Recipe(tried): Super Bowl Festivities Spread

Hi Everyone!

Well, it's that time of the year when the Super Bowl festivities are under way. This year the Super Bowl is in New Orleans, what a fun city!! It's party, party, party all the time. I am sure all those folks attending will need a lot of rest when they come back home!

These are the fun foods I will be serving. Nothing fussy, lots of finger foods and yummy dishes to nosh on. I like to put all the food out on the kitchen bar where everyone gathers together. Here is the menu and the recipes:

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Bruschetta
Dates Wrapped In Bacon

Bali Wings
Skewered Shrimp with Guava Lime Glaze
Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Sauce
Classic Potato Salad
Cheese Tortellini & Sun-Dried Tomatoes Salad

Black Dog's Fudge Bottom Pie
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Lemon Zing Cookies

Assorted Beverages

Spinach Artichoke Dip
From California Pizza Kitchen - Pasta, Salads, Soups and Sides by Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield (William Morrow & Co.; June, 1999)
Makes 8 to 10 servings

"A vast majority of CPK employees list this dip as their own and their customers' favorite appetizer. If you like, try serving it with wedges of fresh-baked focaccia in place of the tortilla chips."

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup diced white or yellow onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (preferable homemade)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dehydrated chicken stock base or crumbled bouillon cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
12 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted, drained, wrung out by hand, and coarsely chopped
6 ounces canned artichoke bottoms, drained and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 teaspoon Tobasco Sauce
Blue and white corn tortilla chips

1. In a large saucepan, warm the olive oil and butter together over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently and stopping before the onion and garlic brown.

2. Sprinkle the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, until the mixture turns a golden-blond color, 10 to 15 minutes. Then, whisking continuously, slowly pour in the stock until it is smoothly incorporated. When the mixture begins to simmer, stir in the cream. Let it return to the simmer. Remove from the heat, add the parmesan, chicken base or bouillon cubes, lemon juice, and sugar, and stir until thoroughly blended.

3. Add the sour cream, spinach, artichoke bottoms, Monterey Jack cheese and Tobasco sauce, and stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the cheese has melted. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately, accompanied by blue and white corn tortilla chips.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY BRUSCHETTA

1 1/2 cups chopped roma tomatoes
2 Tbsp.diced red onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of ground black pepper
1/2 loaf french baguette or ctusty italian bread, sliced into 5-7 slices
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
2-3 sprigs italian parsley

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil. Add 1/2 Tbsp. of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat broiler, slice the bread in 1-inch slices diagonally to make 5-7 slices. Combine remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil with the garlic salt. Brush entire surface of
each slice (both sides) with the olive oil mixture. Broil slices for 1 1/2-2 mins. on each side, until surface starts to brown. Arrange bread like spokes of a wheel on plate. Put the chilled tomato mixture in a pile in the middle of the slices. Garnish with italian parsley.

DATES WRAPPED IN BACON

2 boxes of pitted dates
2 packages of bacon

Cut bacon package in half, wrap a date in a bacon half and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, halfway thru baking turn them around so they bake completely. Drain, let them cool and arrange on a pretty dish with toothpicks.

BALI WINGS
Savor the Moment The Jr. League of Boca Raton

1 c. soy sauce
1 c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. white vinegar
3 T. honey
2 T. sesame oil
1 c. chopped green onions
2 T. chopped garlic
2 T. chopped gingeroot
20 chicken wings

Mix the soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, green onions, garlic and ginger in a large bowl. Cut the tip sections from the chicken wings and discard. Add the wings to the marinade. Marinate, covered in the fridge for 2-10 hours, stirring occasionally.

Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Arrange them on 2 baking sheets and roast them at 400 for 1 hour, baste with the reserved marinade every 20 minutes. Pour the remaining marinade in a small saucepot and bring to a boil cooking for 15 minutes or until thickened and reduced. Serve as a dipping sauce.

Serves 10...recipe can be doubled.

CLASSIC POTATO SALAD
serves 8

1 c. Hellman's mayo
2 T. vinegar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. black pepper

6 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed, and cooked
1 c. sliced celery
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/3 c. chopped gherkin pickles
1/2 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. green bell pepper, chopped

Combine 1st 5 ingred. in a large mixing bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients and toss gently but thoroughly to coat with sauce.

Cover and chill.

SKEWERED SHRIMP W/ GUAVA LIME GLAZE
serves 12

6 T. olive oil
2 T. grated fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 t. crushed dried red pepper flakes
4 lbs. jumbo tiger shrimp, shelled and deveined toss shrimp in and marinade 4 hours. Cover and chill til ready to use.

Soak your wooden skewers for 30 min. in water, drain and skewer the marinaded shrimp.

Grill shrimp, glaze with Guava-Lime Glaze:
1/4 c. lime juice
1 c. guava shells with juice
Puree guava shells and lime juice.

CHICKEN FINGERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE
serves 6

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. garlic powder
3/4 c. milk
1 c. veg. oil for frying

Honey Mustard:
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. Dijon mustard

Cut chicken into 1/2x2-inch strips. Blend the honey mustard sauce ingred. together and set aside. Mix flour and all seasonings in a shallow bowl. Dip the strips in milk and roll in flour to coat well. Place the strip on a plate. Pour 1/4-inch oil in skillet and heat over med. high. Fry in batches turning once for about 3 min. on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve with sauce.

TORTELLINI AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES SALAD
Cool and refreshing salad....

8 oz. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, undrained
1 large fresh tomato, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt
8 oz. marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
4 oz. whole cashews
1 lb. dried cheese-filled tortellini, cooked, drained and cooled

Drain tomatoes, reserving 1 T. of its oil. Chop and set aside. Combine reserved 1 T. of sun-dried oil, olive oil and next 4 ingred. Stir in chopped tomato, artichokes and cashews. Add tortellini and toss lightly. Let salad stand at room temp. for 1 hour for flavors to blend or chill overnight. Great with grilled chicken.

BLACK DOG'S FUDGE BOTTOM PIE
serves 8

Best cut when semi-frozen, cut it that way at beginning of meal and it should be thawed by dessert time.

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/8 c. powdered sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 1/2 T. butter, melted

Mix sugar, cinnamon and graham cracker crums in a bowl. Combine with the melted butter using a fork to bind til crumbly. Press nto a 9-inch pie plate and freeze til ready to use.

Chocolate Fudge:
1/2 lb. dark chocolate
1/2 pint heavy cream

Chop the chocolate anad mix with the cream in a heavy duty saucepan. Melt the chocolate and stir the cream as you do this over medium heat. Watch that it does not burn. Whisk it to make sure there are no lumps. Cool slightly. Pour onto the frozen pie shell and chill til it is set.

Filling:
2 boxes of Jell-o instant french vanilla mix
1 pint heavy cream
1 pint light cream

Garnish:
1 chocolate bar to shave on top in curls

Pour both cream into a large mixing bowl, add the pudding mixes and whip on high speed til firm peaks form.

Spoon the filling into the pie shell over the chocolate and swirl it so it makes a high dome in the middle. Garnish with chocolate shavings and freeze uncovered for 5 hours. Semi-thaw in the fridge to slice. Thaw completely to serve.

LEAF 'N LADLE BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKEY SAUCE

8 eggs
6 c. milk
3 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 T. vanilla
6 T. butter
2 loafs french bread
1 c. mixed golden and dark raisins soaked in whiskey
Use a 9x13" baking pan. Blend all the above ingred. together in a large bowl, add the drained raisins and mix well. Pour into a buttered pan and bake 40 mts. at 350.

Whiskey Sauce:
2 sticks butter
2 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
drained whiskey from raisins plus more to make 1/2 c. measure

In a small saucepot, melt the butter, when melted, add the sugar and eggs and whiskey and beat to blend well. Heat thoroughly till nice and smooth. Serve bread pudding with sauce ladled over top.

LEMON ZING COOKIES

1 cup butter,softened
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. lemon extract
2 t. lemon zest
4 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Cream together the butter, oil & sugars, zest and extract. Add the eggs & beat well. Sift the other ingredients together & add to the mixture. Mix to blend.Form into small balls & place on an ungreased cookie sheet (additional sugar may be lightly sprinkled on top). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cool then dust with additional confectioner's sugar.