Football Watch Party Recipes For The Really Big Game At The End, Whatever That Might Be.

[teacherkd]

So I made cheese dip for tomorrow's bowl games. Needless to say, it isn't going to make it that long [actually, it's been 30 minutes and it's already pretty much gone].

What are you making for your parties/thingies this season?

Some things to remember:

1. Check pre-made cheese dips for ingredients/thickeners.

2. McCormick's taco seasoning, last I checked, was gluten free, but may bear checking again.

3. If you use canned chili in your dips, Hormel's chili with beans is gluten free, but the Hormel vegetarian chili is NOT. I do not know about the turkey or no-beans varieties.

The recipe:

4 T. butter

4 T. corn starch

3 c. milk, warmed 90 seconds in microwave

pinch or so salt, pepper to taste

1 can diced green chiles [as hot as you want them] or 2-3 diced fresh chiles

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar or to taste [for white dip, queso or fontina work fine]

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

Cayenne powder or bottled hot sauce to taste

1. Melt butter in saucepan [do not brown] over medium heat. If using fresh chiles, saute them now until partially softened over medium-high heat.

2. Add corn starch and whisk to form a roux, and let cook until just softened.

3. Whisk in milk until incorporated. Add salt, pepper, and canned chiles, if using [the chiles flavor the sauce in the same way a classical bechamel sauce steeps a clove-studded half onion in the sauce as it cooks].

4. Cook 10-12 minutes over medium heat, whisking frequently to avoid burning the bottom [this isn't as bad as making fudge, but you do need to be rather attentive] until it comes to just under a boil.

5. To test thickness, dip a soup spoon in the sauce, turn it over and rub a stripe across the back with your finger. If the stripe holds and doesn't fill back in, go on to the next step.

6. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese and whisk to incorporate. Fold in tomatoes and add seasoning to taste.

[i know, I know, I could just use velveeta and Ro-tel, but I find that it is too rich for my taste and too difficult to control the heat to my liking.]

[mbrookes]

Are you looking for snacks or a meal?

Snacks:

Glutino pretzels with a mustard/honey dip

Nuts (read the ingredient list; some IDIOTS put wheat in canned nuts)

Most dips (artichoke, cheese, chili) are good with Glutino crackers

Stuffed mushrooms (adjust the stuffing to make it legal)

There are hundreds of good snacks.

If you need to feed a big crowd for a meal try this:

Make your regular lasagna recipe, but use eggplant slices sauted soft instead of noodles. Tastes better than the artificial noodles. Add a salad and bread sticks made with Chebe mix. Foe dessert make Betty Crocker brownies and frost with coconut/almond canned frosting.