Super Bowl

Recipe—Pizza Rolls

March 2, 2013January 26, 2018 Diva di Cucina

For this years Super Bowl I was trying to come up with some fun new recipes and was contemplating making a stromboli. If you don’t know what that is, it is basically a big baked pizza log. Since half our guests this year were kids I thought it might get a little messy. So I decided to slice up my stromboli and make pizza rolls. I just served them up with a warm side of my homemade marinara and they turned out great! The kids had a blast eating them. I won’t lie, they were a hit with the adults too. They were perfect little fun size pizzas! (And who doesn’t like miniature stuff?) If you have kids that like to help out in the kitchen this is a great recipe for them to assist with. Let them help sprinkle on the toppings and roll that bad boy up. Get creative and use your favorite pizza toppings. I just went basic since I had pepperoni on hand. These pizza rolls are a great appetizer to make any time of year. Enjoy!

Note: You can prepare your log a day in advance and keep it in the fridge. Then just pull it out, slice it up, and toss the rolls in the oven for a super quick and easy appetizer.

INGREDIENTS
1 can refrigerated pizza dough (I like Pillsbury)
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 c mozzarella, shredded
1 cup pepperoni, chopped
marinara, alfredo, or pesto sauce for dipping (optional)

STEPS

Preheat oven to 425º.
Open pizza dough and roll it out flat, about 1/4 “ thick.
Sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, cheese, and pepperoni.
Starting at the long end roll the pizza dough up tightly to form a log.
Carefully wrap the log in saran wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. (It will slice much easier if it is firm.)
Cut the log into 1/2”–3/4” thick slices.
Place the slices on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 10–12 minutes or until lightly brown on top.
Serve with some warm marinara for dipping.

Uncategorized

Crowd Pleasing Super Bowl Recipes

January 22, 2013 Diva di Cucina

Super Sunday is right around the corner! The Super Bowl is the biggest football game in America. It’s when we get together with family and friends to watch two rival teams have it out on the field (and of course over indulge in delicious food).

Whenever we have a Super Bowl party we typically serve one dish per quarter. Appetizers during the first two, a main course for the third, and of course a super ice cream sundae during the fourth.

I have put together some of my favorite recipes that are perfect for your big bash. Enjoy the game!

Appetizers

Queso Fundido

Western Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms Wrapped in Bacon

Shrimp Taco Cups with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

Warm-ups

Chili (The Classic Kind)

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Meals

Crock-Pot French Dips

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Crock-Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

Hot Ham and Swiss Sammies

Crock-Pot Pale Ale BBQ Chicken Sandos

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

Dinners, Sandwiches

Recipe—Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

October 14, 2012January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

One of my favorite sandwiches has got to be the Philly cheese steak. While this recipe isn’t for a traditional version of the classic sandwich it is a quick and easy recipe the whole family will love! The provolone cheese sauce totally makes this recipe so don’t skip it. All of the flavors are really mild so it is great for the kiddos. I think next time I may try adding in some sautéed mushrooms just to get one more veggie in there. This is the perfect meal for a night of watching football so I think this will be making my Super Bowl party menu this season. Don’t forget the fries or a big green salad to go with.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp steak sauce (I like A1)
1 c beef stock
salt and pepper
4 hoagie rolls
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 c milk
1 c provolone cheese, shredded

STEPS

Preheat oven to 350º.
In a large skillet brown the ground beef and drain off any excess grease.
Add the bell peppers and onions and cook until tender, about 3–5 minutes.
Add in the steak sauce, broth, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Cut the rolls in half and place in the oven to toast.
In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer stirring frequently until it begins to thicken, about 2–3 minutes.
Stir in cheese until sauce is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
Place a scoop of the meat mixture into the toasted rolls and top with the cheese sauce.

Appetizers

Recipe—Western Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

February 1, 2012July 23, 2020 Diva di Cucina

Recipe—Western Bacon Poppers

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend I thought I would share one of my favorite finger food recipes. There are many variations of jalapeño poppers out there, but these are my favorite. They are absolutely evil and they are sure to start your Super Bowl party off with a bang. These are perfect balance of spicy, salty, and tangy. Make three times more than you think you will need, just trust me on that. Most people end up inhaling several. They really are that good.

Note: Poppers can be prepared a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge right before cooking if needed. These can also be finished off on the bbq instead of the oven to give them a nice smoky flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
5 jalapeños, seeded and deveined based on desired heat
5 slices (about 1/4” thick) of cheddar cheese cut in half lengthwise
5 slices of bacon cut in half
1/4 c of your favorite bbq sauce

STEPS:

Preheat oven to 400º.
Place bacon in a large pyrex dish so that the slices do not overlap.
Pre-cook the bacon in the oven for 8 minutes flipping once halfway through. You do not want the pieces to be overcooked. They should still be partially raw and flexible so that you can easily wrap the slices around the poppers.
While the bacon is cooking, place a block of cheddar cheese in each jalapeño half. You may need to cut the cheddar block slightly shorter to fit within the pepper’s cavity. The pepper will fill in with the cheese once melted.
When all of the jalapeños are filled, and the bacon has cooled, wrap the half slice of bacon around each jalapeño. Secure the bacon with a toothpick if necessary.
Place wrapped poppers on a baking sheet and dab with bbq sauce.
Cook in the oven for 10–14 minutes or until bacon looks cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly. If you want to give the bacon a little extra crisp turn on the broiler for a minute before removing from the oven.
Dab with additional bbq sauce before serving.