Superbowl Sunday Snacks

It's that time of year again where we put on our team jerseys, whip up some tasty morsels and hunker down in front of the big screen to watch....the Superbowl commercials and half-time show. Ha,ha,ha....you didn't think I really watch the football did you? It's just a good excuse to make mini food and create drinks with beer as the main ingredient...it's tradition. Who am I to mess with tradition?

Lime Shandy

2 Beer (I used Omission gluten-free IPA)
8 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
4 cups Lime Sparkling Water
4 Lime Slices
Ice Cubes

Fill 4 frosted beer mugs with ice. Pour 1/2 bottle of beer into each mug, 2 Tbsp lime juice and 1 cup of lime sparkling water. Garnish with lime slice.

Makes 4 Cocktails

Sliders

1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder or Chili Powder
10 Cremini Mushrooms, stems removed
1 small Onion, halved and sliced
10 Pickle Chips (dill with no sugar added)
5 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in small slices
1/4 cup Homemade Mayonnaise
2-3 Tbsp Hot Sauce (I used Frank's) use your own discretion for how hot you like things


Preheat a pan over medium heat. In a medium bowl, add ground beef, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder & chipotle powder. Mix well to evenly combine spices. Form into golf ball sized meatballs, press into a patty and then put a thumbprint in the middle of each to allow for expansion. Fry mini burgers in olive oil until cooked through approx. 4 mins per side. Meanwhile, place 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add sliced onions and cook slowly until caramelized and golden brown, stirring frequently approx. 20 mins, set aside. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Brush the mushrooms caps with 1 Tbsp olive oil and place stem side up on a baking sheet. Roast for approx. 8 mins. until golden. Set aside.

Homemade Mayonnaise

In a glass canning jar large enough to accommodate a stick immersion blender, add in this order:

1tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice or Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt & pepper
1 Egg Yolk

Slowly pour 1/2 cup light olive oil down the side of the jar so as not to disturb the ingredients in the jar. Place immersion blender into jar and pulse until the egg yolk emulsifies into a creamy mayo. Can also be made in a blender the same way. Pulse blender for 10 to 20 seconds to emulsify.

To Assemble Slider:

On a serving tray or wooden board place mushroom cap, burger, caramelized onions, spicy mayo, pickle chip and tomato slice. Skewer with a toothpick or fancy bamboo skewers.

Makes 10 sliders

Tostones with Pulled Pork & Lime, Cilantro Coleslaw

1 large Plantain, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

Preheat oil in high sided thick bottom pot or deep fryer to 365 F. Deep fry plantain for 3 minutes. Flatten gently with a large glass. Deep fry an additional 2 minutes until crispy. Remove to metal bowl and salt & pepper immediately.

Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 Tbsp Bacon Fat

1 cup frozen Peaches, thawed

1/4 cup Shallots, diced

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder

2 tsp coconut aminos or tamari

1 7 oz jar Tomato Paste

1/4 cup Water

3 Tbsp Hot Sauce

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté shallots in bacon fat until translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

For the Pulled Pork

Season 1 pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Sear in sauté pan over medium heat until browned on all sides. Place in slow cooker and pour over peach chipotle BBQ sauce. Cook on high 6 hours. Remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks.

For the Coleslaw

1/4 cup Green Cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup Red Cabbage, shredded

1 small Carrot, shredded

1 Green Onion, chopped

2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped

3 Tbsp Homemade Mayonnaise

Juice of 1/2 Lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

To Assemble Tostones:

Arrange tostones on a plate. Put a Tbsp of pulled pork on each and top with a Tbsp of coleslaw for individual servings or scatter the pulled pork over tostones and then scatter coleslaw and serve family style.

Sweet Potato Tots

1 large Sweet Potato
1/8 cup Arrowroot
1/8 cup Tapioca Flour
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat deep fryer to 365 F. Boil sweet potato in a large pot of boiling water 10-15 mins until tender but still firm. Let cool to room temperature. Grate on large side of box grater. Put in a large bowl. Add scrambled egg to grated sweet potato. Add spices to flours and fold into grated sweet potato. Scoop Tbsp sized balls of the mixture into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 mins. Remove to bowl and season with salt, toss. Garnish with bacon bits, chopped green onion and a drizzle of vegan sour cream.

Vegan Sour Cream

1/2 cup Cashews, raw
1/8 cup Slivered Almonds, raw
1/8 cup Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

Place cashews and almonds in a bowl and soak overnight. Drain, add to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Refrigerate until needed. You can use any leftover vegan sour cream to make dip, just add chopped fresh herbs or caramelized onions or red onion, tomato and black olives or green onion and bacon or whatever combo of flavours you fancy.