A Super Bowl Birthday

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week, you probably heard something about a little football game that took place Sunday evening. Okay, the biggest game of the year, and it was a good one. Everyone loves a comeback.

However, we all know that the Super Bowl isn't really just about football. No, it about the commercials and the FOOD. This year's big game happened to fall on my husband's birthday so I had to make some of his favorite treats. 

Guacamole. You can find my recipe here.

Homemade sub sandwiches.

Fried pickles. 

Actually, that was our son's request. They were frozen, but done in the air fryer, they came out nice a crisp.

But the one thing hubby really likes are jalapeno poppers. Not the battered and fried version, but bacon-wrapped and baked.

They're actually relatively easy to make, they just take a little bit of prep.

Start with fresh jalapenos. Cut off the tops, slice them in half, then remove the seeds and the ribs, which is where all the heat is. 

In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese with some shredded cheddar cheese. I only had six jalapenos, so I used one 8 oz brick of cream cheese and about 1/2 to 1 cup cheese.

Spoon cheese mixture into jalapeno halves, filing them without over-stuffing them.

Then wrap each half in half a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Place wrapped halves atop rack placed inside of a baking sheet to allow grease to drip away. I just use a cooling rack.

Bake in 275 degree oven for an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and half, until bacon is cooked. 

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

One side note here, be sure to wash your hands with a grease-cutting dish soap such as Dawn after cleaning out the jalapenos to remove the oils. Because I you rub your face or eyes without having done that, you will wish you had. Trust me on this.

Did you watch the big game? What were some of your favorite commercials? The Groundhog Day Jeep commercial with Bill Murray and Punxsutawney Phil had me laughing out loud. The one with Sofia Vergara was funny, too.

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Meatballs for the Masses

Tonight is our annual New Year's Eve bonfire, complete with fireworks, loads of fun, and, of course, food. Our four oldest grandsons are joining us for the festivities.

These photos should give you a little insight into their personalities. They are a wild and crazy bunch of guys. Throw our two sons into the mix and, well, those finger foods had better be man-pleasing. And what better way to tempt these fellas than with yummy meatballs.

The first time I had these meatballs was at a friend's graduation party when I was in high school and it was love at first bite. I promptly asked her mother for the recipe and have been making them ever since. Except I no longer make my own meatballs. Instead, I look for good-quality premade meatballs like these from Sam's.

I simply put the frozen meatballs into a CrockPot hours before I need them to be ready (Tip: Add a CrockPot liner first and cleanup will be much easier) then pour the sauce over them.

For your sauce, you will need a bottle of chili sauce (this is sold by the ketchup), 6-10 oz. grape jelly, and one teaspoon of lemon juice. I made a double recipe, hence the two bottles of chili sauce and the 18 oz. jar of grape jelly (I used all of it).

Simply put the jelly into a sauce pan. Add the chili sauce and heat over low heat until the jelly has melted and no lumps remain. I use a whisk to help break up any lumps. (My apologies for the blurry pictures)

Pour the sauce over the frozen meatballs.

Put the lid on, cook on high or low, depending on how much time you have, stirring occasionally. One of the easiest appetizers ever. And always a crowd-pleaser. 

So what are you doing this New Year's Eve? Are you going out or staying in? And what are you looking forward to most in 2020?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Potluck Love

I love potlucks. I mean, why limit yourself to just one entrée/side/dessert when you can sample a dozen different ones?

Last weekend we attended two potluck meals. So aside from getting to sample the dishes others brought, it gave me an opportunity to prepare some of my favorite recipes. You know, the ones you don't dare make unless you've got plenty of people to share them with, otherwise you're stuffing your face with those delicious leftovers for the rest of the week. And while that is enjoyable, things come to an abrupt end when you can no longer fasten your pants.

Our first potluck was a dinner. A farewell party for some good friends. And I knew I had to bring a pan of Chocolate Lasagna.

All that chocolatey goodness simply has to be shared.

This easy and oh, so tasty recipe can be found here.

I wanted something savory too take, as well. Something that was more of a party food. So I opted for Hot Hawaiian Beef Sandwiches. I saw the Pioneer Woman make these a long time ago. Now, I always make them for our Christmas lunch when I have lots of growing boys to feed. Don't be put off by the pepper jack cheese and small amount of hot sauce. Between the sweet rolls and cheese, any spice is more about flavor than heat. That recipe is available right here.

For our second potluck, which was after church, I knew I had to bring my favorite broccoli salad. 

This stuff is so addicting. And while it's not unhealthy, it does make a pretty good sized batch. Find out how to make it here.

Of course, no church potluck in Texas is complete without peach cobbler.

It's a quintessential favorite. And this recipe is my personal fave. You can find it here.

Yep, all that good eating made for one really good weekend.

Now it's your turn. What are some of your favorite potluck recipes?

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

Retro Recipes and Wedding Food

Jan here, with a trip down wedding memory lane.

Back in 1950, when my parents were married, no one in their families thought about hiring someone to provide food for the wedding reception. The extended family, or the church, or the neighbors, or anyone who was handy, pitched in. The menu would be simple: ham sandwiches on potato rolls, jello salads, a relish plate (carrot and celery sticks, some pickles, etc.), and a tasty cake made as a wedding gift by an aunt or cousin.

Then twenty-five years later, when my brother and sister-in-law were married, I was one of the many relatives making the sandwiches and putting together a fruit salad.

I broke the tradition. My husband and I actually had our reception tea catered (of course, we hired the company my husband was working for at the time!)

Fast forward to the next generation!

The current trend, at least in our family, is to have a reception menu that reflects the bride's and groom's favorites. You can read about our June 2016 wedding here.

But we have another wedding coming up.

IN FIVE DAYS!!!!!

This reception is going to be similar to our June wedding in that the menu boasts some favorite foods, but with a totally different flair!

Again, it's in the afternoon, so no meal. Instead we'll have nachos, chips, punch and hot cider. And for the wedding cake? Jacob's favorite: cheesecake.

Since the wedding isn't until Saturday, I'll have to share the nachos recipe with you another time. But don't despair! I do have a fun recipe for you!

Katie brought this to her first Christmas Eve Tea with our family last year, and Carrie made it for a Super Bowl Party, so I'm sharing it here. Kids who grew up in the '90's love this stuff!

Dunkin' Dip

Back when my children were in the in-between stage...you know the one...it's when they're old enough to be hungry ALL. THE. TIME., and yet young enough to enjoy fun food...they loved getting Dunkaroos at the grocery store for a rare treat.

In case you need a refresher, here's a link to the product on Walmart's website: Dunkaroos

This recipe (or a few like it) have been circulating on Pinterest. Here's Carrie's version:

ingredients:
vanilla cake mix
8 oz. tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup plain greek yogurt
sprinkles

Cookies for dipping: Teddy Grahams, Graham Crackers, Vanilla Wafers, Animal Crackers...whatever you like best.

(Did I mention this recipe is super easy???)

Mix the cake mix, whipped topping, and yogurt in a bowl until blended. Stir in sprinkles (as many as you like).

Serve with your choice of dipping crackers or cookies.

Didn't I tell you that was easy?

Let's talk about wedding food - Tell us about a unique food you've seen at a wedding reception!

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com

Snow, Sliders, and Songs

Hello, everybody! Mary Jane here with a tasty little sandwich that we had somewhere around New Year's Day. I was a little wary of the butter (won't it be soggy??) but it was delicious!

But first...

 All of our snow melted... and then it snowed AGAIN. Hooray!! Our governor declared it a state of emergency, but where we are it was simply lovely. A little icy. Nothing we couldn't handle!

 Our kittens love it!

 This kitty picture makes me laugh. Look at the kitten's SMILE!

 My seven year old is a gardener in training. His morning glories were blooming and I got a picture.

 Of course there was lots of sledding.

 Here they're acting like zombies... Notice the lack of sledding hill competition. Sometimes it pays to be home schooled!

This picture has no purpose. It just made me laugh so I included it.

 So, these tasty little baked sliders were quite a hit. (This one has a little lettuce added to it.)

 Aren't they adorable?

 So, first, some round dinner rolls. Potato rolls are fine. The tougher the better. I was afraid they'd be too tough to eat but the butter and the heat really softened them up.

 Inside, layer with salami, ham, a smear or mustard, and sliced prosciutto and mozzarella. (This is after baking. Nice and melty!)

 Some people add a little mayo to the inside but I figured the butter would be enough.

 Add to the pan (and here's the crazy part) add one whole stick of melted butter. Pour it all over. Then sprinkle the tops with chopped parsley.
                                                            
Bake at 350F until the cheese is melted, about 20-25 minutes. Don't worry that they're going to turn tough. The butter keeps them soft.

MMMM. These were such a huge hit! Definite party food!
And now for the Song portion... I've linked it there but I'm not sure if it will work. It says it will. Do we believe it?? Hmmmm.

In other news, I cracked the top 100 of ALL Amazon paid books! SO exciting. I was hoping to get to, say, 99, but my boxed set went all the way to #42, with over 4500 downloads. I had to celebrate... by going to bed early! LOL. I'm a party animal, what can I say?
In case you'd like to get the set while it's still available (only for a few more weeks), you can find Along the Cane River boxed set here. 

Until next time everyone! Keep warm and I hope you enjoy some delicious food this weekend. :)