AND THE WINNER IS ...

Ellyn, who answered our request for a favorite crowd-pleasing recipe — one that family and friends ask for time and again. She now gets to pick out a cookbook from out stash, but Ellyn -- you need to call us at 636-0194 or e-mail barb.cotter@gazette.com to arrange a time to come to the Gazette.

If you'd like to win a cookbook, enter a recipe in the comment section below. This week, we're looking for pasta salad recipes. We'll announce the winner on the blog next week.

Here's what Ellyn had to say about her recipe for Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip: “Last year, during my son’s senior year at Rampart High, he formed a ‘Lunch Bunch.’ Thirty kids came to my house for lunch four days a week.” The dip was one of their favorites. Here's the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
2 pounds cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (12-ounce) bottle Frank's Red Hot Sauce (original flavor)
2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 (16-ounce) bottle Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing (original style)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons dry ranch dressing mix from a seasoning packet or homemade
Emeril's Original Essence seasoning

1. Shred the cooked chicken with two forks.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken with all the rest of the ingredients except for the Emeril's seasoning.
3. Put the mixture into a large, deep casserole dish and lightly sprinkle Emeril's Essence over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly throughout (about 45 minutes). Stir occasionally while baking to make sure all the cream cheese and the other ingredients cook evenly.
4. Serve immediately as a hot dip with tortilla chips, celery sticks and additional Frank's Red Hot Sauce.