Super Bowl Smokey Bites

I make this dish at home every so often when I have friends and/or family over and I thought it would be perfect to share because they're perfect for SuperBowl!

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 packages of the Hillshire Farms Lit'l Smokies depending on the number of guests.
• 1 package of bacon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/6 cup of paprika

Directions:

1. Wrap every Lit'l smokey with a piece of bacon.
2. Layer them on a cookie sheet and set your oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar and paprika evenly on your smokies.
4. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until browned.

So easy and delicious!  

Super Bowl Hot Wings!

With Super Bowl right around the corner, who doesn't love hot wings right? 

via Hubpages

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 20 chicken wings
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)

The fun part about these is that if you bake them, they turn out crispy as if they were fried!

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and grease with cooking spray. Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet, and place into the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
3. Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dip the wings into the butter mixture, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 45 minutes. Turn the wings over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.  

Super easy and super yummy!  Happy Super Bowl!  Who are you rooting for?

Recipe Monday: Mango Salsa

When we cater Mexican-style events, we always have our signature pico de gallo, but sometimes we get to experiment and change it up.  If you love spicy, mangoes, and salsa, you're going to love this mango salsa recipe.

What you need:

• 1 ripe, diced mango
• 1 ripe, diced avocado
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Jalapeño chile, minced (use habanero if you like a bigger kick!)
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
• 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

 via WokwithRay

Not everyone loves spicy as much as I do, but this is delicious and different!

Recipe Mondays

Thanksgiving is just a few days away and here we are always looking forward to good eats.  Everybody loves mac and cheese but what better way than to serve them in bite-sized portions.  Whether you're in a cocktail hour or pairing it as a side next to the big ol' turkey, here's a recipe we love for mac and cheese bites. 

What you'll need:

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 ounces white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 packed cup)
• 4 ounces deli-sliced American cheese, chopped
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*Add 2 large jalapenos, 1 diced and 1 thinly sliced (for garnish) if you like that extra kick!

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.
2. Brush four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano; tap out the excess.
3. In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the macaroni.
4. Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top.
5. Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve. 

And enjoy!