Multiple papers publish Super Bowl recipes!

I'm happy to say that 11 Newspapers out of the 17 put together at the Design Center in Munster for Lee Enterprises have used my Super Bowl snacks project. I put it together from recipes that have originally appeared here!

It has been my goal from day 1 at my new job to find a way to get my recipes published at the center. I saw the opportunity with the Super Bowl. Hey, it's where Steve Jobs launched Apple, so I said what the heck, maybe this is the opportunity I've been looking for to take what I do here to a different level.

As a bonus, I got a VIP award from the management, but more important, there are editors at Lee Enterprises that are now well aware of my skill for recipe development and food presentation. I can't wait for the next opportunity to arise.

Eat well, cook often ...

Mini English Muffin Pizzas

Printable version

When it comes to a party, pizza is king. Whether it be a work party, school party, frat party or church party – pizza will always satisfy the crowd.

Super Bowl Sunday is not only a big day for football parties but more than likely the biggest day of the year for pizza parties. Domino’s Pizza will increase sales by nearly 80% over a typical Sunday and sell more than 11 million slices on the day of the big game. If you were to string those pizza slices end to end it would stretch the length of more than 21,000 football fields. Pizza restaurants in general will typically double their normal business on Super Bowl Sunday.

For this recipe, I take English muffins and top them with sauce, cheese and mini pepperoni to create a personal snack pizza for an easy pizza party treat.

The key here is to use the English muffins as the crust, any number of toppings can be featured to make custom pizzas. The muffin provides a quick alternative to pizza dough and a variety of toppings should help please all the different tastes that come from a room full of people attending a party.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Mini English Muffin Pizzas

This was really a simple snack to make and perfect for kids. It's a great treat for Moms and Dads to bust out when hosting a slumber party. Just put out a few toppings to choose from and each kid can have there own custom pie in just a few minutes.

I can’t wait to try this with my niece and nephews. They always want to help me cook but rarely do I have something for them to get involved in because most of the elements of cooking involve fire and knifes. Not here though, custom English muffin pizzas are easy and as kid friendly as food gets.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Mini English Muffin Pizzas

Makes 12 mini pizzas; 25 minutes
6 English muffins, split
1/2 C Pizza sauce
2 C Mozzarella cheese
5 oz Mini pepperoni

Assemble and bake
Preheat oven to 425°
Separate English muffins, on each half layer pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, mini pepperoni and a little more cheese. Place on sheet pan and bake until cheese is melted and edges of muffins are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

Wonton Poppers

Printable version

This is my favorite Super Bowl creation for 2014 - jalapeño wonton poppers. Which combines ... you guessed it ... Jalapeno poppers and wontons!

Wonton wrappers are paper-thin sheets made from flour, water, eggs and salt and are sold pre-packaged at most super markets. They can be filled with any number of ingredients or fillings and are usually steamed, boiled or fried. They are the Chinese cuisine equivalent to the Italian ravioli. The wonton is the perfect devise to deliver the popper filling for this recipe comprised of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, cayenne pepper and jalapeño.

Tradition poppers use either half or a whole jalapeño stuffed with filling and if you’re a popper fan like me, this means you may end up eating lots of jalapeños by the end of the night because they are simply to powerful to resist. Adding the jalapeño to the filling and using the wonton to deliver it requires much less of the spicy pepper and will help reduce indigestion caused by a spice overload.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Wonton poppers

I have passed by wonton wrappers a number of times in the last couple months, picked up a package and pondered what I should make with them, only to put them back and move on. This time I went to the store knowing what I wanted to do. I have learned to be careful when impulse buying unique items, like wonton wrappers, that are perishable.

I often buy things with the intent of making it in a couple of days or sometime during the week and the items sit in the fridge or pantry. The couple of days turns into a week and next week turns to two weeks and eventually what I bought has spoiled, dried out or wilted. I have gotten better at using everything I buy, but I still occasionally throw out an item or two. These wonton wrappers are easy to put off until tomorrow and very susceptible to being forgotten about until it's to late.

I know because it has happened to me twice in the last two of years.

So, if you’re not gonna make this recipe in the next couple days WAIT to buy the wonton wrappers. Don't just buy them to have 'em, they're easy to forget about and let go to waste.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Wonton poppers

Makes 24 to 28; 45 minutes
4 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
3 Jalapeños, seeded, diced
1 C Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Cream cheese, room temp
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
24 to 28 Wonton wrappers
Oil for frying

Make filling
In a bowl mix together bacon, jalapeno, cheddar cheese and cream cheese until thoroughly mixed.

Fill wantons
With a scoop, grab a teaspoon of the filling and place it in the middle of a wanton wrapper. Wet the edges, fold opposite corners together, then pinch to seal. Repeat until filling is gone.

Fry
Heat at least 1-inch of oil to 350° in a fry pan. In batches, fry wantons until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn at least once in the oil while cooking. Remove to a paper towel let cool a little, then serve.

Deluxe Pigs in a Blanket

Deluxe Pigs in a Blanket

Now that Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year holiday are past it’s time to prepare for the biggest party of them all - Super Bowl Sunday.

My all-time favorite things to cook are football party snacks – wings, sliders, nachos, pizza – the list goes on. To me, Super Bowl snacks are like a simple American version of Spanish tapas, which are a variety of small appetizer-like bites served one after another to form a meal. It’s an excellent way to eat hardily with friends and family in a social setting — much like treats on Super Bowl Sunday.

For this recipe, I take the classic “pigs in a blanket” and make it a Super Bowl worthy treat. For extra pizzazz, I make it with smoked sausage and add marinara, green pepper and onion. Together, these flavors combine for an easy score.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Deluxe Pigs in a Blanket

I decided to make this recipe because of a mistake in documenting the dish I created the day before. I had forgotten to take a picture of smoked sausage after I had sautéd it, which creates little caramelized spots on each slice. I do that because those spots are little flavor bombs that give a dish with smoked sausage a little extra flavor pop.

I bought the sausage to photograph and thought it would be a good ingredient to use in my first Super Bowl snack of 2014. Each year I have really enjoyed creating new treats for the big game. With the sausage on hand I decided a souped up pigs in blanket was in order.

Some food bloggers and gourmet cooks may turn up their nose at such a primitive treat but for me it’s a simple and tasty snack that anyone could recreate as part of their own Super Bowl spread. These deluxe blankets are tasty, simple and great to wash down with beer!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Deluxe Pigs in a Blanket

Makes 12; 30 minutes
1 sheet Cresent dough, unperferated
1/4 C Marinara sauce
12 slices Smoked sausage (1/2 lb)
12 slices each
Green pepper and onion, sliced 1-inch long

Assemble
Preheat of to 375°
Cut cresent dough sheet into 12 equal squares. On each square place a dab of marinara, slice of sausage and 1 slice of green pepper and onion. Fold opposite corners of dough together forming a role around ingredients. Place on a baking sheet.

Bake
Put blankets in oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes, then serve.

5 Minute Crispy Chicken Sliders

Printable version

The freezer isle at most grocery stores offer a plethora of snacks that can be made in minutes. Add a few ingredients of your own and wala! You’ve got a gourmet snack. This recipe took five minutes to make, turned out great and provided a quick lunch. These chicken sliders could be used as a great starter snack for a party or a nice bite to feed the kids for dinner.

This is the fifth in a series of everyday quick meals I'm creating. For most of my culinary needs, I have always stuck to fresh ingredients, so the freezer section is literally undiscovered territory. I have been combing the freezer isles of the local super markets lately and I can honestly say I'm amazed at the variety of foods that are sold there. It's like finding a whole new world of items to work with.

I have taken a real liking to the “mini” snacks like these sandwiches. They make creating sliders a snap and really do have good flavor. I would rather make everything from scratch, but when in a rush this mini bite is an easy show-stopper at any gathering - from dinner party to dinner for the family.

Eat well, cook often ...

Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza

Printable version

This pizza was surprisingly great tasting. I was a little skeptical when I tasted the spinach artichoke cheese dip alone. It was ok - like most freezer items it’s flavors were much more muted than making it from scratch.

What surprised me most was how well it complimented the crust and mozzarella cheese. As a dip, I probably would never buy it again, but as a layer on a pizza it made for a delicious slice. It’s a great ingredient to have on hand if your hosting a pizza party or need a quick lunch. It’s low maintenance and allows time for other tasks.

The TGI Friday's Spinach Artichoke Cheese Dip was on sale at Meijer, so the experiment was cheap. I always keep store bought crust in the pantry and figured it was worth a shot. I knew it would make a simple lunch, but once I took a bite I knew I had to share it here. I had been wanting to make this pizza for a long time but with spinach artichoke dip made from catch - which I will do in the future - but if your scrambling for ideas for a party snack, this makes an easy alternative.

BEHIND THIS BITE
This is the second recipe created for a new series that features ingredients from the freezer section or sale items that come together in a hurry. I’m sacrificing flavor with using dip from the freezer isle instead of making it from scratch but the time saved and low cost makes it worth it.

Eat well, cook often ...