tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21194072898206265462024-03-13T01:50:30.827-07:00Homegating101Bringing the tailgate experience inside...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-30323870968299577642016-09-30T03:14:00.003-07:002016-09-30T03:18:21.386-07:00Smashed Potato Bombs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
What to do with leftover mashed potatoes? Turn 'em into <b><span style="color: red;">Smashed Potato Bombs</span></b>! With a few ingredients, you can repurpose last night's dinner into a Gameday treat.<br />
<br />
I had a particularly large amount of mashed potatoes leftover recently. I knew I wasn't going to have them again the next day, but I knew that if I turned them into something else, I'd be able to freeze them and use them another time. Bingo! Smashed Potato Bombs! These little guys are crunchy and creamy and make perfect finger food for Gameday.<br />
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I have a muffin tin that makes only muffin tops, which was perfect for this. I placed spoonfuls into each slot, placed a small thumb indentation in each and sprinkled a little bit of grated cheddar on top. If you don't have one of those tins, you can certainly just drop spoonfuls onto a sheetpan like cookies.<br />
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Once they were done (and tested, of course!), I let them cool off and froze them. On Gameday, I just reheated them at 350-degrees and they were great!<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Smashed Potato Bombs </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2T7EP9GqmIZzB4q65ySXKlq0FnfsUTxCWXwPJNt0i-hkwz1EpW77x5jHoQowwZBJq9sUvXILRCBZxsK2tpWIE1x8hMpclFGGuHYF86bCOUvYvtZeLBlsE48kBdvnXgy59QTgWWYSshYY/s1600/photo+13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2T7EP9GqmIZzB4q65ySXKlq0FnfsUTxCWXwPJNt0i-hkwz1EpW77x5jHoQowwZBJq9sUvXILRCBZxsK2tpWIE1x8hMpclFGGuHYF86bCOUvYvtZeLBlsE48kBdvnXgy59QTgWWYSshYY/s400/photo+13.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
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(serves 4-6)<br />
<br />
4 cups mashed potatoes<br />
2 Tbs finely minced scallions<br />
2 tsp granulated garlic<br />
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar (divided)<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Method:</b><br />
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1. Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees.<br />
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2. Mix all ingredients, except for 1/4 cup of the grated cheddar.<br />
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3. Scoop a small amount of the potato mixture into a shallow muffin tin.<br />
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4. Create a small indentation on the top of each potato "coin" and then fill the indentation in with a little bit of the grated cheddar.<br />
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5. Place in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are golden - about 20 - 30 minutes.<br />
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It can't get simpler than that! Let me know how you like it!<br />
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Enjoy your games this weekend and keep on Homegating!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-58449274498472456592016-09-23T03:27:00.000-07:002016-09-23T03:27:11.955-07:00Gameday Sweets: Peach Crostata!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1MgYw7JBKdOvJs0sdWyID-DSX6YOeqhAhsPXI9rG-TFqNeLtpiTxSk9O2ClJ4k3x7Kt7Dp4NjlNh_hIogUhpkQDA5Mn9MlEIT6hOdRGsm0gvL8crHZ3CQt3paVPUPYNV6qJrybnxH-Y/s1600/photo+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1MgYw7JBKdOvJs0sdWyID-DSX6YOeqhAhsPXI9rG-TFqNeLtpiTxSk9O2ClJ4k3x7Kt7Dp4NjlNh_hIogUhpkQDA5Mn9MlEIT6hOdRGsm0gvL8crHZ3CQt3paVPUPYNV6qJrybnxH-Y/s640/photo+8.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
Once in a while, you need to sneak some sweetness into your homegate menu. After gorging on spicy, savory and/or salty fare all Game Day, it's nice to have a little sweet treat to balance it all out.<br />
I wanted to take advantage of the wonderfully sweet peaches that I've been enjoying these past few weeks and make a little <b><span style="color: red;">Peach Crostata</span></b> to serve on Gameday.<br />
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We're usually not big into sweets on Gameday, but once in a while someone will bring cookies or ice cream to have towards the end of the day. I always keep puff pastry in the freezer, so when I had an abundance of peaches not too long ago, I thought a crostata would be a nice way to go to use up those peaches and the puff pastry.<br />
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The filling is light and not too sweet, which is why I happen to be a fan of this. All it's comprised of are peaches, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. You can't get any easier than that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnJSiTcMCaLnYxI6q6xR9il9BXBnnmG7DadiHvqvG0SsbjwvLsc7dyiitUwlfU8Md3HJhQbqgIBkNo_nNVpSL_ofsk7LUfAcbQY83c1JtAwU2v8dTOH7HLhLmHFNdN6knkenCs9A15hU/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnJSiTcMCaLnYxI6q6xR9il9BXBnnmG7DadiHvqvG0SsbjwvLsc7dyiitUwlfU8Md3HJhQbqgIBkNo_nNVpSL_ofsk7LUfAcbQY83c1JtAwU2v8dTOH7HLhLmHFNdN6knkenCs9A15hU/s400/photo+3.JPG" width="400" /></a><b><span style="color: red;">Peach Crostata </span></b><br />
(serves 4-6) <br />
<br />
3 peaches, sliced thin<br />
1/2 cup honey<br />
1/2 cup maple syrup<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 sett of puffed pastry<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 425-degrees.<br />
<br />
2. Place the honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt in a small saucepan and heat through. Pour over the peaches and toss until thoroughly combined.<br />
<br />
3. Roll out a sheet of the puff pastry onto a sheet pan and dock (pricking holes with a fork) all around leaving a 1/2" border untouched.<br />
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4. Arrange the peach slices on top of the pastry, leaving the 1/2" border.<br />
<br />
5. Place in oven for 20-30 minutes until the pastry puffs up and is golden.<br />
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6. Bring to rom temperature and serve.<br />
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So there you have it! Something a little different this time, but I think your guests will like the change. If you try it, let me know how you like it.<br />
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Until next week, keep on homegating!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-22879543744972732162016-09-16T03:05:00.001-07:002016-09-16T03:05:34.871-07:00Green Wings!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3np6t1QbGABk0ecHDXNcick_nlwCMwEiBK6XwMGr6tyo9P_JVGplVptTBEFPEO0ht20RgovVhMO11S9QCkuSCihU56hm70JA3TeHRcO0LsfPmtzMfQFEwiBnAdNjopgEB6XkuoJU7xtY/s1600/photo+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3np6t1QbGABk0ecHDXNcick_nlwCMwEiBK6XwMGr6tyo9P_JVGplVptTBEFPEO0ht20RgovVhMO11S9QCkuSCihU56hm70JA3TeHRcO0LsfPmtzMfQFEwiBnAdNjopgEB6XkuoJU7xtY/s640/photo+12.jpg" width="606" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
I don't know why I hadn't thought of these sooner. It's so simple - it was right under my nose. But you see? It takes something else to trigger a little culinary inspiration. During a day of recipe testing, I came up with: <b><span style="color: red;">Green Wings</span></b>!!<br />
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On this one particular recipe test day, I was on a food processor rampage. I was pureeing and making various little sauces. I was on a roll and kept thinking of what else I can puree and make into a sauce. I opened the fridge and spied a bottle of pickled jalapenos. Yaaassssss!!!!! I dumped the entire jar (juice and all) into the processor and whizzed it up. After taste testing and adding a few other ingredients, I knew I had a tasty, but spicy sauce to play with. But what to do with it? Oh yeah - baste it on some wings and let 'em fly!<br />
<br />
By the time the wings are finished roasting, they just look like roasted wings with a slight greenish tint. They have a nice bright flavor. They're not as hot as the red sauces, but they do have a little after-zing. I served the extra sauce on the side in case anyone wanted to add a little more to their wings.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Green Wings</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeX0Lp1UqDpfHYUjTkgsMZu1wt1pAccNa8mWVNa5kG0XvMhrhYMZuce1FCkA_wD6KNS5dIXwPDBcRF84pUS_9MIwvmVkU-lHPZYObZweYGlmRWxsivFgffvYHw2MmI75Z6_w4OMjErhzY/s1600/photo+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeX0Lp1UqDpfHYUjTkgsMZu1wt1pAccNa8mWVNa5kG0XvMhrhYMZuce1FCkA_wD6KNS5dIXwPDBcRF84pUS_9MIwvmVkU-lHPZYObZweYGlmRWxsivFgffvYHw2MmI75Z6_w4OMjErhzY/s400/photo+9.jpg" width="300" /></a>(serves 4-6) <br />
<br />
3 lbs chicken wings<br />
16 oz jar of pickled jalapenos<br />
2 tsp grated onion*<br />
1 small garlic clove, minced<br />
1 tbs fresh cilantro<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees.<br />
<br />
2. Place all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. Reserve 1 cup of sauce.<br />
<br />
3. Baste wings with sauce and place in the oven. Continue to baste the wings every 15 minutes for 1 hour.<br />
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4. Remove from oven and serve with extra sauce.<br />
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When I served these to the Gameday Gang, they were a little taken aback when they first looked at them. After all, people are used to seeing red wings. But of course they were psyched to check them out and they got some great reviews. Some liked them as is and some used the extra sauce to dip the wings into. Whichever way they ate them, the wings wound up disappearing, so I'm going to take that as a good sign.<br />
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And there you have it! Try these guys out one weekend and see how your crowd digs 'em.<br />
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Enjoy your games and I'll see you next week!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-11404803086264047632016-09-09T03:16:00.000-07:002016-09-09T03:16:11.272-07:00Opening Day Kickoff 2016: Spicy Orange Meatballs!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNJriEHAA5ehEIbIbkC38QY7s4eEY6prOOADnv62KLlfX7Bal9jd6lK9FYOaWpU5f6Ai0Wu1mJx2p81N-IMExnNZEZmsg-qN1qnRN_3eW2sd_Wi9-mPuRouRftTDwJr4ix9TfrY4nGQ4/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="529" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNJriEHAA5ehEIbIbkC38QY7s4eEY6prOOADnv62KLlfX7Bal9jd6lK9FYOaWpU5f6Ai0Wu1mJx2p81N-IMExnNZEZmsg-qN1qnRN_3eW2sd_Wi9-mPuRouRftTDwJr4ix9TfrY4nGQ4/s640/photo+5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Homegaters!<br />
<br />
Happy Kickoff 2016! Football is back!!!<br />
<br />
While the season is never really over on the internet, it still seems like forever since we watched <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyton_Manning" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Peyton</span></a> raise the Lombardi. It seems like so much has happened since that night. Hey, even he's become a Homegater! But we are finally getting ready to start off another season with high expectations for our teams. Each team is starting out anew. <br />
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For the Gameday Gang, Opening Day is cause for a double celebration this year. First of all, we're celebrating the first week of the season, and we're also celebrating the grand opening of our new Homegating101 Headquarters at the Garage Bar (aka: Fan Cave). While it's still a work in progress, it's been all prepped with the essentials: TV, seating, fridge, kegerator and various other accoutrements. We're psyched. It's going to be a fun gathering place for the gang to eat, drink and watch the games. So to start the season off in our new location, we're presenting: <b><span style="color: red;">Spicy Orange Meatballs</span></b>!<br />
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I picked up some orange marmalade at a farm stand this summer and wanted to incorporate it into one of my gameday dishes. I figured it would make a nice sweet and spicy sauce. A combination of the marmalade along with some sambal sauce, rice wine vinegar and soy gives the sauce a nice sweet, savory and spicy tang. The sauce can work on any meat you might want to prepare, but I went with meatballs. You've got the deep savory flavor of the meatballs playing off the sweet and spicy orange sauce. It's a nice combination.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Spicy Orange Meatballs </span></b><br />
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(makes 32)<br />
<u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Meatballs</b></u>:<br />
1 1/2 lbs ground beef<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce<br />
1 tsp ground garlic<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
1 tsp brown mustard<br />
2 tsp smoked paprika<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
<b><u>Sauce:</u></b><br />
16 oz jar orange marmalade<br />
1 tbsp sambal sauce<br />
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar<br />
2 tsp soy sauce<br />
1 cup water (you may not need it all)<br />
<br />
<b><u>METHOD:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees. Mix all the meatball ingredients well and roll into golf-ball size balls. Place on baking sheets and put in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until meatballs are browned. Remove from oven and let cool. (NOTE: meatballs can be made ahead).<br />
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2. In a heavy saucepan on medium heat, melt down the marmalade until it become soft and liquidy. Add remaining ingredients and heat through until almost boiling. If the sauce is too thick, thin out with a little water. Place meatballs in sauce and stir to make sure all the meatballs get covered in the sauce. Heat through and serve.<br />
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I have a small crock pot that I'll use to keep these meatballs warm. We have a table in the garage bar where we'll put all the food so that everyone can help themselves throughout the day - and I won't have to keep running back and forth to the kitchen to heat something up! That's the beauty of having warming trays and crock pots. Your hot food will stay hot all day. I have a football-shaped crock pot (of course I would!) that I use for hots dogs in water (who doesn't love a hot dog on gameday?).<br />
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So there you have it. This recipe is easy to prepare. You can make the meatballs ahead. You can even freeze them and then thaw them out when you're ready to make the sauce. Hope you decide to try these. Let me know if you do and how you like them!<br />
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Enjoy the games and good luck to your teams!<br />
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See you next week!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-41758116645089065522016-03-20T09:29:00.001-07:002016-03-20T09:29:45.566-07:00Munch Madness '16: Matzo Pizza!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWkkdv0ScE_ZZp7dgSMsO4xsskT7B02g3y6pBOWPf9wwAtiHcn_rQHOSXgNZZxhr8tQjOH-YLR5Rb01FN_RN_aIvHBJKKCi6ztf3h08CBM9q60GPYjLbXuBpMTkNzsmGHan_pNXJv5Ww/s1600/photo+18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWkkdv0ScE_ZZp7dgSMsO4xsskT7B02g3y6pBOWPf9wwAtiHcn_rQHOSXgNZZxhr8tQjOH-YLR5Rb01FN_RN_aIvHBJKKCi6ztf3h08CBM9q60GPYjLbXuBpMTkNzsmGHan_pNXJv5Ww/s640/photo+18.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Homegaters!<br />
<br />
March Madness is upon us once again -- or as we here at Homegating Headquarters like to call it, Munch Madness! This is a crazy time of year with all the college games going on. Bracket mania is alive and well in all the offices. But unfortunately my bracket is already dead in the water due to a few shocking upsets. First time in a long time that I got bounced out of the action so early in the tournament. Oh well, that leaves me more time to concentrate on making something yummy for the Gang. This weekend I came up with a quick cultural mashup that got me in and out of the kitchen in no time so I can enjoy the b-ball action: <b><span style="color: red;">Matzo Pizza</span></b>.<br />
<br />
I love matzo. There's something about it's thin, crisp texture that I really enjoy. It's readily available this time of year, so I always have a box (or 2) of it in the house. A bit of insanity struck me and I thought it would make an interesting base for funky little pizzas. What the heck? How bad could it be? Well, it was pretty darn good and pretty darn different.<br />
<br />
Since you don't have any dough to stretch out, take the sheets of matzo and break them up into any size pieces that you'd like. Spread some pizza sauce, cheese and any other toppings you'd like and pop it into a 400-degree oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Matzo Pizza</span></b><br />
(serves 4-6) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmPCuCnKBSFQyXHc0l9JeETVfZmfb4vXM4599fNSkGUuFI3yqO1AT_2ggbuOTqtKl5R0SkMbPdUbuSArzqzoOtSBUMEYgq-xSysv420RMujE9qesqoymmwkUAfLmXNueMEpZSHf21JWM/s1600/photo+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmPCuCnKBSFQyXHc0l9JeETVfZmfb4vXM4599fNSkGUuFI3yqO1AT_2ggbuOTqtKl5R0SkMbPdUbuSArzqzoOtSBUMEYgq-xSysv420RMujE9qesqoymmwkUAfLmXNueMEpZSHf21JWM/s400/photo+14.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
4 sheets of matzo (broken into smaller pieces)<br />
pizza sauce<br />
shredded mozzarella<br />
various toppings of your choice (optional)<br />
<br />
<u><b>Method:</b></u><br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees. Spread pizza sauce on each piece of matzo. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the sauce and add any other toppings you'd like.<br />
<br />
2. Bake in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.<br />
<br />
It's as simple as that. You're going to get a kick out of the crispy "crust" that the matzo provides. It's different, fun and yummy. Try it, I think you'll agree that it's slam dunk (did I just say that?).<br />
<br />
Good luck to all of you whose brackets are still alive. I'll have to wait until next year for any kind of victories in that regard. And good luck to whichever team(s) you are rooting for as well. Until next week, keep on Homegating!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-18738482860872446672016-03-12T07:07:00.002-08:002016-03-12T07:07:18.038-08:00Breakfast of Champions!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9cCrARI1tmxphP8oV9NTCcSppTr91i4NfEaDKfTe1hW7RTHRWEUrbkT8KPeLN6iw3i9HokJntDazrNFAfw6cX5gZMhCa5ZDKapIQE79Ym_60YgOH1Y4CU8oCvUrH3gCcbTOggztUcSE/s1600/photo+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9cCrARI1tmxphP8oV9NTCcSppTr91i4NfEaDKfTe1hW7RTHRWEUrbkT8KPeLN6iw3i9HokJntDazrNFAfw6cX5gZMhCa5ZDKapIQE79Ym_60YgOH1Y4CU8oCvUrH3gCcbTOggztUcSE/s640/photo+10.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
This weekend the Gameday Gang is coming over to catch some hockey and pre-season baseball. A few folks are coming over early to help me do some of the cooking beforehand, so I thought I'd whip up a little breakfast for them. Since most of the afternoon we'll be gorging on a little less-than-healthy fare, I thought I'd start the day out on a healthy note (counts for something, right?). This <b><span style="color: red;">Wheat Berry Cereal</span></b> is hearty, healthy and a nice alternative to some of those sugar-laden packaged cereals.<br />
<br />
A wheat berry is the whole grain form of wheat - so it's not gluten free. It is however, high in protein, fiber and vitamins. It cooks in the same amount of time that rice would. You can find wheat berries in most health food stores. Besides the wheat berries, the cereal includes chopped pecans, raisins, shredded coconut, ground flax meal, vanilla and maple syrup. You can make a whole bunch ahead of time, fridge it and then just serve it with your milk of choice (we went all-in on healthy and used coconut milk).<br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: red;">Wheat Berry Cereal</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wnjHQ-pZekLDXUbLJR-vkZWCkNI6rHoUk5IOuFWx_5oJO4Cykmqrqve2DxLaSxCvJ57xdF65dfzYCyhNGWrAdppmtaXD7hdiR7EvQYqXizUPhZb8sG31DcYk7UVcGpylBOJM_OnbtFw/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wnjHQ-pZekLDXUbLJR-vkZWCkNI6rHoUk5IOuFWx_5oJO4Cykmqrqve2DxLaSxCvJ57xdF65dfzYCyhNGWrAdppmtaXD7hdiR7EvQYqXizUPhZb8sG31DcYk7UVcGpylBOJM_OnbtFw/s400/photo+6.JPG" width="400" /></a>(serves 4)<br />
<br />
3 cups cooked wheat berries <br />
1/4 cup raisins<br />
1/2 cup chopped pecans<br />
2 tbs shredded coconut<br />
1 tbs ground flax meal (optional)<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1/3 cup maple syrup<br />
milk<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
Combine all the ingredients and spoon into individual bowls.<br />
Serve with milk of your choice. You can also add some fresh fruit if you'd like.<br />
<br />
As I previously mentioned, it's a pretty hearty breakfast. Very filling and very tasty.<br />Let me know how you like it!<br />
<br />
I hope you've been enjoying some of your other teams' games. We've turned into puck heads watching our teams on the ice. We are also looking forward to some March Madness action and the upcoming baseball season. Lots to look forward to!<br />
<br />
Keep checking in for more gameday recipes! And keep on Homegating!!<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-62387825593498440492016-02-28T13:29:00.002-08:002016-02-28T13:29:09.982-08:00Homegating101 Hits the Red Carpet - well, sort of...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DDVL1fDf5m3y4mKH2M8_HGu6A0YwWNi7KffyGw4ntPu1IJCc_jOagr-kUK0ZOIjI-CK294l13CrPxbcTIKx3N3FrSTMK5bGmzGNBpQ_lhfXb0Vrn5RTsa9fSelX8YOLhkOI44LN9OC0/s1600/photo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DDVL1fDf5m3y4mKH2M8_HGu6A0YwWNi7KffyGw4ntPu1IJCc_jOagr-kUK0ZOIjI-CK294l13CrPxbcTIKx3N3FrSTMK5bGmzGNBpQ_lhfXb0Vrn5RTsa9fSelX8YOLhkOI44LN9OC0/s640/photo2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!!<br />
<br />
We're going a bit off topic this week, but I still have a great munchie for you that will go great at your homegate hangout anyway. Because tonight is the Oscars, the Gameday Girls decided to get together to pre-game with the Red Carpet show. Now let me tell you, you get a bunch of women together to watch the stars rocking some of the latest couture, that could be a sporting event in itself. I can guarantee you that a few of us will be throwing a few barbs at the screen, just as we would with a bad call. The only difference is that the drinks and munchies are a bit more, "sophisticated." Prosecco replaces beer and <b><span style="color: red;">Eggroll Crackers</span></b> replace tortilla chips.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmVlhfj981VkszQZchxVgVSRThugakiuH-snCw436JsVIa4noNsP9jxA9PAQxSKED5xHbU1daBYZuUxW8SaCfi7iEO4m6rooGpf71W8PIiNCs_o2-_O5MMA0ovfC6tnLyRxX3iYY4t-E/s1600/photo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmVlhfj981VkszQZchxVgVSRThugakiuH-snCw436JsVIa4noNsP9jxA9PAQxSKED5xHbU1daBYZuUxW8SaCfi7iEO4m6rooGpf71W8PIiNCs_o2-_O5MMA0ovfC6tnLyRxX3iYY4t-E/s400/photo1.JPG" width="355" /></a></div>
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I had a package of eggroll wrappers in the fridge. Instead of making eggrolls with them, I decided to cut them into squares, brush them with a little olive oil and sprinkle a few herbs and spices over them. A quick pop in the oven and you have a crispy, savory cracker that you can enjoy alone or use as a dip vehicle. Enjoy!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrrvkGYQckcpLKdgKlEI9_rJuMl0nINiGRvlfhEXsYnXzOfiK0bT2HzyTaqrwmlqC0NFRMcBkEouUeYoJfWFrAogAjKBbyToQwd0xyLxaSuzgvkEzF6f7pJusFADAXbX_vP2zdseXO5Y/s1600/photo3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrrvkGYQckcpLKdgKlEI9_rJuMl0nINiGRvlfhEXsYnXzOfiK0bT2HzyTaqrwmlqC0NFRMcBkEouUeYoJfWFrAogAjKBbyToQwd0xyLxaSuzgvkEzF6f7pJusFADAXbX_vP2zdseXO5Y/s400/photo3.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Eggroll Crackers</span></b><br />
(serves 4-6)<br />
<br />
1 package of eggroll wrappers, <br />
cut into quarters<br />
Italian seasoning<br />
Grated Romano cheese<br />
Salt & pepper<br />
olive oil for brushing<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees.<br />
<br />
2. Cut eggroll wrappers into 4 pieces. Place on a sheetpan and brush each with olive oil.<br />
<br />
3. Sprinkle each with some Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and grated cheese.<br />
<br />
4. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes - or until desired crispness.<br />
<br />
5. Serve as is or with various dips.<br />
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Can't get any simple - or as elegant as that!<br />
<br />
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to slip into my tiara and get ready for the Gameday Girls to arrive strutting their stuff on my non-red carpet.<br />
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Enjoy and keep on Homegating!!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ubarx_rtXhK07oWNEjwFpXuGg5adKTsRrg8WLgZpEaYE_oJGS4jkGmi0nLCTubs1RilxMtlAwrdxwWTlGpkJfhKXvNK3ft56LBegx0eqaO3UeZzyqy9pDFhRz8ZHHrtG737NK0QpatI/s1600/photo4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ubarx_rtXhK07oWNEjwFpXuGg5adKTsRrg8WLgZpEaYE_oJGS4jkGmi0nLCTubs1RilxMtlAwrdxwWTlGpkJfhKXvNK3ft56LBegx0eqaO3UeZzyqy9pDFhRz8ZHHrtG737NK0QpatI/s640/photo4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-57845737170072059992016-02-21T05:17:00.001-08:002016-02-21T05:17:32.740-08:00Cheeseburger Meatballs!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvt-amqszO08f0teVPSOW_yvi6G7Coys997DK2DIP6is5gBzITAFDmuFqSrp1w0LGF2BkSswX3RTlYwVkkNv6wlEOfhE-CrEUaq9UtkQnBfgtsj2qzp3c30ouS3t2bI7cVX_XeTaoAOH0/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvt-amqszO08f0teVPSOW_yvi6G7Coys997DK2DIP6is5gBzITAFDmuFqSrp1w0LGF2BkSswX3RTlYwVkkNv6wlEOfhE-CrEUaq9UtkQnBfgtsj2qzp3c30ouS3t2bI7cVX_XeTaoAOH0/s640/photo+6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
While last week's entry was light and refined because it was just Ladies' Day at Homegating Headquarters, this week we went off the rails because the guys returned to the fold. They were hungry and thirsty and they wanted something meaty. Wings weren't going to cut it for them this weekend. They were looking for red meat. I obliged by giving them a little spin on a classic. I made them <b><span style="color: red;">Cheeseburger Meatballs</span></b>. Yes, I did that.<br />
<br />
Making actual cheeseburgers would have sent me outside to the grill and in this frigid cold, I was having no part of that rodeo. Instead I mashed up everything that goes into a cheeseburger and rolled it into a golfball-sized gob of grass-fed beef nirvana. Yes I did that.<br />
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I took grass-fed ground beef (because is tastes so much better), added minced onions, minced pickles, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, an egg, white cheddar, breadcrumbs and rolled the mixture into bite-sized balls of bovine bliss. I took those little balls, baked them and then stepped away as the Gameday Gang went haywire. It looked like a school of piranhas on a feeding frenzy. There weren't any left for me to even have a bite or 2 (little did they know I snuck 2 before I presented the bowl. I know this crew too well.). That bowl was empty in about 7 minutes. Insane! They were moist, rich and flavorful. Do yourself a favor and check these out.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Cheeseburger Meatballs </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ongBi6lr4PnkJ7uuJpE26zDJjusEiJ53IzDp07jpUgOHx50PslTxNJYWXIkZIEkfeYTK3tPzHCw9S0YLxUopU_PsjyJ2pDwVIU-RYYJaHrei53fQ3pCIyPmibzAazuBLW994MTThjTU/s1600/photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ongBi6lr4PnkJ7uuJpE26zDJjusEiJ53IzDp07jpUgOHx50PslTxNJYWXIkZIEkfeYTK3tPzHCw9S0YLxUopU_PsjyJ2pDwVIU-RYYJaHrei53fQ3pCIyPmibzAazuBLW994MTThjTU/s400/photo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
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(makes 24 meatballs)<br />
<br />
1 lb ground beef<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs<br />
2 tbs minced red onion<br />
2 tsp ketchup<br />
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce<br />
3 tbs shredded cheddar<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees.<br />
<br />
2. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and roll into golfball-sized meatballs. Place on a non-stick sheetpan and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Turn meatballs halfway through cooking.<br />
<br />
3. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.<br />
<br />
And there you have it. It's a fun, quick recipe that people will really enjoy.<br />
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Hope you feel inspired to try these. If you do, let me know how you liked them.<br />
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Until next week, keep on Homegating!!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-27101035024645033282016-02-15T06:38:00.000-08:002016-02-15T06:38:37.587-08:00Roasted Pepper Salsa!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqwUKYyTFt6SVhJYLyNKSAOYGBDRbE48XgsRZGwcf-UcKj7rNdjFEVJd6_5bNoYPTL6cQctBr0qrGn33t9XReGVAR4943zIjEim-VSQcKOux1uWfqHKyh1ZGl63RdADyxNPFu7mIGhRk/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqwUKYyTFt6SVhJYLyNKSAOYGBDRbE48XgsRZGwcf-UcKj7rNdjFEVJd6_5bNoYPTL6cQctBr0qrGn33t9XReGVAR4943zIjEim-VSQcKOux1uWfqHKyh1ZGl63RdADyxNPFu7mIGhRk/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
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I trust you survived your Super Bowl parties. We're still doing a little cleaning up, so that must be a sign that the party was good (which it was). We are very happy that Mr. Manning won his 2nd title. Now the question is will he or won't he retire? We'll have to see. But one thing I know for sure, Carolina is going to be around for a long time, so watch out for those guys. They are good! Sadly we'll have to wait 7 months to see how they rebound. However for me, football season is never really over between the internet and the NFL Channel, so I can keep getting a little gridiron fix whenever I want.<br />
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Now even though there are no football games every Sunday, that doesn't mean that Homegating Headquarters shuts down until September. The Gameday Gang enjoys their hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball and an occasional skiing/snowboarding competition on the weekend. So we're in full-swing all year 'round.<br />
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You've heard the expression, "Ladies Who Lunch?" Well at Homegating Headquarters, it turned into, "Ladies Who Hockey" this past weekend. Turns out the men-folk were busy doing various things, so the girls got together to hang out and watch some snowboarding/skiing competitions and a hockey game. Now, when the Gameday Girls hang out, the conversation might not always be about stats. When we say a goalie is hot, it might not necessarily mean he's a brick wall in net, if you catch my drift...<br />
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Since it was just the girls hanging out, I decided to lighten things up a bit and so I put together a nice, organic veggie platter. Instead of going with a high-calorie ranch dip, I came up with a fat-free <b><span style="color: red;">Roasted Pepper Salsa</span></b>. As is my nature, I winged it in the food processor and I have to say, it turned out pretty good. I whizzed up a jar of roasted peppers, red onion, garlic, cilantro, smoked paprika and cider vinegar. I served it with endive, small peppers and carrots. The ladies loved it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXD7RAwpKkvyCSJNLfyMCWcyO5Q2vMEuutLYr3dpGREfns2qw00EBEwtBfNkNoF6MN0cIhB6mrbcuxGkhqFcbRs_p8Z2YzQ9AEC0Zm6jlKjMW2s3hPJj9qe2ffl-aQNi0az5cZMgLJNV8/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXD7RAwpKkvyCSJNLfyMCWcyO5Q2vMEuutLYr3dpGREfns2qw00EBEwtBfNkNoF6MN0cIhB6mrbcuxGkhqFcbRs_p8Z2YzQ9AEC0Zm6jlKjMW2s3hPJj9qe2ffl-aQNi0az5cZMgLJNV8/s400/photo+5.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="color: red;"><b>Roasted Pepper Salsa</b></span><br />
(serves 4-6)<br />
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12oz jar of roasted peppers, drained<br />
1/4 small red onion, sliced<br />
1 small garlic clove, minced<br />
2 tbs fresh cilantro<br />
1/2 tsp smoked paprika<br />
1 tbs cider vinegar<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
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Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture reaches a coarse consistency. You don't want it to be smooth. Serve with various veggies.<br />
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And there you have it! It's a nice change of pace from regular salsa. If you want to jazz it up a bit, you can toss in a seeded 1/2 jalapeno. Otherwise, the recipe as is works nicely. It's a nice alternative to the heavier faire that we usually indulge in on Gameday. Hope you try it!<br />
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I'll see you next week! In the meantime, keep on Homegating!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaOj6jUJ4WBRhZTVnKyy_ZhZgRdJCRaSQWXDuwk6XejkHk0SU7uht7Tr96wHG-U5l1dhgd4bawZDTXxAnlgrY0moNh4LIGnuBMIx7yXttbfzP7DtgV9LUuxoYkUxQq6D0MLKGfXgKNzw/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaOj6jUJ4WBRhZTVnKyy_ZhZgRdJCRaSQWXDuwk6XejkHk0SU7uht7Tr96wHG-U5l1dhgd4bawZDTXxAnlgrY0moNh4LIGnuBMIx7yXttbfzP7DtgV9LUuxoYkUxQq6D0MLKGfXgKNzw/s640/photo+6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-65634638371816405702016-02-07T04:35:00.001-08:002016-02-07T04:35:22.409-08:00Big Game Day!!Homegaters!<br />
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Happy Big Game Sunday!! This is the happiest day of they year here at Homegating Headquarters! There's excitement in the air as we get ready for everyone to come over later for the game. Hope things are going well at your place was well. By now, everything should be done. All you have to do is go out and pick up some ice for the cooler. But wait, you just receive a text that sends a chill up your spine: 4 more people are coming unexpectedly!<br />
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Egads! You didn't plan on that! You might not have enough food! What are you going to do? Calm down. You have a couple of choices. You can go out and get some pre-made appies and just heat them up. They work in a pinch (and this is pinch time). Or if you're feeling culinarily sassy, you can whip up a couple of dishes that are quick and only require a few ingredients. Here we go:<br />
<a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2014/09/wings-gotta-have-em.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<b><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2014/09/wings-gotta-have-em.html" target="_blank">3-Ingredient Wings:</a></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5C21UaxYMkcnkySuHbSj9udw10Wft__z_7x3HaY5-JEI8M3f1euuWFYTmpCr-8yP5oH6Ug1xjbiWbQCtcPDyb2oiJpoelI-G4kq3NHgkm5l8TiuiL7ELTByYMwxS_oue-bvlFHGrVGA/s1600/Wings2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5C21UaxYMkcnkySuHbSj9udw10Wft__z_7x3HaY5-JEI8M3f1euuWFYTmpCr-8yP5oH6Ug1xjbiWbQCtcPDyb2oiJpoelI-G4kq3NHgkm5l8TiuiL7ELTByYMwxS_oue-bvlFHGrVGA/s640/Wings2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/03/munch-madness-bruschetta.html" target="_blank">Bruschetta:</a></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA68WiAXnJkaPjJAA0l5yeAWfbT5KV59ouOZMWit-4VwGFC4MXFkMn3kiit7y7yl16OqFcnm-nc-5HNSPLNaKrgeZEKtwmdxcWmR3AXSTGUINYyWpoOkZ5ECbKmW6suT-PQ9B5j2qBkh4/s1600/Br3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA68WiAXnJkaPjJAA0l5yeAWfbT5KV59ouOZMWit-4VwGFC4MXFkMn3kiit7y7yl16OqFcnm-nc-5HNSPLNaKrgeZEKtwmdxcWmR3AXSTGUINYyWpoOkZ5ECbKmW6suT-PQ9B5j2qBkh4/s640/Br3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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That should hold you over. The main thing today is to enjoy your guests and enjoy the game. It's a day for fun and relaxation. No time for stressing out.<br />
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Now while football season ends tonight, the homegating doesn't stop there. The Gameday Gang will still be showing up for hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball and even arena football (we're hardcore). So I need to keep my game up - hope you continue the journey with me each week.<br />
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Enjoy tonight and I'l see you next weekend! Keep on homegating!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-30581719464506697012016-01-31T06:56:00.000-08:002016-01-31T06:57:50.623-08:00Gameday Big Hits!!<br />
Homegaters!<br />
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We've got a Denver-Carolina Super Bowl for the 50th anniversary on February 7. There's lots of excitement and intrigue with this matchup. The #1 Offense (Carolina) versus the #1 Defense (Denver). We've got 2 dynamic quarterbacks (Peyton Manning & Cam Newton) - one at the end of his career (Manning) and one who's career is just taking flight (Newton). Who's going to take home the Lombardi? We'll know next week. I know where my heart lies, but I'm really hoping for an awesome game - and these two teams can give it to us.<br />
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Still stuck for ideas on what to make for your party next week? No worries. I got ya covered! I thought this would be a good time to give you a recap of some of our greatest hits all in one place to make it easy for you to decide what to add to your menu. Below are links to some of the recipes that I've gotten great feedback on and are always requested by the Gameday Gang:<br />
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<b><u>DIPS</u></b><br />
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No Big Game party is complete without a few great dips. Here are a few of our most memorable ones:<br />
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<b><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2014/12/triple-play-onion-dip.html" target="_blank"><i>Triple Play Onion Dip:</i></a></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbA2MW-4i-mGropiHsgyWUwPQVc3L-w98U-AUvWpECJCeXalVojUq4X6nit1ou2oRmJZ464Q3CPktUnZ-Rx67wxFMlmACwfWVv1TGYqf6xGOrh4_gzBvFgjqdfGB0baYHmbubOW40LHHA/s1600/Trip+Onion+Dip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbA2MW-4i-mGropiHsgyWUwPQVc3L-w98U-AUvWpECJCeXalVojUq4X6nit1ou2oRmJZ464Q3CPktUnZ-Rx67wxFMlmACwfWVv1TGYqf6xGOrh4_gzBvFgjqdfGB0baYHmbubOW40LHHA/s400/Trip+Onion+Dip.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<b><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/04/cheeseburger-dip.html" target="_blank"><i>Cheeseburger Dip:</i></a></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_v1A72znBzSAZdjPBCmUzAAtsL0J5ECLC-ipP20qTs4Mc38D0ABqhd1yWTZRst3TvXlClBu38gjMWj7MJ_MRGm0QIq3wiGkDaUB7BXhHGHOiFKLIfAd4J_pVCdPlGVkvVNY3tLA2Il8/s1600/CBD1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_v1A72znBzSAZdjPBCmUzAAtsL0J5ECLC-ipP20qTs4Mc38D0ABqhd1yWTZRst3TvXlClBu38gjMWj7MJ_MRGm0QIq3wiGkDaUB7BXhHGHOiFKLIfAd4J_pVCdPlGVkvVNY3tLA2Il8/s400/CBD1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2014/10/tuscan-white-bean-tuna-spread.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></u></b>
<b><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2014/10/tuscan-white-bean-tuna-spread.html" target="_blank"><i>Tuscan Tuna Spread:</i></a></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVh4Tcp9-XfL7VZLy5hrXE88emlGcUUwVgu43vkqOdDuKZhiwS_sXgUy_2Rjn_BfxlRYZNBRbsDC0KQDCDWuOCHtNtINMJiKCHt3_EFExuxiIXxEewbgiJ_ba0OxR0goQdrhmPErOVXo/s1600/Teste.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVh4Tcp9-XfL7VZLy5hrXE88emlGcUUwVgu43vkqOdDuKZhiwS_sXgUy_2Rjn_BfxlRYZNBRbsDC0KQDCDWuOCHtNtINMJiKCHt3_EFExuxiIXxEewbgiJ_ba0OxR0goQdrhmPErOVXo/s400/Teste.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u>HAND HELDS</u></b><br />
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We love portable foods. These are perfect for large gatherings so that people aren't confined to a table:<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/05/honey-sriracha-wings.html" target="_blank">Honey Sriracha Wings:</a></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YRTTguo5x7Clp1ICyk2034LQ8WzdBVEMHWwigin8exxBSdKkMjDMNkp5R55nX6umSZV2dV0k-tuC58TALeKBG-IvSJO5S4l8K3Ejy53KfW3cIv835vGeWZDUDilTX8swAYFOLVn2t0g/s1600/DSCN2383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YRTTguo5x7Clp1ICyk2034LQ8WzdBVEMHWwigin8exxBSdKkMjDMNkp5R55nX6umSZV2dV0k-tuC58TALeKBG-IvSJO5S4l8K3Ejy53KfW3cIv835vGeWZDUDilTX8swAYFOLVn2t0g/s400/DSCN2383.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/04/bodacious-burritos.html" target="_blank">Bodacious Burritos:</a></u></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEpz7RqJlNx8UC0emte4eWSdReRCVU85LN2mjVO9t56fOMJYUZtRy0PQOMOW137zpA8doWa779Scr8XefObXpo_HnCJ28OY9EnVm8mn4ZF5Od9fxVK__WGjRzmleaWHY5g4LjPN8_q0c/s1600/B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEpz7RqJlNx8UC0emte4eWSdReRCVU85LN2mjVO9t56fOMJYUZtRy0PQOMOW137zpA8doWa779Scr8XefObXpo_HnCJ28OY9EnVm8mn4ZF5Od9fxVK__WGjRzmleaWHY5g4LjPN8_q0c/s400/B3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2014/10/grilled-balogna-sliders.html" target="_blank">Grilled Bologna Sliders:</a></u></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2v5tkwFmT6fSycWq28aX-IPr-6_2nrzGDD7E-g3FEmJJuP138srjn5mjRRSvL5u0S69J_2Zc382qY-ukkE_ey4QZxckVJdZrSTkzfHxqShX-qUudxxJx_CfqG3eBPciZKT9dqjiKjpk/s1600/Balogna1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2v5tkwFmT6fSycWq28aX-IPr-6_2nrzGDD7E-g3FEmJJuP138srjn5mjRRSvL5u0S69J_2Zc382qY-ukkE_ey4QZxckVJdZrSTkzfHxqShX-qUudxxJx_CfqG3eBPciZKT9dqjiKjpk/s400/Balogna1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u>BOWL FOODS</u></b><br />
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These are great dig-in munchies:<br />
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<b><i><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/02/lime-sriracha-popcorn.html" target="_blank">Lime Sriracha Popcorn</a>:</u></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjY2jva7_8xU_FT_ft6K6Snp9xvS20SUYblybKv_x2y3sH2HBO3TiI3b8o9BzXGnlS8A86ZRMZpG9NVcIMnbQv1YsX44UZS1sBGtT1KAPDzC_rDP5peVwRzCBij_COLBeKOyn97BN-gI/s1600/Pop2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjY2jva7_8xU_FT_ft6K6Snp9xvS20SUYblybKv_x2y3sH2HBO3TiI3b8o9BzXGnlS8A86ZRMZpG9NVcIMnbQv1YsX44UZS1sBGtT1KAPDzC_rDP5peVwRzCBij_COLBeKOyn97BN-gI/s400/Pop2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/03/munch-madness-ii-roasted-chickpeas.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></u></i></b>
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/03/munch-madness-ii-roasted-chickpeas.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></u></i></b>
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/03/munch-madness-ii-roasted-chickpeas.html" target="_blank">Roasted Chickpeas:</a></u></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/05/sweet-spicy-pecans.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></i></b>
<b><i><a href="http://www.homegating101.com/2015/05/sweet-spicy-pecans.html" target="_blank">Sweet & Spicy Pecans:</a></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKkUOQtlXoB575HrxNRH-2h-wOJSuadg8aY-Dto-XAYy8sAHIcFLXmbaizeKujm_W4el_S3WqwPUkzoxtRok75u6QO0eBvIbGHhr7Zwb754QqmuFLwGyNvZ88m94xOwucyT61Hk9nBS8/s1600/Pecans2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKkUOQtlXoB575HrxNRH-2h-wOJSuadg8aY-Dto-XAYy8sAHIcFLXmbaizeKujm_W4el_S3WqwPUkzoxtRok75u6QO0eBvIbGHhr7Zwb754QqmuFLwGyNvZ88m94xOwucyT61Hk9nBS8/s400/Pecans2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And there you have it for now. These are some of the Gameday Gang's favorites. They're all easy to make and I hope they become a staple for your viewing parties. Next week I'll share a few recipes that you can pull together if you find out that you're have a few extra last-minute guests that you weren't anticipating.<br />
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<b><u>Big Game Party Tips & Tricks:</u></b><br />
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At this point you should have a pretty good idea how many people are coming to your party. You should have already gotten your decorations and non-perishables. This coming week is when you pick up the perishables and place orders on any deliverables. Get it done early in the week so you're not scrambling at the last minute - because guaranteed, you'll wind up having to do at least one thing at the last minute next week. You'll want to minimize those unexpecteds as much as possible.<br />
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Hope these have been helpful to you. Good luck this week with all your final preparations and as I said, next week I'll share with you a few recipes that can be done quickly and with few ingredients - just in case you wind up with surprise guests.<br />
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Until next week, keep on Homegating!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-34531676482208083452016-01-23T09:52:00.000-08:002016-01-23T09:52:12.274-08:00Red Onion & Roasted Pepper Flatbread!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzFnVfuQSsaEWDKgjOBX9lTiovuGmAC_SYxytpO4WSugsMGpttf02iISWj-bvGpJMVFbgsPMQSMw-lH3_UvEF7z0WNeTZ5QOCJBo9B2cYwVAax98FtKVmuclcNm6N2iJMnVLKqHmlfTw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzFnVfuQSsaEWDKgjOBX9lTiovuGmAC_SYxytpO4WSugsMGpttf02iISWj-bvGpJMVFbgsPMQSMw-lH3_UvEF7z0WNeTZ5QOCJBo9B2cYwVAax98FtKVmuclcNm6N2iJMnVLKqHmlfTw/s640/photo+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
Greetings from a snowy Northeast! Winter finally decided to show up - big time.<br />
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This weekend we have the NFC & AFC Championship games to decide who is going to the Super Bowl in 2 weeks. We have 2 good matchups between Carolina vs Arizona and Denver vs New England. Would love to see Denver and Carolina in the Big Game, but we'll see how things play out.<br />
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This week's munchie is a <b><span style="color: red;">Red Onion & Roasted Pepper Flatbread.</span></b> You can put pretty much anything you want on a flatbread and it'll come out good. All you need is some pizza dough and your favorite toppings. This time out I went with sauteed red onions, roasted peppers and aged gouda. What's not to like?<br />
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I had a jar of roasted peppers that I made during the week, but you can certainly go with an already prepared jar of roasted peppers. It's perfectly fine. I sauteed the red onions until they were translucent and then let them cool down. I rolled out the pizza dough, stretched it into a sheet pan, brushed a little garlic oil over the top, added the onions and peppers and cooked it up in the oven until the dough crisped up. Once it came out of the oven, I grated some aged gouda over it. This can be served room temperature, so I let it hang out until the Gameday Gang showed up. Needless to say, it didn't last too long...<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Red Onion & Roasted Pepper Flatbread </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSzI9gYPvP-aKi9BojkxxSnsrwvieABTxoVWjPATwAwR3hVajfO_l1uCPEKWCSnvDFPVVmZsP3Q2P0x8rdAMLGe6zZffI0muQAYRCUh1zeaAClnQHOhVinKsbE6p99_ZmwGMoWUPexdM/s1600/photo+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSzI9gYPvP-aKi9BojkxxSnsrwvieABTxoVWjPATwAwR3hVajfO_l1uCPEKWCSnvDFPVVmZsP3Q2P0x8rdAMLGe6zZffI0muQAYRCUh1zeaAClnQHOhVinKsbE6p99_ZmwGMoWUPexdM/s400/photo+9.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></b></div>
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(serves 4-6)<br />
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3 medium red onions, sliced<br />
2 tbs olive oil<br />
1 jar of roasted peppers, drained<br />
2 tbs garlic oil<br />
grated aged gouda (or parmesan cheese)<br />
1 package pizza dough<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
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1. Pre-heat oven to 550-degrees.<br />
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2. Heat olive oil in a medium sautee pan until shimmering. Add the onions and sautee until soft and translucent. Place in a bowl and let cool.<br />
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3. Roll out pizza dough and place in a large sheet pan. Stretch the dough to the edges. Brush the dough with a thin coating of garlic oil.<br />
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4. Place the onions and peppers on tops of the flatbread and place in the oven. Bake until the edges of the dough are golden.<br />
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5. Remove from the oven and grate cheese over the top. Let cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.<br />
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<b><u>Big Game Party Tips & Tricks:</u></b><br />
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It's 2 weeks out from The Big Game. This is a good weekend to really put a dent in some of that cooking ahead and freezing. The liquor stores are starting to run good sales, so stock up on the adult beverages while the prices are low.<br />
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Speaking of low prices, if you're in the market for a new TV for the game, check out the bargains that the retail stores are offering. Now is a good time to get that and set it up.<br />
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You should also start thinking about seating plans and how you're going to set up your room (or fan cave) for the day of the game. Trust me, I was ill prepared a couple of times and wound up short on seats and room. It turned out to be fine in the end, but it's a stress you don't want to deal with, so start thinking about that also.<br />
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And there you have it! I'm looking forward to see who will wind up going to the Big Game after tomorrow. It's a fun and exciting time of year. Hope you're enjoying it as much as we are.<br />
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Until next weekend, keep on Homegating!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-25288624356229183832016-01-16T06:36:00.000-08:002016-01-16T06:36:56.458-08:00Chipotle Dip!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0KyLSu0IZ8EUefG816AdrV_fAqqckAFhT5EYbI7M7dUkOuo33Why8ef9s3XQHf2NxeGrBYJm9aacUg8bFhg0Qspe5g5sh1ACqNeg-CUHD7ipeeh-Fg0fnt3Rz_Un0nf93ZKp5y__Ygo/s1600/photo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0KyLSu0IZ8EUefG816AdrV_fAqqckAFhT5EYbI7M7dUkOuo33Why8ef9s3XQHf2NxeGrBYJm9aacUg8bFhg0Qspe5g5sh1ACqNeg-CUHD7ipeeh-Fg0fnt3Rz_Un0nf93ZKp5y__Ygo/s640/photo1.JPG" width="534" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
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The Playoffs are in full swing and we're beginning to wind down to the Super Bowl. Right now it's anyone's guess who is going to make it to the Big Game. The way things are going, it might be which 2 teams are the healthiest at the end. Even though my team went belly up before the season ended, I still have rooting interest in some the the teams left. It's all good.<br />
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Today we have a guest recipe, courtesy of my krazee kuzin Dianne. Last weekend she brought over an awesome <b><span style="color: red;">Chipotle Dip</span></b> that she created herself. The flavor was fresh and vibrant. I want to share it with you because it's another good recipe for your Super Bowl party - or any time for that matter. I would recommend making it either a day ahead or at least a few hours ahead because it needs a little time for the flavors to really develop. But try to check it out, it's really good...<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Chipotle Dip </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeq6UrwvT0IgT8ZBFW5kQ-LHSvBZz3MUpdLYKg04wZXKR9uSKiwFy1PO_af-529ig5bgkxnld5HS3Ie5QBkjmmnEIUpOcfczWowRu2EyIi8jdyAheAX4A6VcpQcxAToOldeFH1h2GqFE/s1600/photo+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeq6UrwvT0IgT8ZBFW5kQ-LHSvBZz3MUpdLYKg04wZXKR9uSKiwFy1PO_af-529ig5bgkxnld5HS3Ie5QBkjmmnEIUpOcfczWowRu2EyIi8jdyAheAX4A6VcpQcxAToOldeFH1h2GqFE/s400/photo+11.JPG" width="350" /></a></span></b></div>
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(serves 4-6)<br />
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16 oz container sour cream<br />
1/4 cup mayonnaise<br />
2 tbs chipotle powder<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
2 tsp chili powder<br />
1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1 tbs fresh lime juice<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
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Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let sit in fridge for a few hours, or preferably overnight.<br />
Serve with chips, pretzels.<br />
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<i><b>Big Game Party Tips & Tricks:</b></i><br />
By now you should have gotten your invites out. This way your guests have enough time to respond and you'll be able to shop accordingly. Now is a good time to start hitting the party stores to pick up paper goods and any themed decorations that you might want to display around the house the day of the party. This is also a good time to start stocking up on soda, beer, water. The supermarkets are running sales right now, so take advantage of the good prices. This is also a good time to start making a few items that you can freeze ahead (wings, meatballs,...). The Big Game is only 3 weeks away, so now is a good time to start prepping a few freezable dishes now so that all you have to do the day of the party it to heat them up.<br />
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So there you have it! Enjoy the playoffs this weekend and I will see you next weekend!<br />
Keep on Homegating!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-8295495889533731012016-01-09T04:13:00.000-08:002016-01-09T04:13:16.113-08:00Irish Nachos!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPs_DXxzFHBrtHWy_La1Jdd-5NdWkazrkVhO8Z_JCpHRNvK0GwVuU37B6CF4XNALGduZvqWBXoNfewFZYaeg99FskzrZhrKmTLZu09EGebBqkzMDWi4wYwwmF1rCbKPBbexSJEQnzJRBI/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPs_DXxzFHBrtHWy_La1Jdd-5NdWkazrkVhO8Z_JCpHRNvK0GwVuU37B6CF4XNALGduZvqWBXoNfewFZYaeg99FskzrZhrKmTLZu09EGebBqkzMDWi4wYwwmF1rCbKPBbexSJEQnzJRBI/s640/photo+6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
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I present to you: <span style="color: red;"><b>Irish Nachos</b></span>. Take a moment to let that settle in.<br />
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I decided to create this recipe after I went to a sports bar recently and had their version of Irish Nachos. They missed the mark on so many levels. I was compelled to right their wrong and do it Homegating101-style. Get ready...<br />
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The bar's version of Irish nachos included home-made potato chips topped with melted cheese, pico de gallo and shredded lettuce. It was an epic miss. The only claim to Irishness was the use of the potato chips (which were soggy). Such a disappointment. It haunted my dreams. I needed to make my Irish side proud.<br />
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With this recipe I went with kettle chips since they're sturdier (thinking about those soggy "chips" at the bar is still giving me the vapors). I topped those with shredded cheddar and minced corned beef and kept layering with the chips, cheese and corned beef until I got to the top of the pan. I popped that into the oven until the cheese melted. Once it came out of the oven, I sprinkled the chopped cabbage & onion "slaw" on top and unleashed this creation on the Gameday Gang. They were on it like piranhas on a human leg. It was gone in 5 minutes.<br />
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The baking makes the chips crispier (besides melting the cheese). The cabbage slaw offsets the heaviness of the cheese and corned beef. I don't know about you, but I think this hit the mark on being an Irish nacho. It's easy to make and disappears pretty quickly, so be sure to make enough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4XeyD_yjXdmOFB3ZDf-RPxvf_daJu2HMSyrMoKwxkay7qeYNmnYFnANp2ZVMLuVp2BLPqpuTcmmBmmT-2xEZcG653OuSQWkPvucw7BwDrGL01IWcfz2AfZ22pJEVoYpz1jFnTEFA3oo/s1600/photo+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4XeyD_yjXdmOFB3ZDf-RPxvf_daJu2HMSyrMoKwxkay7qeYNmnYFnANp2ZVMLuVp2BLPqpuTcmmBmmT-2xEZcG653OuSQWkPvucw7BwDrGL01IWcfz2AfZ22pJEVoYpz1jFnTEFA3oo/s640/photo+10.jpg" width="480" /></a><b><span style="color: red;">Irish Nachos</span></b><br />
(serves 4-6) <br />
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1 Bag kettle potato chips<br />
1/2 lb sliced corned beef, chopped<br />
8 oz shredded cheddar<br />
3 cups cabbage, minced<br />
3 tbs red onion, minced<br />
1/4 tsp granulated garlic<br />
1 tbs red wine vinegar<br />
1 tbs olive oil<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
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1. Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees. In a roasting pan, place a layer of potato chips to cover the bottom. Place a thin layer of the shredded cheese on top, followed by a layer of the minced corned beef. Continue layering until you reach almost of the top of the pan.<br />
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2. Cabbage Slaw: toss the minced cabbage & onion together with the granulated garlic, salt & pepper. Hold until the nachos are out of the oven.<br />
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3. Place pan in oven until cheese is melted (5-7 minutes). Remove from oven and sprinkle cabbage slaw on top.<br />
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4. Serve and wait for accolades.<br />
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And there you have it!<br />
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We're now reaching the home stretch of the football season. The next 2 weekends are full of Playoff action both on Saturday and Sunday. Not only am I now cooking for an entire weekend of gameday grub, but I'm beginning to think about what will be on the menu for my annual Big Game Bash on February 7. Do I do a "greatest hits" of what I served during the season, or do I create something new just for the party. Gotta think about that....<br />
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If you're planning on having a Super Bowl party, now is the time to start thinking about your invite list and menu. Once you get your menu down, you can start planning how you're going to tackle it. Are you serving something that can be made ahead and frozen? If so, you may want to do that so that the weekend of the event isn't so hectic for you. All you'll have to do on SB Sunday is just heat it up (wings are perfect for this). It's also a good time to start shopping for paper goods and decorations. Keep an eye out for soda, chip and beer sales. Get whatever you can now instead of rushing around at the last-minute.<br />
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I'll be sharing more tips and ideas for your Big Game party in the weeks to come. Hope you keep checking in!<br />
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Until next week, keep on Homegating!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-66150214167358502522016-01-02T05:59:00.000-08:002016-01-02T05:59:19.184-08:00Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlRrqK7VDdFcp_lhiuI7lGsaV-ug5dl3DvALNHRkCRsCEPqU_Qm7pimJD7VTXDohfF2mYTce5yzdW6wWchr5vYe63CF82U3jkdHwz3J9sN9HkupWQJsqXkqqZcysRXcwF5bdi80OXyYs/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlRrqK7VDdFcp_lhiuI7lGsaV-ug5dl3DvALNHRkCRsCEPqU_Qm7pimJD7VTXDohfF2mYTce5yzdW6wWchr5vYe63CF82U3jkdHwz3J9sN9HkupWQJsqXkqqZcysRXcwF5bdi80OXyYs/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
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Happy Holidays!<br />
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Can't believe that the regular football season is over after this weekend. Seems like it just started! Did it go fast for you? It flew by for me. My NFL team stank it up pretty badly in 2015, but I did win the championship in one of my Fantasy Football leagues, so that was pretty exciting. Now we start gearing up for the actual Playoffs and then The Big Game. We still have lots of homegating to do, which as you know, continues throughout the year with various sports. Stay tuned.<br />
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This week's recipe is <b><span style="color: red;">Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs</span></b>. I had an extra can of cranberry sauce hanging around from the holidays and wanted to use it up before it wound up sitting in my pantry until next Thanksgiving. Since it's a perfect compliment for turkey, making turkey meatballs would be right up the alley for the Gameday Gang. They love any kind of meatball, so this was going to be a no-brainer. I like the sweet-savory combination of this dish between the savory meatballs and the sweet glaze.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs</b></span><br />
(approximately 32 meatballs) <br />
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<b><u>Meatballs:</u></b><br />
2 lbs ground turkey<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs<br />
1/2 tsp granulated garlic<br />
1/2 tsp onion powder<br />
1/2 tsp ground sage<br />
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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<b><u>Cranberry Glaze:</u></b><br />
8 oz can jellied cranberry sauce<br />
2 tbs balsamic vinegar<br />
3 tbs honey<br />
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<b><u>METHOD:</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u>For the Meatballs:</u> Pre-heat oven to 375-degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients until well incorporated. The mixture will be very soft. Wet hands and begin rolling mixture into golfball-size balls and place on a baking sheet. Place sheet in oven and bake until meatballs are browned (approximately 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven).<br />
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<u>For the Glaze:</u> On medium heat, place the cranberry sauce, vinegar and honey in a small sauce pan. Continue to stir until the cranberry jelly is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.<br />
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<u>Assembly:</u> Place a few meatballs into the cranberry glaze at a time and toss to coat. Put meatballs on a plate or platter. Add toothpicks.<br />
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You can make the meatballs and the glaze ahead of time - just don't mix them together. On the day you're going to serve them, reheat the meatballs and the glaze and then toss them together.<br />
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And there you have it! Until next weekend, keep on homegating!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-72683507228103201692015-12-19T09:00:00.000-08:002015-12-19T09:00:11.703-08:002X Baked Spuds!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
Last weekend the Northeast enjoyed an unusually warm weekend for December (no complaints here!). A couple of the Gameday Gang decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and hosted a homegate over at their place because they have a TV on their deck. That way we get some fresh air AND enjoy the games. Fantastic idea! You don't have to homegate inside all the time. If your place allows for outdoor entertaining while watching the games, go for it.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">2X Baked Spuds</span></b> are relatively easy to make and they travel well. You can bake the potatoes ahead of time and when you're ready, you can prep the filing and then bake them again. Whatever type of filling you make is up to you, but for this recipe I mixed sauteed hot Italian sausage with the potatoes, sour cream, scallions, garlic powder and cheddar cheese. It gets popped back in the oven to heat through and to melt the cheese. The Gang really enjoyed it - and the hostess even hoarded a few leftovers to a secret location in her fridge so that she could enjoy another one the next day before her hungry crew got to it.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">2X Baked Spuds </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9_a7KktEkG11VnoAVk4mLOQnNPO6Cu8K7XqppOwejQlNQkBrE6y2Hsm_Ju8um9xrySsv267S-NM3Lf2WPVGmyytsgLRrFtfC1wf3yLOkbXo_QAR7zdjSpwWU0ytA3U1tJxIQ6_04lx8/s1600/Spuds14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9_a7KktEkG11VnoAVk4mLOQnNPO6Cu8K7XqppOwejQlNQkBrE6y2Hsm_Ju8um9xrySsv267S-NM3Lf2WPVGmyytsgLRrFtfC1wf3yLOkbXo_QAR7zdjSpwWU0ytA3U1tJxIQ6_04lx8/s400/Spuds14.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
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(serves 4-6)<br />
<br />
5 large Idaho potatoes<br />
8 oz container sour cream<br />
6 hot Italian sausage removed<br />
from their casings<br />
1/2 cup sliced scallions<br />
1/2 stick of butter<br />
1 tsp granulated garlic<br />
8 oz package of shredded cheddar<br />
(reserve 1/2 cup)<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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Method:<br />
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1. Bake the potatoes in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes. Test with a fork for doneness. If the fork goes through the potato easily, they're done.<br />
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2. Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Once cooled a bit, slice in half and scoop the insides into a bowl. Mash until soft.<br />
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3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix through. Spoon back into the potato skins and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of each potato.<br />
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4. Bake at 400-degrees until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are heated through.<br />
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There you have it!<br />
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Hope you try it! It makes a hearty snack for gameday and your company will really enjoy it. Enjoy your games!<br />
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Until next weekend - keep on homegating!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-50320772214665557122015-12-12T03:24:00.000-08:002015-12-12T03:24:56.862-08:00Jalapeno Popper Pizza!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjREe7l4KNcZj5I8gJmNDqLO-28_IH_WH7ccwKGg6gOB_PwFJ7ik8PXrtWAJSJo8jhnQR3t6Xqgh7MY7-dpiOryE6riTexc36jwOkUJeeu-OvT9wh7ON3HMnsDddZp4tfRxJ2euwhNko/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjREe7l4KNcZj5I8gJmNDqLO-28_IH_WH7ccwKGg6gOB_PwFJ7ik8PXrtWAJSJo8jhnQR3t6Xqgh7MY7-dpiOryE6riTexc36jwOkUJeeu-OvT9wh7ON3HMnsDddZp4tfRxJ2euwhNko/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
If there's one thing I can make week after week without boring the Gameday Gang, it's homemade pizza. They can't get enough of it. It's relatively quick and easy to make. Once in a while I shake it up and make something different from your garden variety cheese pizza. Last week I whipped up a <b><span style="color: red;">Jalapeno Popper Pizza</span></b>.<br />
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The gang is really into all-things-spicy, so I knew they would be on board with this one. As soon as I told them what was in the oven, their eyes lit up. The pizza is basically a riff on your standard jalapeno popper: cream cheese, cheddar and jalapenos - all laid out on pizza dough. What you get is a nice bite of creaminess offset by spicy, vinegary jalapenos all on a crisp crust. It's pretty cool - or should I say, hot?<br />
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For this recipe I used pre-made pizza dough. Sometimes when time allows (or I'm just in the mood), I'll make the dough from scratch. But for the most part I go the easy route and buy the dough. I rolled this pizza into a sheet pan, but you can create it freestyle also. Since this recipe doesn't use pizza sauce, the cream cheese replaces the tomatoes, so I needed to thin out the cream cheese in order to make it spreadable. I used whipped cream cheese, brought up to room temperature and then thinned it out with some milk. Once my base was set, I sprinkled a shredded cheddar jack combo over that and then topped it with the pickled jalapenos. I popped it into the oven and 8 minutes later we were in spicy pizza nirvana...<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Jalapeno Popper Pizza </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1ope8dOPCRAGqpsP8lqBUmWMI42ZI2HsHoz-pKoL2vBdwGBsyWOP49gCg3yqtEpsNtGKbRTxggY8lqm-Y62ggroK4nFvvJMKi0q1Ro04gS3_hHD2W6ONmA_E94yNP8VChPvequZKvNs/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1ope8dOPCRAGqpsP8lqBUmWMI42ZI2HsHoz-pKoL2vBdwGBsyWOP49gCg3yqtEpsNtGKbRTxggY8lqm-Y62ggroK4nFvvJMKi0q1Ro04gS3_hHD2W6ONmA_E94yNP8VChPvequZKvNs/s400/photo+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
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(serves 4-6)<br />
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1 package pizza dough<br />
(brought to room temperature)<br />
16 oz package shredded cheddar-jack cheese<br />
8 oz container whipped cream cheese<br />
(brought to room temperature)<br />
3 tbs milk (or more)<br />
Fresh or pickled jalapenos<br />
(it's up to you how much you want to use)<br />
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Method:<br />
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1. Pre-heat oven to 525-degrees.<br />
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2. In a bowl, thin out the cream cheese with milk until it reaches an easily spreadable consistency.<br />
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3. Roll dough out to desired size and spread cream cheese on top.<br />
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4. Sprinkle shredded cheddar-jack over cream cheese.<br />
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5. Top with jalapenos.<br />
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6. Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted and dough is golden (approx 8 minutes). Oven temps vary, so start checking the pizza after about 5 minutes (or earlier if your oven runs hot).<br />
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And there you have it! Hope this inspires you to try it. If you have a crowd that's into hot and spicy, this one will definitely fit the bill. Make sure to have a lot of ice cold beer on hand to wash it down.<br />
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Until next week, keep on homegating!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-78089751286028516392015-12-05T03:57:00.003-08:002015-12-05T03:57:18.635-08:00Best Wurst Spread - Eva!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_0CseeVIcEWDPk2Pk_gMNTgi4tJgX_-9HchoMUbX2h4K6VwfjiSRLLeH4aVxXgsDPj5hFRcm0Rjv9zfS0GHayenuD10WFzrIkb0fHWsI9Ir8HXjWtZbaL4mjGGx9eXVdp2TI2I_GrI0/s1600/W1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_0CseeVIcEWDPk2Pk_gMNTgi4tJgX_-9HchoMUbX2h4K6VwfjiSRLLeH4aVxXgsDPj5hFRcm0Rjv9zfS0GHayenuD10WFzrIkb0fHWsI9Ir8HXjWtZbaL4mjGGx9eXVdp2TI2I_GrI0/s640/W1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
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For some random reason, last week I got a hankering for liverwurst. Not sure why. I very rarely eat cold cuts, so this craving literally came out of nowhere - especially since I haven't had liverwurst in about 15 years. But I gave in, picked a little up and proceeded to make a sandwich with it (on rye, with mustard). As I ate the sandwich, I started contemplating the texture of the lunch meat, since liverwurst is a somewhat soft and spreadable in and of itself. I began thinking how I can incorporate this into something for one of the homegates. I finally came up with: <b><span style="color: #990000;">Wurst Spread</span></b>!<br />
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I played around with a few flavor profiles and came up with a pleasant spread that works well on crackers, crostini or even as a sandwich. For homegating purposes, the spread worked nicely. I incorporated onions, fresh garlic, pickles, the pickle brine, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cream cheese. Once again, my trusty food processor did all the work in seconds and all I needed to do was spoon it into a bowl and unleash it on the Gameday Gang. I got a few mixed reactions when I told them what it was (note to self: never reveal ingredients until people try it first). But eventually folks gave in, tried it and liked it.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Wurst Spread </b></span><br />
(serves 4-6)<br />
<br />
1/2 lb liverwurst, sliced<br />
8 oz package cream cheese, softened<br />
1/4 small red onion<br />
1/2 clove fresh garlic, minced<br />
2 tbs dill pickles, minced<br />
1 tbs dill pickle brine<br />
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 tsp mustard<br />
1 tbs chives (for garnish)<br />
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<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
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1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it reaches a smooth consistency.<br />
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2. Serve with crackers, flat pretzels or crostini.<br />
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And once again, there you have it. Hope you give it a try at one of your homegates (or tailgates - it's portable!). If you do, please let me know how you like it.<br />
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Enjoy the games this weekend. Can you believe there's only 5 weeks left of the regular <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.nfl.com/" target="_blank">NFL</a></span></b> season? It's going by fast - and my team better wake up soon! How about your team? Things start getting very interesting this time of the year, so we'll see how it all finishes out. But don't forget that we still have the Playoffs and then The Big Game! Lots more to come...<br />
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Enjoy it all and keep on homegating!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-79754448148913040092015-11-28T04:32:00.000-08:002015-11-28T04:32:36.660-08:00Sausage & Peppers!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3WNRqfWOY-7ObitYuqPmbHs7tkzbNmks4jsLy4AeInU0Bz905M-K0bhkDLGBEF08JzvT3DJ7bEE4y1sS_Q-_u3UVJyXKSKz7cbEQxeC1ODl4lA1l-tG71PCxoSflG29v8OF_Ra69wKM/s1600/SP1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3WNRqfWOY-7ObitYuqPmbHs7tkzbNmks4jsLy4AeInU0Bz905M-K0bhkDLGBEF08JzvT3DJ7bEE4y1sS_Q-_u3UVJyXKSKz7cbEQxeC1ODl4lA1l-tG71PCxoSflG29v8OF_Ra69wKM/s640/SP1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
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Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I was able to get away from the kitchen this year and play guest, so I just brought dessert and vino. It was a great afternoon of food and football - just like Gameday Sundays! Except on Thanksgiving, the food volume gets cranked to 11. So since I have no leftovers, I didn't need to get creative and come up with something cool and funky to serve on Gameday. I just decided to whip up a good ol' standard: <span style="color: red;"><b>Sausage & Peppers</b></span>!<br />
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The best part about sausage & peppers (besides the taste) is that it is so freakin' easy to make, with so few ingredients: sausage, roasted peppers, onions, granulated garlic and a little balsamic vinegar. Pop it all in the oven for 1 hour and voila!<br />
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The Gameday Gang likes to eat it different ways: in rolls, over pasta or just like that! Just whip up a bowl and let your crew have at it however they like.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Sausage & Peppers </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgJa-ME_a1uGfYTzN0JmzSLqU4EpMGRhDIYCdhbGrqXhOzfHlFUhMEjmrA9FZy2p43vrw0dZg4YPKUqxtE-lLM64g_HdPAjux72hWOqXXSzmeHeCGk9jbwjoUa0vLfa2KNQ1_scTDGN0/s1600/SP2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgJa-ME_a1uGfYTzN0JmzSLqU4EpMGRhDIYCdhbGrqXhOzfHlFUhMEjmrA9FZy2p43vrw0dZg4YPKUqxtE-lLM64g_HdPAjux72hWOqXXSzmeHeCGk9jbwjoUa0vLfa2KNQ1_scTDGN0/s400/SP2.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
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(serves 4-6)<br />
<br />
3 lbs sweet (or hot) Italian sausages,<br />
cut into 1" pieces<br />
1 large onion, sliced<br />
1 jar roasted peppers, drained<br />
(or 4 freshly roasted peppers)<br />
1/2 tsp granulated garlic<br />
1 tbs balsamic vinegar<br />
olive oil<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Heat oven to 375-degrees. In a large roasting pan, place the sausages and onions. Sprinkle with the granulated garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.<br />
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2. Roast in oven for 1 hour - or until the sausages are browned and the onions are golden.<br />
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3. 15 minutes before you take the sausages out, add the roasted peppers and let cook through.<br />
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4. Remove from oven, place in serving bowl and serve with rolls, pasta or rice.<br />
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And there you have it! Hope you try it!<br />
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Enjoy the game this weekend and I will see you next week!<br />
<br />
Keep on Homegating!!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-9928820917864614042015-11-20T03:14:00.000-08:002015-11-20T03:14:07.506-08:00Meatloaf Nachos!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
The one thing about my move from the city to the suburbs is that I'm closer to my krazee kuzins - <i>much</i> closer. That means that they'e around <u>a lot</u> - including on Gameday. This past Saturday a bunch of us had gotten together for dinner. Meatloaf was on the menu. I made enough to feed a small army and naturally wound up with leftovers. The next morning I found myself staring into the fridge trying to decide what to cook for the Gameday Gang when it hit me. What do you do with leftover meatloaf on Gameday? You make <b><span style="color: orange;">Meatloaf Nachos</span></b>, of course! Yes, I went down that path. Why not?<br />
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As you know, meat, cheese and crispy things are standard on Gameday. That combination is even better when it's made spicy (it gives the beer something to wash down). Nachos are a perfect vehicle for all those food groups and are really easy to assemble - especially since they're incorporating leftovers and not much actual cooking is necessary. All I needed to do was chop up the meatloaf and layer it into the mix. It literally took me 5 minutes to put together and throw in the oven to heat things up and melt the cheese. I got a few stares when I presented it, but the crew dug it and it soon disappeared.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Meatloaf Nachos</b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtTK3vp8f7XQ-lfADgcdWlTwvnmXPTxaXEYYRh9E3JpsYfgtPF4iJ-CIh_xr2-2etcqrSooOy0HgUKldZB9xLMvtC8Gbcr0JNN8ViJ2iu2qPs9cKSQ-cckQ_z_3gigcXaB8shg6SdqLc/s1600/MN2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtTK3vp8f7XQ-lfADgcdWlTwvnmXPTxaXEYYRh9E3JpsYfgtPF4iJ-CIh_xr2-2etcqrSooOy0HgUKldZB9xLMvtC8Gbcr0JNN8ViJ2iu2qPs9cKSQ-cckQ_z_3gigcXaB8shg6SdqLc/s400/MN2.JPG" width="400" /></a>(serves 4-6) <br />
<br />
2 lbs ground beef<br />
1 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce<br />
2 Tbs ketchup<br />
1 Tbs brown mustard<br />
1 tsp granulated garlic<br />
1 tsp granulated onion<br />
16oz bag of tortilla chips<br />
pickled jalapenos<br />
1/2 lb American cheese<br />
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<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Meatloaf: pre-heat oven to 350-degrees. Mix the first 8 ingredients until well incorporated. Shape into a loaf or place in 2 loaf pans. Bake for 45-minutes to an hour. Remove from oven and serve 1 loaf. Take other loaf, let cool, then place in fridge for Gameday.<br />
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2. Nachos: take meatloaf out of fridge and dice into small cubes (or crumble up, whichever you prefer). Layer the nachos in a casserole dish or roasting pan: 1 row of tortilla chips, meatloaf, cheese & jalapeno. Continue to do this until you reach the top of the pan. Bake in a 400-degree oven until the cheese melts. Serve warm.<br />
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And there you have it. It's an easy dish that didn't take long to put together and turned out to be pretty darn delicious. Hope you try it.<br />
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Until next weekend, good luck to your teams. I'll see you next weekend! Keep on homegating!!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-72733759645234772862015-11-14T03:35:00.000-08:002015-11-14T03:35:26.382-08:00Fried Chicken Hero!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCOYg2LfLx7lSrZUeMMwLrv4JZwjyP1BWwWYJVOilRY1yuML3CIddKd33GTEVmlu7F7qZvxvVac7t60_SpIknQOpflZ-U3pL0pgzeLbX8ETupCNMXm0rDHD_MbNDY2THpFxazvqdsMWc/s1600/FCH1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCOYg2LfLx7lSrZUeMMwLrv4JZwjyP1BWwWYJVOilRY1yuML3CIddKd33GTEVmlu7F7qZvxvVac7t60_SpIknQOpflZ-U3pL0pgzeLbX8ETupCNMXm0rDHD_MbNDY2THpFxazvqdsMWc/s640/FCH1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
I gotta tell ya, the Gameday Gang has me on my toes coming up with something different and delish every weekend. The pressure is on and I've had to step up my game. This week I decided to go a little trendy and jump on the fried chicken bandwagon. At first I was going to go the chicken and waffles route (which, I may do at a later date), but then I decided to keep it simple with a good ol' <span style="color: red;">Fried Chicken Hero!</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
As any good Homegater knows, heros are one of the quintessential foods of any sports-watching activity (besides wings, of course). They're relatively simple to make and success can be achieved with a variety of meat and vegetable combinations. I wanted to keep the focus on the chicken and so I added a few layers of flavor onto that and then complimented it with a salad-y topping. For this recipe I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I think thighs are juicier and don't dry out the way breasts tend to. This was especially important because I fried up the thighs ahead of time and kept them warm in the oven until it was time to assemble the hero.<br />
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I marinated the chicken in pickle juice for 90 minutes before breading and frying it. Not only did the pickle juice help to tenderize the meat, but it added a subtle tang that made it unique. I used plain bread crumbs and spiced it up myself and then made a shredded salad topping to compliment the fried aspect of the chicken. A nice, crusty piece of Italian bread is then all you need to round the dish out. Once assembled, the hero makes an impressive presentation. The gang couldn't wait to dig in.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Fried Chicken Hero</span></b><br />
(serves 4-6) <br />
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<br />
5 chicken thighs<br />
1 pint pickle juice<br />
16 oz plain breadcrumbs<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp ground back pepper<br />
2 tsp granulated garlic<br />
2 tsp granulated onion<br />
1 tbs smoked paprika<br />
1 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
8 oz flour<br />
half head of lettuce, shredded<br />
1/4 red onion thinly sliced<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
olive oil<br />
red wine vinegar<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
1 loaf crusty Italian bread<br />
vegetable oil for frying<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Pour pickle juice over chicken and let sit for 90 minutes.<br />
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2. While the chicken is marinating, season the breadcrumbs with the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika and cayenne. Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in 3 individual bowls.<br />
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3. After 90 minutes remove from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Dip the thighs into the flour, then the eggs and finally the breadcrumbs. Place on a platter or plate until all the chicken is coated in the breadcrumb mixture.<br />
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4. Heat enough vegetable oil (about 2 inches deep) in a medium fryng pan on medium heat until it registers 375-degrees. Place 1-2 pieces of chicken into the pan and fry on both sides until the breading is golden. Remove from the pan and drain. Repeat until all the chicken is fried. (NOTE: check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it is 165-degrees. If it is not, place the chicken into a 350-degree oven and continue to cook until the chicken has reached 165-degrees) You can also use a deep fryer if you have one (follow the unit's directions for use).<br />
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5. Toss the shredded lettuce and onion together. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.<br />
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6. To Assemble: slice the Italian bread and place enough chicken pieces to fill up the bread. Top with the shreaded lettuce and slice into individual portions. (Optional: you can add tomato slices, jalapeno slices, roasted peppers, pickles,....)<br />
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Once you bite into it, you'll notice that the chicken is tender and juicy. The salad topping balances out all the flavors. All you need is an ice cold pint of ale and you're in business.<br />
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So there you have it. Add this to your Gameday repertoire and you'll be a culinary "hero!"<br />
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Until next weekend, enjoy your games and keep on homegating! <br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-63820936886579454942015-11-08T04:22:00.001-08:002015-11-08T04:22:05.060-08:00Pepperoncini Shooters!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
There's an unwritten law in Homegatingville that you have to eat spicy things on Gameday. I'm guessing because 9 times out of 10, it's being washed down with beer. And we all know how Gameday and beer go together. That's another unwritten law. Hey look, I don't make the laws, I just follow them - willingly. So with that in mind, I decided to put together something along the lines of a jalapeno popper, only different. I came up with: <span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Pepperoncini Shooters!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br /></b></span>
Pepperonicini Shooters are smaller and lighter, but still pack a little punch. So for those of you who aren't big on jalapeno poppers, this could be considered an alternate version. What makes this recipe ridiculously easy is that there are only 4 ingredients: pepperoncinis, chive cream cheese, mayo and adobo sauce, so they're easy and quick to prepare. The brininess of the peppers is a nice pairing with the spicy cheese filling. They're not too spicy, but they kinda let you know they exist - in a good way.<br />
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You can literally whip these babies up in 15 minutes. I would recommend using either a piping bag or plastic storage bag with the tip cut off to stuff the filling into the peppers. It makes life much easier. Fridge them for about an hour before you serve them so that the filling sets a little. When you're ready to serve, just place them on a platter or in a shallow bowl and watch them disappear.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxSbvP5e8Ri8VzIZczITYmOUbdTbihpCSCQTxW7Qt0B4e2gRIqdHJ8NPnekt3chf2Om-ITEatMrQVUwXJA0QuSnyUM2ufQv4UDzawYnD2SDBT6ztVv4hU1W1ugqekpT3T-3Wq5sAEmHM/s1600/PP2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxSbvP5e8Ri8VzIZczITYmOUbdTbihpCSCQTxW7Qt0B4e2gRIqdHJ8NPnekt3chf2Om-ITEatMrQVUwXJA0QuSnyUM2ufQv4UDzawYnD2SDBT6ztVv4hU1W1ugqekpT3T-3Wq5sAEmHM/s400/PP2.JPG" width="386" /></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Pepperoncini Shooters</b></span><br />
(serves 6)<br />
<br />
16 oz jar of pepperoncini peppers, drained<br />
8 oz container whipped chive cream cheese, softened<br />
3 tbs mayonnaise<br />
2 tbs adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
<br />
1. Drain the pepperoncini peppers. Cut off tops and remove the seeds. They usually come right out if you squeeze the peppers slightly.<br />
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2. Mix the cream cheese, mayo and adobo.<br />
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3. Place cheese mixture into a piping bag and pipe a generous amount into each pepper. If using a plastic storage bag, cut a corner off and pipe the cheese into the pepper with that.<br />
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4. Fridge for 1 hour before serving. After 1 hour, place on a platter or in a shallow bowl.<br />
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I served them to the Gameday Gang last weekend and they really got into them. I know that if you serve these to your crowd, they'll go pretty fast. As is said, they're lighter than regular poppers and much easier and quicker to prepare. They're also different from poppers, which will get people interested. And that's the idea, you always want to bring out something different on Gameday, just to keep things fun and interesting.<br />
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Enjoy your games. I also hope your fantasy teams are doing well. If not, just pop a few shooters and start trolling the waiver wire...<br />
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See you next week and keep on Homegating!<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-21758902822934580942015-11-01T07:02:00.001-08:002015-11-01T07:02:23.739-08:00Antipasto Bruschetta!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
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When I'm developing a recipe, I usually start asking around for reactions: "Hey, what do you think about this?" "Do you think this sounds good?" "Would that interest you?" So when I asked, "How does an <b><span style="color: #990000;">Antipasto Bruschetta</span></b> grab you?" I got mixed reactions. I was a bit surprised and a little hesitant at first, but then I decided to go for it and make it for the Gameday Gang anyway.<br />
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When making the antipasto bruschetta, I figured the worst that could happen is that people will try it to be nice and then it'll just sit there (trust me, it's happened with some recipes from Gamedays past). I'll wind up throwing it in a salad for lunch during the week, or it'll wind up in the garbage disposal (aka: the dog). Well my fears were allayed because the gang really got into it. Turned out that we ran out of bread and wound up using crackers to finish it up.<br />
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What's cool about this recipe is that you can put it together with almost any type of cold cut, cheese and pickled vegetable combination you like. The possibilities are pretty much endless. I made an Italian viniagrette for it, but you can certainly use bottled Italian dressing if you want to go that route. On Gameday Eve, make the brushcetta and let it sit in the fridge so the flavors could develop. On Gameday, just slice your Italian (or French) bread, toast it up a little and serve it alongside the bruschetta. And make sure to have some crackers around in case you run out of bread...<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Antipasto Bruschetta </span></b><br />
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(serves 6-8)<br />
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1/4 lb hard salami, sliced thick<br />
1/4 lb ham, sliced thick<br />
1/4 lb pepperoni, sliced thick<br />
1/4 lb soppressata, sliced thick<br />
1/4 lb provolone, sliced thick<br />
1/4 lb mozzarella, sliced thick<br />
8 oz jar of marinated mushrooms, drained<br />
16 oz jar of giardiniera, drained<br />
1/2 cup mixed, pitted olives<br />
1-2 loaves Italian bread sliced<br />
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<b>Viniagrette:</b><br />
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1 tsp dijon mustard<br />
1 clove of garlic, minced<br />
1/4 shallot, finely minced<br />
3 tbs grated Romano cheese<br />
1/4 cup red wine vinegar<br />
1/2 - 3/4 cup of olive oil<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: purple;">Method:</span></u></b><br />
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1. Chop the salami, ham, pepperoni, soppressata, provolone & mozzarella into very small pieces and place in a bowl.<br />
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2. Place the giardiniera, mushrooms and olives in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is minced (not too fine).<br />
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3. For the viniagrette: place all the ingredients into a blender (except the oil). Turn on low, remove the little cap from the top and begin drizzling the oil in until it's blended. <br />
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4. Toss the viniagrette with the bruschetta mixture until well incorporated and let sit in the fridge overnight (if possible).<br />
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5. Slice Italian bread and toast in the oven (at 400-degrees) until slightly golden. Spoon bruschetta on top of the bread and serve.<br />
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So there you have it! This is a fun and tasty munchy to prepare. It will keep in the fridge for a few days (if you have any leftovers) which will come in handy if the gang decides to stop by during the week to catch the World Series or any hockey or basketball games. And as I said, if you have any leftovers, you can always throw it into a salad for lunch or dinner.<br />
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Hope you try it. Let me know if you do!<br />
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Enjoy your games and good luck to your teams!!<br />
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See you next weekend!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-34361598135292025292015-10-25T06:48:00.003-07:002015-10-25T06:48:36.698-07:00Coconut Mango Wings!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
As we all know, wings are pretty much the official food of Gameday. There wouldn't be restaurants devoted to them if they weren't so popular. We all enjoy a good wing when the opportunity arises. While the hotwing is the King of Wings - and my favorite go-to wing, I like to come up with something new for a change of pace. It also keeps the Gameday Gang on their toes because I try not to be predictable when it comes to the grub. So this week I present to you: <b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Coconut Mango Wings!</span></b><br />
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The Coconut Mango Wings are roasted (my favorite way to cook wings) and then finished off with a sweet and spicy glaze. You can make the glaze while the wings are roasting. The glaze is ridiculously simple and comprised of mango spread, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, habanero sauce (optional) and coconut rum - because how can you go wrong with rum? It's prepared in a saucepan and then basted over the wings in the final 5 minutes of roasting. If you want to be extra fancy, you can sprinkle some shredded coconut over the wings before you serve them.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Coconut Mango Wings </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span></b><br />
(serves 6)<br />
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3 lbs wings<br />
10 oz mango spread<br />
2 tbs rice wine vinegar<br />
1 tbs soy sauce<br />
1/3 cup coconut rum<br />
1 tsp habanero sauce (optional)<br />
shredded coconut for sprinkling (optional)<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
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1. Heat oven to 400-degrees. Place wings in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Flip the wings over after 30 minutes.<br />
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2. Spoon the mango spread into a saucepan on medium heat and heat through until the spread melts down. Keep stirring until it becomes smooth. <br />
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3. Stir in the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, coconut rum and (optional) habanero sauce. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the glaze is thickened slightly.<br />
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4. Once the wings are done, turn the oven off, brush the glaze over them and let them stay in the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove from the oven, place wings on a platter and sprinkle the shredded coconut over them.<br />
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And there you have it. Another tasty wing recipe to add to your homegating repertoire. You can never go wrong with wings. They're a fan favorite.<br />
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Hope you try this recipe. Let me know how you like it if you do. In the meantime, enjoy your games and keep on Homegating! See you next week!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119407289820626546.post-87563861132386128762015-10-17T04:29:00.002-07:002015-10-17T04:29:22.904-07:00Messy Jo's!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homegaters!<br />
<br />
One of the biggest rules in cooking is that you never test out a recipe on guests. But to that I say, if you don't serve it to them, who are you going to serve it to?? During my recent freezer expedition, I came up with a package each of ground beef and ground pork and decided to wing a recipe for the Gameday Gang. I made my version of a classic and named them, <b><span style="color: red;">"Messy Jo's."</span></b><br />
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The Messy Jo is somewhat similar to the Sloppy Joe. I switched up a few ingredients and added some high test (aka: beer). How can you go wrong?<br />
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I was in the culinary red zone with only an hour to go before the gang would start showing up. If this didn't turn out right, my reputation would have been deflated - without any help from The Patriots (pa-dum-pah!). I had a package of sandwich-sized English muffins in the freezer as well, so they made a nice vehicle for the meat. The whole thing took me approximately 45 minutes to whip up and it wound up being a hit with the crew. Some folks went back for seconds, so that was a sure sign that I did good. I usually don't fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to serving my guests, but this one turned out to work in my favor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AQbk5zq5dZ9Wqywy4Dr-TKn_WVOIRwYq8nyO0Skwb6q8yJrSIZfCuO6WKon9T-CLEH6tPP3JJrLrKWkSaIsMhAs8Z-LBwXr843e6FnHrYWf1Cm8KRi_9yTI7hwm0VIXZ4PR6nVo40Gw/s1600/MJ2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AQbk5zq5dZ9Wqywy4Dr-TKn_WVOIRwYq8nyO0Skwb6q8yJrSIZfCuO6WKon9T-CLEH6tPP3JJrLrKWkSaIsMhAs8Z-LBwXr843e6FnHrYWf1Cm8KRi_9yTI7hwm0VIXZ4PR6nVo40Gw/s400/MJ2.JPG" width="365" /></a><b><span style="color: red;">Messy Jo's</span></b><br />
(serves 6-8)<br />
<br />
1 lb ground beef <br />
1 lb ground pork<br />
1/2 med onion, minced<br />
1/2 med green bell pepper, minced<br />
1/2 small carrot, grated<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
2 tbs chili powder<br />
2 tsp sweet paprika<br />
1 tbs Worchestershire sauce<br />
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste<br />
1/2 can (or more) lager<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
Package of English muffins or<br />
hamburger buns<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
1. Sautee the onion, bell pepper and carrot until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened.<br />
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2. Add the ground pork and ground beef and saute until the meat is browned.<br />
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3. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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4. Add the 1/2 can of beer and cook until the beer almost evaporates (almost!).<br />
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5. Add the Worchestershire sauce and tomato paste and heat until bubbly. If the sauce is too thick, add more beer until the mixture is slightly thin. Continue to cook for 10 more minutes.<br />
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6. Toast the English muffins (if using) or hamburger buns and place a nice dollop of the mixture on the muffin/bun.<br />
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7. Place on a platter, stand back and watch them disappear.<br />
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So there it is. It's fast, it's fun, it's messy, but it's tasty. Hope you try it on Gameday.<br />
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Until next week, enjoy the games! Keep on Homegating!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15543766489862249891noreply@blogger.com0