Family game day – a great excuse to make some awesome party food

This afternoon our family started what hopefully will become a Labor Day tradition. Everyone gathered at our house for a fun game of Formula D, a racing themed board game. Although the game was fun, I have to admit that my favorite part of the day was making a ton of party food for the occasion. I really like to make appetizers, but we rarely entertain, so I don’t do it often.

When we decided to do this, I started looking online for inspiration to plan my menu, and I quickly came upon something I had seen in a magazine a few months ago, mini candy apples. I was afraid it would be difficult to scoop out apple pieces with a melon baller, but it was super simple. The end result was just about the cutest thing I’ve ever made in my kitchen, and since there were none left at the end of the afternoon, I guess they were pretty tasty, too!

I made a recipe I saw online a couple of weeks ago, baked cheese olives, along with buffalo chicken dip, bruschetta and mini pulled pork sandwiches. I served a few other things that I bought in the frozen section of Kroger, and they were all pretty good, too. Frozen jalapeno poppers, queso and potato skins were an easy addition to my party food buffet. An olive tray, pickles and peppers and some fresh fruit rounded out the selections.

Here are a few of the recipes from our first family game day:

Mini candy apples

Granny Smith apples
chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch chips
sprinkles or chopped nuts
lollipop sticks
small paper candy cups

Cut the lollipop sticks in half and set out candy cups on a serving tray. Using a melon baller, scoop balls out of the apples. Push half of a lollipop stick into each apple ball, with a section of the apple peel on top. Pat the apples dry while melting chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch chips. Quickly dip and swirl the apple balls into the melted chips, leaving the apple skin exposed. Then dip in sprinkles or nuts. Place in candy cups to set. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to harden candy coating.

Baked cheese olives

1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 
40 large green olives, with pimento

In a medium-size bowl, cream butter. Mix in flour, cheese, paprika, cumin, and hot sauce. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least an hour (can be made ahead a day ahead).

Dry olives on paper towels. With a ball of cheese mixture that is close in size to the olive, flatten the cheese mixture in your palm, plop the olive in the center, work the mixture up around the olive, and then very gently roll it around between your palms. Make sure the cheese mixture completely seals in the olive. Repeat with remaining olives.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place olives on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature to slightly warm.

Buffalo chicken dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 (9.75 oz.) cans chunk chicken breast, drained and crumbled
1/2 c. buffalo wing sauce (we prefer Louisiana brand)
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 3 minutes and stir. Continue to microwave at 2 minute intervals and stir until cheeses are completely melted. Serve warm with chips or crackers.

Salsa – the #1 condiment in America

 

The headline above is a reference to one of the funniest shows of all time, “Seinfeld.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it is an interesting thing to ponder. When I was growing up, I hardly ever heard of anybody eating salsa, and making it at home was a completely foreign concept. Maybe it’s just where I grew up, but salsa didn’t really catch on until the 90’s.

The closest thing I remember to salsa during my childhood was what Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant called “red dip.” I rarely ever ate the red dip as a kid, but my mom loved it. Those of you who were lucky enough to grow up near a Pancho’s will fondly remember the little bowls of cheese dip and red dip they would bring out with their round tortilla chips. Back then you could get an unlimited amount of refills on the dips as long as you were ordering real food off the menu. I remember there being a little leaning tower of cheese dip bowls on the table when we would finish eating. As I got older, I began to enjoy the red dip, but the ultimate taste treat was mixing cheese dip, red dip and Pancho’s dressing. Good times, good times…

As far as I know, the only Pancho’s left is the original in West Memphis, Ark., that opened in the 1950’s. Whenever we get the chance, we brave the mean streets of West Memphis to have a taste of the foods we fondly remember from our childhoods. I’m happy to report that everything tastes exactly the same, but there is one lamentable change. After you order, you still get a little bowl of cheese dip and red dip with chips, but the days of unlimited refills are over. Now if you want another cheese dip you are charged for it, but I think it’s only $1.50. Even though that’s a bummer, I’m just glad there is still a place I can indulge my Pancho’s craving. I know that you can buy their cheese dip, red dip and even the dressing in area stores, but it’s just not the same.

Back to the original issue of salsa’s emergence on the culinary scene, before anybody thinks I’m crazy, I do remember bottled picante sauce being fairly common. in 80’s kitchens. However, I do not equate this as being even remotely close to homemade or restaurant quality salsa. No, real salsa is a thing of beauty with fresh tomotoes, onions, peppers and cilantro among other things. I don’t know when it happened, but at some point it became common (and even expected) for salsa to be an ever present item at restaurants that aren’t even remotely Mexican or Southwest in their offerings.

Over the years I began to make my own version of salsa. Mine is probably closer to pico de gallo than salsa, but it’s good all the time. It’s a pretty simple recipe that’s probably already known to most people, but I’m going to share it here anyway. it goes without saying that it’s best with homegrown tomatoes, but I had to settle for store bought ones. The end result is great with chips, vegetables, meats and probably some stuff I haven’t even thought of yet.

I had to use two limes this time because they were so tiny. I was too lazy to chop the garlic, so I just used garlic from a jar. I usually put a little bit of olive oil in my salsa, but I started Weight Watchers yesterday, so I left it out.

Here is my simple, fresh salsa recipe:

2 lb. tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeds removed and finely chopped
1/4 c. lime juice
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed or 1 T. minced garlic
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

I served the salsa at dinner with black beans and chips. We also had corn and some chorizo stuffed chicken breasts I found in the frozen section at Wal-Mart.