chorizo

Chorizo Queso Dip with Beer and Chiles (Try It Over Fries!)

This spiced up queso cheese dip skips the fake stuff and is made with real cheese instead. Chorizo and chiles add the heat that’s then cooled down with every football lovers favorite flavoring: BEER! Serve it with chips or even better, pile it on french fries for a riff on the classic poutine.

This post is brought to you by Kroger

Football season has it’s signature trigger words ending in -ING: Passing. Scoring. Tailgating.Watching. Cheering. Drinking and eating.

But for this foodie, my favorite action word ending in -ING has been and always will be GRAZING.

At this stage in life’s game I’m miles away from being an arm-chair quarterback when it comes to tailgate snacking. Listen guys, I’m a pro. For me, it’s all about getting in the game and grazing on a little bit of this and some more of that, and bites of all of the shareable eats game days are known for.

So whether it’s a high school play-off, college rivalry, or the Super Bowl, this girl is ready to go the distance.

One of the most popular recipes to make around game day is a cheesy queso dip, and while I typically like to eat healthy, when it comes to tailgating, all bets are off, but I still want to eat real food.

Too many of the recipes I’ve seen use pasteurized cheese to achieve that creamy texture so that’s why I set out to make one that’s creamy, but still real, and loaded with flavor.

continue to the recipe… about Chorizo Queso Dip with Beer and Chiles (Try It Over Fries!)

Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe

Chicken thighs are nestled in Spanish-flavored rice with Spanish chorizo, green olives, and garbanzo beans for the ultimate one-pot meal.

I pretty much live at my local Smith’s Marketplace.

It’s where I shop for groceries for the blog, and for my family’s dinner. It’s where I buy all of the little green seedlings for my garden. It’s where I shop for hooks and screws, birdseed, my daughter’s never ending supply of footie golf socks, and fingernail polish.

I even fill up my car there. I mean, there’s no way I’m turning away that extra gas discount I get points for whenever I go through the checkout. Not to mention it’s only 1 mile away from my house. Cha-ching.

That’s why this year I’m beyond thrilled to be a Kroger blogging ambassador, where I will be creating and sharing recipes featuring all sorts of products from Kroger grocery stores for my family, and for yours.

We’re starting our year-long partnership off with a mega dose of Spanish-cha-cha flavor, and routing ourselves to the cuisine of Spain to celebrate Kroger’s Taste of Spain event beginning April 3. I’m sharing my version of Spanish Chicken with Rice, traditionally called Arroz con Pollo, dosed up with the tang of authentic Spanish chorizo, saffron and green olives.

Spanish dancer emoji approved! 💃💃💃💃💃

continue to the recipe… about Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe

Zucchini and Chorizo Cheese Toast

Spicy chorizo gives a nice kick to this cheesy gouda and squash topped toast which can easily be doubled for a crowd pleasing appetizer or main meal.

I’m always happy to add an appetizer to a family meal, but when they get too dainty and precious, that’s when I bow out.

Finger food. Tidbit. Munchie.

Really? I want (wo)man food. I want flavor. I want a mouthful. I want an appetizer that doesn’t leave me lurking over someone else’s shoulder as they reach and snatch that last canapé at the buffet table.

Foiled again by a measly morsel of food.

That’s why this cheese toast is so extremely satisfying. Sure it could be cut down to size as an easy appetizer with full-strength satiation, but the beauty lies in its ability to stand on its own bread basket and become a meal in itself.

When you take the combination of seasonal squash, sturdy but still toothsome bread, spiced up sausage and cheese, oh glorious cheese!, then my friends, you have a recipe that’s going to do just fine holding its own.

continue to the recipe… about Zucchini and Chorizo Cheese Toast

Blackened Seafood Pasta

This is one of those dishes that originated in one of our favorite restaurants—actually the restaurant where my husband and I met—and made it’s way to our at-home dinner table.

It’s one that is so good, you figure out what that special thing is that makes it so craveable and it becomes part of your family foodie vernacular.

Blackened Seafood Pasta. It’s what’s for dinner.

continue to the recipe… about Blackened Seafood Pasta

Chorizo and Peppadew Pepper Grilled Cheese

What is that you see? A towering inferno? No, just a deliciously lipsmackerlicious Spanish-style grilled cheese sandwich. What? What’s that you say? Oh man! Say it ain’t so! Grilled Cheese Month has nearly closed it’s doors, making way for Mother’s day brunch, Cinco de Mayo spiciness and so many asparagus recipes bopping about the web we probably won’t even have to eat the tender stalks to feel their superpower affects.

I may have to rebel and stay in April with my gooey grilled cheese. Although I do have one final grilled cheese recipe that I’m saving to transition into May. I have a hard time saying goodbye.

So. I’m going to be judging a contest, the Grilled Cheese Academy Recipe Showdown, and I can’t believe the goodness that’s been submitted so far. Like a marathon runner in training, I’ve been doing my due diligence and expanding my stomach in preparation for the big event. Like that was hard. If you haven’t yet, I really, really hope you enter. Because there are some SERIOUS prized to be won. Like serious. And I can’t win them. So I want you to instead. Plus I want some inspiration to glean for grilled cheese month NEXT year. Enter and get more info at the Grilled Cheese Academy site.

This photo of my husband hand modeling is for Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious. We have a thing about using our men for free labor. And have you seen her amazing grilled cheeses? Blueberries on a waffle. And cheese!

And now let’s get to that recipe with more cheese…continue to the recipe… about Chorizo and Peppadew Pepper Grilled Cheese

Roasted Artichokes with Chorizo Dressing and an Artichoke Recipe Round-Up

I look forward to this time of year, all year long. That may not make sense when you read it but try saying it out loud. Loud and proud. There you go. See, it works.

With the neighbors firing up their lawn mowers for the first spring shave (as we currently sit in the midst of a snow storm) and the grasses green and the trees bloom (where’s my hay fever meds?) I find myself craving the same foods I do every spring: Fresh, clean and flavorful. Gotcha! You thought I was going to say chocolate and cheese. No, that’s every day, not just a particular season.

Flavor. That’s what makes these roasted Artichokes with Chorizo Dressing leap straight to the top of the want list.

I have a lot of artichoke recipes in my go-to recipe drawer, er, filed in my head: pasta, pizzas, with eggs and chicken. So far only Chicken Tzatziki Pizza with Artichokes, Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese (come back tomorrow for another grilled cheese recipe to celebrate Grilled Cheese Month) and my second post ever, Spring Artichokes have made it to the blog.

Which leaves plenty of room to develop and share a lot more with you lucky devils.

Some of my favorite recipes are from canned artichokes—my faves are from Trader Joe’s—packed in water. Which is awesome because then I can cure the crave any time of year. But when fresh artichokes are in season? Forget about it. I’m going fresh.

While I usually hold out for the Ocean Mist brand at Costco because they are big, have tightly bunched leaves and I’ve found have the most meat on the leaf, my local store isn’t carrying them yet. So I went mini. I found these baby artichokes at Whole Foods, and bingo, they’re from Ocean Mist, so the first time I bought them I knew they’d be good. I was right.

This recipe is one I’ve kept in my piles, and I mean piles (just ask my husband who I believe is currently devising a strategic plan to rid the house of all “reference material”) of recipes pulled from magazines over the past 10 years. And even more when it comes to Thanksgiving, but that’s another season entirely so it’ll have to wait.

continue to the recipe… about Roasted Artichokes with Chorizo Dressing and an Artichoke Recipe Round-Up

Cheesy Chorizo Caramelized Onion Dip Recipe

Boys will be boys. And boys like football. And cheese. And sausage.

My husband, like so many guys out there and quite a few ladies with a penchant for competition, is a big football fan.

He isn’t as nutty as some dudes out there who are obsessed with their Fantasy Football leagues or who lay down hard-earned cash on the spreads in Vegas. And you won’t find him sporting his favorite team’s football jersey other than on the occasional game day. But you will hear him yelling very naughty, naughty words at the T.V. when a bonehead referee makes a bad call—or at least a call against his team.

Yes my husband is a fan. But my dad…oh my dad. HE is THE fan. Over the years he’s been known to be somewhat obsessive with his viewing pleasures. continue to the recipe… about Cheesy Chorizo Caramelized Onion Dip Recipe