Recipe Swap: Foods to fuel marathon basketball watching

My husband and son are walking around the house singing "It's the most wonderful time of the year," which means it is NCAA basketball tournament time. They love basketball, and the tournament is the highlight of the season. Even though my husband's beloved North Carolina Tar Heels had a poor showing this season, he is a die-hard fan and is already looking to next season and what they can accomplish. I pulled out several snack recipes you might want to be prepared to fix when company drops by to watch the games or while your basketball fan is watching for hours on end. Enjoy the tournament, and I hope your favorite team does well.

Slam Dunk Chili Con Carne

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 pounds of chuck ground beef

3 (14.5-ounce) cans of chopped tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted

2 tablespoons of paprika

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of chili powder

2 cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

1 box Cheez-It crackers, original flavor or your favorite

In a small stockpot, heat olive oil. Add in the onions, garlic and red pepper. Saute until soft, about 7 minutes. Add in the ground beef and saute until browned, stirring frequently to break up clumps. Pour in tomatoes, cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and cook for another 15 minutes. The chili is then ready to serve with crackers. It will also keep in the refrigerator for the next five days to be reheated and served. It also freezes well.

March Madness Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Meat from one supermarket roasted chicken

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1 cup ranch dressing

3/4 cup hot pepper sauce

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces

1 box round, buttery crackers

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and continue cooking until cream cheese is fully absorbed. Add ranch dressing and crumble blue cheese. Cook, stirring, until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately with celery sticks and crackers. Alternatively, mixture can be placed in a slow cooker and left on low heat to serve.

Tournament Bracket Cracker Spread

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon seltzer water or milk

1/2 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning or taco seasoning

1/4 cup sliced green onions

2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon salsa

1/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper, optional

Round, buttery crackers

In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese and water with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add cheddar cheese and seasoning. Beat until combined. Stir in onions, red pepper and salsa. Fold in corn and jalapeno pepper, if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers.

Zone Defense Cheddar-Ranch Snack Mix

5 cups white cheddar square cheese crackers

2 cups Crispix cereal

2 cups small pretzel twists

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 package dry ranch dip mix

1/2 teaspoon lemon and herb seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

In large microwave safe bowl combine white square crackers, Crispix cereal and pretzels. Set aside. Stir together remaining ingredients. Drizzle over cereal mixture. Stir until evenly coated. Microwave at high power for 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on paper towels. Cool completely. Stir in airtight container. Microwave cooking times may vary.

5-on-5 Avocado Dip

1 medium avocado, peeled and mashed

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream, divided

2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 (16-ounce) can refried beans

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 cup sliced green onion tops

1/2 cup (2-ounce) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup sliced black olives

1 cup square cheese snack crackers

In small bowl combine avocado, 1/2 cup sour cream, lemon juice and pepper sauce. Set aside. In small saucepan combine beans and chili powder. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until warm. Stir in green onions and 1/4 cup of remaining sour cream. Spread in 9-inch pie plate or on 10-inch serving plate. Spread avocado mixture over bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, tomato and olives. Spoon dollops of remaining sour cream on top. Just before serving, arrange 1 cup of crackers around edge of dip. Serve with additional crackers.

Coaches Favorite Coca-Cola Glazed Wings

1 cup Coca-Cola

Juice of 2 limes

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

3 jalapeno peppers, chopped

3 pounds chicken wings (12 to 14)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 jalapeno peppers, sliced, for garnish

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring Coca-Cola, lime juice, brown sugar and chopped jalapeno peppers to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Cut off the chicken wing tips, reserving for another use, and halve chicken wings at the joint. Place the halved wings in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour about half the sauce over the wings and toss to coat. Keep the remaining sauce warm in the small saucepan. Place the oven rack 4 inches below the broiler. Heat the oven to broil 30 minutes before cooking. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place an ovenproof rack on the lined baking sheet. Place the glazed wings on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer the wings to the oven and broil for 10 minutes per side, brushing with the reserved glaze every 5 minutes. Transfer to a heated platter, garnish with the sliced jalapeno peppers and serve immediately.

Have a great time watching the tournament games and have a wonderful week. Until next time, happy cooking.

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