Food Lush

Pepperoni Dip

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Tara

I think it would be impossible to pick a favorite post. I've been a fan of the Lush sites since long before I wrote for Food Lush. Since before Food Lush was around and I still got recipes from Style Lush! I think of myself as an adventurous cook, and that means that the Recipe Round-ups were probably the most-used of the posts over the years. My favorite post I wrote was my first: World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was so honored to become a part of the Lush team, and I shared the best recipe I had. I hope you enjoy those cookies as much as I always do! I might make some tomorrow! 

***

With Super Bowl Sunday fast approaching, I know what we're all thinking about: food, commercials and what Beyonce's going to wear! (Wait. You mean some people watch the football game? Weird.) Anyway! Here's a crowd-pleasing recipe for an appetizer dip. Easy and delicious!

Pepperoni Dip

Ingredients:
-1 can cream of celery soup
-2 8-oz bricks of cream cheese
-1 package of pepperoni
-crackers and/or bread torn into dippable chunks

Directions:
1. Add soup and cream cheese to smallish slow cooker.*
2. Cut pepperonis in half and add to cooker.
3. Let warm, stirring occasionally, until creamy and easy to dip stuff into.

*I'm positive this can be made in a regular pot on the stove, or even in the microwave, but in a slow cooker is easiest because then you can keep it warm after it's done (and also just dump everything in and then leave it while you do other things).

Easy Crock Pot Beer Brats

by Jess M

This time of year always has me yearning for some nice, heavy, delicious German food. And some nice, heavy, delicious German beer to go with it. So, with football on the TV (Baltimore Ravens!), I wanted something easy and fairly hands-off. I didn’t want to spend my Sunday standing over a pot frying schnitzel.

Last week we made Cook’s Country’s Slow-Cooker Beer Brats. The recipe is pretty simple and doesn’t require a whole lot of prep work. Onions and brats go in the crock pot with a simple mustard mixture and beer. At the end you remove the brats and heat up some sauerkraut. The Test Kitchen recommends you use a light-bodied American lager, but we used a heavier Marzen beer for fuller flavor.

After 4 hours on high, by halftime we were enjoying brats with sauerkraut and mustard and a side of soft pretzels.

(Photo from: Cook's Country)

Two Great Beers for Fall

by Elissa

Fall is a great season for beer-drinking: there's playoff baseball, the start of the football season, and the cooler temperatures put me in the mood for more substantial drinks. Here are a couple of beers that I think are a perfect fit for this time of year.

(photo from brooklynbrewery.com)

First is the Pennant Ale from Brooklyn Brewery. I don't think I've ever had a Brooklyn beer that I didn't enjoy, but this one might be my favorite. They describe it as a "honey-colored pale ale with a brisk malt palate and finely balanced hop character." It's not too dark, has plenty of flavor, and is the perfect thing to drink while cheering on the Washington Nationals (we are huge fans and can't wait to watch them in the playoffs).

(photo from dogfish.com)

Next is the Punkin Ale from Dogfish Head Brewery. I love pumpkin beer, but in my experience there is a lot of bad pumpkin beer out there. This one is just right, with a clean pumpkin flavor and spicy finish, but without being too sweet. Watch out though, at 7% alcohol this is stronger than your average beer. Because Dogfish Head comes from Delaware it's easy to find in DC, but as the brewery has grown so has their distribution, and I think it's pretty widely available across the country.

Do you have a favorite fall beer I should try out?

Make Your Own Artisan Ketchup

By Dani

Is anybody else tired of the ketchup/mustard/relish trio for backyard bar-be-ques? Especially if I've taken the time to buy some higher-quality sausages or make my own perfectly seasoned hamburger patties, it just seems like a shame to slather them with the same boring condiments every time.

At a favorite local restaurant of ours, they make an "artisan ketchup" and it's incredible. I decided to try experimenting with some new flavors to make my own, and I've been surprised by how easy it is to make the perfect condiment for our outside dinners.

Start with a base of tomato paste. I buy this by the case at Costco and put it in everything as a thickener and flavor-enhancer, so I always have some on-hand. However, if you don't have a "Costco closet" like yours truly, it's still pretty cheap at the regular grocery store.

You'll notice that tomato paste is super thick and gummy -- not exactly what you want on your burger, so you'll have to add liquid. If you like a more traditional ketchup flavor, often I use water, but it's fun to experiment with Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce or a combo of other liquid flavors.

Then add some dry spices. Dry orange peel is a great add, as is onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder or even some curry for some extra kick. Also, don't forget a healthy dose of sugar (brown adds a thick sweetness, white is a bit more of a shallow flavor, but brings out the tomato's sweetness) salt and pepper. (You can use fresh spices, but you'll have to use the ketchup much faster, lest they go bad in your mixture.)

If you prefer sweeter flavors, a bit of molasses and apple cider vinegar is also a good combo. I've been experimenting with some varieties, and one of my favorites is this:

• 1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of smoky paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• a healthy pinch each of brown sugar, salt and pepper

Keep your ketchup in a sealed container in the fridge and it will stay good for a least a month. I like having a few varieties on hand and breaking them out for casual outdoor meals -- adds a little gourmet sass to a simple dinner.

Just in case you're unconvinced, I decided to make the blogging version of a late-night infomercial, just to convince you. Behold:

A Super Bowl of Chili

By Nora

Get it? Because it's Superbowl weekend and chili is one of the preferred foods for serving during the big game? GET IT? 

Besides the clever word play, there is also some irony to this post. Because the recipe i'm about to share with you, which I declare is the best! chili! recipe! i've ever tasted, is from a Weight Watchers cookbook. And, we don't tend to concentrate on calorie intake during this most holy of football days, do we? Well, I promise that the way I suggest you serve it will negate any health benefits this chili might offer. Onwards.

Cincinnati Four-Way Chili From the Weight Watchers One-Pot Cookbook

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 lb ground lean beef (7% fat or less)
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
>1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Heat oil in medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking it up with spoon until no longer pink. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir tomatoes, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cocoa, chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and cayenne into beef mixture; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, about 1.5 hours.

Now here comes the unhealthy part (NOT part of the WW recipe). When the chili is done, serve a generous helping over a cup of cooked elbow macaroni, then top the chili with shredded cheese, Fritos (YES FRITOS), sour cream, and some chopped red onion, if that's your style. Otherwise, just skip the veggie and add more Fritos. Don't skip the Fritos. I'm serious. DON'T SKIP THE FRITOS.

Enjoy. 

Super Bowl Recipe Roundup - Inspiration Awaits!

So, I'm more of a "recipe lover" than a "recipe follower". My coffee table is littered with cooking magazines and my Google reader is loaded with food blogs, but when it comes time to make dinner, I generally bounce into the kitchen and start throwing ingredients around at will, hoping something great will happen.

I know that I need to pay more attention to directions, but directions are so EXACT and they take TIME and honestly, who wants to measure out a teaspoon when you could just toss in a pinch? One thing I've discovered that really helps me out with my nonconformist cooking style is to make myself take a few recipes into the kitchen with me when I cook. If I'm making meatloaf, for example, I look at several meatloaf versions, take my favorites into the kitchen, and can follow a recipe loosely while being inspired and allowed to express my creativity with the other variations.

And you're thinking that I could just learn to MEASURE and follow the dang directions. I know, I know.

Anyway, because I love being inspired, and because Super Bowl is this weekend and we all obviously need eleventy-billion chicken wing recipes, here are some of the best Super Bowl menu plans I've found:

 Real Simple's Dip Recipes (pretty basic, but a good starting point)

Michael Symon's Super Bowl from Food & Wine magazine (mojito Jell-O shots? Yes please.)

25 One-Bite Appetizers from Bon Appetit magazine (a lot of work for one bite, but, to be fair, these look like AMAZING bites.)

Super Bowl Apps from Southern Living magazine (it's as cheesy and fattening as one would expect. YES.)

Super Bowl Makeovers from Cooking Light magazine (I don't really know if Cooking Light has a place at my Super Bowl party, but these look surprisingly good.)

Rachael Ray's Super Bowl Menu (I know, I know. But homegirl knows how to throw some stuff together, which obviously earns her some points in my book.)

Jalapeno Popper Dip: Make This Now!

By Kristin 

I’ve been meaning to write about this Jalapeno Popper Dip for at least 2 months (since the first time I made it) because it is so awesome. But then, I never remember to photograph the dip when it comes out of the oven because I stuff it all in my piehole.

This is the empty, clean pan that housed the dip. We ate the whole thing this past weekend at my mom’s house, where we were celebrating my Grandma’s birthday. It was a HIT! 

This dip makes a lot, so I usually half it, unless it’s going to be a big party. This was plenty for me and my family. I mean, more would have been better, but then no one would have been able to button their pants. 

You can get the full recipe here. 

And then make it now. TRUST ME.

Easy Monday Night Football Menu

By Dani

So, it's football season, in case any of you were in the dark about that. Football season means a couple of things at my house.

1. The teevee is on. A LOT.
2. Fantasy Football is discussed. A LOT.
3. People are invited over for impromptu game-watching, trash-talking gatherings. A LOT.

I love it, I really do. Believe it or not, watching gigantic millionaires run into each other for sport is actually a lot of fun, and we find that it actually encourages us to get in shape (kinda like Biggest Loser, but with more team spirit).

The one part of all this rah-rah that can be difficult, however, is the feeding of the football fans. I love to cook, but when I've just worked all day and have to clean the living room before people come over and see our mess, it's nice to know that I don't have to work hard on the food for it to be delicious and game-day appropriate. Enter Tyson's frozen "Wings of Fire" buffalo chicken wings.

These are obviously not health food, you guys, but they are freaking delicious. They only cost $13 for a five-pound bag at CostCo, and after 20 minutes in the oven, you have a crowd-pleaser. I cut up some veggies, put out some blue cheese and ranch, and my football-watching party prep is complete, so I can actually watch the game too.

Everybody wins! Go team!

Source: tastespotting.com via Dani on Pinterest

Make Your Own Healthy Microwave Popcorn

By Kristin 

Awhile ago, fellow Food Lusher Katie taught me an amazing trick – you could make microwave popcorn at home without all the chemicals. All you needed was popcorn kernels and a brown paper bag – mix the kernels with a little oil and salt, put in a paper bag and microwave away! 

I love popcorn, but the microwave stuff is kind of crap, unless it’s covered in salt and fake butter. Nothing compares to the taste of fresh popcorn popped in an air popper or on the stove. 

So basically this tidbit from Katie has changed my life. I now eat popcorn a lot and the kernels are SO much cheaper than microwave popcorn packets. 

The only downside I have found is that I go through too many bowls. And I hate doing dishes. There is the one to mix the kernels with some oil and salt and then there is the one you ultimately eat the popcorn in. (And, if you’re like me, you might have another one you use to melt butter in because mmmmmm, butter.) 

But there is a solution! While taking a shortcut around the annoying, aisle-blocking stupid people in Target yesterday, I stumbled across the popcorn aisle and this bowl. 

This microwave popcorn bowl serves as a place to cook the popcorn and a place to serve it! GENIUS! 

The best part is that this will air pop, sans oil, which makes it a really healthy snack for those of us watching our calories! 

{Photo credit: amazon.com}

Pepperoni Balls of Joy

By Ariel

A few weeks back my supervisor at work requested everyone on his team bring in something food or drink related to share with each other. Actually, he said he wanted everyone to bring in something, but requested that I bring "food." This is funny because I happen to be the only woman on our team, and I think he realized the most he would get out of the others was chips and pop. When previously asked to bring food, I showed up with these and I think everyone was looking for an edible encore. 

Well, it's a lot like showing up to two parties back-to-back wearing the same dress, knowing everyone saw it the first time around. We can't have that, so I thought I would try something new. I was already making little crescent pizza pockets, a crescent roll stuffed with cheese, peppers, pepperoni, sausage, etc, but I needed something a little bit less of a mess and, quite frankly, a little more frugal.

Success was mine; I came up with an office-party friendly snack that were gone well before the day was out.  These are crescent roll pepperoni balls, and they're made of magic.

Okay, they're not really made of magic, but they are made of:

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (6 oz.) sliced pepperoni, chopped into tiny pieces.
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped cream cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-2 tsp. garlic salt*, for sprinkling
1-2 tsp. parsley flakes, for sprinkling

I apparently have a slight obsession with crescent rolls. Most of my creations lately center around the delicious pre-packaged dough. Anyway, roll out the triangles and cut each in half (or if you want to be super frugal and spread these little appetizers out more, you can cut each triangle into three or four if you like).

Combine the pepperoni, cream cheese, mozerella, parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Spoon a small amount into each piece of the crescent dough, pinching the ends together to seal the mixture inside the dough.

Bake according to the instructions for the dough, until the dough starts to brown. Remove the pepperoni balls and use a pastry brush to coat the tops of each pepperoni ball with butter. Sprinkle the garlic salt and parsley on top and return to oven until the tops are all a very golden brown.

These guys are fantastic right out of the oven and the next day. (I prepped these for the night before, no way was I going to get up earlier for work just to cook!) They were also a big hit and I'm debating trying out their freezability (replace the Pizza Rolls!) It's graduation party season, think of these guys for the next party you attend, or for game day.

I'll bet these would make really great dessert balls as well, I think I'll try them again with strawberry flavored cream cheese and diced strawberries, with butter on top sprinkled with sugar.

As I said, I'm a crescent nut. I love the endless possibilities! 

What ingredient spotlights in your kitchen?

*Thanks to the pepperoni, these little bites are already on the salty side. If you're not a fan then substitute the garlic salt for garlic powder. 

{Photo taken by me}