An Easy, Fun Football Feast
By Brenda Hyde
It's that time of year again, where the football
fans watch games with intense suspense and the rest
of us shake our heads in confusion. Why not bridge
the gap between football fans and the rest of the family?
Get everyone together for a Fun Football Feast!
The game fans can watch football and eat. The kids can
be in another room with activities and games. If you have
two televisions and a VCR you can rent videos for those
not enduring the game suspense. Think of it as setting up
"stations" for your guests where they can be entertained while
eating and visiting. Be creative and this may become a new
tradition in your household!
Brenda's Big Pot of Chili
2 pounds ground chuck
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds cleaned out and diced
2 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cans chili beans, or one large can
2 (15 ounces) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
Brown ground chuck, onion, green pepper, jalapeno and garlic.
Drain grease if necessary. Add remaining ingredients, bring to
boil then simmer for a half hour. At this point add to a crockpot
and it can cook on low as long as you need it to. Stir occasionally
and add a little water if it needs it. Set up the crockpot with a ladle,
bowls, and toppings such as green onions, sour cream, shredded
cheese and extra jalapenos. Also have bottles of Tabasco and hot
sauce for those who like it extra hot.
Mexican Black Bean Salad
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
1 can Mexican style corn
2 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, chopped (use white and green)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or few drips hot pepper sauce)
Salt, Pepper
In mixing bowl combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onions and
cilantro. Add red pepper, oil, lime juice and cumin. Blend
with the cayenne, salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate at
least 2 hours before serving, or overnight. Makes about 6 cups.
Homemade Salsa for a Crowd
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with chilies
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano leaves, crushed
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Drain tomatoes. Take out 2 cups of the diced
tomatoes and set aside. Put the remaining tomatoes
in a blender or food processor and lightly process.
(About 30 seconds). Add all tomatoes to a mixing bowl
with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate
several hours to blend flavors. Serve with Tortillas chips.
NOTE: Have several bags of Tortilla Chips, some flavored
and some plain to serve with all the above. You can also
have some small flour tortillas on hand to warm and use as
bread to accompany the salad or the chili.
Oatmeal Chip Cookies
2 sticks margarine, softened (1 cup)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned or quick oatmeal
1 bag (11 1/2 ounces) chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with mixer on high
speed, beat margarine, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking soda
and salt until well blended. Add flour just to blend. Stir in
oats and chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch
apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until
golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet before removing
to a wire rack. Store airtight at room temperature up to one
week.
NOTES: Place cookies in a basket to be munched on. You can
double the recipe depending on amount of people you have
coming. Use any left over lemons, limes, or green peppers as
garnishes. A nice addition to the entire buffet would be a raw
vegetable platter with a simple vegetable dip. You could also
serve ice tea,coffee and assorted sodas.
About the author
Brenda Hyde is a wife and Mom of three, a freelance writer, bookseller and editor of Seeds of Knowledge.
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