Flip Flop Sandwiches!

These are just so easy to make and so darn cute! My family thought it was very creative. I made these using sliced turkey breast, American cheese and mustard. And some where made with ham and cheese. The green straps and orange colored embellishments are sliced green onions and carrots. The flip flop shape is created easily by using a cookie cutter. I never realized there are so many different kinds of cookie cutter shapes! I think you can find just about any shape you'll need here at Karen's Cookies. That's where I bought my flip flop cookie cutter for only $1.99 plus shipping.

Game Day Small Bites!

This year the big game is all about New York because it's taking place in the home stadium of 2 New York teams. I'm a New Yorker, so this is a huge deal! I don't know about you, but to me, the food served during these football games is just as important as the game! So today I'm sharing some tried and true small bite snack recipes that have a New York theme. The recipes also have a RITZ cracker theme because some of my fellow food blogger friends have created these recipes for RITZ. So these recipes have not only been tried by the creator but also by the people at Ritz! The Ritz company loved the recipes so much that they posted them on Allrecipes.com.

Sausage Chips

If your looking for a new, unique snack or appetizer, try these sausage chips! They were so easy and just like potato chips, you
can't eat just one!

An Improvised Appy...

I needed another appetizer to serve to my guests for Easter! I had mini mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes, pesto, garlic and white bread, so I decided to make these cute little Insalata Caprese Bites! My guests really loved them! I think I'll make them more often!

Insalata Caprese Bites

Great Food For a Crowd!

The Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon is the first recipe listed on this page of 'Great Food For a Crowd'... a delicious little hors d'oeuvre! It's crunchy, salty, smokey and sweet! I've made this many times for parties and it goes quickly! I double this recipe every time I make it! 

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The second recipe listed is Easy Pulled Pork Sandwiches! This is the absolute, best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had! And I've had many, from many famous BBQ places! But none were as perfectly balanced in flavor as this one! The sweet barbecue sauce is a must on this sandwich! This recipe was originally posted by one of my favorite cooks, known to her foodie friends as Marky90.

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The third recipe listed is Mexican Meatballs! I tried these delicious little meatballs when I saw them on a cooking site! They were very popular and everyone on the site who tried this recipe loved them! The meatballs have a cube of jalapeno jack cheese inside each one! And the sauce has a very authentic Mexican flavor! I'm posting the recipe the way I made them and I'm adding my photo. I served these as cocktail meatballs and my guests loved them too!
The original recipe was posted by a cook known as Rosemaryblue.

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And the last recipe listed on this page is my own creation of Chicken Chili! Its always been a favorite of my family! The secret is the 6 simple spices that I use in many of my Southwestern recipes! Its a very mild chili, but you can double the cayenne if you want it a little spicier!

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Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon

INGREDIENTS;

1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts
1/2 pound uncooked bacon (not thick cut)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar 
toothpicks

DIRECTIONS;

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Drain the water chestnuts.  Slice each piece of bacon in half crosswise.

2. Wrap each water chestnut in the cut bacon pieces and secure with a toothpick.  Coat each piece with brown sugar.  Place each piece in a baking dish. Leave room between each piece.

3. Bake uncovered, on middle rack, for about 25 minutes or until sugar has melted and bacon is well browned. See photo.

Blot on paper towels and serve warm
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EASY PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
 Ingredients 

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
4 large cloves garlic, minced
6-8 sandwich rolls or Kaiser rolls
barbecue sauce, for serving, a must! 

DIRECTIONS;

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place one oven rack in the lowest position and one in the highest position.

2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

3, Place pork in a 5-quart Dutch oven or very large, deep, Pyrex baking pan and rub with spice mixture.

4. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water.  Pour over pork.

5, Cover pot or baking pan tightly with tin foil and place in oven on lower rack. Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork. I always bake it for 3 hours.

6. Transfer pork to a work surface, reserving pan juices. With two forks, shred meat. Discard excess chunks of fat. Transfer shredded pork to a large bowl, and toss with pan juices to moisten (you may not need all the juices).

7. Pile pork on rolls, and top with barbecue sauce. I always use Sweet Baby Ray's brand BBQ sauce.

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MEXICAN STUFFED MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS; 

2 lb lean ground beef

 2 c crumbled corn bread

 1/2 tsp kosher salt

 3/4 tsp cumin

 1/4 c finely chopped onions

 2 lg cloves garlic-minced

 16 oz mild salsa-divide in half

1/4 c mild taco sauce-divide in half

 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper-divide in half

 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 Tbsp chili powder

 4 oz can mild chopped green chilies

 2-8oz. pkg jalapeno jack cheese-cut into 60 small cubes

*note...instead of using cheese cubes you can shred 8oz. of the cheese and just sprinkle it on top of the meatballs during baking

DIRECTIONS;

In a large bowl combine corn bread crumbs, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, chili powder, green chilies and 1/2 the salsa, 1/2 the taco sauce and 1/2 the cayenne pepper,

Add ground beef and mix well.

Shape into 1 inch little meatballs and form the meatballs around each cheese cube. Make sure none of the cheese is exposed.

Place in baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for about 15 minutes.

 Meanwhile in a small saucepan heat the tomato sauce and the remaining salsa, taco sauce and cayenne pepper. Heat til simmering then pour over cooked meatballs and bake for another 10 minutes.

To serve, stick one toothpick into each meatball, pour sauce from baking dish on top. And serve warm.

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CHICKEN CHILI

Ingredients;
1 1/2 lb chicken cutlets-cut into small pieces
 1 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
 1 lg onion-chopped
 8 oz pkg. sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
 1-14oz. can(s) low sodium chicken broth
 1-4oz. can(s) green chilies-chopped
1-19oz. can(s) cannellini beans-undrained
 1 bx yellow rice-prepared according to pkg.
 ~~~spice blend~~~
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp ground cumin
 1 Tbsp chili powder
 1/2 tsp dried oregano
 1/2 tsp cilantro, dried
 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions;
Heat oil in very large saucepan over med.-high heat.

Add chicken and onions - cook for 5-10 min.

Stir in all dry spices - cook for 2 min.

Stir in broth and green chilies - simmer for 30 min.

Stir in beans - simmer for 10 min.

Mix in cheddar cheese and prepared yellow rice.

Serve warm.