Are You Ready For Some Football? Ahem...Food!?!?

Deflategate...Lynch's Fines (Why don't they just leave him alone!)...Puppy Mills....Drama!

None of the drama surrounding the Super Bowl will stop the game from being played on Sunday night. People have ordered their wings and pizza. Fans are flocking to Party City to purchase matching plates and napkins for their "favorite" team. Mind you, a lot of people are rooting for one side or the other by default because their team will be sitting at home watching on Sunday.  I am in that boat because I am a NY Giants fan. I will not speak on what I think needs to be done with the roster to make things better because that is for a different rant on a different day, but I will say that I am rooting for the Seattle SeaHawks. I am not a bandwagon jumper, I am just a proud supporter of Russell Wilson a Virginian who graduated from  Collegiate School in Richmond, VA. He is unapologetically Christian, devotes himself to community service, and can throw a mean Hail Mary!

Go 'Hawks!

With all of that said let's get the menu planned out for Sunday. Here are some yummy traditional and non-traditional ways to keep your guests' tummies happy no matter which way the ball bounces.

Wings
"I hate wings," said no one ever! So, if you don't want to order from Buffalo Wild Wings (if you do order try Jammin' Jalapeno, you'll thank me) you can make your own.

To prep frozen wings, leave them in the bag but place them in a pan or in a plastic container in the refrigerator Saturday to thaw. On Sunday, you'll need to rinse you wings in a colander and let them rest on paper towel to soak up the excess water.

Please buy a Fry Daddy. If you order one by tomorrow at noon from Amazon, you will have it Saturday!

You will need some cooking oil. Canola is what I use. About an hour before you guests arrive, heat your oil (8 minutes) and cook your chicken. Do not bread your chicken. If you'd like to bake your chicken, that will work too if you put a little olive oil on the bottom of the pan.

Cook your chicken until floating and golden. Set them to the side to drain. I like to use the microwave bacon cooker, but a colander lined with paper towel will work.  

Five minutes before your guest arrive, toss your chicken wings in a covered plastic container with a cup of your favorite wing sauce. You have your pick at the grocery store or your favorite wing place. Serve with plenty of ranch and blue cheese. Try this if dare: purchase ranch dressing, add blue cheese crumbles and red pepper flakes. Pow!

Nachos

A bag of tortilla chips, shredded cheese (Mexican blend), a can of nacho cheese, ground turkey, sour cream, Pace Picante Sauce (I prefer HOT). Done!

Brown the ground turkey and sprinkle in black pepper, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, and chili powder. 

Spread the chips on a cookie sheet and layer on the cheese and meat. 

Heat the nacho cheese (not cheez whiz) using directions on the can.

Cook chips on broil (500 degrees) until the cheese has melted. Pull the pan out the oven, drizzle with hot nacho cheese.

In separate containers put sour cream, picante sauce, and guac if you'd like. You can also add beans to the nachos before putting them in the oven, but please plug some Febreeze NOTICEables in the vicinity.

Chili

Since you have the Febreeze pumping, you might as well throw together a quick pot of chili.

If you buy a huge container of ground turkey, you'll be all set. Use a third for your nachos and the rest in your chili.

You'll need the Del Monte Chili-Ready Tomatoes (3 cans), Petite Diced Tomatoes (1 large can), red kidney beans (2 large cans), and browned ground turkey.

Cook the turkey the same as above. Dump all of your ingredients in a large crock pot.  You'll need to add a thickening agent. In a cup, add a cup of hot water from the tap and add 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir until smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the chili. Let the chili cook for no less than an hour. The longer you cook, the more people won't want to leave! That good!

Seafood

Wow your guest with a seafood spread. In honor of New England, include some lobster tacos (lobster meat, mayo, and Old Bay wrapped in a tortilla), crab cakes (lump crab meat, mayo, dijon mustard, Old Bay, egg, cracker meal and pan fry), fried oysters (milk/egg wash, cracker meal and deep fry), and spiced shrimp (frozen or fresh, STEAM after sprinkling with seafood seasoning) to your menu. Mussels, clams, and shrimp in white wine butter sauce over pasta can also be a tasty treat for the taste buds.

Finger Food

Lastly, take your favorite foods and make them finger foods. You love baked mac and cheese? Well prepare mini mac and cheesies in muffin pans. You love Chinese food? Go to your favorite spot and order egg rolls and your favorite meals. Cut the egg rolls in half and portion out a meat-based meal in fillo cups. Serve sticky rice in balls or sushi to complete the effect!  Get playful. Chips and dip...boring. Get a bunch of different flavored chips and mix them up!

Need more detailed recipes? Please ask in the comments below or on Twitter @akagia.

"What Are You Going To Do With Those?!" *Collard Greens Edition*

I find it intriguing when I'm checking out at the grocery store and the cashier asks questions about my purchases.  I've had cashiers who held up their line to read the package while inquiring about calories or ingredients. I've had people wrinkle up their faces at my choice of vegetable or meat. But, it seems to me that every time I purchase collard greens, I get the same question: "Whatcha gonna do with those?"

I was born and raised in Virginia. I thought it was common knowledge what to do with "greens."  Getting questioned about how to prepare collards made me think that there may have been a generational lapse in cooking instruction being that I am in my 30s (even though I've known what to do with greens since I was little), but I even have had older cashiers ask the same question. Some have gone on to say that they've "always wondered what people did with 'em."  Why do they choose me as the person to ask?  Maybe it's because I absolutely LOVE shopping at Kroger and when I'm checking out, I'm jovial in anticipation of how much my bill will go down once my card is swiped.  The thrill is like no other, but I digress....Let's cook!

I have decided to share my recipe for my Not-So-Southern Collard Greens. Truly southern collards or any greens for that matter include some form of pork (i.e. ham hock, fat back) for seasoning. Others, like my mom, opt for a healthier, yet still high in sodium and added fat option smoked turkey wing.  I'm the party-pooper who desires to stay as far away from high blood pressure as possible, so I don't use any meat for flavoring and my greens are a hit!

You will need:
3 bundles (about 3 lbs) of fresh collard greens (They are 99 cents per lb right now at Kroger. Check here!)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp Smart Balance Original Buttery Spread (or Smart Balance Buttery Spread with EVOO)
1 Tbsp Lawry's Season Salt (25% Less Sodium if you'd like to cut back)
1 Tbsp Granulated Splenda
2 Tsp cracked pepper (or freshly ground)
2 Tsp iodinized salt (or Sea Salt or Kosher Salt)
2 Tsp red pepper flakes

Cleaning your greens are essential. There is nothing worse that gritty greens! So fill up your sink half way with cool water and sprinkle a little (a couple of table spoons) salt. This saline solution will help remove any of the leftover grit/sand/dirt left on the greens. If you get your greens from a farmer's market, you will need to wash your greens 2-3 times changing sinks and water each time.  Kroger, with their thundering sound effects, wash their produce several times an hour so the greens are pretty clean when you get home. Once you have our greens in the sink, fill the sink to the top of the greens with more water rinsing the individual leaves as you divide the bundles.  Next, you'll need to cut the main stem out of the leaf.

Place your largest pot on the stove on high heat. Add all of your ingredients except the greens and bring to a ferocious boil. Lower to medium heat and add greens as you finish cutting them into squares.  Fold the de-stemmed leaf in half and then fold again two more times. Cut the folded leaf to make collard squares and then toss them into the hot pot. They do not need to be perfect squares!  Cover your greens once you have added all of them to the pot. After about 5 minutes, stir and gauge the amount of water you have in your pot. If you can see the water, there is too much!  Too much water will wash the wonderful taste out of your greens. You should have about 2 inches of water in your pot. Stir and monitor water every 15 minutes until done.

I cook my greens for about an hour. I still like my greens to have texture or as I call it "a little chew" to them. If you'd like to ramp up the cooking time, you can cook on high heat, but make sure you're watching your water level and keeping the cover on the pot.

My lunch today! Notice the steam fogging up the camera lens.

So keep this recipe handy since the holidays are rapidly approaching. You'll be able to impress your friends and family this Thanksgiving with your awesome greens! I may just print this recipe out and hand it to a cashier the next time he or she asks "what are you going to do with those?"