Cheese-wrapped Olives for the Super Bowl!

Kickoff

the Super Bowl

with

these savory bites!

It's not shocking that Americans devour more calories on Super Bowl Sunday, more than any other day, even Thanksgiving Day!  
 
You'll want to count these cheese-wrapped olives in for your Super Bowl fare...

They're from another era - oldies but goodies -  that are still popular today.  I posted them way back here when I first started this blog and thought they deserved a repeat now in time for Super Bowl parties.

They're easy to make:  just wrap olives in a tasty cheddar dough, freeze and then bake until golden and serve when needed.

So...   have your football cronies chow down on these little gems while they're watching the game.  Once they sink their teeth into a cheesy olive, they'll huddle around the plate down to the last bite!! 

Beer is optional...


Cheese-wrapped Olive Bites 
Printable recipe  

Ingredients:
50 small pimento-stuffed green olives, drained and patted dry
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method:
Make sure the olives are drained well (I pat them dry with a paper towel.)
Blend cheese and butter.
Sift next 3 ingredients together.
Combine cheese with flour and butter mixture.  It makes a stiff dough.
Pinch off a small amount of dough and flatten in palm of hand.
Wrap dough completely around olive.
Place on baking sheet in a single layer and freeze; once frozen, they can be placed in a resealable plastic bag until ready to bake.
Do not thaw before baking.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400°.
Place olives on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until golden.
Transfer to serving plate.
Serve warm or room temperature.




Enjoy! 

Cheesy Sausage Biscuit Bites for the Super Bowl LI Party

Woo Hoo!!

It’s Super Bowl time again!!!

Bill lined up the defense and offense, game on!

That means, party time again, and we’re taking this great tasty appetizer to our neighbors’ Super Bowl party!

These little gems are meaty, cheesy and packed with flavor…

Roll the sausage and cheese into balls, nest them in a mini biscuit and bake, easy peasy.  Maybe serve with a little mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce.


I have made the appetizer using hot Italian sausage and regular pork sausage.  I prefer the hot and spicy, but use whatever type of sausage floats your boat. Add pepper, or not.

 

Enjoy the savory morsels while you’re watching the game, or as a snack, any time ~ even for breakfast.  

After trying one, you may never stop at a fast food drive-in to get a sausage biscuit again!

It’s a sad sad thing that the Chicago Bears won’t be playing this Super Bowl, so woefully, I’m saying, “Go New England, go Tom Brady!”

Better make extra of these Cheesy Sausage Biscuit Bites because they will disappear as quickly as a Tom Brady pass to Edelman!

Cheesy Sausage Biscuit Bites

Ingredients:

2 (10 count) cans flaky biscuits (Grands Jr)
1 pound bulk hot or sweet Italian sausage or pork sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper, optional

Method:

Preheat oven to 400°.
Mix raw sausage, cheese and pepper gently until well combined.
Shape into 40 equal-sized balls.
Remove biscuits from cans and separate each biscuit into 2 layers, making 40 total biscuit layers.
Press into cup of mini-cupcake pan (slightly greased if not non-stick bakeware.)
Repeat with remaining biscuit layers.
Place sausage-cheese ball in each biscuit cup.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly browned and sausage balls are bubbly.
Serve
Printable recipe


Enjoy!

Snickers Trifle for the Super Bowl Party

People like Super Bowl Sunday for many reasons:  It could be just for the love of the game itself; or, maybe it’s all about betting on quirky things like how many times Peyton Manning will yell “Omaha.”  Perhaps they like it for watching the half-time entertainment, or possibly just to see the new TV commercials.  But, then there are those of us who love the day for the FOOD!

I’m contributing this Snickers Trifle for the Super Bowl party since about everyone loves chocolate.  The chocolate pudding layer in this trifle is whipped with sweetened condensed milk, and that sends it right over the edge into decadence! 

Add to it layers of caramel, another one of chocolate hot fudge sauce, some whipped cream topping, layers of chewy brownies and bits of chopped Snickers bars to top it off.

If you’re searching for a dessert that takes a minimum of time and effort, tastes heavenly, is luscious and gooey ~ a showstopper of a dessert, this is for you!

Snickers Trifle

Ingredients:

1 box of brownies
1 (3.9 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup water
2 (8 ounce) tubs Cool Whip
Caramel topping
Hot fudge topping*
12 mini Snickers bars, or more

Method:

Bake brownies according to package directions and let cool completely.
Cut into squares.
Meanwhile, prepare the pudding layer by mixing the instant pudding with the milk and water.
Blend on low speed until mixed and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Fold in 1 container of Cool Whip and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make trifle layers, layer half the brownie squares on the bottom of a trifle bowl, or any clear deep bowl.
Drizzle with half the caramel sauce.
Drizzle with half the hot fudge sauce.
Spoon half of the chocolate pudding mixture over the brownies.
Top with half of the other container of Cool Whip.
Chop 6 mini Snickers and sprinkle over Cool Whip.

Repeat layers with the remaining brownies, chocolate pudding mixture and Cool Whip.

Drizzle the top with remaining caramel and hot fudge toppings.
Chop remaining Snickers and sprinkle on top.
Garnish with one mini Snickers in the center of the trifle as garnish.

Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

*Heat hot fudge sauce in micro just slightly, just until spreadable, then cool a bit before drizzling.

It’s sinfully delicious!

Spicy Sloppy Joes for Super Bowl Sunday

Growing up, this was a favorite messy meal of mine, and still is today!

Sloppy Joes are perfect for a delicious quick meal for your family or a crowd too ~ like for your Super Bowl party that’s coming up Sunday!  It’s a comfort food dish that is cheap also.  I make it just like Mom did, in an electric skillet.  It’s great for Sloppy Joes, but a slow cooker works just as well.

These Sloppy Joe’s are not sweet, like most are, and they’re not runny either ~ making them not so sloppy! Serve these Super Bowl Sunday for raves from your fans!

Spicy Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground round

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups tomato sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons McCormick’s Montreal Seasoning

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dry mustard

Method:

To a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef and break it up.

Sauté until no longer pink.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and bell peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce and paste.

Turn heat to low and add remaining 5 ingredients.

Simmer on low for at least 5 minutes.

Serve piled on toasted buns.

4-6 servings

Enjoy with tangy cole slaw and your favorite sides.

Have a great Super Bowl Day and I hope your team wins!  Sadly, mine’s not playing…

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes.

Caramel Chocolate Trifle and the Game

The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, making Bill very happy!  He has always been a die-hard Packer fan even though he was raised here in northern Illinois.  

 

Bill asked me yesterday if I knew what the “G” stands for in the Packer logo.  I bet you are like me and assumed Green Bay.  It makes perfect sense, right?  Wrong!  The funny video below is New York Giant Tiki Barber quizzing the Green Bay Packer players.   I don’t feel so bad now that I know most of them don’t even know what it stands for.  They definitely know more about football and lived up to the "G" last night!  Here’s what the “G” stands for:

Our "hostess with the mostest" of the Super Bowl party we attended asked me to bring a dessert.  I knew Carla really meant a CHOCOLATE dessert.  From above, this trifle looks like chopped bits of candy but, a look at the side view shows all of its delicious layers!

 

This trifle is stacked with devil’s food cake chunks, chocolate pudding, a whipped topping and caramel ice cream topping with plenty of English toffee bits scattered on top.  It’s multiple layers of color, textures and flavors.  One of the great things about it is that you can make it ahead of time to allow it to soak up the flavors. 

Believe me ~ there will not be a crumb left when you serve this sinfully rich trifle!

Caramel Chocolate Trifle

Ingredients:

1 package (9-ounces) devil’s food cake mix (I used Jiffy)

2 packages (3.9-ounces each instant chocolate pudding mix (I used devil’s food)

1 carton (12-ounces) Cool Whip or other frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 jar (12¼-ounces) caramel ice cream topping 

1 package (8-ounces) English toffee bits

Method:

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions for an 8-inch square baking pan.

Cool on a wire rack.

Prepare pudding according to package directions.

Cut cake into 1½-inch cubes.

Place half of the cubes in a 3-quart trifle bowl or large glass serving bowl.

Lightly press cake down to fill in gaps.

Top with half of the cool whip, pudding, caramel topping and toffee bits.

Repeat layers.

Cover and refrigerate until serving time.  I refrigerate it overnight.

16 servings

YUM!!!!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Sausage Cheese Balls

Gotta' love Arlo & Janis!

Yippee!  Super Bowl party day is finally here! 

This is the day that you want to entertain the easy way with little fuss so that you have time to watch the game; or even better, time to catch all the super commercials!  So that means no being in the kitchen and cooking during the game! 

We Midwesterner's love our pork in so many ways with one of the best being just some good pork sausage.  These sausage cheese balls are so popular and the one recipe to turn to when you need an appetizer or a snack.  They scream easy and mouthwatering!  They’re like a taste explosion going off in your mouth with the mixture of spicy sausage and cheese, rolled up in a tangy ball.   

I have made these sausage cheese balls many times and they never fail to be a hit, disappearing very quickly.  The sausage does not have to be cooked before assembling them.  They can be made the day before; refrigerate until baking time and they can also be frozen and baked a month later. 

They are really great and so quick to make.  They would even work for breakfast!

Sausage Cheese Balls

Ingredients: 

3 cups Bisquick

1 pound hot sausage

4 cups (16 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup milk

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed

½ teaspoon dried parsley or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease baking sheet.

Stir together all ingredients.

Shape into 1” balls.  Place on pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until brown.

Place on serving platter and serve with barbecue sauce, chili sauce or cocktail sauce.  Try a little maple syrup with them for breakfast!

Makes approximately 75 balls.

Printable recipe 

Enjoy and have a great Super Bowl Day!!!

Josie's Shrimp Yummies

 

Bill always asks me a couple of weeks into December what I would like for Christmas.  Of course, I answer a red Mercedes sports car, a diamond ring and on and on.  Actually, he’s on to me though and knows what I really will say and do want, a new cookbook!  And he usually comes through with flying colors; except for the year when he bought a cookbook offering 500 recipes for a slow-cooker.  I put the slow-cooker in our last yard sale many years before!

Anyway, Bill really delivered with style this last Christmas!  He gave me “Uncle Bubba’s Savannah Seafood” cookbook.  It was the perfect cookbook ~ I love Savannah, love Paula Deen and now I love Uncle Bubba, Paula’s brother! And this recipe!

Josie’s Shrimp Yummies

Ingredients:

1 sleeve Ritz crackers

3 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons cream sherry

Salt and pepper

12 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the stuffing, crush the crackers thoroughly and place in a small bowl with the melted butter and sherry.  Mix thoroughly, and add salt and pepper to taste.  The crackers will soak up the sherry and butter to make a thick paste.

Slice each shrimp down the back to create a pocket.  Stuff the shrimp with the cracker mixture.  Place in a lightly greased baking pan and bake for 10 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink.

Serve

Yummy good for a Super Bowl party!

Mom's Hot Swiss Canapés

Ladies Enjoying Canapes, 1946

 

Photo credit:  Ed Clark

Swiss cheese, yes!  Bacon, yes!  

Those are two reasons why this recipe makes outstanding canapés.  And what makes them even better is the rye bread they’re served on!  This is another of Mom’s recipes...

Canapés are hors d’oeuvres which are ordinarily served on a round or triangle of bread and may be almost too stylish and “pretty” to eat.  

You will impress your crowd when serving these as they make a great presentation and taste divine.  Another great easy hors d’oeuvres for your Super Bowl party!

Hot Swiss Canapés

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

3 slices uncooked bacon, chopped

1½ cups Swiss cheese, shredded

½ chopped green bell pepper

¼ cup chopped green onions

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

24 slices party rye bread

Method:

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form; fold in chopped bacon, Swiss cheese, green pepper, onions, salt and pepper. 

Spread about 1 tablespoon mixture on each bread slice. 

Place on baking sheets and broil 4”-5” from heat about 5 minutes or until bacon is cooked.

Serve immediately.

Very tasty!  Delicious!!!

Barbecue Baked Bean Dip

Wow! Does this look good or what?   It looks and sounds like it’s filled with a gazillion calories and is probably worth every last one of them. Actually though, the article states it packs an only slightly more reasonable 567 calories per serving. Do you think it’s worth it? I do!

The was published in The Northwest Herald yesterday and the photo had me salivating.  According to the article:  the dip combines the best of barbecue-style baked beans with a creamy sauce laced with maple syrup, brown sugar, cream cheese and – just for good measure – cheddar cheese.

It’s best served with tortilla chips for dipping, or spooned over them nacho-style.  Since Super Bowl is nearly here, this just might be the dish you want to cook for the big party day.  And if you do, please let me know how you like it!

Barbecue Baked Bean Dip

Ingredients:

1½ cups ketchup

½ cup molasses

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

3 strips bacon, finely chopped

4 slices deli ham, finely diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

¼ cup Dijon mustard

1 cup water

3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound bag corn tortilla chips

Method:

In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine ketchup, molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar, bacon, ham, onion, mustard and water.

Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until very thick, about 2 hours.

Add beans and simmer another 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Spread the cream cheese in an even layer across the bottom of a deep 8”x8” baking or casserole dish. 

Spoon beans and sauce over cream cheese.

Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and heated through.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Yum!  Yum!  Yum!

                                    

Smoked Salmon Pâté

Salmon in a Clear Stream

 

Michael S. Quinton 

Pâtés are snacks up-graded a notch.  I love pâté as an appetizer or as a snack at a party.  Bill loves liver pâté, especially the duck liver pâté made by our local butcher.  I go more for the pâtés including salmon, vegetables, smoked fish and cheese.

Pâté is a mixture of ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste.  There are many additions, such as:  wine, herbs, vegetables and spices.  The French and Belgian cooks bake pâté in a crust as a loaf or pie.  

This Smoked Salmon Pâté recipe is out of a cookbook that I picked up in Springfield, KY on a recent visit.  Not only does it contain a lot of wonderful recipes, it also is filled with interesting history about Washington County, KY; going back to the days of Abraham Lincoln.

Smoked Salmon Pâté is a delicious savory appetizer!  It improves with setting so it can be made a day ahead of time easily.  It is mouthwatering on crackers; however, it also makes an excellent luncheon spread for a sandwich.  It’s delicious!

Smoked Salmon Pâté

Ingredients:

1 pound can salmon

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

2 tablespoons grated or finely chopped onion

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon pepper or dash of Tabasco

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Chopped pecans

Parsley

Paprika

Method:

Drain salmon and remove skin and bones.  Flake and combine with next 7 ingredients.  Chill several hours.  Garnish with chopped nuts, parsley or paprika.  Serve with crackers.

A great pâté for your Super Bowl party!

Pizza Bites

Here’s another treat when you get together with your friends to watch the Super Bowl game.  Who doesn’t like pizza?  Your crowd will love this as they are so tasty and easy to eat.  Plus, the house smells heavenly while they are baking!

They are put together with pepperoni, mozzarella and herbs, surrounded by tender dough.  I imagine about any combination of ingredients would work, what ever you like best on your pizza.  Set them in the oven and in 20 minutes you will be eating them.  Your stomach will be growling for more!

Pizza Bites

Ingredients:

2 (10 ounce) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust

1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, cut into 48 cubes

2 (3.5 ounce) packages sliced pepperoni

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 (14 ounce) jar pizza sauce, heated

Method:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray two 9” pie pans or one 13”x9” pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove dough from both cans. Unroll dough.

Starting at center, press out each dough rectangle with hands to form a 12”x8” rectangle. 

Cut each rectangle into 24 squares.

Top each square with two pepperoni slices and one cheese cube.

Wrap dough around filling to completely seal.

Place seam side down with sides touching in pans.

In small bowl, combine oil and Italian seasoning, mix well.

Brush over filled dough in pans.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 16-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm with warm pizza sauce.

Makes 48 appetizers.

It’s finger food at its best!