Chippie Dippie

It’s another Saturday in the south and that means non-stop football! Actually, it means trying to get my long run in early so I can go the grocery store to get a few last minute things for my food fest during a 4-5 game Saturday. But the luck of the Irish was not with me today. I started off with a lingering headache, dehydrated, and feeling like poo. I am NOT going to blame the flu shot I got yesterday and forgetting to take the tylenol she told me to take…I’m just going to mention it. Throw in a ton of log trucks, chicken trucks, and creepy people in low riders at 7 in the morning and I just wasn’t too sure this was a good idea. But my decision to end the run was definitely made when a lady hit me with her car. Bless her heart, she was trying to pull over out of the traffic to warn me about some nasty looking dogs up ahead (that I had already seen and was wondering if my pepper spray was good enough defense). She didn’t stop soon enough and bumped me with her car front bumper. I’m fine, just scrapes and maybe a bruised hip, but she was so upset I thought she might have a heart attack right there. She was elderly and worried because earlier this week those dogs almost “ate her Cocoa”. It took me a minute to realize that she was talking about the yipping dog in the backseat. So, the run ended abruptly there and I came home to watch the news and brood.

Brooding over, time for the first round of appetizers for the long awaited Mississippi State and Auburn game. Normally, I’m all for anybody who plays Auburn (except TN. The only time I will cheer for Auburn is when they play TN. I know it’s difficult to keep up). Being from Mississippi, I never really had a MS loyalty since my family was mostly an NFL Saints fan and my basketball coach was a huge Alabama fan. Anyway, if I had to choose a MS team, it would be the Bulldogs of State, instead of the rebels/black bears of Ole Miss.

For this game, I have a cupcake baking, but more about that later. It’s a delicate process, that one. This dish is my first attempt at combining bacon, cheese, and almonds. It can’t be that hard. But then I threw in the last of the sausage stuffing mixture from last weekend. It was actually a plate of awesomeness. And calories. But they don’t count on days you get run over by a car.

I adapted this recipe to cut some bacon and mayo out of it. I also added in the mushroom sausage mixture (about 3/4 cup) and it worked out great.

• 6 slices bacon
• 8 ounces cream cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons dijon-style mustard
• 1 1/2 cups swiss cheese, Shredded
• 4 green onions, Chopped
• 1/2 cup smoked almonds, Chopped (I didn’t have smoked, so I used regular)

1. Fry the bacon. Let drain and crumble.
2. Mix all ingredients. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes; until golden and bubbly. Top with some crushed almonds.
3. For a twist, put the cold dip in pre-packaged phyllo cups and bake for about 15 minutes.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/swiss-cheese-bacon-smoked-almond-dip-129556#ixzz1XZlHDvjZ

Time to finish the cupcakes and the second half of the game. Go DAWGS!!!!!