Rise Up!! In This Case, Not The Biscuit, But The Atlanta Falcons!

​        Hailing from Georgia, congratulations to the Atlanta Falcons for making it to the Super Bowl.  It would have been nice if we had won, but we'll be rootin' for them in the Fall!

       We began having a Super Bowl party 12 or 13 years ago with friends, and throughout the years there have been many, many friends come in and out of the doors, in the house, in the yard, in the garage, on the carport, and we have had at least three large screen televisions set up each year if you want to watch the ballgame!  It's always fun to see old faces and meet new people!    Of course, this year was extra special because Atlanta was in the game!

        Now let's talk about the food at the party!  For those of you who know I am constantly trying to eat healthier and lose weight, Super Bowl Sunday is a cheat day!  Gail, who hosts the party in her home, made lasagna this year, so I found this easy, easy garlic knot recipe. Who doesn't love garlic bread drowning in garlic and butter??

      I would love to say I made the dough for this bread (I did go to culinary school after all), but I bought pizza pie dough from the bakery at Publix.  I love it.  It takes some flouring, and a lot of "stretching", but it's very convenient!  Here's how to use it and what you need:

         Pizza Pie Dough (store bought or homemade)
         A little olive oil for brushing
         Flour for lightly dusting
          A stick of butter (eight tablespoons)
          Kosher or Coarse Sea Salt
          1/4 cup grated Parmesan Romano Cheese-Had it on hand
         2 Tbsp of fresh chopped parsley  (I left the herbs off because I have friends who have adverse reactions to herbs, but this bread was gobbled up!)   

     Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease two large baking sheets. (I used my Misto that holds olive oil).  Recipe makes about 24 knots.  Set the sheets aside.

     Lightly sprinkle some flour on the ball of dough, and the cutting board, and the rolling pin, and roll the dough out into about a 12x16 rectangle.  I'm no expert here, but pick up the dough and let the weight of the dough stretch it (like pizza makers on television).  If you're brave you can toss it in the air.  I did not try that.  Try not to overwork the dough, it will get tough.  Brush the rectangle of dough with olive oil, and slice as shown above.  Stretch each piece a little, if needed, and tie it into a knot! 

     Place the knots on prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart. Sprinkle the tops of the knots with salt. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 30 minutes.

     Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss gently with the warm garlic butter, Parmesan Romano cheese, and parsley. Add salt to taste if necessary. Serve immediately.            

       There's provolone for the ham and cheese sliders, extra sharp cheddar and pepper jack for Jumpin' Jack Cheddar, and extra sharp cheddar for sausage balls!  Easy and popular appetizers and party dishes!

Jumpin' Jack Cheddar!

        Here's another fan favorite, my Jumpin Jack Cheddar!  Go to the little searchy thingy on this page and you'll find the recipe!  The recipe has been edited a couple of times, and I think I have it just right!

Bisquick Sausage Balls! Oops, there's one missing!

        Here's a classic!  These were requested by my sister.  Some recipes call for three cups of Bisquick, but that makes them really "biscuity" and a little dry, so cut back on the Bisquick and you can judge by the raw, mixed dough before you get them too dry.

Bisquick Sausage Balls
​

• 2 - 2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
• 1 pound pork sausage at room temperature (I like ‘hot’)
• 16 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups) 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional) 

Combine all ingredients.  Mixing by hand mixes it the best. Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet one inch apart. I used a cookie scoop for making evenly sized sausage balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.

         How easy is that??

        Here's a Super Bowl Party staple, and always a favorite.  I buy the two packages of the black forest ham and one of the provolone cheese in the big packages at Sam's, along with the King's Hawaiian rolls.  I use one slice, folded, of the ham, and one-half of a cheese slice, folded, on each roll.  This makes at least seven (7) dozen sliders.  Click on the picture above for the recipe!  My sister (sous chef) is always helpful in helping me put these together!

         Cook's Tip:  If you buy the Hawaiian rolls that have not been pre-sliced, place the layer of rolls on your cutting board or a flat tray.  Hold gently by placing the clean palm of your hand on the rolls, and slice the pack of rolls gently with a long, sharp serrated knife. Voila!

        These delicious chicken wings get honorable mention, because you can't have a Super Bowl party without them, right?  My sister contributes toward these every year.  These were actually some that were steamed, and not crispy like we like them.  We brought home the leftovers, I dried them out on a rack in the oven at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping them once.  They still weren't crispy enough, so I fried them in my iron skillet.  I'm glad this was all we had because I could have eaten a hundred.  They were so delicious, fried, as they should be!

        Another Super Bowl gone by, hopefully Atlanta will make it and win next year, they deserve it!   Before I end, let me show you current pictures of Girly Sawyer!  This was before a daddy-daughter date at Chick-Fil-A.  She gets more beautiful every day! 

       Until next time, Friends!  Thanks for stopping by and your comments are always appreciated!

        Dished with Love, Denise