Super Bowl 51!

Well the big game is coming up and while my beloved Broncos aren't in it this year, it's still the perfect opportunity to throw a party. With so many possibilities out there, you may be finding it difficult to come up with that perfect menu. No worries, as I have a line up that will be sure to make your party the talk of the town! 

What's cooking in my kitchen this week:

Caite's Colorado Chili

Chicken wings - buffalo and bbq

Hot crab canapes

Green chile pinwheels 

Chicken bacon ranch pinwheels

Caite's Colorado Chili

I have played around over the years with different variations of this chili recipe, but I finally figured this one out and it has a perfect balance of spice and flavor. What really adds the the flavor of this chili is the ground pork, although you can use whatever ground meat you prefer.

What you'll need:

1 lb ground pork
2 cans (15.5 oz) pinto beans
1 can (15.25 oz) black beans
1 can (15.5 oz) great northern beans
1 can (15.5 oz) kidney beans

1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini beans
2 cups beef stock
1 beef bouillon cube
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 can (7 oz) jalapeños
4 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

How to make it:

Brown the ground pork in a large pot. Season with spices will be putting in the chili and drain fat from meat once cooked.

Place ground pork back in pot and pour in cans of beans, beef stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and jalapeños. Add beef bouillon cube, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne.*

Let chili simmer 1-2 hours, until thickened. You can either leave on low or warm on the stove for another few hours or place in crock pot on warm if serving buffet-style for your party.

*Note: if you like it a little more spicy, add 1/4 tsp cayenne at a time until desired level of hotness is reached. 

Chicken wings - buffalo and bbq

I've learned over the years that chicken wings are one of my husband's and sons' favorite things to eat. They were super happy when I finally nailed down how to make restaurant style wings at home. If you have boys that love wings as much as mine do, then these will be a sure hit!

What you'll need:

20 chicken wings
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1/2 cup butter, divided in half
oil for deep frying

How to make it:

In small bowl mix flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in large glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mix over wings until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60-90 mins.

Heat oil in deep frying pan to 375° F. Oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, about an inch deep. Combine half the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in small sauce pan and combine other half of butter and bbq sauce in another small sauce pan. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mix is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.

Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10-15 mins, or until wings turn golden brown. Remove from heat, place 10 wings in serving bowl with hot sauce mix and 10 wings in another serving bowl with bbq sauce mix, and stir together. Serve with celery and carrots sticks with ranch dressing.

Hot crab canapes

This hors d'oeuvre is literally the first thing I ever made for my husband and it just happened to be for the Super Bowl too. It was an instant hit with him and everyone there, even though he had doubts about me bringing seafood to the party. Now the kids always ask for those hot crab thingies every time the Super Bowl comes around.

What you'll need:

8 oz flake or lump crab meat
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
1/3 cup mayo
2 Tbsp chopped black olives
1 Tbsp chopped red onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 8 oz box Ritz crakers

How to make it:

Preheat broiler. In a bowl combine all ingredients expect for the crackers.

Evenly spread about 1 generous tablespoon crab mixture on a cracker. Repeat until all crab mixture is gone. Place the canapes on a baking sheet. Broil for 1-2 mins until hot and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Green chile pinwheels

Ever have those tortilla roll-up thingies at a pot luck that were just so good and wonder what the heck they are? Green chile pinwheels is the answer and even though they are super simple, they are super amazing!

What you'll need: 

1 can (4 oz) green chiles
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
1 package flour tortillas

How to make it:

Leave cream cheese out for a couple hours to bring to room temperature. Drain can of green chiles and place in bowl. Add cream cheese and stir together until green chiles are mixed well with cream cheese. Spread mixture on tortilla to evenly coat and roll up tortilla. Cut tortilla roll in 1 inch sections. Repeat until all mixture is used. Chill until ready to serve.

Chicken bacon ranch pinwheels

Bacon makes everything better! And there's no exception to that rule here. If you like the classic green chile pinwheels, then these will be an instant classic with you too.

What you'll need:

1 can (10 oz) chicken 

5-6 slices bacon

1/2 cup ranch dressing 

1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 package flour tortillas

How to make it:

Cook slices of bacon to crispy. Crumble and set aside. Open the can of chicken and drain. Place in medium bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, ranch dressing, and cheese. Stir together until well mixed. Spread mixture on tortilla and roll up. Cut rolled up tortilla in 1 inch section. Repeat until all mixture is used. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Did you know?
On this day in 1516, Duke Wilhalm IV of Bavaria instituted Reinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law, and probably the first consumer protection law.