Football Food!

I love football season! I grew up near Philadelphia and went to plenty of Eagles games (I clearly remember those cold Sundays.. my feet on newspapers to prevent the icy concrete from numbing my toes). And you know what they say about Philadelphia fans! We're out of control! It doesn't matter who you're rooting for, football has a way of bringing people together - whether it's for game-viewing, or water cooler talk the next day. And, as if the game weren't enough, the commercials are always awesome (seems I'm always heading out for the latest corn chip flavor). The whole vibe just warms my heart. To celebrate the first full weekend of NFL football here are three great recipes! I already have my bread dough thawing...


Broccoli Cheese Calzone
 

Olive oil cooking spray

2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets, thawed if frozen

1 pound fresh or frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed according to package directions

1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic and herb seasoning or Italian seasoning and garlic powder

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. 

If using fresh broccoli, blanch the florets in boiling water for 30 seconds or steam in the microwave for 2 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Roll dough out into a large circle, about 1/2-inch thick, and transfer to prepared baking sheet (don’t worry if some dough hangs over the edge – you’ll be folding it in half). 

Combine mozzarella cheese and seasoning and toss to combine.  Top one half of dough with mozzarella mixture.  Top mozzarella mixture with broccoli.  Fold over side of dough without toppings and pinch edges together to seal. 

Spray top of calzone with cooking spray and sprinkle parmesan cheese all over top.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crust is golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes before cutting crosswise into slices.

Serves 6

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

This is basically parmesan-crusted chicken fingers without any excess breading (why dilute the parm?).  If desired, serve the chicken fingers with warm pizza or pasta sauce on the side for dipping.

Cooking spray

1 pound chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, oregano and black pepper in a gallon freezer bag, seal bag and shake to combine.  Add chicken, seal bag and shake to coat chicken.  Transfer chicken to prepared pan and sprinkle over any remaining parmesan mixture. 

Bake 15-20 minutes, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Serves 4

Black Bean Guacamole with Corn

A marriage of the ultimate black bean dip and guacamole – my two favorite things on earth.  I like my guacamole sorta chunky but you can make yours smooth.  For a spicy version, add a minced chili pepper or hot sauce.  Also, there are gazillions of multigrain chips on the market so choose what you like. 

15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 ripe Haas avocados, halved, pitted and flesh removed from skin

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup frozen and thawed corn (white, yellow or a combination)

2 tablespoons minced white onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces whole grain tortilla chips or any multigrain chip with whole grains and seeds

Combine beans, avocados, lime juice and cumin in a food processor and puree until either slightly chunky or smooth (it’s up to you). 

Fold in corn, onion and cilantro.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with chips.

Serves 8