This recipe is for a fine appetizer dish and it comes from our great friends, Ken and Lynda. The dip is easy to make once you have smoked the chopped chunks of chicken breast, and that was Ken's contribution to perfection. The dip is served warm with the scoop type of tortilla chips. Lynda used her creativity to make this dip better than what she found in a different recipe in terms of ingredients and procedure. She is clearly a cooking expert and I tip my hat to her. Peggy and I really get spoiled when we enjoy Lynda's cooking.

Making the smoked chicken ingredient for this recipe does require you to have a smoker of some sort. It can be any type operated via charcoal, propane gas or even be an electric smoker. The only key requirement is the ability to measure and to control the temperature. You also want to be able to have the apple wood chips smoke and be consumed slowly and not catch on fire. There are various tricks for accomplishing that even if you use a charcoal smoker without a smoking tray. For example, the chips can be wrapped in aluminum foil with a small opening to allow smoke to escape and only a small amount of air to enter ... and be placed beside the coals so the most intense heat is avoided. Limiting the air (oxygen) supply to the wood chips allows them to smoulder but not to readily catch on fire. Placing the foil package beside the coals provides enough heat to cause smoking without consuming the chips too quickly.

I know that you and your family and friends will really enjoy this appetizer. I know because I couldn't stop eating it and I almost lost my appetite for a fine followup dinner! Oh, my, life is good!

Be sure to check out the variations to this recipe shown after the directions. In short, use your imagination and experience, like Lynda. Yes, in the carousel of life, remember to go for the brass ring!

Ingredients:

1, 10 1/2 ounce can of Campbell's® condensed Cream of Chicken soup

1, 8 ounce tub of President® brand Pub Cheese (herb and garlic, at room temperature)

1, 12 1/2 ounce can of chunks of chicken breast in water, cut into small cubes

4, fresh scallions, sliced thin, including some of the green part

1 or 2 cups of apple wood chips for the smoker

2 to 4 cups of water for the smoker liquid tray

1 disposable aluminum tray to hold the chicken pieces during smoking

1 large bag of scoop type tortilla chips

Directions:

Preheat the smoker to 250ºF.

Depending on the type of smoker tray you have with your smoker you may or may not need to dampen the apple wood chips before using them in the smoker.

Drain the water from the can of chicken breast chunks and cut them into cubes about 1/4" to 1/3" per side.

Put the water into the water tray and put it into the smoker. Then put in the apple wood chips in the smoker tray. Then put in the aluminum tray of cut chicken breast pieces.

Smoke the chicken for two to two and one half hours at 250ºF. Remember to check the water tray periodically to make sure there is still water in it. If not, then add a few cups of water.

When the chicken is done then proceed with the remainder of this recipe.

Mix the can of cream of chicken soup with the smoked chicken and the herb and garlic cheese in a two or three quart microwave safe glass bowl.

Slice the scallions into 1/16th to 1/8th inch thick slices. Reserve some of the green parts to garnish the dip after it has been warmed. Add the scallion slices to the chicken soup, smoked chicken and cheese mixture and mix well.

Warm the mixture in the microwave oven to the serving temperature of your choice, but do not overheat or bring to the mixture to a boil. The required time depends on the wattage of your microwave oven and your preference regarding how warm to make the dip prior to serving it.

Lynda used a low wattage heated serving bowl at serving time to keep the dip warm, following the microwave heating.

Garnish the dip with the reserved green scallion slices and serve it the tortilla scoops.

A nice glass of light white or rose´ wine goes well with this appetizer.

Enjoy! You will get many compliments.

Variations: You can use diced slices of jalapeno peppers from a jar of that product instead of the scallions if you want more of a kick of heat in the seasoning. You might also experiment with different tub cheeses like cheddar horseradish.