Tag: garlic

Let’s embrace the ‘pasta’bilities this week

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 20, 2020

Ziti pasta bake is full of lots of cheese and Italian herbs. It's perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Until I began this column, I had no idea how many variations of pasta there are.

I used to think I was pretty knowledgeable until I continued to discover new types that often were tough to find in small-town Kansas grocery stores.

My recipe this week called for ziti, a tube-shaped pasta I’m definitely familiar with, but my local store didn’t have any in stock, so I opted for some penne instead.

That got me to thinking that there are at least three tubular pastas I could think of: ziti, penne and rigatoni, and I decided to do some digging to figure out what the real difference is.

An article online by Brette Warshaw went into great detail about the minuscule differences between the three—most notably, the length. Standard penne is 2.12 inches long, ziti is 2 inches, and rigatoni is 1.8. Other than that, there are small differences in end cut and ridges, but that’s really about it from a visual standpoint. So, when I made this week’s recipe for a ziti pasta bake, I just grabbed what was available as far as tube-shaped pasta and hoped I wasn’t making a mistake.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Together as Family.” You can find the original at https://togetherasfamily.com/cheesy-ziti-pasta-bake/. I added lots more herbs in my version.

Ziti Pasta Bake

Ziti pasta bake is full of lots of cheese and Italian herbs. It's perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, cheese, cream cheese, garlic, Greek yogurt, marinara, mozzarella, oregano, parsley, sour cream, spaghetti sauce, ziti

Ingredients

16 ounces ziti
24 ounces spaghetti sauce
14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes undrained
8 ounces cream cheese softened
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons oregano
6-8 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sauce, diced tomatoes, cream cheese, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Once the pasta is done, drain it (don’t rinse it) and add it to the mixing bowl and stir.
Pour half of the pasta mixture into the baking dish and then spread the sour cream over the top. Sprinkle on about half of the mozzarella, spread the remaining pasta on top, and then finish with the rest of the cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until the top of the cheese is melted fully and slightly browned.
Serve with some garlic bread.

This was creamy and cheesy and really yummy. It was also meatless, and I didn’t miss the protein at all. You could easily use a meat sauce in this, though, if you would like to.

And despite the use of penne, it was pretty good. I will warn you, though, that apparently my substitution is not without controversy. Chef Paula Ghosh wrote a blog post about ziti vs. penne, and she notes that despite the two pastas having similar origins, ziti is meant to be used in baked dishes, and penne is meant to be mixed in with sauce.

She claims that even seemingly insignificant differences in pastas can change the entire flavor profile of a dish. Since she’s the expert, I suppose I’ll have to take her word for it, but I can tell you this was great even with the penne. It might be even better if you followed the pasta rules.

This piece first appeared in print on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Tags basil, cheese, cream cheese, garlic, Greek yogurt, Italian, marinara, mozzarella, oregano, parsley, quick dinner, sour cream, spaghetti sauce, vegetarian, ziti

Side Dish

Sometimes speed is what cooking is all a’sprout’

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date November 28, 2019

Caramelized sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are a flavorful and colorful side dish.

I recently found myself going on a whirlwind trip through the grocery store, quickly grabbing something to make for dinner on my way home from work.

Joey and I were all geared up to watch a basketball game, and I (of course) ended up getting caught in the office far later than I wanted. And (of course) I’d already volunteered to be the chef for the night.

I started in the meat section and found some amazing, thick pork chops, and then I hurried over to the produce area to try to come up with a side dish.

I normally avoid already prepared vegetables—mostly because I’m cheap, but I took a look anyway since I was in a hurry. I found a marked-down bag of already-washed Brussels sprouts and already-cubed sweet potatoes.

I pulled out my phone and quickly searched online for a “Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes” side dish and was thankful that the Internet is always at my fingertips, making it easy for me to know that a recipe was readily available when I got home.

The one I found came from the website “My Recipes” and was written by Robert Wiedmaier. You can find it at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/caramelized-sweet-potatoes-brussels-sprouts. I added more garlic and changed up the instructions a bit.

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Caramelized sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are a flavorful and colorful side dish.

Course Side Dish

Keyword Brussels sprouts, garlic, sweet potatoes

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
1 pound Brussels sprouts halved
6-8 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons melted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
Combine all the ingredients on the baking sheet and mix with your hands to fully coat the vegetables in oil, butter and seasonings. Spread the vegetables out into as much of a single layer as you can.
Place in the oven for 25 minutes (or until they reach your preferred level of tenderness), stirring the vegetables halfway through.
Serve right away.

My vegetables ended up staying in the oven for about 10 minutes longer than the listed time, just because I tend to really like tender sprouts, but it was such an easy side dish to just toss in the oven while I was cooking my pork chops.

The original recipe calls for spreading them out on two rimmed sheets, which would probably make the cooking go a bit more quickly, but they weren’t very crowded on my single pan, so I didn’t bother with a second.

And I did end up not getting to see a bit of the first half of basketball while I was in the kitchen, but thanks to some quick, prepared veggies, I didn’t have to miss much, our guys sealed the victory, and we had a great dinner.

I’d call that a win.

This piece first appeared in print on Nov. 28, 2019.

Tags Brussels sprouts, garlic, sweet potatoes

Main Dish

Your spaghetti may be the ‘bella’ the ball

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date October 10, 2019

Mushroom and garlic spaghetti is not too tough to make but looks nice on the plate and tastes even better.

I recently unpacked a few boxes of books that were stored away and uncovered some cookbooks I hadn’t looked through in awhile.

They’re now all neatly in a row on my new bookshelf, so I suspect they will be getting some use in the coming weeks and months, but as I looked at each one before finding it a good spot on the shelf, I was reminded of how my mom taught me to choose whether or not I should purchase a cookbook.

The problem with cookbooks—and online recipes, for that matter—is that it’s impossible not to be pulled in by the cover image. It always looks delicious, and it always looks like something I would love to eat.

Instead of looking at the photos, though, Mom always says to open the cookbook to somewhere in the middle and look at the recipe on that page. If the steps require a bunch of specialty cookware or the ingredients list is super exotic, put the cookbook back on the shelf—you’ll never use it.

Despite that directive, I will often bookmark online recipes that look expensive or complicated as long as I think I can do enough substituting to make it happen. That was the case with this week’s recipe.

The recipe I tried came from the online magazine “Kitchn.” You can find it at https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-mushroom-and-garlic-spaghetti-dinner-243627. I added extra garlic and decided to introduce spinach into it. I also simplified the ingredients a bit. The original calls for cremini mushrooms, which tend to be more expensive, and I used parmesan instead of Pecorino Romano cheese, since that’s what was easily available in my local grocery store.

Mushroom and Garlic Spaghetti

Mushroom and garlic spaghetti is not too tough to make but looks nice on the plate and tastes even better.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword garlic, mushrooms, pasta, spaghetti

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked spaghetti
3 tablespoons butter divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound fresh mushrooms sliced (I used baby bellas, but use what’s available)
8 cloves minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
1 cup fresh spinach leaves loosely packed
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. When it is done, drain it but reserve about 3/4 cup of the cooking water for later.
While the pasta is cooking, heat one tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper. Saute, stirring regularly, for about five minutes until the mushrooms are browned to your liking.
Add the remaining butter, garlic and red pepper flakes and saute one more minute.
Add the pasta, cooking water, spinach and parmesan to the skillet and stir for about two minutes or until the cheese is melted and coats the pasta.
Serve immediately with more cheese on top.

You wouldn’t have to add the red pepper flakes if you’re not a fan of spice, but it was pretty mild overall, so don’t let them make you nervous.

We had some leftovers, too, and this reheated pretty well, although it was much better straight out of the pan.

And with using some less luxury ingredients, I was able to make this for dinner very economically. I’m sure a professional would tell me I lost out on some high-quality mushrooms and flavorful cheese, but we still had a great supper, and I’ll leave those ingredients to the pros when I’m ordering off a menu.

As it stands, it turns out my mom was right yet again. But, of course, that’s certainly no surprise to me.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 10, 2019.

Tags garlic, mushrooms, pasta, spaghetti

Main Dish Side Dish

Don’t leave dinner ‘scalloped’ to chance

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 1, 2019

Scalloped potatoes are relatively easy to put together and customize, depending on your mood and crowd.

I have apparently been misinformed about the difference between scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin for my entire life.

I always thought they both had cheese involved. But after I decided recently to make scalloped potatoes, I discovered that the dish has no cheese at all, and it led me down a rabbit hole of food research.

I discovered that although I’ve always thought “au gratin” just meant “with cheese,” it actually just refers to “the verb ‘to gratinée,’ [which] as used today, means simply to give a dish a golden brown top,” as I read in an article on the site “Culinary Lore.”

The article also argues that an “au gratin” dish may really just refer to the type of vessel you cook it in and nothing to do with the ingredients at all.

So then I wondered what made something “scalloped,” and I found an article from “Cook’s Info” that has a couple possible explanations, from taking the word from a French cooking technique where oysters were cooked in scallop shells to an English dish referred to as “collops,” which “meant, among other things, slices of meat.”

So I went from thinking they were both cheesy dishes to finding out that cheese isn’t a requirement for either one. Nonetheless, I did find a recipe on the blog “Spend with Pennies” that I decided I wanted to try—despite its lack of cheese. You can find it at https://www.spendwithpennies.com/scalloped-potatoes-recipe/. I added extra garlic in my version.

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are relatively easy to put together and customize, depending on your mood and crowd.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword garlic, scalloped potatoes

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 onion diced
6 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk I used skim
1 cup chicken broth
3 pounds potatoes sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Saute until the onions are soft and then add the garlic. Once the garlic starts to brown slightly, add the flour and stir it around for about one minute.
Turn the heat to low and whisk in the milk and broth. Turn the heat to medium high heat and continue whisking until the sauce thickens. Add in the salt and pepper to taste.
While the sauce cooks, spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and layer in about one-third of the sliced potatoes into the bottom of the dish.
Season them with salt and pepper (I also added some red pepper flakes for mine.)
Pour one-third of the sauce over the top and then repeat the layers, ending with the rest of the sauce and some more salt and pepper.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are done through.
Turn the broiler on high to get a little color on the top of the potatoes. Leave them under the broiler for about three minutes.
Let the potatoes cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

If you are in a mood for cheese, you could easily sprinkle some between the layers on this dish. I think a grated parmesan would be especially nice.

And after all of my research, I’m now aware that almost no one knows what the true difference between scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin is, since almost every region where those dishes exist has a different recipe for each.

I’d like to set the blame on the shoulders of the French and their cooking techniques, but I suspect that it probably goes back to the English speakers in our past who just wanted to sound fancy. In reality, there’s not much fancy about scalloped potatoes, but boy, do they still taste good.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 1, 2019.

Tags garlic, scalloped potatoes

Side Dish

I finally found the cooking method I’ve ‘bean’ looking for

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date July 11, 2019

Fresh green beans are a beautiful and delicious addition to the summer dinner table.

I absolutely adore green beans. They’ve been near the top of my favorite veggies list since I was little.

My normal ways of preparing them is to open a can, dump them in a microwave-safe container with some salt and pepper and heat them up or to fry up some bits of bacon in a pot and then add the canned beans and seasonings.

But despite my pedestrian preparation of green beans, I am always drawn to fresh ones in the produce aisle when they show up each year. Unfortunately for me (and probably because of my years of canned bean consumption), I’m not a huge fan of crunchy cooked green beans and I seem to struggle to cook them in such a way that they don’t get mushy and overdone.

I still grabbed a big bag of them recently, though, vowing to finally conquer fresh green beans once and for all.

And I totally accomplished it.

So, I thought I would share my green bean process with anyone else who struggles with the perfect line between crispy and mushy fresh beans every summer. I don’t have a specific source for this one, as it’s a product of lots of trial and error over the years, although I’m sure I’m not the first one to try such a preparation.

Fresh Green Beans

Fresh green beans are a beautiful and delicious addition to the summer dinner table.

Course Side Dish

Keyword garlic, green beans, vegetables

Ingredients

1-2 pounds fresh green beans
About 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
6-8 cloves garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste optional

Instructions

Cut or snap the stem end of each bean off (I also snapped the longer ones in half so they’d fit in my pot more easily.) and wash them thoroughly.
Put the beans in a large pot and cover them with cold water.
Bring the pot to a boil and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until they’re just fork tender.
When the beans are almost done boiling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the beans are done, drain them well and then add them to the skillet, stirring to coat them in oil.
Add in the garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and stir again, letting the beans sit for a couple minutes on each side before stirring them around. Your goal is to get just a little bit of char on the beans and brown the garlic.
When the garlic is browned, remove the beans from heat and serve immediately.

These also reheated as leftovers really well, which was nice, because I made way more green beans than we could eat in one meal.

And they turned out just how I like them: a beautiful bright green, plenty of flavor and no crunch when biting into them.

I know a lot of people will argue with me about crunchy beans, but if you’re like me and would rather not have that crisp texture, I’d recommend giving this method a try.

And, of course, there’s always the canned variety, but who wants to get out the can opener during the time of year that gardens are overflowing with fresh veggies?

This piece first appeared in print on July 11, 2019.

Tags garlic, green beans, vegetables

Main Dish Soup

Let’s ‘brocc’ and roll with soup this summer

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date July 5, 2018

Cream of broccoli soup uses fresh broccoli and carrots, along with some great melty cheese.

A few years ago, we met a young newspaper editor from Kentucky while we were at a conference. She’s one of those “do it all” folks and in addition to being a managing editor, she runs a small farm.

I’m friends with her on Facebook, and now that summer is in full swing, I enjoy seeing the photos of her fresh vegetables when she sets up at her local farmer’s market.

Recently, she posted a photo of some gorgeous stalks of broccoli, and it gave me a major craving. Joey isn’t much of a broccoli fan, so I waited for an evening when he wouldn’t be home and made myself a big batch of soup.

I know it’s July and it’s hot, but I will eat soup any time of the year—especially if it has some fresh veggies in it. Plus, the recipe’s author says it freezes well, so I was able to fill up some freezer containers for later, too.

The recipe I used is from the website “Happy Money Saver.” You can find it at https://happymoneysaver.com/homemade-creamy-cheesy-broccoli-soup/. I used more garlic and also swapped skim milk into the recipe instead of half and half. The original also used gouda in addition to cheddar.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of broccoli soup uses fresh broccoli and carrots, along with some great melty cheese.

Course Main Course, Soup

Keyword broccoli, carrots, garlic, sharp cheddar cheese

Ingredients

5 cups chicken broth
1 small onion minced
4 cups fresh broccoli chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup carrots grated
4-6 cloves garlic minced
1 bay leaf
garlic salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk I used skim
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar shredded

Instructions

In a pot with a lid, combine the broth, onion, broccoli, carrots, garlic, bay leaf and some garlic salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and place the lid on the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the broccoli is nearly cooked through.
When the veggies are nearly done, melt the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for a couple minutes. Once the broccoli mixture is cooked, begin adding the liquid you cooked the vegetables in to the Dutch oven with a ladle, whisking as you do to incorporate the flour roux.
Once the liquid thickens a bit, toss in the vegetables (remove the bay leaf), milk and more garlic salt and pepper, if desired.
After the mixture is heated through, remove it from the stove and stir in the cheese until it’s melted.
Serve with some crusty bread and a fresh salad to really bring in the garden-fresh deliciousness.

I was really excited about this soup, and I liked that it wasn’t made with heavy cream, too, so I didn’t feel quite as badly about enjoying a big bowl of it.

Plus, I’m pumped to have several containers of this waiting in my freezer to go to work with me for lunch in the coming weeks.

I won’t be making it to Kentucky for my friend’s fresh broccoli any time soon, but I think it’s time to do some visiting to our local farmer’s markets. It looks like the gardens are starting to overflow with some amazing veggies, so it’s time for my table to overflow with them, too.

This piece first appeared in print on July 5, 2018.

Tags broccoli, carrots, garlic, sharp cheddar cheese

Salad Side Dish

Make garlic pasta salad to be the ‘roast’ of the town

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date June 14, 2018

Roasted garlic pasta salad has some amazing flavors that meld into the perfect summer side dish.

A few weekends ago, Joey and his best friend decided to fire up our smoker in the backyard and fill it with everything from several racks of ribs to a pork loin.

They tended the fire all day, hanging out in the garage with a set of washer boards to get out of the sun.

Parts of the house still smell a little smoky, and I can definitely tell which clothes I had up to dry while the smoking was going on when I pull them out of the dresser in the morning, but it was very much worth it.

As they wound down their cooking and we prepared to feast for dinner, I decided to whip up a side dish to complement smoked meats and found a delicious one that was even better the next day out of the fridge.

The recipe I made comes from the blog “Budget Bytes.” You can find the post at https://www.budgetbytes.com/roasted-garlic-pasta-salad/. I didn’t feel the need to add anything to this recipe other than suggesting getting a large head of garlic.

Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad

Roasted garlic pasta salad has some amazing flavors that meld into the perfect summer side dish.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Keyword garlic, parmesan, pasta, ricotta, spinach, tomatoes

Ingredients

1 large head of garlic
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound small pasta I used tri-color spirals
15 ounces ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Chop the top half inch off the head of garlic and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle the top with olive oil and cover the bowl. Microwave on high, one minute at a time, until the garlic cloves are soft (poke them with a fork to save burning yourself).
Remove the garlic from the microwave and set aside to cool.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, but save 1/2 cup of the cooking water and put the pasta back into the pot with the burner now off.
While cooking the pasta, squeeze the garlic cloves, and they’ll pop easily out of the skin. Mince the garlic and place it into a mixing bowl.
Add the ricotta, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup pasta water to the mixing bowl and stir until smooth.
In the warm pot you cooked the pasta in, add the spinach, ricotta sauce and cherry tomato halves to the pasta and stir so that everything is coated well and the spinach starts to wilt.
Add the parmesan cheese and more salt and pepper if needed.
You can serve this warm or cold.

This was a great pairing with the guys’ smoked smorgasbord, and I liked that it was a salad that didn’t use eggs or mayonnaise, so it would be perfect to take to an outdoor party where you may not have refrigeration readily available.

When I make this again, I’ll roast two heads of garlic instead of just one to really amp up the flavor, but it had all the stuff I really like—cheese, garlic, fresh veggies and pasta.

And I was thankful for the guys taking their Saturday to prepare lots of food to fill the refrigerator for awhile. Barbecue leftovers are some of the best kind.

This piece first appeared in print on June 14, 2018.

Tags garlic, parmesan, pasta, ricotta, spinach, tomatoes

Side Dish

Let’s have a serious ‘stalk’ about grilled asparagus

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date May 3, 2018

Grilled asparagus has some simple seasonings that make it a perfect summer side dish.

Last weekend, we decided to go to a late showing of the new “Avengers” movie with a group of friends, so we met early to enjoy the nice weather and grill for supper.

One of our friends walked in with a big bag of fresh asparagus.

“You can do whatever you want with this,” she said, before heading out to the patio.

It’s pretty obvious my friends know me well when they feel comfortable presenting me with a random ingredient and have full faith that I’ll be able to pull something off with it.

I looked online for a way to grill asparagus, since I figured it would easily pop onto the grill next to our steaks, and I discovered one from the blog “Or whatever you do.” The recipe is by Nicole Johnson and is both easy and perfectly seasoned. You can find it at https://www.orwhateveryoudo.com/2014/08/perfect-grilled-asparagus.html.

I will include grilling instructions as well as oven instructions with this recipe, since I ended up finishing the asparagus in the oven, because we managed to run out of propane about halfway through our cooking adventure (the hazards of the first time firing up the grill for spring, I suppose). I also played with some of the amounts a bit.

Grilled Asparagus

Grilled asparagus has some simple seasonings that make it a perfect summer side dish.

Course Side Dish

Keyword asparagus, garlic, grilled

Ingredients

about 1 pound fresh asparagus
about 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Instructions

Preheat the grill to about medium-high heat or preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Wash the asparagus and trim off the ends.
Fold a tray out of aluminum foil with raised sides to house the asparagus (put it on some kind of tray to use to carry to the grill or on a baking sheet if it’s going in the oven).
Place the asparagus into the tray, spaced just a little apart, and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to coat the asparagus in the oil and then sprinkle with the garlic salt, onion powder and pepper and mix around again to evenly distribute the spices.
Cut the butter into pieces and dot it along the top of the asparagus.
Place the aluminum tray right on the grill grates or leave it on the baking sheet in the oven and cook for about six to eight minutes for stalks that are pencil-size or smaller or about 10 to 15 minutes for larger stalks.
Serve immediately. The asparagus won’t stay warm for long.

We had a fantastic dinner, despite having to finish both our steaks and asparagus back in the house. At least our patio table was ready to hold our plates as we enjoyed one another’s company before our late-night movie.

Once the propane tank is full again, I’m planning on giving this recipe another try. I’m excited to fire up the grill, pull out my shorts and finally enjoy summer.

This piece first appeared in print on May 3, 2018.

Tags asparagus, garlic, grilled, vegetarian

Appetizer Snack

Garlic cheese bombs explode with flavor

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date January 25, 2018

An easy snack for the Super Bowl or any get together is garlic cheese bombs.

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, I decided I better try out a new snack recipe. That’s especially since I’m likely to be craving something to eat while I grumpily watch the Patriots try to win yet another trophy.

I was really hoping to see two teams who’d never won the big game make it into the Super Bowl this year, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

I don’t like it, but I guess I’m an Eagles fan for the end of this year’s NFL season. The Chiefs have to not disappoint me one of these years, right? Right?

Well, the good news is I found a super easy recipe to try out on Super Bowl Sunday, so at least the food will be worth cheering for.

I found this recipe on the blog “Crunchy Creamy Sweet.” You can see the original at http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2015/12/11/easy-garlic-cheese-bombs-recipe/2/. I decreased the amount of butter a decent amount in my version and adjusted the amounts of some of the other ingredients, too.

Garlic Cheese Bombs

An easy snack for the Super Bowl or any get together is garlic cheese bombs.

Course Appetizer, Snacks

Keyword canned biscuits, cheese, football snack, garlic, snack table

Ingredients

1 tube eight biscuits
8 ounce block mozzarella cheese
5 tablespoons butter melted
2 teaspoons dry ranch seasoning mix
3 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup.
Cut each of the biscuits in half, and cut the block of cheese into 16 equal pieces.
Stir the ranch mix and garlic into the melted butter.
Flatten each biscuit half out with your palm and wrap each around a block of cheese, being careful to really seal off the seams as much as possible.
Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet a couple inches apart.
Brush the butter mixture onto each (use a spoon to get some minced garlic on top of each, if your brush isn’t picking it up), and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the dough is browned on top.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

These were good on their own but would also be great with marinara sauce on the side. Mine did explode quite a bit in the oven, but I’m also a big fan of toasty cheese, so I was not disappointed.

I suspect they didn’t hold together either because I didn’t seal my seams as well as I should have or I left them in a bit long (I used the whole 15 minutes), so if you really don’t want them to make a mess, I’d recommend really watching them around the 12-minute mark, and you might just decrease the amount of cheese you put in each one so you can seal them even more securely.

Hopefully this year’s Super Bowl will still be an entertaining game, but even if it isn’t, we’ll have plenty of snacks to drown our sorrows before we work on getting our hopes up for next year.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 25, 2018.

Tags canned biscuits, cheese, football snack, garlic, snack table