No Fear Beer Cheese Soup

Lee's a Ram's fan, and I'm a Packers fan.  So obviously, we're cheering for the commercials during this year's Super Bowl.  Still, this time of year, I think it's ok to pull out our favorite football soup of all time, especially when we're going to stay below freezing the entire week!  Beer Cheese Soup, or what I like to call, Wisconsin in a Bowl is just the ticket.  Our original one is delicious, and you can find the recipe here.  

But as our regular readers know, we're trying to clean up Lee's cooking and Margy's eating.  That brought us to our next step in slimming up our Super Bowl!  

Lee whipped up No Fear Beer Cheese Soup. Now, I'm a sucker for a good beer cheese soup and this one was no joke! It's a little thinner than your traditional beer cheese soup, and I thought that was actually a good thing.  In the original soup, the carrots got lost, you kind of wondered if they were there or if Lee used them just to make the ingredient picture look better.  In this soup, they're front and center, giving a delightful burst of flavor.

If you're ready to make it, here's what you need:

3 Carrots (peeled and diced)

1 White Onion (diced)

3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)

1 Shallot (diced)

2 Jalapenos (deseeded, diced)

2 bunches of Green Onions (sliced)

1 Stick of Butter

1 can of Beer (we live in St. Louis, so a Bud product was a must... sorry Milwaukee!) 

1 Tablespoon Dry Mustard

2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock (We made our own and used no salt)

4 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

2 Cups Gruyere Cheese (shredded)

3 Cups Half and Half 

2 Cups Flour

Resolution Jalapeno Poppers

So Jalapeno Poppers have become Lee's signature party take along.  Our favorite recipe is probably not the healthiest thing around with all the cheesy bacony goodness.  If you're throwing caution to the wind this year, you can check out the original recipe here.

We've been doing pretty good the last few weeks, moderating our calories and logging on My Fitness Pal (feel free to friend us over there!)  However, something was hovering in the distance that was sure to derail our resolve if we didn't plan ahead.  We knew we had to do something to slim up the Super Bowl!

Lee took a stab at the jalapeno poppers.  This might bring a tear to your eye... no bacon.  But they're still really delicious!!

He beefed up the filling with mushrooms and onions and covered them in panko bread crumbs to bring in just a little crunch.  If you're looking for something to slim up your Super Bowl, these are it!!

First, you'll need:

1 Package Mushrooms (Chopped)

1 Bunch Green Onions (Chopped)

1 Package Light Cream Cheese (Softened)

½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

½ Cup Shredded Italian Cheese

6 Large Jalapenos (Cored, Deseeded and Cut in Half)

2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

Seasoning Salt to taste (I used a Salt Free Variety)

1 egg white/water mixture

Shrimp Scampi and Grits

So a couple of months ago, you tried polenta with us, right?  And it was good, right?  So you trust us now.  Ok.  Grits.  I know that if you live north of the Mason Dixon line, you're scared of this weird Southern food.  I was too.  The first time I actually saw someone eat grits we were in West Virginia meeting some of Lee's family.  Until then I thought it was the type of food that people made up to make their kids feel better about what they had on their own plates.
Since then, grits have been making a culinary resurgence. Maybe it's just starting to migrate north, I don't know, but what I do know is that pretty frequently, I'll find them on a restaurant menu, paired with something tasty like shrimp or scallops.  I've found versions I love and versions I hate.

This is a version I love. It might have something to do with the cheese involved.  But this is Southern cooking, right?   Either way, when you take a bite of the grits they literally melt in your mouth.  It's like spoonfuls of heaven.  So yummy. But warning: Grits will fill you up!!
And then those shrimp!  Wow!   Buttery, lemony and so fresh! I couldn't get enough!

Oh and in case you're wondering, you find grits by the oatmeal in the grocery store.

Sausage and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

My Uncle Bill would hate this recipe.  Uncle Bill hates mushrooms... the texture, the taste, all of it.  My Uncle Bill is about the last person you would expect to have a nemesis, but mushrooms are truly his.  When we were kids and we would get pizza with him, he always got sausage and onion instead of our family's usual sausage and mushroom. I thought he and my aunt were exotic. 

I figured out later that they were not exotic, they were crazy.  Mushrooms are the best. 

One of Lee's first dinners for me included stuffed mushrooms and that pretty much sealed the deal for me.  This recipe is a little different from the original, but no less delicious.  It's a little lighter than the traditional all sausage or my favorite cream cheese and crab.

When mixed together, the crab and sausage are a powerhouse of tastiness.  


This is a great make ahead dish,  Lee was making sausage for breakfast and saved a portion of that cooked sausage for this recipe. He also mixed everything and stuffed my mushrooms early in the afternoon and refrigerated them until I was ready for dinner.

Veggie Sandwich with Dill Mayo

So if you're still on a sugar high from the Butterfinger cake, here's a cure!

Okay so I know this is just a sandwich and everyone can make one, but seeing as it's garden season and ours will be ready soon, we wanted to share this deliciousness with you.

We did a trial run today to see what we can make with all our delicious veggies.  Sure unless you live in California, you will still have to buy Avocados and cheese but believe me it's worth it.

This is so tasty that you won't even miss the meat and we are a meat eating couple. If we didn't miss it, you won't either.

Taco Pizza

The more we make our own pizzas, the more I wonder why frozen pizzas exist.  I mean, these things are so easy to make and SOOOOO much better than just about anything you can pull out of the freezer.
This weekend, Lee threw together this tasty taco pizza.  Refridgerated can dough, refried beans, all the taco toppings and Doritos!   Ok, it's not terribly healthy, but it's super good.

Super Easy Mozzarella Sticks

I spent a good part of my early 20's looking for the best boxed or fast food mozzarella sticks.  I never found one that gave me the best crunch plus a stretchy, gooey cheese without a lot of work.  I wish I knew Lee back then!
If you have the deep love for cheese sticks like I do, you're going to really really love these.  If you're lazy, you're going to love these.  They make up in minute and the cheesy burst with crunchy shell make them 100% awesome!

Homemade Cheese-Its Crackers

I came home from work today to find a snack waiting on the counter.  I popped them in my mouth without asking what they were- which sometimes can be a household hazard here.  Immediately I recognized the taste- cheese-its!   

Pastelon (Puerto Rican Lasagna)

Here’s one example of a bunch of ingredients that you’re going to read and say, “oh no, that will never work!”  But trust me, they do.  They work together beautifully!

Lee discovered this one from this blog by way of Pintrest. 

The sweet plantains form your layers, dividing the meat and filling like noodles in traditional lasagna.  Instead of marinara, fluffy eggs hold everything together.  The raisins pop like candy in the mouth and the beef grounds it all together.  Don’t be afraid when the house starts smelling smoky spicy from the adobo mix, it gives the meat some body without adding any spice. 

This is a recipe you need to try right away, it’s amazing and VERY filling.  Serve it for dinner or breakfast, you can’t go wrong!  

Cheeseburger Pie

Cheeseburger pie? For serious?  I yelled at Lee a little when he told me he was making this.  After all, we ARE trying to eat more healthily.  But sometimes, you just have try the deliciousness.   
This crustless pie is a lot like a very meat dense quiche.  The egg is a little surprising, but livens up the flavor of the whole dish.  And of course, when you add cheddar cheese to the top of anything, that makes it even better.  
Now, most of you out there are going to use ground beef for that and that's cool, but we used a ground venison and pork mixture that we had on hand. We served ours with the Polenta Fries that we posted last night... a perfect pairing! 

Beer Cheese Soup

We were planning on the Packers being in the Super Bowl when we made our menu, yeah, Lee was THAT excited about cooking on Super Bowl day.  So what is more Wisconsin than beer cheese soup? I mean, that's Wisconsin in a bowl!  
I've long been a beer cheese soup aficionado and the last time we tried it at home, it had the consistency of ball park nacho cheese, not cool.  

 

Chicken Enchiladas

We really like watching the Soup on E!  My favorite segment is Chat Soup, the tagline for the segment is “So Meaty!”   That’s exactly how you can describe today’s dish. 

I know, enchiladas with Lee can be scary… how spicy will they be?  Today’s aren’t so bad.  A mild sauce was used and the gentle smokiness of the chipotle peppers in the adobo sauce made for a gentle heat that was pretty enjoyable. 

These were stuffed full of tasty chicken and topped with a couple of kinds of cheeses.  The tortillas heat up just enough to give a great crunch.  You’re going to love these!

Chicken Paninis and Pimento Pickles

Our Saturday ritual is to get up early and hit the grocery store before everyone else is out and about.  Then we’ll come home, have lunch or breakfast (whichever is more time appropriate) and take on the day.  

Today we got a much later start than usual and ended up at the store during BUSY time!  Not the best way to start the day.  

Luckily, we were able to keep motivated by remembering what would be waiting for us when we got home.  We picked up a rotisserie chicken and Lee made it into a delicious Panini.  

New Year's Feast- Easy Cheese Dip

So you’ve probably spent a significant amount of time getting everything else ready.  Are you ready for the simplest dip ever?    Here it is.  Cheese, rotel tomatoes and pork sausage… that’s it! 
Throw an open bag of chips on the table next to it (use a bowl if you're feeling classy) and you're done!

Cheesy Cheese Dip ready to eat!

Cheese and Sausage Dip


1 large package Velveeta Cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 lb Sausage like Jimmy Dean