Football Flashback: Buffalo Chicken Dip

If you live in Iowa you know that today starts the interstate rival college football week, ending with the Iowa vs Iowa State game on Saturday at Kinnick stadium.  Even if you don't live in Iowa or are even a football lover, I'm sure you still love "football food."  I classify football food as a dish that feeds a crowd at minimal effort and is perceived well from the audience it's serving.

In honor of this week I have a super easy tailgating recipe that will blow your taste buds!  Buffalo chicken dip!!  Wahoo, rah rah rah, let's hear it for the food!  Whether your team wins or loses you will always feel like a winner after eating this! 

Check out the video if you would like or just follow the recipe below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNjtH2Wlsto&list=UUsmwo9grv25f6hT7CipnI9A

-Cool

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 rotisserie chicken, picked and diced

1 (8oz) cream cheese

1/2 - 3/4 c. Frank's red hot sauce

1/2 c. Ranch or Blue cheese dressing

1/2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 c. Pepper jack cheese, shredded

1/2 c. Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

In a medium size crockpot combine the chicken, cream cheese, franks red hot, dressing, cheddar cheese, and pepper jack cheese and heat in high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.  Stir when all melted together and top with blue cheese crumbles if you like. Switch crock pot to warm and serve with carrots, celery, tortilla chips.

What the What Wednesday: 'Shrooms

Ok so I have never been a big fan of mushrooms. The only ones I would eat as kid were canned and had to be on pizza or in spaghetti. But as every good adventurous adult, I have given mushrooms another whirl and.....I really really like them! September is National Mushroom Month and this month I am making mushrooms the staple of my "Meatless Monday" meal. And for all you football fans, I thought I would experiment with a festive nacho recipe. 

Mushrooms are a great substitute for meat in any recipe because of their texture and ability to absorb flavors by whatever you chose to season them with. A nerdy dietitian fact about mushrooms is they are one of only foods with naturally occurring Vitamin D. Vitamin D is so important for boosting our immune system, helping us sleep, decreasing aches and pains and aiding in the absorption of calcium for bone strength. This is why I am trying to use mushrooms in meals more. 

To start my 'shroom recipe experiment, I used one package of baby bella sliced mushrooms, olive oil spray and low sodium taco seasoning. 

Heat pan over low heat, place mushrooms in pan and spray with olive oil (or non-stick cooking spray). Sprinkle the taco seasoning on top of the mushrooms until they are cooked to the desired tenderness, usually 7-10 minutes. They will look like this:

Seriously, that took 10 minutes. This is probably the easiest (and healthiest) nachos I have ever made. Now I found these snazzy tortilla chips at the Hy-Vee on Fleur Drive, so they are perfect for the biggest Iowa rivalry of the football season. Place them on a plate and top with your mushrooms.

The mushrooms are nice and warm, so place mild cheddar on top so the cheese gets melty and delicious. 

Now you can get creative with any toppings that tickle your fancy. I like my nachos simple, so I put red salsa on my Iowa State nachos and black bean dip on my Iowa nachos. I then topped them with a little fresh cilantro. Ta da!!!

Feel free to add diced peppers, sliced black olives, onions, guac, plain Greek yogurt (or light sour cream), whatever your little nacho heart desires! 

To give these beauties a try, stop in the store tomorrow from 3:30-5:30 pm...hopefully I don't eat them all! 

~Crazy