First I would like to congratulate Debra L. Arter of Damariscotta for winning the “Yummiest Hors D'oeuvre” recipe contest. Thank you to everyone who entered. Elsewhere in this edition is a photo of Debra in her lovely new apron and hew fantastic recipe for Warm Blue Cheese Dip. Be sure to check it out.

Now, are you ready for some football? Sadly our beloved Pats blew it and didn’t make it to the Big Game this year but we’ll have a great time cheering on … such a dilemma. Ravens or 49ers? My vintage high school pom-poms are out of the moth balls and fluffed up ready to put into service and I’ve pretty much decided on the menu. 

We get almost as excited in anticipation of the commercials as we do watching some good ball. Have a yummy Super Bowl Sunday and I hope your team wins.

Pizza dip

• 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, cubed (reduced fat works fine)
• 1 can (15 oz.) pizza sauce
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) sliced pepperoni; finely chopped (I use turkey pepperoni –less fat and less salt)
• 1 can (3.8 oz.) chopped ripe olives, drained
• 2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• Bagel chips

Place cream cheese in a 3-quart slow cooker. Combine pizza sauce, pepperoni and olives; mix well. Pour over cream cheese and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on low for 1-1/2 hours or until cheese is melted. Stir to combine; serve with bagel chips. Yield: 5-1/2 cups.

Spinach dip

• 1 Tbsp. jalapeno pepper, minced 
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (can substitute equal amount of diced canned tomatoes, well drained)
• 1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Pour into an oven-proof dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling around edges and heated through. Serve with crackers or bagel chips. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Halftime chicken and sausage chili

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 lbs. hot Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large white onions, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or more to taste
• 2 cans (28-oz. each) crushed tomatoes in puree
• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
• 1 can (16-oz.) corn, drained
• 2 cans (16-oz. each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (16-oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 can (16-oz.) white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (16-oz.) chick peas, drained and rinsed 
• Salt to taste
• Sour cream and chopped green onions for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add sausage and sauté until browned on all sides. Remove to paper towel to drain. Add chicken pieces to pan and sauté until cooked through; remove to paper towel with sausage. Add onions, carrots, celery, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic to pan and sauté 7 minutes or until onions are tender but not browned. Tilt the pan and remove all but about 1 Tbsp. of fat. 

Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper; cook 5 minutes stirring often.  Stir in tomatoes and chicken stock; add reserved sausage and chicken and bring mixture up to a simmer. Add corn, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, and chickpeas. Bring back to a simmer and cook uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until mixture is quite thick. Season to taste with salt if desired. Cover pan tightly and chill overnight. Skim off accumulated fat on surface of chili and discard. Place Dutch oven over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until chili is hot. Top with sour green and chopped green onions, if desired. Yield: 12 generous servings.

Bourbon and molasses glazed chicken wings

• 12 chicken wings (about 2 lbs.) 
• 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 Tbsp. Asian chili sauce (available in most supermarkets)
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. bourbon
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Freshly ground black pepper

Cut off and discard tips of chicken wings. Cut wings at joints to form 24 pieces.* Place chicken wing pieces in a large zippy bag.

To prepare marinade, combine vinegar, molasses, chili sauce, mustard, maple syrup, bourbon, and soy sauce in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over wings; seal bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour but up to 4 hours.

Line a shallow roasting pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Drain chicken wings, reserving marinade. Arrange wings in a single layer in pan; sprinkle with pepper. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes, spooning some of reserved marinade over wings twice. Turn wings over; spoon additional marinade over wings. Bake for 20 minutes more, spooning marinade over wings after 10 minutes. Yield: 24 pieces. Recipe doubles or triples well.

*Note: Or buy chicken all prepped for you, labeled chicken drumettes.

“The Colonel's” cole slaw (like KFC™)

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 2-1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 8 cups very finely chopped cabbage
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot

Combine sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice in a large bowl; whisk until smooth. Add cabbage and carrots and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Goalpost dessert pizza

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour, divided use
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 bag (12-oz.) milk chocolate chips
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping, room temperature

Place softened butter in a large bowl and beat on medium speed of electric mixer for 1 minute or until fluffy. Add 1 cup of the flour, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add remaining 3/4 cup of flour and mix well to make a soft dough. Spread onto the bottom of a 14-inch pizza pan coated with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until top of dough is a light golden brown.

Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Sprinkle top of crust with chocolate chips, marshmallows and pecans. Return to oven and bake for 6-8 minutes or until edges of marshmallows are golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack and then drizzle with caramel topping. Slice into 16 wedges.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Big Pine Key, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.