Baked Herbed Goat Cheese

I'm baaaack! While I would like to say after two weeks of traveling to some incredibly beautiful places I am rested and relaxed, I can't. Instead, I will tell you I am currently in exhaustion recovery. My idea of a vacation is to pack in as much as possible and make up for some of that travel time lost in the past eighteen months. On the first leg of my trip I was on the east coast. My home base for five of the six days was Little Compton, Rhode Island (one of my happy places). Over the course of six days I got up with the chickens and managed to drive up to Maine for the day, spend a day in Plymouth, Massachusetts, spend two days on the Cape, take the ferry to Nantucket for the day, and meet with friends for either breakfast or dinner. Three days after returning home, unpacking and repacking, we traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with friends to spend time hiking in Smoky Mountain National Park. Blessed with glorious weather, we all feel in love with the landscapes and wildlife (yes, bears) in this truly breathtaking national park. On the nine plus hour drive back home we stopped at a distillery on the Bourbon Highway in Kentucky. Because of course I had to squeeze in one more thing. It's been almost three days since I have returned home. My goal is to readjust to central time and finish unpacking by the end of the week. Wish me luck.

When I left here two weeks ago, temperatures were still on the warm side. But I returned home to heavenly cool, crisp, chilly fall temperatures. The kind of temperatures making you want to start a fire in the fireplace, warm up the house by baking something delicious in the oven, and/or ending the day noshing on a warm appetizer and enjoying a glass of wine. 

And this Baked Herbed Goat Cheese just happens to be one of those easy to make, chilly weather perfect savory finger foods. 

The herbed cheese mixture can be made in either a food processor of a bowl using a handheld mixer. While the tang of the goat cheese and sharpness of the Parmigiano-Reggiano give this spread it's great depth of flavor, the cream cheese gives it the perfect spreadable consistency.

The roasted cherry tomatoes on top add a pop of color and even more flavor. Because those sweet cherry tomatoes on the vine can be found year round at most grocery stores, you can make this Baked Herbed Goat Cheese in both cool and warm weather months. Although personally, it's one of my favorite cooler weather appetizers. 

What is not to love about a warm, creamy, cheesy, savory appetizer? Especially one this easy to make. If you were looking for something new to serve at your fall and/or winter gatherings, make this savory, luscious Baked Herbed Goat Cheese appetizer. More than likely it will be one going on regular repeat as it's that good.

Recipe

Baked Herbed Goat Cheese

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

10 ounces good quality goat cheese, room temperature

5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2-3 Tablespoons of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional, but really good if you are a garlic lover)

1 Tablespoon chives, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4  teaspoon white or black pepper

1 baguette, cut into 1/4" slices and grilled (or toasted in the oven)

Baby cherry tomatoes on the vine

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Place the cherry tomatoes on a vine on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees (F). 

3. In a medium sized bowl, blend the goat cheese and cream cheese together using a handheld mixer until creamy. Alternately blend these ingredients in a food processor.

4. Mix in the olive until incorporated.

5. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper until blended.

6. Lightly brush the bottom of one quart baking dish with olive oil. Transfer the cheese and herb mixture to the prepared baking dish.

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden and heated through.

8. Top with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Pour the olive oil the tomatoes were roasted in over the top of the baked herbed goat cheese.

9. Serve with the grilled or toasted baguette slices.

Notes: (1) Instead of using all three of the freshly chopped herbs, feel free to use a combination of your favorite two. Mine would be thyme and rosemary. (2) I love grilling slices of a baguette, but you could easily toast them in the oven or break up a baguette into pieces for a more rustic presentation.

Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella

We dodged the blizzard bullet this past weekend. However, in anticipation of the predicted heavy snowfall, I thought the forecast called for comfort food to fortify our bodies and spirits. First up was replenishing the freezer with balls of dough made from my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Followed by a trip to the grocery store to gather the ingredients for both pancakes and this hearty, soul satisfying, incredibly flavorful Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella. As it turned out, we didn't have to shovel any snow, but we ate pretty well. 

Beyond how satisfying it is, the Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella is a perfect, unfussy weeknight, weekend, Sunday dinner, or dinner party worthy dish. Paired with a fabulous salad, some warm crusty bread, and wine, you have all of the makings of a meal destined to make everyone sitting around the table feel both happy and content. 

There are technically two versions of this dish. The simple one and the more complicated one. The simple one uses a high quality store-bought arrabbiata sauce and store-bought pesto. The complicated one is made with homemade marinara and homemade pesto. The recipe below is for the simpler one. The simple, semi-homemade version makes it an even more enticing go-to dish.

With three kinds of cheese, could this Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella be any more irresistible? A ball of fresh mozzarella (cut up or broken up into pieces), grated mozzarella, and whole milk ricotta are the trifecta of cheesy goodness. If you want to give the ricotta even more body, I highly recommend you mix it with an egg yolk. Mild Italian sausage and arrabbiata sauce give this dish a bit of kick. However, if you want a slightly less spiced version, use chicken sausage and marinara sauce. 

Heavy cream and butter (should you decide to use it), adds both thickness and richness to the sauce. A small amount of butter goes along way, so one tablespoon is all you really need. When buying the pasta, I highly recommend using rigatoni, but you could also make it with ziti. But you should know there is a difference between the two. Rigatoni is usually made with durum wheat flour and is a tube shaped, ridged, flat end pasta. Ziti, on the other hand, is smooth with angled edges. Both work well in baked pasta dishes, however, the rigatoni has a slightly firmer bite than the ziti and it's ridges give the sauce something to cling to. I just happen to think the rigatoni makes the dish even more appealing.

The shredded mozzarella get mixed into the pasta, sauce, and sausage mixture, while the ball of fresh mozzarella gets cut up (or broken up) and evenly placed on top. Dollops of the enriched ricotta and pesto go on top of the pasta before it goes into the oven to bake.

In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella is covered with foil and initially baked for 15 minutes. After fifteen minutes, the foil is removed and the pasta continues to bake for another 15-20 minutes. Or until the cheese has melted and it cooked through the center.

If you want to add even more cheesiness (and you should), top the baked pasta with shavings of Parmigiano-Regianno before serving. Bring a bowl of additional shaved cheese to the table for those who really love cheese!  And for an even more impressive presentation, garnish the top with some fresh basil before serving!

If you are craving comfort food or need an excuse to host a casual dinner party, make this Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella! It's an incredibly delicious, hearty, simple yet impressive, almost effortless to make dish. One destined to become one of your go-to favorites! 

Recipe

Baked Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Ricotta & Mozzarella

Serves at least 8

Ingredients

16-20 ounces (461-567g) Italian sausage, casings removed and broken in pieces (more is better!)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound (454g) rigatoni (see notes)

32 ounce (907g) jar plus 1/2 to 1 additional cup (125-250g) of high quality arrabbiata or marinara sauce, store bought (recommend Rao's) or homemade. Note: You will need between 4 and 4 1/2 cups of sauce for this dish.

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (optional, but good)

1 cup (4 ounces/114g) shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounce (230g) ball of fresh mozzarella

1 cup (228g) whole milk ricotta

1 large egg yolk

1/4 to 1/2 cup (62g-124g) homemade or high quality imported pesto (I used about 1/3 cup of pesto)

Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Regianno

Fresh basil for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions. Drain and let cool slightly. Note: You want the rigatoni to be slightly al dente as it will continue to cook in the sauce when baked in the oven.  

3. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat.

4. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the arrabbiata sauce and heavy cream and cook just until slightly heated. For an even richer sauce, add in 1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter. Cook until the butter has melted. Note: Begin with using 4 cups of sauce. If after mixing the sauce with the pasta and cooked sausage you feel you would like a saucier dish, mix in the remaining 1/2 cup.

5. Add the cooked pasta and sauce to the skillet with the cooked sausage. Stir to combine. 

6. Immediately transfer to a 9" x 12" baking dish and mix in the shredded mozzarella.

7. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the whole milk ricotta and egg yolk. Evenly drop dollops of the enriched ricotta over the pasta.

8. Evenly insert pieces of the fresh mozzarella into the pasta dish.

9. Evenly place spoonfuls of the pesto on top of the pasta dish.

10. Place on the baking dish on baking sheet and tightly cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until completely heated through.

11. Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, top with some shaved parmigiano-regianno, and serve immediately.

Notes: (1) I used Rigatoni No. 50 from Rummo. (2) Four cups of store bought or homemade arrabbiata (or marinara) sauce is needed for this dish. I used a 32 ounce jar of Rau's Arrabbiata Sauce and used one cup from a 24 ounce jar. (3) You could assemble the dish early in the day, cover and refrigerate. Take the baking dish out of refrigerator at least 20 minutes before placing it in a hot oven.

Chicken Parmesan

Whether you call it Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Parmigiana doesn't really matter. They are the same thing. Mouthwatering deliciousness served either over fettuccini (my favorite pasta for this dish) or in a lightly toasted roll may be one of the most satisfying, flavorful dishes on the planet. Because seriously, what is not to love about a fried panko crusted chicken cutlet smothered in a luscious marinara sauce and topped with melted fresh mozzarella and freshly grated Parmigiano-Regianno?

Quite possibly the only reason you wouldn't put this dish near the top of one of your favorite comfort food meals is that you have been underwhelmed by ones you have tasted in a restaurant. And I get that. After years of being disappointed by the chicken parmesan served in a variety of restaurants (even in some good Italian ones), I am extremely hesitant to order it when dining out. But making Chicken Parmesan at home is a completely different story.  Here's the good news. You no longer have to settle for mediocrity or good enough. Because now can have the most spectacular, incredibly scrumptious, seriously craveworthy homemade version! This cheesy, crispy, hearty, saucy dish is one of those rare rustic, yet elegant dishes that is as much family dinner friendly as it is both Sunday supper and dinner party worthy. If there was ever a dish to put on regular repeat rather than relegating it only to special occasions, this is the one!

Served with a beautiful salad, some thickly sliced fresh Italian bread, and a great wine, a platter of Chicken Parmesan set over a bed of fettuccini is the makings of one of the most impressive, satisfying meals you can serve to your family and friends.

When it comes to breading the pounded, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (aka cutlets), there are no shortage of opinions as to which type of breading is best. Freshly made breadcrumbs, canned breadcrumbs, or Panko-style breadcumbs each have their own fan club. For me, it's Panko-style breadcrumbs as they add the right about of crispiness and crunch to the fried chicken breast. And rather than open up jars of dried spices to season plain panko bread crumbs, I prefer using (Italian) seasoned panko and adding additonal some garlic powder and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to further boost the flavor.

Keys to getting a perfectly cooked, crisp, yet moist chicken cutlet include: (1) pounding the chicken breasts to a 1/2" thickness; (2) dredging the cutlets in flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs; (3) frying in olive oil; and (4) cooking the cutlets (in batches) in a cast iron skillet for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Follow those simple rules and your golden brown Chicken Parmesan cutlets will be next level amazing!

If you have a favorite marinara sauce recipe, use it. But also feel free to use a high quality jarred marinara sauce (i.e., Rao's). It may sound a bit sacrilegious to even suggest using a jarred marinara sauce when making Chicken Parmesan, but there is much to be said about semi-homemade dishes. I mean, if Ina Garten (food goddess extraordinaire) can, well you can too! While the recipe below calls for only 24 ounces of marinara, I highly recommend you either make or buy more to serve warm on the side. As there will be some who like an even saucier Chicken Parmesan.

But when it comes to the mozzarella, use only fresh mozzarella for the absolute best flavor. Either the prepackaged one or the one you buy at your favorite specialty grocery store will work perfectly. Do not buy the ones labeled as low-moisture or low-fat mozzarella (this falls into the strong opinion category). 

When baking the Chicken Parmesan, begin by putting a layer of the marinara on the bottom of the heatproof baking dish before adding in the cooked chicken cutlets. Next, top with the slices of the fresh mozzarella. Finish with the marinara and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake the dish for 10 minutes at 400 degrees (F), then increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees (F) and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until you can see that the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, top with more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, some freshly chopped parsley and maybe even some fresh basil. Note: When baking the Chicken Parmesan, make certain to use a baking dish that can hold up to high temperatures. 

There are many ways to serve this Chicken Parmesan. You can serve it directly from the baking dish (with pasta on the side) for a casual, slightly rustic presentation. You can serve it over a bed of cooked fettuccini tossed in olive oil (or marinara) for a kind of wow factor presentation. Or you can serve it on lightly toasted Italian rolls for a casual, yet hearty lunch option. The choice is all yours! 

Recipe

Chicken Parmesan

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (approximately 2 pounds), pounded to 1/2" thickness and cut in up to 8-9 even sized pieces

1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon Kosher salt + 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup (88g) Italian seasoned Panko + 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder + 3 Tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Regianno

3 large eggs + 1 Tablespoon water

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for finishing

1 pound (453g) fresh mozzarella, cut into generous 1/4" slices

24 ounces (680g) jarred marinara, highly recommend Rao's - SEE NOTES

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Regianno, divided (plus more for finishing)

1 pound (454g) fettuccini cooked to your liking and tossed with olive oil when placed on the platter

Fresh basil leaves and chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

2. Set up your dredging assembly line: (1) shallow bowl with flour, Kosher salt and black pepper whisked together (2) eggs whisked with water and (3) Panko mixed with garlic powder and Parmigiano-Regianno.

3. Coat both sides of the chicken breasts with flour (shake off excess). Dip into the egg mixture. Lastly dredge in the panko mixture. Transfer to a sheet pan and repeat until all of the chicken cutlets have been coated.

4. In a cast iron skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Placing 2 -3 pieces of the chicken in the pan at a time, cook 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly golden. Repeat until all pieces of the chicken have been cooked.

5. Pour approximately 1/3 of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a large heatproof baking dish. Arrange the cooked chicken cutlets on top of the sauce. Top each of the breasts with the sliced fresh mozzarella cheese. Spoon the remaining sauce over the tops of the cheese and chicken. Sprinkle on some grated Parmigiano-Regianno.

6. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees (F). Increase the oven temperature to 500 (F) and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

7. Remove from the oven. Grate more Parmigiano-Regianno on top, lightly drizzle with some olive oil, and garnish with fresh basil and parsley. Serve with the cooked fettuccini either lightly tossed with olive oil or additional marinara.

8. Alternate serving options: (1) Place cooked pasta on a large serving platter. Top with the chicken parmesan.  Grate some additional Parmigiano-Regianno on top, lightly drizzle with some olive oil, and garnish with fresh basil and parsley. (2) Make Chicken Parmesan sandwiches using lightly toasted Italian Rolls.

Notes: (1) Highly recommend having another 12-20 ounces or more of marinara sauce, heated and served on the side. The extra sauce can be used to toss with the pasta or slather on bread. (2) I tossed my fettuccini in olive oil before putting on the platter and served the extra sauce on the side. (3) I used BelGioioso presliced fresh mozzarella cheese here.

Sakonnet Vineyard, Little Compton, RI (April 2023)

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Several weeks ago we decided the time had finally come to start repainting the interior of our house. One room at a time. The last time all of the walls got a fresh coat of paint was when we moved in almost fourteen years ago. Professional painters were hired to paint back then. Today the painter responsible for painting the house (one room at time) is someone I am affectionately referring to as Eldon. For those of you who remember the television show Murphy Brown you will remember Eldon, the painter who never seemed to finish painting. While my Eldon is taking painstaking care to make all of the necessary wall repairs and give them a professional finish, each room is taking about a week to get done. Which means I am living in a constant state of disarray. A little more than a week ago, Eldon starting painting the kitchen. Which meant all baking and cooking came to a complete halt. Maybe it was my not so subtle whining, but I was given a two hour baking window over the weekend. So I managed to make these incredibly delicious Cheddar Cheeses Crackers. And for the first time in a week all felt right in my world in spite of living in a state of chaos.

Way back in April 2016 I shared a recipe for some Rosemary Cheddar Crackers. Maybe they looked tedious to make because they were cut into little shapes. Maybe they didn't grab your attention because we weren't living in a pandemic and there were no shortages of any kind at the grocery store.  Or maybe the timing for sharing the recipe was a bit off. Whatever the reason or reasons, I decided to make a few minor changes to the recipe (mostly in technique), cut them into squares (less tedious), and now call them Cheddar Cheese Crackers (I would call them Cheez-Its, but that name has already been taken). With the upcoming holidays, some great miniseries to binge watch. and the current charcuterie board craze, this may be the perfect time to be making these Cheddar Cheese Crackers. Actually it is the perfect time to make them!

A homemade cheese cracker is almost always better than ones store bought. And these are definitely better than the ones out of the box you grew up eating!

With just six ingredients and some flaky sea salt, you can create the cheesiest crackers to snack on, to put on your charcuterie board, or to package up and share with friends. For the best, most mouth watering, cheesiest crackers use a good quality sharp cheddar cheese. A small amount of cayenne or Aleppo pepper further enhances the sharpness of the cheese flavor. There are a few ingredient differences between these crackers and the Rosemary Cheddar Crackers. These were made with a European style butter in order to add to the richness of the cracker. In addition to the Kosher salt in the dough, these were topped with some flaky sea salt. Instead of Aleppo pepper I used some cayenne pepper (although either would work). Lastly, I used a yellow sharp aged cheddar instead of white aged cheddar (even though kinds of cheddar would work well). While the changes weren't that significant, they all made for an even tastier cracker.

Chilling time on the dough was reduced from an hour to 30-45 minutes. And instead of rolling out the dough to an 1/8" thickness, these were rolled out to about 1/6" thickness. 

Rather than use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes, I used a ruler and a knife (a pizza cutter would work too) to create one inch squares this time. By cutting the dough into squares a lot less dough is wasted and/or needing to be rerolled out (the less you roll out the scraps of dough, the better chance your crackers will not be tough). Making holes in the crackers helps to release some of the 'steam' during the baking process as well as prevents your crackers from having bubbles. A cocktail straw was used to make the holes in the crackers but you could easily use the bottom of a skewer to make them.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F) so your baking trays go into a hot versus warm or cold oven.  Baking time for the crackers ranges from 16-20 minutes. For a crispier cracker your baking time will most likely be closer to the 20 minute mark. However, because all ovens bake up differently start checking your crackers at the 12 minute mark. Let your baked crackers cool on the baking sheet. 

Feel free to add some herbs (no more than 2 teaspoons if using rosemary, no more than 1 teaspoon of black pepper instead of cayenne/Aleppo pepper, or no more than 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs) to your dough or use something else other than a sharp cheddar. Please note that harder, drier cheeses may require a little more water to form the dough and softer cheeses may require less. At the moment I am smitten with the flavor of cheddar in these crackers and I am certain you will be too!

I loved these Cheddar Cheese Crackers so much they might find their way into some of the holiday boxes being sent out this year. A little something savory to balance out all of the sweetness. With any luck I will have my kitchen back well before I make a Thanksgiving dinner for two or start baking for the holidays. Maybe I should bribe Eldon with a few more of these melt in our mouth, cheesy, snappy Cheddar Cheese Crackers to speed things up a bit.

Recipe

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Makes approximately 82 one inch crackers

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature (if at all possible, use a European style butter)

8 ounces (227g) good quality, sharp cheddar cheese (use at least a 2 year old cheddar for a more cheesier cracker)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper

1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough

3 Tablespoons cold water

Flaky sea salt for finishing (e.g., Maldon Sea Salt)

Directions

1. Place butter and cheese, in the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse to combine.

2. Add the flour, salt, and cayenne/Aleppo pepper. Process until mixture resembles a coarse, sandy meal texture.
3. Add 3 Tablespoon of cold water. Pulse until mixture starts to come together in a ball. Do not over process or you will create a tough textured cracker.
4. Flatten dough into a four or five inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Lightly flour the surface used for rolling out the dough. Roll out to approximately 1/6" thickness. Note: Alternately roll the dough out to a thickness somewhere between 1/8" and 1/6".

7. Cut the dough into desired 1" shapes (using cookie cutters, pizza cutter, knife, etc.) Note: I used a ruler and a knife to create 1" squares.

8. Press 2 holes into each square/shape using a cocktail straw or end of a skewer.

9. Place crackers on the parchment paper lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1/2" between the crackers.

10. Sprinkle each square/shape with flaky sea salt.

11. Put one pan in oven and bake for 16-20 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Rotate pan midway through the baking process and start checking for doneness at 12 minutes. (Note: Baking time may vary based on the size and/or thickness of crackers. Larger crackers may take longer to bake. For a snappier, crunchier cracker your baking time will be longer.

12. Remove from the oven and allow the crackers to cool on the baking sheets. Optional: Sprinkle with a little bit more flaky sea salt.

13. Transfer to a bowl and serve. Or store in a sealed container or cellophane bag for up to 1 week, if they last that long.

Notes: (1) Bake only one baking sheet of crackers at a time. (2) Use a good quality, sharp cheddar cheese. The more aged the cheese, the drier the cheese will be. This may require you to add a slightly bit more water to the dough. Add in 1 teaspoon at a time. (3) I used a sharp yellow cheddar cheese. If you use a sharp white cheddar cheese, the color of your crackers will look different but will be equally delicious. (4) This is another adaption of the Red Chili and Cheddar Diamonds recipe in The Cheesemongers Kitchen cookbook .

Rotel Queso

 

There is something magical about experiencing the fall season out east when colors are at their peak. Especially when you get the chance to share one of your 'happy places' with really good friends. The four mile bridge run in Newport, Rhode Island was what prompted a glorious, memorable, fun, story-filled five day adventure. But the race was just an excuse for a getaway to visit some places three of my friends had never been before. Having lived on the east coast for several years, I served as the unofficial 'tour guide' (the perfect role for my Type A personality) while Mother Nature provided us with five days of the most exquisite fall weather. Our travels took us to the southern part of Maine, Nantucket, and Newport. All places having their own unique charm, beauty, and history. Our last meal before heading back home was at a classic Italian restaurant on Federal Hill in Providence. The food, the ambiance, and the impeccable service could not have been a more flawless finish to our epic adventure. I am almost certain we would all go back in heartbeat. 

As much as I loved being away, I am super excited to share the recipe for this Rotel Queso. The first time I learned about Rotel was when I lived in Jackson, Mississippi during the mid 80s. Someone brought in to the office (that was a place and thing back then) something they called a Rotel Dip. Served warm, it was made with a can of Rotel Tomatoes and melted Velveeta Cheese. I had wondered how it was that I had lived 'Rotel Dip' clueless for decades. This version takes the 'back of can recipe' for Rotel Dip to the next level. It's the chunkiest, cheesiest, heartiest, spiciest, most irresistible version. In other words, it's wickedly delicious.

On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of the time, effort and skill needed to make this Rotel Queso it's definitely a 1. But it's a 9, quite possibly a 10 on the cheesy dip scale!

Ground sirloin is browned and left slightly chunky before the ground Chipotle Chile, garlic powder and onion powder are mixed in. Allowing the spices to cook with the browned meat for about a minute makes this Rotel Queso even more flavorful. 

The entire can of Rotel (do not drain) and the cubed Velveeta go in last. Over medium-low heat, the queso cooks until the cheese has melted. The mixture will be luxuriously thick and creamy.

As soon as the queso comes together, transfer it to a serving dish or dishes. Garnish with some chopped cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Then surround with your favorite tortilla chips (thicker chips work better than thin ones). Serve the Rotel Queso immediately as it's intended to be served warm.

This Rotel Queso is destined to be a huge hit with your family and friends! It's the perfect excuse for having a gathering.

I find it hard to resist an almost effortless to make, uber delicious queso. But this Rotel Queso may rank up there as one of the most irresistible! The ratios of spices to meat to cheese is nothing short of queso perfection. So invent a reason to invite over your friends and serve them a bowl of warm Rotel Queso and large handfuls of tortilla chips. It will be definitely be a memorable gathering.

Recipe

Rotel Queso

Serves 6-8 as a hearty appetizer or 8-10 as a light appetizer

Ingredients

1 pound (457g) ground sirloin (90/10 mixture)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

18 ounces (510g) Velveeta Cheese, cubed

1 can (10oz) Rotel (original)

Tortilla Chips

Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed skillet, cook the ground sirloin until browned, breaking it up while cooking (but still leaving some chunks). Time: About 8-10 minutes.

2. Add in the ground chipotle chile, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to combine. Cook for about 1 minute.

3. Add in the cubed Velveeta and Rotel. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the cheese completely melts. Time: About 5-6 minutes.

4. Immediately transfer the Rotel Queso to a serving dish.

5. Top with chopped tomatoes and cilantro.

6. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. Enjoy immediately.

Notes: (1) Store any leftover Rotel Queso covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can be reheated in the microwave or over low heat on the stove. (2) Highly recommend using a ground sirloin as it has a lower fat content, yielding less fat when cooked. If using a higher protein to fat ratio beef (e.g., 85/15 you may need to drain the fat before adding the spices). (3) You can reheat any leftovers in the microwave or over low heat in a pan. (4) If you serve the Rotel Queso with a big bowl of homemade guacamole you have the makings of light supper!

Warren's Beach, Little Compton, RI (October 2022)