Turning Lemons Into Lemonade

I hope you are not expecting a recipe for lemonade today.

Sadly, I just finished unpacking for my trip to NY. The weather in Atlanta made it impossible to travel today and tomorrow is going to be such a hassle trying to get to the airport, I finally decided to postpone the trip until the end of Feb. That's the bad news.

The good news is that I now have four whole days with NO plans...nada....nothing...zip!  So what is a girl to do with 4 free days, an upcoming Super Bowl, and seven 18 year old boys who will be watching the game at my house?  You know where this is going....

Super Bowl snacks!!!!!

I have many times discussed my embarrassing love of bar food (nachos, chicken fingers, cheesy dips, onion rings, etc.). So, of course, I always have a stockpile of recipes that I want to try, but never really do, because I try to serve my family meals that have some nutritional value.

I could easily spend hours pouring over recipes and browsing Pinterest for ideas, but I decided to make it easy on myself. The boys have already ordered a big platter of wings, so I am not under too much pressure to produce large quantities of food. Joey's friend was over for dinner, so I asked the two of them what I should make. While they were thinking I blurted out, "Nachos!". That was met with approval. Then, I remembered that I am currently taking a Wilton Method Cake Decorating class, and I need practice, so I also offered, "A football cake!". Done.

The nachos need no recipe. I am going to start by preparing some chili that is spicy, tangy and a touch sweet , kind of like sloppy joe meat.  It is amazing on nachos. Then I'll begin layering the hot toppings....tortilla chips, sharp cheddar, chili, and pickled jalapeño slices. Pop it in the oven until the chips toast a little and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Next comes the cold toppings.... tomatoes, sour cream, onions, salsa, lettuce, fresh cilantro and homemade guacamole. Heaven!

For dessert (and cake decorating homework), I am going to make rich chocolate cupcakes and decorate the top to look like a football.  It will look something like this:

You can find this recipe at The Baker Chick.

I am quite sure that I will begin to feel guilty on Sunday morning, and will end up sending Phil out to get as many veggies as he can for a raw veggie tray. I will  most likely whip up a secretly healthy dip (any dip can be made healthy by substituting all or some of the sour cream/mayo with non fat, plain Greek yogurt).

This is how I turn lemons into lemonade.

Stay safe to all everyone in Atlanta!

The Perfect Greek Salad

Hi Everyone! I am a little late in my promise to post one recipe a week in 2014, but I'll make it up with a few extra posts in February.

I grew up eating Greek salads, both at home and when dining out at the local diners. There are so many variations that it would be impossible to list them all, but this is the perfect base to start with. Personally, I am very content eating a large bowl of this salad with a nice, toasty piece of pita, but the men in my house require more substance. I will then simply top the salad with a great piece of grilled protein (chicken and lamb work very well here).  The salad will stay fresh in a plastic container in the refrigerator for 5 days (keep the dressing on the side), so it also makes a delicious and quick lunch for the week.

The Perfect Greek Salad

Dressing:

3/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil

2-3 T. fresh lemon juice

3 T. dried oregano

3 tsp. fresh minced garlic

1 tsp. dried basil

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into a blender and blitz for 30 seconds.

Salad:

Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

English cucumber, sliced

Red onion, sliced

Any type of salty olives, pits removed

green pepper, chopped

good Greek feta cheese, crumbled

peppadews (similar to sweet cherry peppers, but with a little spice)

Toss all ingredients together right before serving.  Serve with freshly heated pita rounds.