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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Recipe Roundup - Snackalicious Super Dishes

Well, it's that time of the year again...Superbowl 2008 is right around the corner. And even if your favorite team didn't make it, you can still celebrate the event and cook up some tasty food! This month's Recipe Round Up is hosted by Pensieve. Click on the graphic to learn more about it.

I'm including two of my all time favorite snacks and a bar cookie. I have baked and tried all three of these recipes and I promise you they are delicious! The Hot Artichoke and Spinach dip is really a crowd pleaser and any time I make it, I double the recipe because if I don't...well, pandemonium would ensue. It's that good.

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip
Delicious and easy - serve with breads or crackers.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan-romano cheese mix
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
10 ounces prepared alfredo sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces softened cream cheese
pepper (optional)


DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and spread mixture into a small baking dish - 8" x 8" works best.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheeses are bubbling and melted.
- Serve with chips or bread and enjoy.

(if you don't have jar alfredo sauce where you live or you want to use fresh ingredients - here is your substitute:
ALFREDO
Ingredients
4 Tb butter
1/2 C Heavy Cream
6 Tb Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Melt butter on low. Take off heat and add in cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Replace the pan and stir until the sauce is smooth, without letting it come to a boil.



Armadillo Balls
Bite-sized balls of sausage and cheese flavored dough hiding a surprise slice of jalapeno pepper.

INGREDIENTS:1 pound Cheddar cheese, grated
1 pound good quality pork sausage
2 cups baking mix (like Bisquick®)
1 jar (10 oz) jalapeno pepper slices
1 envelope Shake-n-Bake for pork (original)

DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the cheese and sausage until well blended.
- You really need to use your hands to do this well. Add the baking mix and mix well.
- Remove about 50 slices of jalapeno pepper from the jar, shake off the liquid and set on paper towels to absorb excess liquid.
- To form each Armadillo Ball, take a chunk of the dough mixture about the size of a whole walnut, maybe a little bigger.
- Pat it into a flat patty. Place a slice of jalapeno pepper in it.
- Fold up the edges around the pepper and seal well. Roll into a ball between your hands, pressing firmly.
- After all the balls have been formed, pour the Shake-n-Bake into a small bowl. Roll the balls in it and place on a cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake at 325 for 20 - 25 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels. These are good served hot, warm or room temperature.

Yield: about 50 balls.

To freeze: Freeze before baking by placing them on a cookie sheet and place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the balls are solid. Then pour into freezer bags for storage. Bake them frozen (they may take an additional 5 minutes).


Chocolate Chip Popcorn Bars
These tempting bars are like a cookie bar and a popcorn ball all rolled into one.
Makes: 36 bars

INGREDIENTS:

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
4 Nature Valley® oats 'n honey crunchy granola bars (2 pouches from 8.9-oz box), crushed*
Topping
3 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 bag (3.5 oz) Pop•Secret® butter-flavor microwave popcorn, popped
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 bag (10 oz) peanut butter chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir in crushed granola bars. Press evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan to form crust. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until puffed and edges are golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven; bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows begin to puff.
- Remove and discard unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. In 3-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, butter and peanut butter chips over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in popcorn (mixture will be thick). Spoon over marshmallows; spread evenly to just barely cover marshmallows. Cool 30 minutes.
- In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips on High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring once halfway through microwaving. Pour melted chocolate into quart-size resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off tiny bottom corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over bars. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.
*To easily crush granola bars, do not unwrap. Use rolling pin to crush bars.


For more Snackalicious Super Dishes and to see the rest of the participants for January's Recipe Round Up, head on over and visit Robin at Pensieve.

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12 comments:

Kimberly said...

I am so trying these out! Thank you! Post more recipes if you find any good ones! HUGS!

Chilihead said...

They look delicious, they sound delicious, but...I can't stop laughing at 'Armadillo Balls'. That is awesome.

"J" said...

These sounds YUMMY! You went all out!!!!

"J" said...

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I see you are from Texas too...me too! =)

I've added you to my blog list! I will be back!!! =)

I think this was a great way to bring people together from other blogs!!! I'm still new to the blog world...this is the first thing I've joined like this!

Anonymous said...

Karen...ME LIKEY!! THREE for the price of ONE!!!

Thanks for sharing such a wide variety, and yes ma'am, I cracked up at the Armadillo Balls, too. :)

This is getting more and more difficult for me; I'm going through the recipes in order...haven't had breakfast, now it's LUNCH time...and I might have to take a break soon.

Thank you, too, for spreading the word and for your enthusiasm.

Whenever I pull up your page, I can't help but smile :).

Bird Stalker Photography said...

they all sound wonderful! I can't wait to try them!


Thanks Very Much
Beverly

Sandy said...

I had armadillo eggs once at a little cafe in Bangs, TX. They were stuffed jalapenos! I've never eaten armadillo balls before, though!

Thanks for all the recipes. The dessert one looks like temptation on a plate.

theotherbear said...

I really like the sound of your hot dip. What could I use in place of prepared alfredo sauce, we don't have that sort of thing here!

ellen b. said...

Oh Karen these all look so yummy! I hope Dear gets home quick so we can go out to dinner cuz I'm getting really hungry looking at these recipes...

Anonymous said...

I am soooo coming to your house. Just kidding - it would be a little far from Philly! These are recipes worth printing. Thanks!

Joy T. said...

I feel a bit spoiled coming over here and seeing three recipes and I'm loving every minute of it! I will be printing out all three recipes.

Amy W said...

These look yummy!!