With all the talk about the upcoming Super Bowl, it got me thinking about the years where I was part of a group gathering to watch a game on TV. Although I am not a dedicated sports fan, I always enjoyed the food and the fun. There is rarely a formal dinner for these events. People tend to rely on casual dishes with lots of appetizers and finger foods. I started browsing my recipe collection for some of my favourites.
The first recipe I want to share is “Chinese Chicken Wings”. This recipe was part of a cookbook I received when I got married. We only enjoyed a few recipes in this book, so I ripped those pages out (it’s very difficult for this former library tech to “rip out” pages from a book!) and tossed the rest into the recycling. These wings are easy to make but a delicious mess to eat. We always enjoyed them with a side of plain rice.
The “Taco Dip” originates from my friend Jean. It is a perennial favourite, especially when we are watching the “Dancing with the Stars” season finale!
The last recipe is for homemade hummus. I must admit that hummus is not everyone’s favourite snack food. But I just love this recipe for sweet potato hummus. A few years ago, my daughter and I participated in a cleanse. We were supplied with a variety of recipes to help us make healthier food choices – this was one of them. It was also suggested to make your own dipping chips using brown rice tortillas, which I discovered are not easy to find. I did find them in a large grocery store in the health food freezer section. Pitas work just as well. Making hummus and the chips at home gives you more control over the ingredients and the flavours.
Chinese Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds of wings
- 1/3 cup melted honey
- 1/3 cup soya sauce
- 1 clove of garlic minced
Chop wings in 3, discarding the tips, if not already separated.
Mix the honey, soya sauce, and garlic. Marinate the wings in the sauce for 1 hour.
Bake in a single layer in a heavy dish with marinade, uncovered for 1 to 1½ hours at 350F until sticky and glazed.
Turn during baking. Move around/turn often during the last 15 minutes and watch they don’t burn.
Taco Dip
- 1 can tomato sauce (398ml)
- 1 jar of salsa (650ml)
- 1 package cream cheese (250g)
Cut the cream cheese into small chunks. Mix all ingredients together in an oven proof dish. Place in oven at 350F and heat until hot. Can also be microwaved.
If you like, grate some cheddar cheese on top to garnish. Enjoy with tortilla chips.
Pita (or Tortilla) Chips
Use soft tortillas or pita bread that has been separated into 2 single pieces. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cut into triangle pieces. Place on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 400F for about 7 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Cool on a wire rack.
Sweet Potato Hummus
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- Pepper to taste
Steam sweet potatoes until tender. Transfer to a food processor. To the food processor add chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and cumin. Puree about 1 minute. Thin with water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
NOTE: for a smoother hummus you can peel the chickpeas. I usually rub them in between the palms of my hands to separate the skin. You can also use a immersion blender instead of the food processor.
