Saturday Down South: Creamy Taco Dip with Taco-Ranch Sour Cream, Shredded Colby Jack Cheese, Crunchy Hearts of Romaine, Homemade Pico de Gallo, + a Drizzle of Salsa Verde Crema

I don't have many recipes that require very little work... but hey, I've got one for you today! It is literally so easy-peasy, that it took me less than 20 minutes to whip up. Hell, you could easily make it faster if you buy a store-bought pico de gallo instead of making it from scratch! Essentially this has all of the components from a bite of a taco. What doesn't sound good about that? We've been on a real Mexican kick as of lately... nearly eating it every other day. So when the weekend came, I knew I wanted to make this. The dip starts off with a cream cheese + sour cream layer that is fortified with loads of flavor from taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, and hot sauce. Spoon this mixture onto a serving plate, and then sprinkle the colby jack cheese on top, followed by scattering the shredded romaine all over the dip. Next, make a mound of the pico de gallo and finish it off by drizzling some of the salsa verde crema + a sprinkle of chili powder. That's it... it's all done! All you have to do is serve it with some tortilla chips and you're gold as gold! Enjoy y'all :)

For the Taco-Ranch Sour Cream:

8oz Cream Cheese, Softened

8oz Sour Cream

1 Package of Taco Seasoning

¼C Ranch Seasoning

¼C Hot Sauce

For the Pico de Gallo:

5 Whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced

1 Small Red Onion, Diced

2 Jalapeno Peppers, Minced

¼C Candied Jalapeno, Minced

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

¼C Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

1 Lime, Zested + Juiced

1T EVOO

Salt + Pepper, To Taste

For the Salsa Verde Crema:

½C Mexican Crema

½C Salsa Verde 

For the Creamy Taco Dip:

Prepared Taco-Ranch Sour Cream

8oz Colby Jack Cheese, Shredded

1-2 Hearts of Romaine, Shredded

Prepared Pico de Gallo

Prepared Salsa Verde Crema

Chili Powder, For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. For the Taco-Ranch Sour Cream: In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer running on low, start adding the sour cream a little at a time. Next, toss in the taco and ranch seasoning, followed by the hot sauce. Beat to combine.

2. For the Homemade Pico de Gallo: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

3. For the Salsa Verde Cream: Whisk together the salsa verde and sour cream. Spoon this mixture into a squeeze bottle and set it aside.

4. Assembling the Creamy Taco Dip: Spoon the Taco-Ranch sour cream onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the shredded colby jack over the sour cream and scatter the shredded romaine on top of the cheese. Top the lettuce with a mound of the homemade pico de gallo. Finish the dip by sprinkling on some chili powder and drizzling the salsa verde all over the dip. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Guacamole Egg Rolls with Cilantro Ranch Dipping Sauce

Guacamole Egg Rolls with Cilantro Ranch Dipping Sauce

The Super Bowl is this weekend y'all!! Aren't y'all excited because we sure are :) This is one of my favorite holidays... well, maybe celebration. I just love love love to make a bunch of different dips, snacks, and appetizers for me and my friends to munch on while we play beer pong and yell at the T.V. I have made it no secret about my obsession for guacamole. Just last week I made the best guacamole I ever made... that was spiked with tequila (um yum). So, we happened to be cravin' another batch of it this last weekend. There was a little bit left over and I thought to myself, why not shove it into some egg roll wrappers and fry those babies up? I mean, it practically tastes like a crispy tortilla chip with some cool guacamole on top. We dipped them in some homemade cilantro ranch and it was the perfect combination. Now all you need along side it is some margarita's or my new favorite drink, the Paloma. I know we will be frying up some of these Mexican egg rolls this weekend. What will y'all be makin'? Enjoy :)

For the Homemade Cilantro Ranch Dipping Sauce:

1C Buttermilk, Well-Shaken

½C Mayo

¼C Sour Cream

1t Lime Juice + Lime Zest

2T Buttermilk Powder

½t Ground Cumin, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, & White Pepper

¼t Paprika

2T Fresh Cilantro, Minced

1t Fresh Dill & Fresh Chives, Minced

1 Small Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste

1T Candied Jalapenos, Minced

Salt, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, & Sugar, To Taste

For the Guacamole Egg Rolls:

Homemade Chunky Guacamole (make it so there are big chunks of avocado)

Store Bought Egg Roll Wrappers

Water, For Brushing the Edges

½C Cornstarch

Canola Oil, For Frying

Prepared Cilantro Ranch, For Dipping

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Cilantro Ranch Dipping Sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk powder until smooth. Add in the other ingredients until it is completely incorporated, adjusting for taste with the salt, pepper, and sugar. Once you have reached your desired ranch dressing, refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. For the Guacamole Egg Rolls: Lay out the wonton wrappers in a diamond facing you. With your finger brush the edges on the wrapper to make them seal. Put about 3 spoonfuls of guacamole in the middle of the wrapper. Fold over the south corner of the egg roll over the filling. Next, tuck in the edges and then continue to roll over until it is a tight roll. Seal the last corner with some water again. Put some cornstarch on a plate and roll the egg rolls in the cornstarch, then lightly dust off excess coating.

3. Frying the Egg Rolls: Heat your canola oil to 350 degrees in your deep fryer. Once the oil has heated, place the egg rolls seal down into the fryer and cook for roughly 3-5 minutes or until they are crunchy and golden brown.

4. For Serving: Cut the egg rolls in half and serve with the dipping sauce.

Chili-Cheese-Slaw Dogs with Beer Braised Brats topped with Homemade Mole Chili, Pimento Cheese, Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw, Fried Onion Strings, & Srirancha Sauce

Here's the next recipe from our Memorial Day meal. I have been itchin' to make chili-cheese-slaw dogs for a while. It brings up a lot of childhood memories from when we would go eat at the Varsity before Atlanta Falcons games, Braves games, and UGA Football games. And I would always get a chili cheese dog with slaw added with a side of fries and a frosted orange. If you have never been to the Varsity, then you are missing out, and I urge you to go. Did you know it's actually the largest drive-in restaurant in the world? That's pretty awesome. Anyway, I decided to take a stab at this all-American classic, but of course, by adding my own signature twist. It was a requirement that I make every component from scratch and my friends, there are a lot of components. So, feel free to use store-bought ingredients to make it a little easier on you. First, I started off by braising from brats in some dark beer and caramelized onions. I have never really been a huge fan of hot dogs, but we love brats braised in beer, so we just had to do it. After they braised, we charred them off on the grill until they were nice & crispy. Then, I whipped up a batch of my homemade mole chili that has a couple crazy ingredients such as cocoa powder, peanut butter, and pumpkin pie spice. It's deliciously sweet, but still hearty & spicy like a traditional chili. I also made my favorite pimento cheese recipe because I mean honestly, what is better than pimento cheese? Nothin' bro. I topped the dogs with my favorite coleslaw recipe, crispy onion strings, and a special, special sauce. I call this sauce, "Srirancha Sauce", because it is a combination of a homemade ranch dressing and my new favorite spice, homemade sriracha powder (that was used in my Pickled Deviled Egg recipe on Tuesday). This sauce is creamy & spicy, but still has that amazing herby flavor that I love. Well, that's it... not too bad eh? Haha, I know it's a lot, however, if you have the time, then definitely make these gourmet dog. You won't regret it!! Enjoy :)

Gourmet Chili-Cheese-Slaw Dogs

Look at all them layers...

The crispy onions are the best, yum-o!

Don't forget a drizzle of the homemade Srirancha sauce :) 

My Mountain Man chowin' downnn. 

For the Beer Braised Brats:

4 Brats

Your Favorite Beer, To Cover

1 Medium Vidalia Onion, Cut into Slices

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Homemade Chili:

2T Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

1T Garlic, Chopped

1lb Ground Beef Chuck (80/20)

2-28oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes

1C Water

1 4oz Can of Chopped Green Chiles

2 Jalapenos, Seeded & Diced

3T Chili Powder

1t Paprika

½t Dried Oregano

½t Cayenne Pepper

1t Cumin

¼t Pumpkin Pie Spice

½t Salt

1t Onion Powder

1t Garlic Salt

2t Brown Sugar

¼C Creamy Peanut Butter

2T Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1-2T Hot Sauce

1t Worcestershire

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Pimento Cheese:

4oz Cream Cheese, Softened

½C Mayo

¼t Garlic Powder, Pepper, & Paprika

2t Hot Sauce

2T Sweet Onion, Grated

8oz Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded

8oz White Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

8oz Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

2 Roasted Red Peppers, Diced

½C Candied Jalapenos, Diced

For the Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw:

3C Coleslaw Mix

3-5 Green Onions, Chopped (depending on how much onion you like)

2 Large Jalapenos, Diced

2T Candied Jalapeno, Diced (or you can use pickled jalapenos and add a little more sugar)

¼C Mayo

¼C Sour Cream

1t Yellow Mustard

1t White Vinegar

1t Sugar

1t Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper, To Taste 

For the Fried Onion Strings:

1 Large Vidalia Onion, Sliced Very Thinly

2C Buttermilk

2C AP Flour

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

½t Cayenne

Vegetable Oil, For Frying

For the Srirancha Sauce:

½C Sour Cream

¼C Mayo

Cold Buttermilk (however much to your preferred thickness)

2T Fresh Parsley, Minced

¼C Fresh Chives, Minced

1 Small Clove of Garlic, Minced into a Paste (use a little coarse sea salt to help grind it)

½t Garlic Salt & Garlic Powder

½t-1t Homemade Sriracha Powder

Salt & Pepper, To Taste (I also used a pinch of sugar for a little sweetness, this is optional)

For the Chili-Cheese-Slaw Dogs:

Beer Braised Brats, Grilled

Hot Dog Buns, Toasted

Prepared Chili

Prepared Pimento Cheese

Prepared Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw

Fried Onion Strings

Prepared Srirancha Sauce

Additional Toppings (raw onion, sauce, etc.)

Directions:

1. For the Beer Braised Brats: Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the sliced onions along with some salt & pepper, and caramelize until golden brown. Once the onions have caramelized, place the brats into the Dutch oven and cover with the beer and any other seasonings that you want. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the brats are cooked through. Remove the brats and set aside the beer mixture. Right before you are ready to eat, grill the brats until golden brown and charred. Return the brats the beer mixture until you are ready to serve.
2. For the Chili: Heat the olive oil in a big pot on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, then add in the garlic and diced jalapenos and cook for about 2 minutes. Next, add in the ground beef and cook thoroughly through. Add in the water, crushed tomatoes, and green chiles. Let this mixture cook for about 10 minutes, then stir in chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic salt, and brown sugar. Let this mixture cook covered on low heat for 30 minutes. After it has simmered, stir in the creamy peanut butter, cocoa powder, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and pumpkin pie spice. Once again, cook on simmer for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Keep the chili warm until you are ready to spoon on top of the dogs.
3. To Make the Pimento Cheese: In a big mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayo, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, & hot sauce. Separately, shred the three blocks of cheese and put in the bowl with the cream cheese & mayo mixture. (I use the second smallest shredding side because I like it more that way. It does take more time, but I think it's worth it. But you can do the cheese in the bigger shred if that's how you like your pimento cheese. Toss the mixture together until the mayo is covering all of the cheese. Add in the diced red peppers, grated onion, and candied jalapeno. Toss until it’s evenly incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. For the Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw: In a medium-mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, sugar, lemon juice, fresh jalapeno, and candied jalapeno. Toss this mixture with the coleslaw and green onions until completely coated. Set it aside until ready to assemble the hot dogs.
5. For the Fried Onion Strings: Slice the onion very thinly. Place in baking dish and cover with buttermilk and hot sauce. Soak for at least an hour. Combine all the dry ingredients and seasonings, and set it aside. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Grab a handful of onions and toss in the flour mixture, shake off the excess, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown & crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Repeat until all the onions have been fried. Top the brats with the crispy onions.
6. For the Srirancha Sauce: Whisk together the sour cream, mayo, parsley, chives, garlic paste, garlic salt, and garlic powder until smooth and combined. Add in some buttermilk, starting with a small amount and working up to more to the thickness that you want. Whisk in the Sriracha Powder to your desired spiciness, I used 1t of the powder for a fairly spicy sauce. Taste once again and season with salt, pepper, & sugar to your liking. Pour into a container and refrigerate until you are ready to drizzle onto the hot dogs.
7. Assemble the Brats: Lay the brats into the toasted buns and top with the pimento cheese, homemade chili, coleslaw, crispy onion strings, and a drizzle of the Srirancha Sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza with Ranch Dressing Base, Roasted Chicken, Hot Buffalo Sauce Swirl, Crumbled Bleu Cheese & Bacon, and Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklin's

We have really been on a pizza kick recently. And I really am not that big into pizza. I don't know why, but it's never technically been a meal that I would ever crave. But, I do know one thing, I love me some buffalo chicken pizza. And every buffalo chicken pizza up until this point was good, but this pizza I made finally did it justice. My pizza has all the traditional fixin's... ranch, bleu cheese, chicken, and buffalo sauce. However, I did decide to kick it up a notch by adding some crispy chicken skin cracklin's. I mean, what's better than some crispy chicken skin. It's like chicken bacon to me. And even though I have always loved buffalo chicken pizza, it was always missing something fried & crispy to resemble a real chicken wing. Well, my friends, these cracklin's are the answer. Sooooo amazingly good. Don't forget to garnish the pizza with some crumbled bacon and most importantly, fresh chives, which I think provide a nice herb-y component to this otherwise-decadent pizza. Obviously, you could leave off some of these ingredients to make it slightly easier to make, but trust me, don't. Just don't. We loved this pizza and it really perfectly resembles a basket o' buffalo wings at your favorite bar!! Enjoy :)

Over-the-Top Buffalo Chicken Pizza with all the Fixin's

Can you see the crispy chicken skin cracklin's? They are those gorgeous golden-brown nuggets!

A Must: Garnishing with Fresh Minced Chives

For the Roasted Chicken Breasts:

2 Chicken Breasts, Skin On & Bone In (reserve the chicken skin)

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklin’s:

Reserved Chicken Skins, Partially Cooked & Dried

Vegetable Oil, For Frying

For the Buffalo Chicken Pizza:

Homemade Pizza Dough

Roasted Chicken, Cut into Cubes

Homemade Ranch Dressing

2C Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

1C Mozzarella, Shredded

Crumbled Bleu Cheese

Hot Buffalo Sauce, For Drizzling

Bacon Lardons, Cooked until Crispy

Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklin’s, Roughly Chopped

Fresh Chives, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Chicken Breasts: Wash and dry the chickens breasts and toss them in the olive oil and salt & pepper. Roast the chicken breasts in a pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Once they have cooled, remove the skin and press the skins between paper towels to dry them and remove excess moisture. Set these aside until you are ready to cook them.  Roughly cut the roasted chicken into cubes, and then set it aside.
2. For the Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklin’s: Heat some vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the pressed, dried chicken skins and cook until they are golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Roughly chop the cracklin’s and set them aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and roll out half of the pizza dough as thinly as possible and place onto a large baking sheet (the other half can be used for another pizza).
4. Making the Pizza: Spread the homemade ranch dressing generously across the dough. Scatter the yellow cheddar on top of the ranch, and then sprinkle the top with the roasted chicken pieces. Lay the mozzarella on top of the chicken. Continue to layer on the crumbled bleu cheese and bacon lardons. Bake the pizza for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and immediately garnish the pizza with a buffalo sauce drizzle, chicken cracklin’s, and fresh chives. Cut into squares or slices and serve immediately.

Stacked Fried Green Tomato BLT Salad with Candied Bacon & Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Before I get to the salad that I made as a part of my Mountain Man's birthday dinner, I have to tell a story. There's a running joke in our family about my father and I. It all started with him, but he has graciously passed this gift down to me, so I can carry out the legacy. Anyways, throughout my father's life, he always had an incredible knack for putting himself in the oddest, craziest situations. They just kind of fall into his lap. For instance, one time, my dad was at the gas station, sitting in the passenger seat (while my mom was inside getting some snacks), and a random lady just jumps into the car with him and furiously drives off. My dad is sitting in the car, jaw to the floor, like "what just happened here, am I being kidnapped"... So, finally the woman notices that this was not her car, and that man sitting beside her is not her husband. She was so embarrassed that she drove him back to the gas station and insisted that she pay for his gas. This all occurred before my mom even returned to the car, so she still refuses to believe that this crazy thing that my father had told her, really happened. Okay, so now you have gotten the background info... fast-forward to my life. I am sitting in my apartment in downtown Savannah and I decide to go into my room to do something (I have now forgotten what I was actually doing in there, but that is really relevant). I'm all by myself, just minding my own business, my Mountain Man is at work, la-tee-dah. I suddenly hear the door open and close. I automatically think it's the boyfriend, so I finish what I'm doing and I finally start making my way towards the front door. But, I catch a quick glimpse into the living room through our bedroom door, and I see a woman sitting on my couch, feet up on the table, going through our saved DVR shows. Like NBD, just chillin' in a someone's apartment. At this point, I'm terrified because either this person is coming to rob me, or steal me, or she's just bat-shit crazy and wants to be my best friend. So, I knock on the bedroom door, in hopes of startling her, and she just calmly looks up at me and says "oh my god, I'm so sorry". That's it. She turns the TV off, grabs her purse, and walks out the door. I mean honestly this happened to me. And no one was here to witness it. I immediately called my dad because I knew only he would appreciate it. Of course no one believes me. But, I know that this crazy situation happened, and I still just can't get over it. Priceless. Anyway, back to the food. For my Mountain Man's birthday, I made a Stacked Fried Green Tomato BLT Salad with Candied Bacon & Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. This salad is inspired from the ever-popular Savannah restaurant, the Olde Pink House. It was actually featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and it is the only thing I order when we go. I mean, what's better than fried green tomatoes, candied bacon, and ranch? I refuse to believe anything is. This salad hits the spot and it's the perfect little opener for an awesome dinner!! Enjoy :)

Fried Green Tomatoes + Candied Bacon... Nothin' Better

Stacked Fried Green Tomato BLT Salad with Candied Bacon & Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

For the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:

½C Buttermilk, Well Shaken

¼C Sour Cream

¼C Mayo

4T Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Large Shallot, Minced

1T Garlic, Minced

1T Sugar

4T Fresh Chives, Finely Minced

2T Fresh Dill, Finely Minced

1T Fresh Parsley, Finely Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Candied Bacon:

8 Strips of Thick Applewood Smoked Bacon

2t Light Brown Sugar (per slice of bacon)

For the Fried Green Tomatoes:

2 Green Tomatoes, Cut into ½inch Thick Slices & Patted Dry

1Q Peanut Oil, For Frying

2C AP Flour

1T Paprika

1T Chili Powder

1T Cajun Seasoning

1T Salt

3 Eggs

½C Buttermilk

1T Hot Sauce

1 Box of Panko Breadcrumbs

Salt, For Sprinkling

For the BLT Salad:

Fried Green Tomatoes

Baby Spring Mix

Prepared Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Candied Bacon

Diced Red Bell Pepper & Minced Green Onions, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing: Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved, and then add in the chives. Whisk until smooth and refrigerate until ready to toss with the lettuce.

2. For the Candied Bacon: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Sprinkle each slice of bacon with 2t of brown sugar. Bake for 12-16 minutes. Midway, flip the bacon over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that’s collected on the baking sheet. Continue to bake until it is as dark as mahogany. Remove from the oven and cool the strips on a wire rack. Once the bacon is cool and crisp, chop into cubes.

3. For the Fried Green Tomatoes: Slice the tomatoes to about ½inch thick and place the slices on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let the tomatoes drain for 15-30 minutes. After they have drained, dry the tomatoes a little more with some paper towels, removing any excess moisture. Next, you have to set up a battering station. I use 3 pie tins. For the first station, I mix the flour & the seasonings. For the second station, I whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce. For the third station, pour the contents of one box of Panko breadcrumbs. Now, place the slices of dried green tomato into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally the panko (making sure they are completely covered). Put the breaded slices on a tin foil-lined baking sheet with a cooling rack on top, and then put the pan into the refrigerator and let the slices rest for about 15-30 minutes. Heat your deep fryer to 375 degrees with the peanut oil. Once the oil has heated, pull the chilled slices out of the refrigerator. Fry the slices for 4-7 minutes each (depending on the size of your fryer, mine is pretty small, so I do 2 at a time). The green tomatoes should be golden brown on the outside, but cooked, yet still firm on the inside. Once they are done frying return them to the same baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt immediately. Keep warm until you are ready to layer them in the salad.

4. For the BLT Salad: Toss the baby spring mix greens with some of the buttermilk ranch dressing. Place some of the salad in the center of plate; top with some candied bacon slices, and then place a fried green tomato on top of the bacon. Repeat this pattern, so that you have a stacked and layered salad. Drizzle some more buttermilk ranch dressing over the top and garnish with red bell pepper and green onions.