Sunday, July 25, 2010

Revolutionary Chilli Dip

I like things to be easy.

Recently, my good friend Alex and I went to eat in a small North Carolina town that had a "great I-talian" place. Being unafraid of a small town dive, Alex and I braved the trip and went to eat. I ordered a salad, Chicken Piccata (which gave me confindence in the establishment since they had more than just lasagna and spaghetti). The salad arrived and then the Chicken Piccata was brought out. It looked lovely, and it was served with a side of...you guessed it, spaghetti. I began eating my chicken which was excellent save for the overly crisp artichokes which were somehow introduced to the dish. I then thought, I should try the spaghetti, after all they were nice enough to serve it. MISTAKE! I used my spoon, and twirled those noodles around my fork expecting a nice sauce. Instead I was introduced to Dollar Store spaghetti sauce infused with canned chilli. For crying ourt loud people, it does not take that much time to brown meat to add to spaghetti sauce! So, why am I talking about my trip to North Carolina for Italian while sharing a dip recipe? It turns out that canned chilli is suitable for the base of a wonderful dip.

If you are from the South and many of you are, you will know that we like a good battle. So why not use some darn good shooting dip the next time you do battle with a stack of chips! The basic idea in this dip is simple, chilli and cream cheese. Immediately, you may think, I don't keep spare chilli just hanging around the house. Well, I don't either...kinda. As I grew up in some of the finest school cafeterias South Carolina had to offer in the late seventies and eighties, one thing was always readily availible, Bunker Hill Chilli. When the FDA approved ketup as a vegatable, the brave ladies of the cafeteria fought for the right to open a can of Bunker Hill and make, as some have often told me, "Them kids some chilli for the hotdogs! We gotta keep 'em happy"

As a child, and even as an adult, I am picky about my hot dogs, I do not want one of those bright red ones like I had in school(and how did they make them so BRIGHT RED? I DO NOT want Bunker Hill Chilli on my hotdog; I want my mama's chilli (recipe to come later if she will share). Yet, Bunker Hill is good for something, this dip. Why call it Revolutionary, simple enough, Bunker Hill, before it went into the chilli canning business, was known as a famous battle site of the American Revolution. This recipe also also uses Philli Cream Cheese, yet another food based site that holds important historical importance as it was the birthplace of the United States Constitution. Who knew my recipes would now have a history lesson embedded?

So before I turn over this recipe, I must give a warning. When melting Cream Cheese in the microwave, be aware that it gets hot and will explode when removed from the microwave if you try to melt it too quickly. I know this from an ugly Christmas incident back in 2005, and still have the burn scar on the side of my nose. I will also offer some variation below the main recipe.

REVOLUTIONARY CHILLI DIP

1 8 oz block Cream Cheese (Philli is my favorite)
1 can of chilli (Bunker Hill would be my recommendation)
1 tsp garlic powder

Place cream cheese in a microwave safe container. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. Repeat until cream cheese is melted, normally after the third time. Place chilli and garlic powder into cream cheese. Mix well and heat on high one final time for two minutes. Serve while hot. Great with tortilla chips!

VARIATION

In the variation, you will need Velveeta Cheese as well. Once the chilli and cream cheese are well mixed, place thin slices of Velveeta over the chilli   andcream cheese mixture. Place under a hot broiler until Velveeta becomes bubblely and starts to brown.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Leave the Luggage Behind…

Planning a great get away? Gonna head to the hills? Maybe you are following the advance of that old Sheryl Crowe song and you're Leaving Las Vegas. Whatever your reason, there may be luggage and packing in your future; especially as it is summer vacation. Many people get excited over the prospect of packing a suitcase. One good friend, let's call him Swain (to protect the guilty) packs for a trip like nothing I've ever seen. In fact, the last time I took him to the airport, another friend, Gill rode with us. As we pulled up to the departure gate, I got out of the car to help with the luggage. Upon returning to the car, Gill innocently inquired, "How long is he going away? Doesn't he know all that cost money?" I had to admit, as I pulled each bag out the car I kept thinking, "fifty dollars, fifty dollars, fifty dollars….. " Swain could have traveled cheaper by renting a U-haul and driving his luggage as opposed to the fees he incurred due to his packing and need to take more items than Diana Ross takes on an 82 city concert tour- he was only traveling for six days. I digress.

The fundamental problem in this story is Swain not knowing what to take, and what to leave behind. In another instance, I traveled with Paul. Paul packs the minimum of what is needed; laptop, toiletries, a pair of pants and shirt for each day and some clean underwear. Enough said. You would think. However, Paul goes to great pain to iron his clothes before packing them, and then as he unpacks at the destination, he is appalled to find that his clothing looks like a Shar-Pei. "This will never do, people will think I have never met an iron."I don't understanding ironing to do more iron when you arrive.

Let's solve a couple of problems in what I like to call, Packing for Travel 101.

  1. You are not moving to the new destination. Repeat it with me. This is aimed at so many people I know. I am ridiculed for a laptop bag, a carry-on bag with a week's supply of clothing, and a tote bag with a few books etc. Yes, I want to have options in my clothing, but for goodness sake, who are you trying to impress on vacation?
  2. If traveling on vacation, roll your clothing or buy some space bags. You will be shocked at the amount of space you save when you pack this way. I began rolling my clothing when I was sixteen years old. I was headed to the middle of nowhere Georgia for Drum Major Camp; I rolled my undergarments and made nice balls out of my socks. This worked rather nicely, before I knew it, was rolling t-shirts, shorts, you name it. The habit even took over in my home life. I challenge you to examine the chest of drawers in my home and find something not rolled. I believe this is a key to saving space when traveling. I also believe I support this method as everything you roll begins looking a Little Debbie Swiss Cake, one of my favorites from childhood.
  3. When traveling and not flying, DO NOT PACK A SUITCASE! I am not saying roam Myrtle Beach baring all. I am simply offering an alternative. Use a plastic storage bin. My friend, Boy Scout Max, has shown me the light in this area. Max does not pack a suitcase for a week at the beach; instead he packs a plastic bin. Sounds strange, but I assure you it works. Let's dissect this idea. If you pack your clothing in bin, you have more room and you do not have to struggle with zippers catching your clothing. Second, when you arrive at the destination, you will unpack. No big deal. Here is the beauty in Max's plan. Use the bin as a laundry hamper. I hate nothing more than having to fold dirty clothes so they can be packed for the return trip only to arrive home, throw them in the washing machine, and inevitably, folding them yet again. Life is too short, sling the clothes in the bin and move on with vacation.
  4. In The South, yes it is capitalized in our part of the world; we like to take food products on vacation. For instance, all of my childhood beach memories involve getting up early in the morning, say 4:00 am, to load the car with luggage and groceries which were purchased the night before, that now need to be bagged again for the trip. Let me assure the bread was always a mess by the time we reached Horry County. Why bother with paper or those pesky white plastic bags? Take Max's advice and use a storage bin. For non-perishable items, the plastic bin works well too. It is a miracle of modern science.

I hope these tips will enlighten and make travel easier. Enjoy the summer and vacation…don't stress over the luggage!