Chili, Cornbread, Kielbasa, and Football!
November 5, 2009
THE TECH TAILGATER Click here for details!
3 Exciting Tailgating Recipes, compliments of Swanson and
I just got an email from the folks at Swanson asking me to share some of their tailgating recipes with my readers. Their Chili, Cornbread Squares, and Kielbasa Wraps are sure to thrill your fellow football fans. And, while I don’t normally show photos of my gift baskets on this blog, it seemed appropriate in this special case. Go Hokies!
Spicy Honey-Mustard Kielbasa Wraps:
A spin on the classic pigs in a blanket
Prep: 20 minutes Makes: 8 servings
Bake: 25 minutes
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. honey mustard
1 package (16 ounces) turkey or beef kielbasa, cut into 8 pieces
Directions:
1) Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it’s easy to handle. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
2) Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sheet into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Brush the pastry with the honey mustard. Cut the pastry into 8 (about 4 1/2 x 3-inch) rectangles.
3) Place 1 piece kielbasa in the center of each pastry rectangle. Brush the edges with the egg mixture. Fold the pastry over the kielbasa and press the edges to seal. Place the wraps seam-side down on the baking sheet. Brush the wraps with the egg mixture.
4) Bake for 25 minutes or until the wraps are golden. Remove from the baking sheets and cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Serve with additional honey mustard for dipping.
Fiesta Chili:
Prep/Cook: 25 minutes Makes: 4 servings
1 lb. ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 can (about 15 ounces), red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (14 oz.) Swanson® Seasoned Beef Broth with Onion Squares
Directions:
1) Cook the beef, garlic and chili powder in a 4-quart saucepot over medium-high heat until browned, stirring frequently to break up meat. Pour off any fat.
2) Add the beans, salsa, corn and broth. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
3) Serve with Cornbread Squares.
Cornbread Squares: Heat the oven to 400°F. Mix 1 pkg. (about 8 oz.) corn muffin mix according to pkg. directions. Spread half the batter in greased 8-inch square baking pan. Top with 1/2 cup each Pace® Picante Sauce and shredded Cheddar cheese. Spread remaining batter on top. Bake 20 min. or until done.
FIND A GIFT FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST AT ELIZABETH W. GIFT BASKETS!
White Pizza with Asparagus & Black Olives
May 12, 2009
Happy entertaining from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets
The asparagus patch is in full flourish and I have asparagus coming out of my ears! Here’s one of my favorite ways to use it. Thin wedges of this rich pie make excellent nibbles for cocktail hour.
WHITE PIZZA WITH ASPARAGUS & BLACK OLIVES
(8 appetizer servings)
If you have white truffle oil on hand, add a quick drizzle to put this already decadent pie over the top. I sprinkle my parchment with a little cornmeal before I lay on the dough. It’s not necessary, I just like the subtle crunch it gives the crust.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound pizza dough, thawed if frozen
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
6 to 8 small asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
¼ black olives, coarsely chopped
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Olive oil or white truffle oil, for drizzling
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Roll or stretch out dough on a lightly floured surface, pulling on corners to form a roughly 16-by-13-inch freeform rectangle. Transfer to a large, heavy parchment lined baking sheet (17 by 14 inches).
Squeeze roasted garlic from skins and gently spread on the dough using your fingers. Sprinkle on 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella.
Combine the ricotta cheese, heavy cream and a dash of salt and mix well. Dollop generous tablespoons full of the ricotta mixture over the crust, leaving some spots uncovered. Arrange the asparagus and black olives on top and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella.
Bake pizza until edge of crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and golden in patches, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the Parmesan and drizzle lightly with the oil. Return to the oven for another minute or two. Serve immediately.
FIND A GIFT FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST AT ELIZABETH W. GIFT BASKETS
PARTY ON!
Creamy Roasted Garlic Spread
April 23, 2009
Happy Entertaining from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!
Roasted garlic is one of my go-to staples for when I need to whip up something on the fly for impromptu get-togethers. It’s versatile, inexpensive, and I nearly always have a bulb or two of garlic in my pantry. It’s delicious simply roasted and spread on warm crusty bread, but try one of these quickie recipes and give this old standby a new twist.
CREAMY ROASTED GARLIC SPREAD
Cut the top off a whole head of garlic. Place the head in a ramekin, drizzle it with olive oil and cover with foil. (Or, just place it on a square of foil, drizzle it and wrap.) Roast in a 375 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until very soft. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the cloves with 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, or fresh herb of your choice (optional) and a pinch of salt. Serve at room temperature with crackers or sliced baguette. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
ROASTED GARLIC-PARMESAN SPREAD
Roast garlic as described above. Mash cloves with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and olive oil to suit your taste. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with crackers or sliced baguette. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
FIND A GIFT FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST AT ELIZABETH W. GIFT BASKETS!
Valentine Tostadas
February 10, 2009
Happy Valentine’s Day from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!
I know it’s corny, but it was so easy to make this appetizer into a heart shape that I couldn’t resist. Remember how you used to make a Valentine by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting out the half-heart shape, then unfolding to reveal a complete heart? Do the same thing with a large flour tortilla and you’ve got the base for this irresistible, healthy hors d’ oeuvre. Of course, if you can’t find your scissors, it tastes just as good in a round shape.
VALENTINE TOSTADAS
(Makes 4 large tostadas)
Ingredients
1 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes (about 4)
½ cup pitted, coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ cup yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 small cloves roasted garlic
4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Stir tomatoes, olives, onion, yellow and red peppers and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small bowl to blend. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fold each tortilla in half (if making hearts), cut into heart shapes and unfold. Place two tortillas on each of the two baking sheets.
- Squeeze a clove of roasted garlic onto each tortilla and use your fingers to smear it over the tortilla. Brush each tortilla lightly with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle each with the mozzarella. Top with the tomato mixture, spreading almost to the edges. Sprinkle with the feta.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until tortilla is crisp and browned around the edges and cheese is melted. Sprinkle the parsley on top, slice into wedges and serve.
FIND A GIFT FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST AT ELIZABETH W. GIFT BASKETS!
Super Bowl Super Nachos
January 27, 2009
SUPER BOWL SUPER NACHOS
The toppings and cheese used here are just suggestions. Use these ideas as a springboard for your own creations. If you have leftover bean spread, serve it warm as a dip with chips.
INGREDIENTS
(Makes 24 giant nachos)
For the chips:
¼ cup vegetable oil, plus more for brushing pans
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
For the nachos:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 (16-ounce) cans refried beans
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more, to taste (optional)
¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)
2 cups (one 8-ounce bag) shredded cheese such as Monterey Jack or fiesta blend
Your choice of toppings such as: canned whole green chilies and roasted red peppers, (sliced into strips) halved olives, chopped scallions, pickled peppers, halved grape tomatoes, green pepper strips, frozen corn kernels (thawed) and chopped cilantro
DIRECTIONS
Make the chips:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven.
2. Brush two large baking pans with oil. Whisk ¼ cup of oil with the spices and salt. Brush one side of 4 tortillas with the oil and spice mixture. Stack tortillas and cut the stack in half with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Place the tortilla halves, dry side down, in a single layer on the baking sheets.
3. Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, for 12 to 14 minutes or until the chips are golden and crisp. Season with additional salt, if desired, and let cool completely in the pans. Repeat with remaining tortillas. (The chips can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in a tightly covered tin.)
Make the nachos:
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the chopped onions in the olive oil until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the refried beans, salt, hot sauce and cilantro (if using) and stir until well mixed and heated through. Let cool. (The refried bean mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated.)
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread a giant chip with about 2 generous tablespoons of refried bean mixture. Top with cheese and desired toppings, and place on a large non-stick baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chips. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Using a metal spatula, transfer the nachos to a platter and serve.
FIND A GIFT FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST AT ELIZABETH W. GIFT BASKETS
