King Ranch Chicken Dip

Rebecca Touliatos of Hoffman Media's
King Ranch Chicken Dip
Makes 12 to 15 servings

1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder

{1} Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until onion starts to soften. Add cream cheese and soup; reduce heat to low, and stir until cream cheese melts. Remove from heat.

{2} Add chicken, 11/2 cups Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, and chili powder to cream cheese mixture, stirring until well combined. Spoon into a 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over dip. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Sausage-and-Cheese Wonton Cups
Makes 10 to 12 servings

1 pound pork breakfast sausage
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
24 wonton wrappers
Garnish: chopped green onion

{1} Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium skillet, combine sausage, cumin, and red pepper; cook over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly. In medium bowl, stir together sausage mixture, cheese, and sour cream.

{2} Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fit wonton wrappers into muffin pan to form cups; spray cups with cooking spray. Divide sausage mixture among cups. Bake for 10 minutes or until wonton wrappers are lightly browned. Garnish with green onion, if desired.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Hoffman Media and Christmas with Paula Deen magazine. These recipes and more found in the Christmas with Paula Deen magazine on store shelves now.

GDA Cooking - December 2, 2011