Superbowl Bites: 20 Recipes for your Superbowl Party

I could share with you the recipes I've posted over the last week, or how about the last couple of years that are some serious game day pleasers.

Instead I did some browsing around the web and compiled 20 seriously drool-worthy recipes that I think would be an amazing addition to your game-watching experience.

All of them are totally doable by kick-off tomorrow, so for all of those procrastinators out there (ahem, me) here you go!

What I'm obsessed with...

So here's the thing with packing up your whole life for a big move, there isn't alot of cooking.  So as far as recipes I can't say I have any to share with you.  In fact we got Indian food delivered tonight and I have to say, I can't speak for the authenticity of our meal, but it was exactly what my painting exhausted body want tonight.

So in the absence of energy for cooking or writing a restaurant review, I thought I share some things I'm obsessed for right now, that aren't packing new house or home decor related.

My favorite Recipes of 2011

Now for some of my favorite recipes from 2011.  These were tough to pick, basically because I don't share anything here that I don't really like.  But as I wrote yesterday's post, I began to realize that my favorite weren't necessarily in line with the posts that got the most traffic.

I started this post wanting it to be a Top 5, like yesterday, but it turned into a Top 6 because I had a tie for my last pick, you'll see why I couldn't pick between them when you get there.

So without further ado, my  all-time (for 2011) favorite recipes!

Top Posts of 2011

This round-up is a bit late but better late than never right.  You always see the most popular posts from the past 30 days in my left sidebar, so I thought I'd take the time to share the most popular posts from the last year and tomorrow, I plan to share some of my top posts from 2011.

1. One Bite Fried Mozzarella & Spicy Tomato Sauce - This was part of my Superbowl Eats Series and got me the most blog traffic in one day that I've ever have.  It was pretty amazing was some super simple bites of ooey gooey cheese were able to do.  This post also made it onto Tastespotting's Top 100 of 2011, which is definitely a first for me.  As you prepare for the Superbowl this year, I highly recommend making these, they are a serious crowd pleaser.

Introducing Travel Thursday!

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

Over the last few weeks I was lucky enough to do quite a bit of travelling from LA to Boulder to all over Costa Rica and in a few weeks I'm heading to Montreal for a birthday weekend with my fabulous Hubs.  I mean, I'm pretty damn lucky to be able to do as much as I've done and will do this month.  What better way to celebrate it than sharing some of my favorite bits and bobs about each trip with you?   I'll be sharing it in a new weekly series, called Travel Thursday, try not to be too blown away by the original name, I have more than enough great info and photos to share to run it through the summer and hope to be lucky enough to keep it running even longer. Travel Thursdays will include restaurant reviews of the places I've travelled as well as some hotel and activity reviews.

Happy National Pancake Day

Whole Wheat Winter Squash Pancakes

OK , if you follow me on Twitter you likely saw me looking for yummy pork recipes since today is also National Pig Day, but upon doing some more research I learned that National Pig Day is generally used to celebrate the life of the pig.  I wanted to celebrate it as a yummy food, one where you can eat "everything except the oink," as they say.  But since I do respect them as the adorable animals they are and think their lives should be celebrated I shied away from a full-on pork round-up.

Lucky for me, according to various bloggers and sites on the web today is also National Pancake Day.  Now I'm the first to admit that pancakes are not my favorite breakfast treat, but I'm fairly certain I'm in the minority on this one.  So pancakes because the focus of today's recipe round-up.  Even though I don't love them these are some recipes I'm actually dying to try and since I have 10 more months in my No ReEATS challenge I may incorporate each recipe into a breakfast for dinner once a month for the rest of the year.

Superbowl Eats Round-up: 12 Recipes for your Superbowl Party

Superbowl Sunday is three things for me: Football, Commercials and Food.  Well since I moved to Canada we don't get the crazy one-off commercials or cool movie trailers, the Canadian station sells the commercial time to local advertisers, who don't seem to appreciate the importance of Superbowl commercials.  It was an adjustment at first, but I deal and it just brings the food even more to the forefront, as if that were even possible!  If you've been reading along this week, you've seen some fun game time food that I came up with especially for the big day.  This post is devoted to some of my favorite game time food as well as some delectable sounding recipes I've happened upon on the web.

Happy National Pie Day

Sweet Cherry Apple Pie

Oh how I wish i had the time to bake a pie to post today, but life and work just caught up, so a roundup will have to do.   I am completely obsessed with pie, I love it!  I wish I had the time this month to join in with The Peche on all of their crazy pie baking this month.  It's pretty insanely delicious looking and I highly recommend checking out everything they made.

Christmas Cookie Round-up

There is something about Christmas that just makes me want to bake large amounts of cookies.  I'm generally not a cookie person and yet I always make them this time of year.  Since many people have a few days off this week for the holidays I wanted to share what I've been baking as each recipe can easily be done in a day, so there's still time to make them for Christmas Day or they are so yummy they'd even be great to bring to a New Year's Eve Party.  I didn't get to making as many varieties of sweets as I would have liked, but what I did make was delish!

Love 4 Lasagna Round-up Week 2

Here we are at Week 2 of Love 4 Lasagna, still only two of us cooking away but both enjoying the challenge so I'm going to keep doing my round up.  There are still 2 weeks left for anyone else who wants to join and get creative with a traditional dish, just like they do on Top Chef!  Just click here for details.

Mama Shack's Chile Verde lasagna

Mama Shack was super creative this week, turning one of her favorite Mexican stews into a delicious looking lasagna, for more on how Papa Shack was not a fan again, head on over to her post.  I felt like I was a part of this one as she picked up some of her ingredients on our spontaneous day trip to Buffalo last week.  

My Sweet Corn lasagna

I wasn't as creative but was able to procure a recipe from a restaurant I love and wish I could frequent all the time back in LA, Cube Marketplace.  I took that recipe and twisted it into a delicious Sweet Corn Lasagna.  While it wasn't the Boy's fave, I liked it and really that's what matters, right?

Don't forget to check back next Monday to see what we've come up with and feel free to join along!

Enjoy!

It's Superbowl time!

Now my team may not be playing but the American Football loving girl that I am I still love the event that is the Superbowl. I love eating all kinds of delish game time food, watching the ads and the performances as well as the game. We don't get the ads up here in Canada, but we get everything else, so that means I need to make some good eats for the boy and I. I posted my Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Wednesday, so today I'll give you a round up of some of my favorite foods for the big game.

Grilled Wings with a Chipotle Dry Rub - If you want are in a climate that makes grilling a possibility, make these! They boy loves them and asks for them every chance he gets. If you don't have access to whole dried chipotles, chipotle powder works great too.


Chicken & Roasted Yam Quesadillas - a delicious twist on a traditional quesadilla and perfect for leftover roast chicken.

Muffaletta Sandwich - perfect because it's from New Orleans! There's not enough time now to make a proper olive salad but you can improvise by putting it together today or tomorrow and let it marinate until Sunday, not ideal but it will still make a pretty amazing sandwich! If the boy wants something like this I will make a quick pepper salad with roasted red peppers and peronicinos, garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper. It's not the same but is delicious in it's own way

Maple Whiskey Pulled Chicken Sandwiches - Another super easy slow cooker recipe perfect for football.


Buffalo Chicken Pizza - This one is a crowd pleaser. If you are feeding a crowd. you can roll out and par bake your pizza crusts for about 10 minutes early in the day and then just assemble the pizzas and finish off when your guests arrive.

Hope these idea help spark your thoughts for your upcoming Superbowl gathering. Let me know if you try any of these recipes or what some of your favorite game time foods are. Enjoy!

10 Favorite BBQ dishes!

Tomorrow is is the 4th of July and even though I'm in Canada it work out that we will celebrating Canada Day on the 4th! Besides that, the big July holiday will always be July 4th for me. Regardless of what you celebrate and where you are the summer is chock full of BBQs and pot lucks and get togethers. To help inspire some tasty treats for your holiday weekend BBQ's I decided do a round up of some of my favorite dishes that are perfect for BBQ's and the summer.

1. To start off, you can't go wrong with Grilled Wings with a Chipotle Dry Rub. They are cooked on the grill you don't have to spend the BBQ standing over a vat of frying oil or heating up the house with the oven. besides that they pack a HUGE flavor and spice punch and are a definite favorite with us.

2. What is a BBQ without a burger? Why not try a Beef Bourguignon burger and really impress your guests. Packed full of flavor and oh so easy and satisfying. Of course if you want to be picky, this French flavored burger may be better suited to a Bastille Day celebration, either way it's sure to impress.

3. What something different than a classic burger? How about a delicious and flavorful and definitely not status quo braised and then grilled Pork Belly. Now this one taste some time and planning but is definitely worth it.


4. Don't have time to slave away cooking, then try my Maple Whiskey Pulled Chicken. Of course using pure Canadian Maple Syrup if you are celebrating Canada Day. It's so easy and perfect to pile high on a bun with some cole slaw.

5. If you are looking to impress, go for the Gaucho Style Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. This Argentinean flavored sauce makes your average NY Strip something special.

6. For a delicious and refreshing side dish check out this delicious Watermelon and Feta Salad. the saltiness of the feta cheese perfectly balances out the sweet and refreshing watermelon. Making it the ideal salad for a hot summer day.

7. If you are doing a clam bake or crawfish boil or anything having to do with surf and turf, don't forget to make Salt Potatoes. The perfect dish for the peak of season new potatoes.


8. It's always nice to work some greens in to your BBQ feast, my Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette are the perfect option as they are best served at room temperature and complement just about any protein.

9. No BBQ is complete without dessert and these Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cupcakes are perfect topped with Blueberry Cream cheese frosting or you can make a Raspberry version to incorporate the red and blue.

10. Finally my new favorite dessert for it's flavor and the complete ease of putting it together, Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down cake. While this may not be the most impressive looking dessert, the flavors are great and in season right now, the cake is beyond moist and it is a cake that doesn't need frosting!

So there you have it 10 of my favorite holiday BBQ dishes. I'll definitely by making the Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down cake, since it's a winner every time. I'm also going to make my delicious mac & cheese since the boy is doing BBQ Chicken & Ribs. And since we'll be up at the cottage for the weekend I'm also making my Raspberry Mascarpone French Toast Strata for Sunday morning. I am in the midst of attempting to make homemade marshmallows and graham crackers for gourmet s'mores, stay tuned for a post about them next week (assuming the marshmallows and grahams come together alright)!

Hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday weekend!

Valentine's Day Ideas

This is for any of you last minute planners out there or those of you who may not have plans but are now scrambling to do something special for you loved one(s). The following are some of my favorite dishes to make for that someone special. They all taste special, but they also all don't require a ton of cooking time, leaving you more time to spend with your loved ones on the day and less time in the kitchen. Since Valentines Day is on a Saturday I'm going to include my favorite breakfast idea too.

BRUNCH
Pain Perdu with Berry Compote - This is one of our favorite breakfasts, but because of how sweet it is, not something I make too often. It's for those special mornings when I want to do something extra special, perfect for Valentine's Day. I usually serve these with sausage patties, but recommend using this more recent recipe instead. For the berry compote you can use frozen or fresh berries.


MUNCHIES
Pomodori al Forno - These take a couple hours to make, but they are largely unattended hours, just turning the tomatoes occasionally. And they are full of flavor, plus the nice red color is always good for Valentine's day. Since plum tomatoes aren't really in seaons you can easily use canned whole San Marzano tomatoes and it's just as tasty.

Baked Brie with Caramelized Pear - This is another super easy afternoon munchie, that looks oh-so-special. If you are able to have a lazy Saturday afternoon, this is the perfect thing to kill any afternoon cravings before dinner.


DINNER
Blueberry Steak - I know blueberries aren't in season, at least not in Canada and the US. They have been on sale at the grocery store lately but if you don't want to buy from Chile or Mexico or wherever the blueberries are coming from these days, I'd check out the frozen berries for this. You should be able to just throw the frozen berries in the pot and season according to the recipe, being mindful that the sauce may need a bit more reducing due to the frozen berries. This is great with some oven roasted potatoes.

Roast Chicken - Now I know this isn't the most romantic entree on the surface, but if you rarely make a roast chicken it's actually quite a nice thing to make for someone you love. It's homey and comforting and if you are having a nice night in with your sweetie it's the perfect way on a cold night to show someone you care.

Vegetable Tian - I love this side dish. It's another super easy one one with tons of flavor. I've never made it with the blueberry steak, but it's perfect with a lemon and herb roasted chicken.


DESSERTS
White Chocolate Berry Cake - I just posted this earlier this week and it's a nice special treat to make for a loved one.

"Hostess" Cupcakes - These are special because they take a bit more effort than a standard cupcake and they are rich and chocolatey making them perfect for Valentine's Day. To make the cupcakes pictured above you can use the chocolate cake and fluff icing recipes from this post and use the icing to just frost the cupcakes rather than fill them. You could even throw some red hot hearts on top to make them extra special.


Hope these help you come up with some last minute ideas for your special day. Enjoy!

Superbowl Sunday!

With Superbowl Sunday rapidly approaching, I thought I'd do a round-up of different treats and snacks that are great for game watching with a small group or a crowd. Whether you are a Steelers fan or a Cardinals fan or like me a Patriots fan, Super Bowl Sunday is always a great day to bring friends together to hang out and watch the game, the musical performances and the commercials (always my favorite part when my boys aren't playing) and of course eat tons of food!

Below are some treats that I've made over the last six months that I think make great Super Bowl Sunday food.

MUNCHIES

Jalapeno Poppers on the Grill - This take some time to prep and cook, but I promise they are worth it. They are really only conducive to those of us who live in warmer climates and are cool with grilling outside as I'm not sure they'll work too well on an indoor grill.

Balsamic Drummettes - Here's a different take on Buffalo Wings, though you can never go wrong with Buffalo Wings, these are great if you want to offer a variety of wing flavors and super easy!

Zucchini Fries - For anyone who's being a bit more health conscious these are great, crispy with tons of flavor and a great baked alternative to fries. The apricot dipping sauce totally makes them too.


SANDWICHES

BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches - This is an awesome slow cooker meal that you can start either the night before or early Sunday morning and have an easy peasy sandwich for yourself and your guests.

Cheddar Burger with Chipotle Ketchup - The star here is the chipotle ketchup. If you make burgers your own way, take the time to make the chipotle ketchup, it's a winner.

Chipotle Mango Pulled Pork - This is a new creation (just posted last week) but it was so easy and flavorful and another slow cooker meal that would be great for feeding a whole crew on Super Bowl Sunday. Topped with avocado or coleslaw it's great.


SWEET TREATS

Red Velvet Cupcakes - If you are a Cardinals fan, these delicious red cakes are the perfect sweet treat for when your team wins.

Boston Cream Cupcakes - I know, I know they have Boston in the name, but these black and gold treats are the Steelers colors and a must have for those Steelers fans out there. Plus they are made with prepackaged cake and pudding mixes making them super fast & easy


Hope these ideas help you in planning your perfect Super Bowl party. Enjoy the game!