College football. Enough said.
Ok, that’s not true. You know I can never leave well enough alone. The truth; I don’t care about college football. I grew up in the Chicago area. We don’t have very memorable college sports teams. Pro, yes. Every Chicagoan remains a die hard Bears, Cubs or Sox, Hawks and Bulls fan all their lives.
Then I moved south. North Carolina hasn’t had pro sports here very long. It’s all about college. Tarheels, Blue Devils, Wolfpack, and here in the Winston Salem area, the Demon Deacons. Hubby loves college sports (especially Penn State football). We still manage to get along in spite of my resistance to getting on this wagon with him. It’s bad enough to dedicate a Sunday afternoon and occasional Thursday to the television. I have no desire to let football take up my entire Saturday as well.
Unless offered three tickets to the NC State/Wake Forest game, that is. When a friend announced that she had three tickets for Saturday afternoon, we jumped on them. We thought it would be the perfect way to introduce Dudette to football. Foolish, foolish us.
It was in the mid-80s and the seats were in the sun. The blazing, hot, relentless sun. We roasted. We would have sweated, but it was so hot that all water evaporated immediately. We left at halftime, everyone so tired and every ounce of energy sucked out by solar rays. I don’t think a word was said in the car.
But, upon coming home, the television was turned on and college football continued. So, I made football food. No big dinner for us. Something fast, easy and snacky.
The Process
Cook ground beef until done and drain the fat. Add processed cheese (I used Velveeta), some stewed tomatoes, chopped green chilies (from the can), chili powder and Worcestershire sauce. Let it cook until the cheese melts, stirring every once in a while.
That’s it. Well, there is the part about serving with chips, but I’m sure you’d have figured that out.
The Verdict
We chowed. It was the perfect filling and satisfying snack food. Even though it had all that chili powder and green chilies, Dudette ate her fair share as well. It’s just one of those cheesy, wonderful dips that is impossible not to like.
And, just so you know, from what I saw and heard, Dudette will not be attending Wake or NC State when the time comes.
What I’d Do Different Next Time
I think I’d use salsa instead of chopped tomatoes. There is just something about the acid provided by salsa that cuts the richness of the cheese a bit more and I would have liked that.
Zesty Nacho Dip - print this recipe
from Taste of Home Magazine Southwest Cooking, September 2011
2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds processed cheese (Velveeta), cubed
1 can (14- 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
3 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Tortilla chips
In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the cheese, tomatoes, chilies, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce.
Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with chips.
I’m including this recipe in Drick’s Rambling Cafe’s Tailgating and Game Day showcase. You should see all the other fantastic recipes included in this thing.
Even with my best girdle on, I can't fit much more than my big toe in this tiny space, so please hit the ''read more' link if you'd like to get the skinny on me and the whole Taking On Magazines thing. 
