January 2009
Delicious Eats that make the Winning Touchdown
by Mary Gerlach, R.D.
Registered Dietician
We’re well into the football season by January. Look at the bright side. You may not have tickets on the 50-yard line to the “big game,” but you’ll definitely be able to see all the new multi-million dollar commercials that debut during the games. And you’ll be able to invite all your football-loving friends to your house for a fabulous football game watching party.
So how do you go about hosting a “winning” sports party? First, invite friends you know will root for different teams. Then decorate the house in the colors of the two teams playing, with one team’s colors on each half of the room. Invest in a few “foam” bricks or footballs so your guests can throw them at the TV when their team is losing or the refs make a bad call.
Before the game starts, have your guests write down who they think will win and what the final score will be. At the end of the game, award a silly prize to the person who comes the closest.
Have the food and drinks handy so your friends don’t have to choose between watching the game and eating. Plan to have enough food and drinks close by to at least last through the first half of the game. You can always restock during halftime. Here are some recipes to consider for your party.
White Chocolate Blueberry Loaf
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tb. baking powder (only use 2 tsp. baking powder at altitudes over 3,500 feet)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, do not thaw
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Icing
1/4 cup white vanilla baking chips
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tb. Milk
Heat oven to 350° F. Grease bottom of 9x5-inch loaf pan, or three 3x5-inch loaf pans. In mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, allspice, and cinnamon. Form a well in the dry ingredients and add buttermilk, melted butter (or margarine), and eggs. Stir until blended. Stir in blueberries and pecans; do not over mix.
Spread batter in pan or three small loaf pans. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen loaf. Remove loaf from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave vanilla chips on High for 30 seconds; stir until melted, microwaving an additional 10 seconds if needed. Beat in powdered sugar and enough milk until smooth and desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled loaf; let stand until icing is set.
When icing is set, place toothpicks into the top surface to protect the icing from sticking; wrap in clear plastic wrap, colored cellophane or foil, and top with a colorful bow. Give to friends for the holidays. Can be made ahead and stored in the freezer until gift-giving time. Makes one large or three small loaves; about 12 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 290; Carbohydrates 45 gm; Protein 5 gm; Fat 9 gm; Cholesterol 45 mg (if using butter; 5 mg if using margarine); Sodium 280 mg.
Spicy Turkey Chile for a Crowd
Chile
1 Tb. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 cups diced celery
3 pounds 99% lean ground turkey
1/2 cup ground red chile
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
3 (15.5-ounce) cans red kidney or pinto beans
3 cups low salt chicken broth or water
Topping
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
In large saucepan, sauté garlic, onion and celery in olive oil over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add ground turkey and continue cooking until turkey is browned. Stir in remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add more chicken broth or water as needed. Serve in soup or pasta bowls topped with shredded cheese and diced fresh tomatoes. Serve with warm flour tortillas. Makes 12 1-cup servings.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 365; Carbohydrate 23 g; Protein 13 g; Fat 9 g; Cholesterol 60 mg; Sodium 1,380 mg.
Caramel Cereal Snack Mix
4 cups popped popcorn
4 cups corn checked cereal
4 cups rice checked cereal
4 cups thin stick pretzels
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup butter or margarine, cut up
11/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white vanilla baking chips
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Heat oven to 250°F. Remove and discard unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. In ungreased large roasting pan, mix popcorn, cereal and nuts; set aside. In 11/2-quart saucepan, heat butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat baking chips over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Add 6 cups of the cooled cereal mixture to the melted chips; toss gently until evenly coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil. Cool about 30 minutes or until set. In serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures and cranberries. Store in airtight container. Makes 18 1/2-cup servings.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 240; Carbohydrate 28 g; Protein 2 g; Fat 13 g (no trans fat); Cholesterol 15 mg; Sodium 170 mg.
Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 Tb. dry Jamaican jerk seasoning
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cola
2 cups prepared barbecue sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce (optional)
8 sandwich buns or flour tortillas
Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Remove visible fat from pork. Rub jerk seasoning over pork and sprinkle with thyme. Place pork in slow cooker. Sprinkle with onion and pour cola over pork.
Cover and cook on ‘Low’ heat setting for 8 to 10 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, reserving 1/2 cup of the juices. Use 2 forks to pull pork into shreds. Return pork to slow cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce, hot sauce and reserved meat juices.
Increase heat setting to ‘High,’ cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until thoroughly heated. Spoon filling onto buns. Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 510; Carbohydrate 51 g; Protein 35 g; Fat 19 g; Cholesterol 90 mg; Sodium 1,030 mg.
Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour (add 1/4 cup flour to recipe if above 3,500 feet)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups shredded carrots (about five medium carrots)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts for decoration
Cake: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking dish with shortening; lightly flour. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds or until blended.
Gradually add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla and salt; beat on low speed one minute. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into pan(s). Bake in 13x9-inch pan for 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack. Cool completely about one hour, before serving.
Frosting: In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Frost 13x9-inch cake or fill and frost round layers.
Sprinkle frosted top with chopped nuts if desired. Store in refrigerator. Makes 16 servings.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 440; Carbohydrate 46 g; Protein 6 g; Fat 26 g; Cholesterol 55 mg; Sodium 230 mg.
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