My Little Sous Chef

I can't remember exactly when it was, but it was sometime right before Christmas. Out of the blue, little man came to me and said "Mommy, will you teach me to cook? Like, cook for real?" Sure, he's been in the kitchen with me since before he could even sit up on his own, and he's always been a fantastic helper, but now he was wanting more. He didn't want to just stir and pour. He wanted to learn how to make dishes from beginning to end. 

Well, you can imagine how excited I was to share my passion with my son. So, we started with some simple things he could easily do 90% on his own, and take the credit for. That first night his dad came home and he proclaimed "Dad, I made supper", the smile on his face said it all.

It's so funny how things work out, because it was only a week or so after he asked me to start teaching him, when the pregnancy test turned positive, and soon after that food became my number one enemy. Little did he know when he asked to learn, just how quick he would be getting some true hands on experience. 

There were many evenings during that first trimester I would give directions to him from my recliner, and he would handle most of the meal. He was such a trooper. Sure, I made sure I planned simple meals he could easily conquer, but still, there he was making sure we still had supper, with only a little help from me. 

Then at Valentine's Day his aunt and uncle got him a kids crock pot cookbook and he dove right in. Marking page after page of things we just had to try. By this time I was feeling a little more human like, so I could direct him a little more, and/or change the recipes a bit to fit our schedule. 

This was the first recipe he wanted to make, and I'm so glad he did. These are super easy, not to mention delicious. Plus, it makes a ton which you can use for leftovers all week, or freeze for another time.

I've always referred to him as my little sous chef, but little did I know just how true that would become over these past few months!

Crock Pot Barbecue Beef Sammies

2 lbs. ground beef

2 TBS dried onion

2 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 c. ketchup

4 TBS brown sugar

1 c. water

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown beef until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Add to slow cooker. In a medium bowl combine ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, dried onion, garlic powder and brown sugar. Mix well. Pour over ground beef. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 hours. Take lid off for last 30 minutes of cooking. Serve with a slotted spoon on buns. Top with pickles if desired.

Mommy, You Can't Eat That!

When you are pregnant, there are so many things to remember about food. It's so funny to me because the list of okay things to eat and the STAY AWAY FROM AT ALL COSTS list is constantly changing. It can be a little overwhelming if you are a foodie, and love food as much as we do. And when you have a little man living in your house, it can produce some pretty interesting conversations.

In the almost 14 weeks I've been expecting, the words "Because Mommy can't eat that" have come out of my mouth more times than I count. One, because I'm one of those women who don't just get morning sickness. I get all day, every day, can't get out of bed, need to be on medicine sickness, and the simple though of eating some foods isn't even possible. And two, because there are certain foods that are big no-nos, that he knows I would normally be gobbling down. (Oh, spicy tuna rolls, how I miss you.) 

But he's learning; and now even becoming like a little watch dog about it. So a couple weeks ago when he asked me what we were having for supper, and I answered "bourbon chicken", it only took a few minutes for it to register in his brain and for him to almost tackle me in the kitchen exclaiming "But Mommy, you can't eat that!"  (Yes, he thought the chicken was gonna be drunk.)

Well, lucky for him, and our little peanut, I could. See, it gets the name from the chef who legend has it created the recipe while working on Bourbon street, not the alcohol. Whew...was he relieved! 

If you want to switch up your mundane chicken routine, this is the recipe to do it! Super simple for any weeknight too. Plus, I bet you have most of the ingredients in the kitchen right now! 

I'm glad my little man is watching out for me....even if he cares with a mouth full of sushi! 

Bourbon Chicken

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 TBS olive oil

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4-3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c. apple juice
1/3. packed brown sugar
2 TBS ketchup
1 TBS cider vinegar
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. soy sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chopped Green Onions
Cooked Rice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in oil until browned on all sides. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, whisk well. Pour over chicken. Bring a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over rice, spooning extra sauce over the top and garnish with green onions.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

What Did We Ever Do?

It is well known in our inner circle of friends and family, I am NOT a naturally cool person. And no, I'm not talking about my personality. I mean my actual body temperature. As my grandma has always said about me, I'm a "hot box." 

I have two temps...warm and hot. There is not in between. I'm the girl who sweats in the winter. I drive around when there is snow on the ground with the AC cranked. When I was pregnant with little man, I made Mr. E turn the air conditioner on in March and it didn't get turned off until he was born in September.

So you can imagine my utter despair a few weeks ago when just as the thermometer started to rise to 85 degrees and higher, with 80% humidity, our central air quit working. Literally, one minute it was blowing nice cold air and the next the temp in the house was climbing to 75 degrees. I was pretty miserable, pretty quickly. I started to think back to when I was a kid and we didn't have AC at all. We had fans. And open windows. Those hot sticky nights when you would wake up in the morning soaked from sweltering all night long. Not fun. 

We are so addicted to our AC we don't even own fans!!! Luckily my parents hooked us up, and we got some up in this joint very quickly! So we had air circulating, but at one point, it was still 80 degrees in here. Needless to say, I thought I was going to spontaneously combust! 

Come Monday night I had a repair company scheduled to come look at it, but in the meantime I had to cook supper, which I hadn't done since it went out. Between the weekend and Mother's Day, I had yet to be made to prepare a meal in the sauna, but my time had come. 

I was craving barbecue, but knew it needed to be stove top because I wasn't turning on the oven, and I didn't really even want to grill either...that just meant being outside in the heat, and no relief once I came in. So, this is what I came up with. It gave me the bbq flavors I was craving but without the time and effort, and most importantly high temperatures I couldn't deal with. 

These would be fantastic for a party, potluck or cookout that gets interrupted by rain! Think sloppy joe texture but a different flavor...perfect for summer time.

I'm not sure what we did before the days of AC. but I know I don't want to find out any time soon again. Oh, by the way, I am currently typing this...in my nice and cool house...so thankful it's working again!

BBQ Ground Beef Sandwiches

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 c. ketchup

1/2 c. water

1 TBS butter

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

1/2 TBS. lemon juice

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 TBS brown sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

 Buns

Pickles

In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute beef, onion and celery in butter until no longer pink. In a medium bowl whisk together ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. When beef is cooked, add ketchup mixture and water. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Serve on buns with pickles.

Shared on The Country Cook June 5, 2015

My Dirty Little Secret

It's confession time. And believe me, it's not easy for me to admit this to you. Are you ready? Okay, here I go. Before I became this really cool food blogger (Look, it's my birthday today, so if I want to call myself cool, I get to. ) and was as comfortable in the kitchen as I am today, something used to show up on our dinner table that I am not proud of....Hamburger Helper.

Stop the gasping. Pick your jaws up off the ground. It's going to be alright. Let me start by saying, if you read that and said "Yeah, so, I still do!" don't feel bad. I'm not being critical of anyone who does. Ya'll know how much I believe in taking a little help from the store now and again if it makes life easier. I'm simply saying for me, looking back on it, I can't believe just how much I made it. That's all.

I feel like I have to defend my younger self. See, when were first married, I was still a working girl, and didn't get home until almost supper time. So anything I could make that we could be eating quickly was at the top of my list. Then Alex came along, and I was a new mother just trying to find my way. Then he got a little older, and he tasted it, and it was instantly a favorite. So then, I kept making it because he asked me to.

Such was the case a few weeks ago. We haven't had the stuff in years, but we happened to walk by it in the grocery store and he spotted it. Realized he hadn't eaten it in ages, and once again pleaded with me to make some. Now, do you want to know what my biggest problem with it is at this point? To feed this mutant child of mine (He's 10 and 5'2"), and still have enough for Mr. E and I to have some, I would have to make 3 or 4 boxes. That's just not economical unless I can find the stuff on sale.

So I decided I would trick him. Yes, I dupe my child. It's called creative parenting. I figured if I made something similar, that would satisfy him. I basically needed meat, pasta and cheese. Then I had a delicious brainstorm. What if I made all of that taste like another one of his favorite foods...a cheeseburger? Genius, I know.

His request and my ingenuity is your gain, because this stuff is YUMMY! He could not eat it fast enough and even had me freeze the leftovers so he could have it again. It really does taste like a big ol' juicy cheeseburger! Not to mention being a quick, simple meal you can have on the table any night of the week.

So, there you go. My dirty little secret has been revealed. I have to admit, I do feel better having that off my conscience. 

Skillet Cheeseburger Pasta

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 lb. ground beef

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp. steak seasoning

3 TBS ketchup

3 TBS mustard

3 TBS dill pickle relish

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 bunch green onions, chopped, whites only

Salt and Pepper to taste

While pasta cooks, cook beef and yellow onion in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Return to skillet. Season with steak seasoning, salt and pepper. Add ketchup, mustard, relish and diced tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes for flavors to develop. Reduce heat to low. When pasta is cooked, drain well. Add to skillet. Stir well to combine. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and keep on warm until cheese melts. Sprinkle with green onions and serve. 

No Propane, No Problem

Apparently, it's chicken week here on EMM. I didn't plan it that way, but if you saw Monday's recipe for Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, you understand why I say that. I don't know if I have another one for Friday, but be sure to come back to see! 

Today's chicken star came to be for a simple reason. I went outside to grill chicken only to discover we were out of propane. (Thanks, honey, I really appreciate that.) Yep, I was the wife calling her husband at 5:30 pm asking "Um, did you know we were out of propane?" Like he could do anything about it from work. Look, I'm a pretty capable broad. Even things I didn't once do, I can now because over the years I've learned it's easier to do them myself. Hence why I was even attempting to grill in the first place. There was a time that would have never happened. 

But no matter how progressive I am as a woman, there are a few things I don't do...will never do...and have no desire to do. Mowing lawn? Yeah, that's never gonna happen. (You can blame my dad. He had me mow once. The lines were crooked. He was picky. He never asked again.) Changing a tire. Nope, never have, never will. (Again, you can blame my dad for this one too. See, he never taught me. He was always around. I would call him. Then after him, I'd call Adam. And if both of those don't work, road side assistance is terrific.) Swapping out a propane tank. Nope. Not gonna do that either. (This one you can't blame on my dad. I won't do it because I can't lift the tank....no throwing him under the bus this time.)

So anyway, there I was standing in front of the cold as ice grill saying "Great, now what am I going to do with this bird?" Thankfully, while I might not be schooled in the world of tire irons, I do think quickly on my feet, and within a few moments was creating this yummy recipe. 

If you love finger lickin', packed with flavor chicken, you're going to love this! I'm sure the same sauce would be delicious on the grill too, and now that my loving husband has refilled that tank, I could try it. But if you find yourself in the same predicament as me, or maybe it's raining out, fire up the oven and get your sticky on!

Baked Sticky Chicken

2 1/2 lbs. chicken drumsticks 

2 TBS canola oil

1/2 c. soy sauce

2 TBS ketchup

3/4 c. honey

3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken in 9 x 13 baking pan, coated with nonstick spray. In a small bowl combine oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken and baste with brush. Bake for 1 hour until sauce caramelizes. Every 20 minutes spoon soy mixture over chicken. 

Shared on The Country Cook July 18, 2014

Coney 3.0

I would not describe my recipes as famous. My recipes are for myself, my family and of course you, my faithful foodie family. But there are two dishes that are the exception. One, my Deviled Eggs, which are what I like to call "family famous", because they are the one thing I am always required to bring to family parties and holidays. And two, my Coney Sauce...which is now almost famous because of all the times my Coney Dogs and Coney Nachos have been shared on Facebook. I can't say they've gone "viral" but it's the closet thing I will probably ever get to one doing so, and I will take it! So for all of you that loved both of those recipes. and like me would like to find more ways to use that yummy sauce...I am back today with yet another!

We love sliders in this house. Burgers are great, but there is something about a mini burger that tastes even better. Maybe that old adage of "the best things come in small packages" is why. We don't know, we just know they are a favorite around here, and I love finding new ones to try.

I was lucky enough to receive a free package of frozen slider patties from Kroger through BzzAgent, and wanted to do something extra fun with them. (If you have never heard of BzzAgent, be sure to click on the link to see how you can get in on the fun!) I love these patties!! They are the perfect slider size, and can be thrown on the grill completely frozen, no need to thaw, making them so convenient for a busy night! 

So when we got back from Florida the beginning of July and I was still getting back into the swing of things, they were the perfect meal. Well, it just so happened to be the same night I had made a batch of my Coney Sauce to give to our friend/neighbor for watching our house and mowing our lawn while we were gone. She was the one that inspired the name Crack Nachos; and since she won't let us pay her for her 3 weeks of hard work, I make a big pot of her favorite hot dog topping to show our gratitude. 

Anyway, I was standing there stirring the pot and brain storming about what I was going to do with these slider patties when lightning struck. Why not top the burgers with Coney Sauce and our favorite Coney Dog toppings, turning an everyday slider patty into something new, fun and 100% delicious?? Well, it sounded like a great plan to me, and by the end of supper we all agreed it certainly was. Oh my goodness are these good! They are the perfect little bite sized burger combining two American classics. 

If you are looking for a new burger to treat you family with that can be on the table in almost no time at all, that they will flip for, these are the perfect idea. There are so many uses for this Coney Sauce, I can't wait to see what version 4.0 brings!

Coney Sliders

6 frozen slider patties, grilled to likeness

6 slider buns

Extra Diced Onion

Extra Mustard

Sauce: 

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
2 TBS butter
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 TBS yellow mustard
2 TBS cider vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder

 In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in butter. Add ground beef and break up until fine.(I use my potato masher.) Cook until brown and drain fat. In a medium bowl combine all other ingredients and whisk well. Add to beef mixture. Stir well and heat. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. If dries out, add a little water, scrape bottom of pan to get pan drippings off and continue simmering. Spread mustard on both sides of bun. Place slider patty on bottom. Top with about 2 TBS of Coney Sauce, extra mustard and diced onion. 

Shared on The Country Cook Aug. 9 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Aug. 13, 2013

Ground Beef at Very Good Recipes

Take A Cheesy Dip {A Gooseberry Patch Review and Giveaway}

It doesn't take much to excite me. As I get older, the little things are what I find the most enjoyment in. And one on the top of the list is getting an envelope or package in the mail from my great friends at Gooseberry Patch.

From getting notified that another of my recipes is going to be published in one of their fabulous cookbooks, to having the honor of reviewing their newest publication, my relationship with the wonderful folks of Gooseberry is one of the things I'm most proud of in my blogging career.

And this time, I have a fun filled, yummy food packed cookbook to introduce you to: Game- Day Fan Fare. If you are sports fanatics like we are, then you are probably always looking for delicious game day fare; but even if you aren't, you will still find such an array of easy, tasty recipes to choose from, you will want to make them any day of the week!

I actually chose a new appetizer to try this time, and I debuted it for my family over Memorial Day weekend when we were packing up the car for a family picnic. We were headed about an hour north of our house to this fabulous "off the beaten path" park that has a wonderful playground for an afternoon full of fun in the sun, with of course, a picnic basket of favorites.

I also love the story that comes with this dish. The reader who submitted it tells of a steakhouse in Massachusetts, that was loved but went out of business. This was the dip they served to people while waiting for their meals to be served. The mother of the lady who gave it to Gooseberry had gotten the recipe from the restaurant back in the 1940's. I not only love the history that comes with that story, but the ability to recreate a restaurant favorite at home. You know how much of that I do with our favorite restaurant dishes too!

It was the perfect new offering to our regular picnic flare. I served it with crackers, but we found it was just as yummy with vegetable dippers too! However you serve it, it will become a new favorite at home or for parties, I'm sure!

Charlie's Steakhouse Cheese Spread 

Submitted by Barb Henderson, Everton, AR, Page 48

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 TBS onion, minced

1 1/2 tsp. ketchup

1 1/2 tsp. sour cream

2 TBS sweet pickle relish

3 green olives with pimentos, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Serve with veggies or crackers.

*NOTE* I put all ingredients in a food processor and pulsed until creamy and smooth. I also added a dash more Worcestershire sauce and garnished with extra olives.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals June 10, 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box June 11, 2013
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain June 12, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook June 14, 2013

****GIVEAWAY****

Rules:

1. This contest is open to US Residents 18 and older ONLY.

2. The winner will be chosen by Random.org 

3. The winner will be notified by email and Facebook. He/she will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

4. When leaving comments for entries, they MUST BE SEPARATE ones AND include an email address so it's easy for me to find the winner. If entries are together, it will only count as (1) and if no email, entry will not be considered.

5. If any of the extra entries are items you are already doing, please just remind me!

6. Contest Ends: Monday June 24, 2013 12am EST

One Lucky Winner Will Receive

(1) Game-Day Fan Fare Cookbook

Mandatory Entry:

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite game day food.

Extra Entries:

1. Follow Gooseberry Patch on Twitter. Leave a comment saying you've done so.

2. Become a fan of Gooseberry on Facebook. Leave a comment when you've done so.

3. Follow EMM on Twitter. Leave a comment when you are.

4. Follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment.

That makes up to 5 entries per person!!!

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I was provided with 2 cookbooks for this review. One to keep, one to giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We Are Steak People

Yep. That's a fact. As much as my family loves our veggies, we could never  be vegetarians. And that's not judging those out there who are, more power to you! It's simply a statement of how much we love, no make that adore, meat!

All kinds of meat, from all walks of life. If it comes from a cow, pig, chicken, fish, buffalo, pheasant...I could go on, but I won't, we will eat it! We are most definitely carnivores.

Now, here is a little secret. When I was growing up, I wasn't that big of a beef fan. It wasn't until Adam came along (Mr. give me my steak as rare as it can be. Seriously, I'm talking, show it the grill and walk away!) and showed me there were other ways to eat steak other than "well done", that I really started to enjoy it. See, like many kids, I never had my own steak, I usually shared with my mom. And like many women out there, she was a big fan of "cook it til it's dead"! And that's okay. She liked her steaks well done, and a little bit crispy around the edges, so that's the only way I ate steak for many years. Then Adam explained this wonderful thing called medium rare, and to this day, that is how I love my steaks. In fact, we've even converted mom a little, and she is now a medium steak gal. We learned that many times, you can take a steak that is tender and fabulous and cook it that long, the flavor gets ruined, becoming tough and dry. This is especially true if ordering in a restaurant. If a steakhouse knows they are going to cook it that long, that will choose a piece of "substandard" meat, so to speak. (I am saying this as a former employee of a restaurant.) But if you order one that is less cooked, they know it better come out juicy and tender, so they choice a nicer piece of beef.

And we have passed this beef love onto our son, of course. Now, when he was younger, I will admit, I made sure his meat was very well done. But as he has gotten older and his stomach has "grown up" a little, I allow him to have one that is cooked a little more like ours. (Trust me though, he never eats one that is still mooing, like his father!) Alex needs one thing for his steak....steak sauce! He likes the bottled version just fine (He gets that from his Pa Pa...another meat lover!) but I thought making a homemade version might be fun.

With grilling season in full swing for a lot of us, it's the perfect time to have something yummy to dip that perfectly cooked steak into...rather it's well done (and if that's you, I respect that!)...or pink inside for me....or practically walking off the plate like my husband!

Homemade Steak Sauce

1/2 c. ketchup

1 TBS brown sugar

1 TBS soy sauce

1/2 TBS onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 c. water

1/8 c. lemon juice

1/8 c. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 TBS yellow mustard

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered,  for 15-20 minutes until thickened. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until serving. If it thickens too much, just add a little warm water to thin. Serve with your favorite steak!

Shared on Make Ahead Meals May 13, 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box May 14, 2013
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain May 15, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook May 17, 2013

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90's Television In My Kitchen

The new sandwich I promised to share with you today is more than likely not new to some of you. In fact, the sandwich itself isn't even new to me. I've heard of it many times, but have never eaten it, let alone made it. Many moons ago I heard the term "loose meat sandwich". For some reason it sounded so familiar to me. I researched it, found many recipes, but couldn't for the life of me figure out why it was so recognizable to me. I asked Adam if he had ever heard of them and indeed he had; but that didn't help me to figure out why I knew about them having never eaten one. It was one of those things that stays in the back of your mind for days, bugging you constantly. Then all of a sudden, I remembered! I can't even tell you why or how I thought of it, but Loose Meat Sandwiches were what they served at the restaurant on the show "Roseanne". Whew...talk about being able to sleep at night! It's crazy when something so meaningless can really drive you crazy! And what's even crazier is how once the mystery is solved how quickly it disappears from your mind. I didn't really think about these sandwiches again until that set of Crock Pot recipes I told you about yesterday. There was one included for these, but since I was already making the Southwest Mac and Cheese, I compromised, made them in a skillet, and they turned out perfectly. As we told Alex when he asked what they were "They are kind of like a sloppy jo without the sloppy. It still has a little bit of a sauce quality, but is much dryer than it's messy cousin. And the secret to deliciousness? Brown sugar. It gives these a slight sweet note in the background that makes them extra yummy. Thank goodness I finally figured out what my brain new all along...90's television could bring us something new and tasty to eat!

Tavern Sandwiches 

1 lb. ground beef

1/8 c. mustard

1/8 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. ketchup

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sliced Bread & Butter Pickles, optional

Diced Onion, optional

Hamburger Buns

In a large skillet, brown meat over medium heat, breaking it up as fine as possible. Drain if necessary. Add ketchup, mustard and brown sugar. Stir well to combine and allow sauce to coat all of the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook 5-7 minutes to let flavors develop. Serve on buns topped with pickles and onions if desired.

*NOTE* If you wish to cook these in the Crock Pot: Brown beef, transfer to Crock Pot, add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Jan. 9, 2013
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Jan. 10, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 11, 2013

A Party In The New Year

When I was deciding what I would share with all of you for the first few days of 2013, I immediately thought of the new tasty appetizers I served on New Year's Eve. We always stay home and have a family night with a big spread of  "nibbly bits" as Alex calls them, play games, watch movies, and enjoy ringing in the new year together. But then I had second thoughts because I figured with the holidays being over, the need for new appetizer recipes might not be as great as it was a few weeks ago. And then I remembered one, wonderful word. FOOTBALL!! We've got college football bowl games for the rest of this week, and of course the BCS Championship game next Monday night! (Have I mentioned my Notre Dame Fighting Irish are playing in that one???!!!) Plus, it will only be about a month until people around the world gather for the biggest game in professional sports...The Superbowl! So, why not keep the appetizers coming, and have a leg up on all the football parties many of us be attending and/or hosting. So today, tomorrow and Friday that is exactly what you will find on EMM~ appetizers we love and ones that might just have to become favorites in your home too.

First up, a delicious twist on shrimp cocktail that I've actually made before but never blogged. When I first saw Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa) make this, I was shocked at how simple it is, but knew the method would add intense flavor and give one of our favorites a boost. Your guests will love this new version of something every party table always has!

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail 

2 lbs. (12/15 count) shrimp, deveined, tail on

1 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Cocktail Sauce

1/2 c. chili sauce

1/2 c. ketchup

3 TBS horseradish

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. hot sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 8-10 minutes until pink and firm. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for sauce. Mix well. Chill until serving.

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Jan. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 4, 2013

From Food Network

Small Stick Big Flavor

I have learned many things in my almost 32 years here on earth. And one that is tried and true, every single time...anything tastes better on a stick~ no matter the size of said stick. It can be a very long one, like on a foot long corndog at the fair, or something small on the end of a toothpick at a party. Either way, 9 times out of 10 it's going to be a huge hit, and most everyone will find it delicious! With that, you have been warned! If you set out a big platter of these at your holiday, New Year's or football party this year, they will disappear quicker than you can make more, and they will probably be one of the most popular things you make! Plus, they are super easy! And don't get me wrong, they are tasty themselves, but what is going to suck everyone is the sauce! Oh, the sauce! I remember the first time I took these to family party and our aunt declared "I like them, but I could drink the sauce with a straw!" Yep, it's that good! I first had these a few years ago at Thanksgiving when my Grammy made them. Adam and I were eating them so fast she couldn't keep them on the buffet! And now anytime we are at her house for a holiday and I see bacon in the fridge, I hope she's making them again. Oh, did I not mention that? Yeah, there is bacon involved too. You're pretty much done reading now aren't you? You just want to eat? Okay then, here is the recipe for one of the tastiest little bites on a stick you will ever have!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
2 (8 oz) cans water chestnuts, drained
1 lb. bacon, sliced into thirds
1 c. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a small saucepan, combine ketchup and brown sugar. Cook on low, stirring often,  until brown sugar is melted and sauce is well combined. Wrap each water chestnuts with 1/3 piece of bacon. Place in 8x8 pan, seam side down. Pour sauce over. Cover. Bake for 45 minutes until bacon is cooked through and sauce is thickened slightly.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals Dec. 17, 2012
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Dec. 18, 2012
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Dec. 19, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Dec. 20, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Dec. 21, 2012

Appetizers at Very Good Recipes
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Not A Fan

My husband is not a Rachael Ray fan. End of story. While I enjoy her talk show, and have found success with a few of her recipes, and used to watch both 30 Minute Meals and $40 A Day multiple times a day, he just can't understand why. He doesn't enjoy her, the way she talks, or really anything about her. And that's okay because there are plenty of people he is a fan of that I do NOT like one bit! To each their own. So you can imagine my surprise when last week he was working from home one morning, walked into the living room where I was watching her, and said "That recipe wouldn't be too bad if you changed it up a little." Huh? What? Did I just hear him right? To be honest, I wasn't even paying attention to what she was cooking, and when I looked up, I knew exactly why he said what he did. She was making sloppy joes, but instead of serving them on buns, they were plated over roasted sweet potatoes. Now we love sweet potatoes, but I just couldn't get behind this idea. I understood why she was doing it. Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutrient packed things you can find in the grocery store; and this is why I serve them so often. But not this way. However, we both agreed that if they were done with a white potato instead, they could be really good. Kind of like a chili topped potato, but a little different. So using my own sloppy joe recipe and some yummy toppings, I came up with these. They are easy, delicious, and the kids will love them! Sloppy anything will get them running to the table! And here are a couple tips for you: 1. To save time, simply bake your potatoes in the microwave instead. 2. Make the sauce in the morning, cover and put in the fridge. Then when you are ready to make supper all you have to do is brown off the meat. Which ever way you decide to prepare them, they are a simple weeknight meal and a new twist on an old favorite.

Sloppy Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes, cleaned

1 lb. ground beef

3/4 c. ketchup

1 tsp. mustard

3 tsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chopped Onion, optional

Shredded Cheddar Cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 400. Rub potatoes with olive oil and salt. Wrap in foil and poke holes in them. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 1 hour or until fork tender. In a medium bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. In a large skillet, brown meat until no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Add ketchup mixture to ground beef and simmer on low for 5-7 minutes until thickened. When potatoes are done split and lay open on plates. Spoon meat mixture over potato. Top with onions and cheese.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Nov. 7, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 8, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 9, 2012