Game Day Recipes: Cheesy Pull-Apart Sliders

This recipe was featured on our local Fox 8 News channel page and I received it in my email. It looks so good that I had to share it with you! Definitely a must-do for the big game! Put these on a table with some chili, pulled pork or chicken wings, veggies and dip plus other munchies and you have everything you need for an ooey gooey (calorie-laden but who watches calories anyway on Superbowl?) good time!

Cheesy Pull-Apart Sliders

Sliders:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cups diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (10-oz) can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained
• 12 slices cheddar cheese
• 12 dinner rolls

Glaze

• ½ cup (one stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place a large skillet on the stove top over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the beef and season with salt, pepper, mustard powder, and paprika. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and onions are golden. Stir in drained tomatoes until combined.
3. Slice dinner rolls in half and place bottom half of rolls in 9x13 baking dish. Top with beef mixture & sliced cheese. Finish off with the top half of the bun.
4. Mix all the ingredients for the glaze in a sauce pan over medium heat (or microwave about 40 seconds) and mix until melted, smooth, and combined. Pour evenly over the buns.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Makes: 12 burgers.

Marshmallow Crispy Lemon Pie

                                                      Marshmallow Crispy Lemon Pie

I recently made this for a potluck at work and it caught everyone by surprise. I used simple ingredients, an easy as - well - pie, recipe and it came out delicious. So good I had to make one for us, too! I did make cooked lemon pudding as opposed to the instant variety. I prefer the texture and it holds much better. A few folks commented on the "homemade lemon curd." Who was I to disillusion them?

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 c (half of the 3 oz pkg) dry JELL-O Lemon Flavor Gelatin
• 4 c mini marshmallows
• 3 c RICE KRISPIES or krispy rice cereal
• 1 pkg (3.4 oz) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Pudding and Pie Filling
• 1 1/2 c cold milk (we used low fat)
• Strawberries for garnish, if desired

Preparation

1. Microwave butter in large microwaveable bowl on high for 30 seconds or until melted. Add dry gelatin mix and marshmallows, tossing to coat. Microwave 1 minute, stir, and microwave an additional 15 -30 seconds, checking often to see if completely melted and mixture is blended. Add cereal and mix with wooden spoon sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Prepare Lemon Pudding mix as directed on  package. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Press cereal mixture onto bottom and side of a 9" pie pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. It will be a thick layer.
4. Pour pudding mix on top.
5. Cover with a pie lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, until completely set.
6. Remove from fridge and cut using a hot knife. Garnish with strawberries before serving, if desired.

Double Chocolate S'mores Brownies

Double Chocolate S'mores Brownies

These delicious brownies were created using ideas from several different recipes. When I accidentally used sweetened condensed instead of evaporated milk, I  had to made some adaptations to make the recipe 'work.' Hey, it happens to the best of us! :) The result was ooey gooey, caramel-y brownie perfection. Kept at room temperature, they will last for 4 to 5 days in a cool place. I like to store mine in a covered plastic ice cream pail with waxed paper between the layers. Why the "S'mores" name? Because of the combination of graham wafers, chocolate and mini marshmallows, of course!

Ingredients

Brownies

• 1 box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Cake Mix
• 3/4 c melted margarine
• 2/3 + 2/3 can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1/2 c low-fat milk
• 1/2 + 1/2 pkg dark chocolate chunks (divide pkg in half for 2 different steps)
• 1/3 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 pkg mini marshmallows

Topping

• 1 1/2 c crushed graham crackers or graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 c butter or margarine
• 1/4 c sugar

Directions

1. Mix the dry cake mix, 2/3 c sweetened  condensed milk and 3/4 c melted margarine and spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. 
2. Take out of oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Put back in oven for approximately 5 minutes, until marshmallows and chocolate chips soften. 

3. In microwave, heat the chocolate chunks and the rest of the sweetened condensed milk for approximately 1 1/2-2 minutes. Stir, adding 1/2 c low-fat milk to smooth, reheating for 30 seconds to soften if necessary.

4. Combine graham wafer topping ingredients and sprinkle half of the mixture over the marshmallows and chocolate chips. 5. Pour the heated chocolate mixture over the wafer topping, then sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over  everything.

6. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, until a knife inserted into the brownie layer at the bottom comes out  clean and the sides are puffed and dry. There will be some melted chocolate and marshmallows on the  knife. Let cool and cut into 2 inch squares with a knife dipped into hot water.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

A little bit sweet, a little bit salty and totally delicious. That is the only way to describe this recipe that I found while surfing the 'net. Everyone enjoys this tasty treat - perfect as a light summer dessert, a side dish at special occasions or to bring along for a potluck. Whether you prefer the saltiness of pretzels or the taste of graham cracker crust, this versatile dish is just right either way.

Ingredients:

• 2 c crushed pretzels
• 3/4 c melted butter or margarine
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 8 oz box of cream cheese
• 1 small container of Cool Whip
• 1 c confectioners sugar
• 1 pkg of strawberry jello (6 oz.)
• 2 c boiling water
• 10 oz container of frozen strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine pretzels, margarine and sugar for the first layer. Or make a graham wafer crust with crushed wafers, butter and sugar. Put first layer into 9x13 pan.
3. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove to cool.
4. For the second layer, beat sugar into the cream cheese and fold in the whipped topping. Spread over cooled base.
5. Third layer: mix jello with boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in frozen strawberries.
6. Mix together and set aside for 10 minutes. Pour over the cream cheese mixture.
7. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares and serve.

Ham & Swiss Quiche

While some say "real men don't eat quiche," my hubby would disagree vehemently! Especially when it includes left-over Christmas ham and his favorite Swiss Cheese, that is! Quiche is NOT difficult. It just takes a light touch and the right ingredients. And yes, once again, I "cheated" with a commercial crust.

Ham & Swiss Quiche

Simply 'yum'

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 c milk (I used low-fat). If desperate, you can use 1/2 evaporated milk and 1/2 water
• 1/2 c Swiss cheese (cut into small pieces)
• 1/4 c diced sweet onion
• 1/8 - 1/4 c dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or regular pepper)
• approx. 1/4 c grated Parmesan/Romano Cheese for topping
• 1 commercial or home-made pie crust 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until light and frothy. Add milk and continue whisking until blended. 
2. Stir in Swiss cheese, salt and red pepper flakes, onion and parsley flakes until mixed. It will be a bit chunky.
3. Place pie crust in 9" pie plate and pour in the mixture. 
4. Top with Parmesan/Romano mix.
5. Bake in oven for approximate 20-25 minutes, until knife inserted into the middle of the pie comes out clean and dry. A wee bit of moisture may remain - that's ok!

Note: You  may prefer cheddar to Swiss, and you may prefer to mix the Parmesan/Romano into the rest of the mixture, but we really enjoyed it just as it turned out. The top 'crust' was really tasty and looked attractive. A delicious accident, since I made it this way by forgetting to add those cheeses! Whoops.

Cheese Ball with Attitude

There is nothing "cheesy" about this non-traditional version of the traditional appetizer or snack except the abundance of cheese and other goodness inside. Serve with crackers of your choice (preferably those which are a bit more sturdy). Great with a glass of vino, a stein of brew or your favorite beverage. Simply delicious.

                                                             

Cheese Ball

Totally tasty yummy deliciousness

Ingredients:

Cheese Ball

• 1 pkg of Neufchatel cheese
• 3/4 pkg shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 c or so)
• 1/4 diced medium sweet onion (approx. 1/4 c)
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan or Parmesan/Romano cheese
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes or a dash of Tabasco Sauce (if desired)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (if desired)

Topping

• 1/2 small single serving pkg of cheddar cheese Sunchips, crushed
• 1/4 c dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 c finely chopped pecans

I prefer Neufchatel to Cream Cheese because of the lower calorie count and the fact that it's softer and easier to work with, requiring no softening.

1. Mix all cheeses and onion (and pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce, if desired), first with a wooden spoon to smush it together and then with your hands (yes, it will be messy). 
2. Quickly shape into 2 smooth round balls of roughly the same size. Let sit while preparing the topping.
3. In a pie plate (or dish with sides), mix topping ingredients together. 
4. Roll the cheese balls in the topping to cover completely. 
5. Wrap in cling wrap or place in a Ziploc bag and store in the fridge until serving time. If possible, let flavors blend by not serving for at least 4 hours or overnight. Keeps well for up to a week, if refrigerated in Ziploc bag.

SO much tastier than the supermarket variety, and just think -  you made it all by yourself!

Scalloped Potatoes (Escalloped Potatoes) au Gratin

Here's a dish that seems to be French in nature but American/Canadian in flavor. It's just right for those cool fall and winter evenings, when you are craving something warm and comforting. Perfect with everything from roast to ham, and great for a special dinner or potluck. You can't beat a good scalloped potato dish as a crowd- or family-pleaser. (p.s. 'au gratin' means 'with cheese,' for those who may not know). Hint: You will want enough milk to cover the potatoes/onions before baking. As you can see, it evaporates slightly and puffs up the sides to create the tasty golden crust.

Scalloped potatoes au gratin

Ingredients

• 4-6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4- 1/2 stick of butter or margarine
• 2 tbsp corn starch or flour
• 1 1/2 to 2 c scalded milk
• 1/2 pkg (6 oz or so) grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix potatoes and onions and place in greased 8c casserole
3. Dot with little pieces of butter or margarine and sprinkle with corn starch or flour
4. Heat milk until scalded (steaming but not boiling)
5. Pour over the potatoes and onions; ensure they are totally covered
6. Sprinkle with grated cheese
7. Bake in 350 F oven, on middle rack, for approximately 45 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden and puffy.