Dolly's Stampede Soup

Ya'll....as a little girl growing up in rural Tennessee, the loss of Dolly Parton hit me hard. She was not just a superstar performer, she was a smart business woman that took control of her talent and made smart business decicsions. She loved her family with a firece lolalty and did everything she could to help others have a better life. Her passing has touched me deeply and I hope this recipe brings her to your heart the way it has to mine. You'll need: 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 (32 oz) carton chicken stock 2 (15 oz) cans mixed vegetables, drained 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder Salt and pepper, to taste a pinch of red pepper flakes a shake of parsley 1 1/2 cups heavy cream In a large heavy-bottom pot, melted the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and stir until the mixture is well combined. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly begin to add the stock while continuously stirring. Add mixed vegetables and seasonings, then simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in heavy cream and cook for 8-10 more minutes. This recipe is easy to elevate. Add grilled chicken shredded or even gratee parmeseah cheese. It will be delicious~! Serve hot with biscuits!

Hot Honey Peach Dip

Whipped feta dip is a creamy, savory appetizer that you can make in just about 15 minutes. This easy recipe combines feta cheese and simple ingredients for a smooth, party-perfect dip. Serve this quick whipped feta with pita chips, fresh vegetables, or crusty bread for a crowd-pleasing snack. You will love how simple it is to create this flavorful dip for your next gathering. 

You'll need:

12 oz Feta Cheese
10 oz Plain Greek Yogurt
2-3 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lemon Juice - a whole lemon juiced
2-3 Cloves Roasted Garlic - chopped finely

Salt and Black Pepper - to taste
1 Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
2 Peaches (diced)
Honey or Hot Honey to drizzle on the top to your liking

4 oz Prosciutto Italiano - fried crisp and chopped

3 oz Pistachios - chopped finely

Optional garnish of parsley, dill or oregano - to your taste
Pita Chips, Hearty Crackers or Fresh Vegetable Spears

The original recipe insisted on using a whole block of feta cheese and grate it finely.  That may be true but I was in a hurry and used crumbled feta.  It's not completely creamy but it is perfectly fine.  Add your feta to your stand mixer (this is not a blender recipe).  Add the yogurt, EVOO, the juice of one full lemon, roasted garlic (chop as finely as you can or use garlic flakes if you need to).  Put on a pinch of red pepper flakes then add salt and black pepper to taste.   

Mix this very, very well in your mixer and get it as creamy as you can.  Set this aside and fry your prosciutto over medium heat until it crisps.  This is a very quick process - one not to be left alone but they are is so much more flavor if you crisp this ingredient.  Drain on paper towels then chop finely.

Chop the pistachios into a small crunchy pieces.

Wash the peaches and dice them into very small bits.  If you are making this in advance, you'll need to add the juice of a lemon in the peach container to keep them from browning overnight. 

To assemble this dish, bring out your favorite serving tray then spread the feta dip down in a thin layer.  Top this with the peaches, prosciutto, and pistachios

Just before serving, drizzle this with honey.  I used hot honey and it is a total home run. 

Serve with pita chips, your favorite hearty cracker or even vegetable spears.  

You can make this the day before your event and layer it on the day of or even take it in small ingredient containers and assemble on site!  My first words on the taste test were "OH SNAP"!  I hope you like this as much as we did!