Week 2: Enchiladas, Corn Casserole and Heartburn

Wow.  I have heartburn, and it’s not from the food.  

Okay, we will start with some good news.  Tom Brady threw for 316 yards and a TD.  Welker surpassed Troy Brown and is now #1 on the Most Receptions as a Patriot list, and after the game we resigned fan favorite Deion Branch.

Now for the bad, and there is a lot of bad.  We lost.  Hernandez is out for at least 6 weeks with an ankle injury.  There were numerous incomplete passes. Brady overthrew both Lloyd and Gronkowski in second quarter for what should have been touchdowns and Gostkowski, the most accurate kicker in Patriots history, missed a game winning 41 yard FG. 

I would like to take a moment to address the Patriots fans that spent their Sunday evenings whining about the loss.  Get over it.  We didn’t deserve to win that game.  And if you happen to be one of the fans who was ranting about 1. Brady’s decline, or 2. Your desire to bring back Vinatieri, please feel free to go jump off a bridge, you spoiled fairweather jerks.  Arizona played a tough, physical game.  Give them some credit for winning, because that is exactly what they did.  Kudos to them for preparing and executing a well thought out game plan.  

To celebrate Arizona food, you need one of two things. Cactus or Prickly Pear.  However, grocery stores in Massachusetts don’t sell either in September (... or ever?) so we went with Jalapenos and Green Chilies instead.  Today we made Spicy Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Chicken Enchiladas and Corn Casserole. 

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
1 ½ Cups Tomato, diced and seeded
¼ Cup Onion, minced
1 Jalapeno, minced
2 Limes, juiced
¼ Cup Cilantro, chopped
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Sweet and Spicy Guacamole

Ingredients:
3 Avocados
1 Lime, juiced
½ Cup Cilantro, chopped
1 Serrano, minced
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup onion, minced
½ teaspoon Cumin
½ teaspoon Cayenne
½ Cup Mango, minced
Dash Chili Powder

Directions:
1. Combine and let sit 30 minutes before serving.

We loved this Corn Casserole recipe.  It is not mine, I grabbed it from Paula Deen off the Food Network site.  The only difference between our recipes is that she puts all the cheese on top while I put ½ a Cup into the Corn Mix before baking.  You can find the original here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/corn-casserole-recipe/index.html

Corn Casserole (Paula Deen)

Ingredients:
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn, Drained
1 Can Cream Style Corn
1 Box Jiffy Corn muffin Mix
1 Cup Sour Cream
½ Cup Butter, Melted
1 ½ Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine Corn, Corn Muffin Mix, Sour Cream, Butter and ½ Cup Cheddar Cheese. Pour into a greased or sprayed 9x9 or 9x13 Casserole Dish. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with the remainder of the cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. 

Chicken Enchiladas
(Makes 6-8 Enchiladas)

Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts, Boiled, Shredded and Chopped
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Green Onions, Chopped
½ Cup Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
½ Cup Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 4-Ounce Can Chopped Green Chilies
½ Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
2 tsps Ground Cumin
½ tsp Garlic Powder
2 Cups Mexican Style Shredded Cheese
6-8 Flour Tortillas (8”)
4 Ounces Cream Cheese
1 Can or Bottle Enchilada or Picante Sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and Spray a 9x9 Pan (for 6) or a 13x9 Pan (for 8).
2. In a skillet, cook Bell Pepper 3-5 minutes or until slightly soft. Remove from heat.  
3. In a large bowl combine Chicken, Sour Cream, Green Onions, Bell Peppers, Chilies, Cilantro, Cumin, Garlic Powder and 1 Cup Shredded Cheese.
4. Lay 1 tortilla flat.  Smear ½ Ounce of Cream Cheese down the middle and top with ½ Cup Filling.  Roll and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat until Pan is full. 5. Top Enchiladas with Picante or Enchilada Sauce. Bake 45 minutes.  Top with the remainder of the cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.  

Happy Cooking!

Week 1: Winners! Sin Dip, Marinated Salad and Chicken Chili

Winners! The Patriots notched their ninth consecutive season opening win on Sunday, dominating the Titans 34-13.   Brady threw for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns while passing John Elway on the list of Career Wins by a Quarterback to maintain sole possession of 5th place with 125 wins.  The best part?  He did it all with a bloody face.  As so eloquently put by Wes Welker after the game, “He’s probably the toughest metrosexual I’ve ever come across.”  Well said, Welker.  While this won’t prevent fans from opposing teams from calling Brady pretty boy names, it does give me more justification for telling them off after said comments.  

You know who else was a winner on Sunday?  ME.  Okay, not just me.  My friends Jess Ciola, Courtney Connery and I combined our super powers to create a feast that would make even Jake Locker forget about his problems.  (How’s the shoulder, big guy? He He He)

Jess Ciola started us off with one of the best dips I have had the pleasure of stuffing my face with.  Tennessee Sin Dip.  Admittedly, this looked better before we all started eating, but trust me when is say it was so good that it was half gone before I remembered to take a picture.

Tennessee Sin Dip

Ingredients:
1 Loaf Sourdough Bread
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
8 Ounces Sour Cream
½ Cup Bacon, Cooked and Chopped
⅓ Cup Green Onions, Chopped
⅓ Cup Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
⅓ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp Seasoned Salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cup the top ¼ off of the Sourdough bread and hollow out.  Chop the bread top and the innards into cubes. Bake Shell for 10 minutes and set aside.
3. Beat Cream Cheese until softened.  Add Sour Cream and continue to beat until Creamy.  Stir in Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Green Onions, Red Bell Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce and Seasoned Salt.  
4. Spoon mixture into pre-baked Shell.  Wrap in foil and bake for 30 minutes.  
5. Serve with Bread Cubes and Assorted Crackers. 

 

Matt Hasselbeck can officially thank me for getting into the game on Sunday.  Yes, some people would say it was due to Locker’s shoulder injury.  Those people would be wrong.  It was clearly because I decided to make Matt Hasselbeck’s Comeback Chicken Chili for the game.  I had never made a White Chili before, and this one was so simple and delicious, I would recommend trying it out if you are a newbie like I was.   You can find the recipe a few different places on the web, but I used the Food Network recipe, found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/matt-hasselbecks-comeback-chicken-chili-recipe/index.html

Comeback Chicken Chili (Matt Hasselbeck)

Ingredients:
1 Can White Cannellini Beans
6 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Medium Onions, Chopped and Divided
1 Tbsp Oil
2 4-Ounce Cans Chopped Green Chilis
2 tsps Ground Cumin
1 ½ tsps Oregano
¼ tsp Cloves
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
4 Cups Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Shredded
3 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated.

Directions:
1. Combine the Beans, Garlic, Chicken Broth and half the Onions in a soup pot. Bring to a boil.
2. In a skillet, saute the remaining Onions in Oil until soft.  Add Chilies, Cloves, Oregano, Cumin and Cayenne. Mix thoroughly and add to the soup pot.  Add Shredded Chicken, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Serve topped with Grated Cheese. 

We ended the meal with Baby Back Ribs and a Marinated Tomato and Cucumber Salad.  The Ribs were my recipe and the Salad was made by Courtney Connery.

Marinated Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:
2 English Cucumbers, Peeled and Sliced to ¼” thick
1 Small Red Onion, Sliced Thin
3 Medium Tomatoes, Wedged
½ Cup Vinegar
¼ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Oil
1 Cup Water
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss well.  
2. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. 

Oven Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:
2 Racks Baby Back Ribs
8 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Cayenne
½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ teaspoon Old Bay
½ teaspoon Thyme
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Cups BBQ Sauce (see Zesty BBQ Sauce)

Directions:
1. Combine dry ingredients and rub into Ribs.  
2. Create a large foil packet and place Ribs inside.  Refrigerate 8-48 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 250.  Leaving the Ribs in the foil packet, bake 3 hours.
4. Remove Ribs from foil and place on foil lined pan.  Increase temperature to 300 and bake for 1 hour, basting with BBQ Sauce every 10-15 minutes.
5. Broil for 5 minutes just until sauce until bubbly and charred.
Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Happy Cooking!

AFC Championship Yuppies

As I was watching the Patriots game this weekend I looked around and noticed a few things.  All 9 of us were drinking bottled Micro-brews, eating Farm Raised Fish, wearing clothing from The GAP, giving High Fives, and playing with our 3 dogs whose combined weight is less than 50 lbs.

We are Yuppies.   

I don’t know when this happened.  I think I am going to have to blame Gisele again.  Without her, Brady never would have been the spokes-model for Uggs.  And with a role model like that, how could we NOT be Yuppies?  The only thing I have going for me is the fact that we don’t own a hybrid.  … yet. 

Despite his shoddy performance last night, in 2 weeks Brady will join John Elway as the only other QB to take his team to the Superbowl 5 times.  He ended up throwing 22 for 36 with 2 interceptions and no touchdowns.  Not the performance I was hoping for, but a win is a win and his 239 yards moved him past Elway into 4th place on the all time post season passing list. Gronk injured his ankle in the third quarter, but returned to the game and was seen wearing a walking cast during the celebration.  The Patriots say he will be ready for the Superbowl, but if I were Bernard Pollard I would still watch out.  Gronk looked PISSED as he hobbled off the field.  Yeah... That look is for you, Pollard!

As people were arriving we set out a plate of Cheese and Crackers and some Spinach and Artichoke Dip.  Then we moved on to the Baltimore based food.  For those of you who don’t know, I can’t eat Shellfish.  So instead of having Maryland Crab Cakes, I made Baltimore Tilapia Cakes with Dill Sauce, Chesapeake Bay Chicken Salad Cucumber Cups and Stuffed “Shells.”  Okay, making “Shells” was stretching it a bit, but it’s my party and I’ll be corny if I want too.  My friend Stephanie McDonald brought a platter of amazing Brown Bottom Cupcakes that she made from scratch for dessert.  

Mini Tilapia Cakes
You can find the original recipe I used as a base here: http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/02/whats-for-dinner-next-week-baked.html

Ingredients:
¾ - 1 Lb Tilapia
3 Scallions, diced
¼ Cup Bell Pepper, diced
¼ Cup Celery, diced
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Cup Cheese and Garlic Croutons, processed
1 ½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Powder
1 teaspoon dried Basil
Pinch Crushed Rosemary
½ teaspoon Old Bay
½ Cup Mayonnaise
½ Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Dill Weed
1 teaspoon Beau Monde
½ teaspoon Onion Powder

Directions:
1. Combine Sour Cream, Mayonnaise, Dill, Beau Monde and Onion Powder.  Mix well and chill for 1 hour.
2. Combine the Croutons, Rosemary, Cayenne, Basil, and Old Bay in a food processor and grind until they become breadcrumbs.  Set aside.
3. Combine Fish, Salt and Pepper in a food processor.  Pulse until fish is well processed.  Remove and set in a large bowl.  
4. Add Crouton mixture and vegetables to fish mixture.  Stir together.  Add Beaten Eggs and stir to combine.
5. Form patties 1 ½ inches in diameter.  Cook at 400 for 7 minutes per side.  Serve with chilled dill sauce.

Chesapeake Bay Cucumber Cups

Ingredients:
1 English Cucumber
1 Cooked Chicken Breast
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon Celery Seed
⅛ teaspoon Pepper
⅛ teaspoon Seasoned Salt
½ teaspoon Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon Dijon
½ teaspoon Old Bay

Directions:
1. Combine Chicken, Mayonnaise, Celery Seed, Salt, Lemon Juice, Dijon and Old Bay.  Mix well and chill.
2. Peel the Cucumber and cut into 1” slices.  Scoop out the centers almost all the way.  Fill with Chicken Mixture and serve.


Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
1 Lb Ground Sweet Italian Sausage
1 Box (16 oz) Jumbo Pasta Shells
2 Cups Cottage Cheese
2 Cups Ricotta
12 oz Shredded Mozzarella
½ Cup Grated Parmesan
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon fresh Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
2-3 Tablespoons fresh Basil
2 - 3 Cups Red Sauce
¼ Cup Grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Cook Shells until 2 minutes before approximate time on box.  Plunge in cold water to stop the cooking process.  Let dry.
2. In a large skillet, saute Sausage until done, drain and set aside.
3. In a Food Processor, combine Cottage Cheese, Ricotta, ¾ of Mozzarella, ½ Cup Parmesan, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Parsley and Basil.  Process until just blended, but not liquefied. Move to a large bowl and stir in egg.  Add Sausage. Place mixture in a baggie with a corner cut out.
4. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 9x11 pan.  Place shells opening side up and fill with cheese mixture.  Drizzle with sauce then sprinkle with leftover Mozzarella and Parmesan.  Bake 20 minutes with a foil cover and 20 minutes without.

The Next Sporks Report will be in 2 weeks after the Superbowl.  It will be a combined NE/NY spread so please let me know if there are any requests!

Happy Cooking!

Week 16 and 17: Buffalo Wings, Beef on Weck and Mini Cheesecakes

There was no post last week due to the Holiday.  Dan and I had family Holiday celebrations in Burlington Vermont, Worcester Massachusetts and Nashua New Hampshire over the course of a 2 day period.  I could have taken the time to make food for Football Sunday, but ask yourself, are the Dolphins really worth it? 

 

The Patriots won despite my lack of food and their lack of first half motivation.  Although, I am not sure that topping Miami by 3 points counts as “winning” in my book. It’s more like, “not losing.”  The Pats went down 17-0 in the first half but then scored on their next 5 possessions to win 24-27 and clinch the Playoff Bye.  Brady went 27 for 46 and consequently had to run in two separate 1 yard TD’s since he couldn’t seem to throw the ball. 

Before our Holiday driving schedule was set in stone the plan had been to make Cuban Sandwiches for the game.  I did not get around to it, but for those of you who crave multiple forms of pork at once, here is a link to one of my fave Cuban Recipes.  http://www.food.com/recipe/famous-miami-cuban-sandwich-320914

The Patriots started their game against the Bills in the same awful manner that they had started the Miami game.  The Pats went  down 21-0 with 48 seconds to go in the first quarter.  Luckily for Patriots Nation - I was on my game this week.  BJGE scored the first Pats TD in the second quarter at exactly the same moment that I started bringing out platters of food.  Coincidence?  I think not.  

Brady went 23 for 35 and spread the ball around with BJGE, Hernandez and Gronkowski all earning TD’s.  The Patriots ended up winning 21 to 49 and clinching the #1 Seed for the fourth time.  One of the best throws of the entire game belongs to Hoyer for his game ending 22 yard pass to Gronkowski which earned Gronk the Single Season TE Receiving Record.  

I hope you will all take the time to write to David Daniels over at BleacherReport.com regarding his whiny article calling Belichick “classless” for allowing his players the chance to break records.  Maybe Daniels went to one of those schools where everyone gets a trophy just for participating.  Here a link to help you out: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1005861-bill-belichicks-classless-move-nets-rob-gronkowski-nfl-record

We started with platters of Baked Buffalo Wings, Crackers, Cheese, Veggies and a homemade Dill Dip.  

Baked Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:
¾ Cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Cayenne
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
20 Chicken Wings
½ Cup melted Butter
½ Cup Hot Pepper Sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Mix the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt in a large ziploc bag and mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet, and place into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dip the wings into the butter mixture, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 45 minutes. Turn the wings over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly

Next we had the famous Buffalo Sandwich, Beef on Weck.  I gotta say, it’s not my favorite.  I am not sure why they are even famous for it.  It’s just a Roast Beef sandwich with Horseradish and Caraway Seeds.  

Beef on Weck

Ingredients:
¼ Cup Coarse Salt
¼ Cup whole Caraway Seeds
¾ teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoon Warm Water
¼ Cup Boiling Water
12 Kaiser Rolls
5 Lbs. Rump Roast
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons fresh cracked Black Pepper
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Carrot, finely chopped
1 Piece of Celery, finely chopped
2 Cups Beef Stock
1 Cup extra hot Horseradish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the salt and caraway seeds in a small bowl. Dissolve cornstarch in warm water. Put cornstarch mixture a small saucepan, then stir in the boiling water. Return the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool. Place rolls in a baking sheet. Brush the top of each roll with cornstarch mixture, and then sprinkle rolls with salt and caraway seeds. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are dry. Makes 12 buns.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub meat with garlic, salt and black pepper. Place chopped vegetables in a roasting pan. Place meat on rack in pan. Roast until internal temperature reaches 122 degrees, about 1 hour. Set meat aside. Deglaze pan with beef stock, remove grease and fat that floats to the top, and then simmer stock on stove top for 10 minutes. Strain out vegetables and reserve au jus. Slice beef thin, and then dip into it the au jus, and pile high on kummelweck buns. Slather with horseradish.

We finished the meal with Mini NY Cheesecakes, YUM!

Mini Cheesecakes

Ingredients:
½ Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 Tablespoon White Sugar
1 Tablespoon Butter, melted
1 Pkg Cream Cheese, softened (8 ounces)
1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
⅓ Cup White Sugar
1 teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest
1 ½ teaspoons Lemon Juice
¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Egg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and grease 6 muffin cups.  
2. Mix together Graham Crackers, 1 Tablespoon Sugar and Butter.  Press into the bottom of the muffin cups. Bake 10 minutes.
3. Cream together Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Sugar, Lemon Juice, Zest and Vanilla.  Add Egg.
4. Pour evenly into cups and bake 25 minutes.
5. Cool and chill until ready to serve.

Happy Cooking!