Parsley and Pom Poms

The last time I was this excited for the Super Bowl was back in 2004; the only other time in my lifespan that my hometown team was a contender in the game. This year, I am crossing my fingers for a big W. Here is my current favorite app for game day. Go Birds! xo RCN

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

INGREDIENTS (yields about 2 dozen):

1 lb Ground Chicken (a little more than one pound is fine, too)

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 Carrot (grated & chopped) + sliced carrots for side/garnish

1 Stalk of celery (chopped fine) +sliced celery for side/garnish

3 Cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 tsp Paprika

2 Green onions + some for garnish (chopped)

1/4 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp Cracked pepper

1/3 Cup Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce (for coating)

1 Tbsp Butter (for coating)

Ranch &/or Blue cheese dressing on the side

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 F and set aside a greased baking tray (OR grease tinfoil and place on sheet to make clean up easy). Set aside. Chop and mince all veggies and garlic. Set aside some of the green onion for garnish. Cut additional carrot and celery sticks for side dish.

Combine ground meat, egg, all dry ingredients and chopped vegetables in a mixing bowl (everything except buffalo sauce, ranch/blue cheese and butter). Mix until evenly combined.

Roll into small meatballs about 1" circumference. Place on tray and bake for about 20 minutes. Flip meatballs about 10 minutes into baking to help cook evenly (it's ok if they aren't perfect balls!!). While meatballs bake, combine butter and hot sauce and melt together in microwave.

Remove meatballs from oven, toss around in buffalo/butter sauce and serve w/ ranch or blue cheese dressing. Serve beside carrots & celery and top with green onions. For the finishing touch use these cute football party picks.

Super Bowl Weekend is here. Whether you will be parked on the couch enjoying the game, or gossiping in the kitchen, here is a fun appetizer perfect for snacking on. The recipe can be adjusted per desire, depending upon how spicy your fans at the party like it. The original recipe, here, is relatively mild, so great for the kiddos too! I like to add the spice into the Chipotle Mayo - also adjustable based on your liking. I wish I could tell you which team I want to win this Sunday, but two of my top fantasy players come from both the Patriots and the Falcons. That makes it tough for me. I'll come up with my decision before Sunday. Who are you rooting for? xo RCN

Jalapeños Ring Ingredients:

4 Jalapeños, sliced 1/8" thick and deveined, all seeds removed! (for mild version)

1/2 Cup Flour

1/3 -1/2 Bottle of Corona Lite

2 Eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

2 tsp Garlic Salt

1 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper

Vegetable Oil for frying (enough to fill at least half the fryer or pot)

Slice jalapeños in 1/8 (or slightly thicker) pieces. After slicing into rings, use knife to remove and cut out center of pepper and all seeds.

Chipotle Mayo Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayo

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 1/2 tsp Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (1 1/2 tsp of sauce +2 Chipotle peppers mashed up)

Mix all ingredients for fry batter together in large bowl. Begin heating oil in fryer or pot on stove to Medium Low heat (about 175 degrees F). Start covering all pepper slices with mixture in the bowl, coat well. Once oil begins to sizzle and has heated for about 5 minutes, start placing about 5 -10 pepper slices into the pot at a time, depending on size of pot. I used a small pot and only placed about 5 at a time. The peppers will fry quickly, only taking about ten seconds per side. Before removing from pot with tongs, flip jalapeños once to fry evenly. Once golden on second side, remove onto a paper towel lined plate, to drain. Be careful, oil is super hot! For thicker coating, repeat the same steps once more to double fry the peppers. Let cool and drain after second frying. Lastly, sprinkle with chili powder and bake in single layer on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes. Serve warm and crunchy!

For dip, mix all ingredients together and serve chilled. Be sure to mash up the peppers from the Chipotle can in order to blend in evenly to mayo and sour cream.