RBR Tailgating: Buffalo Chicken Dip

I married into a family of hors d’oeurve lovers. Cheese and crackers are de rigueur for even the most casual get together. Holidays earn you some Summer sausage. Triscuits and pita crisps, manchego Irish cheddar. These are the staples of the living room coffee table when company is expected.

My family would put out a spread for special occasions. Sausage with mustard and crackers was the most common, but on occasion we would have my favorite of the guests-are-coming rotaion: peanut butter and crumbled bacon on a cracker. Wheat Thins were the best and by crumbled bacon I mean honestly fried bacon that was torn or crunched to pieces. No Bac-O-Bits allowed. Jiff, at least.

Family lore will get warped and wrapped, but the peanut butter and bacon was a pass down from Moddie as best I can tell, the name one of my father’s cousins gave to my great grandmother. She had a dress shop in the Gross Point on the outskirts of Detroit. Among her customers, and later among her circle of friends, was Mrs. Ford of those Fords. She was a lady accustomed to a mannered and gentile society. The depression was a bit of a shock.

Cheap peanut butter and a bit of tasty pork kept up appearances during some hard times, but it was tasty enough to endure when lean gave way to fat. Gracious is gracious and welcome is feeding. That’s not the tailgate recipe by the way, but bacon and peanut butter, on a cracker or between toasted wheat bread as a sandwich, is among one of life’s great pleasures. Take note.

Back to hors d’oeurve, this dip is a staple of our game day. Typically my sister in-law makes it and it’s her tried and true that I’m posting. For the record she sent me this recipe with the express understanding that I could print it on this site, that recipes cannot be copyrighted, and that I have a record showing her knowledge of my intent to publish the recipe. She’s a lawyer so you have to cover your bases.

Sister In-law Buffalo Chicken Dip

- Pulled precooked chicken, two or three breasts

- 1 cup hot sauce (I used Pete’s)

- 1/3 cup blue cheese dressing

- 8 oz. cream cheese

- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

This isn’t too hard. Put all that stuff in a bowl.

Stir it all together.

Put it in an oven at 350˚F for 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips. Better yet, slices of toasted bread, but that’s a bit of a paine. You don’t need to put sliced scallions on top, but if you are taking pictures of the finished dish, it gives some contrast to the dullish and oppressive orange color that dominates.

We did okay without this game last year so it’s a bit of a chore that we have to do this. I want the SEC championship. I really do. But it’s secondary and last year spoiled us.

The last nine years spoiled us.

I have a twelve and six year old and no idea how to explain to them that this run of success is not normal.

Here we go again, once more into the… Did you guys know that that Blondie has an album called “Once More Into The Bleach?” that has to be the best album name ever.

Enjoy, no injuries, and Roll Tide.