Game Day Food!

Game Day - the perfect excuse to eat all of your favorite foods and not feel guilty about it! In preparation for the big game, here are some of our favorite appetizers and comfort foods to enjoy while watching football! 

Jalapeno Poppers are great, and we took these up a level with bacon... Try these Cheesy BLT Stuffed Jalapenos. 

 

Chips and dip are probably my #1 guilty pleasure. You can't go wrong with this 5-minute dip that tasted like a loaded baked potato. Loaded Baked Potato Dip! 

I must have something for loaded baked potatoes! These hot Loaded Baked Potato Bites really are the perfect bite. Make your mashed potato a day ahead of time to make assembling these cute little bites a breeze! 

Pinwheels are perfect little bite-sized appetizers and can be hot, using Crescent rolls, or cold, using flour tortillas. Try these Baked Pinwheels or these cold Tortilla Pinwheels. 

I think deviled eggs always belong when having an appetizer party. Try these Western Style Deviled Eggs with ham, onion, green peppers, topped with pickled mustard seeds. 

You might want to eat the entire tray after trying one of these Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders (say that 10 times fast!). Gooey melted cheese and baked ham on a toasted roll, all topped with a sweet and spicy Dijon and brown sugar butter glaze - perfection. 

You'll want to make these just for the creamy and cheesy roasted jalapeno sauce! Smothered Chicken Burritos - the chicken cooks in your crockpot all day, and then assemble and bake when you are ready to eat! 

Crisp, buttery grilled bread stuffed with creamy melted cheese and a hot and bubbly spinach artichoke spread. It's like everybody's favorite party dip in a sandwich. Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese - 

Finally, making pizza at home can be a lot of fun. This pizza combines a Philly Cheesesteak with a make-at-home pizza - Philly Cheesesteak Pizza. 

Enjoy!! 

 

Beef and Bean Burritos

Ground beef, pinto beans and salsa fill this crispy, oven-baked burrito. Personalize them with your favorite toppings for a great dinner everyone will enjoy! 

I crave the flavors of Mexican food (or at least Tex-Mex) at least weekly. Some of my favorite things include jalapenos and cilantro! And then there's the cheesy dishes and dips you get with Tex-Mex - I cannot resist!

Last week's package of ground beef was begging to be turned into an amazing Tex Mex dinner, and I just happened to be craving it, so this happened - ground beef, pinto beans, and salsa all stuffed in an oven baked burrito and personalized with out favorite toppings.

Usually when I make tacos I just brown the meat, add the spices and let it simmer for a few minutes until I'm ready to start assembling. With some extra time to spare last week, I let this meat mixture simmer for 45 minutes to give it some really amazing flavors.

When stuffing the burritos it is really important not to include the liquid from the meat. You'll naturally get some in there, but use a slotted spoon so most of it drains. Once stuffed, I placed them on a rack on a foil lined baking tray and sprayed them with cooking spray. 20 minutes in the oven and they were perfectly crispy.

The best thing about build-your-own meals (things like pizzas, tacos, baked potatoes, etc.) is that everyone can top their food with their favorite things.

My husband chose salsa, cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapeno slices and avocado slices with some sour cream on the side.

I love creamy and cheesy sauces, so I made a creamy cheese sauce with a kick from a special spice blend that my friend makes. It has so much heat and the best flavor! I also topped mine with jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro.

I was so excited to cut into these. The meat had such a robust flavor from simmering in the salsa and spices, and the cheese sauce combined with everything for such an amazing, flavorful bite.

Give these a try and let me know how you like to top yours!

Beef and Bean Burritos
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 1 lb of lean ground beef (I prefer 96%)
• 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 24-oz jar of your favorite chunky salsa 
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 can pinto beans (or black beans if you prefer)
• 6 burrito sized tortilla shells
• Cooking spray
• Toppings: cheese (cotija or queso blanco would be my choice), tomatoes, lettuce, jalapenos, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, cheese sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

• Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a rack. A cooling rack works perfectly for this. 
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add your ground beef and brown, breaking it up into smaller pieces. 
• Once browned, add the onions and garlic; stir 1 minute. 
• Add the salsa, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer, uncovered, for 15-45 minutes, depending on how much time you have. Stir occasionally.
• Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spoon 2 spoonfuls of the meat mixture below the center of the tortilla. Fold in the bottom to cover the mixture, fold in the 2 sides, roll away from you. Roll in the sides again and roll until everything has been tucked in. Place seam side down on the rack and spray quickly with cooking spray. Repeat to make all of the burritos.
• Bake for 20 minutes, turning the broiler on for the last 2 minutes. 
• Plate and top with your preferred toppings. Serve immediately.

Creamy Cheesy Sauce

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 c whole milk
• 1 Tbsp of your favorite chili/spicy spice blend OR chili powder/salt/ground cayenne pepper/black pepper mixture
• A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
• 1/2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese

Melt the butter and oil in a small pot. Whisk in the flour until completely combined. Slowly whisk in the milk and add your spices and hot sauce; continue to stir. Once the milk comes to a light but steady simmer, remove it from the heat and add in your cheese. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over the baked burritos. 

Oven Baked Chicken Burritos in a Creamy and Cheesy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce

Easy shredded chicken in the crockpot for oven-baked burritos topped with an out-of-this-world creamy and cheesy roasted jalapeno sauce

I love enchiladas and could probably eat them daily. The soft tortillas, different fillings, all smothered in a delicious sauce.. I think it's the sauce that gets me. I'm not the biggest burrito fan because of the lack of sauce, so when I spotted a recipe for smothered burritos I was all over it. 

This recipe is SO easy because your chicken cooks in the crockpot all day, so it's really just making the sauce (which can be done in advance) and then assembling the burritos and baking them. This is definitely easy enough for a weeknight.

The original recipe called for canned green chiles for the sauce, but I really prefer the smoky and fresh flavor from roasted jalapenos. The canned ones tend to be a bit tangy, in my opinion. If you have a gas cooktop it's really easy to roast your own jalapenos. Alternatively you could char them on an outdoor grill or even a fire pit. All you need is open flame. 

My advice - make extra!!! These were so, so good that I was so excited to have leftovers the next day. The chicken was so tender and flavorful. The tortillas were nicely crisped in the oven, and the sauce MADE these burritos. Smoky and full of a subtle heat, creamy, salty and just spoon-licking good. Seriously, I was licking the spoon. And leftover sauce is the perfect nacho topping! 

I will absolutely be adding these to my rotation... you should too!


Oven-Baked Chicken Burritos in a Creamy & Cheesy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce
Loosely Adapted from: Carlsbad Cravings

Shredded Chicken Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c salsa (I prefer hot, mild or medium would work too)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 jalapenos, chopped
• 1 14.5 can diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1 Tbsp each: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano
• 1 tsp each salt, black pepper, chipotle chili powder

Shredded Chicken Directions

• Rub chicken with olive oil and place in the bottom of your crockpot
• Add the salsa, brown sugar, jalapenos, tomatoes, and all spices
• Cook on high 2-4 hours or low 6-7 hours until chicken is cooked through. 
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks OR use your stand mixer to shred chicken on low speed (my favorite use for my KitchenAid mixer!)
• Return chicken to the crockpot and keep warm until ready to assemble burritos.

Creamy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce Ingredients

• 2 jalapeno peppers
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, cumin
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Creamy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce Directions

• Roast your jalapenos - place the jalapenos over an open flame until all of the skin is completely charred. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 10-15 minutes, peel off the charred skin (you may want to wear gloves!). Cut off the top of each jalapeno and slice down one side to open the jalapeno flat. Scrape away the seeds and then chop the jalapenos.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a sauce pan. 
• Whisk in the flour and stir until combined and slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes
• Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the chicken broth and add the spices. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and stir in the chopped jalapenos, sour cream and cheese. Taste and add hot sauce if you want more heat. 
• You can make this a day in advance and then slowly reheat it on low, stirring often, when you are ready to make your burritos.

The Burritos

• 4-6 flour tortillas (burrito size)
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• Cooking Spray
• Toppings (tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc)

• Line a cookie sheet with foil and top with cooling racks.
• Fill your burrito with chicken (drain the chicken from the liquid first, or just use tongs to pull out the chicken - you don't want liquid in your burrito), top with some cheese, and roll by folding in the sides and rolling as you continue to tuck in the sides. Place seam side down and spray with cooking spray (both sides).
• Cook on 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Turn on the broiler at the end to quickly crisp; flip burritos over and crisp other side. 
• Serve topped with the warm sauce and toppings.