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Fast & Easy Dinner: Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

partysugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:50:55 -0800

Tonight, surprise your loved ones with a homemade version of a ballpark classic, sausage and pepper sandwiches. No grill is necessary, all you need is an oven.

The veggies and sausages are roasted while the bread gets toasty and the cheese melts. The ingredient list calls for bottled balsamic dressing, but if you have the time and skills, why not whisk your own quick vinaigrette?

Serve with mixed greens and a cold beer. To make this mid-week pick-me-up, get the recipe after the break.

It's Tailgating Time! Shrimp Dip With Potato Chips

partysugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:00:52 -0700

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love dips! I'm kinda obsessed with making them and even more addicted to trying out new recipes. A couple of weeks ago when I was browsing the Macy's Come Together recipe section, I came across this interesting recipe for shrimp dip. It's an old-fashioned sort of dip (it's from Tom Douglas' mom's recipe) that's served with thick-cut potato chips. I printed it out immediately and was determined to give it a taste. Kind of like shrimp cocktail, but in dip form, the resulting dip is quite tasty. The recipe makes a large quantity, so it's perfect for tailgating or any other party where there will be a crowd of hungry revelers. If I've piqued your curiosity, check out the recipe and read more.

Shrimp Dip with Potato Chips
From Tom Douglas

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon honey
3/4 cup mayonnaise (homemade, or use Hellman’s or Best Foods)
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon seeded and minced sweet red cherry pepper (from a jar of vinegar packed sweet cherry peppers)
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
1 pound cooked, peeled, and diced shrimp or 1 pound shrimp cooked bay (baby) shrimp
To Taste Kosher salt
To Taste freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon
Potato Chips, homemade or top quality purchased

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the tomato paste and the honey together until smooth. Whisk in the mayonnaise, chives, lemon juice, cherry pepper, zest, horseradish, and Tabasco.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss it with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Set a bowl of shrimp salad on a large platter and surround it with potato chips for dipping.

Serves 8-10.

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:15:58 -0700

When planning a tailgate, start by checking out your team's online shop. You can find all sorts of fun stuff like folding chairs and snack helmets, which are ideal for holding shrimp artichoke dip. Then head to a local party store to pick up color-coordinated supplies: paper plates, napkins, plastic cups, and balloons.

Pack a folding table and tablecloth in your trunk and ask a guest to bring a bouquet of flowers. To ensure that they don't get crushed, store the oatmeal cookies in tupperware. Don't forget a knife and cutting board so you can slice the sandwiches and quesadillas.

What do you bring when tailgating?

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:30:49 -0700

No Cal-USC tailgate is complete without a sweet treat and I like to serve cookies. Specifically, classic oatmeal raisin cookies - they're chewy, not too sweet, and scream Fall.

Cookies are also perfectly portable and can be made in advance, meaning they're ideal for a tailgate. Because the finished dough needs time to chill in the fridge before being baked, this recipe must be prepared several days before the game.

To make these cookies for your friends and family, get the recipe and keep reading.

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:25 -0700

Hey football fans, get excited: this week I'm putting together a tailgate! Cal's my alma mater, and while Stanford is their biggest rival, on Saturday they face USC. It's the homecoming game, and a bunch of friends and I will be in attendance, so a pregame fiesta is in order. To kick things off, I'll throw an artichoke shrimp dip on the grill. Since this takes 20 minutes to heat up, I'll keep the crowd satisfied with store bought chips and guacamole. Then I'll make a round of grilled quesadillas with jack and spicy sauteed peppers. Finally, for the main course, I'll offer everyone a grilled sausage sandwich with caramelized red onions. To serve these tantalizing recipes at your next tailgate, read more.

Shrimp-and-Artichoke Dip
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Two 8.5-ounce cans artichoke hearts, finely chopped and squeezed dry
10 ounces precooked shrimp, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Pita chips or bagel chips, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes; remove from the heat.
Stir in the cream cheese, 1/2 cup pecorino-romano, the paprika and mustard. Stir in the artichoke hearts and shrimp; season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino-romano. Bake until warmed through, about 18 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Broil the dip until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with the pita chips.

Serves 6.

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Quesadillas With Jack and Spicy Saute
From Aida Mollenkamp

Ingredients

1 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium jalapenos, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 medium poblano peppers, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded jack cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 500 degrees F and arrange 1 rack in top and a second rack in middle.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onions, garlic, and jalapenos, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add poblanos and stir to coat. Add broth and cook until the liquid reduces enough to just coat the vegetables, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
When pepper mixture is cool enough to handle, top 1 tortilla with 1/2 cup cheese and 1/6 of the pepper mixture, close with a second tortilla. Repeat to make 6 quesadillas.
Arrange quesadillas on 2 baking sheets and place 1 sheet on top rack and another on middle rack. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Switch baking sheets and continue to cook until tortillas are golden-brown and crisp, about 5 more minutes.

Makes 6 quesadillas.

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Grilled Merguez Sandwiches With Caramelized Red Onions
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
Four 6-ounce merguez or fresh chorizo sausages, pricked all over with a fork
Four 6-inch pieces of baguette, split and toasted
12 large cilantro sprigs
4 lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the honey and balsamic vinegar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until richly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Light a grill. Grill the sausages over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until nicely charred and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Set a sausage in each piece of baguette. Top with the caramelized onions and a few cilantro sprigs and close the sandwiches. Transfer to plates and serve. Garnish with the lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

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Miller Kangaroo Sweatshirt: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:45:54 -0700

Now that football season has begun, Miller Brewing has come up with a new way for you to hold your beer while tailgating: a sweatshirt/beer koozie hybrid.

I'm not exactly sure the item's been developed with patent-worthy innovation, but I would definitely use it to keep my fingers warm during chilly nighttime football games.

Would you be willing to wear a High Life hoodie if it meant boozing hands-free?

Source

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:00:03 -0700

Get your team spirit on when planning the look of a tailgate. I always cheer on my alma mater (Go Bears!), so blue and gold are the featured colors. Start by setting up a long folding table near the back of your car. In my case, I'll cover the table with a blue tablecloth and set out a vase of yellow gerbera daisies. Yellow paper plates and napkins are festive and easy to clean up. Serving the dips in a snack helmet is sure to get your guests talking. Arrange chairs in a circle around your tailgating area. Temporary tattoos make a fabulous favor. How do you decorate for a tailgate?

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:30:53 -0700

When one hears the words "tailgate" and "drinks," the first thing that comes to mind is beer. And lots of it. At my tailgate, I'll supply guests with a selection of cold brews and an updated version of the shandy, a classic beer cocktail. Tailgates always get a little rowdy, so I won't serve hard alcohol.

It's a good idea to have sodas, water, and a couple bottles of chilled white wine on hand. Before heading to the stadium, don't forget to stock up on ice. There's nothing worse than warm beer on a hot afternoon. To look at the refreshing recipe for the beer cocktail - at my party it will be poured into Cal cups! - read more.

Lime Beer Cocktail
From Sandra Lee

Ingredients

1 (6-pack) light beer
1 can frozen limeade
1 lime, sliced in half

Directions

Pour beer into a large pitcher. Add still-frozen limeade and stir to combine. Stirring with a metal utensil can reduce foam. Allow foam to settle.
Squeeze half a lime into pitcher.
Finely slice the other lime half and place into pitcher, for garnish. Pour into chilled glasses and serve cold.

Serves 6.

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu

partysugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:00:01 -0700

Instead of serving dessert separate at my tailgate, I plan to serve it with the rest of the menu. Guests can enjoy a bite of sweetness with their savory nibbles. The dip theme will continue with this delectable white chocolate mascarpone dip. Served with fresh fruit, it's decadent, but not heavy. To get this lovely recipe - that also makes a great after-school snack for little ones, read more.

Fresh Fruit With Mascarpone and White Chocolate Dip
From Bon Appetit

Ingredients

6 ounces white chocolate
1 cup whipping cream
1 8-ounce marscapone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh fruit, like strawberries, cheeries, peaches, and nectarines

Directions

Melt 6 ounces chopped white chocolate with 1/2 cup whipping cream in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Remove the bowl from water and let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
In another medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup whipping cream, one 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until blended and smooth. Fold melted chocolate into mascarpone.
Serve the dip with fresh fruit; strawberries and cherries are terrific with it, but peach and nectarine slices would also be fun.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups dip.

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:00:57 -0700

Can you dip it? If you are coming to my football tailgate you better be able to, because the entire menu consists of dips! I'll have a smorgasbord of delectable dips and equally delicious dippers. With four different types of dip, there is something for everyone. Vegetarians will enjoy sweet potato chips with caramelized onion dip. Classical eaters will love the crudités with ranch dip. Carnivores will savor chili-lime fried chicken wings with honey lime dip. Cheese fiends will go ga-ga for fontina-gorgonzola fonduta.

To serve these football-friendly recipes at your tailgate, read more.

Sweet Potato Chips With Caramelized-Onion Dip
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sweet potatoes

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes more; let cool.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and vinegar. Stir in the onion mixture and chives; season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate.
Heat the remaining oil in a medium, deep skillet fitted with a deep-frying thermometer until the oil registers 350°.
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and thinly slice them crosswise into thin rounds with a vegetable peeler. Rinse under cold running water and pat dry.
Fry the sweet potatoes in 5 or 6 batches, turning frequently with tongs, until crisp, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.

Serves 4.

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Ranch Dip
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 small scallion, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, and scallion. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.
Serve with carrot sticks, breadsticks, or your favorite vegetables. To store, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Serves 2.

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Chili-Lime Fried Chicken Wings
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

5 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, and wing tips reserved for stock
1 3/4 cups lime juice
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
Vegetable oil
1 cup honey
2 tablespoons lime zest

Directions

Place the chicken in a 1-gallon re-sealable plastic food storage bag.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the lime juice, the buttermilk, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the crushed red pepper and the kosher salt. Mix well to combine and pour over the chicken in the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight, or at least 12 hours, turning the bag occasionally to ensure even marinating.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Set a large, 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium high heat with 3-quarts of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F using a frying thermometer to gauge the temperature of the oil. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, drain through a colander, and set aside until ready to fry.
Place the flour and Essence in a 1-gallon re-sealable plastic food storage bag and place the chicken, 8 pieces at a time, in the flour and shake to coat.
Lay the coated chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan to rest for 20 minutes before frying. Continue with the remaining chicken pieces until all of the chicken has been coated.
Fry the chicken in batches of 12 pieces. The temperature of the oil should drop to around 300 degrees F. The chicken should fry at 300 degrees F until they are golden brown and begin to float, about 7 to 9 minutes. Place the fried chicken on a paper-lined sheet pan and place in the oven to keep warm as you fry the rest of the chicken. Be sure to allow the oil to return to 350 degrees F or so before adding more chicken to the hot oil.
Once all the chicken is fried, place the honey, lime zest, the remaining 1/4 cup of lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl and mix to combine.
Serve the wings, 6 pieces per person, with some dipping sauce on the side.

Serves 6.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Makes 2/3 cup.

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Fontina-Gorgonzola Fonduta
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 3/4 pounds Italian Fontina cheese,
rind discarded and cheese cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs, beaten
2 large egg yolks
1 cup milk
1/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce cheese, crumbled
Toasted baguette slices, for serving

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a boil.
In a medium stainless steel bowl, combine the Fontina cheese with the butter, eggs, egg yolks, milk and Gorgonzola cheese.
Set the bowl over the saucepan and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring the cheese constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is melted and smooth, about 10 minutes.
Pour the fonduta into shallow bowls and serve at once with toasted baguette slices.

Serves 8.

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