Category Archives: Party
January 31, 2019
Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe’s
When was the last time you ate a Sloppy Joe? It’s not a common meal in my house but there is something about a Sloppy Joe that reminds me of family dinners as a child. I wanted to create a new version of a Sloppy Joe that combines another favorite food of ours – buffalo chicken. The result was a Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe. It was amazing! These Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe’s have enough heat without being too spicy and veggies hidden within the meat that add great flavor. I recommend drizzling some ranch or blue cheese dressing on top to offset the heat. And because who can enjoy buffalo sauce without ranch or blue cheese? It really completes the sandwich! The recipe can be found here. Let’s get cooking! Start by doing all the prep work. I like to chop my veggies, measure out my dry and liquid ingredients, … Continue reading
January 5, 2019
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
Do you ever crave those soft, chewy, irresistible smelling soft pretzels you get from street vendors or mall kiosks? If so, you’re in luck! I have a recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites that is a perfect replica. These Homemade Pretzel Bites have a perfectly doughy center, crispy crust, and buttery and salty flavor. They are fun to make and fun to eat. Great for dipping – the perfect finger food! A bit of work is required to make these but it’s worth it. They are SO good right out of the oven. The recipe can be found here. Start by preparing the dough. I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one. You can mix the dough by hand, but your arms will be quite sore! Add the water, brown sugar, yeast, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes. Add … Continue reading
December 22, 2018
Sliders
For many years I thought the word “slider” meant a tiny hamburger, but boy was I wrong! Sliders are small sandwiches made with slider rolls that come in a variety of flavors, and they are all the rage. Think meat and cheese melted together in the oven on a crisp roll – yum! I can attest that all the recipes I’m about to share with you are not only delicious but easy to make. You can even customize for various occasions – Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders for a Kentucky Derby Party, Apple Turkey Cheddar Sliders using the apples you purchased at the Apple Orchard, Chicken and Waffle Sliders when hosting brunch, etc. You get the idea 🙂 Ham and Swiss Sliders are probably the most common slider (in my world at least). These are filled with juicy ham and Swiss cheese nestled in a Kings Hawaiian Roll. The tops of … Continue reading
June 9, 2018
Refreshing Summer Cocktails
Summer is the best time of year for a refreshing cocktail. Whether you are sitting on the deck enjoying the weather, hosting a BBQ, spending a day at the beach….you get the idea 😊…a festive cocktail can really help beat the heat. I’ve compiled a list of 4 of my favorite cocktails. They are fun, bright, and full of flavor. Blue Hawaiian Cocktail This cocktail is essentially a blue version of a Pina Colada and promises a little taste of tropical paradise. It’s designed to make you feel like summer no matter how bad the weather is outside. I chose to serve this drink “on the rocks” style by pouring over ice but you can also create a blended version of the cocktail by mixing all the ingredients with ice in a blender. It’s very easy to make – shake the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker, pour over ice, … Continue reading
May 23, 2018
Baked Chicken Wings
There’s no denying it – I love chicken wings! With so many flavor varieties and dipping sauces, they’re not only a delicious meal but allow you to try something different each time. Think potluck, football party, backyard BBQ, afternoon snack, etc. Chicken wings fit the menu for most occasions. I have 4 baked chicken wing recipes to share with you today. These are some of my favorite recipes, so I hope you enjoy them. Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings are super easy to make. You basically toss the chicken wings and oil and bake until crispy, then toss in a delicious combination of hot sauce and melted butter. These are probably the most popular wings around due to the mildy sweet and sour taste with a spicy aftermath. I prefer to dip mine in ranch dressing, but blue cheese dressing is a great alternative. Because the wings can be spicy it’s … Continue reading
May 3, 2018
Derby Dishes
Ok jockeys, quit horsing around it’s time for some Kentucky Derby Themed recipes. I’ve got the Triple Crown of recipes for you now, so bear with me! First up we’re serving Bourbon Meatballs which you’ll find have an exquisite sweet heat to them. We started with Mom’s Meatloaf, found in our Meat Department. Place the meatloaf in a bowl and mix together with finely chopped onion then form into 1″ balls (use a small scoop to help make uniform size). Heat some olive oil in a skillet and brown each of the meatballs, then transfer to a baking sheet and place into your preheated oven (at 350F) until cooked through. Next up we are going to work on our bourbon sauce. To make the bourbon sauce, you’re going to need apricot preserves, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, hot chili sauce, molasses, water, and bourbon. Tempting as it may be to drink, you … Continue reading
March 18, 2018
Chicken Chili Cook-Off
Winter is the best time of year to have chili! It’s hearty, delicious, keeps you warm on a cold day, and is super easy to make. One thing I love about chili is the “set it and forget it” mentality. Once you combine the ingredients and set the timer, the slow cooker does all the work and you have a wonderful meal 4-8 hours later. I personally like this on busy weekends because we don’t have to worry about dinner, spend time planning and cooking, etc. but still get to enjoy a nice meal. I have two different chicken chili options to share with you. I like a bit of heat/spice in my chili and think both recipes have the perfect amount. You get an amazing combination of chicken, veggies, and spices without it being too overwhelming. If you are anything like Andrew and love spicy food, you can always … Continue reading
February 12, 2018
Fat Tuesday
Well we’re back to that time of year again, Mardi Gras. Unfortunate timing this year that Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day are backed up so close together, but we couldn’t resist doing some fun New Orleans recipes for you. First up, let’s get our cocktail game started. We made our very own Hurricanes. We simplified some of the more detailed recipes usually found. All you need is mango passion fruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, white rum and dark rum. These are strong drinks, fit for anyone ready to party Mardi Gras style! Starting with our appetizers we decided to do scallops with a sweet chili sauce. A very simple dish, you thaw the scallops and simply dry with paper toweling, sear both sides, then serve with sweet chili sauce. Our main course was Jambalaya, though instead of Andouille Sausage, we used Festival’s Cheddar Chicken Fajita Brats. It’s … Continue reading
December 7, 2017
Say Cheese!
Hello there! I have a secret: I love cheese. I didn’t say it was a good secret, but it’s one of the few things I cannot go without. Cheese makes just about everything taste better. Lucky for me (and you) it’s the Holiday Season and we’ve got our Big Cheese Sale going on now through Christmas and New Year’s! Click through to our ad wrap (12/6/17 through 1/3/17) to check out over 300 varieties of cheese for cooking, sharing and simply enjoying! Below I will go over some fun recipes using cheese a major ingredient. Warning: You may get very hungry reading this blog. Our Beer Battered Cheese Curd Recipe using Ellsworth Creamery® Fresh Bulk Cheese Curds. Perfection combination with another of my favorite things: Beer. We’ve even talked about these before in our Small Bites Blog Post Tickler Bacon Burger with delicious Tickler English Cheddar Cheese. Baked Brie with Hot … Continue reading
October 16, 2017
Creepy Cocktails
You can’t throw a Halloween party without some themed drinks, right? Or maybe you want to enjoy the spirit of Halloween by sipping on a cocktail. Either way, I’ve got you covered! Below are 4 cocktail recipes that will be a hit this Halloween. Your friends and family will really appreciate the creativity and effort you put into making these festive drinks! Even better, one of the drinks is actually alcohol free so it’s something your kids can enjoy but have no fear; you can make an adult version for yourself 🙂 Poison Green Apple 2 oz Vodka 1 oz Orange Liqueur 1 oz Apple Liqueur Green Apple Slices Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and then pour into a short glass that is also filled with ice. Add an apple slice as garnish. Vampire Blood 1 oz Mango Vodka or Pineapple Vodka … Continue reading
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