Game Day Hot Wings

In my mind, the hotter the better! That's why I love this sauce that I found. The recipe below is as close to Winger's wings that I could do. So, come Sunday, we will have these, nacho's and a TON of junk food! Enjoy!

HOT WINGS

2- 2 1/2 pounds of chicken wing pieces

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup Frank's Red Hot Wing sauce (You can buy this by the BBQ sauce at any grocer.)

Place the chicken wings in rows onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degress for 25 minutes or until crispy on the outside and cooked through.

While the wings are baking, mix the brown sugar and hot sauce together in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissoloved and sauce is warmed through.

When wings are done, throw them into a large bowl and pour the sauce over them. Return them to the cookie sheet and bake them for about 5 minutes or so!

Serve warm.

Amazing Killer Nachos

Ok, so I know there are 2 nacho recipes up, but one is a true all american recipe, the other is what I call a show off recipe!  So, just as promised... the most amazing Nachos I have ever had!  Takes a little bit longer to make, but if you are willing, they are worth it!  Happy nachos day!

AMAZING NACHOS!

Tortilla Chips with a hint of lime

4 cups Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork (any recipe will do, but here is one if you need it,  Or for those of you who have Cafe Rio in your area, you can purchase some from them!)

2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese

2/3 cup thinly sliced banana peppers and jalapeno peppers

Your favorite queso dip, warmed (here is my favorite)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Salsa, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Layer half of the chips, pork, cheese, and peppers in a 13x9 pan.  Cover with a second layer.  Placne in oven and bake until cheese is melted and pork is warm, about 10-15 minutes

Remove from oven and top with warmed queso. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve immediately with salsa.

Game Day Nachos

Game Day is coming... And can I be honest?  I don't care for football, but I do enjoy the food!  I love all american junk food and that includes Nachos!  This is a basic nachos recipe, but tomorrows will have the BEST nacho recipe ever! So make sure you come back tomorrow!

ULTIMATE NACHOS

1 (13 1/2-ounce) bag of your favorite store-bought large tortilla chips

1 cup refried beans (I like is it spicy, so I use the Spicy Refried Beans)

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped jalapeno chiles

1 small can of chopped chilies

1/2 cup sliced black olives

Fresh cilantro leaves

Chili sauce or hot-pepper sauce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top each chip with about 1 teaspoon beans and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese; evenly divide chiles and olives among tortilla chips. Transfer to an ovenproof serving platter, forming layers; add chili sauce.

Bake until heated through and cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove, and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately topped with tomatoes and sour cream, if desired.

Stuffed Mushrooms

While I was shopping at Costco the other day and saw some gorgeous mushrooms that were screaming, pick me pick me!  So I did and all I could think about, was a very good stuffed mushroom!  This is a great and VERY EASY recipe!  Enjoy!

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

12 whole fresh mushrooms

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.

When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

Easy Pot Stickers

My kids LOVE potstickers.  They love dipping them in sauce and for some reason, they love the taste.  Kids are funny that way.  You can buy great pre made one's, but the homemade one's are not only better tasting, they are easy and fun to make! AND to make things even easier.... I finally bought one of these!  This may be a HUGE regret for my own personal reasons, aka.. my waistline, but I'll just have to deal!  CUZ, I am excited! ENJOY!

WON TON FILLING

1/2 cup finely chopped Napa or Savoy cabbage

Coarse salt

6 ounces ground pork, not all lean

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Wrap cabbage in a double layer of paper towels; firmly squeeze out excess liquid. Return cabbage to bowl; add pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well with a fork. Refrigerate leftover filling up to 2 days.

24 rectangular (3 1/2-by-3-inch) or square wonton wrappers

1 recipe Wonton Filling

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 scallions, finely chopped (optional)

1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, for serving
Make wontons (through step 2).Transfer to an oiled plate, and cover with a damp towel to keep moist.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid, (or you can by a deep fryer and use that as well.) heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add half the wontons and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Carefully add 1/2 cup water (oil may sputter), cover, and steam until translucent and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and wontons. Sprinkle pot stickers with scallions, if using, and serve with soy sauce.

New Year's Eve Sweet and Sour Meatballs!

Sweet and Sour... That's how our 2010 has been around our house.  So I think this recipe is comletely appropriate for the occasion. (sigh) 

So, if you are going to a New Years Eve Party and  you don't know what to bring?!  This recipe is always a hit, so if I were you, I would double or triple the recipe!  It's also low fat, and who doesn't need that after Chrsitmas?!  ENJOY!

SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS

1 lb lean ground turkey or beef (I prefer the taste of the turkey)

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg or 2 egg whites

1 jar (10 oz) sweet-and-sour sauce (I got mine at a local restaurant)

Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, mix turkey, garlic, bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper and egg. Shape mixture into thirty 1-inch meatballs. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, place meatballs.

Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in center.

In 2-quart saucepan, mix meatballs and sweet-and-sour sauce. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce and meatballs are hot. Serve hot with toothpicks.

Shrimp Dip

For as long as I can remember my mom has made a dip just like this for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  And, I can NEVER remember it lasting past the first 10 minutes of any family get together!  Especially with my uncle Kurt there!  Anywho, here it is!  ENJOY!

Shrimp Dip

1 can tomato soup

8 oz. cream cheese

1 pkg. Knox gelatin

3 tbsp. water

1 c. celery, chopped

1 sm. onion, chopped

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1 (4 1/2 oz.) miniature salad shrimp

Heat soup and cream cheese. Mix gelatin with water and pour into soup mixture. Stir in mayonnaise and then dump in all remaining ingredients. Put into an oiled mold or small to medium bundt pan. Chill overnight. Transfer to a decorative plate by turning the mold upside down.  You may need to soak the pan in warm water to get it to release into it's shape. Note: Be careful not to leave mold in hot water too long when unmolding as the dip will lose it's shape when inverted on serving plate.

Serve with crackers or pita bread.

Pumpkin Seeds- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

 Ok, so have to admit that my favorite part of Halloween... is the pumpkin seeds.  I LOVE them and they are really  not hard to prepare, BUT the process can be ooey, gooey and really kind of gross.

 Not one seed left, OK, maybe one!

 ALL DONE AND READY TO EAT!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS!!

PUMPKIN SEEDS

I had always just baked my pumpkin seeds with a bunch of sea salt, UNTIL I found this recipe from here!

Seeds from 2 or 3 large pumpkins

sea salt

olive oil

sugar

Rinse seeds from pumpkin guts and place in a medium pan. Fill with salt water and boil for 12 minutes.

Strain seeds in a colander and spread seeds on a cookie sheet over night. You can bake instead of waiting over night, but they are much crunchier if you wait.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle seeds with olive oil and sea salt. Toss lightly. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar (about 1T).

Cowboy Caviar

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups corn kernels
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup Italian salad dressing
3/4 cup chopped cilantro

Mix beans, peas, tomatoes, corn, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno peppers in a large bowl. Season with garlic salt. Add dressing and cilantro; toss to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until ready to serve. Serve with your favorite corn chips! (recipe and picture from here.)

Just Like Chili's Queso Dip

1 TBS. Butter

1 small can of cream of cheese soup

1 (5 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (10 oz.) can of tomatos, diced

1 small can of green chiles

1 small can jalapeno peppers, diced

3 lb. american or cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add soup. milk, tomatoes, chiles, jalapenos and cheese. Warm until cheese is melted, stirring regularly. Put into a large serving dish and serve warm with tortilla chips. (picture from here.)

Crab and Cream Chesse Won Tons

6 oz. cream cheese

1/3 cup crab meat

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 pkg. won ton wrappers, small squares

Blend together ingredients. Drop 1 TBS. on each of the small size wrappers. Fold in corners and seal with egg whites by dipping your fingers in the egg and gently brushing and sealing the won ton wrappers. Fry in hot oil until crispy and brown. Serve with sweet and sour sauce. (recipe from here and picture from here.)

Chicken Stir Fry Lettuce Wraps

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
12 to 16 Boston lettuce leaves (about 2 heads)

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook, stirring constantly, until opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender and golden, about 4 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly).
Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat. Add chicken and any accumulated juices; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce cups. (recipe and Picture from marthastewart.com/everyday)

Creamy Pesto Dip

Are you in need of a fast and easy weekend BBQ recipe?! This recipe is great and fast! ENJOY!
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/3 cup pesto
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Cut-up raw vegetables, if desired
Stir together all ingredients except raw vegetbles. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Serve with raw vegetables. (recipe and picture from bettycrocker.com)

Super Easy Pepperoni Breadsticks

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup chopped turkey pepperoni
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce

Heat oven to 425ºF. Mix Bisquick, cold water and pepperoni until dough forms; beat 20 strokes. Turn dough onto surface dusted with Bisquick; gently roll in Bisquick to coat. Knead 5 times.

Roll dough into 10-inch square. Cut in half. Cut each half crosswise into 14 strips. Twist ends of strips in opposite directions. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, pressing ends onto cookie sheet to fasten securely. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Heat pizza sauce until hot. Serve breadsticks warm with sauce for dipping. (recipe and picture from bettycrocker.com)

Buttermilk Homemade Onion Rings

2 medium white onions (about 10 ounces each), sliced into thin rings (about 1/4 inch)
3/4 low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 cups vegetable oil

In a large shallow bowl, toss onions with buttermilk. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside.

In a 5-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, heat oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers between 325 degrees and 350 degrees. Lift rings out of the buttermilk (letting excess drip off); toss with remaining flour mixture to coat. Place on floured sheet.

Working in small batches, carefully place coated rings (shaking off excess flour) into hot oil. Cook until golden, gently turning with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer rings to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rings. (recipe and picture from marthastewart.com)

Grilled Taco Nachos

5 cups tortilla chips
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, drained
2 tsp. taco seasoning mix
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 medium green onions, sliced
2 cups finely shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend

Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spray 12x18-inch foil pan with cooking spray. Spread tortilla chips in pan. In medium bowl, mix beans, chiles and taco seasoning mix; spoon evenly over tortilla chips. Top with tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan with foil.

Place foil pan on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Carefully remove foil garnish with sour cream and guacamole.

Artichoke Jalapeno Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup mayo (not miracle whip)
1 small can green chilies, diced
1 small can jalapeno chilies, diced
1 can artichoke hearts, diced

Mix ingredients together by hand. Put into a shallow baking dish and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Serve with cubed or torn French Bread, pita chips or tortilla chips!