Good morning GUS49ravens!!!!! I had decided to just do an open thread for Sunday, but hey, it is Superbowl Sunday! I watched the playoffs with my Mom and both of us were rooting for the winning teams. She's West Coast (albeit born and raised in Baltimore) and I am East Coast and born and semi-raised in Baltimore.
Ok, I always have to deal with the felon factor, but I'm rooting for the Ravens and my mother for the losing team.
Today's Nosh advice is basically simple with some other good stuff if you have a mind to do some prep work.
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Parmesan and Rosemary Popcorn
You can modify with microwave popcorn -- use your amazing talents -- leave out the olive oil.
Ingredients
4 quarts air popped popcorn
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Heat the olive oil and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Discard the rosemary and drizzle the olive oil over the warm popcorn.
Add the parmesan, salt, and pepper and toss to combine.
Serve
.
Apple and Brie Quesedillas
Use a cheddar or Monteray Jack or Colby cheese instead. Be creative!!!!
Ingredients
4 large whole wheat tortillas
4 oz. light or traditional Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith or other tart apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. mango chutney, Chinese duck sauce or apricot jam
Directions
Preheat two large skillets over medium to medium-low heat (alternatively, bake all the quesadillas on baking sheets at 375 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned and crisp). (For an extra-crispy quesadilla, brush the outsides of the tortillas lightly with vegetable oil before cooking them.)
Lay one tortilla on the bottom of each pan, and top each with 1/2 of the Brie and apples. Spread one side of two more tortillas with 1 Tbsp. of the chutney, and put those tortillas on top of the tortillas in the pan, chutney side down. Let the quesadillas cook for 3 – 4 minutes per side until they start to brown, then carefully flip them and brown the second sides. Remove the quesadillas from the pan. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the quesadillas into wedges to serve.
Chili Corn Snack
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups toasted high-fiber corn cereal and/or crispy corn and rice cereal
1 cup tiny pretzel knots
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup dehydrated corn kernels
1/4 cup snipped dried apricots or whole dried cherries
Directions
In a large skillet heat oil, lime juice, and chili powder over medium heat 30 seconds. Add cereals, pretzels, and almonds. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until cereal and almonds are very lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in corn and apricots. Spread mixture on foil to cool. Makes 8 (1/2-cup) servings.
Pepper Jack Grits Poppers
Ingredients
1 cup hot cooked grits
1 cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, pressed
18 to 20 sweet mini bell peppers
Preparation
1. Stir together first 5 ingredients until cheese is melted; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 8 hours.
2. Preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, leaving stems intact; remove seeds. Spoon grits mixture into pepper halves. Place on a broiler pan. Broil 4 minutes or until golden.
Bacon Parmesan Tassies
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 large egg
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Preparation
1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Shape mixture into 24 balls, and place on a baking sheet; cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Place dough balls into cups of a lightly greased 24-cup miniature muffin pan; press dough, forming a shell.
3. Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk together half-and-half and next 2 ingredients. Sprinkle bacon into pastry shells; top each with 1 tsp. cheese. Drizzle half-and-half mixture over cheese. Sprinkle chives over half-and-half mixture.
4. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Colby Pepper Jack Dip
Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded colby-Jack cheese blend
1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprig
Tortilla and sweet potato chips
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients until blended. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish, if desired. Serve with tortilla and sweet potato chips.
Warm Turnip Green Dip
Vegetarians can exclude the bacon.
Ingredients
5 bacon slices, chopped
1/2 medium-size sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (16-oz.) package frozen chopped turnip greens, thawed
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish: dried crushed red pepper
Assorted crackers, flatbread, and gourmet wafers
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to broil. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Stir in turnip greens, next 4 ingredients, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 1/2-qt. baking dish. (Make certain that you use a broiler-safe baking dish.) Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
3. Broil 6 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle with bacon. Garnish, if desired. Serve with assorted crackers, flatbread, and wafers.
Also, please check GUS: New Year's Eve Noshes
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