Spicy Pretzels - the perfect party snack

Happy Independence Day!

Did you forget to make something for a (socially distanced) gathering this Holiday weekend? If' so I've got the perfect, easy snack for you. Spicy Pretzels! When I lived in North Dakota we had the most amazing little company that made these seasoned pretzels, they were so good, but hard to find. So I did what I do, tinkered in the kitchen, and came up with my own. They are so good! My family prefers them to the name brand ones, and honestly, so do I.

I make these pretty much year round, but I especially love to make them as neighbor treats during the holidays.

Ingredients

1 large (party) bag of pretzels - i like Snyders sticks or 2 bags of the Winco braided sticks (shown here) 

3 TBS Ranch seasoning powder or 1 Packet

1 tsp Lemon Pepper

1 tsp cayenne or 2 tsp or Trader Joe's chili lime seasoning

1 tsp seasoning salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)

The Assembly 

In a large ziplock mix up the spices 

Then add the oil and "massage" it until you have a smooth past.

Next add the pretzels, shake them up a few times, let them sit for 2-4 hours, shaking them every so often. 

Finally spread on a backing sheet and  bake at 200 for 20 minutes (I then leave them in the oven to cool for another 20 minutes). Trust me, they need to be baked, the flavors just don't pop the same without a quick bake.

Don't forget to share the pretzel love. Happy Quarantine Summer Friends. 

The Best Queso Ever

Happy Cinco De Mayo!
When we lived in Oklahoma I was introduced to queso - real queso. Before that all I knew of queso was from a jar in the chip aisle, which was always a hard pass from me. In OKC all the best Mexican restaurants started the meal with house made chips & tortillas, fresh salsa, and white queso. This my friends was one of the worst food discoveries ever. You know why? Because I learned that queso is good! When we moved to Texas it was even worse, because the queso was even better.

When we moved back to the Northwest good queso was hard to find. So I did what I do. I tinkered in the kitchen, tried this recipe, and that recipe, mixed it this way, and that way, and boom. Perfection. First things first, here's what you need to whip up the perfect queso.

16 Oz of Velveeta (I know, I know, but trust me)
12 Oz Roasted Salsa
1 4 oz can of Diced Green Chilies
1/2 Cup milk
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt (again - trust me on this)
1/2 Cup roughly copped cilantro
1/4 Cup Queso Fresco (optional but next level)
1 tsp of garlic salt
1 tsp of chili lime seasoning

This is a super easy one pot recipe!
In a sauce pan over Medium heat add Velveeta, milk, greek yogurt, and seasonings. Once smooth add in salsa, and green chilies. Once well combined add cilantro and queso fresco.

Top with an extra sprinkle of queso fresco and boom, perfect queso!