What I'm Bringing to the Super Bowl Party

I LOVE buffalo wings!  I also love melty-cheesy dips.  The first time I tried this at a party, I knew it would become one of my entertaining staples.  This may not be the healthiest snack, but I'll be sharing with a whole party worth of people :-)  Its SOOO easy to make and only five ingredients!

Not the best picture - taken covertly at the party with my phone :-)

Buffalo Chicken Dip (serves a party)

 

Ingredients:

• 2 large cans of chicken (depending on the brand, they're between 9.75 and 12 oz)
• 8 oz softened cream cheese (leave out at room temp for about 2 hours to soften)
• 1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
• 1/2-3/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot (depending on how spicy you want the dip to be)
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)com

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Open and drain the cans of chicken.

 

• Add the first 4 ingredients plus 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese to a 9 inch glass pie pan or 1.5 quart casserole dish.  If you want the dip to have even more of a kick, add some cayenne!

 

• Using a large serving spoon, combine the ingredients.  The back of the spoon is helpful for blending.

 

• Spread the dip evenly in the dish.  Top with remaining cheese.

• Bake for 20 minutes, or until melted and bubbly.

• Serve with tortilla chips, and/or carrots and celery.
• Enjoy!

For the Love of Brussels Sprouts 2

Part 2 of my series on Brussels Sprouts:  Grilled.  Simple, fast, and five ingredients or less.

The idea of grilling Brussels sprouts was not my own.  My sister, Carla, discovered this while we were living together in Williamsburg.  This is probably my favorite way to cook Brussels sprouts.  The smokey flavor is incredible and very unique.

 

Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Butter and Lemon (feeds 2 as a side dish)

 

Ingredients:

• 10-12 Brussels Sprouts
• 2 Tb unsalted butter
• 1 lemon
• 4 skewers
• fresh ground pepper

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-hi heat.

 

• Rinse the Brussels sprouts.  Trim off the bottoms and remove any ragged outer leaves.  Cut them in half (if there are any super-small ones, leave them whole).

 

• Skewer the Brussels sprouts so that they're all cut side up.

 

• Zest the lemon.  Put zest to the side.
• Melt the butter (microwave is quick and easy).  Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice into the butter.

 

• Whisk together butter and lemon.  Drizzle over the sprouts.  Sprinkle a few pinches of zest on top and season with fresh pepper.  (The leftover zest can be thrown into vinaigrette dressing to freshen it up.)

 

• Grill for about 10 minutes, covered, until browned on the bottom and the middle is tender-crisp

 

• Serve and enjoy!  With Brussels sprouts like these, you'll be fighting for the last one :-)

For the Love of Brussels Sprouts

A lot of people don't like Brussels sprouts.  I grew up thinking I didn't like them, but that has definitely changed.  I've also become a Brussels sprouts converter - feeding them to people who "don't like them" and then they later ask for the recipes!  I have three basic ways that I cook Brussels sprouts:  sautéed, roasted, and grilled.

Part 1:  Sautéed.  Simple, fast, and five ingredients or less*

This recipe can easily be altered with different steaming liquids, spices, garnishes, etc. (examples at the end)

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Red Peppers and Lime (feeds 2 as a side dish)

 

Ingredients:

• 10 Brussels sprouts
• EVOO
• 1 lime
• roasted red pepper strips
• crushed red pepper
• salt

Steps:

• Add ~2Tb of EVOO to a medium pan and preheat over Medium-Hi heat.  (The oil should get hot but should not be smoking.  On my electric stove, I've learned that "M-H" is below the 'Medium' marker.  Unfortunately all stoves are different...)

 

• Rinse the Brussels sprouts.  Trim off the bottoms and remove any ragged outer leaves.  Cut them in half.

 

• Add the Brussels Sprouts, about 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and a smidge of salt.  Sautée, tossing periodically, until golden brown in spots (about 5 minutes).

 

• Meanwhile, zest half of the lime.  Squeeze the lime juice into a separate bowl.

 

• Add ~12 roasted red pepper strips, the lime juice, and ~1 Tb of water or other additonal liquid (I used the brining liquid that the pepper strips were in - mine weren't in oil).
• Cover and allow to cook/steam for about 4 minutes, or until tender.  I prefer mine to be on the al dente/tender crisp side.

 

• Remove to serving bowl.  Add lime zest.  Toss, and serve!

*5 ingredients or less does not include salt/pepper/EVOO/water




Easy flavor combinations (sub for cooking fat, liquid, garnish, spice respectively):

     Sesame oil, 1.5 T soy sauce and 1.5 T water, green onions, powdered ginger and powdered garlic

     Butter, juice of 1 lemon and 1 T water, lemon zest, black pepper

     EVOO, 3 T white wine, capers, black pepper

     Non-stick pan w/ no oil, 1 T red wine vinegar and 2 T water, sun dried tomatoes, smoked paprika

Easy Turtles (Pretzel Rolo Pecan Candies)

I'm not always a chocolate person, often not a dessert person.  But, I ran across a picture the other day that inspired me to stop at the store for some ingredients.  Behold:

Easy Turtles.  AKA Pretzel Rolo Pecan Candies.  And yes, they're easy.  And delicious.

          (Recipe makes about 112 candies.)

Ingredients:

• 1 nine oz bag of Snyder's Butter Snap pretzels (the ones shaped like window panes)
• 1 eight oz bag of halved pecans
• 2 twelve oz bags of Rolo candies (about 56 candies/bag -- the ones I bought had 55 and 57)

Yes, there are only 3 ingredients.  Unless you count an oven.

Directions (per batch - I made mine in 2 batches):

• Preheat a toaster oven or oven to 375 degrees.
• Count one bag of Rolo candies (from now on, I'll assume there are 56 - if there are fewer/more, adjust accordingly).
• Count out 56 pecan halves.
• Spread the pecans on a pan, bake until they're fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes.  I toasted mine in the toaster oven so that I could keep the "big oven" for the candies.

• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees (if you're using the oven for both, this will have to be after the nuts are toasted).
• Arrange 56 pretzels on a baking pan/jelly roll pan.

•  Top each with an unwrapped Rolo candy.

•  Bake in the preheated oven for 2 minutes (until chocolate is shiny and chocolates are slightly softned - you'll know if they're soft enough when you try to assemble the first one).

•  Place one pecan on top of a pretzel/Rolo.  Press the pecan down to smoosh the Rolo.  Do this with the whole pan.  (I do them 2 handed - its a quick/easy process.)
• Transfer the candies to a baking rack to cool (so they don't stick to the baking pan in their small amount of chocolate-melt-through).

•  Allow to cool/allow the chocolate to set.  Enjoy!  (Or eat them while warm - YUM either way!!)
• Wash the pan and repeat for second batch.

 

These are better than chocolate covered pretzels because they add the caramel/pecan turtle element.  They're better than turtles because they add the sweet/salty combo.  I'm not a dessert person.  I've had to stop myself from eating these tonight so I have some left to share.  That says a lot to me...