80+ Super Bowl XLVIII Game Day Recipe Ideas

Super Bowl XLVIII, is just a few short days away and is being hosted in my home state of New Jersey; just 32 miles from my home. Yes, the Super Bowl is in NJ not NY. We Jersey folk are pretty sensitive about that sort of thing considering our two football teams (Giants and Jets) both play in our fine state and not in New York.

Photo Courtesy of Wagner Cedeno

Will I be anywhere near the stadium this weekend? ABSOLUTELY NOT! NJ road systems are crazy enough as it is. Throw in thousands of out of town drivers that now have to navigate to the stadium on our fine road system (haha) and it will be a nightmare.

In any event, my beloved Giants are not playing in the Super Bowl this year; however, I'll still be watching the game from the comforts of my own home with a warm fire blazing and a nice home cooked meal prepared by my family to celebrate my birthday (I don't cook on my birthday...ever!). We'll probably have a few fun snack foods as well, but not quite sure which one's they will make so I figured I'd compile a list of my favorites to help them out.  If you're looking for more inspiration, you can also check out these posts: Top 10 Must Have Foods for Super Bowl Sunday, Super Bowl Appetizer Ideas or the Top 10 Appetizer list I compiled recently.

 ~Enjoy and may the best team win!

Reduced Fat Buffalo Chicken Dip

My husband never tried Buffalo Chicken Dip until a few months ago when he tried it at a friends house and loved it. I've eaten it before, but have never made it myself. I wanted to try to make another appetizer idea to share with you for Superbowl and this recipe is real easy; however, I wanted to lighten it up a bit because who can really stop at 2 tablespoons of this goodness?!

Spinach & Artichoke Flatbread

With the next several weekends being glued to the TV between the Superbowl and the Winter Olympics, I wanted to create another flatbread recipe since my family really enjoyed the Copycat Olive Garden Caprese Flatbread I made over the summer. It's kind of a Sunday ritual in our house anyway to make a few appetizers and stay home on a Sunday. It's our "family connection day" and we try not to make plans outside of the home. We generally either entertain family or just relax and watch movies while unwinding from the previous week. I decided to make a new experiment and created this Spinach & Artichoke Flatbread; which has a little lemony twist.

Top 10 Appetizers

New Year's Eve is synonymous with appetizers. Well at least it is in my family. We generally forgo eating a large, formal dinner and opt for different appetizers instead. Years ago I used to make the whole formal dinner thing with filet mignon or shrimp and then later while we were watching the ball drop we would have our hors d' oeuvres. But eating all of that food, especially late at night, left us feeling EXTREMELY full and bloated.

I decided to take a peek in the CEK archives to see what appetizers were most popular here on the blog. Believe it or not, once I make a recipe, I'm so consumed with making something new to experiment with and share with all of you, that I rarely make the same thing again. Here are the Top 10 Appetizers based on the most number of views and I think I'll be making a few of these again real soon! ~Enjoy!

Tabasco & Honey Chicken Wings

The next New Year's Eve appetizer idea I'd like to share with you is for these Tabasco & Honey Chicken Wings. I first posted this back in February 2012 under the 10 Must Have Foods for Superbowl. 

Semi-Homemade Green Goddess Dressing

Did you ever plan a last minute get together and wanted to serve something quick and easy to your guests? Look no further! All you need are three ingredients to make this Semi-Homemade Green Goddess Dressing.

Pesto and Goat Cheese Crostini

I originally shared this recipe back in March under my Irish Bunco and Other Ideas for St. Patrick's Day post, but wanted to give this Pesto and Goat Crostini it's own page on the site; especially since New Year's Eve is right around the corner.  

Garlic & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms & Giveaway

Day 3 of Cookbook Week continues with my all time favorite appetizer, Garlic & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. Do you want to impress your guests the next time you invite them over for dinner? Then these stuffed mushrooms are the perfect solution! This recipe originated about 20 years ago after sampling them at a local restaurant one evening. They were oozing with garlicky, cheesy goodness and I couldn’t wait to replicate the recipe at home. After several failed attempts, I came up with these. 

The best part about this recipe is that they are extremely simple to prepare and can even be made the night before and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake them. Because there is only one ingredient in the filling, these make the perfect last minute appetizer and your guests will think you’ve been slaving all day in the kitchen to prepare them.
~Enjoy!

Garlic & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 25 minutes      Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 16 Extra Large White Mushrooms
• 1 8-oz. container Light Garlic Herb Cheese Spread, like Alouette®
• 1 c. All-Purpose Flour
• Egg Wash (3 eggs with 1/4 c. milk)
• 1/2 c. Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
• Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard. Gently wipe off the mushrooms using a damp cloth. 
2. Fill each mushroom cap with the cheese until it is level with the top of the mushroom.
3. In three separate bowls, prepare your flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs.
4. Coat each stuffed mushroom first in the flour, next in the egg wash, and then in the breadcrumbs.
5. Place on a baking sheet and spray the tops of the mushrooms with the cooking spray.
6. Bake at 350°F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs are lightly browned.

Enter for your chance to win a copy of Carrie's Experimental Kitchen cookbook using the Rafflecopter link below. Five (5) lucky winners will be selected and notified on Monday, November 25, 2013. Please read all terms and conditions as this contest is only valid in the Continental U.S. 

Good Luck!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baked Brie with Dried Cherries & Giveaway

Did you know that I wrote a cookbook and it was published? Well, I did! It's called Carrie's Experimental Kitchen: A Collection of Mediterranean Inspired Family Meals and was released December 2012. I love this early compilation of my original, family favorite recipes and the book has received many positive comments. There are over 180 easy to prepare recipes inside and all are definitely worth trying!

You can read more about the book and how to order under the eStore tab, but since this is the week before Thanksgiving and I am so GRATEFUL to each and every one of you that have helped make CEK a success, I'll be sharing a recipe and giving away a signed copy of my cookbook each day this week!

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Believe it or not, we didn't eat many cheese balls at our family gatherings growing up. Mainly we would have an antipasto or cold shrimp with cocktail sauce or sausage bread. It wasn't until I was older that I was introduced to the cheese ball while attending parties at some of my friends' family gatherings. Still, I never even made one until recent years. They are really easy and quick to make. It's the refrigeration time that takes the longest.

Pumpkin & Brie Mini Quiche

It's only 29 days until my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving! I know. It's not even Halloween yet, but if you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a huge planner. I love Thanksgiving. The smell of turkey roasting in the oven. The parade Thanksgiving morning. The pumpkin...usually my only excuse to eat pumpkin pie during the year since no one really likes it except for my oldest daughter and I!

"Turn Up the Heat" Deviled Eggs

The term "deviled" when referring to food, was first used in the 18th century. And in the 19th century, it was commonly associated with spicy food; including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity. Deviled Eggs were a highly popular appetizer or party food back in the 1970's when I was a young girl and we couldn't go to any family gathering without seeing them on the table. Now, I only tend to make them during our Easter celebration when I'm cooking my other eggs. 

Blueberry, Pecan & Goat Cheese Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

I know. It's a mouthful to say. But I had to find some way to describe all of the goodness stuffed in these Portobello mushroom caps! I'm usually so busy running around during the day I don't have much time to eat lunch. I'm a "grab and go" type of person. However, this also tends to get me in trouble if I haven't had time to plan ahead. So one or two days a week, I'll make something that I can reheat for lunch for when those hunger pangs come calling.

While shopping, I had purchased some mushroom caps and knew I wanted to make something with those, but wasn't quite sure what until I went rummaging through the pantry and refrigerator to see what I could find. I came up with this mixture and let me tell you, not only was one mushroom cap filling, the texture and flavor were fantastic. These made a perfect light lunch, but would also make a fabulous appetizer for family and friends.

Blueberry, Pecan & Goat Cheese Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps
Prep Time:  15 minutes             Yield: 4
Cook Time: 15 minutes             Serving: 1 mushroom cap
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Portobello Mushroom Caps
• 1 c. Water
• 1/2 c. Quinoa
• 1/4 c. Pecans, chopped
• 1/2 c. Mariani Wild Blueberries
• 2 oz. Crumbled Goat Cheese
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Add the water to a pot and bring to a boil; then stir in the quinoa. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer approximately 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Drain the quinoa and  rinse with cold water. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
3. Next, add the quinoa to a bowl and mix in the pecans, blueberries, cheese and parsley. Mix well. 
4. Top each mushroom cap with the quinoa mixture, place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 267, Carbs 35.1g, Fat 10g, Protein 9g, Fiber 3.2g, Sugar 15.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Blueberry, Pecan & Goat Cheese Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps Shopping List

Recipe ReRun: Hot Creamed Spinach Dip

Welcome to another edition of Recipe ReRun, where I give new life to some of my favorite recipes! 

Today I'm sharing one of my family's favorite dips. This Hot Creamed Spinach Dip was first created back in March 2012 when I was experimenting with another recipe for Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs and wanted to have a back up plan just in case the figs weren't a hit. Turns out, everyone loved them, but they also LOVED this 5 ingredient, quick hot dip as well. We served them with tortilla chips, but some nice toast rounds or crackers would work well also. 

Enjoy! 

Gremolata Chicken Skewers

These chicken skewers make a fantastic, quick weeknight meal and the kids will LOVE them! They can be prepared the night before, then just grill them when you get home. The simple flavors of fresh parsley, lemon and garlic would also make these Gremolata Chicken Skewers a fun, healthy appetizer for your next get together with family and friends. 

Gremolata Chicken Skewers

Prep Time: 2 hours                         Yield: 12

Cook Time:  10-12 minutes            Servings: 4

Total Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 Fresh Chicken Breast Tenders
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp. Garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 12 Skewers

Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the lemon zest and juice, garlic, chopped parsley and oil. Whisk together. 
2. Add the chicken to a large resealable plastic bag and add the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 
3. Heat grill and remove the chicken from the bag. Grill chicken until it is cooked through; approximately 5-6 minutes per side (grilling times may vary depending on type of grill and whether or not you close the lid. Cooked chicken should be 165 internal degrees). 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts per Skewer
Calories 90, Carbs .8g, Fat 4.5g, Protein 11.4g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Olive Garden Caprese Flatbread (Copycat)

One of my family's favorite  places to dine out is Olive Garden. Mainly because there aren't many other mid-size, sit down restaurant choices around where we live, especially when it's usually a last minute decision. We love to try out new appetizers and this one for Caprese Flatbread is not only one of our favorites, but it has been on their menu for quite some time so it must be a popular choice.  I recently set out to find this recipe online so I could experiment with it at home and low and behold...I found it!

I looked at the quantity of ingredients listed in their version and decided to cut back a little. I mean 1 1/2 cups of mayo and 4 cups of cheese were just a little too much in my opinion. Gab couldn't wait for me to try this recipe and had fun helping me make this version.  It was really easy and tasted just like Olive Garden's Caprese Flatbread. 


Olive Garden Caprese Flatbread (Copycat)
Adapted from Olive Garden
Prep Time:  15 minutes                   Yield: 15 
Cook Time: 15 minutes                   Servings: 1 each
Total Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients

• 11-ounce Container Refrigerated Pizza Crust Dough (I used Pillsbury)
• 8 Plum Tomatoes, small dice
• 4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1/2 c. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 3/4 c. Mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 c. Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (approximately 2-3 tbsp.)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Drizzle some olive oil on a baking sheet (mine was 11"x17") and flatten the pizza dough, making sure it reaches the edges. Drizzle a little more oil on top and brush it over the dough and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the oven and allow to cool. Then preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
3. While the dough is in the oven, add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup of the basil to a bowl; mix well. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise and garlic powder, then spread it evenly over the cooled dough, leaving a 1/2" border around the crust; then spread the mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
5. Drain tomato mixture and spread evenly over the bread, then sprinkle the Pecorino Romano cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of basil on top.
6. Place the bread back in the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until golden and bubbly. Cut into thirds lengthwise, then into fifths giving you fifteen squares.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 207 , Carbs 12.8g, Fat 14.7g, Protein 5.8g, Fiber .6g, Sugar 2.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Olive Garden Caprese Flatbread (Copycat) Shopping List

Honey-Lime Chicken Bites

 

My kids used to love chicken nuggets when they were younger. WAIT..Who am I kidding? They still do! Though long gone are the days where I used to have to purchase those Chicken Dino's now that their food palates have been expanded (THANK GOODNESS!). So every once in a while I find a new way to make them like I did with those Pretzel Coated Chicken Nuggets a while back that everyone loved. 

This time I decided to dip the chicken into a mixture of honey and fresh lime juice and zest; then coat them with some panko breadcrumbs and bake them for a healthier option. The kids LOVED these, including my 18 year old nephew who happened to stop by to mow our lawn the day I made these. He gave these Honey-Lime Chicken Bites a giant seal of approval. He also said that he would be willing to come by each week to be my taste tester and that his cousins were lucky. Gee, I hope they see it that way too! :) 

Anyway, the kids and I really liked these also. Eat them as a meal and serve them with a vegetable, side dish and salad or serve these as an appetizer. The choice is up to you!


Honey-Lime Chicken Bites
Prep Time:   15 minutes           Yield: 6 (36 pcs.)
Cook Time:  15 minutes           Serving: 6 pcs.
Total Time:   30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4-4oz. Boneless Chicken Breasts, trimmed and cut into approximately 36 pieces
• 1/4 c. Honey
• 1 Lime, zest and juice
• 1 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
• Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Combine the honey and lime zest and juice in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. 
3. Dip the chicken pieces first into the honey mixture; then into the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. 
4. Once all of the chicken is on the pan, spray the tops with cooking spray; then bake the chicken 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your pieces. Makes 36 pieces 

Nutritional Information (per piece)
Calories 31, Carbs 4.5g, Fat .2g, Protein 3.1g, Fiber .1g, Sugar 2.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

Recipe Rerun: Fried Green Tomatoes with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce

School is almost out for the summer (YES, we're still going until next week!) and I'm trying to tie up a few loose ends around the house before I'm off and running trying to entertain an eleven year old for the next few months. If you read my newsletter, you'll know that my posts may be a little sporadic in the coming weeks, but I'll try my best to create new content to share with you you as often as I can. My daughter has even offered to do a few Guest Posts over the summer and is looking forward to getting back into the kitchen again. 

In the meantime, I'll be running some old posts to bring new life to these fun recipes as well as share them with all of the new followers I have here at CEK since they were first posted. 

To start with, I'm going to share this recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce. I chose this recipe for several reasons. 

1. It was the 2nd most popular (page views) recipe on my site to date since starting this blog in April 2011. 
2. When I first posted this recipe last September, many people couldn't find "green tomatoes" as by then, most tomato plants had fully blossomed and turned red. Depending on when you planted your tomato plants or where you reside, the next few weeks will be a great time to pick them for this recipe before they fully bloom. Also, if you didn't grow your own tomato plants, ask your local farm stand if they can pick some for you. 
3. If you read the original post, I used bottled Ranch dressing; which was great in a pinch. However, since then I found a wonderful homemade lower fat version from +Ann Fulton  of the Fountain Avenue Kitchen. I shared her recipe for Low Fat Ranch Dressing back in January this year and this dressing would also work very nicely for this dipping sauce. 
4. Now this is the big one. Are you ready? These are DEE-LIC-IOUS and shouldn't be missed. However, as I mentioned in the first post, it's one of those things you need to make and eat right away while they're hot. When reheated, they loose that crispy coating that comes when you first fry something. 

Fried Green Tomatoes with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce

Oh one last thing. Sorry, but you won't find any nutritional information on this recipe. We're frying people, need I say more?! 

Did you make these the first time I posted this recipe?

 If so, comment below and let me know! 

Irish Bunco and Other Ideas for a St. Patrick's Day Celebration

This past weekend, I hosted our monthly Bunco party (if you're not familiar with Bunco, you can read about it in this post) and since it was March I made it into an Green/Irish Bunco theme; including all of the food. It was a fun time and everyone arrived at 7pm and the last one to leave left around 1am. Needless to say I was a little tired the next day, but I did manage to win $25 that night and we had a TON of laughs so it was all worth it! 

And now for the food...

First, I always try to have some healthier options for my guests and I to snack on and usually make a crudite, but I was at a loss as to what type of dressing to use. Then I remembered Green Goddess Dressing was green, but there are so many different ways to make it so I just purchased one pre-made from my grocery store and...IT WAS HORRIBLE!!! So I had to do the next best thing and pulled a Sandra Lee using ingredients I had at home to make this Semi-Homemade Green Goddess Dressing. You can use any buttermilk dressing you prefer, but I just happened to have the regular Hidden Valley Ranch at home. A healthier alternative would be to make the Low Fat Ranch Dressing I made several weeks ago or if you're short on time (like I was) you can opt for a light version of the same dressing. This was so easy to make and tasted great with our fresh vegetable platter. 

Crudite with Semi-Homemade Green Goddess Dressing

2c. Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing

1 Scallion, chopped

1 c. Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until creamy. 

2. Refrigerate until ready for use. Makes 2 cups 

Up next was this Pesto and Goat Cheese Crostini and makes a nice treat for a small get together like we had or an elegant passed hors d' oeuvre at a cocktail party. The only thing I'll note is that once the air hits the pesto, it will start to oxidize and turn a darker green and won't look as apetizing. So I recommend spreading the pesto on the toasted baguette right before you're ready to serve. I like to make my own pesto as it hardly takes any time at all, but in the winter months, when large quantities of basil might be harder to find, you can usually buy pre-made pesto at your local grocery store. 

Pesto and Goat Cheese Crostini

1 Baguette, sliced

3.5oz. Alouette Crumbled Goat Cheese

Prepared Pesto
Cooking Spray

Directions:

1. Line the sliced bread on a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 5 minutes per side or until they are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely. 

2. Spread the prepared pesto (about 1 tbsp) on each toast round; then add the crumbled goat cheese. Makes 16-22 depending on the size of the bread. 

Pesto

2c. Fresh Basil

2 Garlic Cloves

1/2 c. Pine Nuts

2 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions: 

1. Add the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheese to your food processor or blender. Pulse until all ingredients have been mixed together. 

2. With the processor or blender running, gradually add the olive oil until it forms a thick paste. Makes approximately 1 cup. 

This next recipe for Hot Creamed Spinach Dip was a family favorite when I made this last March and I haven't made it since so it was time to bring it back. I made too much, as I doubled the batch, but it was delicious! Click on the name for the original post.

Next up, every "green" party has to have Guacamole.  My family and friends just LOVE it and it's no surprise no matter how much I make, it's usually the first thing to go. I served these with those new Hint of Lime tortilla chips from Tostitos and they even added to the zesty lime flavor of the guacamole!

Guacamole

5 Ripe Haas Avocados

2 Plum Tomatoes, chopped

1 Jalapeño Pepper, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. Red Onion, finely chopped

1 Lime, zest and juice

1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions:

1. Cut each avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pit, make cross-marks in the pulp with a knife; then scoop out the inside and place in a bowl. 

2. Using the back tines of a fork, smash the avocado until it's smooth, but still chunky. 

3. Add the tomatoes, pepper, onion, lime zest and juice, cilantro and salt. Mix well and refrigerate. Makes approximately 2 cups. Serve with Tortilla Chips.

So far so good...now time for DESSERT!

For our healthy option, I made these fruit kabobs out of green fruit: honeydew melon, green grapes, kiwi and green apples. To keep the apples from turning brown I cored them, cut the apples into thick chunks; then placed them in a bowl with some cold water and the juice of one fresh lemon. I let them sit for about 5 minutes before placing them on the skewers. For the base, I cut the top of of the honeydew melon and stuck the sharp part of the skewers into the flesh. 

Photo Credit: Couponing and Cooking

I found this next recipe for Lucky Leprechaun Bark on Pinterest from Kaylee at Couponing and Cooking and knew I had to make them for my party! This photo is theirs; however, I made a few changes to her recipe as I like mint, but only in small doses and of course, I forgot to take a picture of mine and they're all gone..go figure! 

Change 1: Instead of layering the green chocolate on top of the chocolate, I dropped spoonfuls on top, then swirled it around with a butter knife to form a marbled look. 

Change 2: I didn't use Andes candy or the green sprinkles; only the mint M&M's. It was just enough mint for my taste. 

The last dessert I served were these special Irish Bunco Cookies that my sister in law Barbara made for us. I first saw something similar around Christmas time and showed them to her to see if she could make them. She couldn't wait to try them out, but since I wasn't hosting Bunco that month, I kept it on my back burner for when I was. She was able to use the same premise as the Christmas looking ones and make them a green-theme for my Irish party and they were FANTASTIC! If you live in the north Jersey area and are looking for specialty type desserts for your next party or get together, you can email her for pricing information. See, now you know why I don't make that many desserts at our family functions. With her as our pastry chef doing our "sweet" and me doing the "savory", we've got it all covered! 

I also made the Table Signs and Bunco Score Sheets a little more festive. You can download them to use at your next Bunco Get Together by clicking on the title in red!  

Irish Bunco Table Signs 

               

Irish Bunco Scoring Sheets 

If you're looking for more of a traditional St. Patrick's Day Menu, here are a few recipes you might want to give a try from some previous posts. There's only so much you can do with corned beef! 

Horseradish and Mustard Corned Beef

Crown Royal Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Gremolata Roasted Potatoes

Honey Mustard Carrots

Thyme and Butter Roasted Carrots

Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon

Irish Soda Bread

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

*I was not compensated by any products listed in this post. I purchased them on my own and use them in my home on a regular basis. All opinions are my own.