The Cookbook

Cream Cheese & Picante Dip

Goes excellently with celery and tortilla chips. It's almost too simple:


~ You'll need an electric mixer (mine's from the 1970's; still works fine !!) and a spatula

~ 2 packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese (the real stuff, not none of that lo-fat stuff; it doesn't mix the same)

~ Pace (I prefer Medium hot) Picante Sauce (never tried another brand; I'll let y'all be adventurous)


Unfoil the cream cheese and let it soften some in a large mixing bowl ---- should be soft enough so you can mash it with the Giant Fork. Y'all have that essential utensil, right?? I guess it's actually a serving fork, but comes in handy for combining stuff.

Add a few glugs of Pace ---- I just do it a little at a time and mush it together with the fork. I can tell by the color and consistency how much I want; y'all will have to experiment.

When it is mushed good, put the bowl in the sink (you'll thank me later) and begin mixing on Low speed. Keep scraping the sides with the spatula so there is no renegade picante. You can increase the speed gradually as the CC & Pace blend. I rarely use High speed. When it is mixed well (not runny; should hold together), put the bowl (or transfer the dip to whatever serving dish you like) in the refrigerator for several hours.

Benbrook Susie

Beefy Cheese Dip

1 lb pork sausage
1 lb hamburger
1 can rotel
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 box Velveeta
Chopped onion (to taste) I use about 1/2 of a large onion
Chopped Jalapenos to taste

Cook sausage and hamburger meat ( I cook them separate).

Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot. Heat and stir until everything is incorporated.

Lannie

Caramel Apple Dip

8 oz. pkg. Philly cream cheese or Light Philly, softened
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
6 medium size Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced into wedges

Blend first four ingredients with a fork or electric mixer until smooth. Serve with apple wedges for dipping. May be doubled or tripled.

Flash

Tomatillo Salsa (Green Salsa)
c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved

[This recipe says to use jalapenos, but it is wonderful with Hatch chiles! It tastes just like the delicious smoke-flavored salsa we got in Santa Fe! You may need to add pequin or habenero peppers, if you like it hot.]

1 pound tomatillos, husked, washed and cut into quarters
2 - 4 large jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded if desired and roughly chopped
1/2 medium onion, cut in half
1/2 cup cold water
2 bunches cilantro, stems and leaves
2 teaspoons salt

In blender place tomatillos, jalapenos and water. Puree until just chunky. Add remaining ingredients and puree about 2 minutes more, or until no large chunks remain. This salsa keeps in the refrigerator, in a covered container, about 3 days.

Flash McCord