Pretzel Beer Dip Mac & Cheese

 

This is comfort food at it’s most decadent!!  A great dish to serve on a football Sunday or any day you need a comfort food hug.

 
Ingredients:

2 blocks cream cheese - softened

5 cups (or more) cheese variety – shredded
12 oz your favorite beer
1 T whole grain or Dijon mustard
3 tsp dry Ranch dressing mix
4 scallions – thin sliced
¾ - 1lb cooked pasta – al dente
1½ C pretzels – crushed
2-3 T butter – melted
Salt & pepper to taste

Using a mixer (hand or stand) cream together cream cheese, mustard, ranch mix and beer.   Stir in scallions and shredded cheeses. I used a cheddar blend, Colby/Jack and parmesan – you can use whatever you’d like.  I added a large pinch of salt and a good amount of fresh ground black pepper – add what you like.  Add your cooked pasta and combine well. 

Pour mix into a well sprayed casserole dish.  Mix crushed pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle evenly on top.  Bake in a 350° oven for 45-60 minutes --- you’ll know when it’s bubbly delicious!!  Let sit about 10 minutes and serve.  Enjoy!!

Nee Nee’s Classic Fish Chowder

 This is a creamy soup is reminiscent of clam chowder but loaded with flakey white fish and shrimp; A sure cure for the cold weather blues!

Ingredients:

3 T Olive oil

1 med onion diced
3-4 garlic cloves minced
2 leeks cleaned and sliced
1 small celery heart diced (including leaves)
4 medium carrots diced
1 large potato peeled and diced
1 C white wine
1 tsp tarragon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 bay leaves
1 qt seafood stock
2-3 C cubed fish of your choice
1-2 C shrimp in bite-size pieces
1 pint heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a soup kettle or Dutch oven.  Sauté onions, leeks, celery and carrots (season with salt & pepper).  When vegetables begin to look translucent, add garlic and sauté until fragrant.   Add wine and next 3 ingredients.  Allow the wine to simmer and reduce slightly then add the seafood stock and diced potato.  Bring to a light boil until carrots and potato are just barely cooked (not mushy).  Taste broth and reseason with salt & pepper as needed.  Add fish and shrimp and allow to simmer until barely cooked through.  Add cream, bring to a good simmer until all ingredients are cooked. 

Fish:  I like white fish in my soup, but I’ve seen it made with salmon, scallops or whatever you like.

Optional:  You can make up a cornstarch slurry and add it to the soup when it’s at a light boil to thicken the soup if you like.