Big Game Appetizers

I love watching the SuperBowl. But some how every year, I never manage to watch it because I am cooking away in the kitchen. Well this year I was determined to watch the game--I especially love the commercials! So I had (key word here) my menu all planned out until I talked to the hubby about it. After I  gave him the run down of my menu he said "Sounds yummy. So who's coming over?" I was like "What do you mean? It's just going to be us two." Yeah, that didn't go over to well. He limited my menu down to just two appetizers and one dessert. What a party pooper! :)

So although I missed the first quarter of the big game because I was cooking away, I did sit comfortably with my spinach dip and beer battered onion rings in front of the TV for the second quarter. This spinach dip came out amazing and the onion rings were delicious. Thankfully I only made one onion instead of the two the recipe called for because that would have been way too much food. And to complete the spread, we made some yummy margaritas. It was perfect.

Then during the third quarter I served my famous ribs with roasted mini potatoes and a side salad. That's not too bad--I did make veggies! I will post this recipe soon. Enjoy!

p.s. my favorite commercial during the big game was the M&Ms when he wiggled it! Too cute.

Hot Spinach Dip

Adapted by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

PAM non-stick spray

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bag of frozen spinach

1/2 cup 1% low fat milk

6 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese

5 dashes Worcestershire sauce

5 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco

3/4 cup shredded mozzarellaS

alt and ground pepper

Toasted bread, carrots or anything you want to dip

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook frozen spinach as directed and squeeze any access water out of it. Set the spinach aside. 

Then in a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic until lightly browned. Add spinach and mix well. Put this spinach mixture in a separate bowl and set aside. 

Then in the same pot over high heat, add milk. 

Then whisk in cream cheese until melted, this will only take a couple of minutes. 

Now mix in the spinach onion mixture to the milk mixture along with the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup cheese. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper. 

Pour into a baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top.

Bake until dip is bubbly and the cheese over the top has melted, about 5-10 minutes. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Adapted by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup Heineken or other beer

1 large egg

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)

1 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, separated into rings

Course salt

1 lemon

Directions:

Combine flour, salt, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. 

Whisk in buttermilk, beer, egg, and lemon zest, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°F and place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on middle rack of the oven.  You will be tossing batches of the onion rings onto this sheet to keep warm until finished. In a deep pot, preheat oil. Once oil is hot, dip a few slices of onion in batter, turning to coat and gently drop into oil. Cook, turning once until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer rings to paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Transfer onions to the baking sheet to keep warm. Repeat with remaining onions and adjust heat as needed to avoid burning onion rings. Serve with lemon wedges.