Super Bowl (Three-Ingredient) Appetizers

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Superbowl week is generally a pretty exciting week around here.

I love to dream up new foods for a party and 

gather around friends and family for the big game.

Except, when my team gives away their chance to play in the Superbowl,

then, it's a little lackluster to think about the game

and how close we were to being there. 

Even though the Packers are also going to be watching from home,

I am still dreaming up some good treats

and want to share with you 

a collection of 3-ingredient appetizers for your own party!

Starting with the easiest…

Ranch Mushrooms…

Just add 2 packages of mushrooms, 

1 stick of butter and 1 packet of Ranch Seasoning 

to a slow cooker for a few hours. 

This picture just does not do these tasty bites justice.

Serve 'em straight from the slow cooker

or on a platter with a tooth pick. 

Next up,

Queso Blanco

Just salsa verde, cream cheese and 1 tbsp garlic powder. 

Can be whipped up in the microwave,

stirring after every 30 seconds or so. 

Or, in a mini-slow cooker 

for easy serving during the game. 

Another big hit…

Ham-Wrapped Pickles. 

Baby Dill pickles, deli sliced ham and 

veggie or onion cream cheese. 

Spread cream cheese on the ham. 

Roll up a pickle inside. 

Secure with a toothpick. 

Last, but not least, 

these amazing

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Simply thawed shrimp, wrapped in partially-fried bacon, topped with pizza sauce

and baked for 10 minutes at 350 F. 

Italian Stuffed Portabella Caps

So, let's talk comfort zones. 

It's the start of the new year and getting out of your comfort zone 

seems to be all of the rage for 2015. 

Make a change, make a difference, etc. 

Well, for me…

that involved making Italian Stuffed Portabellas.

Jerry has been talking about Portabella mushrooms for months now

and I have been politely, half-heartedly listening. 

Finally, we were grocery shopping together and I couldn't put it off any longer. 

He was pushing for two packages of mushrooms but 

I convinced him that we were good starting with just one.  

I decided to make them for dinner last week and

you would think that there was some life changing decision at hand

the way that I hemmed and hawed around the kitchen,

procrastination at it's finest.

That is when I know I am out of my comfort zone…

I procrastinate!

What characteristics do you demonstrate when you are out of  your comfort zone?

Eventually, the count down to dinner was dwindling and I had to get a move on. 

So, I opened the package of Portabella mushrooms and 

turned them over to see what awaited me on the flip side. 

A stem and lots of dark gills. 

Doesn't leave much room for stuffing. 

I probably should have mentioned that I've never been much of a mushroom fan…

which was a big part of why it was out of my comfort zone. 

I removed the stem and attempted to scrape out the gills with a spoon. 

Probably would have been better if I hadn't broken off part of the mushroom cap…

but thankfully we live and learn

and it didn't seem to interfere with the tastiness of the dish. 

In order for me to branch into stuffed mushrooms, 

I wanted to stick with something familiarly delicious as the stuffing. 

Spinach and Tomatoes.

Started with a tablespoon of olive oil, 2 cups of spinach and some coarse Kosher salt

to cook the spinach. 

Once the spinach was wilted, 1 can of diced tomatoes was added. 

And simmered to remove some of the moisture

and concentrate the flavors! 

Since the stuffing was pre-cooked, 

the mushrooms needed to be as well. 

They were put in under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, 

until they were showing signs of warming. 

The tomatoes and spinach were scooped into the caps

and baked at 375 F for about 10 minutes. 

Then, generously topped with shredded mozzarella

and baked for another 3 minutes. 

Until the cheese was just starting to brown. 

Much to my surprise,

these Italian Stuffed Portabella Caps

were fabulous…

and thankfully, 

not too mushroom-y.  

They were enjoyed by all and I am thankful for being pushed out of my comfort zone,

I now have a new avenue of flavors and dishes to explore. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 Portabella Mushrooms

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 cups of spinach

Coarse Kosher salt

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of shredded mozzarella

Directions:

• To prep the mushroom, remove the stem and gills, brush off excess dirt with a damp paper towel. 
• Cook spinach in a pan with olive oil and salt over medium heat. 
• Add tomatoes and simmer until thickened. 
• Broil mushrooms for 3-5 minutes. 
• Remove mushrooms, reduce oven temp to 375 F. 
• Fill caps with stuffing. 
• Bake at 375 F for 10 minutes, top with cheese and bake another 3-5 minutes until cheese is browned.