Recipe: Super Bowl Appetizers (4 recipes)

Nancy: If you do a search of the archives, you'll find one section that includes 47 super bowl menu ideas. There are other sections in addition to the one with 47 ideas. I am posting a sample of some of these recipes below.

Also, do a search on the message boards using the word "appetizer." There are some WONDERFUL recipes that have been posted.

Here are the sample recipes from the archives:
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Potato Skin Appetizers

6 baking potatoes
Vegetable cooking spray
11/2 cups mixed cheese (suggestion: sharp cheddar, Monterey
Jack, and mozzarella)
6 to 8 strips bacon, fried and crumbled
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Optional toppings and dips: sour cream,
jalapeno peppers, barbecue sauce,ranch
style dip, or hot honey mustard sauce.

Wash potatoes and place directly on oven
rack in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and cool 30 minutes.

Slice each potato lengthwise and scoop out
middle. Leave about 1/4 inch around edge and
on bottom to hold skin together. Lightly
spray each skin, inside and out with vegetable
cooking spray and place on a baking sheet skin side down.

Preheat broiler to high and broil for 8 to
10 minutes, or until potato pulp starts to
brown. Remove from oven and fill each potato with
cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Top with fried bacon and chives and serve
immediately with optional toppings and dips.

Makes 12 potato skin appetizers.
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Chicken Tortilla Spirals

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped finely
1 can green chiles (4 oz), chopped and drained
8 sundried tomatoes, thinly slivered
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
3 TB chopped fresh cilantro
2 teas chili powder
cayenne pepper to taste
8 to 10 large (10-inch) flour tortillas

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in
all remaining ingredients, except tortillas.
(If you prefer a more smooth filling, you
can do the above step in a food processor,
but add the chicken last so it isn't too finely diced.)

Spread 1 tortilla with a generous 2 tablespoons
of the mixture.

Top with a second tortilla and spread 2 more
tablespoons of the mixtures.

Roll up the two tortillas tightly in jelly
roll fashion. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat the
process with the remaining tortillas and mixture.

Refrigerate at least two hours and up to one week.
(I often double this recipe for big parties
and make them the week before.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut each tortilla roll into 1/2 inch slices and
place cut sides up on a nonstick cookie sheet
(don't put them on foil - they stick! Believe
me, I know...) Brush the top of each with a
little oil from the sundried tomatoes (or olive
oil). Bake in the oven until lightly browned,
about 12 to 15 minutes.

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BOLOGNA FOOTBALL

Don't dismiss this recipe. It sounds wild, but it's great, especially
for a SUPER BOWL party, as it ends up looking like a big football &
tastes good.

Buy a 5 to 6 pound bologna (don't wince...bologna? Just trust
me!), uncut. Remove the casing & score the bologna lengthwise about four
times, lightly.

Place in a roasting pan and bake 4 hours at 250 degrees.

In the meantime make a sauce; combine
1 small jar of currant jelly
1 cup of chili sauce
heavy dash Tabasco
about 4 tablespoons prepared mustard

Heat over low heat, whisking until the jelly dissolves. To serve,
place bologna on a large platter, surround with parsley, and cocktail
bread. Serve sauce on the side.

One thing I've learned when serving this, it looks so different that
the guests might not cut into it & make their own mini-sandwiches, so
someone may have to guide them.

This comes from a non-lovin' bologna family, but it's great, easy,
& serves a lot of people!

If any is left-over, this makes make great sandwiches: either slice
& fry & place on bread with your favorite dressing, or chop with pickles
and mix with mayo!
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Pepper-and-Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms

To minimize the mess of making fine dry bread crumbs, place the
dried bread in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.

24 large fresh mushrooms, 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped red sweet pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped green and/or yellow sweet pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup finely shredded smoked Edam or smoked Gouda cheese
(2 ounces)
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Wash and drain mushrooms. Remove stems. Chop enough stems
to make 1 cup; set aside. Lightly brush rounded side of
mushroom caps with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

Place mushrooms, cavity side up, on a shallow baking pan; set
aside.

In a skillet cook chopped stems, onion, red sweet pepper, green
and/or yellow sweet pepper, and garlic in the remaining olive oil over
medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till tender, stirring frequently. Carefully add white wine, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or till all but about 1 tablespoon of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and bread crumbs. Spoon cheese mixture into mushroom caps. Cover
and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Bake, uncovered, in a 400 F. oven about 15 minutes or till mushrooms are tender and filling is hot. Makes 24.

Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 1 day ahead, stuff mushrooms, cover, and chill. To serve, bake as directed.