Point Reyes Blue Cheese - Buffalo Chicken Salad Nachos

Point Reyes Blue Cheese is made on a farm in Tomales Bay California by the Giacomini family.  Children of Tobias Giacomini who emigrated to California from N.Italy in 1904 came for the lush lands of California.  Bob and Dean Giacomini purchased the farm in Tomales Bay in 1959 and grew with 500 cows and a reputation for having the best milk in the area.  In 2000 they made a decision to start making cheese hence Point Reyes original blue was introduced to the market.  A wonderful story on the Giacomini family aired on the 'Today Show' in 2013.

Point Reyes Original Blue has a medium to strong blue mold flavor.  It is versatile to eat as is, on burgers, steak, dressings and even frying as such in this Original Blue Beignets with Honey and Almonds recipe.  I utilized it in this quick but delicious Buffalo Chicken Nacho Salad.  I say Nacho Salad as you can go either direction with this one.  Nachos, add more chips.  Salad, add more iceberg lettuce. 

Blue Ranch Dressing

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• handful of chopped cilantro and chives or dill.  Your choice.
• 1 clove garlic minced.
• 1 tsp each of salt and pepper.
• A chunk of blue cheese.  Whatever you want to use or have locally.  I of course chose Point Reyes Original Blue as it is our Cali local fave.

Mix all ingredients and let set in the refrigerator while prepping your other ingredients.

Buffalo Chicken

• 1 Rotisserie chicken, meat picked and shredded.
• 4 tablespoons butter.
• 6 cloves of garlic chopped.
• 1/2 cup hot sauce.  Franks Red Hot is good but whatever hot sauce you have on hand will work that is vinegar based which is usually used in buffalo wing sauce.
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock.

Mix wet ingredients, add butter to a medium high heat and saute garlic for a minute.  Add wet ingredients and chicken.  Let heat through and keep on warm on your stove top.

Salad/Nachos

• 1 head iceberg lettuce chopped or broken up.  Whatever you want your iceberg to look like.
• 1 large carrot grated.
• 3-4 stalks of celery sliced.
• Chopped cilantro and green onion to garnish.
• Sliced fresh jalapeno or pickled jalapeno's if you wish.
• 1 bag of Doritos original or fiery hot if you want to go there.

Heat oven to 350.  Lay Dorito's on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 2-3 minutes.  Please watch them as different altitudes will effect our ovens and baking time.  You are toasting them just to wake up all that powdered cheese and the edges will get toasty.  If you like a nice slightly burnt toasted chip, go for it!

Assemble your toasted chips on a plate.  Top with iceberg lettuce, carrots, celery, jalapeno's.  Your choice to add blue ranch dressing next over the top or the buffalo chicken.  Decision is yours and then garnish with cilantro and green onion.  

This is a quick, easy recipe that would be great for dinner, having friends over, or game day.  Set it up as a buffalo chicken nacho salad bar letting your guests assemble themselves!  This one is delicious and keeper in my family.  

REMEMBER, LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO EAT BADLY!