Archive for ◊ February, 2010 ◊

02 Feb 2010 Crockpot Bean Dip for a Crowd
Author:  |  Category: Appetizers, Crockpot, Sauces, Dips & Spreads  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | 2 Comments

Super Bowl Sunday is just on the horizon. For years, I couldn’t care less. But somehow or other, I managed to raise a football crazy girl who actually anticipates and then watches football games, playoffs and bowls. So, through her, I am slowly warming up to the excitement of Super Bowl Sunday. Not for the game. Not for the commercials, either. For the snacks!. Just like there are American food traditions around Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day, there are also special Game Day foods. Being slow to this football thing, I don’t have a huge repertoire of Super Bowl recipes yet, but I’ll share what I do have. Here’s my “go to” recipe for all big parties, my Crockpot Bean Dip. I put the crockpot right on the coffee table, with a ladle and some bowls and chips right next to it.

You can control the flavor and spiciness of this dip by your choice of beans, salsa and cheese. This recipe makes enough for two football teams. If there are leftovers, they freeze and microwave well. I’ve also combined leftover bean dip with leftover meat and rice, wrapped it in a tortilla and called it a burrito.

This is probably one of my most requested recipes.  Friends of my son have written to me and asked for the recipe.  When I visit my son I put a batch in several small Ziplok containers, which he can put in his dorm refrigerator and freezer and then reheat in his small microwave as needed.

The original recipe is from “The Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook” by Ranck and Good.

Crockpot Bean Dip for a Crowd

2 (16oz.) cans refried beans
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed and then softened in the microwave
2 cups jarred salsa
2 T. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
4 cups grated cheese (I often use the packaged Mexican Blend)
16 oz sour cream

Mix beans, cream cheese, salsa, chili powder and cumin together in a saucepan. Heat over medium high heat until cream cheese is melted. Gradually stir in grated cheese, stir until melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream. Pour entire mixture into a crockpot and cook, covered, on high for one to two hours to reheat, then reduce heat to warm to serve. My kids like this on Tostitos Scoops, because they can get a lot of bean dip on one chip.

Thank you for visiting the kitchen!

Polly

02 Feb 2010 Bacon Asparagus Rolls
Author:  |  Category: Appetizers  | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  | Leave a Comment

I found this recipe on the Internet this morning. I ran out to buy some asparagus to try it…, then hemmed and hawed about posting the link, the recipe, and my pictures. I wasn’t sure the recipe was “all that”, so I kept tasting and trying to figure it out. Post? Don’t post? Bacon and Asparagus? Is that going to be a hit? Is this a GREAT recipe? Taste, think, taste some more, mmm, one more taste, maybe, let me try that again. It slowly dawned on me, I was positively addicted to these. I was guilty of over thinking the post!
This recipe is from Anamaris on her blog “Chef it Yourself“.

Bacon Asparagus Rolls

For each roll you’ll need:
1 slice of thick bacon (I used applewood smoked)
4 asparagus spears

Trim the bottom of the asparagus spears so all four are of equal length. Peel the lower part of the stem, optional, but no one is going to want to bite into a stringy piece of asparagus–use a potato peeler. Roll, yes, roll (with a rolling pin) the slice of bacon until it is at 50% – 75% longer than it was before you started. Gather the four asparagus spears together. Starting at the tip end, tightly wrap the bacon around all four spears. Season generously with freshly grated black pepper. Place bundle in frying pan. Cook over medium high heat, turning often, until bacon is well browned and crisp, and the asparagus is cooked. (See picture below.) Remove bundle from the pan, and slice into bite-sized pieces.(See picture above) Discard any bottom stems not covered with bacon. Each bundle will result in 3 or 4 bite-sized sushi-like pieces. Serve warm, but good at room temperature, too.

Thanks for coming by,
Polly

02 Feb 2010 Meatballs-on-Toast
Author:  |  Category: Appetizers, Red Meat  | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  | 2 Comments

Just what you need for the Super Bowl party at the neighbors’ house…, a yummy, quick and easy appetizer to take with you. You’ll need a pound of ground beef, a bit of onion (any kind), soy sauce, a bit of brown sugar a sliced baguette, and nothing else! These are so easy to make that your kids could prepare them while you’re in the shower. Meat eaters and teenage boys will fall over themselves getting to the platter. This recipe is from “The 150 Best American Recipes“.

Meatballs on Toast

1 sliced baguette (Le Boulanger has the best)
1 lb ground chuck (nothing leaner than 85/15, or this recipe won’t work)
1/4 cup regular soy sauce* (don’t use low sodium)
1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
4 green onions, minced (or similar quantity of sauteed onion or shallot)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix meat, soy sauce, brown sugar and onions together with your hands until the mixture resembles a fine paste. Pinch a piece of the meat mixture and press smoothly onto a baguette slice, smoothing to all edges. Continue making flat meatballs until all the meat mixture has been used up–you’ll be able to make about 3 dozen. Bake for 8 or 9 minutes at 450. Serve hot.

Thanks for stopping by the kitchen!

Polly

*My friend used a couple dashes of Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce in place of the soy sauce. I am going to try that next time.

Polly’s Points This is great to have on hand for after school snacks. Keep the meat in a covered container in the refrigerator. Have the bread sliced and in another covered container. The kids can mix up a tray of these meatballs-on-toast for themselves when the get home. I always got an “Awwwww, Mommmmm!” from my son when I did this. (His highest words of thanks and appreciation!)

01 Feb 2010 Banana Chocolate Chip Coffeecake
Author:  |  Category: Breakfast & Brunch, Cakes & Cupcakes  | Tags: , ,  | 2 Comments

This is my kids’ favorite, so perhaps I should call it a snack cake rather than a coffeecake. Anyway, I made one this morning, and it was gone in flash. Whatever you call it, it’s baked in a 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan, which is supposed to yield 9 servings, but I am not sure we had nine pieces cut out of it this morning. This is a fun cake, enjoyed by most (all?), very moist, and requires no special ingredient other than ripe bananas and a few chocolate chips.

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffeecake

3/4 to 1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 T. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 T. buttermilk (could sub yogurt or even sour cream or milk with 1 tsp. vinegar added)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour, or spray with Pam, a 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. In a small bowl stir together chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in egg and beat until combined. Stir in mashed banana and buttermilk. Stir in flour mixture and combine well. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Top with half of the chocolate chip mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and remaining topping. Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Serve warm.

Thanks for dropping by!

Polly

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