Texas Redneck Dip

For those of you who know me, you know that I love TexMex food and will find any chance I can to make it. If I had my choice, hubby and I would eat tacos, chili, and fajitas throughout the week. However, that's a killer on the system and the waistline after a while :). Texas Redneck Dip fits right in with my TexMex theme...your non-Texan guests will thank you too.

My Aunt Margaret, who lives in Dallas, introduced me to this hot dip that she serves when I come to visit. It is truly out of this world and I can't imagine not sharing it with the LLOR fans. My hubby LOVES it. The original name is Indian Bread Dip and some of you may know it as that. However, a friend of mine, Deb, renamed this dish as Texas Redneck Dip after I brought it to a party and her hubby scraped the bread bowl clean with Fritos. What gets more Texan and redneck than Fritos and cheesy goodness? Anyways, that's a little history behind this you-won't-want-to-step-away-from-it-at-a-party dip.

Most everything you can find on the local market or substitutions that are close enough. One thing that you MUST have is Worcheshire sauce. I found it at our commissary, though, if you find it on the local market besides the U.S., please let me know!!

Texas Redneck Dip
8 oz cream cheese (I use 1 of the larger rectangle containers of Presidente Fraidoux fromage nature. This is the closest thing to cream cheese in Tunisia)
8 oz sour cream (Onetina or creme fraiche)
16 oz shredded cheddar (Ahh, I missed my cheddar cheese for so long and now everything I make has it in it. Seriously.)
7 oz canned green chillies, diced (You might be able to substitute a fresh milder pepper. I'd recommend cooking it a little first before putting it into the recipe).
1 bunch of chopped green onions (They are in season in the Winter in Tunisia. If you can't get green, go with another color of onion.)
1 TBsp Worcheshire
1 package of sliced ham, chopped (Any ham will do. I end up buying this from the commissary since we can only get jambon de dinde here. Do not use this in this dish. It won't taste the same.)

Optional: 1 round or oblong shaped loaf of bread, whole
Fritos, crackers, sliced baguette, or something to eat the dip with. TUC plain crackers work well too!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together. One option is to put into mix into a pie plate or casserole dish to bake. The other option is to cut the center of the loaf of bread out and shape like a bowl. Be sure to leave enough of the bread so that the dip does not melt through the sides or bottom. Bake uncovered for 1 hour - 1 hour, 15 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent foil over the top of the dish. Serve warm with Fritos, crackers, or bread pieces.

Enjoy! I'll bet you this one will be a hit at your next party. Actually, I'll guarantee it.

Stefanie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

My friend Stefanie, who is currently in Tunisia with Erin and me, makes a dip that will knock your socks off. It's usually what I request her to make when we have a bring-a-dish event (i.e. bunco or quiz night). This Buffalo Chicken Dip is easy to make and if you like spicy chicken wings, this one is for you. It combines the best of the wing and the blue cheese/ranch dressing all in one dish.


The recipe has a couple of items that you will need to buy either online or from the commissary (at least we have to in Tunisia!!). However, you may be able to get everything locally if you are in a larger city.


Stefanie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

-2 or 3 smaller chicken breasts, cooked (Stefanie mentions that it's best to cook these by poaching them in water, so that the chicken stays moist)
-1 package of cream cheese (in Tunisia, you can use the tub of Presidente fromage fondue or fromage tartiner)
-1/3 to 1/2 cup of Louisiana hot sauce or Frank's Hot Sauce (any hot sauce would most likely work here as well)
-1 cup of shredded melty cheese (cheddar works the best, but as we all know, it's not always available. whatever you do, don't use the Tunisian shredded stuff as it DOES NOT melt)
-1/2 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing (you can also use a dry ranch packet with 1/2 cup of mayo if you don't have the bottled dressing)
Optional: crumbled blue cheese for the top

Shred the poached chicken with two forks. Mix chicken with all of the ingredients and put into a shallow dish. Put the optional blue cheese on top if you are using. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with crackers (TUC brand or any other to your liking) or if you have them, carrot and celery sticks.
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Stefanie wanted me to let the LLOR readers know that she doesn't necessarily measure the ingredients, but makes sure that the dip isn't too dry or too creamy from not enough or too much cheese. Also, she made the dish for an event on Saturday night and our table consensus thought it was better with the pack of dry ranch dip mix. But again, use what you have!!

Nana's Mini Mac n Cheese Bites

Have I told you about my friend Nana? Well, she loves anything that can be made into mini muffins. When she brought these Mac n Cheese Bites to a tea that we had, they were a major hit. She has since made them for other occasions and they always go fast. Many of us Lunching Ladies make things for various occasions, and usually on a weekly basis. Put this one in your queue, people. Trust me, everyone will be asking for the recipe.

As far as ingredients, the one thing that you may have trouble getting is the cheddar cheese. It was a glorious day last week when our commissary was stocked back up with it after being out for many, many months. Let's just say that as hard as the Land D'Or 'cheddar' from Carrefour tried, it just didn't cut the mustard.

The recipe is adapted from a recipe from Food and Wine Mag, November 2007.

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Mini Mac and Cheese Bites

Makes about 50

3TBsp butter

4 Tbsp flour

1.5 cups of milk

3 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese (can substitute other meltable cheese, such as American or Colby)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus some for sprinklin'

2 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans with non-stick spray.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add cheddar and Parm cheeses and stir to melt. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks, salt and nutmeg. Stir in macaroni.

Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of macaroni and cheese into mini muffin pan. Each cup should be filled to the top. Pack each one down gently. Sprinkle with remaining Parm cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes until golden and sizzling. Take out and let cool for 5 minutes. Use a teaspoon and carefully loosen bites and transfer to platter.

To make ahead, bake and cool mac n cheese bites. Package and refrigerate. Place bites on baking sheet and heat at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

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These make an excellent appetizer for the holidays and will impress your guests. And you may fall in love with your mini muffin tins all over again!

Teeny Tiny Cream Cheese Biscuits

My friend Julie swears these are the best dang little biscuits and are fantastic for wine and cheese parties (hint, hint). However, if you don't have a wine and cheese party to go to, they would probably work for eating with your bon-bons and watching Oprah. The best part about the recipe is that you should be able to find everything locally.

This recipe is for my buddy Nana who is the Queen of the mini muffin pans. All hail foods that can be baked in these!!
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Tiny Cream Cheese Biscuits

8 oz cream cheese, softened (in Tunisia, I would use 13 of the individually wrapped cream cheese squares unless I was lucky enough to find the tub of Presidente cheese)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup of self-rising flour (if you can't find this at the commissary or local market, substitute 1 cup flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt)

Beat cream cheese and butter at a medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add flour, beating slowly until blended. Try not to eat all of the dough :). Spoon dough into an ungreased mini muffin pan, filling each cup. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm; refrigerate leftovers. You could also do drop biscuits if you do not have a mini muffin pan.

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Now, you know you are running to the fridge to get your butter and cream cheese out to soften!

LLOR needs more recipes that you are making in your kitchen. Please send to teresaintunisia@gmail.com . Now, we aren't asking for your grandma's secret recipe. Just something that you wanna share with the other Lunching Ladies!