Dishes you can make for Super Bowl Sunday

$$$Start

smcclanahan

The Super Bowl game will be played this Sunday and for me that means new commercials, great food and lots of fellowship. We usually get together with everyone from our Sunday school class and enjoy each other's company while analyzing all of the high-priced new commercials. Most of the time I don't even know who is playing or anything about the game. But having Jay and Kathy Wolz in our class has made me become more aware of how the Rams are doing.

A great snack to share while at a party is hot pizza dip. It is usually pleasing to adults as well as children.

Hot Pizza Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 cup Romano cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper

Tortilla chips or breadsticks

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder; spread in the bottom of a greased 9-inch pie plate. Combine cheeses; sprinkle half over the cream cheese layer. Top with the pizza sauce, pepper and onion.

Sprinkle with the remainder of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve warm with chips or breadsticks.

I recently made a comment that I really enjoyed smoked oysters. So a reader gave to me two recipes using smoked oysters in the ingredients. I have not tried either of the recipes yet, but will do so very soon, maybe for the Super Bowl party.

Smoked Oyster Roll

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

Dash Tabasco

1 tablespoon grated onion

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Salt and pepper

2 (3 3/4 ounce) cans smoked oysters

Fresh parsley, minced

Place first 6 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain oysters, pat dry and mash. Spread cream cheese mixture on plastic wrap. Spread oysters on top, leaving 1/2-inch uncovered. Roll up jellyroll fashion. Sprinkle with parsley. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Smoked Oyster Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 can smoked oysters, using desired amount

Dash Tabasco

Whip cream cheese. Add cream to bring to desired consistency. Add lemon juice and Tabasco. Mash one or two oysters at a time and blend in. Taste before adding more. Remember that most things added to cream cheese increase in flavor as they stand for a length of time. Serve with corn chips.

---

January is, or should I say was, National Soup Month. So before the month comes to an end, a familiar contributor to Recipe Swap, the "soup queen," wanted to make sure you had a couple of new recipes to try for soup month.

She said this first recipe was really fun to make and delicious, too.

Spicy Carrot Soup with Sweet Pea Puree

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

6 medium carrots, sliced

1 small potato, peeled and diced

5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

For the Sweet Pea Puree:

1 1/2 cups cooked peas

1/3 cup heavy cream

Pinch sugar

Salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, jalapeno and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in cayenne, carrots, potato, and stock. Simmer, partly covered, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the pea puree. In a blender or food processor, puree peas and cream. If you desire a smooth puree, push through a fine sieve to eliminate pea skins. Taste for sugar, salt and pepper. If peas are not naturally sweet, add sugar to compensate. When soup is done, puree in food processor or blender. Ladle into soup bowls and swirl about 1/4 cup of the pea puree into each serving.

Her next recipe was also a delight for her to prepare. She did use canned asparagus and told me the next time she will use even more than the recipe calls for. Keep that in mind when you prepare this recipe.

Asparagus and Prosciutto Soup with Parmesan Toast

3 tablespoons canola oil or butter

1/4 pound prosciutto, diced

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

4 cups chicken stock

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

Salt and pepper

Parmesan Toast

12 slices baguette, toasted

3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated

Parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook prosciutto until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve. Add shallots and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in tarragon and stock. Bring to a boil and add asparagus. Simmer, uncovered, until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make Parmesan toast by sprinkling each baguette slice with grated cheese. Put under the broiler until cheese is bubbly and melted.

Set aside. In a food processor or blender, puree soup with cream. Return to pot and stir in prosciutto. Taste for salt and pepper. Reheat if necessary and serve with Parmesan toast.

Enjoy the Super Bowl and don't eat too much. Happy cooking.