The Playoffs!

We are well into NFL playoff mode, and some big football fans might start thinking about what they are going to make for their Superbowl parties. Well I'm here to answer some of those questions.

I'm digging deep here into some of my favorite recipes that I've come up with to make your next party a success.

Brat Balls
Ingredients:
1pkg of your favorite brats
1 cup shredded carrots
1 large clove garlic
1 shallot, chopped well
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp 21 seasoning salute (see previous post on spices)
1 cup flower
1 jumbo egg
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 or more cups Panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 large container canola oil (for frying)

Directions:
Un-case all the brats with a knife and put them in a bowl. Mash them with a fork. Add the shredded carrots, shred the garlic in the bowl over a microplane, add the shallot, and the thyme, 21 seasoning salute, and the Italian seasoning and mix well. Roll into 1 inch diameter balls. Set up coating stations. 1st dish has the flower (season with salt and pepper), the 2nd station has the egg (whipped so the yolk is mixed well), and the third station is the Panko bread crumbs. Add the seasoned salt, garlic powder, and some more salt and pepper to the crumbs and mix well.
Then take a ball, coat it in the flour, then coat in the egg wash, and then coat it well with the Panko. Continue until all are coated.
Set up a Fry Daddy, or a pot on your stove with a thermometer and heat the canola oil until it's at 350 degrees F. Drop the coated balls in the oil carefully. Only 4 or 5 at a time so they don't stick together. Cook about 4 minutes or until they are dark golden brown.
Take out with a wire scoop and place on a paper towel to cook and drain for about 5 to 10 minutes, then enjoy.

Alexandra's Hearty Chili
(love to serve this at half-time)
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 lbs 90/10 ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of Bush's Chili Beans in mild sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 12oz can tomato sauce
1 4oz can tomato paste
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp oregano
1tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tsp onion salt
1 cup Chili powder
1tsp pepper
1tsp salt
Up to 2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp cornstarch or Masa flower

To kick it up a notch:
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tbsp red pepper flake
1 red green, or yellow pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped

Optional toppings:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Directions:
Set up a crock pot on high heat. Cook the beef and the sausage until golden brown, drain the fat, and then add to the crock pot. Cook the onion (and the tomatoes, pepper, and jalapeno if you are kicking it up) until just soft, and add to the crock pot. Also add the corn, Chili beans, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and all the seasonings (even the red pepper if you are kicking it up) and mix well. Add just enough chicken broth to bring the liquid level almost to the top. (You don't want all the way to the top because as it cooks some more liquid will release from everything.) Cook for an hour. After an hour mix the corn starch (or Masa Flour) in 2 tbsp warm water and then add to the crock pot. Turn the heat to low and leave it for another half hour.
Serve with some cheese and sour cream on top if you'd like, it's also good when eaten with chips.
Enjoy!

Taco Dip (2 ways)
Ingredients:
Bean dip:
One Can of re-fried beans
1 brick of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
up to 4 tbsp taco seasoning
1 12oz jar of mild (or your favorite spice level)
2 cups Cheddar or Nacho mix shredded cheese

David's Beef dip:
1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp cumin powder

1 brick of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
up to 5 tbsp taco seasoning
2 cups Cheddar or Nacho mix shredded cheese

Directions:
Bean dip:
Get out a 9x13 pan and layer the re-fried beans on the bottom. In a mixing bowl, put the cream cheese (room temp works better) the sour cream and mix with a hand mixer. Add the taco seasoning as you go until it is the flavor you want. Then spread it out on top of the beans. Next take the salsa and spread over top of the cheese/cream mix, and finally add the cheese on top so all the salsa is covered. Enjoy with your favorite chips.

David's Beef dip:
Cook the beef in a skillet with 1 tbsp taco seasoning and the cumin powder until brown. Drain all the fat off and let cool to room temp. Add the beef to the 9x13 pan on the bottom and push it down so it sticks tightly together.  In a mixing bowl, put the cream cheese (room temp works better) the sour cream and mix with a hand mixer. Add the taco seasoning as you go until it is the flavor you want. Then spread it out over the beef. Next take the salsa and spread over top of the cheese/cream mix, and finally add the cheese on top so all the salsa is covered. Enjoy with your favorite chips.

(The story behind David's beef dip is, my fiance doesn't like re-fried beans so I had to come up with something else that he could enjoy with everyone else.)

Spinach Feta Rolls
Ingredients:
1 container croissant rolls
1 10oz package of frozen cooked chopped spinach
1 small container of crumbled feta cheese
1tbsp lemon juice
1tsp nutmeg
1tbsp oregano
Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
Either let the spinach sit out until it's room temp, or thaw it in the microwave. Then, drain out the spinach in a cloth very well, (there is a ton of water in spinach,) then add to a mixing bowl. Add enough feta to give it an even mix (I believe I add 3 to 4 oz). You may have to crumble some of the bigger chunks before you add to the bowl because you want them to be small. Next add the lemon juice, nutmeg, oregano, and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix well. Now you need to add enough olive oil to make it moist and sticky. So just add a bit at a time and mix well and see how it is.
Now, roll out the whole croissant package on a cookie sheet and push all the seams together so it looks like one whole pastry sheet. Then, put the spinach mix on the pastry and spread it out evenly. From there, start and one end and roll up the sheet, very tightly, into a log. Wrap the log up in plastic wrap and put in the freezer to firm for about 10 minutes (so you can cut it.) Then, cut it in about 1/2 inch slices and place on the cookie sheet. Cook as the directions on the croissant package say to.
Enjoy!


I've also shared my guacamole recipe before which is easy and another good and delicious thing you can make for the party.
I hope some of these recipes inspire you and help you as you think of what to make for your next Superbowl party, or any party for that matter!