Game Day Foods

Makes about 10-12 servings

Ingredients:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup each grated Parmesan & Romano cheese 1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tspn dried basil
1/4 tspn garlic powder
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts in water
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
– Preheat oven to 350F.
– In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheese, garlic, basil, and garlic powder. Drain artichokes. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach. Transfer mixture to a small casserole dish, top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Serve hotwith an assortment of crackers and flat breads.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
3 jalapeno peppers
3 serrano peppers
1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 lb lean ground beef
2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed 1/2 cup whole milk
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

Directions:
Remove seeds and finely chop peppers. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onions and peppers until the onions are translucent. Add the beef and cook until browned. Reduce heat to low and add the cheese. Cook cheese, stirring constantly until melted. Add milk while continuously stirring. Drain tomatoes and stir into queso to combine. Serve hot.

Ingredients:
3 avocados, pitted and peeled 1 lime, juiced
1 tspn salt
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 1 large tomato, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a medium bowl, add all ingredients. Mash and stir ingredients together until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with an assortment of crispy veggies, such as carrots or celery, or add some color with blue and red corn chips.

Makes 24 servings

Ingredients:
1 8 oz package Pillsbury Crescents 24 mini smoked sausages

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Using a sharp knife, cut jersey and football shapes out of refrigerated dough and wrap around mini sausages. Arrange on a baking sheet with at least 2 inches between each sausage. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before decorating with mustard and/or ketchup.

Makes 4 Bloomin’ Onions, about enough for 6-8 people

Ingredients:
4 medium sweet onions 2 eggs
2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour 3 tspn salt
3 tspn cayenne pepper 1 tspn black pepper
1 tspn garlic powder
1/2 tspn thyme
1/2 tspn oregano
1/4 tspn cumin
corn oil for frying

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp ketchup
1/4 tspn paprika
1/4 tspn salt
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper
1/8 tspn black pepper

Directions:
– In a medium bowl, beat eggs and add milk.
– In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, oregano, thyme, and cumin.

Prepare the onions:
– Slice off the top and bottom of each onion and remove the skin. Use a sharp knife to core out the middle of the onions and slice the petals. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion as it will fall apart. Use your fingers to gently spread each of the petals apart.

Bread the onions:
– Dip the onion face down into the milk mixture, turn over and dip again.
– Repeat with the flour mixture and use a spoon to get more flour in between the petals.
– Repeat this process twice for each onion.
– Freeze the onions on a baking sheet for 1 hour.

Make the sauce:
– While the onions are freezing, combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. – Cover and refrigerate the dip until ready to serve.

To cook:
Heat oil to 350F in a pot large enough to hold and completely cover at least one onion. Fry one onion right side up in the oil for 5 minutes or until it turns medium brown. When the onion has browned, remove it from the oil and let it drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat for remaining onions. Let cool a bit, bur serve warm with dipping sauce.