Five After Five Recipes February 3rd, 2012- Game Day Crowd Pleasers!

Traditionally, it’s a big weekend for beer, but we at Whole Foods know more than a few of you out there pair wine with almost everything…including football! Tonight we combine the venerable world of wine-tasting with the rowdy wrangle of the gridiron. You’ll taste five wines that aren’t too fancy for football and six dishes that are sure to please everyone in the crowd. Grab a glass and go long!

Jaimee’s Spinach Artichoke Dip

-1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
-1/4 cup mayonnaise
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1/4 cup grated Romano
-1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
-1/2 tsp dried basil
-1/4 tsp garlic salt
-Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
-1 14 oz can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
-1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
-1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a small baking dish.
2.) In a medium bowl mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese and spinach.
3.) Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish. Top with mozzarella and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly-brown and bubbly.
4.) Dip will thicken slightly upon cooling.

(Served with DeChanceny NV Brut $15.99)

 

Cajohn’s Caboom! Championship Chili
(As interpreted by Craig from the back of the seasoning container)

-1 lb. meat (Craig used textured vegetable protein)
-1 jar CaBoom! Picante Sauce Medium Heat
-1 jar CaBoom! Picante Sauce Chipotle
-3 Tbsp. CaBoom! Chili Fixins
-1 cup water

1.) Brown meat or cook thoroughly in a high-wall skillet and drain.
2.) Add 3 tbsp CaBoom! Chili Fixins and water.
3.) Simmer until thickened, then add Picante Sauces, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.
4.) Serve hot with shredded cheese, oyster crackers, and hot sauce if desired.

(Served with Pacific Rim 2010 Riesling $12.99)

 

Loaded Nachos

-1 lb lean ground beef (or your choice of meat, TVP, etc)
-1 can beans (pinto or black are great, but any kind works)
-1 package Simply Organic Southwest Taco Seasoning
-1 large bag of tortilla chips

“Fixins”
-Shredded lettuce
-Shredded cheese
-Diced tomatoes
-Sliced jalapeños
-Red onion
-Guacamole
-Sour cream
-Salsa

1.) Prepare meat as directed with taco seasoning. Keep warm and set aside.
2.) Generously pile nachos onto a large plate or platter and top with meat.
3.) Nachos are an “as you like it” food. Top your chips with cheese, meat and “fixins” as you like. The ingredients can even be used to create a delicious taco salad!

(Served with Apothic Red 2009 Winemaker’s Blend $14.99)

 

Beer Cheese Dip

-8oz mild cheddar cheese, shredded
-8oz cream cheese, softened
-1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-1 green onion, minced
-1/4 cup beer (we suggest an amber ale) at room temp
-1 dash of cayenne pepper

1.) Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix on high-speed with an electric mixer until mixture is well-blended and fluffy, frequently scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
2.) Serve with crackers, bread, pretzels and vegetable.

(Served with Valley of the Moon 2008 Syrah $14.99)