Many (Silly) Faces

It's been too long since I took photos of the kids and not birds on the deck. Honestly, I think the kids are moving faster than the birds.

Super Bowl Snacks

Here are some of my favorite halftime snacks...these are the ones that people ask for over and over because they're fast and easy. Enjoy.


Superbowl Giants Wings

Wing portions, fried crispy
¾ cup Red Hot sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
¼ cup bottled bbq sauce
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp. butter
Black pepper & Tabasco to taste
1/4 cup minced canned pineapple (optional)

Mix together in large bowl with lid and microwave one minute or until butter melts.

Toss fried wing sections with sauce in bowl with lid. Serve on platter with celery, carrots and blue cheese dressing.


Halftime Quesadillas

1 large onion, sliced thin
2 large sweet red peppers, sliced thin
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp oregano
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
3 pinches of cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. olive oil
(2 cups shredded cooked well-seasoned chicken, optional)

8 large flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped jarred jalapenos (optional)

In large nonstick sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove to platter. Add 1 Tbsp.olive oil to same pan then add mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one minute more. Add peppers/onions back to the pan and add remaining ingredients (except tortillas, cheese, jalapenos). Taste to check seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes more.

Assemble quesadillas: Place one tortilla on work surface, add ¼ cup cheese, top with nearly ½ cup peppers/onions mixture, sprinkle with jalapenos, then ¼ cup more cheese. Top with another tortilla. Repeat for remaining ingredients. (If using shredded chicken, add some to each.)

Quesadillas may be wrapped tightly and refrigerated overnight at this point.
To heat quesadillas: Heat nonstick pan with 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Carefully place assembled quesadilla to pan. Heat 3 minutes per side or until lightly brown. Flip and repeat until cheese melts. Cut into triangles and serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.


Chicken Satay

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in 1" x 1/4" x 3" long pieces

Marinade:
6 Tbsp soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 inch-piece ginger

Sauce:
4 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 cup water

Cut pieces into cubes, mix marinade ingredients and refrigerate 2-6 hours.

After marinating chicken, put peanut butter with water in small saucepan. Strain and reserve chicken marinade. Add reserved marinade to the peanut butter mixture. Cook over medium until sauce is glossy, about 5-8 minutes.

Grill skewered or pan-fry chicken until brown and cooked through. Serve with sauce.