Texas Football

This morning I went to the store and bought a whole lotta butter, chocolate, sugar, cream, and various ingredients for yummy recipes to eventually take to the neighbors for Christmas. (Those delicious delicacies coming soon!) In Texas however, even while the lights are twinkling and the temperatures are dropping, we cannot ignore our football.

In our house we are usually college level fans but since this was rumored to be a heck of a game, and my hubby needs something to talk about the next day at the watercooler we decided to tune in.
Oh sad, sad day.....yes, the score was not nice but at least we were able to enjoy some football food while we wept.....

We have many recipes for game day but since this was a last minute decision and the game came on about the time the kids were getting ready for bed I stuck with an old favorite.

We call them Potato Skins

Yes, they are basic and most of you probably already know how to make them but honestly, when is the last time you actually did?

Ingredients:

5 pd bag potatoes - I had large reds in my pantry but russet is a popular choice or baby reds

~1 pd cheddar cheese (varies) - my favorite is sharp cheddar

3 oz bag bacon bits (I like the real ones)

butter or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

garlice powder

sour cream

avacado

salt and pepper

baby red tomatoes

 

Scrub your potatoes, stick them with a knife or fork about 4 times and pop them in the microwave. My microwave has a potato sensor button but you can start with 10 minutes, test them out (knife should slide through like butter) and keep adding minutes from there.

Hold potatoes with a paper towel because those babies are hot! Slice lengthwise and scoop out leaving about 1/4 inch all around. Combine oil, salt, and pepper and brush inside and out. If you prefer buttery goodness skip the oil  brush with melted butter and garlic powder. Place on highest rack and bake 10 minutes.

Carefully remove from oven and fill the insides with shredded cheese and bacon bits. Sneak a few of the bacon bits. Return to oven for 5 minutes. Check and see if cheese is melted to your satisfaction.

Can you smell them??? Ohhhh, they smell delicious. Now is the fun part. Once the cheesy goodness is out of the oven you get to eat as is or experiment. We have made varying plates in the past that added guacamole, shredded rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, BBQ sauce, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, avacado....the ideas are endless. My favorite is to add a chunk of avacado, a dab of sour cream, and a slice of a baby red tomato. I think those particular toppings add a freshness to the dish. (pic at top)

My hubby likes them just like this. Loaded down and ready for the game!

 

~Just an note! For gameday we like to lightly salt our avacados and tomatoes. I know, I know, not healthy at all but that's not the point. Just eat all salads the next day to balance. Also, did you really think I ate all 5 pds of those potatoes!! As I mentioned in my previous post, I love things that freeze well and these surprisingly do! I am trying out freezing them with the cheese this time (I'll let you know) but usually I freeze them before adding the topping. Then all I have to do is reheat for about 10 minutes in the oven the next time with the toppings added and they taste great!



Salsa!

I think I could eat chips and salsa every day. Totally not kidding. But I'm kind of picky about my salsas. I like tangy, and fresh, sometimes sweet. My mom brought us some mango salsa, pineapple salsa and peach salsa. They're really good, but I can eat only a little because they're pretty sweet.

I decided to make some Salsa Verde (that's green salsa to you non-Spainglish speaking people...) the other day. I had some cilantro, tomatillos, and jalapenos on hand, so it was perfect. I made up the recipe, without measuring, like normal, so here's some approximate measurements...sorry.

SALSA VERDE

1 bunch cilantro, chopped
6 jalapenos, seeded
6 tomatillos, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
lime juice
salt
black pepper

Blend all ingredients together.

I also love just regular tomato salsa. I received this recipe a year or so, and it's delicious!

FRESH TOMATO SALSA

1 yellow onion
2-3 jalapenos (seed them if you want to reduce the heat)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. sugar
1- 28 oz. can whole tomatoes (or just slice up some ripe tomatoes)
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. white vinegar

Chop all ingredients up, or just dump into a blender and blend.

After School Delight

I don't know about you guys, but no matter what I pack for my kids lunches, they come home starving.
  
Starving.
   
I don't want them to fill up too much before dinner, but I can't stand "starving" my kids.
  
Here's a new idea. Something filling, pretty healthy, and easy to throw together.

AFTER SCHOOL TRAIL MIX
3 cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pistachios

3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut

1 cup honey

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup craisins

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and stir to coat thoroughly.

  
Pour granola mixture onto a large baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil.

   
Bake in a 300 degree oven for about 1 hour or until golden. Stir every 15 minutes.

   
Allow to cool and enjoy!

  
If you're like my family, and you have to have sugar running through your veins at all times, by all means add M&Ms after you've baked it and it's cooled. There isn't much better than M&M's in trail mix. At least for 5/6 of our family.

Black Bean and Corn Dip

Black Bean and Corn Dip
2 (15 oz) cans black beans rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 avocado, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
6 green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Put the lime juice, oil, garlic, salt and cayenne in a small jar. Cover with lid an shake until well combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the beans, corn, avacado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, hot pepper and cilantro. Pour the lime dressing over the salad. Stir well to coat.
Eat with tortilla chips.

Sausage Balls

There are some grocery store items I refuse to buy cheap or alternative versions of.
Top of the list is probably mayonaisse. Cheap real mayo is really gross.
Towards the middle to bottom of my list is sausage. Jimmy Dean is the best. Hands down.

Jimmy Dean Sausage Balls
Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) packages Regular Flavor or Spicy Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
1 1/2 cups all-purpose baking mix
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic (if using regular flavor)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Form into 1inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet lined with foil; bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with cocktail forks or toothpicks. We just eat them with our dinner.

May be prepared ahead and frozen uncooked. To bake from frozen: thaw on baking sheet 15 minutes; bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Variation for firmer texture:
add 3 cups baking mix and 2 cups shredded cheese to the ingredients listed above.

Easter Eggs Reborn

I know most people don't use a recipe for deviled eggs, but this is really good and different.

TEXAS DEVILED EGGS
•1 dozen extra large eggs, boiled
•1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
•2 Tbs. dill pickle relish
•1/3 c. mayo
•2 Tbs mustard
•3 Tbs. finely minced celery
•3 Tbs. finely minced onion
•1 Tbs. Texas Pete Hot Sauce (this brand is not that hot, kid approved)
•1 Tbs. honey
•Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel eggs and cut in half length wise.
Put yolks in bowl with all other ingredients and mix until well blended.
Put yolk mixture in a gallon size zip lock bag and squeeze contents into corner to use as a pastry bag (unless you actually have a pastry bag, then you may proceed fancy style)
Cut a small hole in corner and fill each egg white half overflowing.
Chill for 30 minutes and serve.

I usually don't add the pickle relish, celery or onion (I do prefer green when I use it though). You can of course also adjust your hot sauce level by adding more or less. You might want to also adjust your honey though as well.
I'll post a picture next time I make them.