Convenience Store Cuisine

I’ve mentioned my husband’s taste in food a few times here (he doesn’t have much, in case you missed those posts.) When I look at his childhood though, I really can’t blame him. His mom hasn’t cooked since 1985 (a New Year’s resolution that she stuck to) and his Grandmother cooked most of the meals he fondly remembers. I love her dearly, but 90% of the ingredients in his favorite family recipes can be found at a gas station convenience store (for the record, she does make killer brownies from scratch.)

However, her stuffing consists of Ritz crackers, chicken & rice soup, an onion & canned mushrooms. Hawaiian chicken is salad dressing, onion soup mix and jelly. Salmon croquettes? Canned salmon and saltines. When Jeff’s mom did cook, a dessert called “Yodel Pie” was her signature recipe, made almost entirely of one of the least nutritional foods on earth.

There is one concoction that I absolutely adore, and proudly serve at every party we host. It’s called “Kahlua Dip” and consists of 3 ingredients that you can grab from a 7-11. Kahlua, Cool Whip, and Hershey’s milk chocolate bars. When they combine, however, the result is pure magic. His family served this treat as as a dip with Pirouette cookies, but I prefer it as a mousse, garnished with raspberries and mint. It’s also wonderful in those little chocolate cups as a bite-size dessert. (Or, better still, straight from the mixing bowl with a spoon. Because those calories don’t count.)

How to make it: Grate 3 Giant Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars. Mix into 1 tub of Cool Whip. Add 1/2 cup of Kahlua. That’s it. It’s best refrigerated overnight before serving. If you eat enough, you can get a nice little buzz and forget how exactly much saturated fat you just consumed. Perfect!