Recipe of the Week; BUFFALO WING -N- CHEESE DIP

"Here we go Steelers, Here we go!"

You can't imagine how crazy things in and around the 'Burgh are these days with our beloved Steelers getting ready to nab their 7th Super Bowl Title!

It's like Christmas all over again- an ongoing celebration until the BIG DAY arrives! And what do you do on a holiday? Why eat, of course!

Super Bowl Sunday is a pretty big event in our house, but it's most exciting when we get to see Ben, Hines, James, Troy and the rest of our boys in action! Already I've been planning a menu!

I've been making this dip for the last few years on Super Bowl Sunday, and it goes over so well. In fact, a pan of this dip nets us ZERO leftovers. SCORE!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken (leftovers or a rotisserie are great for this!)

1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened

1 8 oz. block Monterrey Jack cheese, cubed

1/2 cup or so shredded Mexican cheese blend (optional)

1 cup Ranch salad dressing

5 oz. hot sauce, I recommend Frank's (add more if you like heartburn)

tortilla chips

celery sticks

chicken-flavored crackers

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix softened cream cheese, Ranch dressing and hot sauce in bowl. Stir in chicken and cubed Jack cheese.

Spread into a square glass dish. Bake approximate 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Allow dip to sit for 5 minutes or so to "set". Serve warm with tortilla chips, celery sticks, and/or chicken flavored crackers.

Recipe of the Week; FRENCH ONION SOUP

Freezing temperatures mean one thing is certain- a big pot of soup is going to be made in my kitchen today!

Lately I've had in insatiable craving for my homemade French onion soup. I make a mean soup, but it pales in comparison with that of Mimi's Cafe in the Phoenix metro area. Although right now a few days in sunny Arizona feels like a welcome reprieve, and I have to admit just visiting Mimi's again would be enough. I don't need the sunshine, just the SOUP.

Well, unfortunately jetting off to the wild west isn't optional right now, so my own French onion soup will have to do. Here's my favorite recipe... with an unusual twist. Let me explain the twist first. French onion soup is always served topped with toasted bread (usually a baguette slice) and cheese. I've seen everything from Provolone to Gruyere.

However for my own soup-devouring pleasure, I instead will be enjoying croutons made using Tastefully Simple's Bountiful Beer bread. I have a good half a loaf left from this weekend, and I need a reason to use it. I also like to experiment. Keep in mind my crouton method can be used with kind of bread, really. And you could always just use a slice of baguette or Italian bread to top your soup if you wish, instead of the croutons.

To make the croutons, slice the bread into 1 inch-cubes. Day old or dried bread works good for this. Melt a small amount of butter in a skillet. Sprinkle the bread with garlic salt, dried Italian herbs and a little paprika. Toss bread in the skillet, frying until toasted. I tend to like mine just a little toasted on the outside and still a soft in the middle. Drain on paper towels.

For the Soup:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 to 5 onions (approximately eight cups) yellow onions, sliced (I prefer the large, sweet Spanish onions.) A mandolin will be your best friend in prepping the onions!

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup

3 tablespoons flour

2 quarts beef broth

croutons or bread slices (toasted)

Gruyere, Provolone, Mozzarella or Swiss cheese, grated or sliced

Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally while the onions are cooking. (Now is a good time to make the croutons!) Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the head and simmer until the wine has evaporated and onions are dry, about 5 minutes or so. Discard the bay leaves.

Sprinkle the onions with flour and stir. Turn the heat down if necessary to prevent the flour from burning. Cook for about 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Add the beef broth, bringing the soup back to a simmer and cook another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, preheat broiler. Arrange oven proof bowls on a cookie sheet, and ladle soup into the bowls. Sprinkle croutons or bread slices on top. Top with a gracious amount of cheese and place bowls in the oven. Broil until bubbly and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Ooooh la la!!

Warding Off the Winter's Chill

"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy." -William Blake

"O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?" -Percy Bysshe Shelly

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." -Anne Bradstreet

"Let me be the first to tell you, drinking alcohol is the worst thing to do in cold weather. Hot soup is the best because the process of digesting food helps to warm you up." -Morgan Freeman

"Winter is nature's way of saying, 'Up Yours' ". -Robert Byrne

A Merry Midwinter

Winter blahhhhhs. Oh, I've got 'em. And we're not even halfway through January. Funny how the weather really does set ones mood.

Christmas was truly wonderful this year, although something seemed to be missing. I can't put my finger on it just yet. We did all of the traditional Christmassy things that we do. Baking. Decorating. Shopping. Traveling to and fro. Party over here, party over there. Church stuff. Scout stuff. (You know how I feel about that.) We even had a wonderfully white Christmas, something that has been amiss my first two Christmases back in good 'ol PA.

But something else was amiss this whole Christmas season, and it's really starting to bug me. I spent the weekend "de-Christmasing"- putting away the old and bringing out the new and all that. But the whole time I'm thinking to myself "What did I miss"??

In time it may come to me. It may just be that as I get older the magic of Christmas begins to fade with each passing year. I try so hard to make the holidays a wonderful time for my son. Growing up the whole Christmas season seemed to be one never-ending holiday. I wish so desperately to recreate that for TJ. I know he had a wonderful Christmas, in fact his Thank you letter to Santa sincerely expressed that this was HIS BEST CHRISTMAS EVER.

Well, well. I'll figure it out sooner or later. And maybe I'll update this post. Until then- stay warm my friends...