Buff Chick Hot Wing Dip

on sunday there was hope…but in 4 and a half minutes all hope was virtually gone.  the patriots had little chance of coming back, but that didn’t stop us from eating our feelings.  my cousin made this dip which had all of us hooked.

Buff Chick Hot Wing Dip
Two 9.75-oz. (or 10-oz.) cans 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained
One 8-oz. tub fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing
1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

place cream cheese in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. mix in Frank’s RedHot, mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, and yogurt. stir in chicken until thoroughly combined. spoon mixture evenly into a deep 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish.

bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until mixture is heated through. stir well and enjoy!

makes 15 servings

i think this little dip was the silver lining.

Creamy Heart of Cheesey Goodness

labor day’s here…and i’m not letting go of summer without a solid fight (but i have an inkling mother nature is still going to win).  so my family’s throwing an unconventional cookout.  no burgers or dogs here…just good food complimented by even greater conversation.  my mom and dad are serving a rotisserie chicken with corn salad and dill roasted new potatoes for the main course.  and since one of those chickens takes an hour and a half to roast on the grill, i took it upon myself to make an appetizer.  this will save us from burning ourselves while trying to get a piece of chicken the second my father declares it’s done.  i could have done the regular cheese and crackers but i choose a different spin on the classic: coeur a la creme.  traditionally it’s served at the end of the meal with a sweet fruity sauce…but this one is a savory twist by ina garten.

Coeur a la Creme

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
1 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle chutney (recommended: Cross and Blackwell Major Grey’s)
Crackers, for serving

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until it is firm like whipped cream. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick.

Line a 6-inch coeur a la creme mold or 6-inch sieve with a few layers of cheesecloth, allowing the excess to drape over the sides. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the top of the cream. Place the mold on a plate or suspend the sieve over a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, unmold the creme upside down onto a plate and pour the chutney over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Serve chilled with crackers.

a definite keeper!

tips:

• if you don’t have a stand mixer use a hand mixer.  that’s what i did and it still came out fabulous!
• try using the cloth you use for clam boils if you’re fresh out of cheese cloth.
• now that you know a basic recipe jazz it up your way next time.  maybe instead of lemon use lime.  or better yet try the classic sweet version and use vanilla.  maybe even some grand marnier or other flavored liqueurs.
• and if you’re not sure what to serve at a party always go with an ina garten recipe she never disappoints.