Game day treats

January 2025 is finally football playoff season for Minnesota Vikings fans. I grew up in Illinois cheering for the Purple People Eaters of the 70s. It seemed like the Vikings were always in the Super Bowl hunt back then. It has been a very long dry spell for the team in purple until this year. I know they closed out the season against the Detroit Lions with a loss. In fact, the only touchdown the Vikings executed was when they landed at the Detroit airport. What an ugly game, but I hope it sets the stage for a long playoff season. Time to start a new winning streak.

Joelle brought over some great football snacks that were the highlight of the game. She shared the recipes with me to share with you. I don’t think they will bring us any bad luck during the playoffs but as a Packers fan, she might have ulterior motives. Enjoy.

Focaccia cheesy garlic bread

shared by Joelle Liddane

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast. Stir and then rest for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic and salt. Pour half of the oil mixture into the yeast mixture; set the remaining oil mixture aside. Add flour to the oil and yeast mixture; stir to combine. Add dough to a greased bowl and cover. Let the dough rest for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

When ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour the remaining oil mixture into a 12” cast iron skillet. Use a pastry brush to coat the skillet. Add half the dough to the skillet and work the dough to the edges. Use your fingers to create dimples in the dough. Top the dough with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Put the rest of the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use your hands to form the dough into a 12-inch circle. Invert the parchment paper over the cheese and carefully peel back the paper, leaving the top layer of the dough in the skillet.

In a small bowl, mix together butter, Parmesan, garlic, parsley and salt. Use your fingers to gently dimple the top of the dough. Brush the garlic butter over the top of the dough. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the cheddar cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Serve hot with marinara sauce for dipping.

Baked garlic Parmesan boneless wings
shared by Joelle Liddane

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

parsley to top

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or rub with oil. On a sheet pan, toss together the chicken, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the flour and 2 tablespoons Parmesan and toss again. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, tossing to coat. Arrange the chicken evenly on the baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the serving sauce. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until it begins to brown (about 3-5 minutes). Stir in the garlic and then slowly pour in the cream. Whisk in ¾ cup Parmesan and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 3-5 minutes, whisking until smooth. Keep warm over low heat.

Pour the Parmesan sauce over the baked chicken nuggets. Serve. (Can serve the sauce on the side instead if you want to offer a couple of different dipping options for the nuggets.)

Spinach artichoke cheesy dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)

1 garlic clove, minced (1 teaspoon)

2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

pepper to taste

1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained, squeezed and chopped

6 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess moisture

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1-quart baking dish. Mix first seven ingredients together. Stir in artichokes and spinach. Spread into prepared dish. Bake 20 minutes. Serve with chips or sliced veggies.

Can mix this together the day before. Refrigerate overnight, then remove and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed above.

As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark Schmitt started an adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.