Preparing for the big game

From every bad situation or setback, there is always something good that comes from each experience. You've heard that every dark cloud has a silver lining, haven't you?

On Monday, I started my morning with a big gas leak at my job at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. We were told to evacuate the building, which meant we could not start lunch and get things going like we needed to do. Two Ameren employees came immediately and they worked feverishly to get the situation under control. We were able to get started with our duties, thanks to their help.

Through this, the gentlemen were cooperative and got us up and running as quickly as possible. We visited and found out we knew some mutual friends, and they even knew I wrote this newspaper column. What started out to be a stressful situation quickly became no big deal.

The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and I'm going to tack onto the nice article from Sunday's newspaper. I always think the men at the party like meat and heavier foods. I have included a few recipes to serve as the main fare at your Super Bowl gathering.

Halftime crab dip

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup milk

1 (6-ounce) can crab meat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Assorted crackers and/or chips

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Stir in the crab, onions, red pepper, curry powder, salt and garlic powder. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve with crackers and/or chips. Makes 3 cups.

Cook's note: If you have access to fresh crabmeat, by all means go for it! Or if you need to economize, try substituting with 1 (8-ounce) package imitation flaked crab meat.

Cheesy football

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) package shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup 100 percent grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup chopped pecans

Beat cheeses and dressing with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add onions and black pepper; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Form into football shape; roll in pecans. Garnish with pimiento strips or roasted red pepper strips for the "lacing," if desired. Makes 30 servings. Great substitute: Ground red pepper for the black pepper.

Fried chicken fingers with Come Back Sauce

8 skinned and boned chicken breast halves

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground lemon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil

Gourmet salad greens, for garnish

Come Back Sauce (recipe below)

Cut each chicken breast half into four strips. Combine strips, milk, and salt, lemon pepper and black pepper in a shallow dish or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Cover or seal, and chill four hours. Remove chicken, discarding marinade; dredge in flour. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large Dutch oven; heat to 350 degrees. Fry chicken, in batches, 5 to 6 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Garnish, if desired. Serve with Come Back Sauce. Makes 16 appetizer servings.

Come Back Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons water

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons prepared mustard

2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1 medium onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour. Makes 3 cups sauce.

Crock pot beef barbecue

1 (1 1/2-pound) chuck steak or roast

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Hamburger buns or rolls

Cut meat on the diagonal, across the grain, into 1-inch pieces. Place in crock pot. In bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; add to crock pot. Cover and cook three hours on low until meat is tender. Serve on buns with slaw. Make this with sirloin steak, roasts, ham or chicken. It is wonderful. If you like it hot, add a dash of hot sauce to the meat just before putting it on the bun.

Shaved pork loin with caramelized onions

1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin roast

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup apple or currant jelly

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

8 kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Combine basil, oregano, salt, pepper and paprika. Rub mixture on all surfaces of the pork roast. Place roast in shallow pan and roast in a 350-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes until internal temperature registers 155 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil and cook onion rings over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender and golden. Stir in chili sauce, jelly and vinegar. Cook and stir 10 minutes more. Set aside. Thinly slice pork roast; stack on toasted roll halves. Top with caramelized onions and top of rolls. Serves 4.

Have a terrific week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail to P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested.