Basketball may be my game. Definitely not to play, but watch. It is fast paced and with names like “Sweet 16” (March 26), “Elite 8” (March 28-29), and “The Final Four” (April 4 and April 6), I have always been intrigued. NCAA Basketball playoffs started March 15 with the “Selections” of teams, until the Championship game on April 6. Tune in and plan a basketball party for some of the games.
Years ago, I joined in one of those March Madness brackets. My involvement was completely ridiculous since I did not know many of the schools and my internet research on the teams was very limited. However, that year, I watched March Madness, nonstop. I watched as my bracket completely fell apart, but that was not unexpected. I watched some teams win with a last-minute “Hail Mary” basket, and I saw other teams that were supposed to win the whole thing go down in flames early in the tournament. In the end, everyone’s bracket was blown up within the first one or two games. That was fun in itself.
My husband has said multiple times that if he knew it would only take $20 and a silly bracket to get me to sit down and watch basketball with him, he would have funded it years ago.
Basketball is fast paced. I love football, but it takes a lot for me to watch an entire game. Basketball is pretty much done in about two hours. There is a lot going on and it just seems like a pace that I enjoy. Get a March Madness Bracket this year (bet or not) but fill one out and watch. It is fun.
Just like football season, I support any excuse to eat tailgate food. March madness brings plenty of opportunities. These are some ideas for a March Madness party. Enjoy!
Alka-Seltzer Cheese Dip
I guess you are just going to need to trust me on this chemistry lesson in food. I heard about this years ago and thought it would be fun to make with my chemistry major son. It is all about the chemical reaction and I can promise you if done correctly, you will end up with the delicious bowl of fresh cheese dip. The measurements and ingredients are pretty specific, and it is about breaking down the structure of the cheese to make a smooth mixture. The vinegar and the Alka-Seltzer do a great job of this.
2 tablespoons white vinegar
4 tablets of non-aspirin, unflavored Alka-Seltzer
8 ounces of cheese of your choice, grated (I have used pepper jack, cheddar cheese, colby-jack and swiss.)
1/2 -1 cup water or milk, more or less depending on your desired consistency
In a small measuring cup, combine Alka-Seltzer tablets with the vinegar. Allow to fizz for at least five minutes or until the fizzing stops.
In a small saucepan, combine the Alka-Seltzer vinegar mixture and the grated cheese. Heat on low, stirring constantly until mixture melts.
Stir in the water or the milk and mix until you have a smooth dip. Feel free to add some chopped jalapeño pepper for a spicy version.
Mississippi Egg
and Olive Salad
This is an all-time classic and I grew up eating it on slices of white bread. It is also great as a dip and makes a wonderful addition to any tailgate menu.
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped or grated
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped green olives with pimentos, drained and dried on paper towels
1 tablespoon grated white onion
1 teaspoon brine from the olives
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
A dash of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil eggs and when cool, peel and thoroughly chop or grate. Place eggs in a medium bowl and add chopped green olives, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Add the tablespoon of olive brine and add more or less depending on the consistency of the salad. I like mine pretty thick.
Adjust seasoning and store in the refrigerator. Best made a day before.
Bacon Crackers
Bacon crackers have to be one of the best appetizers to serve at any party. They are always a fan favorite and Danelle Garraway made hers with some jalapeño peppers fresh from her garden. Eating them was a little bit like Russian roulette because you could not tell in advance which ones were spicy and which ones were mild. I read an option to cut slices of bread into thirds and use that instead of crackers. Both options are delicious.
36 club crackers, or any buttery cracker, OR about 12 slices of white bread cut into thirds
1/2 lb. regular sliced bacon, do not use thick cut
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1-2 fresh jalapeño peppers, sliced very thinly. You could use pickled jalapeños or even cayenne or black pepper, depending on your spice level of tolerance.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a wire rack on top. Spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.
Line the crackers in a single layer on top of the wire rack. Cut the bacon into thirds (or fourths if the bacon is very long) and place one piece on top of each cracker. Top with a thin slice of jalapeno, if using.
If using the bread, wrap the jalapeno around the bread with the bacon. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
Combine the brown sugar (and other peppers if using) and sprinkle about a teaspoon over the top of the bacon and jalapeno.
Bake for about 22 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crisp to your liking (but be careful not to over-brown the crackers).
Loosen the crackers from rack before they cool, then cool completely and allow to harden before serving.
Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Balls
Sausage balls are always a hit at a party, but I found a slightly different version using chorizo and sweet potatoes. They were a big hit with everyone and will definitely be included in my future tailgate options.
1 pound chorizo sausage, casing removed
2 1/2 cups baking mix, such as Bisquick
1 8-ounce package shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup -1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato, chilled
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons plum jam
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Roll into small balls. Bake on a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking paper until the sausage balls are cooked through and golden brown, or for about 20 minutes.
Beer Cheese
I love to serve pimento cheese at parties, but I thought this would be a good alternative. It is delicious and quite easy to make. I served it with roasted or grilled bratwurst sliced into bite-size pieces, coarse grain mustard, and pretzel bites.
2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese, at room temperature
1 6-ounce canned tomato paste
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 cups beer, at room temperature and allowed to sit open for at least one hour
Combine all ingredients in a bowl of a food processor and processed until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Italian Hummus
This is an alternative to traditional hummus. It was absolutely delicious, easy to make, and best made several days ahead. I served it with some crispy toasted bread sticks, but toasted baguette slices or crackers work just as well.
1 bag dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
About 15 garlic cloves, peeled
6 slices of bacon, diced
1 onion, quartered
1 medium carrot, cut in about four pieces
1 rib of celery, cut in about four pieces
1 teaspoon ground sage or 3 fresh sage leaves
1 sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
After the beans have soaked overnight, drain. Preheat oven to 350°.
In a medium Dutch oven, combined the soaked beans with the garlic cloves, diced bacon, onion, carrot, celery, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, chili flakes, salt, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil, plus 8 cups of water.
Bring to a boil on high heat and stir. Cover the Dutch oven and bake in the preheated oven for two hours or until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool uncovered for about an hour.
Drain the peas, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard all of the aromatic except the garlic. Transfer the beans and the garlic to the bowl of a food processor and add remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and process until smooth.
Add remaining cooking liquid as needed to get to a smooth consistency. Arrange on a platter and serve with toasted baguette slices or breadsticks.
Italian Herb Breadsticks
These super flavorful and creative breadsticks always provide a fun centerpiece and are perfect with the Italian Hummus.
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of olive oil plus more for finishing the bread breadsticks
A variety of herbs. I used: 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped chives, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
First, you will need to make a sponge, which is a pre-dough that gives the breadsticks extra flavor.
In a medium bowl, mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar until it is dissolved. Whisk in about one and 1/3 cup of the flour until the mixture is uniform and free of clumps. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place until bubbly and light and almost doubled in volume or about one hour. Whisk in the olive oil and the seasonings of your choice until well blended.
Put the sponge into your mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, and with mixer running on low, gradually add two cups of flour. Continue adding flour until the dough is only slightly sticky and no longer wet. When the dough begins to cling to the dough hook and pull away from the sides, remove the dough and kneed by hand for about one or two minutes until you get a smooth and elastic ball.
Shape the dough into a ball and let it rise in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap until doubled in size or for about three hours. Once risen, punch on the dough and shape into breadsticks, or cover and refrigerate overnight or up to four days.
When ready to make the breadsticks, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 375° in line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 12 x 20“ rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or other long, sharp knife, cut the rectangle lengthwise into two sections, each about 6 inches wide. Then cut each section into strips about 1/2 inch wide.
Stretch and twist each strip until it is almost doubled in length and arrange strips on baking sheets. You can shape into creative shapes or just simply sticks.
Bake the breadsticks until golden and crispy or about 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle sticks with a little additional olive oil and some coarse salt when they come out of the oven. Let them cool completely before serving and they should stay fresh in an airtight container for at least two days.
Butterscotch and Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
I love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate but add butterscotch and you have something really special.
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup +1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1/2 cup of peanut butter in the bowl of your mixer. Add the egg and vanilla.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a separate bowl. Add oatmeal to the flour and then stir into the creamed butter mixture.
Spread the batter into the baking pan and sprinkle half the dish with butterscotch chips and half with the dark chocolate chips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly brown around the edges.
In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar, the milk, and the remaining 1/4 cup of the peanut butter until smooth. Spread this glaze evenly over the top of the warm bars. Allow to cool completely and cut into squares.
Maple-Bacon Rice Crispy Treats
Rice crispy treats cannot be beat. They are inexpensive, easy to make, gluten-free, and delicious. This twist on the classic is perfect for any party.
1 10-ounce package mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons maple flavoring
5 cups rice crispy cereal
9 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
In a large sauce pan, melt butter over low heat and stir in marshmallows until completely melted. Add the maple flavoring and stir until smooth.
Remove from the heat and stir in cereal and crumbled bacon. Press mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13” pan and use a slightly greased spatula to press mixture down.
Sprinkle with a little bit of kosher salt if desired and allow to cool to room temperature. Cut into bars and serve.
