Fix-It and Forget-It

Planning a Super Bowl party? Here’s a unique and very tasty slow-cooker dip with a tangy blue cheese twist. We like the way the blue cheese flavor comes through clearly, without being overpowering. This dip is wonderful with crackers and raw veggies, but we can see it pairing nicely with Buffalo wings as well. Continue Reading...

I sucked in my breath when I heard “artichokes.” They wanted to serve “Roasted Pepper and Artichoke Spread” as an appetizer at the women’s dinner where I had been invited to speak. Continue Reading...

Put this hot, bacon-y dip on your holiday buffet table, and prepare to receive compliments. Continue Reading...

Rebecca is my daughter. She’s a very good cook. While I couldn’t get her to chop an onion when she was growing up, she’s become a cook who tries everything now—successfully. Continue Reading...

This may be one of those topics—like religion and politics—that are best avoided during social occasions. Botanically speaking, it can be argued that corn is a vegetable, a grain, or a fruit—or all three.

But we’re not speaking botanically. From a menu-planning point of view, is corn a vegetable? Would you serve roast beef with mashed potatoes and corn and consider it a well-rounded meal, or would you feel like you needed another “real” vegetable to make this a nutritionally correct meal? (And by “real” vegetables we mean something that our kids would probably consider less appealing than corn. Something like beets, say, or a green salad with tomatoes.) Or put it this way: Do the fiber and yummy taste of corn offset the hefty carb count?

Wherever you come out on this question, we think you’ll agree that our recipe for Cheesy Corn is a winner of a side dish. What you serve it with is up to you. (But we’d probably add that green salad!)

Cheesy Corn
Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, Revised & Updated, page 230
Makes 10 servings
Prep. Time: 5-7 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

3 16-oz. pkgs. frozen corn
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed
¼ cup butter, cubed
3 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
6 slices American cheese, cut into squares

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Mix well.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours, or until heated through and the cheese is melted.

I love mashed potatoes. Who doesn’t—and not just for holidays, but year-round? But I don’t make them as often as I’d like because of the time and effort they require. Also, if I’m hosting friends or family for a meal, mashed potatoes need way too much attention just as the meal is coming together. Who needs more stress then?

I did discover a great solution so we can have mashed potatoes any time. Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes eliminate the last-minute pressure when making this must-have side dish. I simply prepare the potatoes ahead of time, whenever it’s most convenient, and then heat them up in my slow cooker before serving them. Another huge perk of doing it this way is that I’m not tying up stove space, so I have more room to prepare other food.

So the next time you’re hosting, make your side dish a few days ahead and enjoy a night of stress-free entertaining.
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The Hot Beef Dip was a big hit here at the office. We loved the warm and spicy flavor mixed with the crunch of a cracker. This dip would be great as an appetizer or with a hearty soup such as Italian Chicken Chili.
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