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Momma Told Me: Sometimes life gets a little cheesy.
I still remember my first time. It was January 31, 1993; I was a mere 7 years old, with an undeveloped palette, and wide eyes that served as the window for my stomach. I could just peer over my grandmother's dining table to the rows of neon serving bowls, and see the contents within, without having to stand on my tippy toes. In the air, there was the scent of Grandpa's famous Peanut Satay mingling with slow marinated Tri-Tip; a meal, in true House family fashion,I learned would not be served for hours more. The family had gathered to celebrate the birthdays of my baby cousin and grandfather, though the rowdy crowd gathered around the over-sized projection TV were likely convinced it was a Super Bowl party. I was the only child there and, aside from terrorizing the 4 cats, thoroughly bored.
My stomach rumbled with the fierceness of a devastating earthquake, at least, that's how it seemed in my child's mind. Why should I have to be bored any hungry?, I reasoned in my head. I'd already been plucking olives from the garnish tray for an hour, but was having too much fun with my 'sea monster' fingers to actually eat them. Occasionally an adult, beer in hand, would wander past the great table paying no heed to me. They'd stumble to the far corner and scoop a handful of, what I considered plain, chips onto a plate before proceeding to grab a plastic bowl. That's when I saw it for the first time. That's when I first learned about Liquid Gold. Some of them poured neatly, well as neatly as one can contain pure royalty, while others scooped generous rivers of this golden compound directly onto their food. Like lava, the golden mixture poured off my grandma's ladle, small nuggets of tomato, onion, and jalapeno tumbling in the slide.
I was captivated. I wanted to know what was in the Large Green bowl with the liquid gold; but my arms were much too short to reach the ladle, and Momma had expressly forbid snacking before dinner. So I waited. I waited until I was certain my sneaky heist could be pulled off. When the coast seemed clear I snuck to the far end of the table and peered mischievously up at the rim of that massive Green bowl. It smelled like heaven. Like fresh nachos and melting cheese squares, with a mysterious spice that tickled my nose. Up, onto my tippy toes, I went, straining as much as my little legs would allow. Out, I stretched my arms, hands grasping the rim of the great chalice. Open, went my mouth, as the river of golden liquid came rushing over the edge. My first taste was glorious, so much so I ended up wearing this cheesy concoction; all of it. Flip went the side of the bowl, and outside Momma drug me, to lick each and every last drop off my golden coated body!
As an adult, it turns out, I can be a bit of a food snob. Eating things without question, as a child, is a gift for the growing palette. I never needed to know how mushrooms were grown, or how sausages were made, I simply ate. Up until a few years ago, every man I'd ever dated had an obsession with this Golden mistress; Velveeta. If food is the way to a man's heart, then each and every one of my exes has a heart full of Golden arteries. If I have my druthers, I'd dine on gourmet cheese of the most sophisticated cultures and aging. You will never see me reach for a slice of 'American Cheese.' There is something about the dull orange color, and the little plastic wrappers; it's not my thing. But something magical happens when I get a hold of one of those 2lb Cheesy Loafs from my local Walmart. Rivers of cheesy lava run down baked potato crevices and spreads more velvety smooth than my first boyfriend. Yes, it's incredibly cheesy, but it's my kind of cheese.
It's likely your first Velveeta experience was similar to mine, and featured the liquid gold brick melted into some sort of Queso or dip. Anyone can melt Velveeta, but are you really putting that edible gold to use in a lonely bowl at the edge of your Super Bowl spread? There's an entire archive of bold and zesty recipes loyal fans have been carefully perfecting since 1908. An amateur might try the brand's Down Home Macaroni and Cheese for a Summertime Pot Luck, while someone a little more epicurean may be won over by Velveeta's Creamy Cheddar Broccoli Soup. And, if you're lucky, like me, you've likely seen the expanded range of
Velveeta products in stores. Velveeta Meal Kits and flavored cheese loafs are sold on shelves nationwide; to ensure you get the right fix of velvety cheese to make your next meal a success.
Something magical happens when that liquid gold hits our dining table and smiles break out among cheers. Okay, so my dining room isn't kitchen stadium, but I feel like a hero when I make one of my family's favorite dishes; Crunchy Nacho Chicken Casserole. Not only do the kids, and the other half, get a kick out of crumbling the Nacho Cheese chips until their hands turn bright orange, but my family has the odd habit of peering over the pot of food as cubes of Velveeta slowly melt in. Of course, any time Velveeta is involved I have to keep 'extra' on hand for cooking, because my pre-sliced cubes will disappear right off my ingredients plate! Velveeta 2lb loaves are entirely shelf stable prior to opening, which I love, and can last weeks in the refrigerator (though they never have the chance). Buying refrigerated cheese can sometimes prove costly, and I'm always happy to have Velveeta on hand with it's big flavor and smooth cooking impact.
Just the other night I was preparing to cook the chicken for my famous Crunchy Nacho Chicken Casserole, when I realized I would soon be left with half a loaf of Velveeta cheese. This was unacceptable. I couldn't simply put half of the loaf back into the fridge. It would disappear in the middle of the night with no dignity at all. Then I had a light bulb, one it seems countless twisted minds before me have had before; fudge. I would find and make Velveeta Fudge. Before you begin calling the asylum on my behalf, sweet as the gesture would be, consider all of the sweet and savory gourmet flavor profiles we already enjoy today. There's salted caramel and chocolate dipped pretzels, candied bacon, and chili chocolate....It's not that far off, and I'd bet, yes I'd bet, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I made this yesterday and invited a napping Jay and Sabrina(10) into the kitchen to lick the spoon and mixing bowl. They not only cleaned the utensils, but praised me of the indulgent creamy, chocolate, flavor the entire way!
As it turns out, Velveeta fudge is additively sweet and slightly savory, like a good cheesecake. Whether it's the obviously cheesy Chicken Casserole, classic Velveeta Queso, or devilishly sneaky Velveeta Fudge, my favorite #VelveetaRecipes are the stuff memories, and happy tummies, are made of! Stop by the brand's
Facebook page to share your passion for Liquid Gold and learn about new products and recipes. Also, stop by our Google+ album to get a sneak peek at some
cheesy discoveries!
Do you have a favorite Velveeta recipe?
What Daughter Says: Discover how to harness Liquid Gold with flavorful #VelveetaRecipes.
Continue Reading for Special Velveeta Recipes....
