Here's a compilation of some of my best football party food ideas! Go Chiefs!
Courtney's Chili
1. Brown 1/2 lb ground beef (remove and discard grease) and add 1 Tbsp steak seasoning
2. In a dutch oven saute 3 sweet peppers and 1/2 small onion until tender
3. Add 1 can pork-n-beans, 1 can of red kidney beans, 1 jar of tomatoes and the ground beef.
4. Stir in the following spices:
2 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1/2 Tbsp season salt, 1 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano
5. Cover and let simmer for at least 10 min.
6. Then serve with your favorite fixin's. My favorites are sour cream, brown sugar, shredded cheese and crushed ritz crackers.
**For some heat add cayenne pepper
Courtney's Hot Wings
1. fill deep fryer to max fill line with canola, vegetable or peanut oil and turn heat to 375 degree. (Fry outside to avoid stinking up your house)
2. In a large bowl combine flour and seasoned salt
3. Add wings (40 count) and coat with flour or dredge
4. In a saucepan add 1/4 cup butter, 1 bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce and 2 Tbsp (or more) agave nectar or honey. Turn the heat to medium and stir until butter is melted and sauce is combined. Turn heat to low to keep warm while wings are frying
5. When the oil it hot add wings (fry in shifts of 6-8 wings of similar size)
6. The wings are done when they float to the top and turn a golden brown color (anywhere from 4-7 or more min depending on size)
7. Remove wings and drain on a paper towel
8. Coat in sauce
9. Serve immediately with celery and ranch or blue cheese dressing.
3. Place sandwich rolls on a baking sheet and layer ham and cheddar cheese
4. Brush some of the butter mixture on the top of each roll and place on the ham and cheese
5. Brush the remaining butter mixture over the tops of each sandwich
6. Cover in foil and bake for 15 min
7. Remove more and bake for another 10 min
Serve immediately
Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup warm water
4 cups flour
Baking soda
Sea Salt
Directions
1. I a stand mixer combine warm water, brown sugar and yeast. Let stand 5 min until it become frothy
2. Add 2 cups flour and mix. Then add remaining 2 cups flour and mix.
3. Using the dough hook attachment, knead until well combine and forms a tight ball
4. let dough rest 5 min
5. Meanwhile preheat oven to 450 degrees and bring 4 cups water and 6 Tbsp baking soda to a boil
6. divide dough into 12 equal pieces
7. Roll each section into a long string. Twist into pretzel shape.
8. Place each pretzel into the boiling soda water for about 10-15 sec. Remove and place on a cooling rack. While its still wet sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (6 pretzels per baking sheet)
9. Bake for 8 mins.
10. Let cool just a bit and enjoy the warm, soft, salty goodness that is a soft pretzel.
Guacamole
1. Chop 6 cherry or grape tomatoes, 2 slices of onion, 1-2 Tbsp cilantro and place in a bowl
sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp lime juice and let soak for an hour or so
2. Mash 2 ripe avocados and add to the vegetables.
3. Mix and add salt to taste.
Salsa
Ingredients
2 large tomatoes or 1 large can of tomatoes
½ yellow or orange bell pepper
1 jalapeno (leave out for mild, add for spicy)
¼ cup diced onion
1-2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
Directions
1.place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until at desired consistency
2.Serve with tortilla chips
*for those wanting extra spice try adding a habanero pepper!
This is a crowd favorite! We usually have it around Christmas time but it is great for anytime!
Ingredients
1 can Frito bean dip
¼ cup miracle whip
¼ sour cream
½ packet of taco seasoning
1 can of diced black olives
1-2 cups diced tomatoes (cherry and grape tomatoes work great for this)
1 bag of shredded lettuce
1-2 cups grated chedder/jack cheese
Directions
1.In a small bowl mix together miracle whip, sour cream and taco seasoning
2.Start spreading out layers in a flat platter
a.Bean dip
b.Taco seasoning mixture
c.Diced Olives
d.Diced tomatoes
e.Lettuce
f.Cheese
3.Serve with tortilla chips and watch it disappear
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients and Directions
1. In a mixing bowl mix together 1 brick of softened cream cheese, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken and 1 recipe of Courtney's Hot Wing Sauce (recipe Here )
2. Spread in a glass baking dish
3. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 350 for 30 min
4. Service warm with crackers, carrots and celery
Mango Crab Rangoon Dip
Ingredients and Directions
1. In a food processor, dice up 1 package cook crab (real or imitation) and 1 cup frozen mango
2. In a mixer combine crab mix and 1 brick softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
3. Spread in a glass baking dish and bake for 30 min at 350
4. Top with more sweet chili sauce and serve warm with wonton chips.
1. I recommend using a filet or sirloin steak for this. Salt and pepper each side of the steak.
2. Melt 3-4 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steaks for 2 min on each side
3. Place a wire wrack on a baking and sheet and put the steaks on top. Finish them off in a 400 degree oven for 8 min. This gives you a nice medium rare steak (depending on the thickness) If you like it more well done sear and bake for a few more mins.
4. Allow the steaks to rest for at least 10 min before cutting into them to keep the juices in.
Leek Mushroom Cream Sauce 1. Clean and slice 5-6 button mushrooms and saute in butter over medium heat until soft, then set aside.
2. Thinly slice about 1 cup of leeks and saute in butter until soft and add to the mushrooms.
3. In a sauce pan melt 1 Tbsp butter and stir in 1 Tbsp flour to form a roux. Let the roux cook a min or so to remove any floury taste.
4. Then add 1 cup milk and 1 tsp salt and stir. Allow it to thicken. Add the mushrooms and leeks and allow to thicken a little more.
5. Top your steak and enjoy!
**If you have left over sauce, it is really good over egg noodles! Just add a beef bullion cube and water or some beef broth to thin out the sauce and serve over cooked egg noodles.
Bacon Brussels Sprouts
1. Clean and cut the sprouts in half and remove a few of the outer leaves
2. Melt 1-2 Tbsp bacon grease and toss over the sprouts (Another great reason to always save your bacon grease. I keep a mason jar of it in my fridge for just such occasions)
3. Spread the sprouts onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and bacon bits
4. Roast in a 425 or 450 degree oven for 10-15 min, until the edges start to brown.
Stuffed Chicken, Artichokes with Hollandaise and Spinach Salad
Stuffed Chicken
1. Thaw a boneless skinless chicken breast per person. Place between 2 layers of plastic wrap and pound until flat.
2. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. At one end place a thin slice of cream cheese and a few leaves of spinach
3. Fold the other end of the chicken over the top of the cream cheese and spinach and try to seal the edges as best you can.
4. Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, basil and oregano.
**You can use toothpicks to keep it together while baking if necessary.
5. Place in a buttered baking dish and top each with a dollop of butter
6. Bake at 350 until the internal temp is 165 (30 min or so depending on size and thickness of chicken breast)
Spinach Salad
1. Wash spinach leaves and add to a bowl
2. Boil 2 eggs, peel and slice and add to the bowl
3. Slice 3 button mushroom and add to the bowl
4. thinly slice 1/4 of a red onion and caramelize in an oiled skillet over medium heat until brown and add to bowl
5. Sprinkle in bacon bits
6. Make dressing - 1/4 cup oil, 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp sugar and a pinch of pepper, Shake and pour over salad. Toss and enjoy!
Artichokes with Hollandaise.
I got this method of cooking artichokes in the microwave from the site below
Dinners around the table with family don't need to be a thing of the past. Watch this video for a simple plan to cook at home and enjoy family dinners.
Kefir has numerous health benefits. I love to make it into Kefir Smoothies for my breakfast each morning to start the day off right. Kiefer is derived from the Turkish word Keyif which means "feel good".
I have had good success with a powered kefir starter but I wanted to try kefir from grains. I documented my journey here.
1. Brown 1/2 lb ground beef (remove and discard grease) and add 1 Tbsp steak seasoning
2. In a dutch oven saute 3 sweet peppers and 1/2 small onion until tender
3. Add 1 can pork-n-beans, 1 can of red kidney beans, 1 jar of tomatoes and the ground beef.
4. Stir in the following spices:
2 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1/2 Tbsp season salt, 1 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano
5. Cover and let simmer for at least 10 min.
6. Then serve with your favorite fixin's
Chicken and Tomatoes
1. Using your choice of bone-in/skin-on chicken place in a glass baking dish, dot with butter and sprinkle with season salt. Bake at 275 degrees for an hour or until the internal temp reaches 165 degree.
2. Remove the skin and remove bones. Dice chicken
3. In a dutch oven add 1 package of dry onion soup mix and 2 cups of water
4. Add 1 can of home canned tomatoes and 1 can of store bought canned tomatoes
1 tsp basil and the diced chicken
5. Cover and simmer for about 45 min or until the liquid reduces to form a stew consistency
6. Serve over rice.
Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
1. Cut 1 lb or more of round steak into portion size piece, salt and pepper each side.
2. Dredge in flour and brown for a couple of min on each side in hot oil.
3. Thinly slice 1 medium onion and 2 bell peppers.
4. In a crock pot layer steak, peppers, onions and tomatoes until all in in the pot. Salt and pepper
5. Allow to cook for 6-8 hours
6. Serve over mashed potatoes
For a how to video on Mashed Potatoes see my Easter Feaster video
1. Finely chop 3 stalks of celery and between 1/2 and 1 onion (depending on how much you like onions)
2. Saute in the bottom of a dutch oven or stock pot in 1/4 cup butter until tender (5-10 min) over medium heat.
3. Add 1 carton of either chicken broth or chicken stock and 2 bunches of broccoli heads cut into small pieces (or 1 bag of frozen broccoli). Cover and cook until broccoli is soft (about 10 min)
4. Add 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of half-n-half.
5. Cut 16 oz of Velveeta cheese into small cubes and add to the pot, stir until all the cheese is melted.
6. To thicken the soup remove about 1/2 cup of the liquid and mix in 2 Tbsp flour then stir back into the pot. This is supposed to keep lumps from forming but it they do just whisk away ;)
1. In a very large stock pot place: beef bones, pork bones (ham bone works as well), bony part of chicken (wings), celery, carrots, onion, 2/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, fresh ginger, dried mushrooms, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp salt, 6 quarts water and 1 Strip of dried seaweed (Kombu)
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 2 or more hours (remove Kombu after about 30 min)
3. When meat is cooked, skim of fat and strain liquid. Discard solids.
4. Cook and serve ramen immediately or divid broth in quart size bags and freeze for Ramen anytime
Ramen Assembly
Cook Ramen Noodles in boiling water until soft.
In a bowl combine ramen, broth and desired toppings
Some common ones are
Cooked strips of beef, green onions, dried mushrooms, bok choy, bean sprouts, napa cabbage
marinated eggs
Marinated Eggs
1. Steam 4-6 eggs for 10 min, immediatley place in ice water to cool
2. Peel eggs
3. In a bowl combine 3/4 cup Mirin, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar and 1 Tbsp water
3. Add egg and let soak for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
I love soup, but I find that when I make a pot a lot of it goes to waste. I have discovered these great silicone soup freezers and now I can have a different soup each day of the week! You can purchase them on Amazon. I have a soup making week and then I'm set for months of lunches!
Directions and Ingredients:
1. Dice 1/2 cup onion and 2 celery stalks and saute (in butter or oil) in a heavy bottom pot until tender.
2. Add 1/3 cup bacon bits or cooked crumbled bacon
3. Add 2 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups milk
4. Add 3 cups frozen, canned or fresh corn, 1 can of potatoes, diced, 1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers and 2 tsp Mrs Dash (salt free seasoning)
5. Heat over medium heat (careful not to curdle the milk)
6. To thicken mix 1/3 cup flour or corn starch with 1/2 cup water and add to pot, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Heat until desired thickness is reached.
7. To freeze for later, pour 1 cup of each in each section of the silicone soup freezers. Freeze until solid and the pop them out of the molds. Store in a labeled ziplock bag in the freezer for individual servings.
1. Remove kale from stems and coat with vegetable oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Roast kale at 425 for 10-15 min (until crisp) Cut into small pieces for the soup.
2. Meanwhile, peel and dice 5 golden potatoes. Boil until soft. Drain water and transfer to a stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup milk and beat until smooth (like mashed potatoes)
3. In a sauce pan melt butter and bacon grease. Add flour and salt and cook for a min or so
4. Add remaining 2 1/2 cups milk and stir, then add mashed potatoes and stir. Add stock and onion powder and stir
5. Add bacon bit, kale and cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Serve and enjoy.
In this post I'm sharing several recipes that I would consider healthy options. I like my food to taste good though, so hopefully you will see a healthy balance (pun intended) of both with these recipes.
Mango Flounder
1. Salt and pepper each side of your flounder fillets and lightly dredge (cover) with flour, fry in a small amount of hot oil on each side until lightly crisp and flaky.
2. For the Mango Salsa: dice sweet pepper (or jalapeno if you like a kick), onion, mango and cilantro. Combine in a bowl with lime juice and salt to taste.
Cilantro Lime Couscous
1. Make couscous according to package instructions
2. Add lime zest, lime juice and chopped cilantro
3. Stir to combine
Raspberry Pork
1. Salt and pepper both sides of each pork chop and saute in a skillet until lightly browned.
2. Allow pork chops to rest 10 min before serving
3. For raspberry sauce: in a saucepan place 1 package of fresh or frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar and 1 tsp sage. Turn on medium and allow to simmer until reduced to a thick syrup
4. Strain seeds and pour over pork chops
**Substitute fresh raspberries for seedless raspberry jam to avoid straining seeds
Lemon Rosemary Quinoa
1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions
2. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and rosemary
3. Stir to combine
Bakes Zucchini and Tomatoes
1. Thinly slice zucchini, tomatoes and onions
2. Place in an oiled baking dish with lemon zest, lemon juice and salt
3. Bake at 350 for 30 min. (if you prefer roasted bake at 425 for 20 min)
What the Kale Salad 1. Rinse and remove kale leaves from center stem, shop into bite size pieces and add to bowl
2. Rinse and chop romaine lettuce and add to bowl
3. Add: chopped broccoli, broccoli slaw, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries
4 For dressing combine the following ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 sec.
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp celery salt
(pinch of onion powder for added flavor)
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp horseradish
Pearled Couscous salad
1. Make basil and herb pearled couscous according to package instructions
2. Saute diced zucchini and onions until tender
3. Add to couscous and refrigerate until chilled
4. Add diced cherry tomatoes and Italian salad dressing
5. Stir and serve chilled
