Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

16oz canned chicken

1/2 cup of Ranch dressing

8oz cream cheese

1/2 bottle Frank’s red hot

1/2 bag of Mexican shredded cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Place in a 13×9 inch dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or you may microwave until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips or veggies! We especially love Fritos!

Potato Skins

Ingredients

• 6 medium (7 oz each) russet potatoes (2.5 lbs total)
• 7 slices bacon, chopped (7 oz)
• 1 1/4 cups (5 oz) shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 Tbsp minced parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 garlic clove, minced (1 tsp)
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set an oven safe wire rack over baking sheet.
• Scrub and rinse potatoes to remove dirt and debris. Dry with paper towels.
• Pierce both sides of each potato twice with a fork. Align potatoes on wire rack set on prepared baking sheet.
• Brush both sides of potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil.
• Bake in preheated oven until just tender with a little firmness still (not squishy). About 45 – 55 minutes.
• Let potatoes cool about 15 – 20 minutes until you can handle them.
• Meanwhile cook chopped bacon in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, reserve bacon fat in pan off heat (there should be about 2 Tbsp).
• Move oven rack up one level from center and increase oven to 450 degrees. Scoop flesh from potatoes, while leaving about 1/4 to 1/3-inch rim of potato flesh intact on all sides.
• Return potatoes to oven rack on prepared baking sheet. Brush both sides of potatoes with 1 Tbsp reserved bacon fat and season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Bake upside down 12 minutes. Remove from oven, flip to opposite side (upright), brush with a little more bacon drippings on the top side (about 1/2 Tbsp, rewarm it if needed to melt) and continue to bake potato skins about 8 – 13 minutes longer until browned and fairly crisp.
• Meanwhile stir together sour cream, 3 Tbsp parsley, garlic and season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle potato skins evenly with cheese (boat shape up) and red pepper flakes if using then bake 4 – 5 minutes longer until cheese is melted and bubbling and skins are crisp.
• Sprinkle potatoes with bacon, green onions, and add a dollop of sour cream mixture to each. Garnish with a little more parsley and red pepper flakes if using. Serve right away.

Gina’s Tips:

It’s always crazy on Superbowl Sunday to get everything prepared and served hot. I would mix the sour cream, parsley and garlic together in advance.

If you are not a parsley fan, use dried parsley as it’s less flavorful but adds color. If using dried parsley vs. fresh, use 1 Tbsp. instead of the 3 Tbsp. required if using fresh parsley.

Use a thicker shredded cheese so that the cheese melts better. My husband bought a bag of finely shredded cheese with less fat and it didn’t melt well. 

It’s a rule in our house not to count carbs and calories on Superbowl Sunday!

Gina’s Nachos

Ingredients:

1 bag of white corn tortilla chips 

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef 

1 packet of taco seasoning 

1 large block of Velveeta Queso Blanco Cheese

1 can of Rotel with diced tomatoes and green chilies

2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese 

Green Onions

Sliced Jalapeno Peppers

Sour Cream

Fresh Salsa

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook ground beef and drain and follow directions on the taco seasoning packet. Melt Velveeta Cheese and Rotel over low heat until melted (Velveeta can easily scorch). Spread out a heavier layer of tortilla chips on an ungreased pan; arrange many on pan tips up so guests can easily pick up. Using most of the ground beef, evenly sprinkle ground beef over the bottom layer of tortilla chips. Using a large spoon drizzle most of Velveeta mixture on ground beef and tortilla chips being careful not to put too heavily in places. Make another smaller second layer of tortilla chips. Sprinkle with remaining ground beef. Spread out remaining Velveeta over top layer. Sprinkle on a bag of shredded Mexican cheese. Bake until melted and evenly heated through about 15 – 20 minutes. After pulling out from oven, add sliced green onions and jalapeno peppers.

So yummy, enjoy! 

Gina’s Tips:

• In order to ensure that it melts well, make sure you use a Mexican shredded cheese that is more thickly shredded vs. a finely shredded cheese with reduced fat milk added. 
• Your guests will need forks with these.
• I let guests add their own sour cream and salsa.