Amazing. Here we are at the end of the seventh year of the 21st century. And what a tumultuous year it has been — filled with triumph and tragedy. Area sports teams acquitted themselves nicely and brought home numerous state trophies. The Packers have had a pretty impressive season so far, and hopefully will be in the thick of it through Super Bowl Sunday. The storms of late August devastated many of us as individuals and as a community. But the devastation once again brought out the best in us, as neighbors rallied to help each other and strangers donated time, money and household items in an effort to ease some of the loss.

For me personally, this year held a series of “downs,” luckily mostly financial. Those were effectively counterbalanced by the love and support of family and friends like Traci and Kim, Eileen and Ed, Randy and Jody, the Davies’ “Wrecking Crew” and Joyce P., one of the most genuinely nice and compassionate people it has ever been my good fortune to meet. Adversity has a way of reminding us we are not alone.
Having survived 2007, I look forward to 2008 because good, bad or indifferent, life is always an adventure, and sharing that adventure is infinitely preferable to the alternative!

How nice it is to hear an echo from the past now and then. Jeanne Pendl, with whom I had the good fortune of working for nearly 15 years before my move to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, shared her “inexpensive and easy recipe for a very yummy warm dip. It’s made in the crockpot and serves a crowd.” She is “not sure how it compares to Carlos O’Kelly’s,” but it sounds like a winner to me. It calls for Velveeta cheese, which is available in regular, light and Mexican varieties. I hope Karen will give it a try.

I also have included a couple of the recipes that I shared recently on Coulee Region Cooks. They are both quick and not too fussy, and the gang at the radio station gave them “thumbs up.”

So far we haven’t come up with a “terrific taco breakfast casserole” like that served on Sundays at the La Crescent, Minn., American Legion or “good and easy” stir-fry recipes for Carla Korish of La Crosse but we aren’t ready to give up on either of them just yet. Valerie Huebsch of West Salem, Wis., enjoyed chicken Florentine soup with artichoke hearts at Pickerman’s recently and “would love to have the recipe if you could get it!!!!”

Be sure to tune in to Coulee Region Cooks, which airs from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays on WIZM-AM radio. Mike Hayes and his guests share recipes and tips and are always informative and entertaining. When he can reach me at my desk, Mike and I spend a few minutes during the first half of the show chatting about the upcoming Exchange.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year and only good things in the coming year!

Send requests, recipes and/or cooking tips and techniques to Alice P. Clark at Reader Exchange, c/o La Crosse Tribune, 401 N. Third St., La Crosse, WI 54601; e-mail exchange@lacrossetribune.com; or send a fax to (608) 782-9723.

Yummy Crock Pot Cheese Dip

Velveeta cheese — 1 large and 1 small package

1 (8-ounce) can Rotel stewed tomatoes, chopped

2 (4-ounce) cans green chilies, chopped

Melt cheese in crock pot (you can microwave it to speed the melting process); add other ingredients, stir and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Shared by Jeanne Pendl

Broccoli-Bacon Crescent Spiral

½ cup garlic- and herb-flavored cream cheese

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed

¼ cup coarsely chopped drained roasted red bell peppers

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon sesame seed, optional

Fresh rosemary sprigs, optional

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

In small bowl mix cream cheese and Parmesan.

Unroll dough and separate into 2 long rectangles; place end to end, pinch seam to seal and pat/press into a 22-by-4½-inch rectangle (press perforations to seal).

Spread cream cheese lengthwise down the center of the dough. Top with bacon, broccoli (finely chopped and patted dry), and red peppers.

With scissors or sharp knife, make about 30 cuts, ¾-inch apart, along each side of dough, to about ¼-inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press ends together to seal. Coil braid into a spiral; gently slide onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

With broad spatula, carefully loosen from cookie sheet and slide onto serving plate. Cut in thin slices. Garnish platter with rosemary and serve warm.

Note from Alice: I would assemble it on parchment paper and then move the paper onto the baking sheet or assemble it directly on the baking sheet.

Source: Pillsbury

Dilled Tater Snacks

10 small red potatoes, unpeeled and halved (1½ pounds)

2 tablespoons water

½ cup sour cream (regular, low-fat or fat-free)

2 tablespoons finely sliced green onions with tops (2 medium)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed

3 slices regular or turkey bacon, fried or microwaved until crisp, crumbled

Dash pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dill weed or parsley for garnish, optional

Try to get potatoes of uniform size so they will cook evenly.

Place potatoes, cut side down, on 12-by-8-inch microwaveable dish. Add water; cover tightly with microwaveable plastic wrap and cook on high 9 to 12 minutes or until tender, rotating dish ¼ turn halfway through cooking if necessary. Let stand 3 minutes; drain and cool slightly.

In small bowl mix sour cream, onions and dill weed.

Turn potatoes over (cut a small slice from rounded end if necessary so potatoes will stand upright). Top each with a dollop of sour cream mixture; sprinkle with bacon, pepper and cheese. Garnish with dill or parsley.

Note from Alice: You could scoop out part of the pulp and mix it with the sour cream mixture, then fill potatoes.

Source: Pillsbury

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