Whenever I used to travel to Texas on business my hosts would never take me to a Mexican restaurant, assuming that since I’m from San Diego I probably have it often enough at home. But the Mexican food we have in California isn’t quite the same as in Texas. True Tex-Mex is a variety all its own…and one I’d love to get to know better.

This Tex-Mex-style queso was the dip I was actually most looking forward to making of the three I’ve shared for Dip Week (see also the 7-Layer Dip and Tomatillo-Lime Salsa). The word queso literally means “cheese” in Spanish, but it also describes an amazing fondue-like dip with chile peppers, green onions and tomatoes swimming in a melted blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. That’s my kind of dip.

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© Cooking On the Side, 2010. | Permalink: http://cookingontheside.com/its-dip-week-queso/

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Dip Week on Cooking On the Side continues…with Tomatillo-Lime Salsa.

I wish I could let you taste this salsa through your computer screen because it’s unlike most salsas I’ve ever tasted. It’s not zesty like a pico de gallo or spicy like a chipotle salsa. It’s not sweet like a mango salsa, although the lime juice adds a touch of sweetness. “Fresh” is really the best word to describe it.

Something interesting happens when tart tomatillos (aka green tomatoes) unites with lime juice and zest. You still get the tartness, but it’s mellowed out a bit by the citrus, leaving you with this really bright, fresh, mouthwatering flavor on your palate. And then when you dip in a salty tortilla chip…it’s pretty much a flavor explosion.

I’ve got one more dip left to share this week – I promise it’s a good one!

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© Cooking On the Side, 2010. | Permalink: http://cookingontheside.com/its-dip-week-fresh-tomatillo-lime-salsa/

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I hit the mother lode…on the back of a bag of tortilla chips.

A whole menu of fabulous Mexican and southwestern party dips is printed on the Mission Tortilla Strips bag! With lots of celebrations and family gatherings coming up this time of year I’m declaring this week Dip Week on Cooking On the Side and making a few of the recipes to share on the blog. First up: a personal favorite of mine, 7-Layer Dip.

I can’t tell you how many times I brought a 7-layer dip to school potlucks or scout meetings when I was growing up. The seven layers, in case you’re not familiar with this great dip, are: refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, black olives and cheddar cheese (there’s sometimes a little variation, but generally you see most of these ingredients). Half the fun is digging deep through the layers with your tortilla chip, all the way down to the beans, to create the perfect bite with a little of everything on it. I don’t remember whether I was the one who always requested it (I imagine I was) or if it was just my mom’s standby dish, but I do remember watching my mom assemble all of those yummy layers quite often. It was always a crowd pleaser.

Flash forward a few decades to last week – I found myself with the decision of what to make for my daughter’s year-end preschool potluck. It was my first time bringing food to school as a parent and I didn’t really deliberate about it for too long. In our family, we bring 7-layer dip!

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© Cooking On the Side, 2010. | Permalink: http://cookingontheside.com/its-dip-week-7-layer-dip/

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Bacon has been a bit overhyped lately…but not for lack of a good reason. The truth is bacon really does impart such an irresistable smoky, salty flavor to so many foods. I unabashedly still love bacon, especially when it’s paired with something sweet. If you’re with me, you’re going to want to look into these Bacon Wrapped Sweet & Sour Meatballs the next time you’re in need of a crowd-pleasing hot appetizer. Like, say, for watching the Super Bowl?

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© Cooking On the Side, 2010. | Permalink: http://cookingontheside.com/bacon-wrapped-sweet-sour-meatballs/

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It isn’t the holidays until someone breaks out a cheese log, am I right? Well this year I guess that someone is me. I can honestly say I’ve never really been all that into cheese logs. The whole concept is so odd…rolling out cheese into log form, crusting it in nuts and serving it with crackers? It’s just always seemed like this strange retro holiday food that’s continued to show up on appetizer tables inexplicably over the years.

I decided to make one – what the heck? What convinced me was the ingredient list in this recipe, which actually sounded like something I’d want to eat. Feta, cream cheese, Swiss cheese and honey? That combo was sure to be super tangy and a little bit sweet. And I’ve definitely demonstrated my affinity for cranberries and pecans over the past month. It would come together quickly and I could easily refrigerate and transport it to the holiday party I’m attending on Tuesday. Really…what’s not to like?

So I abandoned my past judgments on the issue and made one tasty holiday cheese log.

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© Cooking On the Side, 2009. | Permalink: http://cookingontheside.com/holiday-cheese-log-with-cranberries-pecans/

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