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GreaterUpperValley.com

Kick-off Party

Nov 26, 2010 07:59PM ● By Erin Frisch

Guacomole

Get ready for some football with easy recipes

Try our tasty ideas for a great game day, and may the best team win!

DIPS

Serve a simple bowl of chili and guests will be content. Zip in fun, colorful appetizers, dips, and condiments and you’ve got a party. Serve dips while you’re putting the finishing touches on the main course.

Have plenty of these staples on hand for your dips.

  • Tortilla chips
  • Pita triangles
  • Vegetables
  • Chips
  • Crackers
  • Bread rounds or sliced baguettes
  • Shrimp
Setting the scene for game day can be fun. Get creative and serve your dips in vegetables such as peppers or acorn squash, hollowed bread, or beer mugs.

Guacamole

Serves 4

  • 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

Serves 16

  • 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a blender or food processor, place artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Pulse until chopped, but not ground. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together spinach, heavy cream, sour cream, and mozzarella cheese. Stir in artichoke mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Ham Pinwheels

Serves 24

  • 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
  • 12 slices ham
  • 4 oz fresh basil
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 12 leaves red leaf lettuce, rinsed
Spread each tortilla lightly with cream cheese. Arrange two ham slices across the middle of each tortilla. Add a layer of fresh basil, then a layer of tomatoes. Do not place ingredients too close to tortilla edges. Add lettuce; use enough leaf lettuce to cover across the center of each tortilla, with some of the frilly leaf edge hanging over.

Starting at one end, tightly roll up each tortilla. Stick toothpicks in four evenly spaced spots of tortilla roll. Place tortilla rolls in a dish, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours to chill.

Slice each roll into four evenly sized sandwiches, and serve as soon as possible.

Spicy Pecans

Serves 16

  • 2 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
Preheat oven to 300° F.

In a medium bowl, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Stir in the pecans, and gently toss with chili powder to coat.

Spread coated pecans on a medium baking sheet, and cook 30 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring approximately every 10 minutes.

Chili with Pulled Beef & Pork for a Crowd

The chili yields about 5 quarts without the beans, and may be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated when ready to serve.

Serves 20

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or other flavorless oil
  • 2 (2 lb) flat, boneless beef chuck roasts, patted dry
  • 8 country-style pork ribs, patted dry
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 cup mild chili powder
  • 4 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 tsp ground cumin
  • 4 large onions, diced
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 12 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 4 (15.5 oz) cans pinto or kidney beans, rinsed (optional)
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Set a large, heavy-duty roasting pan over 2 burners on medium heat.

Pour 2 Tbsp. oil into a medium bowl. Add half the meat; coat. Generously sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. cumin. Repeat entire process with rest of meat.

Increase heat under roasting pan to medium-high. Add half the meat; cook until a solid brown crust forms on one side, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn over; cook until a crust again forms, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a soup pot. Brown remaining meat; add to soup pot. Set roasting pan aside. Add 2-1/2 cups water to the soup pot and cover with heavy-duty foil, pressing down so foil is concave and touches the meat. Seal foil around the top of the pot so it is airtight; place lid on pot. Heat until you hear pan juices bubble. Set pot in oven. Cook, without checking, 90 minutes (meat should be very tender). Carefully remove from oven and let cool. Shred pork and beef into bite-size pieces, discarding pork bones. Measure meat juices, then add enough water to equal 12 cups.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over low heat, slow-toast chili powder, oregano, and remaining 4 teaspoons cumin, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant and darker in color; be careful not to burn. Set roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat; add remaining 1/4 cup oil. Add onions; saute until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add spices, tomatoes, meat, and juices. Simmer until flavors are unified, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Add garlic, chocolate, and optional beans; simmer 5 minutes. Serve.

Best Brownies

Serves 16

  • 6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Melt chocolate and butter or margarine over low heat. Transfer to mixing bowl, cream together. Add sugar gradually. Blend in eggs one at a time.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture. Mix in nuts. Spread batter into a greased 8-inch square pan.

Bake at 350° F for 20 to 25 minutes.

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