Potato Slabs

for the upcoming superbowl parties.


Potato Slabs
Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients
2 russet potatoes
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
1/3 cup colby-jack cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and diced
Green onions for garnish, if desired
Sour cream, if desired

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Clean and scrub potatoes well. Slice the potatoes into 1/4" thick slices. Place potatoes on lightly buttered baking sheet and season each side with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Cook for 30 minutes. Flip potatoes over and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
2. Remove pan from oven and place a pinch of cheese and bacon on top of each potato slab. Return the pan to the oven and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve with green onions and sour cream, if desired.

Spicy Nuts

Spiced Nuts
adapted from Martha Stewart, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 large egg white
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 1/2 c. assorted nuts (pecan halves, walnuts, cashews, or almonds)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Beat the egg white until soft and foamy and no clear liquid remains in bottom of bowl.

3. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except nuts. Whisk into egg white. Stir in nuts until well coated.

4. Spread the nuts, in a single layer, on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

5. Remove nuts from oven. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees. Using a metal spatula, toss stir and separate the nuts.

6. Return nuts to oven and bake until medium brown, about ten minutes more.

7. Remove nuts from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Be sure to break up any nuts that are stuck together.

Cheese Straw Sticks

Cheese Straws
Adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Smitten Kitchen

• 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
• 3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half (I used cream, because I had it on hand; milk should work just as well)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper in five 5-second pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.
3. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8- by 10-inch rectangle that is 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife (or a pizza or pastry wheel; both worked great), cut the dough into thin 8-inch strips, each 1/4- to 1/3-inch wide (dipping the knife in flour after every few inches ensures a clean cut). Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet (though I lined mine with parchment), leaving at least 1/4-inch between them. The dough may sag or may break occasionally in the transfer, but don’t be concerned — just do your best. The straws can be any length, from 2 to 10 inches.
4. Bake the straws on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.
5. Serve at room temperature. Cheese straws will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for two days.

Apple Bread with Cinnamon and Sugar Topping

Apple Bread With Sugar & Cinnamon Topping
(from Apples For Jam by Tessa Kiros, page 350)

• 150 grams sugar
• 150 grams butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 120 grams all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 400 grams apples (about 2), peeled, cored, and coarsely grated (I didn’t bother peeling them...I just took them to the grater unpeeled and this worked fine...and much quicker)
• 60 grams walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 60 grams walnuts, finely chopped
• 60 grams brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

- For the topping, mix together the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat them in well.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into the mixture and add a pinch of salt. Mix until just incorporated. If using a mixer I just give this a couple of turns with the paddle and then scrape down with a spatula, mixing the rest of the way by hand.
- Add the apples, walnuts, and vanilla and mix through until just incorporated evenly. I did this with a spatula by hand as well. Scrape into a buttered and floured loaf tin (12x4 inch).
- Sprinkle topping generously over the batter. Bake in a pre-heated 180C oven for 45 minutes or until at cake tester poked in the center of the cake comes out clean. My loaf took about 50 minutes.
- Cool slightly before turning out carefully...the topping will scatter a bit! So do this over your serving plate so you don’t lose any.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature...plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Beer Cheese Spread

Beer Cheese Spread
Adapted from Southern Living October 2007

Yield

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 (1-lb.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 (12-oz.) bottle amber beer, at room temperature
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: thyme sprig

Preparation

1. Saute onion and garlic in a small skillet until softened.

2. Mix together first 5 ingredients in a food processor until blended and the cheese turns into a spread like consistency.

Gradually add beer, pulsing until blended after each addition.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 2 hours. Garnish, if desired. Serve with crackers or pretzel sticks. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

After you make this spread you can use it in the recipe below. Grilled Beer-Cheese Sandwich: Spread 1 tsp. softened butter evenly on 1 side of 2 bread slices. Place bread slices, buttered sides down, on wax paper. Spread 1/4 cup Beer-Cheese Spread onto 1 side of 1 bread slice. Top with remaining bread slice, buttered side up. Cook sandwich in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Chili Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1 lb. (16 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (15 oz.) chili (with or without beans)-We like without bean for this dip

Directions:
Mix Velveeta and chili in microwaveable bowl.
Micro on HIGH 5 min. or until Velveeta is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 min.
Serve with tortilla chips, ritz chips or assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

Chexie Mix

INGREDIENTS

1. 1/2 lb butter, melted (2 whole sticks)
2. 4 Tbsp brown sugar
3. 1 tsp chili powder
4. 1 tsp worchestershire sauce
5. 2 tsp garlic powder
6. 1 tsp onion powder
7. 1/2 tsp tobasco
8. 1/2 tsp cayenne
9. 8 cups rice cereal (I used Crispix)
10. 6 oz cheddar crackers (I used goldfish)
11. 11 oz pretzels
12. 6 oz mini ritz (I used the cheddar filled ones)
13. 12 oz can cocktail peanuts
14. 11oz Fritos

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but the directions are very easy.

1. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a sauce pan over low hear and stir until all combined.
2. Put the last 6 ingredients in a large pan. I used my turkey roaster
3. Pour the butter and spice mixture over the dry ingredients in 2 batches and toss to coat
4. Place on lipped cookie sheets in a nice thin layer. (I used my broiler pan bottom, my stoneware bar pan, and a 9 x 13 pan. Use whatever you have!)
5. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Stir it every 15-20 minutes to ensure even cooking.