Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Super Bowl Sunday Supper



Even though I prefer college football over professional, I look forward to celebrating Super Bowl Sunday every year. It makes me feel a bit nostalgic (I can remember my mom making treats when we were little), and it is also a great excuse to gather some friends, enjoy some fellowship around the table -- or couch : ) -- and indulge in a 'supper' full of festive bite-sized treats and hearty appetizers. Below is a round-up of some of my favorite things to make for football watch parties!

When I dip you dip we dip. Seriously, I love dips.
The first link goes to a savory cheesecake, the second link to a yummy layered dip (that would be oh so cute in individual clear cups) and the third goes to my favorite onion dip from Ina Garten - so so good! And who doesn't love Barefoot Contessa? #cookingshowgoals

If you do not like Fried Pickles I might have to question our friendship ; ) -- but really, these are always a hit! Side note: you can make these ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

You can NEVER go wrong with sausage balls. My favorite version includes a little pimento cheese, because why not?
Mix together:
1 ½ cups Bisquick
½ lb mild pork sausage
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup pimento cheese (love this brand)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Roll into 1 inch balls, place on greased jelly pan & cook on 375 for 20-25 minutes. This should make enough to serve 4-6 people, so double if you need more!

If you want something heartier, a chili bar is always a good idea!
Lots of chili options here: white bean chicken chili, savory beef chili and taco chili.
Serve with grated cheese, diced onion, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and tortilla chips.

If you want something healthier, you could make a bite-size version of these. Although not your typical Super Bowl food, they are surprisingly delicious!

And of course a cheese + meat board & hummus + veggie platter are always a win, too. Add in some sugar cookies topped with team color icing & chocolate-covered football strawberries and you've got yourself a party!

Cheers to gameday (menus), y'all --
xoxo

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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

White Bean Chicken Chili + Repurposing Leftovers


We are ALL about some leftovers in the Fry house. I know some people are on the "throw them away" train... but I reallllllly think one of my missions in life is to convert everyone to the "keep leftovers and repurpose them into a new meal" train. Who wouldn't want to cut back on some time, save some money and still eat something delicious? Count this girl in!

I love a getting creative in the kitchen and reusing leftovers is the perfect outlet to do this. If I'm on top of my game -- which is not very often these days ; ) -- I will plan a few weeks out so several meals can build off of one another. Think leftover meatballs on homemade pizza, leftover veggies can go in the food processor to make a healthy red sauce, baked chicken can become chicken salad, mashed potatoes can turn into potato pancakes, you get the idea. Note: there is obviously a point at which leftovers do need to be thrown away (i.e. reuse within a couple days after first cooking) so be conscious of that as you cook.

For a real time example, I made our favorite Slow-Cooked Creamy Chicken Tacos two nights ago. Side note: I didn't have cream cheese on hand so I made them without. They were still yummy but just not so creamy, which worked out really well for me to use them again in the dish below. 

Last night I used the leftover chicken to make White Bean Chicken Chili (recipe below). The chicken was already so flavorful I barely had to do anything else to it. Dumped everything into the crock pot, threw a few spices in and let it cook 6 hours. SO EASY!

Next time I have leftover chicken from these tacos (because we make them more than I'd like to admit) I will use it to make a tamale pie with a corn + cornmeal + cheese mixture on top, and serve it with a salad. Guys, see? You can totally do this! You may not always have leftovers (which is not a bad sign) and they may not always be reusable, but if they are and you can start thinking in advance about how to get two meals out of one I promise your life (and time spent in the kitchen) will be forever changed! : )

Ingredients
2 cups (leftover) slow-cooked chicken taco mixture
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 can petitie diced tomatoes
½ yellow onion, diced
½ green pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp each: chili powder, cumin, salt
1 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
3 cups chicken broth (or more depending on how "soupy" you want it)

Throw everything into a crock pot and cook on high 6 hours or low 8 hours. Garnish with avocado, cheese, cilantro and tortilla chips.

xoxo --

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