Queso Dip Pasta (Day After Dinner)


Here's what I love about hosting the Super Bowl: People bring lots and lots of yummy food and then they leave it. For me.

Much to my husband's chagrin, I happen to love cleaning out the fridge and creating something delicious.  It's not that He's opposed to delicious dinners, it's just that he's never quite sure what's going to end up on his plate. Sometimes I imagine myself as a contestant on Chopped. "….And the mystery ingredients are……… Queso Dip, Little Smokies and Quinoa Pasta." This is how I think.  This is how I live.


I had two cups of queso dip left after Super Bowl Sunday. You know the kind - Velveeta and Rotel tomatoes? It was the perfect start to a cheesy pasta dinner.

First, boil 2 packages (16 ounces total) elbow noodles.  These are quinoa and corn noodles, in case you were wondering why they were bright yellow.  But any kind will do.  After cooking them al dente,  reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water and then drain them.


Meanwhile, trim the ends off and wash an entire heart of celery. It seems like a lot, but it's a pretty big recipe.  Use less if you want to. Dice the celery. Peel an onion. Dice that, too. Then, add two tablespoons of olive oil to a Dutch oven. Saute' until soft.


Take one pound of little smokies (or whatever meat you have on hand) and slice them at a diagonal.  If your sister-in-law brought chicken cheddar ones, you are really in for a treat. Add them to the celery and onions. Add the cheese dip and reserved pasta water and stir until the cheese sauce is thinned.  Add a can of tomatoes.


Add the drained pasta back in and pour into a casserole dish.  Top with cheddar cheese and leftover crushed Fritos (or Doritos or potato chips.)


Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy your "Day After Dinner!"


Queso Dip Pasta
by Rachel @ Simple Girl

16 ounces elbow pasta, cooked reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 celery heart, washed, trimmed and diced
2 cups queso dip (you know, Velveeta and Rotel tomatoes)
1 can Rotel Tomatoes (regular or mild)
1 pound little smokies or whatever leftover meat you have
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 cups Fritos, crushed

Boil noodles and drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water.  

In a large sauté pan or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Cook onions and celery until softened. Add queso dip and pasta water.  Mix until combined.  Add tomatoes and Little Smokies.  Stir. Add the pasta back in.

Pour into a greased casserole dish. Top with cheese and Fritos.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes.



THIS POST MAY BE LINKED TO: MONDAYS:  MADE BY YOU MONDAY, FLOUR ME WITH LOVE, MANIC MONDAY, TUESDAYS: TALENT SHOW TUESDAYS,TRICK OR TREAT TUESDAY ,  MANDY'S RECIPE BOX  WEDNESDAYS: WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY, GINGER SNAP CRAFTS, THE DIY DREAMER  THURSDAYS: FULL PLATE THURSDAYS, LAMBERTS LATELY,FRIDAYS: I’M LOVING IT, FOODIE FRIDAY, TATERTOTS AND JELLO, FRIDAY FAVORITES, BACON TIME ,WEEKEND RETREAT, PINWORTHY PROJECTS SATURDAYS:SWEETS FOR A SATURDAY SIX SISTERS STUFF, SUNDAYS: NIFTY THRIFTY THINGS






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Butter Bean Soup

Image
Happy New Year!  We are off to a cold start! It's so cold that the Governor cancelled school for the entire state! That never happens. Up here in Minnesota, when it gets cold, we just pull up our snow pants and pull down our hats.  In the South, they say it's not the heat, it's the humidity.  Up North, we say it's not the cold, it's the wind.  Windchill temperatures (what it actually feels like), are said to be -40 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the coldest it's been since 1996 - just shortly before we moved to Atlanta.  Hmmmm…… it's all coming back to me now.  Nevertheless, my 16-year old says it's a great way to start second semester! When it's cold outside, there is nothing I love more than making soup. Soup is the perfect excuse to stand over a hot stove on a cold day. You can hold soup in a coffee mug and let it warm your hands. You can sip soup in the same mug and let it warm you from the inside out. There's a reason for ...
Read more

Dr. Seuss Snacks!

Image
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.  I admit it.  I love Dr. Seuss!  A collection of these sing-song-y rhymes was the first thing I put on the bookshelves of our very first baby nursery.  Four kids later, I now have talents that include being able to recite The Cat In The Hat from memory! In honor of the late great Dr. Seuss (He would have been 107 on March 2nd) we are making these cute snacks!  Absolutely no skill or talent required! Simply start with a box of blue Jell-O..... and divide into four clear plastic cups. (The fish have to have a place to swim!) After the Jell-O has set, have the kids add their own fish!  (Swedish Fish, that is!) Ella's kindergarten class gets a Dr. Seuss party after they have collectively read 107 books! Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Read more

Groundhog Pudding Cups

Image
Now that we are back living in The North, I'm starting to remember why, prior to my life in The South, I had only had a handful of pedicures and didn't own any sandals.  Exposing one's feet presents health risks.  Like frostbite. Groundhog's Day (February 2nd) is just around the corner. At this time, as legend has it, the groundhog will either emerge from its hole on a sunny day, see its shadow, get scared, and hide leaving us with six more weeks of winter, or it will emerge on a cloudy day, see nothing noteworthy and predict an early spring.  Sunny or not, a package of Pepperidge Farm Milano's was all the inspiration I needed to celebrate the impending season. When I first saw these cookies in Family Fun magazine, I immediately tore out the page. How cute are these groundhogs?  The actual assembly is a bit tedious, but the eager anticipation of the recipients makes it all worth while. Begin with some Milano cookies.  Use sliced almonds for ...
Read more