Aunty Lyn's Queso

Oh man, y'all, I LOVE queso. Of all sorts, but especially my Aunty Lyn's. I haven't had it in forever because it makes a LOT, but since we had family in town over the holidays, I made some to share. It's super easy, so quick, and SO yummy.

Aunty Lyn's Queso

• 1 box velveeta regular
• 1 box velveeta Mexican
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 lb breakfast sausage, browned & drained (I use the spicy kind!)
• pickled jalapenos & juice to taste

Melt everything together either on the stove or in a slow cooker. Over the stove, be careful that the cheese doesn't get burnt to the bottom of the pan -- this happened to me and it was UNPLEASANT to clean up. 

Get LOTS of scoops chips because this makes a lot of delicious queso. 

xoxo,
janie from scratch

Ranch Oyster Crackers

My mom has made these ranch oyster crackers for literally decades, and I've seen the recipe popping up in one way or another on pinterest. We're having another potluck tomorrow at work so I whipped up a batch because they are so quick and easy. And always a HUGE hit!

Ranch Oyster Crackers
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix
1/4 cup oil (I used vegetable, but the original recipe calls for Popcorn Oil--you can find it next to the popcorn kernels)
1 package oyster crackers (I got the 14 oz Publix-brand box)

In a ziplock bag, mix the oil and the oyster crackers together until they are combined well. Then sprinkle in the ranch seasoning mix and shake shake shake until it's fully mixed.

A lot of the recipes online call for you to bake them, but my mom just lets them sit for a few hours.

ENJOY!

Spicy Nuts

This week at Publix, nuts are BOGO (buy one get one free!), so I got a pack to snack on at work. I decided to jazz them up a bit, and they turned out AMAZING. Unfortunately for you, I didn't exactly follow a recipe, but I'l give you the low down, and let you make your own spice mix! I used roasted almonds that were already salted, so I didn't use salt at all.

Spicy Nuts
ground cumin
cayenne pepper
hot chili powder
garlic powder
salt (but go easy if the nuts are already salted)
garam masala (not necessary, but adds a nice touch if you have it on hand)
dash of sugar
olive oil

In a small frying pan, warm the oil with the spices.

Honestly, whatever spices you use is totally up to you. If you like Indian flavors, use curry powder. You could make them for the holidays with cinnamon and nutmeg. Truly, the world is your oyster! Toss in your nuts.

Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (I used a baking sheet with edges so my nuts didn't fall all over the oven).

Bake 10-15 minutes at 350. If the nuts are raw, you'll have to bake them longer.

These were so delicious I couldn't stop munching on them all day at work. Hope you enjoy!