bobby Flay. The idea behind this show is that Chef Flay travels to challenge the best of the best to a culinary throwdown, where he tries to top their very best dish.

Well, you can imagine how excited this Georgia girl was to watch the episode where Chef Flay challenged the widely-recognized King of Shrimp 'n' Grits, Joe Barnett of Washington, Georgia, to a Shrimp 'n' Grits cookoff! Of course, my fellow Georgian Mr. Barnett took the prize, and here is my version of his fabulous recipe.

Holy camoly is this stuff good - the shrimp are tender and spicy, the grits are perfectly creamy and fluffy, and the sauce? Oh, my goodness the sauce . . . Hold on while I drool for a moment. . . It's salty and hammy and melts around the shrimp, bringing the whole dish together.

Georgia Shrimp 'n' Grits
adapted from Joe Barnett's Recipe

3/4 lb. wild Georgia shrimp
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon butter
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 slice cured country ham, cooked and torn into pieces

Peel and de-vein the shrimp (i.e. get your husband to peel and de-vein the shrimp). Combine in a small bowl the Cajun seasoning, the paprika, the Italian seasoning, and the pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the shrimp, tossing until they are well coated. Set aside.

Next, pour the water, the chicken boullion, and the butter into a heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full boil. Slowly add in the grits, and whisk constantly, cooking over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the cream, and the cheddar cheese. Continue to cook and whisk for 2-3 more minutes, until grits become very creamy and thick. To quote the original recipe, "Don't skimp on the butter and the cream, folks."

In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Pour in the spiced shrimp and cook JUST until they are done and tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp). Do not overcook or your shrimp will get rubbery. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a clean bowl and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove. Add the flour to the drippings, stirring to make the base of a roux. Cook for 10 minutes until medium tan in color. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and the cream. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the worchestershire sauce and hot sauce, stirring to incorporate. Finally, add the country ham.

Serve the shrimp on a generous bed of grits, topped with the roux sauce. Enjoy!!

Seven-Layer Mexican Lasagna

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Yep, when you like food (and cocktails),
then you pretty much make every holiday YOUR holiday.

Well, this was all that was left of dinner by the time I got the camera out.
I guess that means it was good!

Here's the casserole I served to my friends at our casual little get together tonight. I sort of made it up on the fly based on many recipes I had seen floating around.

Seven Layer Mexican Lasagna
8 large flour tortillas
1.25ish lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a yellow bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
1 package of frozen corn kernels
2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, monterey jack, whatever you like)
About 12-15 tortilla chips, crushed

Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Line the bottom with 4 of the tortillas, cutting the edges if necessary.

Next, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, seasoning it with the cumin. Add the enchilada sauce and heat through. Set aside.

In another large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, peppers, red onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with the fajita seasoning. Cook, stirring until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Add the frozen corn and heat through. Remove from heat.

Next spoon the meat mixture over the tortillas in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Then place the remaining 4 tortillas on top of the cheese. Spoon the corn and veggie mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the veggies. Finally, top with the crushed tortilla chips.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with guacamole and sour cream toppings.

No leftovers - sadness!

Pizza with Goat Cheese, Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes & Spinach

"Vish ish awshoum!"

These are the words that came out of my husband's mouth tonight as he ate his slice of pizza.

Have I mentioned that my husband hates pizza?

Well, my husband - he hates pizza. He has been known to call pizza "the torture food." As in, "Honey, why don't we order pizza tonight?" - "Oh great, the torture food."

(For those keeping score, America's Next Top Model is known as "the torture show.")

After he swallowed, he declared, more clearly, "I eat my words." I have succeeded in rehabilitating my husband from his post-college pizza-hangover, to the point where he actually likes pizza.

(I wonder if I'll be able to get him to say the same thing about ANTM one day?)

I made this recipe tonight in an attempt to re-create a dish that I used to enjoy when I was a college student in Washington, DC. On lovely spring afternoons, like the ones we've been enjoying lately here in North Georgia, my friends and I would walk over to a little Italian restaurant in our neighborhood, and this pizza is the dish I would order almost every single time. It is a combination of five of my favorite foods: pizza, goat cheese, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.

Paolo's Pizza

1 lb. raw pizza dough
3/4 cup tomato pizza sauce
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (part skim makes it less greasy)
1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted in water for 10 minutes
2 ounces goat cheese (chevre), chilled
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I recommend rotisserie chicken)
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mixture of dried basil and oregano)
2 large handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large rectangular or round baking sheet or pizza pan. Roll out the pizza dough to desired thickness and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving the edges as a crust. Arrange the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce.

Next, sprinkle the sun-dried tomatoes over the cheese. Then drop the goat cheese in tiny globs evenly across the pizza. Spread the chicken over the top, and sprinkle the italian seasoning evenly over the crust.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the spinach on top. Return to the oven for another 3-5 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.

Fresh Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Just the smell of fresh basil makes me weak in the knees. Luckily, ti's not a treat reserved only for summertime in our house. For my birthday a couple years ago, my sweet hubby got my an AeroGarden. This thing is amazing - we grow enough basil to have pesto about every other week! I'm planning on doing a more detailed post about this nifty gadget, but for now, here is my pesto recipe.

Classic pesto is simply a blend of basil leaves, cheese, nuts, garlic, and olive oil. It goes well with creamy cheeses on toasted crostini or crackers. It also goes extremely well with fish and chicken dishes (think grilled chicken or smoked salmon).

Our favorite, though, is to toss some farfalle (bow-tie) noodles with the pesto, topped with chunks of smokey grilled chicken.

Fresh Basil Pesto
recipe from our dear family friends Judy and Joe

1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Measure all your ingredients except for the olive oil into your food processor. I like to use my mini-processor for making pesto:

Pulse several times to chop the leaves and nuts into the other ingredients. Then slowly stream the olive oil in while you process the pesto on medium speed. Add just enough olive oil to reach your desired consistency (tip: make your pesto thicker for a spread, thinner for a sauce). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield about 1 cup of pesto. Serve as desired (with cheese and crackers, tossed with pasta, as a glaze for roasted veggies, etc.).

Refrigerate and use yourfresh pesto withon 2-3 days OR freeze individual portions in an ice cube tray to use at your leisure!

Italian Sausage Baked Ziti

Need a hearty dinner to bring to a friend? Need a dinner that freezes and travels well? Need a dinner you can make days ahead of time but still feed a crowd? This baked ziti is for you!

Italian Sausage Baked Ziti

1 lb. ziti noodles, uncooked
4-6 sweet Italian sausages, browned and sliced
1 15-ounce tub of fresh ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or oregano and basil)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 16-ounce jar of your favorite tomato sauce
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Apply cooking spray to a deep-dish 9x13 inch oven-safe baking dish and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook your ziti noodles until barely al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper until completely combined. Drain your cooked ziti noodles, and pour them into the ricotta mixture. Stir until evenly incorporated.

Spread about half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Next, spread half of the noodle mixture on top. Then, sprinkle half of the sliced sausage over the noodles. Finally, sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top. Repeat, layering the rest of the tomato sauce, noodles, sausage, and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the paremsan evenly across the top.

Cover with tinfoil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until cheese is brown and bubbly.