I Smell The Super Bowl Coming…..Part 1

Super Bowl weekend is coming right up, yikes it’s time to get our menus in order.There’s just something about game day food that is so much fun to prepare and even more fun to eat. My humble little CA kitchen was put into high gear yesterday afternoon with all the cookin’ I did. Ingredients were flying everywhere. You could have probably smelled the garlic a mile away from here, it was great.

No time for small talk, we’ve got quite a few recipes to digest here. All of the following would make terrific game day recipes, and the pictures speak for themselves…. hope y’all will enjoy. Go AZ Cards!! Don’t forget to enter Recipe Girl’s Superbowl Contest, I know I am! Click HERE for details.

Little Eggplant Parmesan Toasted Hoagies

½ Cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tablespoons water

½ Cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs, such as Progresso

½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese

12 ½ inch slices eggplant

1 Cup of your favorite pasta sauce

1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 Hoagie Rolls, cut and toasted under broiler

½ Cup mayonnaise

2 Cups fresh baby arugula leaves

1. Preheat oven’s broiler with rack 5-6 inches under heat. Place flour, salt and pepper into a shallow dish. Place eggs and water into another shallow dish. Place bread crumbs and parmesan into a third shallow dish. Dip eggplant into flour mixture, then egg, then press into crumbs until coated well with crumbs. Repeat this process until all have been coated.

2.Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat.In batches, place eggplants into hot oil and cook 1-2 minutes per side or until nicely browned.Transfer to a baking rack lined over a cookie sheet.Repeat this process until all eggplants have been browned.Place about 2 Tablespoons pasta sauce over each eggplant then top with pinches of shredded cheese.Broil for 2-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

3. Spread mayonnaise on cut sides of toasted rolls. Place arugula leaves over bottom half of rolls. Cut each eggplant in half and arrange over top of arugula. Close sandwiches and serve warm.

4 servings

Spinach Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

2 15 oz cans garbanzo beans, drained

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

6 cloves fresh garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

¼ Cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

6 Tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

4 Cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes, oil packed or softened

Pita Chips

1.Place beans, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese into a food processor.Process until well combined.While running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until well combined.

2.Place oil into a skillet over medium heat.Saute garlic for 1 minute then add in spinach and tomatoes.Cook until spinach is wilted down, about 3 minutes.

3. Pour hummus into a serving bowl then stir in spinach mixture. Serve with pita chips.

__________________________________

Peanut Butter Chocolate and Toffee Chip Cupcakes

Cupcake Batter

1 Butter or yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1 small package vanilla pudding mix

½ Cup sour cream

½ Cup water

½ Cup vegetable oil

¼ Cup creamy peanut butter

1 package chocolate chips

¾ Cup milk chocolate toffee bits

Ganache

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ Cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat cupcake batter ingredients until all are well combined, close to 2 minutes. Pour batter into paper lined cupcake cups, about ¾ way full. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Let cool.

2. Melt chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl until melted. Stir in heavy cream until shiny and smooth. Microwave for 15 additional seconds if needed for better spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cupcakes and serve.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes with Chunky Oreo Frosting

Cupcake batter

1 Butter or yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1 small package vanilla pudding mix

½ Cup sour cream

½ Cup water

½ Cup vegetable oil

16 oreos, crumbled up

1 Cup chocolate chips

Chunky Oreo Frosting

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 stick softened butter

3 Cups powdered sugar

6 oreo cookies, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat until all ingredients are well combined, close to 2 minutes. Pour batter into paper lined cupcake cups, about ¾ way full. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Let cool.

2. Place cream cheese and butter into mixer and beat until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar until desired consistency. Stir in oreo cookie crumbles and spread over cupcakes.

My test tasters gave both cupcakes 2 big thumbs up! Don’t go too far, part 2 of my Super Bowl recipes is coming just around the corner…. see you soon!

ps: Thanks to all of you who voted Picky Palate best family/kids food blog with Well Fed Network…..we won, I have the best readers!!