She's Rita Rodriguez. But all the UA football players just call her "Miss Rita."Β
It's because she gives them nacho dip.Β
The wife of Arizona Wildcats football coach Rich Rodriguez makesΒ "one of the most coveted awards on campus," according to an Arizona Daily Star article on the subject. Back in 2012, the Star's sports section dedicated a 1,000 word-piece to the wonders of Miss Rita's nacho dip, which she gives out to deserving players as a weekly reward.Β
You sure don't have to go to culinary school for this one: It's basically just Velveeta and ground sausage mix with canned Ro-Tel tomatoes. (You may or may not be able to find almost the exact same thing on Kraft's website.) But something about it β the ceremony of her "nacho dip time" or the immense pride the players get when they receive it β made us really want to revive the recipe. Β
One major change: Miss Rita gives out bags of Tostitos Scoops along with plastic containers of her dip. We stuck to regular corn chips, mostly because I saw a new brand at Fry's and wanted to try it out. (Sorry!) Purists might also notice the addition of chopped cilantro, which we thought gave it a fancy touch.
But who are we kidding! Super Bowl day isn't for gourmet foods. It's for crunchin' and munchin' on all kinds of processed abominations. We're not the ones on the field after all ... But with a scoop of this, at least we can pretend!Β
Rita Rodriguez showed the Star how to make her dip back in 2012.Β
Miss Rita's Cheesy Velveeta Dip
- 2 pounds Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans ground sausage (spicy is best)
- 2 pound block of Velveeta
- 2 10-oz cans Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with green chiles
- sour cream, a few ounces
- chopped cilantro to taste
- tortilla chips
Directions
Brown sausage in pan, then drain off the fat. Cut Velveeta into small chunks and microwave for five minutes.Β
Add melted Velveeta to pan. Let sit for 10 minutes on low. Then add two cans of Ro-Tel tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes until incorporated. Add sour cream to taste.Β
Pour into serving bowl, top with chopped cilantro. Serve with chips
***Adapted from a recipe published in 2012
