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!! 

 

Easy Homemade Wonton Soup

No need for takeout - make this incredibly easy wonton soup at home.

Just a few ingredients are needed for this rich and flavorful broth. The wontons also only have a few ingredients, and once you get the hang of wrapping them, you will put this together in no time.

One quick tip - make a big pot of broth and then only drop in the wontons you plan on eating that night and freeze the rest. The next day you can pull out your pot of broth, heat it up and drop the frozen wontons in. This worked much better for us than cooking all the wontons at once as they would be soggy the next day.

Enjoy!

Easy Wonton Soup
Adapted from: Spend With Pennies

The Broth 

Broth Ingredients

• 3 32 oz cartons chicken broth (not low sodium)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 slices of fresh ginger
• 3 Tbsb low sodium soy sauce

Broth Directions

• Add all broth ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer for one hour.
• Once ready to cook your wontons, remove the garlic and ginger and increase to a steady simmer. 
• Drop wontons in and let cook about 6 minutes. Serve immediately. 

The Wontons

Wonton Ingredients
Note: I made 50 wontons with these ingredients. The broth will be able to cook 30 total; the rest of the wontons can be frozen for future use. 

• 1 package wonton wrappers (50)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tsp cornstarch 
• Other things needed: water, flour (about 2 Tbsp), parchment paper

Wonton Directions

• Mix the pork, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch in a large bowl until combined. 
• Prep your area - put a small bowl of water and a small plate of flour near your wrapping station. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a clean cutting board or other flat surface in front of you.
• There are several ways to wrap wontons and they all work! I used this process, but you could take a look at some videos online before choosing how to wrap yours: Place a wonton wrapper on the cutting board. Spoon 1 tsp of the filling onto the center of the wrapper. Wet the edges with water, and then fold the wonton wrapper in half to form a triangle, pressing the edges together tightly. Wet the 2 pointed ends and pull them together, pinching tightly. Dip the bottom in flour and place on your parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
• Continue until you have wrapped all of your wontons. 
• At this point, either place them in the freezer and once frozen place in freezer baggies, or drop into the broth to cook. Or do like I did - cook half and freeze half! 

Easy Pork Ramen

One of my favorite things about visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Portland, Oregon, (besides seeing them and my adorable new nephew!!) is the food scene. I have had some of my best meals in this great town - seriously, even the airport has such a great restaurant  - The Country Cat - that I go back to the airport early JUST so I can eat there. Plus, I am lucky to have foodies in my family who enjoy taking me to great places! 

The first time I went out there I got to experience something for the first time - ramen. Confession... I didn't have my first real bowl of ramen until I was 40.  It's not because I didn't want to try it, we just don't have any ramen places around here! 

The next summer when I visited we went to the Pine Street Market, a very cool food hall. Walking around this place is like a trip to heaven for a foodie. Nine of the city's best chefs and restaurants all in one place! How do you decide what to eat? 

I went with ramen, as well as some pork buns from another spot, and once again, my meal in the great PDX did not disappoint. Rich, salty broth with curly noodles, scallions, spinach, and thinly sliced pork. This soup IS a meal. 

When I returned home I was craving ramen so badly that I had to try to recreate it. I thought back to the few times I had ramen and just went based on my memory of the flavors and ingredients.

I made a chicken stock-based broth with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a few other ingredients. We filled our bowls with mushrooms, scallions, thinly sliced grilled pork, noodles, and an egg. Craving satisfied!

Note: you can sub any protein for the pork. The last time I made it I used crispy, pan-seared tofu. You could also use chicken, beef, shrimp, mussels, clams, etc - really anything you like! Experiment with different flavors and ingredients, too - add a dash of fish sauce, dried kelp, bonito flakes, grated carrots, miso paste, sprouts, or oyster sauce.

Easy Pork Ramen
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients 

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed 
• 1 tsp ginger (I used the jarred ginger - prefer the consistency)
• 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1 bunch green onions - stems cut at 2 inches, the rest chopped 
• 1 c sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 2 soft or hard-boiled eggs (your preference)
• 1 grilled pork chop, thinly sliced *
• 8 oz cooked noodles of your choice (soba, ramen, Chinese noodles)
• Optional: bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, or spinach
• Optional for serving: Sambal Oelek 

* I season the pork chop with salt and pepper and grill it to 140 degrees; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. 

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a pot
• Add the garlic and ginger; saute 1 minute
• Add the broth, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, mirin, and green onion stems. Bring to a steady simmer and then reduce to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove the green onion stems and add the mushrooms. Let simmer 3 minutes. 
• If using greens, add them to the pot for one minute before you are ready to serve. 
• Remove from the heat and stir in the miso until combined. 
• To plate: Put noodles, chopped green onions, greens, mushrooms,
  and sliced pork in a bowl. Pour broth on top and garnish with Sambal and an egg. 

The Perfect Roast Chicken - Includes a Step by Step Guide to Brining (Turkey or Chicken!!)

This may just be the perfect Sunday dinner. Juicy, tender chicken with homemade gravy and a plate reminiscent of Thanksgiving - mashed potatoes, veggies and stuffing.
Roasting a chicken can seem intimidating - there are so many decisions. Brine or no? Stuff or not? What to season it with? Roast in a bag or not? And how to make gravy without lumps? 
I am going to take you through it step by step, and I'll make all the decisions for you. Honestly, it's easy. As long as you plan ahead so you have enough time to make and cool your brine, the steps are really simple. 
In this post I share details of each step with pictures, but just so you don't get overwhelmed, here is a simple, sample timeline. At the end of this post I'll give you easy to read, step by step instructions. 
Based on Sunday Dinner, adjust as needed: (this can be used for Turkey, too!!!)  - Friday night: make and chill the brine  - Saturday morning: add the chicken to the brine   - Saturday night: remove the chicken from the brine and dry it in the fridge overnight  - Sunday, 4 hours before you plan on eating: season and stuff the bird, truss and cook. 

So yes, I did decide to brine for the first time ever and now I will ALWAYS brine! Why? The skin was crispier, the chicken was juicier, and the overall flavor was out of this world.  (note - if you buy a Kosher chicken it has already been brined). 

I did a lot of research on brines before making my own, and I decided to go with the advice of Chef Daniel Boulud and use a boiled brine that you chill as well as the drying method. If he can charge $75 a plate for his brined chicken, I'm sure his method has to produce some darn good chicken.  

Basically you bring your water and salt mixture to a boil (1 c salt to 1 gallon water). Adding sugar and other spices/herbs is optional, but I recommend doing it to maximize the flavors the brine will add. Once boiled, it is important to completely cool your brine. Putting your chicken into a warm bath to sit for 12 hours will just breed bacteria. So give yourself the time and completely chill the brine (use my timeline above).  

I brined the chicken for 12 hours. After that, I dried it and set it on a serving tray to dry in the fridge. This is something I hadn't heard of before, but Boulud says that it "really helps improve the purity of a chicken’s flavor and, especially, the crispness of its skin." I was a bit freaked out about leaving an uncovered chicken in my fridge overnight so I used my garage fridge which only holds beer and water :) 

On Sunday morning it was time to finish prepping the chicken by adding more flavor. I always stuff my turkey with herbs and garlic, so it was a no brainer to do it with the chicken, too. I chose fresh thyme, chunks of lemon, onions and garlic. I often add sage and rosemary, too.  Flavoring the skin and meat is important too. Make a mixture of butter (or oil), garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Use your fingers to gently lift the skin so you can season the meat. Be generous with it! You'll also want to season the skin. 

The final step is trussing the chicken, and I really like this tutorial. A woman behind the butcher's counter at the supermarket tried to tell me that you only need to tie the legs together, but following this tutorial helps to keep everything tucked in nice and tight. 

Put that bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan that has been layered with carrots and onions. Feel free to add celery, garlic, or any other aromatics that you like. This is what is going to help flavor your gravy. If you don't plan on making mashed potatoes, throw some potato chunks in there too for amazing roasted potatoes. 
I like the high heat method of cooking chicken to get golden brown, crispy skin. Start your bird on 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, and then lower it to 350 degrees for the remainder. Plan on 20 minutes per pound. 
To summarize all of that, here is a timeline based on Sunday Dinner:  - Friday night: make and chill the brine  - Saturday morning: add the chicken to the brine   - Saturday night: remove the chicken from the brine and dry it in the fridge overnight  - Sunday, 4 hours before you plan on eating: season and stuff the bird, truss and cook. 
Look at this beauty!!! Is that a perfect chicken or what?? 

When you take the chicken out of the oven, you'll want to let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. In that time you can make the perfect gravy - I share my recipe below which is a spin on my husband's recipe from his mom. Creamy, lump-free and perfect every time!

Gorgeous. Mouth watering. The perfect Sunday meal. 

Whole Roast Chicken Based on a 7-8 lb chicken
Step 1 - The Brine

• 1 gallon of cold water
• 1 c salt
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

In a pot large enough to hold your chicken, combine the water, salt and sugar and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature and then cover and transfer to your fridge to chill overnight. 

24 - 30 hours before your planned dinner, add the chicken to the brine. Keep in the fridge for 12-16 hours. 

Step 2 - Drying the Chicken

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Transfer to a large plate and place in the fridge, uncovered, for 12 hours. 

Step 3 - Stuffing and Seasoning the Chicken

• 1 lemon, roughly chopped
• A few sprigs each of fresh herbs - thyme, sage, rosemary
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 of a white onion, roughly chopped

Put all of the above ingredients in the cavity of the bird. 

• 1/2 c olive oil (or 4 Tbsp butter, softened)
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp black pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed/crushed
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (same as what you use to stuff the chicken)

Combine the above ingredients. Gently lift the chicken's skin and apply the mixture directly to the flesh of the breasts. 

Additionally, brush your bird with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Step 4 - Trussing the Chicken

Follow these steps: 

• With the breast meat facing up, tuck the wings under the shoulders
• Place a long piece kitchen twine across the breast and using both hands, flip the chicken over. 
• Tie the twine
• Flip the chicken back over
• Using your right hand only, wrap the twine around the smallest part of the drumstick two times (I'd call it the ankle :). Repeat with the left side.
• Tie the twine tightly so the legs close over the cavity. Now we're all trussed up with somewhere to go!

Step 5 - Cooking the Chicken

• 4 carrots, chopped into chunks
• 1 onion, chopped into chunks
• Other optional ingredients: cloves of garlic, celery, potatoes - all roughly chopped. 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Toss the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in the bottom of your roasting pan.  Place the chicken on a rack in the roasting pan. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 and cook 20 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 180 (breast) and 190 (thigh). Another way to test is to cut between the leg and the thigh and see if the juices run clear. 

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board (make sure it has a well, the chicken will leak!) and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the veggies to a serving bowl. 

The Gravy

• 1 c plus 2 Tbsp water or chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp flour

Place your flour in a bowl leaving a well in the center. Slowly add 1 c of the liquid, whisking as you add. 

Place your roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 Tbsp of liquid, whisking it around the pan as you scrape up all the good brown bits. 

Slowly add the flour/liquid mixture - just a bit at a time - whisking constantly. Continue adding until you have the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. 

If it is too thick, add more liquid. If it is too thin, make another flour/liquid mixture and continue to add it until you have the gravy you desire. 

Grandmom's Macaroni Salad

This is one of those dishes that takes me back to childhood, and now I make it often for my family. It is such a simple recipe with simple ingredients, but is one of my favorite sides for burgers, dogs, grilled chicken, or really any summer party or BBQ food.
You know those mac salads that you sometimes get at a diner in a little cup and they are all wet with way too much mayo? And they are a bit too sweet? That's not this salad.

I have a few tips to make this the best mac salad you will every try. First, you have to cook the pasta to al dente. You want it to still have a bite, so definitely rinse it with cold water as soon as you drain it. Overcooked, soft mac mixed with mayo is not what you are going for! 

I use only carrots, red onion and green pepper. It's important to dice them into the smallest dice you can get. You don't want them to stand out in the salad, but simply give flavor and some texture. 

I add my mayo in 2 steps and end up with a perfectly creamy mac salad. The first time I add it I mix it up and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour. When you take it out it will look almost dry. That's when I add the rest of the mayo and veggies. Oh - and it must be Hellman's Mayo!!!!

Finally, don't be scared to season it! Salt and pepper only, but be generous and keep tasting every time you mix. 
Timewise, this is a really quick salad to pull together. The water takes a few minutes to boil and then the pasta only takes 5 minutes to cook. During that time I chop my veggies, and then the mixing only takes a few minutes. I'll even pull this one together for a weeknight meal as long as I have an hour to let it chill in the fridge. 

Add caption

So forget those sweet, wet mac salads that have given macaroni salad a bad name and give this one a try! I guarantee it will be the one everyone asks for! 
Grandmom's Macaroni Salad
Original family recipe
Ingredients

• 1 lb macaroni/elbow noodles
• 6 Tbsp mayonnaise, separated (amount is approximate)
• 1 carrot cut into a small dice
• 1/4 red onion cut into a small dice
• 1/2 green pepper cut into a small dice
• Salt and pepper, approximately 1 Tbsp each

Directions

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously and then add your noodles. Cook to al dente, approximately 5 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer noodles to a large mixing bowl.
• Add half of the mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and place in the fridge for one hour. 
• Add the veggies, and slowly add more mayonnaise until you get the creaminess you want - remember, you don't want it to be too wet. Continue to season with salt and pepper, tasting as you go.
• Chill until you are ready to serve, stirring before serving. 

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.