Category: Food

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The Best Part of Superbowl

Now, it’s no big secret that many in our family dropped off the Superbowl wagon train a while back, as the players became increasingly disrespectful to the American flag and our country.

Nope, never going to have room for that sort of thing.

However, after careful observance we did notice that the main players were becoming a lot more patriotic and some even promoted Christianity openly. Well, well, well. You have my attention.

So it is with guarded optimism that we prepared for Superbowl this year–at long last.

Now, the FOOD. You may notice immediately, a distinct lack of….ummm…shall we say…

junk food?

Yes, it’s true. After all, if I intend to live forever–which I do–then I decided to act a bit more like it with the snacks.

I made seasoned lean hamburger with mustard and chopped pickles. Yum.

Tried my hand at Deviled Eggs. They were luscious–that is until I got an egg shell and it wrecked the whole experience. Gak. But before that…yum.

Ranch cucumbers and peanut butter celery. Yum.

Lastly, kiwi with raspberries and Cheddar Pickles. When I said they are addicting…I wasn’t kidding. Yum and double yum.

Since the snacks are usually the best part of the event–it’s what I decided to focus on–since the game turned out to be kinda dreadful…for Patriot fans anyway. Without Tom Brady, what’s to watch? Haha.

I could be scooching over to the Seahawks any day now. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I was thoroughly entertained….

with the food.

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Cheddar Pickles

Are you ready for an easy snack that’s so dang good you may have a hard time sharing?

Well, I’ve got you—try this one!!

It’s so simple and quick that you’ll  be able to make a few batches in just a few minutes. If you’re not alone–you’ll need to keep them coming.

Fair warning.

All it takes is shredded cheddar cheese and pickle slices.

That’s it.

Butter all the cups in a cupcake pan. Sprinkle in a pinch of cheese. Pat 12 pickle slices dry with a paper towel and set one pickle slice on top of the cheese.

Now sprinkle another pinch of cheese on top of the pickle.

Bake for 14-16 minutes. Remove from pan to a paper towel.

I had a few left and kept them in the fridge, and was surprised at how good they were cold. I knowww…weird.

Please try this one!!

It has become a happy little adiction…

and I’m not a bit sorry.

Heh, heh.

 

 

Cheddar Pickles
 
Print
 
:
: 12
Ingredients
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Sliced Dill Pickles
Instructions
  1. Butter all the cups in a cupcake pan.
  2. Sprinkle in a pinch of cheese.
  3. Pat 12 pickle slices dry with a paper towel.
  4. Set one pickle slice on top of the cheese.
  5. Sprinkle another pinch of cheese on top of the pickle.
  6. Bake for 14-16 minutes at 400 degrees.
  7. Remove from pan to a paper towel.

 

 

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Molasses Crinkle Cookies

We’ve made these cookies before Halloween every year…

since I was an itty, bitty kid.

My mom used to make them bigger and even flatter so that we could decorate them like pumpkins–with candy corn and life savers.

I even did it a couple of times like that when my kids were little but to be honest..

I like them better without the…ummm…toppings. 

And while I’m being brutally honest here, I’ll tell you another thing.

I like them…

almost…

burned.

Almost.

Some like them soft, but for me–

it’s all about the crunch.

 

 

Molasses Crinkles

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

Cream together, then add:

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

If you chill the dough for about an hour before baking, they will be easier to handle. Roll 1 inch dough balls in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Leave on pan a few minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Molasses Crinkles...
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup butter
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. cloves
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
Instructions
  1. Cream together the first four ingredients, then add all the rest of the dry ingredients.
  2. Roll 1 inch dough balls in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  3. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
  4. Leave on pan a few minutes before moving to cooling rack.

 

 

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Garden Pasta Salad

I will merrily, happily, gleefully eat this every…dang…day.

 

 

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together:

Ingredients

1 box Garden Rotini pasta cooked

1 Peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber

2 Ribs diced celery

1 small can Sliced olives

1 clam shell halved Grape Tomatoes

1 package Mini Pepperoni

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dressing

1 cup Wishbone Italian Dressing

mixed with…

1/2 to 3/4 cup Ranch Dressing

Before serving, pour over as much of the dressing as desired, or add dressing to individual portions.

 

 

Garden Pasta Salad
 
Print
:
Ingredients
  • 1 box Garden Rotini pasta cooked
  • 1 Peeled, seeded, cut up cucumber
  • 2 Ribs diced celery
  • 1 small can Sliced olives
  • 1 clam shell halved Grape Tomatoes
  • 1 package Mini Pepperoni
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Dressing
  • 1 cup Wishbone Italian Dressing
  • ½ to ¾ cup Ranch Dressing
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredient except dressing.
  2. Mix two dressings together.
  3. Before serving, pour over as much of the dressing as desired, or add dressing to individual portions.

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Potato Pancakes

When I was a kid, and someone would mention potato pancakes–all I could imagine was adding potatoes to a perfectly good chocolate chip version and ruining them entirely.  Didn’t even sound edible, to be honest.

Dang, was I ever wrong! As it turns out–potato pancakes aren’t pancakes at all. In fact they have nothing to do with actual pancakes as we know them. So that part of my worry was a total scam.

They are shaped more like crumpets–at least when I make them. But I don’t want to cause some crumpet loving child to have a life long misunderstanding about these crispy, crunchy, cheesy potato thingies.

Therefore, we’ll just stick with pancakes.

I originally made enough for two people…for a couple of days. Since nobody showed up starving or at all even remotely hungry, I had no choice but to…

eat them all myself.  Heh, heh.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, hot or cold. So. Freaking. Good.

Note: No part of this recipe is meant to intentionally resemble an actual pancake. Don’t be fooled. It’s potatoes, through and through. 

 

 

Ingredients

2 cups mashed potatoes

1 egg

1/3 cup flour

1 cup shredded cheese- cheddar, Swiss, or parmesan

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Oil for frying

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, egg, flour, pepper, salt, and onion powder until well combined. Stir in cheese.

Measure out evenly into 8 portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then press into a disk. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour.

Pour breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl. Gently press all sides of each disk into the breadcrumbs until covered.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil to about 1/4 inch deep. Heat to 350 degrees. Fry each potato pancake on each side until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Serve with sour cream.

Potato Pancakes
 
Print
:
: 8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 1 cup shredded cheese--cheddar, Swiss, or parmesan
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, egg, flour, pepper, salt, and onion powder until well combined.
  2. Stir in cheese.
  3. Measure out evenly into 8 portions.
  4. Roll each portion into a ball, then press into a disk. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour.
  5. Pour breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl.
  6. Gently press all sides of each disk into the breadcrumbs until covered.
  7. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil to about ¼ inch deep.
  8. Heat to 350 degrees.
  9. Fry each potato pancake on each side until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
  10. Drain on paper towel.
  11. Serve with sour cream.