Hot Cheezy Things Redux

Comfort Me With Football
I have to say I am looking forward to the Super Bowl this weekend, which isn’t new. I generally like to watch the game and the commercials. I really don’t have a team I am rooting for—my husband is a Patriots fan, though. Frankly, I am simply looking at the Super Bowl as a few hours of suspended reality. I think we all could use the break…

The good news about suspended reality? Calories don’t count. And, football means foods that would otherwise be a no-no in larger quantities, foods like sausage, beef, cheese, gooey desserts, etc. You get the idea. I’ve prepared a lot of different foods for Super Bowl, from chili and cornbread, to pulled pork, or grilled brats.

So, I am still working on the menu for the weekend. We will be attending a crab feed the night before, so crab’s out. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I am kinda Mexican food-ed out. (I know, is it even possible?!?)

Maybe it’s time for some Oriental Barbecued Ribs, if only as a teaser for the warmer, dryer weather?

Or maybe I’ll just drown myself in fat and cheese with our favorite Hot Cheezy Things. I originally posted this recipe in 2012, but it bears repeating. Every time I whip some up, people go crazy for them. And they are perfect for football.

Hot Cheezy Things
Yep. That’s what we call them. One of our favorite snacks while watching football! I watched my Mom make these as a kid, but I don’t have an actual recipe. I just wing it. You really can’t screw them up, though. I mean it’s cheese and mayo. What could go wrong? Feel free to add cheeses or change the type of cheese you use.
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Andouille Mac & Cheese

Gridiron Grindage

Over the weekend, the angels were singing, the flowers were in bloom, the stars aligned, and everything was right in the world…College Football returned!

For most of you, this is a non-event. For us at Piedmont Grocery, it’s kind of a big deal. For the next 4-5 months (depending on who makes the playoffs) the trash talking and marching song playing will provide a much needed distraction from our daily lives.

For those customers who have experienced the store in the Fall at 9 AM on Mondays, you will know what I mean. You never know which fight song you might hear. It could be Fight for California…though that’s pretty rare. And I make sure that Mighty Oregon gets it fair playtime. It’s a fun tradition—though there are a couple of songs that should be retired…USC’s Fight On for one.

The fun is not limited to the store. My family is pretty Cookoo for Cocoa Puffs about college football. In fact, we gathered at my sister’s over the weekend, dressed in our finest maroon and gold, to watch Dad’s Trojans play Alabama. (Well, some of us. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I almost broke out in hives.) And I, of course, was wearing my green.

No matter what color we were wearing, all of us agreed that the football food we ate was fantastic. I brought a mac n’ cheese recipe, Andouille Mac & Cheese, that I had been dying to try, and it was soooo good. Definitely not diet but perfect for a tailgate or game day buffet.

Andouille Mac & Cheese
Adapted from Food & Wine
Serves 4
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Spinach Stuffed Shells with Two Sauces

Deep Freeze

Things have taken a turn for the worse. I try hard to make sure my family is eating real food on a daily basis, but last week was a failure of epic proportions. My sister was in a similar situation.

This is why I found myself in her kitchen on Saturday, preparing numerous dishes for us to split between us, and store in our freezers for future use.

This is a big step for me. I have a love-hate relationship with my freezer. I like the idea of having things on hand to thaw for easy use. In practice, I end up with a lot of freezer burned meats. I figure it’s better to have ready-made meals in need of re-warming.

I gotta say I’m pretty excited. More excited for some things than others… (Like the white chicken chili that is a favorite of my Nephew’s. We’ll have that tomorrow night with cornbread.)

The recipe I’m most excited about is Spinach Stuffed Shells with Two Sauces.

Nothing better after a long hard day than a comforting plate of cheesy, pasta goodness. Pull it out the night before to thaw in the fridge, and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Pair it with a salad and badda bing badda boom…you got yourself a lovely dinner without breaking a sweat. Can I get an Amen?

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Two Sauces
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman
For variations on this theme, you can replace the shells with Manicotti, and also use just one sauce.
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Prosciutto Wrapped Figs And Blue Cheese

Headin’ For the Hills
Every year, for the last thirty years, my family and some of our dearest and closest friends gather at Tahoe for the first two weeks in August. The amazing thing about it, besides the amount of space we take up on the deck at Garwoods, is that the third generation of these families is now carrying on the tradition. We may not see much of each other during the rest of the year, but we all make sure we’re there in August.

During those two weeks we raft down the river, hike, jet ski, go out to dinner, and hang out on the beach catching up and gossiping. As the years go by the little kids become big kids, and the big kids get married, and add more kids ensuring the tradition continues.

One of the best parts is our End of the Summer Beach Barbeque, which happens on the last Saturday. We stay on the beach all day, play red rover, and watch the sun go down over the lake while munching on the grilled sausages and various other tidbits that everyone brings. One of my family’s favorite’s is below. Try them. They’re so good. See you in a week. I’m headin’ to the lake… Read more…