Football Food !!

well, the menu got juggled a bit...never got around to making the brownies, everyone was way too full ! And I really need to start taking blog pictures with my real camera instead of the crackberry....but for now, this will do.  

Here's what we ended up with :

Italian Paninis
Buffalo Wings
Onion Rings
Frijoles Borrachos
Pepperjack Cornbread

Not really a recipe for the Paninis - your basic Italian :). Ciabatta roll layered with a little olive spread, prosciotto, capicola, sopresata, mortadella, provolone, hot peppers and lettuce. Should have grabbed a pic - delicious !

Wings and rings are two of Mark's specialties...

Buffalo Wings

1/4 cup margarine, melted. (You have to use margarine; otherwise it doesn't coat the wings right)
1/2 cup Texas Pete hot sauce
few generous shakes of Chipotle Tabasco
large package of chicken wings

Deep fries the wings - 12 minutes at 375 in the deep fryer - then toss with the sauce. Serve with blue cheese dressing and plenty of beer...

Onion Rings

For these, he basically slices up onions into thin rings and soaks them in buttermilk for a half hour. Drain, shake in a bag with flour, then deep fry....375 again; they take about four minutes. Sprinkle with salt as soon as you take them out of the deep fryer.

Oh, and Mark says always use canola oil in your deep fryer.

Frijoles Borrachos.

This recipe is mine...sort of evolved, from a bunch of different recipes and a lot of trial and error. Frijoles are beans, and "borracho" is drunken - and yes, these involve beer.

1 16 oz package of dry pinto beans

1 package double smoked bacon (12 oz ? )
1 medium sized onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
12oz (1 can or bottle) beer
2 cups chicken stock
1 - 2 chipotles, toasted and diced, stems and seeds removed
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
Cumin (optional)
Salt to taste

Soak beans overnight OR use “quick soak” method on bag
Saute bacon in pan until somewhat crispy
Saute onion and garlic in bacon fat until translucent
Combine beans, bacon, onion and garlic, and rest of ingredients except salt in crockpot, and stir well. Add more liquid if needed to cover beans.
Cook on high one hour, then on low for 5 – 6 hours or until tender. Check occasionally and add more liquid if it goes below top of beans.
Salt to taste

Pepperjack Cornbread

Yes, Southern folks, I know "real" cornbread doesn't involve sugar....but I'm a Yankee, and I need a little in there. This one definitely is not as sweet as most - really hardly at all - and the pepperjack cheese is just awesome in it, though this bread is good without it too. Light, moist, and delicious. The buttermilk is really key, as the slight acidity reacts with the baking powder to create the lightness. If you don't have any but really want cornbread (though not quite as spectacular), put two tablespoons white vinegar in a one cup measuring cup, fill the rest of the cup with milk, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Or you can sub half sour cream/plain yogurt and half milk.

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
1 egg, beaten
about a half pound block of pepperjack cheese, cut into largeish cubes

Heat oven to 400, and grease a 9 inch square pan. Mix dry ingredients, then stir in wet ones and combine just until moist. Add cheese last..spread in pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the non-cheesy parts comes out clean. Serve warm.

Oh, and most important....Pats won. GO PATS !!