Tag Archives: Side Dishes

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Posted in Cheese, Dips, Football Food by

I know I’ve posted quite a few dips recently and I don’t want to bog you down with dips. But so many people are looking for the right one to serve at parties, especially during playoffs. This one pairs very nicely with Buffalo Wings. I made the recipe exactly as it said but next time I’m going to add more cheese to the dip. I felt it could use more, possibly up to another cup. You can always more or less of anything in this dip, to suit your tastes. You could use any other kind of thick fries if you don’t want to use waffle cut. I do recommend using a thick cut, due to the dip being a little on the thick side. Small cut fries won’t stand up to it. I hope you enjoy the loaded baked potato dip as much as my family did.

Loaded Baked Potato:

  • 1  (2.1-oz.) package fully cooked bacon slices
  • 1  (16-oz.) container sour cream
  • 2  cups  (8 oz.) freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1/3  cup  sliced fresh chives
  • 2  teaspoons  hot sauce
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Garnishes: cooked, crumbled bacon; sliced fresh chives; freshly cracked pepper
  • Serve with: waffle fries or other thick cut fries
  1. Microwave bacon according to package directions until crisp; drain on paper towels. Cool 10 minutes; crumble.
  2. Stir together bacon and next 4 ingredients, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours before serving.
  3. Garnish, if desired. Serve with crispy, warm waffle fries. Store leftovers in refrigerator up to 7 days.

Source: January 2011 issue of Southern Living Magazine

Sausage, Bean, and Spinach Dip

Posted in Dips, Football Food, Sides, Starters by

We are in the middle of playoffs and soon the big game will be here. This dip would be perfect to serve at your next football party or any other party for that matter. When I first tasted it, I thought it was good. But as I continued to eating the dip got better and better. Everyone loved it and the only bad thing was that I didn’t  have enough corn chips to scoop up the dip. Do not make the mistake I did, make sure you buy 2 bags of the big corn chips scoops. Then you won’t have the grumbles coming from your family/friends like I did.

Aren’t those fingers so cute? Those are my baby girl’s.

Sausage, Bean, and Spinach Dip:

  • 1  sweet onion, diced
  • 1  red bell pepper, diced
  • 1  (1-lb.) package hot ground pork sausage
  • 2  garlic cloves, minced
  • 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2  cup  dry white wine
  • 1  (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1  (6-oz.) package fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1  (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2  cup  (2 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 bags corn chips or 1 bag Pretzel rods
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cook diced onion and next 2 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid has almost completely evaporated.
  2. Add cream cheese, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in spinach and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Gently stir in beans. Pour mixture into a 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  3. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with corn chip scoops and pretzel rods.

Source: January issue of Southern Living Magazine

Pork Roast with Hoppin John Stuffing

Posted in Main Dish, Pork, Rice, Sides by
It’s officially 2011 and I’m so ready for the start of the new year. My family went through a rough 2010 and I am determined to make 2011 much better. I don’t make resolutions at the beginning of the year because I feel we always need to make changes in our lives throughout the years. But it doesn’t hurt to try and use this time to change something. I’m going to be a lot more positive about our situation and not worry about little things. I know that in a few months things are going to be looking up! I truly hope that everyone has the best year yet!
A great way to kick off the new year is by making some good luck food. It’s not too late to make this. Hoppin John Stuffing is a southern dish that combines food thought to bring you good luck. I took this from Wikipedia as it best describes what the ingredients mean.
The peas, since they swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity; the greens symbolize money; the pork, because pigs root forward when foraging, represents positive motion
We could all use that in our life.
The recipe has a few steps and you don’t have to make the pork in order to have the stuffing. I’ve made the Hoppin John to be served on it’s own. I still recommend using the egg to help bind the stuffing, but make sure to bake it at 350 for at least 40 minutes.
This is what the stuffing looks like after it’s been all mixed together. Yummm
If you are stuffing the pork roast, this is what it’ll look like when you have it butterflied and added the stuffing. Be sure to always season the pork with salt and pepper before you add the stuffing.
Here it is all tied up. There are many methods in which to tie up a roast. Do what you are comfortable with as long as it’s tied, who cares how it looks. It’ll be cut off before serving anyway.
Enjoy!
Pork Roast with Hoppin John Stuffing:
  • 1 small onion, diced small
  • 1/2 medium-size green bell pepper, diced small
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen chopped collard greens, thawed (I used one 15oz can drained, since I could not find frozen)
  • 1 15oz can Black Eye Peas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup diced cooked country ham (used leftovers from Christmas)
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 (2 1/2 – 3-pound) boneless pork loin roast
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Add rice and next 5 ingredients; stir in egg. Set stuffing aside. (If only using stuffing, place in casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes)
  3. Butterfly pork loin roast by making a lengthwise cut down the center of 1 flat side, cutting to within 1/2 inch of bottom. From bottom of cut, slice horizontally to 1/2 inch from left side; repeat procedure to right side. Open roast, and place between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap (or ziplock bag); flatten to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
  4. Spoon 1 1/2 cups stuffing evenly over roast, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Roll up; tie with kitchen string at 1 inch intervals. Place seam side down, in a lightly greased 11×7-inch baking dish.
  5. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in center reaches 150 degrees. Place the remaining stuffing in small casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Source: Southern Living Magazine, Published around 9 years ago.

Happy New Year…

Posted in Cookies, Dessert, Football Food, Starters by

Here are some party horns to get you started. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope that 2011 brings everyone better things. What are some of your traditions for New Years? My husbands family traditional food is pork and sauerkraut. My families is black eye peas and collard greens. I love how we have a North and South thing going on in my house. Tomorrow I will be making a pork loin stuffed with hopping john stuffing (look for that this week). My mother-in-law will be making the pork and sauerkraut. I love that we are teaching my kids the different traditions from around the country. I’d love to hear what yours are.

Along with ringing in the New Year, I’ll be busy watching football. Our Penn State Nittany Lions will be taking on the Florida Gators in the Outback Bowl. That bowl brings back so many memories for me. Growing up in Florida and then meeting my husband, we have gone to many Outback Bowls to cheer on Penn State. I do miss Florida this time of year. But I’m in PA right now and will be watching it at home. But we won’t be alone, we will have family with us.

If you will be like me and will be watching football all weekend, I have some great recipes for you. I’m going to be trying some new ones along with some oldies. Here is a great list of things to make for either your New Years parties or Football parties.

This is a fabulous dip and I’ll be serving it tonight with our New Years get together. Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Baked Fontina is my new favorite.

Hot Corn Dip is a must for any football party

Football Sandwiches can be served as little sliders for New Years Eve parties or regular sandwiches for football watching. Either way, you will LOVE them.

We can’t forget about the sweet tooth. You could make these brownies without the white chocolate and candy canes. They would even be cute cut into football shapes.

What is better than good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies? These are amazing and you won’t make them any other way once you try them.

I have so many other great recipes that you would love. Take a look over on the right side of your screen and click on the categories to find more.

Again, I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Posted in Football Food, Pasta, Salad, Sides by

This week is going to be a slow post week. With the holiday behind me I am starting to gather myself back up and focus on getting back in the kitchen. But I do have a wonderful dish to share with you.

I got this recipe from a dear friend of mine, Cory. Awhile back his wife had posted on facebook about this awesome tortellini pasta salad he makes. Of course I had to get the recipe and see what the fuss was all about. The first thing that caught my attention was the use of tortellini instead of plain pasta. What’s great about this recipe is that it’s best made a day ahead of when you want to serve it. You can also change up the vegetables used, I didn’t use green onions but I think they would be wonderful in it. I used balsamic vinegar since it was the only one I had on hand. But Cory says he uses either red wine vinegar or balsamic. Next time I plan on trying it with the red wine vinegar to see the difference of the two. When Cory told me that the dressing is very important and to make a lot of it, he wasn’t kidding. Since you make it a day in advanced, the pasta really soaks up the dressing and takes on a lot of flavor. Don’t skip on the dressing and it wouldn’t hurt to maybe even double it and add more the next day if you wanted. The only thing I omitted from Cory’s recipe is the olives. I am keeping it in the recipe because I feel they would add a wonderful flavor, but most of the people I was serving it to do not like olives. Sad, I know.

Tortellini Pasta Salad would be perfect for your New Years Eve bash or NCAA Bowl Game watching parties. I’ll be working on a few dips this coming weekend to enjoy while we cheer on Penn State in the Outback Bowl. I’ll get those posted as soon as I can. Enjoy!

Tortellini Pasta Salad:

  • 2 large packages multi color tortellini.
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced into bite size pieces
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced into bite size pieces
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced into bite size pieces
  • 1-2 cucumbers, diced into bite size pieces
  • 1 Package grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large jar of pitted calamata olives
  • 2 packages of crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup of grated Parmesan

Dressing:

  • 1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing
  • 1/2 cup vinegar, balsamic or red wine
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbs water
  • 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
  1. Boil tortellini in salted water for 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook! Drain, and put into a large bowl.
  2. Whisk together the Good Seasoning, vinegar, water and lemon juice. Continue to whisk and slowly pour the oil, till combined.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl with the tortellini and drizzle over the salad dressing. Stir till everything is combined. Refrigerate at least 1 day before serving.

Source: Thank you Cory for a great recipe!