You can take the girl outta the Midwest...

but you can't take the Midwest cooking style out of the girl.  That was blatantly evident at my Super Bowl party last Sunday.  Just to set the stage a bit, let me remind you that I really like football and I really like food.  I particularly enjoy an opportunity to combine them both.  In the past this has led to endevors such as this:

Super Bowl '09 Cardinals v Steelers
Created with the lovely and talented Alison Clark

This year I decided that instead of focusing my efforts on one awesome dish, I would create many dishes, all with an ample aura of awesomeness...

Soooooo I may have gotten super excited and over-cooked for my party... oops?  It wouldn't have been such a bad thing except for the fact that everything I cooked was laden with cheese, carbs and spicyness; definitely not anything you could or should eat for a week straight.  Paula Dean chooses butter, I choose cheese.  Note for the future: people in California have more dietary preferences and healthier eating habits than people in the Midwest.  Again, not such a bad thing except for the fact that it left me with nearly 2 lbs of mac and cheese...

So let's recap.  I'm going to assume that everyone knows how the Super Bowl turned out and knows the major game highlights.  I'm also going to assume that if you don't know, you probably don't care.  Thus, all I will say about the game it that it was watched at my house on my new TV.  The patio bar was stocked with fun beverages and a great time was had by myself and my lovely friends, both new and old, who also helped contribute to the buffet with delicious (and healthier) dishes like salmon and fresh guac.

My ridiculously unhealthy and fairly monochromatic spread was as follows:

Buffalo Chicken Tartlets

Seacrest Sausage Balls
(sigh, don't ask.  The name in Kendall's fault...)

Beer-battered Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Mom's Taco Dip
(Sorry, I forgot to take a pic.  This is an old pic from a
tailgating attempt at Northwestern Game.  It usually looks better...) 

All of these tasty delights (save for the taco dip, that's a Sale family secret) can be recreated in your own kitchen with the ridiculously easy steps enclosed below. Note: I don't measure, I'm sorry.  I'll try to do my best to give amounts when I can but when in doubt, just start adding a little and then adding more to taste.


Buffalo Chicken Tartlets
You will need: Pillsbury Biscuit Dough (1 roll, unless you want to make lots!), Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Dip

Usually I like to buy the dip at the store to make this really easy.  They didn't have any so I had to make it.  Obtain buffalo chicken wings.  Shred and chop the meat and mix with sour cream and blue cheese crumbles. Add more hot sauce, the sour cream will take away from the heat and flavor of the wings.

Cut the biscuits into pieces and smash into the bottom of an un-greased mini muffin pan.  It should cover the bottom and start to go up the side.  Use your thumb to shape them.  If I get the mini biscuits with 10 in a roll, I cut them into 4 pieces.  If I get Grands with 8 in a roll, I cut them into 8 pieces, but this is a bit small.  I prefer to work with the roll of 10.

Spoon dollops of the dip into the biscuit dough.

Top with cheese and bake at 350 for 10 min

Let cool and use a spoon to free from the pan.  Enjoy!  NOTE: Fill these with what ever you want!  Soo easy and good; get creative!


Beer-Battered Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese  (I cut what I did in half for you all!)

You will need: 1-16oz box of noodles (your choice I used gemelli), 2 jalapenos, garlic, olive oil, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup flour, 1 bottle of beer (you will use some and drink some), milk, 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (1/4 of a 16 oz block), 4 oz pepper jack cheese (1/4 of a 16oz block), 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 a block).

Slice and seed the jalapenos.   Arrange them on foil and season will olive oil and garlic.  Then fold the foil to seal and bake at 400 for 20-30 min.

Dice the jalapenos and set aside.

 Cook the pasta and drain.  Set aside.  You could do this while the jalapenos are roasting in the oven.





Alright, the super fun part.  Melt the butter in the bottom of the pan you cooked the pasta in.  When melted and simmering (not burning) whisk in the flour a little at a time.  This should form a paste.  Thin by slowly adding in equal parts of milk and beer while whisking.  I probably used about 1/2 a bottle of Spotted Cow (amber-ish ale).  I would add some beer, whisk, add some milk, whisk and so on until a thin sauce forms.

 Whisk in jalapenos and the cheese bit by bit.  Cut in the cream cheese and make sure the other cheeses are shredded.  It might be ok to use about half the amount of cream cheese, I think I dulled the flavor too much.  Taste and make sure you like.  You can always add hot sauce or more cheese to taste.  If it gets too thick, thin with milk and/or beer.

 Fold the noodles into the sauce and voila!  When serving, top with bread crumbs and if you like some extra shredded cheddar and/or hot sauce.

Seacrest Sausage Balls
You will need: 1 lb of ground sausage, 1- 12oz pack of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups of Bisquick

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  I think it's easiest to use my hands.  Make sure the sausage is room temperature or it won't mix quite right.

Shape into balls with your hands and place 

them on an un-greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for 20 min.  Let cool for a bit and dig in.  Great for breakfast or a yummy snack!

Ugg.  I feel fat just from typing all of that.  One more thing I should have mentioned, if you are going to make all of these together, make sure you have a good workout plan in place first.  Oy.