Staples

It has come to my attention that many folks here in North Carolina do not know what "Ro-Tel" is. Maybe we just aren't close enough to Texas. But in our kitchen, RoTel is a staple like milk ,butter, cream of chicken, and pork n beans. I use it in everything from chili to dips to a wide variety of mexican dishes. You also get a lot of bang for your buck here because 1 can adds a big punch to your dish. Rotel comes in a mild, regular, and hot. And just so you know, hot is hot. Mild is weenie. Stick to regular your first time and then if you can handle the heat, crank it up a notch to the hot. The basic ingredients are diced tomatoes and green chilies but there are some secret seasonings in there as well. It is best to buy Rotel in quantities of 3 or 4 because once you start this relationship it will quickly blossom to an all out love affair.

Rotel will be an ingredient in the mexi dips and chips that I am taking to QT this week...along with cream cheese, sausage, and my favorite fake cheese- velveeta. It is highly important for me to use seasoned items like rotel because I have that self imposed 4 ingredient maximum in most of my dishes. (Not lazy. Just effecient.)

So come on Charlotteans, now is the time to dive into the spice. Pick up some ro-tel and toss it in your meal tonight. Oh, and if you have a great rotel recipe...please share!