Super Bowl FEASTMODE Recipe Round-up

Every single thing that these guys do makes me love them even more! Sherm, being a straight up team player, and, let's face it, total boss. BeastMode, being so charming and adorable I just want to watch cat videos with him all day. You guys! I mean, they're awesome players and everything, but what I love is that they're are actually trying to make a statement and change some of the shittier things in the NFL (for the better), rather than just sitting back and accepting the status quo. LOVE. Also, they're Hawks, so I love that too. 

You know what else I love? Football snacks. 

BEASTMODE ChampionChip Cookies

Super Bowl week! Let’s snack!
Obviously I’m cheering hard for my Hawks, and packing these cookies full of blue and green M&Ms, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them even if you’re not a Seattle fan. I don’t like it, I don’t support it… but go ahead, put other colors of candies in them. I’ll look the other way. 

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

ONE WEEK! ONE WEEK! 

One week until my Hawks play in the SUPER BOWL! Here in Seattle, we're in full-on BEAST MODE. 

I'll be watching the big game at the bar where I watched our last two winning games, in our lucky booth. It's only weird if it doesn't work, right? So I'm getting my football food on leading up to the game. I have a few Super Bowl recipes for you this week, because as you know, one of the best things about football is the food! 

The first recipe I have for you is one of my favorite things ever: buffalo. chicken. pizza. 

You can't have a football game without saucy, spicy chicken wings, right? Well, this pizza has all the gooey, spicy, sweet, chickeny goodness of wings, but without the pesky bones… and with a whole lot of cheese! I like to keep it simple: dough, saucy chicken, cheese. Bake it until bubbly, then drizzle on blue cheese dressing and celery leaves. Get it in your mouth. 

Beast Mode Seahawk-Wing Pizza (AKA: Buffalo Chicken Pizza)

Makes two 12-inch thin crust pizzas

Shredded Buffalo Chicken

3 lbs chicken breasts (about 4 breasts), diced large

2 teaspoons cayenne 

salt & pepper

11 tablespoons butter

1 cup Franks Red Hot sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken in a large baking dish (i.e.: 13x9 pirex), and sprinkle with cayenne, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, melt butter, and whisk together with hot sauce and brown sugar. After chicken has baked for 30 minutes, pull out dish, and pour on sauce. Put back in oven, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

To shred, either use two forks, a food processor, or my favorite new trick (from this blog): put chicken and sauce in stand mixer with paddle attachment, and mix on low until chicken is shredded. GENIUS.

Pizzas

1 recipe pizza dough (this is the recipe I use--split the one recipe into two balls/two pizzas)

Cornmeal for pan or peel

1 recipe shredded buffalo chicken, above

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Leaves from 2 bunches of celery, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If using pizza stone, preheat in oven.

Turn dough ball (half of recipe) out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round the size of your pizza stone or baking sheet (potentially rectangle, if using cookie sheet). Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or pizza peel (or flexible cutting board, which is what I use) dusted with cornmeal. 

Spread with half of chicken mixture, then top with half of cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy around the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then top with blue cheese dressing (I add to a sandwich bag, and cut the corner so I can drizzle) and celery leaves. 

Repeat with remaining ingredients for second pizza. 

Pigs 'n a Blanket with Grilled Onion Cream Cheese Dip

In Chicago you have your sport peppers, relish, and celery salt. In the south you have coleslaw. In New York, you have mustard (and you better not ask for ketchup). Here in Seattle, we have grilled onions and cream cheese. I'm talking about hot dogs, and I think our Seattle dog pretty much can't be beat. 

Every hot dog cart in Seattle serves up a variation on the Seattle dog. Some people like a polish sausage, others get a veggie dog. Sometimes you add sriracha or jalapeños. If you're smart, you add mustard. But you always, ALWAYS add cream cheese and grilled onions. 

And what better time to get your hot dog on than the Super Bowl!? This recipe is super fun, especially if you're a Seahawks fan! I'm hoping we beat the Broncos so bad that they'll be running back to their mommies, asking for their blankies… so I made baby broncos in blankies, Seattle dog style! 

Basically, we have pigs in a mustard-brushed puff pastry blanket, with a grilled onion, jalapeño, cream cheese dip, plus a little sriracha on the side. These little piggies are also fun on their own, and the dip is great with crackers or chips. 

Just plan ahead, there's a bit of prep work, but nothing too crazy. The store-bought puff pastry has to thaw (it takes about 45 minutes), and the onions take about the same amount of time to caramelize and cool. I used all-beef lil' smokies, and Aidell's chicken and pineapple mini sausages, but you could also use full size sausages and cut them in quarters.

Pigs 'n a Blanket with Grilled Onion Cream Cheese Dip (AKA Cry Baby Broncos in a Blankie, Seattle Dog Style)

Grilled Onion Cream Cheese Dip

1.5 large sweet onions, diced small

2 tablespoons butter

salt & pepper

1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

Pinch granulated garlic

1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1 small can chopped jalapeños (optional)

In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions start to brown. Turn heat to medium low, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown and caramelized, but not burnt, about 30 minutes. Add a bit of salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from stovetop and cool to room temp. 

Mix together cream cheese and sour cream, and add cooled onions. Add garlic and parmesan, and if needed, salt and pepper to taste. Add as much jalapeños as desired (or none at all, or do as I did, and split into two batches, one with peppers, one without. Chill until ready to serve. 

Broncos in a Blankie

Adapted from this recipe

1.5 packages (about 48) mini hot dogs / lil smokies

Flour, for work surface

1 box (17.5 ounce) frozen puff pastry (thawed according to package instructions)

2 tablespoons mustard (of your choice) plus water for thinning

Sriracha & Dip, for serving

Using a fork, poke a few holes in hot dogs, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or cooking spray). 

On a lightly floured surface, roll one thawed, unfolded puff pastry into a 14x11 inch rectangle. Add mustard to a small dish, and whisk a splash of water in to thin it enough to brunch. Brush onto puff pastry. Cut lengthwise into six strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 rectangles (so, you should have 24 strips). Place a hot dog on the narrow end of each pastry strip, and roll up. The mustard should help seal the edge. Transfer to baking sheet, and repeat with remaining dogs and 2nd sheet of puff pastry. 

Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Serve with grilled onion cream cheese dip and sriracha. 

Super Bowl Line-up

I’ve played softball my entire life. I played volleyball for years. I played basketball in middle school (I never scored once in the two years I played, but I did win a half-time 3-pointer contest once). I was a cheerleader and dated the quarterback (I went to the smallest high school on Earth, so that probably doesn’t mean what it does at big schools, but feel free to picture a Friday Night Lights/ Tim Riggins scenario…Texas forever).

You would think I’d be a sports-minded individual. But, regardless of how much time I spent on the field or the court, I’m the girl that yells touch-down at a soccer game, doesn’t know what 1st down means (is that even a thing?), and pulls muscles warming up for recreational kick-ball. What I lack in ability or knowledge, I make up for in competitiveness and spirit.

In high school, I always won the spirit award. That pretty much means that I’m the most committed and determined player out there, even though I can’t score a point to save my life. I’m the same way with watching sports. I want my teams to win… I want them to win so badly that I scream until I’m hoarse and I literally feel sick if we lose. But if my teams aren’t playing, then I could care less.

The Seahawks lost a few weeks ago, and then I stopped following football. I don’t even know who’s playing in the Super Bowl. I don’t even know if I’ll watch it. I do know that I’ll make some delicious snacks, wear sweatpants, and drink beer. I think the grown-up version of the spirit award goes to whoever makes the best chicken wings.

If you want to get in on some of that spirit, here’s an award winning line-up. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

• Sticky Blackberry Honey Hot Wings (If you like ‘em sweet, hot, and helluva lot!)
• Mini Cheeseburger Chimichangas (Like a cheeseburger in a perfect little package!)
• Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches (Try ‘em slider-style!)
• Coca-Cola Chicken Wings from For the Love of the South (Ain’t no thing like a Coca-Cola wing!)
• Aperitivo de Frijol (Cheesy, gooey bean dip goodness!)
• Queso y Papa Empanadas (Hand held yummies!)
• Kimchi Fried Rice Balls from Spoon Fork Bacon (Ricey and spicy, these look insane!)
• Spicy Sweet Meatballs (Tasty little bites with an Asian kick!)
• Bitchin’ Bowl from The Faux Martha (A vegetarian super burrito bowl!)
• Rootbeer Pulled Pork (Slow cooked to perfection!)

Aperitivo de Frijol {Mexican Bean Dip Fondue}

Mel and John did tons of traveling around the southwest before Amanda and I came along. My dad was a traveling phone man. I think he installed telephone systems for businesses, hospitals, and the like. There was a whole lot of 'em, traveling phone men. My parents always talk about so-and-so from the telephone business. Some of John's dearest friends were fellow phone-men. They hopped all over California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico. They lived in hotels and trailers and tiny apartments, and made friends from all kinds of crazy walks of life. Some of Mel's dearest friends were people she met at stops along the way. Their stories from that time were legends in my house when I was growing up. Like the time Mel lost her top every time she dove into the otherwise unused pool at one of their stops, only to learn–after days of swimming–that the inside of the pool was a 2-way mirror… with a big giant window right into the local bar full of old men. Or the time when they had to buy beer from a secret window in a tiny dry town in Utah. So many stories about the people they met, the food they ate, the adventures they had. Foot loose and fancy free, those crazy kids. 

At some point along the road, Mel picked up a deep, unrelenting love of Mexican and southwest flavors. She also picked up some amazing recipes. Her red chile pork tamale recipe came from a lady they rented an apartment from in a tiny town in California. And this recipe I'm sharing with you today–Aperitivo de Frijol–is from a cookbook a fellow traveling phone-man gave Mel in a tiny town in Arizona. 

That cookbook is great. It's spiral bound, has a hand-drawn picture of enchiladas on the cover, and is full of great recipes–the greatest being Aperitivo de Frijol. My family has busted out this cheesy bean dip recipe for years. Move over 7-layer dip. Seriously. Beans, green chile peppers, cheese, all slow cooked to gooey, super amazingness. It might not be the prettiest bean dip you've ever seen, but hot damn, it tastes so good! 

Aperitivo de Frijol 

Adapted from Special Mexican Dishes by Amalia Ruiz Clark

4 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled (include the drippings too!)

4 cups refried beans (canned or homemade)

1 can black beans, drained)

1 cup chopped green chiles (canned or roasted & peeled)

1 large onion, diced, or if you don't like larger pieces of onion, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1/2 pound grated sharp cheddar (reserve a half cup)

1/2 pound grated jack cheese

Add everything except cheese to slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 hours. Add all but the reserved half cup of cheese, and cook for one additional hour. You can serve a few ways. The original recipe says to serve in a fondue dish with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top. You can also just keep it in the slow cooker and have people ladle up their own serving–perfect game day food! 

Cheeseburger Chimichangas

  

Superbowl time! Who cares about the football game (oh, you do? sorry)… I'm in it for the food. Superbowl Sunday is one of the greatest junk food holidays of the year. It's pretty much the only day of the year that I'll eat chicken wings AND nachos in the same day. I mean, really, it's pretty much the only day of the year I eat chicken wings, period. These mini-baked-cheeseburger-chimichangas are perfect Superbowl food. I mean totally made for this occasion. Or maybe a 6 year old's birthday party. Whatevs. Like cheeseburgers? Me too. Like tortillas? Of course you do. Put them together, and you're all set for the big game.

Mini Cheeseburger Chimichangas (baked)

Makes 8 chimichangas

1/4 of an onion, diced small

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

pinch granulated garlic

1 tomato, diced small

3 medium-sized dill pickles, diced

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon mustard

salt & pepper

1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese

8 small flour tortillas (the 'fajita size')

olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat a large skillet over medium, drizzle a bit of olive oil to coat, and add onion. Sauté until just starting to brown, and add beef and granulated garlic. Cook until beef is almost cooked through, and drain off excess liquid. Add tomatoes and dill pickles. Cook until beef is all the way done, and tomatoes have basically melted into the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in mustard and ketchup. Taste, and add more seasoning if desired. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese.

Prior to rolling, you'll want to heat your tortillas. You can do this a few at a time in the microwave for 10 or so seconds, or wrapped in foil in your oven while it preheats. Just make sure they're soft and pliable. Add filling to center of tortilla, fold in edges, and roll from bottom to top. Arrange on a  greased sheet pan, fold side down (they should hold form if you set fold side down). Bake for 10 minutes, or until bottom side is golden and cripsy, and flip. Bake for another 10 or minutes, until both sides are golden and crispy. Serve with mustard and ketchup (or you can get fancy and go the fry-sauce route).