Do women watch the Superbowl?

Well I can’t speak for all women of course but yes, I do. And so does my sister-in-law Eileen. Ed and I go to her and my brother Jeff’s house on Superbowl Sunday and the four of us yell at the TV and eat a lot of things we don’t ordinarily eat, just like a lot of other people across the country.

I once hosted a Superbowl day at our house and invited several friends and some family. A few of the women were sort of disappointed that I hadn’t scheduled an alternative activity for when the men were watching the game. 

Is this the usual? I have loved watching football ever since I went to a Big 10 college and even though my alma mater, Northwestern, was usually the worst team in the league, it was still great fun on a Saturday afternoon to go to a game and cheer the team on.

Anyway, I don’t have to worry anymore about who watches the game or not since I am the guest now. But if you are having people over for Superbowl, or really any other time, and you need a good dip, try this one. Men and women will both enjoy it and it’s perfect with chips, crackers or crudites.

Chutney Cheese Dip

3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 tablespoon butter at room temperature

1/4 cup chopped mango chutney

1/4 cup ground nuts such as almonds

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

dairy sour cream, plain yogurt or milk if needed

Mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, butter, chutney, nuts, curry powder and cayenne pepper by hand or in a food processor. Blend thoroughly until the ingredients are a uniform color. For a creamier dip blend in some sour cream, yogurt or milk. Use as a dip with chips or crudites. Makes about 1-1/2 cups

I always need hors d’oeuvre recipes because I entertain a lot. Most of the people who come over are really really familiar with the ones I repeat over and over (because no matter how much they like to try new foods, they are like most people and also want the favorites).

So I make a new recipe or two each time I have company. Experiments mostly, so my friends and family can be “test subjects” for a thumbs up or down.

But recently one of my daughters said “hey Mom, can I have your recipe for Pearly Meatballs?” And I realized I haven’t made these in YEARS! And they are so good, everyone loves them. I had stopped making them because well, frankly, they seemed old hat. But now that we haven’t had them in so long they seem fresh and I am remembering how much everyone looked forward to these.

I learned about Pearly Meatballs from the famous Florence Lin, Chinese cookbook author and teacher, who I met long ago at the China Institute. I tweaked her recipe here and there to suit our family. These meatballs are perfect for Chinese New Year (starting tonight) but also for the Superbowl on February 5th.

Pearly Meatballs

2/3 cup glutinous rice

4 large dried shiitake mushrooms

2 medium scallions, coarsely chopped

6 water chestnuts, coarsely chopped

1 slice fresh ginger, peeled, about 1/2-inch thick, cut coarsely

1 pound ground turkey (or veal, pork but NOT beef or lamb)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon rice wine

1/2 teaspoon sugar

white vinegar

chili-flavored oil

Place the rice in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let soak for 2 hours. Drain and set aside. Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Drain, rinse, cut the mushrooms coarsely, and place in a food processor. Add the scallions, water chestnuts and ginger. Process until finely chopped (alternatively, chop the vegetables with a cleaver or chef’s knife).

Combine the meat, egg, soy sauce, salt, rice wine, sugar and chopped vegetables in a bowl. Shape the mixture into balls about 1-/14 to 1-1/2-inches in diameter (wet, cold hands make this easier). Place the drained rice on a plate. Roll each of the meatballs in the rice to coat the outside. 

Place the rice-coated meatballs in a steamer. Bring the water in the steamer to a simmer. Steam for 30-35 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the rice is soft.

Serve with vinegar and chili-flavored oil. Makes about 24

Remember Cheese Balls?

Maybe your mother or grandmother (or you) made them once-upon-a-time? They were popular in the 1950s, right up there with Deviled Eggs and Franks-in-blankets. But those two items never went out of style. Especially Franks-in-blankets, the downscale hors d’oeuvre people like to sneer at but are always the first to be gobbled at any gathering.

Anyway, Cheeseballs didn’t hang on the way the other two nibbles did. 

Maybe it’s nostalgia for some lost, long-ago time, but Cheeseballs are back in style. They’re a terrific hors d’oeuvre for New Year’s or any kind of cocktail party or with before-dinner drinks. They’re easy to make and extremely versatile — add herbs, spices, chopped fruits or vegetables; use different kinds of cheeses, roll them in different coatings for a better visual effect: bread crumbs, crushed nuts, chopped parsley, paprika, crushed peppercorns and what have you. 

And if you think Cheeseballs are, well, too cheesy for your guests, make them smaller and call them truffles.

After all, what’s in a name?

Cheese Truffles

8 ounces blue cheese

8 ounces cream cheese

4 ounces fresh pineapple, finely chopped, including juices

2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno or serrano pepper

sea salt, seasoned salt or Adobo seasoning to taste

chopped nuts, chopped parsley, paprika, breadcrumbs

Mash the blue cheese, cream cheese, pineapple and jalapeno pepper together until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Season to taste if desired with sea salt, seasoned salt or Adobo seasoning. Shape the mixture into small balls about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in one or more of the toppings. Makes about 4 dozen

Aren’t these beautiful? They’re kumquats, which I mentioned yesterday. They’re small, oval and bitter and most people don’t like them raw. But they’re good stuff when you cook them. Kumquat chutney is a real winner. Goes very well with roasted chicken, turkey or lamb, so you can use it as a special little side dish for New Year’s dinner if you’re entertaining at home.

You can also use it as an hors d’oeuvre: serve it with mascarpone cheese, cream cheese or Brie and crackers. 

Kumquat-Date Chutney

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon anise seeds

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

6 whole cloves

1 2-inch cinnamon stick

1 cup sliced, deseeded kumquats

8 large Medjool dates, halved

1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries

1-1/4 cups orange or tangerine juice

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Place the mustard seeds and anise seeds in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Let cool slightly, then place the seeds in a small muslin spice bag (or use a few layers of cheesecloth) with the peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon stick (fold the cheesecloth over the spices and secure with string or a plastic bag tie). Place the spice bag in the pan. Add the kumquats, dates, raisins, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar and ginger. Bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, stir and simmer the ingredients for 35-40 minutes or until the chutney is thick. Let cool. Remove the spice bag. Makes about 2-1/2 cups

What’s the most popular hors d’oeuvre?

I think it has to be hummus. I don’t have any scientific proof but I once counted the kinds of hummus sold at one of my local supermarkets and stopped when I reached 38.

Thirty-eight kinds of hummus? That’s almost as many varieties as potato chips!

Of course there aren’t actually 38 different flavors. There are several brands and some of them are the same flavor, brand to brand — like garlic flavored or spicy, olive, tahini.

But there are also some that I will call post-modern versions because I can’t think of another word for it. Like Sabra’s chipotle or Buffalo style hummus or Tribe’s hummus topped with Cilantro Chimichurri. Wow, that’s what I call fusion cuisine!

Sorry, but when it comes to certain foods, I am a purist. Like with hummus.

In Egypt, hummus is still blessedly kind of pure and simple, so I’ve been eating it every day with breakfast and dinner. It’s basic stuff: pureed chickpeas mixed with spices, olive oil and lots of tahini. Mix it all up in a food processor, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few cooked chickpeas and it’s yummy enough. You don’t need to make it more complex or add any sauce or topping. That way you can actually taste the hummus.

Try this version — it’s easy to make, cheaper than store-bought and you won’t have to make a decision about which of the 38 (or more) flavors to buy.

Egyptian Hummus with Tahini

1 pound can chickpeas

1/3 cup tahini

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

pita bread

Drain the chickpeas but reserve the liquid. Set aside a tablespoon of chickpeas. Place the remaining chickpeas in a food processor with the tahini, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and 1/4 cup of the reserved bean liquid. Process until the ingredients form a smooth puree (turn the machine off and scrape the sides of the work bowl once or twice). If you prefer a thinner hummus, add some more of the bean liquid. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the reserved chick peas. Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Franks-in-blankets are probably the favorite hors d’oeuvre of all time. Just watch next time you serve them or you’re at a party and a tray-ful of them comes around.

See those crowds swarming the server? Really, anyone in an outer circle or more than 10 feet away doesn’t stand a chance.

People make snarky remarks about franks-in-blankets and elitists say they don’t eat them (but take a closer look at the mouth crumbs they try to wipe off when caught polishing one off).

Yep, no matter what anyone says, these are #1.

So next Sunday when I have some cousins over for the afternoon, I’ll serve them. I could make my own, but the frozen kind is so good and so familiar that I will probably take the easy way out. 

Instead I will heat up these Scallion Cakes. Another winning recipe I learned from Florence Lin at the China Institute many years ago. I made them today. 

Of course I nibbled a few. The rest will freeze well in a plastic bag and I’ll get them hot for serving in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5-6 minutes (turn once). These are salty, crispy and yummy. Try some!

Scallion Cakes

3 cups all-purpose flour, approximately

1 cup boiling water

1/3 cup cold water

vegetable oil

kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon)

3-5 scallions, chopped

Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer (or food processor). Add the boiling water and mix at medium speed (or process) until a rough dough has formed. Pour in the cold water and mix until a dough forms. Knead (or process) for 3-4 minutes (or until a smooth dough has formed). If the dough is too sticky add some more flour. The dough should be soft and very slightly sticky. Cut the dough into 6 parts. Roll each piece on a floured surface into a circle about 10-inches in diameter. Brush each circle with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with equal amounts of chopped scallion. Roll the dough tightly into a snake. Form the rolled snake into a coil. Press down on the coil. Roll the coil on the floured surface into a circle about 1/8-inch thick (some scallions may pop through the dough). Repeat with all the circles. Keep the circles separated with foil or waxed paper. Heat a small amount of vegetable over medium heat in a saute pan large enough to hold the circles. Cover the pan and cook the circles one at a time for about 2 minutes per side or until browned and crispy. Remove the cover and cook for another minute or so if necessary. Add more vegetable oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels and cut each circle into 8 wedges. Serve plain or with hot chili oil and/or vinegar. Makes 48 pieces

My cousins, Leslie and Neil are coming for a sleepover this weekend. We get together at one or the others’ houses a few times a year, beginning with New Year’s Eve. It’s our turn.

I have known Leslie all my life. She is a year younger than I am and our mothers were sisters. Close sisters who saw each other all the time, so so did Leslie and I.

It’s the best of things. We are like sisters but we don’t have the sibling rivalry thing and didn’t share the relationships, with all that means, regarding parents.

Leslie is the one woman on earth I can say anything to and confess anything and she will still love me. If you can ever have a person like that in your life, I say, you are very lucky.

We always have an apple pie when they come, because Leslie and I both love that and the two of us nibble at it all weekend and polish off almost an entire pie between us.

Over the years our menu has changed, depending on the season of course, but the weekends always had plentiful amounts of wine and food.

We have sloooooowed down over the years. Last time we got together we only had one bottle of wine for the entire 2 days. We also don’t eat as much. We’re down to breakfast and dinner plus a few snacks in between.

As for the snacks, if I had kept menus of these weekends I probably could have made a culinary timeline and seen how much the ingredients and style has changed. In the old days it would be stuffed mushrooms and now it would be more like beet chips with crumbled goat cheese and toasted almond sprinkles.

But the ONE hors d’oeuvre that never changes is the chicken nuggets. Can’t get enough of these. I usually have a supply in my freezer. You don’t even have to thaw them, just place them in a single layer in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake them, turning them over once or twice for 8-10 minutes or until they’re hot.

Chicken Nuggets

2 whole boneless and skinless chicken breasts

1 large egg white

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Chinese cooking sherry (or use white wine or sherry)

1-1/2 cups ground almonds (or use bread crumbs)

vegetable oil for frying

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and put them in a large bowl. Add the egg white, cornstarch, salt and sherry and mix until the chicken pieces are uniformly coated with the mixture. Dredge the chicken pieces in the almonds, pressing to coat the entire piece. Set aside, preferably on a cake rack, for 20-30 minutes to air dry slightly. Heat 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot enough to make an almond crumb sizzle, fry the chicken pieces a few at a time for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Do not crowd the pan when frying the chicken. Makes about 36 pieces. Serve hot. 

These may be reheated in a hot oven (425 degrees) for 2-3 minutes per side (more if the nuggets have been frozen or refrigerated and cold). 

What do you do with leftover salmon?

I usually mash it up and make it into salad. Most of the time there’s just enough for one person, one sandwich, so it works out perfectly for lunch.

My mother used to make salmon croquettes. She’d mash the salmon with egg and bread crumbs, shape the stuff into patties and fry them. Those were really good, especially hot, sandwiched with tomato slices and mayo on two pieces of hearty white bread (but of course I like most anything plus tomatoes and mayo on good white bread).

But yesterday I had some extra salmon and decided to make a quick hors d’oeuvre spread with it. It was de-lish, so I’ll make a batch Sunday to bring to my brother’s house to watch the Super Bowl. 

Here’s the recipe in case you need a quick, easy and versatile hors d’oeuvre. You can spread this on crackers or use it for crudites. The recipe is flexible. Taste it and add some sour cream to make it fluffier or lemon juice to make it more tangy or more fresh dill if you want more of a springlike, refreshing taste.

Salmon Spread

1 to 1-1/2 cups leftover cooked salmon

4 ounces cream cheese

2 medium scallions, chopped, including green part

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt 

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl once or twice to be sure to incorporate all ingredients. Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Everyone I know likes franks-in-blankets, even the people who are embarrassed to admit it. The proof is that whenever I serve them not one is left over.

But sometimes franks-in-blankets can be dry and over done, so I like to make a large one. That way people can cut themselves a piece or two or more. I know it’s a bit fancy, but it does look good and when you make one large frank-in-blanket the meat stays moist and juicy.  

Hebrew National makes super large frankfurters that are the perfect size for this particular dish. For a version that’s even fancier though, use a hunk of kielbasa instead of a hot dog. 

A football fan friend of mine says that chili con carne and guacamole aside, no Superbowl get together is complete without franks-in-blankets. So here’s a quick and easy recipe you can use if you’ll be having a get-together for the game.

Hot Dog en Croute

piece of puff pastry 8-inches x 8-1/2-inches

1-1/2 teaspoons deli mustard

1 extra large Hebrew National hot dog (quarter-pounder)

1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Thaw the puff pastry but work with it while it is still cold. Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Spread the mustard down the length in the center, almost to the short edges. Place the frankfurter on top and roll it in the dough to enclose it. Cut the short edges almost completely, but leave enough to seal the short ends closed. Place the hot-dog-pastry on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Use the scraps of cut dough to make designs, if desired, and place these on top of the dough. Brush lightly with some of the egg. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cut with a serrated knife. Makes one large frank-in-blanket making 3-4 servings