Crispy Mini Jalapeno Popper Egg Rolls

As if a classic case of the Mondays wasn’t hard enough to to beat already, it’s also rainy. And it’s supposed to be rainy for most of the week. Talk about a lack-luster start to the week. But I’m not letting that stop me from bringing you this snack recipe.

I know, I know, such dedication. I mean it, I’m putting off my nap for it 😉 I kid, kinda.

These are everything you love about jalapeño poppers, but cleverly tucked into a mini fried egg roll shell. Talk about having a surprise hidden inside!

They’re creamy, they’re cheesy, bacony, and spicy with just the right amount of crunch. These are great party appetizers, and they’re also great grub for game day.

Crispy Jalapeno Popper Egg Rolls

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 green onions, finely sliced
1 package wonton wrappers
canola oil, for frying

Directions

1. In a large skillet or medium-large pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees.
   2. Stir together the cream cheese, cheddar, jalapeño peppers, garlic powder and green onions until evenly combined.
   3. Place each wonton wrapper diagonally (like a diamond) and add 1 tablespoon of filling. Brush a little bit of water on the edge of the wrapper and fold in half pinching to seal. Fold the sides in and roll the egg roll ensuring it is completely sealed.
   4. Drop each egg roll into the hot oil for about 3 minutes, or until brown and crispy.
   5. Remove the fried eggrolls to paper towels to drain. Let them rest about 5 minutes before serving.

recipe adapted from Spend With Pennies

Like this idea? Be sure to check out these other fun egg roll ideas!

Crispy Homemade Egg Rolls with Sesame Ginger Dipping Sauce

Mac & Cheese Egg Rolls with Ham or Bacon

Southwestern Egg Roll Dip with Crispy Wonton Chips

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Chipotle Cheddar Turkey Wraps

Where are all my fellow football fans at?

<Fist Bump>

Now, I freely admit, while I love the game and can in fact follow along and all the rest, my favorite party about game day is the food. Hey, there’s no shame in my game 😉

And who doesn’t love a good excuse to make an entire meal out of appetizers, assorted snack foods, and chips and dip?

I love serving wraps because they’re simple to assemble and easy to throw together a the last minute. Like under 5 minutes quick. Who wants to be stressed out on game day? Or make that any more stressed out if your team didn’t bring it that day.

This wrap though has, most definitely, brought it. It’s bursting at the seams with flavor. The creamy (& healthy–shh don’t tell the guys) avocado yogurt sauce pairs perfectly with the tang from the sharp cheddar. They’re rounded out with the addition of some of your favorite sliced turkey and tomatoes. Then we’ve sprinkled on some cilantro leaves and a pinch of Chipotle seasoning for the perfect amount of fresh color and kick.

Chipotle Cheddar Turkey Wraps

2 large flour tortillas, burrito size
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
8 thin slices of cheddar cheese, softened to room temp
1/2-1 tsp chipotle seasoning, or more (to taste) if you’re feeling adventurous
1/2 cup of your favorite chopped tomatoes; Rotel, diced Roma, or even sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems discarded, chopped

Directions

1. Place the tortillas onto a clean, flat work surface, such as a cutting board or counter top.
   2. In a small bowl, combine the avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, using a fork to mash everything together until evenly incorporated into a thick sauce.
   3. Spread the sauce out evenly, dividing it in half between both wraps, and remembering to leave a 1/4″ bare edge all the way around.
   4. Add the cheese slices (about 4 slices per wrap depending on the size) in an even, flat layer. It’s ok if you need to break the cheese in places to get it to properly cover the whole wrap.
   5. Evenly sprinkle each wrap with 1/2 the desired amount of chipotle seasoning.
   6. Evenly sprinkle each wrap with 1/4 cup of tomatoes.
   7. Evenly sprinkle each wrap with 1/4 cup of the fresh cilantro.
   8. Roll each wrap up tightly and position so that the seam side is facing down. Set the rolled wraps onto a plate and chill in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.
2. 9. Using a serrated knife, slice each wrap into 1-inch slices and serve them immediately to a hungry crowd.

‘Knock Your Socks Off’ Tailgate Burgers

Rich, Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Pepper Jack Cheese. Juicy Hamburger. Soft, Fresh Pretzel Bun.

Are you drooling yet? It’s ok, your secret’s safe with me. These burgers, with their amazing mushroom awesome-sauce deserve nothing less. It’s the highest compliment this recipe could hope to achieve. That and plates licked clean. Just one bite, and you’ll see. And trust me, these will definitely ‘knock your socks off!’

Seriously, what more could you want in a burger? This is totally indulgent and just screams ‘GAME DAY’ or ‘dude’ food. Just be careful not to indulge in them too often, or they might just ruin a burger for you if it’s served up any other way.

‘Knock Your Socks Off’ Tailgate Burgers

 

1 lb ground beef
6 full-size of 12 mini pretzel rolls
6 slices pepper jack cheese, cut in half to make 12 pieces if using slider-sized buns
mayonnaise to spread over the inside of the rolls

Mushroom sauce
8 oz thinly sliced mushrooms
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp minced garlic or 4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup diced white onion
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream, or half and half
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water, mixed together

Topping
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Divide the ground beef into 6 patties, or 12 small patties if using rolls instead of buns. In a large skillet or dutch oven, cook the patties until browned on both sides and cooked completely through. After they’re cooked, set them aside, and discard excess grease.
   2. In the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add in the mushrooms and garlic, and sauté until the mushrooms are tender. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, cream, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, and then stir in the cornstarch mixture. Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and set it aside.
   3. Slice open the pretzel buns and spread some mayo over the top and bottoms of each bun. Place the cooked patties on the bottom of bun and add the pepper jack cheese on top. Spoon a generous amount of the mushroom sauce over the top of each patty and replace the top of the bun. Put the assembled burger in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Melt the 1/2 cup of butter for the topping and stir in the poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon the melted butter over the top of the sliders. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

recipe adapted from Knock Your Socks Off Tailgate Sliders

Crab Rangoon Dip with Wonton Chips

No takeout order would be complete without a side of our favorite Chinese appetizer, Crab Rangoon. But I’m not always feeling fancy enough to spend the time to stuff and fold and seal an actual batch of the . So it really helps when I can scratch that itch by whipping up those same tastes into an easy, creamy, crabby dip instead.

Love a good hot crab dip? well moms recipe needs to move on over and make some room I. The recipe binder. Here’s the hot crab dip of 2015.

And to up the ante, and to pay homage to the appetizer we love so much, this is ingeniously paired with wonton ‘chips’ instead of a freshly sliced baguette. But, if good bread is all you’ve got, by all means tear off a hunk and dig, or is it dip?, in!

Crab Rangoon Dip with Wonton Chips

8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cans (6 oz) crab meat, drained, or the equivalent of imitation crab meat
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Wonton Chips
1 package wonton wrappers
cooking spray

Directions

1. Cut wontons in diagonally, and then cut again so you have 4 triangles from each wrapper. Spray with cooking spray and spread chips on a pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees 7-8 minutes or until brown and crispy, set aside.
3. Combine all dip ingredients in a casserole dish reserving ½ cup mozzarella cheese for topping.
4. Top with remaining cheese. Bake, again at 350 degrees, for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with the wonton chips.

Ooey, Gooey Cheesy Meatballs

So you wanna know how we know school’s almost out for summer around these parts? When Mom makes two batches of Jello pudding pops for you to have for breakfast, that’s how! In my defense though, they do have milk in them (an essential part of any breakfast. am I right??) and they are sugar free (because I both like and pity their teachers). I’ll currently be accepting ‘Mom of the Year’ award nominations. Breakfast isn’t the only thing we slack at when the school year draws to a close. There’s too much to do, and too many hours in the day to waste slaving away in the kitchen every night.  Helllooo snack suppers!

Usually these involve several plates on the table featuring various crackers, nuts, cheeses, veggies, and some oh-so-yummy dips. BUT … There are nights when snack suppers mean totally yummy, not necessarily good for you, we just needed an excuse to eat this and call it a meal, things. I’m pretty sure these meatballs speak for themselves. They’re ooey. They’re gooey. They’re cheesy. And they are friggin delicious!!

Ooey, Gooey Cheesy Meatballs

1 slice bread
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, grated
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil; then lightly coat the foil with nonstick spray. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the bread until they resemble crumbs.
2. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and toast until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine the toasted bread crumbs and milk; let stand until all of the milk is absorbed.
4. In a large bowl, add the breadcrumb mixture, ground beef, grated onion, sour cream, egg, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined.
5. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on onto prepared baking sheet.
6. Drizzle a small amount of mayonnaise on each meatball. (A squeeze bottle or Ziploc bag is perfect for this.)
7. In a small bowl, combine the mozzarella and Parmesan. Sprinkle each meatball with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture.
8. Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Broil for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until the cheese has crisped up.

recipe originally from Damn Delicious

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

How often does it happen that you can just throw a few things together and have someone else do all the work for you? Who am I kidding? That never happens in the real world. Except in the kitchen it totally can. With your crockpot. And it’s glorious!

Let your crockpot take over and do the all day work of slow simmering a beef chuck roast in beef broth, onion soup, and red wine. Talk about some tasty ‘broth’! Your house is gonna smell oh-so yummy. It’s gonna have mouth’s watering with one whiff, and you may or may not have a neighbor stop by, being drawn in by the scent and all. Good thing this meal makes plenty 🙂

 

Your favorite rolls, toasted and then topped with sliced provolone before being piled high with tender roast beef, dipped in au jus gravy before a bite that’s pure bliss. I seriously suggest making sure you’ve got individual serving bowls for the au jus though. Thankfully, I have enough ramekins for everybody to have their own personal bowl of au jus gravy. Because dip it, dip it, dip it. It’s a must. For every bite. Double dip, shmouble dip. Just make sure you have plenty of napkins handy.

Crockpot French Dip

beef chuck roast, about 3 1/2 lbs
16 oz beef broth, or about 1 1/2 cans
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed French onion soup
6 oz red wine
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls, or other sandwich rolls of your choosing
8-12 slices provolone cheese

Directions

1. Trim any excess fat off of the roast, and liberally season the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the broth, soup, wine, and garlic powder into the crock pot before sitting the roast in the crock pot in the liquid.
3. Cook the roast on low for 6-8 hours, until it’s falling apart tender.
4. Carefully remove the cooked beef from the crock pot to a plate or other serving platter. Loosely cover it with aluminum foil and allow it to ‘rest’ for about 15 minutes.
5. Roughly ‘slice’ the beef or use two forks to shred the meat, then return the beef to the crock pot and let it finish cooking on low for another 30 minutes.
6. Lightly toast the rolls, and distribute the cheese between the rolls. I like to use two slices per sandwich. Top with cooked beef. Spoon the au jus gravy* into ramekins or other small bowls, and serve everything nice and warm.

* If you’re worried about excess fat in your au jus gravy, just transfer the broth from the crock pot into a large measuring cup or bowl and let stand for about 5 minutes, or until the fat separates. Skim the fat off the top, and then pour it into individual serving dishes.

Baked Chili Lime Nacho Mozzarella Sticks

These make a perfect appetizer or (in the sons case) an after school pick me up. They have an awesome chip-like exterior courtesy of the baked egg roll wrappers, and they’re oozing, gooey, melted mozzarella from their middles. Thought nachos couldn’t get any better? Did you think a plain, fried mozzarella stick was where it was at? This fun, easy hybrid is going to take your tastes buds to a whole new world of flavor.

Chili Lime Nacho Mozzarella Sticks

 

recipe originally from Carl’s Bad Cravings

24 mozzarella sticks
24 egg roll wrappers
1/4 cup water (you won’t use it all)

Chili Lime Olive Oil

1 tbsp lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Directions

1. Freeze unwrapped mozzarella sticks for 90 minutes.
2. Whisk together the Chili Lime Olive Oil ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Working with one at a time, place a mozzarella stick diagonally in the bottom third of the egg roll wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up tightly over the cheese, then proceed to roll the up the cheese, folding in the edges of the wrapper as you roll. You want the edges to be tightly sealed so the cheese doesn’t spill out when cooked. Take care not to tear the wrapper. If you’re confused, no worries! The egg roll wrapper packaging should have pictures demonstrating the steps in order.
4. Place the wrapped mozzarella sticks on a baking rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush wrapped mozzarella sticks with the Chili Lime Olive Oil, stirring to make sure you get the spices that have settled. Note that the mixture will thicken as flour from the wrappers deposits into the oil.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until golden, then flip mozzarella sticks and continue to broil until other side is golden.
6. Serve with your favorite salsa and enjoy!

Baked Bacon Cheeseburger Eggrolls

You guys are probably looking at these thinking, how did she dream up the combination of putting bacon cheeseburgers and egg rolls together? Well, its simple really. Egg rolls are good. Bacon cheeseburgers are good. Together they’d have to be double good, right!? Even better? Because these are baked, not fried, in moderation you can enjoy them without all the guilt one may, or may not, associate with enjoying one or more of their fried friends. While these egg rolls may seem more like a snack, they are so hearty they make a wonderful dinner as well. They were so incredibly good, they tasted just like the real thing, without all the traditional fat and calories. They are so simple to prepare as well, let the kids help and earn their keep. I mean…spend valuable time bonding with you in the kitchen!

The American version of the classic Chinese eggroll is a perfect quick & easy recipe for a busy weeknight, or an awesome party or game day appetizer.

Baked Bacon Cheeseburger Eggrolls

recipe adapted from Spend With Pennies

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 1 /2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
20 egg roll wrappers (mine were 5″x5″)
cooking spray or olive oil

Directions

1. In a large pan, brown ground beef, bacon and onion until cooked. Drain any grease.
2. Add ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Lay each egg roll wrapper out with a corner pointing towards you. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese and 1 1/2 tablespoons beef filling in the center of each wrapper. Fold in the sides and roll the wrapper tightly. Use a dab of water to secure the tip of the wrapper. (If you don’t know how to roll an egg roll it usually shows on the package).m Place the wrapped eggrolls on a baking sheet.
4. Lightly spray the outsides of the egg rolls with cooking spray OR brush on a light coating of olive oil.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
6. Serve hot with ketchup & mustard.

Sous Chef Sunday: Chicken & Waffle Sliders

Mmm. Chicken, and waffles. Two seemingly unrelated things, but when put together make a food-gasmic combination. The sons, yet again, were skeptical. Four identical sets of little arched eye-brows as I got out just 3 ingredients. When, oh when, will they learn to trust me in the kitchen?! The sons followed the super simple recipe all by themselves, although with supervision since they were using the oven. The older sons can handle it, but Son # 4 gets so excited to be involved in the process, I worry he might forget hot things lead to burned fingers. Each son, in turn, took one tentative bite, and then proceeded to scarf them down. They looked like squirrels packing away food for winter. There was even a brief skirmish over the last two and who deserved them MOST. A chicken and waffle combo may have sounded weird to the more traditional tastes of the Sons, but they all agreed UNANIMOUSLY (might I point out this almost never happens!), that these little suckers are finger-lickin’ good.

Chicken & Waffle Sliders

frozen mini waffles, fully toasted
chicken tenders, cooked
{real} maple syrup
toothpicks

Directions

1. Slice your cooked chicken tenders in half. Break your toasted waffles apart.
2. Sandwich one piece of chicken between two cooked waffles. Secure with a toothpick.
3. When all the tenders have been ‘sandwiched’, drizzle them with maple syrup and serve warm.

Dill Pickle Chips

It’s that time again! Super Bowl Sunday is almost hear. The excitement in my house is palpable. Not only do the sons look forward to a good game, but they can’t wait to see what eats & treats Mom will make. I look forward to the commercials, they look forward to the food. A family favorite for game day, or really any gathering we have, is homemade dill pickle chips. I’ve never gone wrong serving them at a get-together whether it’s for a group of men sporting jerseys, high-fiving & belly-bumping in between plays, or even relatives visiting from out of town. My father loves these so much it’s the only thing he actually requests as part of his Father’s Day dinner. Best of all, these are sooo much cheaper than ordering them from a restaurant or buying them in the frozen food section and they taste better than both other options, too.

Dill Pickle Chips

recipe originally from Paula Deen

1 24 oz jar Kosher dill pickle slices
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
peanut oil, for frying
2 cups Fry Mix (recipe listed below)

Fry Mix

6 cups self-rising flour, or 6 cups all purpose flour + 3 tbsp baking powder + 1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup self-rising cornmeal, or 3/4 cup & 3 tbsp white cornmeal + 1 tbsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Add Fry Mix ingredients to a large bowl and stir until evenly combined.

Directions

1. Drain the juice from the pickle jar and refill the jar with the garlic powder, hot sauce, and buttermilk. Marinate the pickles for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a large pot or fryer over medium-high heat, heat the oil to 350 degrees. Drain the pickles. Put the fry mix in a large mixing bowl, and toss the pickles to coat thoroughly. Shake off the excess mix by tossing lightly in a strainer and deep fry the pickles in small batches for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. When golden brown, remove the pickles from the oil with a clean strainer or slotted metal spoon and place on paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Serve immediately.