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!! 

 

Buffalo Chicken BLT Wraps

Restaurant-style wrap with crispy chicken tenders tossed in buffalo sauce, cold lettuce and tomatoes, and smoky bacon. 

When you go to your neighborhood restaurants - you know, like quick, casual places, nothing too fancy, good food, and big portions - do you have a favorite thing to order, or do you always try something new? I love trying new things, but at some restaurants, I have a favorite dish and order it every time we go.

A local bar and grill has a chicken wrap on their menu that I just LOVE. It's a pretty straight-forward wrap with buffalo chicken and veggies, so I decided to recreate it at home. I added bacon though because, well, bacon!!

I fried up the chicken while the bacon was cooking, and that's pretty much all the prep that goes into this dish. 

My key to crispy chicken tenders with breading that stays put instead of sliding off the chicken when you take a bite is simple. Cornstarch. Instead of using flour as your first breading step, use cornstarch. Your breading will stick to your chicken in a thick layer and won't go anywhere when you cut it or take a bite. 

Look at how beautifully crunchy and crispy that chicken looks!

Once the chicken and bacon are cooked, you simply layer your wrap with greens, bacon, tomatoes, and the chicken tossed in buffalo sauce. Drizzle on a little ranch dressing and wrap it all up.

For a pub style meal at home, give this chicken wrap a try!

print recipe

Buffalo Chicken BLT Wrap

by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations,  November-1-2016

Ingredients

• 2 lbs, Boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
• A few pinches each Salt and pepper
• 1 c Cornstarch
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 c Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp each Spices (onion powder, garlic powder)
• 1/4 c Vegetable oil
• 8 slices Bacon, cooked
• 2 cups Lettuce/greens of your choice
• 1 large Tomato, sliced
• 1/2 c Buffalo sauce
• 4 Tortilla wraps, large
• 1 Tbsp (per wrap)  Ranch dressing

Instructions

- Set up your breading station: put cornstarch in the first bowl, beaten eggs in second, and breadcrumbs seasoned with onion and garlic powder in a third. Place paper towels on a large plate and top with a cooling rack. - Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat - Season chicken strips with salt and pepper. Roll in the cornstarch, shake off any excess. Coat with egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs, fully coating the chicken. - Place the chicken in the pan and fry for 4 minutes until one side is golden brown. Flip and brown the other side for 4 minutes. Check the temperature - chicken should reach 170 degrees. Cook until the chicken is at the correct temperature. Transfer to the cooling rack. - Toss the chicken with buffalo sauce - Assemble the wrap by layering greens, bacon, tomatoes, chicken, and some ranch dressing. Fold in the ends and roll, tucking the ends in as you go so you end up with a nice, tight burrito shaped roll. Slice in half and serve.

Yield: 4 wraps

Spinach-Artichoke Grilled Cheese

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. 

My weekday lunches usually consist of a big salad, a bowl of homemade soup or a healthy, homemade wrap. On the weekends I'll splurge a bit, especially on lazy days with nowhere to be but home. 

I love a good grilled cheese sandwich, but wanted something more decadent, something cheesier and messier. My spinach-artichoke dip is so freaking delicious, and has inspired other recipes like these stuffed shells, so why not turn it into a sandwich? 

Thick sliced bread is a must for this. The outer layer gets buttery and crisp when grilled, while some of the bread stays fluffy and soft, soaking up all of that cheesy goodness. 

In addition to the creamy dip, I layered on sliced Fontina cheese, a cheese with a mild nutty flavor that melts fabulously. 

If you love spinach-artichoke dip, and you love grilled cheese, I promise you will love this sandwich.

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Spinach-Artichoke Grilled Cheese

by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations October-25-2016

Crisp, buttery grilled bread stuffed with creamy melted cheese and a

hot and bubbly spinach artichoke spread.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 small clove Garlic, minced
• 1 c Spinach, chopped
• 1/2 14oz can Artichoke hearts, chopped
• 4 Tbsp Cream cheese, softened
• Pinch each Salt and pepper
• 4 Thick slices Crusty Italian bread
• 2 TBSP Butter
• 4 slices Fontina cheese

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a small saute pan. Add the garlic and spinach, season with salt and pepper and saute until the spinach has wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add the artichokes and cream cheese. Stir until completely mixed.Spread one side of each slice of bread generously with butter. Heat a large griddle/grill pan. Add 2 slices of the bread, butter side down. Top each slice of bread with half of the spinach-artichoke mixture followed by 2 slices of Fontina cheese, and then put the other slice of bread on top, butter side up. Grill until browned, about 3 minutes, and then flip and cook until browned. Slice and serve.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 8 mins Total time: 18 mins Yield: 2 Sandwiches

Classic Pulled Pork with Rated X Sauce

A few weeks ago I went to a cooking demonstration that showcased products made by a local company, Offbeat Gourmet. Offbeat creates premium condiments using locally sourced and mostly organic ingredients.  At the demonstration we were able to try everything that they cooked as well as sample a bunch of Offbeat's other products. I ended up sampling and buying several products, including a sauce they call Rated X. 

This sauce tricks you in the best of ways - the first flavor you get is sweet and tangy from the oranges, but then that heat kicks in and man is that some heat!!! It's not a spicy burn your tongue kind of heat, but more like a slowly developing heat that hits you at the back of our mouth. It's a sauce that is complex and adds to the dish with its heat instead of just being spicy for the sake of being spicy. SO, so good. And just look at that thick consistency - 

I knew I'd have to use Rated X the next time I made pulled pork. And with the heat coming from applewood smoked ghost peppers, I knew Jon would love it.  I made a rub for the pork using smoky, sweet and slightly spicy flavors to complement the sauce. For liquid I chose an IPA beer, a touch of cider vinegar and just a tiny bit of the sauce since we'd be using more on our sandwiches. 

We put the sandwiches together on soft-on-the-inside, crusty-on-the-outside rolls with cole slaw and more of the sauce. I wish you could reach into the screen and taste this pork and the sauce. On its own the pork had just a hint of the heat, so adding that touch of sauce on the sandwich was perfect. Sticky, sweet and then hot all in one bite. 

Pulled Pork with Rated X Sauce Original recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations, inspired by Offbeat Gourmet's Rated X Sauce Serves 8-10 Ingredients

• One 2 lb pork loin or tenderloin; I prefer to use a loin or tenderloin instead of a butt or shoulder as there is less fat and gristle
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• One onion, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 bottle of IPA (I use Goose Island IPA)
• Splash of cider vinegar (maybe 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp of the Rated X sauce (or more), plus more for serving
• Your favorite cole slaw and rolls, for serving

Directions

• In a bowl, mix the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture generously all over the pork.
• Put the onions and garlic in the bottom of your crock pot
• Pour in the beer and cider vinegar, and then add the Rated X sauce, stirring to combine.
• Place the pork in the pot and cover
• Cook on high for 5 hours, turning the pork once
• Turn to low and cook 2-3 more hours. In the last hour shred the pork with 2 forks.
• Keep pork on warm until ready to serve. 

Sweet Ham & Swiss Sliders

These little sliders have been seen everywhere over the past few months - superbowl parties, blog posts, talked about on cooking boards, and of course they are being pinned to Pinterest like crazy.

I needed to find a reason to make them, so when I was planning my Easter Brunch I added them to the menu. I served them along side this Spinach Pie and a light arugula salad that I promise to post soon!

My parents had just served ham at a family dinner the day before, and with so much leftover I was able to use it to make these sandwiches. They couldn't have been easier to put together so they would make a great dinner for a weeknight when you need something quick. I was expecting these to be good but wow, I couldn't get enough of them! I ate 2 and then split one with my sister. I loved the melted cheese and the sauce on top was to die for. Somehow we had a few leftover and even the next day they were really good.

These sliders are featured on a lot of blogs, but I used the recipe Melissa posted on her blog I Was Born to Cook. She used onion rolls, but I just used 12 potato dinner rolls which fit perfectly in my baking dish. I was also able to use a little less ham than her recipe called for. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. 

Sweet Ham & Swiss Sliders

Source: Adapted from I Was Born to Cook

Ingredients

• 12 Potato Dinner Rolls, separated into tops and bottoms
• 12 slices ham, each sliced in half (see picture above) or 24 slices of ham
• 24 slices Swiss cheese (dinner roll size each, so you can probably just use 12 slices, sliced)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place bottom halves of rolls in a baking dish - one that fits the rolls so they sit snugly would work best. 
• Top each with cheese, then ham, then another slice of cheese. 
• Spread a little mayonnaise on each top half roll and place on top of ham and cheese.  
• Combine mustard, butter, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix until combined. Pour evenly over rolls. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake (or bake right away).
• Bake covered for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until tops are browned and cheese is melted.

Homemade Sauce and Meatballs become Meatball Subs

Sauces, soups, and stews always seem to improve overnight. The sauce and meatballs we made on Saturday were really, really good. And on Sunday I couldn't stop tasting the sauce as I was reheating it on the stove. I was so happy to have enough leftovers to share some with my parents, eat lunch, make tonight's dinner, and freeze 4 servings!

Jon spends his Sundays during football season out watching the Bills since we never get them on TV here. But since they were playing the Jets on Sunday, he was able to watch the game at home. At halftime, I put together these meatball subs.

Confession...I have never eaten a meatball sub. I wasn't a big meat eater as a kid, especially meatballs, and by 22 I was a vegetarian. But once I started eating meat again, Jon made meatballs and I was hooked - I love his recipe. And what better way to enjoy a meatball sub than with homemade meatballs and sauce?

Like with cheesesteaks, the roll makes all the difference. I only use Amoroso Rolls for cheesesteaks, so I also used Amoroso Rolls for our meatball subs.

I toasted the rolls in the oven for 30 seconds and then piled on the meatballs and sauce. I cut the meatballs into halves so they'd be easier to manage on the roll. I topped them with more sauce, a few slices of provolone, and put them under the broiler for about 3 minutes.

Comforting and delicious! And even better, a quick halftime meal so we can get back to the game!

Cheesesteaks

Born and raised in Philly, this girl knows a cheesesteak. If you have never experienced a cheesesteak, you must do it in Philadelphia. If you ever see "Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich" on a menu in another city, stay away. A real cheesesteak will never be called a Philly Cheese Steak, nor will it have the word Sandwich in the title.

There are a few key things that make up an authentic cheesesteak. I had to teach them to Jon when he moved down here from Maine - I think some of our biggest fights were about what makes up a cheesesteak! 

First, you have to use an Amoroso roll. And if you don't live in the area, unfortunately, you can't get them. If you have to use another roll, make sure it's a thick, dense steak roll that is a bit tough on the outside, and soft on the inside. 

Second, I don't care what anyone says, Cheez-Wiz has no place on a cheesesteak. The cheese must be provolone or American. The tourist spots in Philly can keep their Cheez-Wiz (oh yea, stay away from the tourist traps if you visit. Instead hit up a local corner pizza shop). The steak - chopped, not a big slab of steak. Toppings - peppers and onions. No mushrooms, no lettuce or tomato, just peppers, and onions. And maybe hot peppers. If you want to get fancy, you can add pizza sauce for a pizza steak. 

Finally, the ends of your roll should be soggy and greasy halfway through enjoying your cheesesteak. You'll also have to learn "the lean" to eat the cheesesteak without getting it all over yourself - lean into the cheesesteak instead of trying to bring it up to your mouth. Last night I made cheesesteaks at home following all of these rules. 

Ingredients

• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced
• Thinly sliced steaks. I used Landis steaks, made right here in PA, and found in the frozen section. You can also get a rib eye, freeze it, and then thinly slice it. Paper-thin. I used 6 slices per cheesesteak.
• 2 Amoroso steak rolls
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Directions

• Heat about 2 tbsp olive oil on a large griddle.
• Add the onions and peppers; saute until the peppers are soft and lightly browned, and the onions are nicely browned/fried. Like this -

• Remove the peppers and onions from the griddle and keep them warm.
• Add 2 more tbsp oil to the griddle. Add the steaks, like this -

• Brown the steaks on one side, keeping them whole. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Flip the steaks, and using 2 spatulas, start to shred the beef. You want a bunch of bite-sized pieces of beef.
• In the meantime, throw your rolls into a 350 oven for no more than 3 minutes to lightly toast them.
• Once browned, separate the beef into 2 long piles that are the length and width of your rolls.
• Top with provolone cheese, and throw a lid on top of each pile to get the cheese to melt.
• Layer the peppers and onions onto one half of the roll; top with the meat. This way you will get a bit of onions and peppers in every bite.

I am very, very picky about my cheesesteaks, and I really outdid myself with these! Jon has also become picky about his cheesesteaks and he was impressed. They tasted exactly like a good cheesesteak that I'd get in a local Philly joint.

I served them with some fries, just store-bought frozen fries that I tossed with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder and baked until crispy.

Southwestern Chicken Salad

Lately I have been making a lot of chicken salad. Because I only like to use onions, peppers, and celery in the mixture (no raisins or nuts in my chicken salad!), I add flavor by seasoning my chicken before cooking it.

It's obvious that I love Mexican and Southwestern flavors, so it's only appropriate that I make a Southwestern chicken salad.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (or use other parts of the chicken if you like them)
• Spices: chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 sm onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• For serving: cilantro and tomatoes

Directions

• Coat chicken with spices - from most to least, I used chili powder, cumin, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne. I don't know the amounts, but the chicken was completely spice coated when I was done.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken and cook until done, about 5 min per side. The color of the chicken after being cooked is so beautiful from the spices!
• Let cool, and then finely chop the chicken.
• Mix with peppers, onion, and mayonnaise. Chill.
• When ready to serve, top with some cilantro and tomatoes. I would have mixed the cilantro in with the salad, but I think it is too strong of a flavor to sit in the salad for 2-3 days. Also, it would probably wilt after being in the mayonnaise.

I served the salad on a roll my mom picked up when we were at Costco the other day. They are multi grain rolls and according to a fellow Costco shopper, only have 1 point each in the Weight Watchers System.

This was so delicious, and so much more exciting than plain old chicken salad!

Sausage Sandwich with Peppers and Onions

Last night I made Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe and had planned on making Jon a really good sandwich tonight with some of the sausage I didn't cook.

I was picturing sauteing onions, red and green peppers, and garlic with some salt and pepper, then deglazing the pan with something...beer?..and then letting it all simmer together. I was going to cook the sausage under the broiler, and would then put everything on a nicely toasted roll.

Nope, he wanted to make the sandwich himself (Jon does like to cook but doesn't have much time to spend in the kitchen, and I usually end up taking over anyway!).

He took the sausage and put it into a frying pan and let it brown. When it was halfway done (about 10 minutes in), he added the peppers and onions. After another 15 minutes, he put everything onto an un-toasted roll.

I have to admit, it looked delicious, and sometimes maybe keeping it simple is better!

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad... I am all about plain chicken salad. Nothing fancy, no raisins or grapes, and especially no nuts. I make my chicken salad with a bit of mayonnaise, onions, celery, and green peppers.

So why am I posting? I like how I cook my chicken for the salad.

I only use boneless chicken breasts, and before cooking, I coat them with salt, pepper, a touch of thyme, celery salt, and onion powder. I cook the chicken on high heat so it gets crispy and golden brown. Sometimes I shred it, but today I chopped it into tiny pieces. I have leftover rye bread from breakfast that will make a great sandwich.

Back to the kitchen - time to start my hummus and then I'll be making broccoli-mascarpone soup. The London broil we're having for dinner is marinating in one of Jon's creations and I'll be making risotto to go with it. I love days like this where I can spend the day in the kitchen prepping for the week. More posts to come!

Quick, Easy, and Healthy Breakfast...or Lunch!

I had some extra time this morning so I made myself a really yummy and healthy breakfast. I was planning on making 2 quick eggs but then I saw the leftover veggies from last night in my fridge and I remembered that I had a whole wheat pita to use up in the next day or two, so I started throwing all of the ingredients together.

This breakfast was so delicious and healthy and should hold me over for a while!

Ingredients

• 2 eggs; I used 1 egg white and one whole egg
• A tiny pinch each of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder
• 1 wedge of Laughing Cow spreadable cheese
• 1 whole wheat pita cut into 2 pockets
• 1 tsp shredded cheddar
• Chopped cooked veggies - I heated up and used tomatoes, zucchini, orange pepper, and red onion. I also added raw spinach and sprouts.

Directions

• Spray nonstick pan with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
• Beat egg, adding spices as you beat. Add to pan and leave it alone over medium-low heat.
• Flip the egg once the under-side is cooked. Top with the cheddar cheese and cook for 30 more seconds (I like fluffy eggs but cooking the egg this way makes a nice, flat egg perfect for putting into the pita).
• Spread the Laughing Cow cheese on the inside of each pita pocket. Stuff with the egg and veggies.

I think this took me 7 minutes total to cook. What a great way to use up some leftover veggies!

Girls' Night

Jenny, Stacey, and Stasia all came over for another girls' night. Stasia and I talked about the menu and wanted something fresh and on the healthy side. So tonight's menu was fresh veggies with homemade yogurt dill dip, corn chowder, and paninis.

I love the yogurt dill dip because it has such fresh flavor. It was pretty low in fat as well.


Yogurt Dill Dip
- 1 cup of lowfat plain yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- juice from 1/2 of a lemon
- grated rind from 1/2 of a lemon
- finely chopped fresh dill weed; I used the dill from 2 stalks.
- 1/2 tsp salt

Mix all of the ingredients together and adjust the salt if necessary. I love serving this dip fresh out of the fridge so it is good and cold. Add some crunchy veggies and you have a healthy and flavorful appetizer.

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A panini is simply a grilled sandwich, but ingredients that are used on paninis are usually a little different than what you would put on a cold sandwich. Also, the bread used is usually a thicker, heartier bread like an Italian loaf, French bread, foccaccia, or ciabatta.

Mayonnaise or mustard aren't usually put on paninis - you'll usually see something like olive oil and balsamic, brie, pesto, or a spread to take the place of the traditional condiments. I made an artichoke spread for our paninis.





Artichoke Spread
- 1 can artichokes, drained well and chopped
- 2 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese
- 2 tbsp lowfat sour cream
- 1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise; I love the Hellman's Reduced Fat Mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt

Heat olive oil in a small pan; add garlic, saute til slightly golden, and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and stir. Adjust the salt if necessary.

My spread was just a touch too chunky so I gave it a few pulses with my handheld immersion blender - voila! It was perfect and got nice and melty when we grilled the paninis.

Fixins Bar..
Besides the artichoke spread, I put out the following ingredients:

- Loaf of Italian bread and a loaf of ciabatta bread; Stasia gave me the tip of slicing the bread into wide slices so the grill would hit the top and bottom of the bread, not the sides. This worked perfectly.
- Laughing cow spreadable cheese
- Olive oil
- Turkey breast
- Cooper sharp cheese
- Fresh spinach
- Sliced tomato
- Bean sprouts

Other ingredients I'd use next time include balsamic vinegar, pesto, roasted red peppers, brie, bacon, and different cheeses.

Here is my sandwich before and after the grill did its magic:




Finally, what goes better with a panini on a cold night than a bowl of chowder? I made my corn chowder - the recipe can be found here.

Thanks for such a fun night Stacey, Jenny, and Stasia! Let's do it again soon.