Welcome to our JerseyBites Game Day Round Up. We’ve got everything from good for you muchies to bacon, bacon and more bacon. Don’t worry, we’ve got some vegetarian options too. Hey, since we can’t be screaming “Go Giants” this year, we might as well drown out the boredom with some good food. For a library of past chili recipes, everything from pork sausage, beef, turkey and lamb, click here. For a new recipe, try Christine’s Van Arsdalen’s Chicken Chili below. Michelle Stavrou’s Honey Corn Muffins would make the perfect accompaniment. For wings, which are a must in my house, we deep fry them and dress with “Mephis Style Sauce” half Buffalo half Barbecue. They are absolutely addictive. If you’re thinking about going out for wings, here are our suggestions. We hope you enjoy these recipes and remember there are plenty more from years past on the site. Do you have a favorite Game Day recipe you’d like to share? Please leave it here in the comments or hop over to our Facebook page and lay it on us.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
3 anchovy filets (packed in oil)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend for about 60 seconds, until the dip is creamy and green.
Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup honey (The best way to measure honey or any other sticky substance is to spray the measuring cup with cooking spray first. Not only does it make it easier to clean the measuring cup but you’ll also get the full amount without any sticking to the cup.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Into a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, butter, and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin and evenly divide the cornbread mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.
If you’re looking for something a bit different, cut the muffins in half, spread some butter on each side, then grill, butter side down, in a skillet. Once they’re nice and brown they’re good to go.
Chicken Chili a la Christine- Christine Van Arsdalen (Somerset County)
Ingredients
4 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
1-2 hot peppers (suggested 1 habanero 1 jalapeno)
2 plum tomatoes
2 tomatoes on the vine
½ lb to 1lb ground turkey
3 links chicken sausage
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can san marzano tomatoes
1 tbsp frank’s red hot sauce
1 tsp smoked chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 bottle of beer (Budweiser is recommended)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mince garlic and dice onion, peppers tomatoes. Add onion, garlic and peppers to a large skillet and cook until translucent. Remove sausage from casing and add turkey, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large crock pot and add canned ingredients, beer, and seasoning. Cover and cook for two hours on high or 4 on low. *Note: recipe is for medium heat chili- adjust based on taste.
Yellow and Green Zucchini Caponata, Michele Errichetti, Atlantic County
For all those who love the idea of caponata but aren’t big fans of eggplant, this mixture is a milder answer but still packs a big punch of hearty flavor!
Ingredients
3 yellow and green zucchini, chopped roughly
1 large red onion, chopped roughly
5 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
1 container cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 small box of raisins, chopped roughly
2 tbsp. Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. pine nuts
small handful of fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper seeds, 12 is mild, adjust for personal taste
2 tbsp. capers
2 tbsp. tomato paste
splash of balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. salt and black pepper
pinch of sugar
Directions
Add olive oil and red pepper seeds to medium saucepot with chopped onion and celery and saute for 5 min. till translucent. Add garlic for 2 min. Then add zucchini for 10 min .Then add all other ingredients except pine nuts and cook for another 15 min.Add pine nuts when finished. You can make this mixture ahead of time and reheat if time is an issue. Serve on crostini, as a dip with crackers, or even over pasta. Caponata freezes well so you can make a double batch for another time.
I love making jalapeno poppers, however making them for a crowd is pretty tedious, and you always seem to run out way before everyone has had their fill. This dish combines the spicy jalapeno popper with an easy dip that satisfies a crowd!
Ingredients:
10 jalapenos
1 large red onion
1 package cream cheese (room temperature)
18 ounces grated cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and monterey jack)
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve the jalapenos, cut off the stems, and take out the ribs and the seeds (you can leave some in if you like it super spicy!). Chop the red onion into large chunks. Toss with the jalapenos, the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the mixture on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast in the oven for around 25 minutes until the jalapenos and onions have some brown color. Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, grated cheese, and chopped cilantro into a mixing bowl. Let sit at room temperature until soft enough to stir.
Once the jalapeno and onion mixture are done, place them into a food processor until the mixture is chunky (about 2 or 3 pulses). Thoroughly combine this mixture with the cream cheese, cheese, and cilantro. Put the mixture into a nonstick baking dish or spray a baking dish with nonstick spray (this is the dish that you will be using to serve). Place the dish into a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the top starts to bubble and brown. Serve with tortilla chips and vegetables!
Wine with football? Sure, why not? Add a little class to your Superbowl Party with some New Jersey wine pairings. Jennifer Malme, Cumberland County
Cheese and Crackers – Serve a crisp Chardonnay from Cape May’s Hawk Haven Vineyard.
Chips and Creamy Dip – Try the limited edition Sauvignon Blanc from Heritage Vineyards.
Salami and spicy meats – Go for the bold flavor of Amalthea Cellars award-winning Red Blends.
Hot Wings – Cool it down with Sharrott Winery’s Vignoles, a semi-sweet white wine.
Burgers and Sliders – Nothing complements beef like a good Cabernet Sauvignon. Try Jessie Creek.
Sweets and Desserts – Look to Bellview Winery for Cristallina and Jersey Blues, sweet wines that are great with dessert or on their own.
Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pull Apart Bread~
Ingredients
1/3 cup favorite flavored dipping oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 (16 ounce) pkgs pre-made pizza dough or homemade pizza dough
1 (7 oz) pkg sliced pepperoni
1 (8 oz) pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Separate pizza dough into small bite sized pieces.
3. In a bowl add your favorite flavored dipping oil. Toss dough pieces in dipping oil to lightly coat.
4. Layer dough pieces in bottom of bundt or fluted tube pan, next layer sliced pepperoni, shredded cheese and sprinkle with garlic powder. Repeat layers again, and end with final layer of dough pieces.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is browned and cooked through in the center, 30-40 min
6. Remove from oven, and invert the pan on a cutting board; the bread will fall out of the pan in one piece.
7. Serve by pulling the bread apart into individual servings with optional marinara dipping sauce on the side.
I usually layer until about 2/3 of the pan is full. Definitely plan for it to feed a hungry crowd. You can scale down the ingredients if you choose to feed a smaller crowd. You can serve it hot or room temperature.
Candied Bacon with Mixed Nuts
Ingredients:
1 Pound of Slab Bacon (preferably from your favorite Pork Store)
1 Table spoon Cinnamon
Maple Syrup (Enough to coat bacon)
2 Jars of Emerald’s Sweet and Salty Cinnamon Sugar Mixed Nuts
2 Table spoons of Brown Sugar
Directions:
- Cut the Bacon into ¼ inch bite sized pieces making to cut against the grain as to preserve the integrity of the fat to meat ratio of the slab bacon.
- Place a ½ pound of the cut bacon into a skillet set to medium high heat.
- Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of cinnamon on bacon once a layer of grease forms on the bottom of the pan. Mix Well.
- Cook bacon until very close to being done and then drizzle maple syrup into the pan coating the bacon evenly.
- Cook Bacon until it is crisp.
- Remove Bacon from pan and place on plate and allow it to cool for approximately 10 minutes.
- Repeat steps 2-6 for the other ½ pound of bacon.
- Fill two serving dishes (I use holiday tins to be festive) with the Emerald’s mixed nuts and top with Candied Bacon.
- Dust with Brown sugar and mix well to incorporate the bacon into the nuts.
Crunchy Swiss and Ham Bites (Found on Taste of Home.com) http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Crunch-Swiss-and-Ham-Appetizers
2 cups very stiff mashed potatoes
2 cups finely chopped cooked ham
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg, well beaten
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3-1/2 cups cornflakes, crushed
Directions
- Combine all ingredients except cornflakes; chill. Shape into 1-in. balls and roll in cornflakes.
- Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Serve while hot. Yield: about 8 dozen.
Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-bacon-jalapeno-wraps/detail.aspx
6 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
12 slices bacon
Directions
- Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
- Spread cream cheese to fill jalapeno halves. Wrap with bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
- Place on the grill, and cook until bacon is crispy.
The BACON EXPLOSION!
Recipe can be found here.
http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/
Directions:
Chef Justin has provided his famous pretzel crusted crab cake recipe for our readers so you can try it out while thinking about inviting him to your home for a truly exciting and delicious culinary experience!
Even though I have never been disappointed in any dish I have devoured at this spot, I do have some favorites that standout amongst the crowd. First off, the bread and butter that are served will challenge your self-control, because between the enticing artisanal everything butter and the fresh baked bread, if you are not careful you will fill up before your meal begins. As For appetizers, I highly recommend The Spicy Garlic Shrimp($12), which combines garlic shrimp with Spanish chorizo in a mouthwatering sauce perfect for seafood lovers, or The East Meets West Ribs($12), which are covered in a sriracha barbecue sauce, that, I am not ashamed to say, have dreams about. As for the Main Course, I am a sucker for the Skillet Mac and Cheese with Lobster($15), which delivers a tremendous amount of Lobster flavor thanks to the gigantic pieces of lobster mixed into the cheese sauce that has a slight smoky flavor due to the loving addition of my favorite condiment, Bacon! That is right, you heard me, I said condiment, bacon makes everything taste better, and therefore it is the only meat that should be considered a condiment. The aforementioned Pork Shank ($24) also makes my list of culinary contenders on the Twisted Elm’s menu, due to a perfectly executed chasseur sauce that displays the Chef’s wide array of influences.
As you are eating the generous portions the 
Mike Arp a/k/a The Blue Collar Foodie was born and raised in Northern New Jersey and has spent most of his adult life on a relentless quest to uncover eateries that deliver white collar fare at blue collar prices. This never ending journey, combined with his passion for writing gave birth to his current food blog, 
January 19th: Round 2 of the Ultimate Chef Bergen County: In each of 3 rounds, two of Bergen County’s top chefs will compete head to head to select a challengerto the reigning UCC, Ninamarie Bojekian of Ooh La La Catering in February. Round 1 winner: Chef Adam Weiss. Competitors in Round 2 are Chef Arthur Toufayan of Cafe Amici (Wychoff) vs. Chef Ryan Lagud of Biddy O’Malley’s (Northvale) Competition begins at 11am at Chef Central in Paramus.
January 20th: Hoboken: Stuff your face and the ballot boxes at the First Annual Hoboken Mutzfest Hoboken is a town known not only for baseball and Frank Sinatra but also for its world-famous mozzarella. On Jan. 20 we’ll bring the best that the town has to offer at the First Annual Mutzfest in which you can sample and vote for your favorite. The event promises to be fun-filled with friendly competition in order to earn sought-after bragging rights to be named the city’s best. Competing for the top honors are Biancamano, Fran’s Deli, Lisa’s Deli, Losurdo Brothers Bakery and Vito’s Deli. While all of the city’s top deli’s known for the fresh-made mozzarella were invited to participate, some are unable to attend because of other obligations. The Mutzfest, which runs from 2 pm – 6 pm at the Elk’s Club, will also feature a mozzarella-making demonstration, live entertainment and DJing by Angelo Cerrone, desserts, beer, wine and prizes. The cost to enter is $10 per person and is free for kids 10 and under. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hoboken Family Alliance philanthropic efforts including a portion of proceeds for the Rebuild Hoboken fund and programs for children with special needs. Buy your tickets today. Tickets are on sale now at participating deli’s or at 
January 22nd: Asbury Park: Mr. Green Tea Presents a Night Out to Restore the Shore. $100 Tickets include full access to this exclusive event. Full course family style meal, drinks, live music and silent auction with items that range from bottles of wine to lavish vacations. Hurry only a few tickets are still available. Go to MrGreenTeaIcecream.com/RTS
Januray 31st: Westwood: Westwood’s Fourth Annual “Green Screen” — a week-long festival of fascinating and informative environmental films — will kick off on Thursday, January 31, 2013 and run through February 6, 2013 at the Westwood Cinema, 182 Center Avenue, Westwood, NJ and at the Westwood Public Library, 49 Park Avenue, Westwood, NJ. This environmental film series, which has a couple great foodie flicks, one of which is free with a talk from Guy Jones, one of the Garden State’s most acclaimed farmers, will kick off at pre-festival reception on Thursday, January 31st at 6:00 p.m. at 
The “Growing School Gardens” community on edWeb.net provides the seeds needed for the adoption of sustainability in schools to grow. In their new community, edWeb.net, a social networking and continuing education site for professionals in the education field, and the New Jersey Farm to School Network team up to create a place for “educators, gardeners, parents, and community volunteers to come together to share information and resources on how to start and maintain a school garden, and integrate it into the curriculum and the life of a school” (edWeb.net). Its goal is to make sustainability a community wide effort in order to “help children understand where their food comes from and how their food choices impact their bodies, the environment, and their communities at large” (edWeb.net).
