Jalapeno Popper Dip

A funny thing happened with two new hires. Hope hired Jeanette Brunner to help out in her Deli. Btw, I have to say here, Jeanette is a great cook and fantastic mom. Meanwhile. Todd hired Vinnie Stalter in Grocery. Jeanette was here several days when to her surprise SON Vinnie clocked in for his first day. Neither Mom nor son knew the other worked here. As if that's not enough, they live in the same house! We're glad to have them both. AND a pretty good story. 

Anyway, one day Jeanette brought this INCREDIBLE dip to work and shared with everyone. IT. IS. DELISH. Warning ~ this is definitely for a cheat day :)

Jalapeno Poppers Dip
½lb  bacon, chopped
5 fresh jalapeño, diced
5 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 tbs kosher salt
2 tbs ground pepper
2 tbs granulated garlic
1 tbs granulated onion
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
2-8oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°

Fry bacon, adding the jalapeno and garlic at the end and letting simmer for a few minutes. With a spoon, remove from the pan along with a little bacon grease, set aside. Combine the dry ingredients as well as cheddar cheese then add the bacon mixture, mix well. In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream and cream cheese. Add ½ to ¾ of the bread crumbs to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly, scrape into a small casserole dish or pie pan, top with remaining bread crumbs.

Bake for approx 20 min.

Serve hot with IGA's fresh deli made tortilla chips!

If you have a Hometown Happening coming up THIS is the dip for you!

Thanks for all you do Jeanette~

Yogi and the Pic-a-nic basket

I have seen 4 bears in my life (outside of my trip to Yellowstone, you can't throw a rock without hitting a grizzly there :). The first was on a bike ride to Genesee with Linda Erway, it crossed the road right in front of us! The second was on highway 32 by Potato Patch campground, at about the same time my father passed away. The other two have been right over by Thompson Peak. I don't have a picture of any of them, the moment was all consuming for me. Every time it has given me an even deeper appreciation for our wilderness. 

In the summer when Rick and I get off work we are like kids when the school bell rings! Rushing through chores on lunch hours, before work or before bedtime so those prime hours can be spent playing outdoors. This means meals are eaten on the go. We refer to it as a dinner date! It's the best. Loading up the camp stove to cook hotdogs on the mountain is a real treat (be sure you have a permit and are in an area where this is allowed AND SAFE). 

The other evening was when I saw the 4th bear. Rick and I were on one of the backroads between Thompson and Red Rock Lookout. Deli Manager, Hope Browning had made us the most delish sandwiches for dinner. We stopped at a beautiful meadow and there it was, cinnamon coat gleaming in the sunlight as he/she lumbered along in that bear way. Glorious. The meadows are filled with flowers, the streams flowing, this is the time to get out there! You might even get to see a bear! Our deli would be happy to take care of dinner for you. 

Here is my standing sandwich order~

Onion Roll (our deli breads are made fresh in the Bakery each night)

Best Foods Mayo, just a little

Salsa Turkey, half the usual amount

Provolone

Spinach

Tomato

Onion
Olives

And Rick's~

Onion Roll

Sweet hot mustard, just a little

Roast Beef

Spinach

Onion

Pepperoncini

Jalapeños, diced

Tomato
Olives
Pickles

Thanks so much to our Deli for making all those summer meals for me! 

RIGHT NOW! We just went last night and there are miles of mules ear that will bloom in the next few days! It's gonna be an epic bloom! Here's a little video to show what I mean~