September 11, 2026
This Foodie Friday feels a little different.
Usually, I’m talking about football, food, family and friends—and this week’s recipe, Buffalo Chicken Dip, is definitely football-food worthy.
But September 11 isn't just another Friday.
Twenty-five years later, we still remember. And I think we always should.
I remember where I was.
I was at work, a little early, listening to the radio. At first, I honestly didn't understand what they were saying.
My husband was on a train heading into Denver for work. He was going to a “tall” building.
I remember the worry.
Like so many people, we eventually went home and turned on the television. And then we watched.
And watched.
And watched it again.
We were trying to understand what we were seeing. We didn't yet know the full scope of what had happened. We certainly didn't know how many people would lose their lives that day—or how many more lives would be changed forever in the days, months and years that followed.
We didn't know.
But we knew something had changed.
And then something else happened that I don't ever want us to forget.
We came together.
Neighbors checked on neighbors. Families stayed close. People gathered. Flags appeared everywhere.
Sports became part of that healing, too.
I remember the National Anthem being sung with a different kind of feeling. I remember the Pledge of Allegiance carrying more weight. I remember watching Americans come together, regardless of where they lived, what they believed or what team they cheered for.
For a little while, we seemed to remember what we had in common.
We were Americans.
And we needed each other.
I think that's one of the things that makes this country so extraordinary.
It isn't that we never have hard days. We do.
It isn't that we always agree. We certainly don't.
It's what we do when the hard days come.
We help each other. We stand together. We find our way forward.
The hard days don't define the greatness of America—but the way we come through them does.
Those difficult moments remind us of our strength, our resilience and the incredible people who call this country home.
And maybe that's why I think about gathering around food when I think about September 11.
Because food has a funny way of bringing people together. It gives us a reason to sit at the same table, watch the game, tell stories, laugh, cry, argue about football—and simply be together.
So yes, this is a Foodie Friday post.
And yes, I'm giving you a recipe for Buffalo Chicken Dip because football season is here and, let's be honest, somebody needs to bring the good stuff.
But this week, the food is really just an excuse to talk about something bigger.
Twenty-five years later, we remember the people we lost.
We remember the first responders and ordinary people who ran toward danger while others were running away.
We remember the families who lost someone that day.
We remember the people whose lives were forever changed.
And I hope we remember the way Americans came together afterward.
This day will live with us forever.
And it should.
Not because we want to live in the sadness of that day, but because remembering reminds us of what matters.
Our people.
Our families.
Our neighbors.
Our country.
And each other.
So this weekend, when you're gathered around the television watching football, or sitting around the kitchen table with friends and family, maybe take a moment.
Remember.
Be grateful.
And enjoy the people sitting beside you.
Then pass the Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Because sometimes the simplest things—food, football, a flag, a song, a table full of people—remind us just how much we have to be grateful for.
The hard days remind us who we are. And the way we come together is what makes this the Greatest country.
September 11, 2001 — We remember.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ cup Buffalo wing sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella
- Green onions, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix the cream cheese, ranch dressing and Buffalo sauce until smooth.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and cheeses.
- Spread into a small baking dish and sprinkle with a little extra cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- Serve with celery, carrots, tortilla chips or crackers.
And my very important Foodie Friday advice:
Make more than you think you'll need.
Because there is apparently no such thing as too much Buffalo Chicken Dip when football is involved. 😂