Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

In last week's thread, V K Lee was thinking about Super Bowl food; and I think that's a good idea for our thread this week.

I don't have a 'dog in the hunt' this year - in fact, I don't even follow football much, unless the Redskins or the Maryland Terrapins are getting hot. But I've decided on South Carolina for my annual bet with my husband - I have some ancestral connections there, and one of my favorite, football-obsessed co-workers wants to see a Panther win.

So, I'm re-posting my favorite 'finger food', this week, along with some other ideas for your Super Bowl gathering. First, an appetizer that has been a hit in my circle for decades (and you can make it ahead, freeze it, and just bake it on the day):

Olive Cheese Puffs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2 Cups grated, sharp Cheddar Cheese (the better the quality of the cheese, the better this comes out; but it's fine with any supermarket-brand Cheddar)

¼ lb. Butter (one stick from a pound)

1 cup of Flour, salted to taste (I usually don't use salt; the olives and cheese are enough)

Pinch of Cayenne

Jar of Pimento-Stuffed Olives

1.Blend together in a food processor the grated cheese, butter, and flour.

2.Process until dough comes together in a ball.

3.Chill, covered, for about 20 minutes before forming puffs. (You don't want it to get too hard. When I've tried making the dough the day before and doing the balls the next day, it's been very sub-par. You want to make the balls the same day that you make the dough, and chill just a bit, to get it firm enough to handle well.)

4.Pinch off a ball of dough, about an inch in diameter, and pat it into a thin disc in your palm; then place an olive in the middle. Pinch up the dough to cover the olive, and roll between your palms until smooth. (Or, dough can be rolled out to ¼ inch thickness, cut into 2 inch squares, and each square wrapped around an olive - but that's too much trouble for me, and usually results in too much dough.)

5.Place puffs on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. ( I usually use parchment paper on the sheet.) Then remove to a wire rack to cool.

(To freeze unbaked, freeze on cookie sheet and remove to freezer containers when hard. When ready to bake, allow 3-5 minutes extra baking time.)

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The next recipe is from the Aldi website; I don't think I've seen anything like it before:

Black Bean Bacon Dunkers

https://www.aldi.us/en/recipes/holiday-recipes/big-game-recipes/small-bites/black-bean-bacon-dunkers/

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Lastly, Super Bowl and other party-food is often so heavy on 'doughy-meaty-cheesy-salty'; and one looks for something Fresh. I suggest having a fruit platter, raw veggie crudites and dip, or something like this:

http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2012/12/party-rye-with-tomato-cucumber-recipe.html

-JT

[Silentgypsy]

The truffle bars look good for the next church event. Thanks for posting.

[Liz]

Score a touchdown w/ this bubbling baked bread lavished w/ Italian goodies.

Baked Garlic Sausage Bread

PREP Remove hot Italian sausage from casing; crumble meat. Cover/brown/stir every 30 sec on low heat. Offheat, liftout cooked sausage from pan liquid.

ASSEMBLY spread sausage on lge Italian bread loaf slices. Place on sheetpan. Layer on tomato slices, red roasted pepper strips, sliced green/black olives. Blanket w/ shredded mozzarella. Bake 400 deg 10 min.

FINAL Remove to counter. When ready to serve, cover w/ Topping; bake five min. SERVE piping hot.

TOPPING mix/fully blend 2 oz balsamic, 4 oz olive oil, s/p, parsley, 1/4 tsp basil/oregano, tb chp garlic, 2 tb minced red onions.

[Liz]

LUSCIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Bake German chocolate cake mix as per box in 9"x13" pan. Cool.

W/ wooden spoon handle indent top in rows. Pour 14 oz can sweet/cond/milk over cake then add micro/softened 9-12 oz jar ice cream topping (butterscotch or chocolate fudge). Refrige.

SERVE in a puddle of caramel (or chocolate) sauce topped with Cool Whip, garnished w/ crushed Heath bars.