I kinda go through food phases.

I get stuck on something and I have to have it for a few weeks in a row.

Right now it's  Brianna's New American Pasta Salad.

It's the perfect snack when I'm hungry in between meals and it's a great side dish.

I make a big batch of this at the start of my week and eat on it all week long.... and so should you....cause' it's dang good.




I usually half this order:

1 16 oz box of Rotini
1 8 oz container of crumbled feta cheese
2 cans of black sliced olives
2 whole tomatoes or 1 pkg of cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh sweet basil, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
1 bottle of Brianna's New American Salad Dressing

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, drain and allow to cool. Once the pasta reaches room temperature add all the ingredients, mix thoroughly and chill before serving.

Step 1- This is by far the hardest part of the recipe....unwrapping the Rolo's without eating all of them in the process.


Step 2- Arrange the pretzels on a lined cookie sheet, place Rolo's directly on top and put in the oven @350 for about 10-12 minutes or until the chocolate starts to sink down. You don't want to get the candies too hot, just warm enough that it will smush easily.


Step 3- Once you take them out of the oven immediately place the pecan half on top of the Rolo and smush it down.

*I had a bit of extra chocolate that I melted and drizzled on top and added a pinch of sea salt. I would say this step is not necessary but I'm addicted to salt so it seemed like a good idea.

This next dip is one of my favorites. I love me some creamy jalapeno dip {aka Chuy's sauce}. I thought while you were at the store getting the cilantro for the queso you might as well grab an extra bundle to make this dip.

Ingredients:
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1/2-1 cup of milk
1 bunch of cilantro
4 tablespoons of pickled jalapenos
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp of granulated garlic (I've used fresh garlic and it gives you crazy dragon breath the next day.)
1 tablespoon of lime juice.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and run it until you get a smooth consistency. I add the first 1/2 cup of milk before blending and slowly add the rest while blending until I get the consistency I'm wanting.The dip always thickens once refrigerated.
This is one of those recipe's you might have to scoop out a bit and give it a taste to see if you need to add anything. I typically end up adding more jalapenos as I go. If you use pickled jalapenos you might want to cut back on the lime juice. The pickled jalapenos have a tangy flavor because of the vinegar and it can get to strong with the added lime juice.
Oh yummy! I can't wait to eat some of this. This is a dangerous dip for me to make if I'm home alone and not taking it anywhere because I just can't control myself.

I eat this with extra thin tortilla chips but my husband likes it with potato chips. Really....you can't go wrong.

This post has played over in my head time and time again and I just couldn't work up the strength to share it. It's kinda one of those tricks up my sleeve that I didn't want to let out. Then, the more I thought about all of you eating Velveeta and Rotel queso this Super Bowl Sunday the more I knew I had to end the trend of sub-par cheese dip.
I know some of you are hatin' me right now for knocking Velveeta and Rotel and if you feel that way then your most likely not going to try this. But....for those of you who are longing for something more....then I'm about to deliver you out of so-so queso and into the world of "take your finger and squeegee the bowl for every last drop" queso.

Your going to need fresh produce to make pico de gallo or you can purchase fresh pico from your grocery store.

If you purchase fresh pico you will still need lots of fresh cilantro.


In the section of the scary processed cheese you will bypass the big yellow box and look for white american cheese. Our store doesn't sell it without jalapenos in it so if yours does that works just as well and the box may look different.


Ingredients:
1 large box (2 lbs) of White American Cheese
1.5-2 cups of fresh pico
1 cup fresh cilantro (If you added lots of cilantro to your homemade pico then reduce this amount to 1/2 cup)
1 large lime (squeeze the juice and add some of the pulp)
1 chopped jalapeno
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle paste
1 tsp of extra hot sauce (use whatever you have available) I personally use Freebirds death sauce.
1/2 cup of cream or half and half
1-2 cloves of minced fresh garlic




Put it all together and heat until well mixed. You can also add some mexican cheese Queso Fresco if your feeling extra fancy. This stuff is AMAZING! I promise you won't dissapoint if you show up to a party with this in tow...just beware you may be asked to make it time and time again by the man in your home.

 *Sorry I dont have a pic of the finished  product. It goes pretty quick once it's ready.

{Side story}
When I was in college I had one of the most wonderful meals at a friends great grandmothers home. This lady was in her 90's and still whipping up some of the most delicious meals. Her coconut cream pie was to die for so I asked her for the recipe and she quickly told me "no." I thought she was kidding but I'm here to tell you...she went on to enlighten me that a women in her day and time never shared a a good recipe with another women. She said a good recipe was the way women got a good man back then and you didn't just hand out your goods to anybody. 
I got my man...I guess I can share the recipe now.