Bowl game viewing means lots of portable snacks

The entire week will be filled with one bowl or another either to watch on television or to eat. While watching the bowls on TV, it's always good to have a few bowls of snacking goodies for those who never leave their ringside seats.

Here three are from Pam Hubenak of Louise.

Crock Pot Candy

1 (16 ozs.) jar salted peanuts
1 (16 ozs.) jar unsalted peanuts
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate
chips
1 bar of German sweet chocolate,
divided in pieces
2 (1 1/2 lb.) packages white almond
bark, divided in pieces

Layer all ingredients in order listed in large slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 hours. Do not open lid. Stir and drop by teaspoon onto wax paper. Makes 150 to 160 pieces. Note: The almond bark will appear unmelted, even after 3 hours. After stirring, it will work fine. Sugar Pecans
1 1/2 C. pecan halves
1 C. of sugar
1/2 C. hot water
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Bring all to hard boil, Stage 250- degrees.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of pecan halves. Pour out onto waxed paper, separating with a fork. This recipe can be doubled. Fire Crackers
1 1/3 C. canola oil
2 Tblsp. crused red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 pkg. buttermilk ranch dressing
mix
1 box of crackers of your
choice

Mix seasonings. Put seasonings and crackers into shakeable container. Shake every 15 minutes until all oil is absorbed.

Other snack recipes to try during this week of football bowl mania:

Cheesy Burger and Bean Dip

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can (16 oz) refried beans -
regular or fat free
1 jar chopped chiles
1 C. prepared chili sauce
2 C. shredded Monterey Jack
cheese
8 ozs. sour cream
Thinly sliced black olives, optional

Saute the ground beef and onion in a skillet. Drain off the fat and place the beef mixture in a crockpot. Stir in the refried beans, chiles, chili sauce and shredded cheese. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream and black olives (if using). Serve warm with tortilla chips or corn chips.

Bacon Shrimp Roll-Ups

48 large shrimp - steamed,
peeled, and deveined
1 clove garlic, coarsely grated
1 C. chili sauce
24 slices slices bacon - partially
cooked

Toss the shrimp and garlic together in a zip top plastic bag. Add the chili sauce. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least 2-1/2 to 3 hours, turning the bag once or twice. Cut the partially fried bacon strips in half. Wrap a piece of bacon around each shrimp and secure it with a large toothpick.

Arrange the roll-ups on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the oven, about 3 inches below the broiler. Broil until the bacon is crisp, watching carefully to prevent over-browning.

Super Nachos

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cans (16 ozs. each) refried
beans
1 pkg.(1 1/4 ozs.) taco seasoning
mix
2 C. shredded Monterey Jack
cheese
1 C. sour cream
1 C. chunky taco sauce - mild,
medium or hot
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 can (4 ozs.) green chiles,
sliced
Optional - 1 C. guacamole and/
or 1 C. sliced black olives
Tortilla chips

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onions. Drain well, then add the seasoned salt and cumin; stir and set aside. Combine the refried beans and taco seasoning mix; mix well. Add the Monterey Jack cheese and mix well.

Spread the bean mixture in a shallow oblong or oval baking dish, about 10X15-inch, or in a large round shallow baking dish. (Nachos will be baked and served in the same dish.) Cover with the ground beef/onion mixture. Spread the chunky taco sauce over the beef. Top with the Cheddar cheese. Scatter green chilies and black olives, if using, over the cheese.(At this point, this recipe may be made ahead and refrigerated until party time, but do not freeze.) Bake in a preheated oven, uncovered, at 400-degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Place the baking dish with the nachos in the center of a large tray, surrounded by a generous supply of tortilla chips. Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole on the side.

Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno peppers, - about 12
8 ozs. cream cheese
8 ozs. shredded cheddar
cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 C. milk
1 C. flour
1 C. dry bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Wash, seed, and halve the jalapenos. (Wear gloves to protect your hands.) For the filling, mix the cream cheese with the shredded cheddar cheese. Stuff the pepper halves with the cheese filling.

In a small bowl, combine the egg and milk. Pour 1 cup flour into a second bowl. Dip the stuffed peppers in the egg/milk mixture, then in the flour. Lay the coated peppers on a wax paper lined tray to dry for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour 1 cup dry bread crumbs into a bowl. Dip the peppers in the egg/ milk mixture again, then in the bread crumbs. Let them dry for another 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the last step one more time, then deep fry the coated peppers in hot oil (365 to 375-degrees) for 3 to 4 minutes each, or until they are browned the way you like them. Drain on paper towels.

Jalapenos are hard to coat, so they really need the triple coating. This also works well for other fried veggies, shrimp, cheese sticks, etc.

Instead of plain bread crumbs, you can use seasoned bread crumbs, corn meal, cracker meal, or cornflake crumbs.

Buffalo Shrimp

2 C. flour
2 Tblsp. creole seasoning or
other hot and spicy seasoning
mix
1 Tblsp. garlic powder
1 Tblsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. large shrimp
4 C. vegetable oil for deep frying

Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 Tblsp. butter
1 bottle Cajun sauce or other
hot pepper sauce

Combine the flour and seasonings in a zip top plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake it to mix the ingredients together. Peel and devein the shrmp, leaving the tails attached. Rinse the shrimp under cold water, then place them in the plastic bag with the dry coating mixture. Close the bag and shake to coat the shrimp with the mixture. Place the coated shrimp on a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not discard the flour mixture.

Whisk together the garlic, butter and hot sauce; set aside. Heat the oil to 375-degrees. Place the shrimp back in the plastic bag with the flour mixture and shake again. Fry the coated shrimp in hot oil for about 3 minutes each or until light golden brown. Remove from the deep fryer and coat with the hot sauce mixture before serving.

Oriental Chicken Wings

10 to 12 chicken wings
1/3 C. soy sauce

1 C. fine cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. pepper

Remove the tips from the chicken wings and discard. Rinse, then pat dry. Pour soy sauce into a shallow dish; set aside. In another shallow dish, combine the remaining ingredients. Dip the chicken wings in the soy sauce, then roll them in the seasoned crumb mixture to coat evenly.

Arrange the wings, skin side up in a circular pattern on a 9-inch round glass baking dish or pie pan, placing the thickest portion toward the outer edge of the dish.

Cover with paper towels. Cook in a microwave oven on full power for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

Sweet and Sour Wings

1 1/2 C. chopped bell pepper
1 C. chopped onion
3 lb. chicken wings, with the
tips removed
2 jars (10 ozs. each) sweet &
sour sauce
2 cans (16 ozs. each) pineapple
chunks, drained
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 C. cornstarch
1/4 C. cold water

Place the chopped pepper and chopped onion in a crockpot. Place the chicken wings in the crockpot. Add the pineapple, then the salt and pepper, then the sweet and sour sauce. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. (Can also be cooked on high for 3-1/2 to 4 hours instead.) Remove the chicken wings to a bowl. Cover with foil and set aside. Mix the cornstarch and water together. Stir into the sauce in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Return the wings to the sauce. Serve from the crockpot.

Super Party Sandwiches

2 long loaves crusty French
Bread (about 20 to 22-inch
long, each)
Sweet pepper and onion relish
Italian dressing
12 ozs. thinly sliced tavern
ham
12 ozs. thinly sliced hard salami

8 ozs. thinly sliced pepperoni
12 ozs. thinly sliced provolone
cheese
1 small jar olives
Sandwich picks

About 1 1/2 hours before serving. Slice the bread loaves lengthwise. Lightly brush the cut side of both the tops and the bottoms of the loaves with Italian dressing. Place slices of tavern ham, hard salami, and pepperoni on the bottom halves. Spread a generous layer of sweet pepper and onion relish over meats. Add slices of provolone. Cover with the top halves of bread. Tightly wrap each loaf in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Cut the sandwiches diagonally into slices about 3-inches wide. For each sandwich slice, place an olive on a sandwich pick. Insert the picks with the olives into the cut sandwiches and arrange on a serving tray.