Spicy Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup turned out absolutely great. It had kick, some coolness from the pico de gallo and sour cream, and great smokey flavor from the grilled chicken.

 

The original recipe came from Patio Daddio's blog, one of the best grilling-related blogs out there. The original recipe calls for making your own vegetable stock, which I did, but if you don't have the time you can substitute pre-made stock.

Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 large grilled chicken breasts, chopped
• Vegetable broth (see below or use 2 quarts of pre-made)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon (or lots more) Mexican-style hot sauce
• 2 cans (10 ounces) Ro*Tel diced tomatoes and chiles (mild or hot)
• 1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed (I used dried beans, soaked and then cooked and rinsed)
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• Corn tortilla strips (see below)
• sour cream
• pico de gallo (see below)

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or pot.

2. Add in the chicken, garlic, and hot sauce and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add in the canned tomatoes, black beans, corn and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Serve topped with sour cream, tortilla strips and pico de gallo.

For the vegetable broth:

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 10 cups water
• 1 small yellow onion, rough chopped
• 1 carrot, rough chopped
• 2 stalks celery, rough chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorns

1. Place all ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 2 hours. Strain.

For the corn tortilla strips:

Ingredients:

• 8 corn tortillas
• Oil, for frying
• Kosher salt

1. Heat about 2" of oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 F.

2. Cut tortillas into 1/2" strips. Working in batches, fry strips until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

For the pico de gallo:

Makes: 2 cups
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using.

Homemade Baguettes

We've subscribed to Saveur magazine for some time now. It always has great articles on food around the world, along with fantastic photos and recipes.

A recent issue had a great article on breads. You couldn't help but drool over all of the breads. So, that inspired me to make the baguette recipe in the magazine. This recipe takes a while, but the end result was absolutely great. Everyone raved about how good this bread tasted.

Makes: 3 loaves
Total time: 4 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water at 115 F
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

Note: You'll need a baking stone (I used a large rectangular pizza stone).

1. Place the yeast and water in a large bowl. Whisk together and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.

2. Slowly add in the flour. Stir with a fork until just combined. Let set for 20 minutes.

3. Lightly flour a work surface.Take dough from bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour (in very small amounts) if needed to prevent sticking.

4. Wipe out the bowl you were using and lightly grease it with olive oil. Add dough to bowl and put into cold oven for an hour or until doubled in size.

5. Lightly flour your work surface again. Take the dough out and flatten it into a rectangle that is 8" x 6". Fold the sides over, then fold the other direction (like you're making a little dough packet or envelope). Put the dough back into the bowl, seam side down, and and back into the cold oven for another 45 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size. Remove from oven.

6. Heat the oven to 475 F (remember, remove the dough first!). Place your baking stone on the top rack and a cast iron skillet on the bottom rack.

7. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll them out like thin rope, about 14" long. Place on parchment paper on rimless baking sheets. Pull the parchment paper up about an inch between the loaves, and place rolled up kitchen towels along the outside dough ropes. You want to support the dough on both sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise another hour.

8. Remove plastic and towels and flatten the parchment paper. Using a very sharp knife, cut 4" long slits in 4 places at 30 degree angles on the tops of the dough.

9. Place the ice into the cast iron skillet. Slide the parchment paper and dough onto the baking stone. Bake 20-30 minutes or until browned and crispy.

10. Let cool 30 minutes before slicing.

Grilled Smoked Sausage with Mango Salsa

Grilling season is in high swing here. Well, I say 'season', but I pretty much grill year-round and, often, twice a day. Nothing beats the flavor of grilled food.

This salsa is great on a grilled dog or sausage. It also works for dipping chips. I think I might try it on burgers next time for an extra twist.

Sometimes it's hard to find a decent bun for a large sausage, so I just French bread instead.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh mango, chopped
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 6 sausages or hot dogs
• 6 hot dog or sub buns, split

1. Combine mango, beans, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt, to taste.

2. Grill hot dogs as desired. Serve on buns topped with the salsa.

Chicken Sauce Piquante

This is a simple, very tasty dish. I found that it was even better leftover the next day, and absolutely fantastic the day after that.

I found the original recipe here. I substituted boneless skinless thighs for whole cut-up chicken.

Makes: 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups yellow onions, chopped
•  3/4 cup green bell peppers, chopped
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 cups plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (you can sub 2 cans of diced tomatoes)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon (or more) hot sauce
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over high heat.

2. Season chicken with salt. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup of flour and the Creole seasoning.

3. Working in badges, dredge the chicken in the mixture, shake off the excess, and place in pot. Brown on both sides and remove.

4.Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flake, cayenne and bay leaves to the pot. Stir and cook until the veggies start to soften.

5. Sprinkle the vegetables with the 3 tablespoons of flour. Mix and stir, cooking until the flour is cooked, 1-2 minutes.

6. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Add the chicken.

7. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

8. Remove the bay leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with green onion and parsley.

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

This is a great, herbaceous dressing from Six in the Suburbs, a really great blog full of great food ideas.

You can find fruit pectin in the canning section of your local grocery store.

Makes: About 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (more or less, to taste)
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced

1. Place all ingredients into a pint jar, seal, and shake to combine.

Triple XXX Family Restaurant, Lafayette, Indiana

If I was a student at Purdue University, I'd probably eat at Triple XXX a few times a week. Not because it's gourmet dining. Not because it was on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. And not because of the ambiance (although, it is a cool old diner). The food is fast, and in the case of some of breakfast dishes I saw come out of the kitchen, the portions are big.

This was my second time eating at Triple XXX. I decided that Anita needed to try it out, too, so we stopped there before heading out to a local antique mall, The Leaping Leopard.

So, we both ordered the Bernie Flowers All-Pro burger with all of the toppings. The burgers at Triple XXX are ground on the spot - I saw it with my own eyes, and cooked up on a hot griddle. Topped with onion, lettuce, tomato and Miracle Whip, all on a toasted sesame seed bun. I liked the texture of the burger, and the toppings were fresh. But, the burger wasn't seasoned at all. After adding a bit of salt and pepper, I chowed down on it and enjoyed. Anita felt the same way - the burgers just needed seasoning.

I had onion rings on the side. Good, yummy, onion rings. I could have eaten two sides of onion rings. They were good.

Anita had curly fries on the side. Though good, she felt that there weren't that many on the plate compared to the size of the orders of regular fries we saw around us.

You know, I'd go back to Triple XXX again. I'd like to try their breakfasts. Everyone around us was enjoying big plates of biscuits and gravy and eggs and... well, it all looked good.

Butter-Garlic Oven Fries with Herbs

Ok, I admit it, I watch The Next Food Network Star on TV. I'm not really so much into food competition shows as seeing what foods the contestants crank out. This last year's winner, Jeff Mauro, makes some great sandwiches (and other things, like these fries).

 

Jeff's show, Sandwich King, highlights some great sandwich places in Chicago. I like his approach to food. I hope he stays around.

These fries are like candy. They will disappear before you know it. I doubled the garlic from the original recipe because, well, we love garlic! You can substitute dried herbs if needed, just cut back on the amounts. We're lucky this year in that our herb garden came out very early so we have plenty of rosemary, oregano, parsley, catnip (not for us!), thyme, and other things right out our back door.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 large russet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh garlic (I used minced)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or sub 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives (or sub 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or sub 1/4 teaspoon dried)

1. Rinse the potatoes and cut into wedges (you'll get about 12 wedges per potato). Place into a large bowl of cold water and let soak for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 475 F.

3. Drizzle a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle the oil with salt and a generous amount of pepper (to taste, but we used a lot of fresh cracked pepper).

4. Place potatoes in the pan, with a cut side down, and drizzle with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with some more salt and pepper.

5. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 10 minutes.

6. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.

7. Flip the potatoes onto the other cut side and bake, still uncovered, until golden brown, 10-15 more minutes.

8. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Add in the garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

9. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Pour the garlic butter over the tops, and add the herbs. Mix well and serve.

Firehouse BBQ and Blues, Richmond, Indiana

Anita and I were antiquing in nearby Centerville, Indiana, when we drove the few miles to Richmond to grab lunch at Firehouse BBQ and Blues.

Firehouse BBQ is located downtown Richmond, in an area that seems be revitalizing itself. The building is the longest standing firehouse in Richmond. There's a restaurant side, and a bar side, and a stage area for live music. From their website, it seems they keep a pretty full band schedule. If we're ever in the area in the evening, we'll swing on by for some good BBQ and music... and beer.

The old firehouse walls are exposed.

I had the brisket sandwich with a side of green beans. The sandwich comes pre-sauced, which I'm not usually a fan of, but in this case, it was good. Very good, actually. And the beans? I could've had a few more helpings. They were quite tasty. Anita had the (very good) pulled pork sandwich with a side of the cheesy potatoes, from which I stole several bites. We also ordered a banana pudding dessert, which was really great. So great that I just sort of duplicated it at home tonight. I'll be posting it soon.

You can't go to Firehouse BBQ without also admiring the painting on the south side of the building. It is very well done.

Slow-Cooked Bacon Bourbon Beans

These beans are unbelievable. They take a long time to make, but they are very much worth the effort. The taste is outstanding. I was worried that the bourbon would overpower them (I'm not a big fan of bourbon), but it didn't at all.

These beans get even better the day after they are made. And although I made them in a large Dutch oven, you can also use a crockpot set to low.

The original recipe came from the How Sweet It Is blog, one of my favorites. Pay them a visit and browse around at all the great food!

Makes: 12 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 24 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry navy beans, sorted
• 10 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Blues Hog Original)
• 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1. Place beans in a large pot and cover with water. Let soak overnight.

2. Drain beans. Add to a large pot of boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 40 minutes or until starting to get tender. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, cook the bacon. Drain. Crumble.

4. Reduce heat to low and add the onions to the bacon grease. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, making sure to scrape up any bacon bits and let them mix with the onions.

5. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.

6. Add water, bourbon, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, ketchup, dried mustard, vinegar, molasses and Worcestershire sauce to a large crockpot or Dutch oven. Stir well.

7. Add the beans, bacon, and bacon fat and onions to the pot. Cover and cook on low for at least 12 hours, stirring every hour or so.

8. Turn off heat and let beans sit for up to 2 hours until beans get thick.

Garrett's Smokehouse BBQ, Indianapolis, Indiana

I'll eat anything that's been cooked low and slow. As a big fan of BBQ done right, I was happy to finally make it down to Garrett's Smokehouse BBQ, which is not too far from our house.

Garrett's is located in a little strip mall. We showed up on the hottest day of the year (and almost the hottest day ever in Indiana). They have a full BBQ menu - pork, chicken, brisket and even turkey. We decided to get our meal to go.

Anita ordered the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac-and-cheese. For her sauce, she went with the mild. I had the brisket sandwich with a side of spicy slaw and sweet BBQ sauce. I was already happy since the meats weren't pre-sauced. You just never know when someone might be trying to hide poorer quality smoked meat under a sauce. Not the case at Garrett's, that's for sure.

The meats were smoked perfectly. You know how sometimes you get BBQ and only the first 1/2" or so has a smoke flavor? Garrett's BBQ had a nice (but not overwhelming) smoke flavor throughout. Both sauces were great. Really great, actually. I'm going to pick up some extra sauce next time for my own smoked ribs.

Besides the meats, the sides were also excellent. They were both made from scratch. Anita's mac-and-cheese was smooth and cheesy. My spicy slaw was definitely spicy. I love homemade slaw - there's such a difference between it and store-bought. I'm looking forward to trying their other sides.

We had a good meal from Garrett's. We'll be returning soon! It's great to see local restaurants turn out great food like Garrett's. Support your local chefs and cooks.

Bacon Potato Salad

Bacon goes with just about anything. And it definitely makes this salad pop even more.

This is almost like eating a baked potato. In fact, I think the next time I make it I'll add some cubed sharp cheddar cheese.

I kept the skins on the potatoes. I think it adds to the flavor (and makes it even more like a baked potato!). You do have to be careful (gentle) folding the ingredients together or you'll lose most of the skins off of the potatoes.

I found the original recipe here.

Makes: 10-12 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon
• 6 green onions, sliced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 small jar pimento peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain well and let cool. Place into a large bowl.

2. Cook the bacon until crispy. Drain and chop.

3. Add the bacon, green onions, celery, and pimentos to the potatoes. Gently fold to combine.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo and sour cream. Fold into the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

The Grill 2, McCordsville, Indiana

Anita and I headed up to Pendleton, Indiana, to do a little antiquing at the Heritage Antique Mall, a small place but one where you can occasionally find some pretty interesting items. We decided to stop by the Grill 2, on Pendleton Pike, for lunch. I'd heard through an ex-coworker that the food and service there is good.

I ordered the Reuben sandwich with onion rings. The Reuben was good, with plenty of dressing, and served on a really good bread. The corned beef was tender and tasty. The big winner, though, was the onion rings. These hand-breaded jewels were to die for, and you get a big ole serving of them to boot. They were good. Really good. I'll definitely order them again.
 

Anita ordered the breaded tenderloin with fries. She loved them both.

Service was friendly and prompt. We'll be returning, that's for sure, to try some other items on the menu (though I'm going to have a hard time ordering a side other than the onion rings...).

Creamy Grilled Corn Salad

My favorite time of year is when fresh corn is available at the Farmer's Market. Nothing beats the taste of fresh-picked corn.

I found this great recipe for an easy corn salad over at the Hungry Couple blog. I grilled fresh corn for this salad, but you could use frozen or canned, too.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 medium ears fresh corn, husked
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 - 1 lemon, juiced (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Grill the corn on all sides until lightly charred. Let cool slightly and cut the kernels from the cob.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice and onion. Add in corn and the remaining ingredients and fold to combine.

Boogie Burger, Indianapolis, Indiana

Boogie Burger has been on my to-eat list for a long time. We had this week off, so we decided to give it a try. Many of my friends have raved about it.

We both ordered the Boogie Burger with cheese.

Easily the best burger I've had. The seasoning was spot-on perfect. I really should've ordered a double. Or maybe a triple. It was just that good and it was embarrassing how quickly I ate it. I admit it. I woofed it down and moaned in happiness the entire time.

We also shared an order of garlic French fries. The fries are very addicting. They are tossed with garlic and parsley. Yes, you'll have garlic breath (and lips) when you are done, but it is sooooo worth it.

It's going to be difficult for me to return to Boogie Burger and order something different that we did this time. The burger and fries were just so good. This place is definitely going onto our normal eating rotation (and at the top at that).

Key West Grilled Chicken

I've cut way back on grilling chicken breast. Instead I usually grill chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins. Whenever either one is on sale I make sure to snag plenty.

This chicken came out fantastic. Tender and very tasty. If it's not my favorite grilled chicken then it is at least tied for first.

I cut up the leftovers and had them in hard taco shells with some avocado cream sauce, tomato, red onion and shredded cheese. The chicken was just as good leftover!

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 lime, juiced plus 2 more, halved
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins (or use 4 medium breasts cut into strips) 
• Bamboo skewers

1. Combine the soy sauce, honey, oil, lime  juice, garlic and cilantro in a bowl.

2. Place chicken into a resealable baggie. Pour in the marinade. Let marinade for at least 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, soak some bamboo skewers in water.

4. Thread chicken onto skewers. Grill until done, 3-5 minutes per side. Also grill the lime halves.

5. Serve with grilled limes for drizzling.

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

There's almost nothing you can't put this on. I used it as a sandwich and wrap spread, but I'm also a big fan of pouring it over roasted or grilled asparagus or Brussels sprouts.

This makes a pretty good batch, but it'll keep for up to a week in the fridge.

Makes: 2 cups
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers (or a 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Roast the bell peppers on your grill or under your broiler. Let cool slightly then remove the charred skin, stem and seeds.

2. Place the peppers, garlic and mayo in a blender. Pulse 8-10 times to get everything chopped and incorporated.

3. With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

4. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Yat's Cajun Creole Restaurant, Indianapolis, Indiana

We love Yat's. It's right by our house, has great food and staff, and a constantly rotating menu. Not long ago we grabbed an order to go to the park. This last week, we stopped by and ate in the restaurant. We got there early (rumors are that you might want to get there early to get their famous spinach and mushroom étouffée).

Anita ordered two half platters. One half of spinach and mushroom étouffée, and one half of red beans and rice. Each platter comes with a piece of bread, which makes for excellent soppin'. The soppin' is one of the best parts since all of the sauces at Yat's are absolutely delicious. Anita loved her lunch.

I also had the spinach and mushroom étouffée, along with a half order of chili cheese étouffée and crawfish. The crawfish étouffée is insanely good. In fact, I'm swinging by Yat's next week to get some more. I think I might try it over French bread... sort of a crawfish po'boy. Oh, and that chili cheese sauce? Yep you guessed it. It's excellent for soppin' up with bread. And there's no shortage of crawfish in this dish. Mmmm. Tasty. My mouth is watering recalling just how good it was.

It's great to see local joints do well and turn out great food. Yat's is definitely doing both.

Ranch Mushroom Baked Potatoes

Well, it may not be much to look at, but this was the perfect baked potato. Simple: just a potato, some mushrooms (ok, some really tasty mushrooms), and a little sharp cheddar.

Feel free to add butter, sour cream, black olives, chives... anything and everything belongs on a baked potato!

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40-60 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 large Russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• 1/4 stick butter
• 1 packet Ranch dressing mix
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• Sharp cheddar, shredded

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.

2. Rinse off the potatoes and dry. Poke 4 holes on each side with a knife to allow steam to escape (so they don't explode). Brush outsides with a light coating of olive oil.

3. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of salt out on a plate. Roll the potatoes in the salt. You don't want them totally crusted in the salt, but you want enough to enhance the flavor.

4. Place potatoes directly on the center rack in the oven. Put a sheet pan on the rack beneath them to catch any drippings.

5. Bake for about 40-60 minutes or until tender (or the internal temp reaches 210 F).

6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the dressing mix.

7. Add mushrooms to skillet and saute until very tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes.

6. Squeeze potatoes open and add mushrooms and cheese and whatever other toppings you desire!

Hippie Chips - Woodstock Ranch

Sadly, this is the last flavor of Hippie Chips that I ordered. I enjoyed the first three, White Room Cheddar, Memphis Blues Barbecue, and specially the Haight-Ashberry Jalapeno. The Woodstock Ranch chips are lightly flavored, and healthier than normal chips.

They're pretty tasty, and smooth. They are similar to the White Room Cheddar-flavored chips, with the addition of the Ranch flavoring. It's a nice, creamy flavor. I think these would go really well with a hot Buffalo wing-flavored dip.

See my other posts on Hippie Chips by clicking on the links below:

Memphis Blues Barbecue

Haight-Ashberry Jalapeno

White Room Cheddar

Ancho Chili Butter

There's nothing better than grilled corn-on-the-cob. I like tossing entire ears on the grill (after soaking them in water for a while). Or I'll husk them and throw them directly over the fire. Or I'll do like I did here, and pull back the husks and tie them, using them as a handle.

This ancho chili butter really kicks up grilled corn. It'd be good on grilled crostinis, too.

Makes: A little over a cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ancho chili powder
• 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
• 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Heat oil over high heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes.

2. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add in the chili powder, paprika, cumin and cayenne. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.

4. Add in the water and whisk until the mixture becomes very thick. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.

5. Place butter in a blender or food processor. Add in the chili mixture and Worcestershire sauce. Blend until smooth.

6. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as desired.

7. Spoon into a container with a lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

8. Soften slightly before serving.