Tags Posts tagged with "The Big Game"

The Big Game

Game Day Chicken Wings

By Heidi Sutton

Scoring big on game day (February 11 at 6:30 p.m.) requires champion snacks that keep the crowd full and ready for action. You can take your tailgate to the house with this salsa-based dip and chicken wings to kick off the party and delicious brownies for celebrating a sweet victory.

Game Day Chicken Wings

Recipe courtesy Culinary.net

Game Day Chicken Wings

YIELD: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

10 chicken wingettes, thawed

dipping sauces

fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with foil. Arrange butter cubes on foil. In medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Coat both sides of wings in flour mixture then evenly space among butter cubes on baking sheet. Bake wings 30 minutes. Turn wings over and bake 15 minutes, or until crispy and fully cooked. Serve with dipping sauces and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.

Mexican Pizza Dip

Recipe courtesy of Chef George Duran

Mexican Pizza Dip

YIELD: Serves  6 to 8 

INGREDIENTS:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup chunky salsa, plus additional for topping

1 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup blended Mexican cheese

sliced jalapeno (optional)

sliced black olives (optional)

green onions (optional)

tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 8-by-8-inch glass pan or large souffle dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In large saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat and add ground beef, breaking up with flat wooden spatula, until fully cooked. Sprinkle taco seasoning throughout beef and combine.

Place warm beef mixture in large bowl and add cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup salsa and mozzarella. Mix well until combined and pour into prepared pan. Top with blended cheese and sliced jalapeno, black olives and green onions, if desired.

Bake until fully warmed and cheese is melted, 30-35 minutes. Top with small spoonfuls of salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.

Marbled Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

Recipe courtesy of Dominos Sugar

Marbled Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

YIELD: Serves  6 to 8 

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate Brownies:

1/2  cup (1/4 pound) butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Peanut Butter Marble:

1/4 cup natural (no added sugar) peanut butter

4  tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

powdered sugar, for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 350 F. 

To make chocolate brownies: In medium saucepot over low heat, melt butter and chocolate. Remove pot from heat; stir in sugar and vanilla until blended. In small mixing bowl, whisk eggs until frothy then stir into chocolate mixture. Sift flour into batter and stir just until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing to edges.

To make peanut butter marble: In mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat just until blended. In separate bowl, sift or whisk flour and baking powder then stir into batter just until combined. Carefully spread peanut butter marble over chocolate batter. Use knife to swirl batters together, first horizontally then diagonally. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire rack before cutting. Top with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.

Easy Buffalo Wings

By Barbara Beltrami

The big game on Feb. 5 is normally one of the most exciting events of the winter season. Bisecting the drab doldrums of January and February, it glues zealous sports fans to their TVs and ignites passionate tempers to not just a few expletives. In a feeding frenzy that alternately consoles and celebrates the vicissitudes of the afternoon’s plays, this annual game between the two best pro football teams evokes and stimulates the most American of appetites.

Although traditional fare is centered largely on some combo of spicy buffalo wings and blue cheese dips and spreads, many spinoffs of those flavors come to mind. There are Sloppy Joe’s, a goopy ground beef and barbecue sauce concoction served conventionally over open hamburger rolls, but just as good over toasted crusty bread.Then there are iceberg lettuce wedges with blue cheese dressing, bacon, cherry tomatoes and red onion. And because the day wouldn’t be complete without Buffalo something, here’s an easy recipe for wings.

Sloppy Joe’s

Sloppy Joes

YIELD: Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup oil

One large onion, chopped

One medium carrot, peeled and diced

One medium green bell pepper, washed, seeded and diced

2 pounds lean ground beef

Two garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup ketchup

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons A-1 sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

8 hamburger buns or 16 slices lightly toasted crusty bread

DIRECTIONS: In a large skillet, heat the oil for 30 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, and green pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are opaque and pepper starts to turn color, about 5 minutes. Crumble the ground beef and spread around the skillet; cook, stirring frequently with vegetables, until meat is browned. Add garlic, ketchup, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, A-1 sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar.

Cook over low-medium heat until vegetables are tender and liquid is evaporated, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and seasoning. Serve hot over open buns or bread slices with cole slaw and french fries.

Iceberg Lettuce Wedges with Blue Cheese Dressing

Iceberg Lettuce Wedges with Blue Cheese Dressing

YIELD: Serves 8 to 12

INGREDIENTS:

One head iceberg lettuce, washed, drained and trimmed

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup light cream or half-and-half

½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¾ cup crumbled blue cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 to 6 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled

Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Thin slices red onion, separated into rings

DIRECTIONS: Slice the lettuce into as many wedges as you desire. Combine the mayonnaise, cream, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, blue cheese and seasoning. With a wire whisk, beat ingredients for 30 seconds. Arrange wedges on a platter. Pour dressing sparingly, and serve remaining dressing in a small bowl to be passed around. (It can also be used as a dipping sauce for buffalo wings in recipe below). Sprinkle bacon, tomato quarters and onion rings over wedges.

Easy Buffalo Wings

Easy Buffalo Wings

YIELD: Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

12 to 16 chicken wings

4 ounces unsalted butter

One large garlic clove, minced

¼ cup Frank’s or Tabasco hot sauce

Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 425 F. Wash and dry wings. With a knife or poultry shears, separate the wings at the joint. Cut off wing tips and discard or save for another use (such as soup stock). Melt butter with garlic. In a large bowl, combine mixture with hot sauce and salt. Add wings and toss to coat. Place wings in shallow baking pan and drizzle with remaining sauce. Roast 10 minutes on each side, basting often, or until golden brown. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.