It’s hard to find meals that all five (or currently six) of my kids will like. I have frequently found myself stuck in a rut of always making the same meals over and over. And when I do venture out to try something new, I inevitably find myself making a handful of PB&J sandwiches halfway through the meal for the kids that don’t like my newest creation.
Rather than fighting at dinner every night about expanding their palates or making the same boring meals night after night, I decided to take what they like and shake it up every once in a while. Over the years they have grown to enjoy some new dishes, but I still have my handful of tried and true flavor combos that I know can produce any number of delicious meals my children will love.
The next few Kitchen posts will cover some of those flavor combos that they love, the basic recipe, and a number of dishes you can make from them!
First up- probably our family’s favorite- buffalo chicken!
The Ingredients
*Cooked, shredded, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*Cream Cheese
*Shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese, or a combo of both
*Blue Cheese Dressing
*Ranch Dressing
*Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
*Blue cheese crumbles, optional
*Chopped celery, optional
Directions
Forgive me, but I rarely use an actual recipe when I cook. I prefer to mix things together according to our taste preferences. So…. melt the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl. Stir in all other ingredients to form the flavors and consistency that you desire. Not a big fan of blue cheese? Omit it or only add a bit. Love your cheddar cheese? Be generous with it, then! This is your flavor combo. Flavor it up any way that you like! Add the buffalo sauce last and add it in slowly, tasting the mixture as you go. Consider the whiniest member of your family and how much heat they can tolerate.
Dinner Options
Now you have the base of one of our favorite flavor combos! So what are you going to do with it?
Here are some suggestions that our family loves:
*Spread the mixture on top of homemade (or store bought, if you prefer) pizza dough. Buffalo Chicken Pizza!
*Spread the mixture inside a tortilla shell. Roll tight. Cut in half. Buffalo Chicken Roll-Ups!!
*Put mixture in a dish, top with extra shredded cheese, bake until melted. Serve with chips. Buffalo Chicken Dip!
*Add some chopped celery for crunch. Be generous with the ranch and blue cheese dressings. Spread on sandwich buns. Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwiches!
You get the idea! The possibilities are endless.
How would YOU serve up our buffalo chicken flavor combo??
