Ingredients

• 1 to 2 packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cloves chopped garlic 
• 1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes 
• Chopped fresh basil leaves
• Pinch salt
• 10 to 25 jalapeno peppers (larger than average size will make them easier to stuff)
• 1/2 to 1 pound thinly sliced bacon 

Directions

I wake up everyday and check myself out. 

I look at my hips.  My belly.  And my thighs.   

And then I stare. 

I stare at my whole body. 

I stare for a couple minutes. 

I stand and I stare. 

I am convinced that if I stare long enough and hard enough my lady lumps will go away.

But they don’t.  

They are there. 

And they are there to stare. 

Some days, I get pissed and it becomes Me vs. Me… 

‘You dumb ass!  You are so fat!  What the fuck were you thinking last night?  Like you had to have all that beer and cheese!  You are so stupid!  Stupid!  Stupid!  Stop it, already!’ 

(Yes, I have had this mental argument…many times…)

Other days, I proud of my curves… 

It feels good to be a woman!

I am woman, hear me roar! 

Today I am going to work it!  

Work it!  

Work it!

Work it!

These days are my best day. 

I work it because I love food. 

I work it because I love beer. 

I work it because I want to live life! 

I work it because when I die I will work it no more…

So, I will continue to work it… 

Work it… 

Work it…

Work it!

I am not ashamed of loving food a little too much…

I am ashamed of drinking a little too much…

I am just not ashamed. 

So again…

I will continue to stare. 

To eat.

To drink.

To live. 

And to love. 

• 2 tablespoons brown spicy mustard
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• 4 slices Gouda cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 hamburger buns
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 4 leaves butter lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced

Combine marinade ingredients. Place caps into a baking dish and pour marinade over top. Use a brush to make sure all caps are covered with the marinade. Set aside and let marinate up to 2 hours.

Remove the portobellos from marinade (do not discard marinade) and place gill side down on a preheated gas, electric or charcoal grill over medium-high heat. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side. Top each cap with cheese 2 minutes to melt before they are finished grilling.

In a medium bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of the marinade.

Spread the flavored mayonnaise onto each bun and top with portobellos. Serve with sliced onion, lettuce and tomato.

recipe by Angie Ketterman from Food Network.

Let’s see…

The first beer that comes to mind is Amstel Light.  It is one dam good bier!  It is low in calories and can be enjoyed throughout the day!  Its lightness allows you drink… and drink… and drink until you can’t drink anymore!  It can be enjoyed with a variety of food; however, I personally like to drink it while munching on delicious Gouda cheese and crackers!  It is so good!  You’ll love it, I swear!

What else is there?

Another beer I enjoy drinking in the summer is Bell’s Oberon.   It is a summer classic in Detroit (and the rest of Michigan) that can be found at almost any local bar or pub.  Try it for lunch with a delicious smoked ham and Edam cheese sandwich.  Or simply enjoy it with a slice of orange on a hot summer day!  But beware, it isn’t as light as Amstel Light since it is a wheat ale, so after a few beers you should be feeling a little lightheaded.    

I guess those are my two top picks for the summer so far…  We did buy a bunch of beer the other day to taste test, so stay tuned for my reviews!  With the rate my husband and I drink, we should be able to review at least 2 more new beers by next week! 

So, until then, Cheers!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dips:

Frank Boni’s Four Cheese Dip

Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

French Onion Dip

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

Appetizers:

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Chiles with Grilled Red Pepper-Tomato Sauce

Basil and Tomato Feta Bruschetta

Salsa Roll Ups

Baked Crab Rangoon

Spinach Phyllo Roll Ups

Spicy Bean ‘Quesadillas’

 Wings:

Red Hot Sticky Wings

Hot Wings with Blue Cheese-Yogurt Sauce

Chicken Wings with Red Hot Honey Glaze and Blue Cheese-Celery Dipping Sauce

Ulimate Chicken Wings

Sliders and more:

Steakhouse Sliders and Mini Steak Fries

Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Vinegar and Salt Grilled Potatoes

Chicken Salad Sliders

Sloppy Joes with Maui Onion Straws

What you need:

-Large can of Refried Beans

-Jar of Pace 4 Cheese Dip

-Medium tub of Sour Cream

-Medium tub of Guacamole

-1 large Tomato

-Green Onion (4 or 5 of them)

-One small jar of Black Olives (pre-sliced)

-3 Fresh Jalapenos

-Package of Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Style

-Shallow Baking Dish

 Directions:

-Dice up large Tomato, Green Onion, and Jalapenos

-Place layer of Refried Beans at bottom of baking dish

-Place layer of Pace 4 Cheese Dip on top

-Place layer of Guacamole on top of Cheese Dip

-Place layer of Sour Cream on Guacamole

-Top Sour Cream with diced tomato, green onion, jalapenos, and olives

-Sprinkle package of Shredded Cheese on top

Best served with a harder chip such as Tostitos Gold so you can make sure to dig deep and get all the layers without the chip breaking. 

Now that is talent!

Sunday is the big day!  The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa Bay!  And to help ease the pain of party planning, here are 10 tips to help you plan the party of the year for the game of the year!

1.  So, you want to have a themed party?  Make it a 40′s party!  Load up the refrigerator with your favorite malt liquor and throw down!  To make it extra special for your guests, provide brown paper bags for the finishing touches!

2.  Sick of chips and salsa?  Replace the salsa with some Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso and you are good to go!  Dip that chip!  It is so freakin’ good!

3.  Hot Wings are a must for every house party!  And when you wash down the heat with some beer…HEAVEN!  If you live near a Kroger grocery store, try their store brand hot sauces.  They are HOT as HELL and delicious! 

4.  Cookies are always a pleasant surprise when you go to a party!  Pick up some Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies from Costco!  They taste like fancy pants gourmet cookies- but they’re not!  Cheap and yummy- how awesome is that?

5.  To pass the time during halftime, play some Jenga!  Everyone’s favorite wood block game!  Not only will you be at the ‘edge of your seat’ with fun, but you can watch your slightly intoxicated party-goer friends intensely concentrate on the tower of blocks! 

6.  Squares, squares, and more squares!  Make sure your guests are ready to gambling and make some extra bucks!  That’s right, Dolla Dolla Bills, Y’all!

7.  If you are not interested in drinking beer from a paper bag, try drinking wine from a paper box!  Yes, years ago we all called box wine, ‘White Trash Champagne’, but it has made a comeback!  Try Black Box Wines to toast your team’s win!  After all, it is award winning!

8.  Have you ever had an Incredible Hulk?  Next to the Rusty Beach, it is one of the best mixed drinks- EVER!  Mix up some Hypnotic Liquor and Cognac and VOILA!  You have an Incredible Hulk!  Green and Mean!

9.  Need some more snacks?  Spinach dip with anything!  Chips, crackers, chains, and whips, spinach dip tastes great!  And who doesn’t want to bathe in it?!?  It is sooo yummy!   (Oh, and spinach is a great source of iron!)

10.  Last, but not least, NEVER NEVER NEVER have a BYOB party!  If you are going to have a party, do it right or don’t do it AT ALL!  A case of beer is $20, you can spend $20!  Your guests will more than likely bring a host (hostess) gift, so take it easy and supply the brews! 

Cheese just makes everything better! 

During good times and bad times, cheese is always there to comfort us and fill that empty void in our tiny tummies.  Cheese puts a smile on our face when we bite into a gooey piece of pizza or sprinkle it on top of a plate of spaghetti.  Some may even goes as far to say that cheese is the ying to their yang.  Ok, maybe I would only say that… 

If you are like me and appreciate cheese no matter if it is sliced, diced, or with rice, check out  Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso.  It is a cheesy delight for your late night cravings.  One bite and you will be hooked forever!  Honestly.  It is a little jar of heaven!     

Mmmmm…cheese…

1.  I don’t have to drive!  A plus for EVERYONE!

2.  I can actually sit down and enjoy my beer!  No standing around in a smokey bar holding my drink and feeling awkward.

3.  I can snack ALL NIGHT LONG!  Yummy cheese dip and chips!  Yummy cheese and crackers!  Yummy hot wings and celery!  De-li-cious!

4.  I can say outrageous things and no one will try to pick a fight with me (unless, I am really drunk and start to talk about politics and religion with friends and family- A big NO NO!)

5.  I save $$!  And no, I am not investing it in the stock market!  NO!  NO!  NO!

Click here to view the embedded video.