Instagrub: Sticky + Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles

And here's the last recipe to kick off our week of Asian dishes! Remember how I mentioned on Wednesday that I would post my Sticky + Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles? Well, here they are! There are very few recipes that we make more than once. My husband hates me for that because I'll make something so delicious, and then when he requests it again, I have to tell him that I've already made that and I'm a food blogger who needs to constantly come up with new recipes for all of my followers! However, there are a few exceptions to that argument, and one of them is certainly this Asian pasta dish. We have made these Korean Beef Noodles every week for the last six months! We think it's pretty easy-peasy to make and it makes enough to feed an army! The sauce is pretty straight forward, as I already went into how to make it on my post for the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Sweet + Salty Sauce (literally, it is the exact same sauce). As for the pasta, I really love to use Trader Joe's Pappardelle Pasta for this recipe, but honestly, any kind of noodles will do! The most important cooking process is by far the beef component. I start off by cooking the ground beef in a cast iron skillet until it has just barely finished cooking, and then I drain the excess fat out of the pan, using a pasta strainer. While the beef is separating from the extra fat and liquid, wipe down the cast iron skillet, so that it is completely dry. Return the skillet to your stovetop and crank up the heat to as high as it will go. Once it is screeching hot, add the ground beef back in, along with the minced garlic. Quickly pour in half of the sweet + salty sauce and stir to coat the ground beef. I find that if you cook this at a very high heat, the sauce will perfectly caramelized onto the meat and deepen the flavor. Really all that is left to do is to combine all of the components... al dente pasta, caramelized onions, charred green onions, minced green onions, sweet + salty sauce, caramelized ground beef, + seasonings. We really like to overdo it with the minced, dried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, so I'll leave that up to you on how much you want to put in. Now all you have to do is eat the Sticky + Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles while they are still hot!! Enjoy :)

For the Sweet + Salty Sauce:

1C Light Brown Sugar

½C Soy Sauce

¼C Hoisin Sauce

1T Toasted Sesame Oil

1-2T Sriracha (depending on how spicy you like it)

1T Rice Wine Vinegar

1t Freshly Grated Ginger

1t Red Pepper Flakes (less or more to your preferred spiciness)

4 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

For the Caramelized Onions:

2 Vidalia Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter

2T Vegetable Oil

1t Kosher Salt

1T Sugar

For the Korean Beef Noodles:

1T Canola Oil

2 Bunches of Green Onions (1 bunch finely sliced + 1 bunch cut into 1-inch pieces)

1T Toasted Sesame Oil

2-3lbs 80/20 Ground Chuck

4 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

16oz Pappardelle Noodles (I like Trader Joe’s brand, but really any kind of pasta will work)

2T Korean Chili Seasoning

Prepared Sweet + Salty Sauce

Prepared Caramelized Onions

2T Minced, Dried Garlic (or to taste, but we love adding a bunch to this pasta)

1T Toasted Sesame Seeds

1t Red Pepper Flakes (this is optional, but you can add more or less to your liking)

Directions:

1. For the Sweet + Salty Sauce: In a small pot, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until it is well incorporated. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-low heat, making sure to continuously whisk. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes. Repeat this process of bringing it to a boil and simmering the sauce three more times. After you have done this, allow the sauce to cool while you make the Korean Beef Noodles.

2. For the Caramelized Onions: Heat the butter and oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add in the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to caramelize, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes. The onions should be browned and caramelized. If at all during the cooking the onions begin to darken or burn, just add a few tablespoons of water. After they are done, turn off the heat and leave the caramelized onions in the pot.

3. Charring the Green Onions: In a cast iron skillet, over high heat, add in the canola oil. Take the one bunch of green onions that were cut into 1-inch pieces (leave the other bunch of thinly sliced green onions uncooked) and put them in the searing hot pan. Stir the onions around for a minute or two until they have begun to char and slightly soften. Remove the charred green onions from the pan and place them into the pot with the caramelized onions.

4. Preparing the Pasta: Boil your pasta according to the package directions. Once they have cooked to al dente, strain the noodles and add them into the pot with the onions. Sprinkle the Korean chili seasoning on top of the pasta and toss to combine all of the ingredients in the pot (that way the noodles won’t stick together).

5. Cooking the Ground Beef: Heat 1T of toasted sesame oil, in the same cast iron skillet that you charred the green onions in, over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and cook until just browned, about 5 minutes. Make sure to crumble the beef as it cooks, so smaller pieces form. Drain the excess fat out of the pan. Return the cast iron pan to high heat. Once it has gotten extremely hot, add the cooked, crumbled beef back into the pan, along with the garlic. Stir this mixture around for 1-2 minutes. Quickly pour half of the sweet + salty sauce over the ground beef and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Cooking at such a high temperature will help the sauce to caramelize into the beef and deepen the flavor.

6. Finishing the Korean Beef Noodles: Pour the sauced, caramelized beef over the pasta in the large pot, and then drizzle in the remaining sweet + salty sauce and add in the finely sliced green onions. Using tongs, toss together all of the ingredients until they are evenly incorporated. Season the pasta with the dried minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Mix everything together and serve while the noodles are still hot!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Sweet + Salty Sauce

We've been on a real Asian kick this week when it comes to cooking dinner. Sometime in the next few days, I'll post my Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles, which have become a weekly meal for the last 6 months. But today, we're going to talk about chicken lettuce wraps. Lettuce wraps are a must for me whenever we go out to a restaurant, so why not make my own version at home? This recipe is pretty easy when it comes to cooking other dishes on my food blog, although you will do a lot of chopping. But if you have another person helping you, y'all will be done in no time! I started off by making my go-to sweet + salty sauce (that also goes on the Korean Beef Noodles) and all you have to worry about is bring it to a boil, reducing it to a simmer, whisking continuously, and letting it cool. You'll repeat that cooking process 3-4 times until the sauce is smooth and has reduced slightly. After you have done that, just let the sauce cool in the small pot until you are ready to pour it over the chicken. Now, I have a pretty firm belief that everyone likes chicken, but if you are that one person who doesn't, then just trade out the ground chicken for ground pork and ground beef. Now let's talk about all the vegetables. We were recently eating out at one of our favorite thai restaurants and they have the most glorious chicken lettuce wraps. Something a little different that they include are red + green bell peppers. Both my husband and I enjoyed that addition so much, that I had to put some peppers into my chicken-vegetable mixture. It is important though, that you dice up the sweet onions and bell peppers to the same size, so that they will all cook for the same time. Once those vegetables have become slightly softened and somewhat translucent, throw in the minced fresh garlic, diced water chestnuts, minced green onions, fresh basil, minced dried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, and some red pepper flakes. Stir it all together and let it cook for a minute or two. Now, all that is left to do is to pour some of the sauce over the chicken mixture until everything is coated. I would suggest starting with half the sauce and working your way up because you don't want an overwhelmingly large amount drowning your chicken + veggies. The goal here is to add just the right amount of sauce to your liking, that way the chicken lettuce wraps taste light and delicious. All that there is left to do is to assemble them. Get a piece of butter lettuce, spoon in some of the sauced chicken mixture on top, drizzle with a little bit of extra sauce, and garnish with a pinch of minced, dried garlic, red pepper flakes, and toasted crushed peanuts. Voila, you have made yourself a real crowd pleasing recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 

For the Sweet + Salty Sauce:

1C Light Brown Sugar

½C Soy Sauce

¼C Hoisin Sauce

2T Toasted Sesame Oil + 2T Sriracha

1T Rice Wine Vinegar

1t Freshly Grated Ginger

1t Red Pepper Flakes (less or more to your preferred spiciness)

For the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps:

Prepared Sweet + Salty Sauce

4T Vegetable Oil (separated)

2lbs Ground Chicken

2 Sweet Onions, Diced

1 Red Bell Pepper + 1 Green Pepper, Diced

1t Salt

8oz Sliced Water Chestnuts, Diced

8 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2 Bunches of Green Onions, Minced

¼C Fresh Basil, Minced

2T Minced Dried Garlic (plus more for garnishing)

1T Toasted Sesame Seeds (plus more for garnishing)

Red Pepper Flakes (to your preferred spiciness)

1T Toasted Sesame Oil

1-2 Butter Head Lettuce

Toasted, Crushed Peanuts, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Sweet + Salty Sauce: In a small pot, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until it is well incorporated. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-low heat, making sure to continuously whisk. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes. Repeat this process of bringing it to a boil and simmering the sauce three more times. After you have done this, allow the sauce to cool while you make the chicken lettuce wraps.

2. Cooking the Chicken: Heat 2T oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the ground chicken and cook until just browned, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks, so smaller pieces form. Drain the excess fat out of the pan and set aside the cooked chicken while you sauté the vegetables.

3. Making the Asian Chicken: In a large pot, heat the other 2T of oil over medium-high heat. Add in the diced onions, diced red bell pepper, diced green pepper, and the salt. Sauté these vegetables for about 5-10 minutes, until they have cooked down and gave become translucent. Next, toss in the diced water chestnuts, minced garlic, and minced green onions. Stir everything so that it is all mixed together. Bring the heat up to high and let it cook on that temperature for a minute. Drizzle in half of the reduced sweet + salty sauce, stirring to make sure the lettuce wrap mixture is completely coated in the sauce. Lastly, finish off the dish by throwing in the fresh minced basil, minced dried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, as much or as little red pepper flakes that you like, and toasted sesame oil. Turn off the heat and taste the sauced, ground chicken-vegetable mixture. If you think the chicken needs more sauce, salt, or red pepper flakes, then add it to your liking.

4. Assembling the Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Pull off the individual leaves of butter lettuce and wash and dry them. Place the lettuce leaves onto a plate, and then spoon some of the chicken mixture into each leaf. Garnish the top of the chicken lettuce wraps with a drizzle of the sweet + salty sauce, dried minced garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes, and some toasted, crushed peanuts. Enjoy the lettuce wraps while they are still hot (but they are just as delicious if you serve them cold)!

Spicy Barbecue Bucatini with Caramelized Red Onions, Pulled Pork, + Smoked Cheddar Cheese

 

I realize that the recipe I am posting today sounds a little bit off and a little bit crazy, but doesn't some things that are called crazy, some of the best stuff? A lot of you pasta fanatics/lovers of food will turn your nose up or scoff at me for mixing Southern BBQ or Italian, but y'all, it totally works. Better yet, it is easy-peasy and the perfect meal to use leftover pork or any kind of BBQ meat (smoked chicken, brisket, etc). I started off by using some Bucatini Pasta, it's like spaghetti, but like on steroids. It is a little bit thicker, but the glorious part, by far, is that it has a hole through the middle. This is beneficial for many, many reasons, but mainly it rocks because the pasta sauce goes into the center and with every bite, you get the perfect ratio of pasta to sauce. Um, yum. But it's not just like you are going to throw in a pound of pasta, a shit ton of pork, and a bottle of BBQ sauce, it's more complex than that. I started off by caramelizing sliced red onions, which gives the pasta a nice, unctuous bite to the entire dish. The flavor is then boosted with other aromatics like fresh garlic and green onions before it is mellowed out with some crushed San Marzano tomatoes + tomato paste. After that mixture cooks down, it is then when you stir in your favorite BBQ sauce and some seasonings, to finish it off. I wouldn't recommend using any vinegar based sauces (like a North Carolina style) because the flavor might be slightly astringent and sinus-burning, so go with a sauce that is on the sweeter side because with the addition of the tomatoes, it will be much yummier. Now my Mountain Man + I obviously like to bring the heat when it comes to any recipe we make, so I added in one of my favorite condiments, Candied Jalapenos. These are literally the best little morsels you will ever put in your mouth... I know I've said that time + time again, but it is oh-so-true. Not only is this an easy leftover meal, but you can really make it all in just ONE pot, which doesn't happen around this joint often. SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT :) Once you've finished the Barbecue Bucatini, place it into a serving bowl, drizzle it with some extra BBQ sauce, top it with a blanket of smoked cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, and a few extra candied jalapeno rounds... and dinner is served!! I hope y'all enjoy it as much as our whole family did :)

For the Barbecue Bucatini:

1lb Bucatini Noodles (or spaghetti noodles if you can’t find those)

4T Unsalted Butter

2 Red Onions, Thinly Sliced

1lb Pulled Pork

6 Cloves of Garlic, Finely Diced

1 Bunch of Green Onions, Sliced

8oz Whole, Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes (crushed into smaller pieces by hand or diced)

3T Tomato Paste

¼C Candied Jalapenos, Finely Diced in a Food Processor (almost to a puree)

2-3C Homemade BBQ Sauce (or you can substitute in your favorite store-bought sauce)

½t Red Pepper Flakes

¼C Minced Fresh Cilantro, Divided (half will be put into the pasta, half will be used to garnished)

Smoked Cheddar Cheese, For Garnishing

Whole Candied Jalapenos, For Garnishing

BBQ Sauce, For Drizzling

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Pasta: In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil, making sure to add a good bit of salt to the water and a touch of olive oil. Cook the noodles according the package until they reach al dente. Strain the pasta and let them sit while you make the remainder of the dish.

2. Beginning the Dish: In the same stockpot that used to cook the pasta, add the 4T of butter and melt over medium heat. Add in the sliced red onions and a heavy sprinkling of kosher salt, and caramelize them for about 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly, so that they do not burn. Once they have caramelized, add in the garlic and cook for just a minute or two, and then toss in the pulled pork and green onions. Sautee these ingredients for about 5 minutes before adding in the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, candied jalapenos, BBQ sauce, and red pepper flakes. Let these flavors meld by simmering them on low-medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.

3. Finishing the Dish: After everything has cooked down, it’s time to add in the cooked Bucatini noodles into the pork + onions mixture, and toss to combine everything together. Add in the fresh cilantro and any salt & pepper to taste if it is needed.

4. Serving the Dish: Place the finished pasta dish into a bowl and garnish with a drizzle of a extra BBQ sauce, a mound of shredded smoked cheddar cheese, and a sprinkling of cilantro. If you want to make it extra spicy, you can top it with extra candied jalapenos. Eat it while it’s still hot! 

Copycat Recipe: Zoe’s Kitchen Protein Power Plate with Greek Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken, Greek Feta Coleslaw, + Caramelized Onions

Zoe’s Kitchen Protein Power Plate with Greek Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken,
 Greek Feta Coleslaw, + Caramelized Onions

Some of my fondest memories come from my days at the University of Alabama, well y'all probably already know that, haha. And one of our favorite places to get a quick + healthy lunch was at Zoe's Kitchen. Our go-to meal was their Protein Power Plate. It's fabulous, fresh, and doesn't weigh you down the rest of the day. Their dish consists of a greek vinaigrette feta coleslaw that is topped with grilled chicken and a mound of luscious, sweet caramelized onions. It seriously was the perfect way to start the day, or end the night really. And for a while now, I have been wanting to recreate it myself at home. Because I mean, look at its' components... it should be a breeze. I found a great recipe for greek yogurt marinated grilled chicken, and honestly I can't wait to make it over + over again. It would be great on tacos, in other salads, or just as a main entree. It blackens nicely on the grill, yet retains the moisture from the greek yogurt marinade. For a little extra sweetness, I drizzled my grilled chicken with a little white balsamic reduction-- and it was perfection. Who doesn't like tangy + sweet?! You can make your own reduction at home or you can pick up a handy-dandy store-bought brand at the grocery store. It's as simple as that! The coleslaw is heavy on the onions, which we love, but if you're not so into that... then feel free to not use the red onions. The vinaigrette recipe makes a big batch, so only use enough to lightly coat the coleslaw. You don't want it soggy or drowned in a bunch of liquid. And don't skimp on the feta because it adds a nice saltiness and creaminess to the coleslaw. All you have left to do is caramelize a shit-ton of onions (the more the better, in our humble opinion). Then, just load it into a big bowl and drizzle a little more reduction, as well as some extra crumbled feta... and dinner is served!! I can see this meal becoming a weekly tradition for us, that's how much we liked it!! Enjoy :)

For the Greek Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken:

16oz Greek Yogurt (try to use a thick yogurt)

2-inch Piece of Fresh Ginger, Peeled & Grated

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced into a Paste with Salt

1t Ground Cumin, Red Chile Flakes, Kosher Salt, Pepper, & Greek Seasoning

½t Dried Oregano

2-4T Sugar (depending on how much sweetness you like)

1 Lemon, Juiced + Zested

4 Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Breasts

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for greasing the grill)

White Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

For the Greek Vinaigrette:

½C Red Wine Vinegar

¼C Honey or Agave Syrup

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1T Fresh Basil, Minced

1t Fresh Oregano, Minced

½t Dried Marjoram

1t Red Pepper Flakes

1 Lemon, Juiced + Zested

¾C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste  

For the Greek Feta Coleslaw:

2 Bags of Shredded Angel Hair Coleslaw (the thinly shaved kind)

¼ Red Onion, Shaved

¼C Fresh Parsley, Chopped

1 Small Handful of Fresh Oregano, Chopped

8oz Crumbled Feta Cheese

6 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

¼C Minced Chives

Prepared Greek Vinaigrette (to taste, as little or as much as you want)

For Serving:

Caramelized Onions

Crumbled Feta

Minced Chives

White Balsamic Reduction

Directions:

1. Marinating the Chicken: In a small bowl, combine yogurt, ginger, garlic, cumin, chile flakes, salt and lemon. Whisk until smooth and pour into a baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in the yogurt mixture and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours or up to a day to marinate.

2. Grilling the Chicken: When ready to grill, heat a very clean grill to medium. When the grill is hot, brush with the oil and place chicken on the grill, skin side down. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, and then flip. Cook another 5-10 minutes, covered, until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken from grill and let rest 5-10 minutes before pulling meat off the bone and shredding or slicing it. Drizzle the chicken with some White Balsamic Reduction.

3. For the Greek Vinaigrette: Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

4. For the Greek Coleslaw: Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl thoroughly. Let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour. Add in some of the prepared Greek Vinaigrette (just enough to coat the coleslaw, but not drown it and make it soggy). Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve cold.

5. For Serving: Spoon some of the Greek coleslaw into a bowl and top it with some grilled chicken. Garnish with a pile of caramelized onions, crumbled feta, minced chives, and a little drizzle of more white balsamic reduction. Enjoy.

source: greek vinaigrette. greek coleslaw. greek yogurt marinated chicken.

Fancy Southwestern Marinated Cheese Dip with Whipped Feta, Colby Jack + Pepper Jack Cheese Cubes, + Marinated Herby Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Fancy Southwestern Marinated Cheese Dip with Whipped Feta, Colby Jack + Pepper Jack Cheese Cubes,
Marinated Herby Roasted Red Pepper Dip

There is something about this dip that everyone just adores... and I'm not sure I get it. Well, I didn't until I made a schmancified (adjective of shmancy) version of it. That's what I like to do, so deal with it. The original recipe comes from here and involves a task-worthy cutting & stacking of cream cheese and cheddar cheese. I hated it. You have to practically freeze the cream cheese in order for it to look correct after cutting or it gets all schmeary (adjective of schmear). Also, that means you had these clunky blocks of cheese and drippy dressing that you have to handle with your hands, which is NOT good for a party. Lemme tell y'all, that shit gets all over your dress. Nonetheless, it was still the hit of the party and my family couldn't stop raving about it. I decided to revamp it some to make it more party-friendly. It did the trick and is even more of a success than the first recipe. Instead of boring cream cheese, I made a whipped feta cheese and spread it onto a plate to form cloud-like piles of fluffy cheese. You could also just use whipped cream cheese or even some yummy Boursin Cheese (or my version of whipped goat cheese would do it all up just fine). In replacement of creating blocks or stacks of cheddar cheese, I cut up some Colby Jack + Pepper Jack Cheese into tiny cubes, which makes it impossibly easy for dipping!! YAY for easy dipping. Then here comes the best part... the Marinated Herby Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette. In a large mixing bowl, you just toss in some olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime, fresh parsley + cilantro, green onions, garlic, finely diced roasted red pepper, minced candied jalapeno, honey, and spices... and it's all done! I let the mixture marinate overnight at least, but it gets better with age. The other recipe suggests marinating the cheese in the vinaigrette mixture, but whenever I did that it made our cheese uber-rubbery and chewy. But, even then, it was still gobbled up at every chance. Thus, I decided to make the vinaigrette and marinate it, then the next day, I added the small cubes of cheese to it and let it soak for about an hour so that it absorbs some of that delicious flavoring. Then you just top your whipped feta schmear with the marinated vinaigrette + cheese cubes, making sure that you get as much of the peppers, herbs, and onions you can. It's really up to you if you want to add some of the "juice" to the dip. While it certainly adds a whole bunch of flavor, it also gives way too much moisture to the whipped feta and can get a little deflated. We serve our dip with some toasted pita chips or Triscuits because it seems to match the flavor profile. You can easily change that up though if ya want. So get on to the store, grab the ingredients, and make the dip... tonight. Or tomorrow if you can. Because it's perfect for any occasion honestly!! Enjoy :)

For the Southwestern Marinated Cheese:

1C Olive Oil

1C White Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, or Apple Cider Vinegar (whatever is your preference)

1 Lime, Zested & Juiced

4T Fresh Parsley, Minced

4T Fresh Cilantro, Minced

5 Green Onions, Minced

4 Cloves of Garlic, Smashed into a Paste (using a little sea salt will help this along)

2C Roasted Red Pepper, Drained & Diced

¼C-½C Candied Jalapenos, Finely Chopped

1-3T Sugar or Honey

½t Cumin & Dried Oregano 

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

1 8oz Block of Pepperjack Cheese, Cut into Small Cubes (about ½-inch pieces)

1 8oz Block of Colby Jack Cheese, Cut into Small Cubes (about ½-inch pieces)

For the Whipped Feta Cheese:

8oz Creamy Feta Cheese, Room Temperature (or very soft)

2oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature (or very soft)

3T Cold Heavy Cream

Pinch of Salt & Pepper

For the Southwestern Marinated Cheese Dip:

Prepared Whipped Feta

Prepared Southwestern Marinated Cheese Cubes

Any Extra or Excess Marinade, For Spooning Over the Top of the Dip

Crackers or Chips, For Serving

Directions:

1. For the Southwestern Marinated Cheese: In a large mason jar, add in the olive oil, vinegar, limejuice & zest, parsley, cilantro, green onions, garlic paste, roasted red peppers, candied jalapenos, and sugar. Cover the jar tightly and shake vigorously until well mixed and incorporated. Taste to see if it needs some salt & pepper, to your liking. Place the small cubes of Pepper Jack & Colby Jack cheese into a Ziploc bag. Pour the prepared marinade over the cheese cubes and let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight or at least 6-8 hours.

2. For the Whipped Feta Cheese: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the softened cream cheese and salt until thoroughly mixed. Scrape down the sides and turn the mixer to medium-high speed and add in ¼C heavy cream. Continue whipping, while continuously adding a little bit of a crumbled feta cheese at a time, until the feta cheese is combined throughout. Add in the remaining ¼C heavy cream and beat on high until it is light & fluffy. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Spoon this mixture onto a serving plate.

3. For the Southwestern Marinated Cheese Dip: After the cubed cheese has marinated, beat together the two cream cheese blocks until whipped. Place the cream cheese into a serving platter or dish in a thick, even layer. Strain out the marinated cubes of cheese and arrange them over the cream cheese (pressing the cubes in slightly, so they adhere to the cream cheese). Using a spoon, spoon over as much or as little of the marinade as you like, just make sure to get all of the roasted red pepper, candied jalapeno, herbs, and green onion (that’s all the good stuff that adds a delicious flavor a beautiful pop over color). It is up to you how much of the liquid marinade that you want to pour over, some people don’t want all of it on there because it can make the dip a little runny or messy, but I like to spoon almost all of the marinade, just because it has too much flavor to waste! It’s all up to your preferences.

4. Serve the dip cold or at room temperature with some crackers for dipping!