Ja cię kocham…

I love game days.  Saturday for the first time in…oh let’s see… 4 or 5 years, I put on my shin guards, picked up my old stick and stick bag and played some field hockey.  It felt so good to be a part of a team again, and I look forward to playing more and more.  (I just need to get back into shape before I REALLY enjoy it!)

I also love game days at home.  Jay had the picture-in-picture (PIP) on our television so we could watch two football games simultaneously.  Most of this multi-game interest can be attributed to a fantasy football league that someone is participating in addition to our Philadelphia Phillies who were ALSO playing at the same time.  Busy day!  A busy day of sports calls for game day snacks!

One of the snacks that I prepared for my darling sports-junkie husband was this hot and cheesy bean dip.  In 10 minutes I had it on the table with tortilla scoops.  The dip was so amazingly good that I wish that I had made more because between Jay, my sister, and myself, the bowl was completely polished clean!

Next time you have friends over to watch a game, whip up this dip.  It will be a crowd favorite, guaranteed.

Hot & Cheesy Bean Dip

Source: Annie’s Eats

Serves: 6 (or three piggies like the ones in my household!)

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
½ onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 (14.5 oz) can refried beans
2 Tbs. sour cream
¼ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, in ½-inch cubes
1/3 cup pepper jack cheese, in ½-inch cubes

Directions:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and jalapeno, and sauté until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the refried beans and cook until smooth, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook until the cheese is melted.  Transfer to a bowl and serve hot.

Jay tells me that I’m a facebook addict.  Apparently I completely zone out and do not hear anything anyone is saying while I’m surfing my friends’ pages.   Sorry, honey.  You know I love you anyway.

Here are some perks to succumbing to online social pages:

1. You find out that dear friends from preschool and elementary school live a quarter mile down the road.  (Hi Christina!)
2. You don’t feel so lonely on lazy Saturday nights because you find out that there are other people staying home, too.
3. You can send out invitations to parties without having to spend a dime.  A simple mass message on FB does the trick… AND it keeps track of who’s coming and who isn’t.
4. People post food that they are making allowing you to be nosey and ask for their recipe.

This leads me to my friend Molly.  I have known Molly since elementary school.  (I even have our 4th grade class picture from Mrs. High’s class…hehehe.)  Well, yesterday on Facebook, she posted that she was making crab-stuffed mushrooms for a family picnic.  CRAB-STUFFED MUSHROOMS!  I immediately asked for the recipe because it just sounded so good.  What makes this recipe even better is how easy it is to make them!  In a matter of minutes, I have these adorable mushrooms on my table and a happy husband with delicious food while watching the Eagles game.

Thank you, Molly!  These are literally the best stuffed mushrooms I have ever had.

Molly’s Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves 6

Source: My childhood friend, Molly

Ingredients:

24 baby portobella mushrooms, stems removed, and cleaned with a damp paper towel
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
6-8 oz. lump crab meat (sift through it with your fingers to make sure there aren’t any shells)
1 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. +1 tsp. fresh parsley or dill, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional)
mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place mushrooms on sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the cream cheese, crab, parmesan, 1 Tbs. dill/parsley, garlic powder, salt/pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Put a generous amount of cream cheese mixture into the cavity of each mushroom.  Add a dash of cayenne pepper and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the mushrooms are hot and water starts to appear on the baking sheet underneath the mushrooms.  Garnish with dill/parsley.  Serve immediately.

Ah yes, you put the lime in the coconut.  Go ahead.  Start singing away!  I won’t stop you!

When I came across this recipe title, I was sold.  Limes and coconuts are so refreshing… especially at the beach…. in the Caribbean… with crystal blue water and spectacular white sand… and a glorious breeze.  Ahhhhh….  pina colada anyone?  How about a margarita?  Now we’re talking!

This chicken is phenomenal.  The coconut milk and lime juice are perfect compliments to the curry, cumin, and coriander.  Although the title whisks me away to the tropics, the spices remind me of Indian fare, which I love!  Depending on your preference you can take it easy or go nuts with the cayenne pepper.  In this house, we like to walk on the wild side.  The chicken can marinate for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 2 hours.  Whatever fits your schedule.

Okay… back to singing… put the lime in the coconut...

Lime and Coconut Chicken

Source: Mildly Adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen/Fine Cooking, Winter 2006

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp oil
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
pinch cayenne
1 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh limes, cut into wedges
*I added shredded coconut as a garnish

Directions:

Starting on thick side of the breasts slice the chicken breasts almost in half, then open.

Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, wax paper or inside a large, open, Ziploc bag.  Using a small heavy pan, bottle or smooth meat mallet lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.

Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and limes.  Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl or ziploc bag and chill in the refrigerator for up to two hours.

Remove each breast from the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.  Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn.

In a heavy skillet or grill pan, heat 1 Tbs. oil over high heat and cook the chicken in batches to prevent over crowding the pan.  Place the breasts in the hot pan and cook without turning for a couple minutes.  Flip the breasts over and cook until the other side is golden.

Place cooked breasts on a plate in a warm oven or under foil while cooking the remaining chicken. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice, shredded coconut and cilantro. Serve with sauce on the side.