A Bad Recipe and a Couple of Good Ones

Yesterday was a Titan's game. After several years of doing the tailgating, we've arrived at what works best for our group. We each take a whole day to do the tailgating. That way, you do it once or twice for the season and that's it. We each do our own drinks. Perfect.

It was our turn to do the food. Mindy wanted to go to the game to be with her friend, Lauren---her folks, Hugh and Pam have tickets with us too. 

I've always said that I only do football for "love." I really, really, really, do not like sitting in the stadium for 4 hours without being able to multi-task. I just get so completely bored. It's just not my "thing." I never liked football games in high school either. The rest of our gang loves it, so it really is just me. 

I remember back to our very first game. After tailgating, it was time to go in to the stadium. I grabbed up a stack of catalogs to take with me. Butch said, "Barb, you can't take those---they have security!" I'm like, "What? They think I might beat someone with my catalogs?" I might not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but I realized he didn't want me to take them in. I didn't and thus began my boredom of the game. For several years, I was pretty clueless. I couldn't tell what was going on, where the ball was---just a general lack of knowledge of football in general without any type of eagerness to learn. The games were just something to endure---and almost wishing they would lose badly so we could leave early. That certainly didn't feel quite right to me either. 

After a few years, I've adjusted to the weather. In Nashville it goes one of two ways---you sweat bullets in 100 degrees or freeze at 35 with windy conditions (remember my "snuggie" story?)---we have a few in-between that are perfect---not many---but a few. I also realized that I liked watching the game at home---and actually looked forward to it---because I could stitch and hear the commentary. Plus, those yellow lines (which I looked for at the games---they aren't there) really help me to visualize what's going on. So, Butch set me up with a headset at the games. Having the commentary really helped. Plus, it put me "in the know" when no one else knew what was going on. You know I like that---being able to act like an authority on something I know nothing about!

This year, I've missed every game so far---we've been out-of-town---which really "bummed" Butch out. Those tickets ain't cheap. Anyway, that takes us to yesterday. We worked it out that Stephanie, Nicky, Butch, me and Mindy went to the game. At game time, we packed up, Steph, Nicky and I left. 

When I got home, I cleaned up all the tailgate stuff, and settled in to watch the game. I didn't watch the whole thing, but I have to say I do actually enjoy it at home. I only had about an hour before Butch and Mindy got home. Turns out, they were losing so badly, that they left early anyway. Darn, that would have been a good one for me to go to. 

I just may have figured out a way to never have to actually go to another game again. This may just be the perfect solution for me. I get to party, then leave. If only....

Anyway, here are the new recipes that I made for the day. This dip is fabulous and so simple! I didn't serve it in the bread bowl, just with Wheat Thins and tortilla scoops.

Mississippi Sin

16oz sour cream 8oz cream cheese, softened 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 green onion, chopped (I used about a Tbsp. of regular, chopped onion) 1/4 tsp hot sauce (you could add more---it wasn't hot at all) 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce salt pepper French bread loaf In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except French bread; stirring until well blended. Cut a thin slice from top of bread loaf; set slice aside. Using a gentle sawing motion, cut vertically  to, but not through, bottom of the loaf, 1/2 inch from the edge, to cut out center of bread. Lift out  center of loaf. Fill hollowed bread loaf with the dip. Wrap loaf with foil.  Bake dip at 350° degrees for 1 hour. Serve with reserved bread cubes, crackers, or potato chips. I'm also thinking you could microwave it as it was easy to micro the leftovers. Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole:

1 2 lb. pkg. frozen Hash Browns
8 oz. Sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick butter
1/2 C. Chopped onion
2 C. grated Cheddar Cheese

Place potatoes in a greased 9×13 inch pan. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in the microwave. In a bowl add minced onions, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup, and melted butter. Mix these items together. 

Pour soup mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until all is completely warm, and the cheese begins to melt.

The hash brown casserole was a big hit---only one serving left of a 9x13 casserole. I don't think it was exactly like Cracker Barrel's, but it was still good.

And now for the bad recipe. These brownies. Yeah, they look good and sound good. I seriously, came within an inch of throwing the whole thing out. I did everything right, sprayed the mini muffin tins, cooled them completely and they STUCK like concrete to the pan. I tried getting them out with a plastic knife since the pans were my good, expensive Pampered Chef ones. What a mess. I've torn up the pans with a regular knife. Nothing else would budge them. I didn't taste them, just pried them out and slapped them in a pan. Everyone liked them. I think they are just okay. But since everyone requested the recipe, I've included it here. Maybe if you DON'T cool them completely, you could get them out easier. I won't be making them again, so I don't care.

Here's the mess:

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Recipe adapted from Nestle’s Very Best Baking

Makes 40 brownies as adapted

1 box of your favorite brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker original)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease 40 mini-muffin cups---my pans make 48.

Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups (about 1 heaping teaspoon). Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet. After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not then tap the centers with the back of a teaspoon to make a hole for the peanut butter.

Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir. While brownies are still warm spoon about half a teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool completely in pan.