Cooking for a Cause

I finally got it, and I only had to drive 1,250 miles to the nearest Cavender’s Boot City in Amarillo, Texas to get it. Lucky for me that drive also came with a much-needed vacation in New Mexico.

As the Spur Stirs - The Art of Bringing A Western Family, Friends and Food Together, by Jacqueline Cavender, is a beautiful cookbook featuring recipes from Cavender’s family, friends and friends of friends. 

Twenty years in the making, this cookbook was a labor of love for Cavender, an idea she dreamed about while spending time with her mother who was battling cancer.

This book is not only packed with delicious recipes for all occasions, it was created to help those affected by cancer or cystic fibrosis as proceeds from its sales are donated to the American Cancer Society and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

As the Spur Stirs is loaded with great ideas for entertaining. 

This Baked Pizza Dip is just one of many quick and fabulous appetizers in the book that’s perfect for holiday parties, the rest of football season, or a New Year’s Eve celebration.

Baked Pizza Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
14-ounce can pizza sauce
4-6 green onions, chopped
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 small cans sliced black olives
Chopped pepperoni

Layer the cream cheese, pizza sauce, green onions, mozzarella cheese, olives, (I added fresh mushrooms) and pepperoni in a pie plate. 

Bake at 325 F for 25 minutes. Serve with slices of crusty bread.

P.S. the boots at Cavender’s are pretty fabulous too!