A Super Bowl Party

So, it's the Monday after the Super Bowl, and despite the fact that I'm feeling quite disgusting after eating my weight in food yesterday, I'm here to share a few recipes from the little get together Matt and I hosted.

Our friends and I had engaged in general merrymaking, and for us, that included (but was not limited to): pulling up pictures of Fergie as proof of the unfortunate time she wet her pants onstage, whimpering over the cuteness of puppies, and drinking beer. Good times had by all.

These are the adorable cookies that Alice brought over the day before the game. They are from Clayton's Bakery and Deli in Saint Louis, the place Alice swears is the best for frosted cookies. Good to know. (Although, I have ordered cookies through the same gal who did my wedding cupcakes, and they were pretty spectacular. Just had to give a shout out).

Antipasto Pasta Salad [recipe courtesy of Cuisine at Home]

I had my eye on this recipe from the Cuisine at Home magazine ever since I saw it at the beginning of football season last fall. It contains approximately one million ingredients, and all of them are individually fantastic. But, put 'em all together, and that's when the magic really happens.
Vinaigrette:
-1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
-2 teaspoons anchovy paste
-2 teaspoons minced garlic
-1/4 cup red wine vinaigrette
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-salt and black pepper to taste

Salad:
-8 ounces dry tri-color rotini pasta
-2 cups seeded and half-moon sliced cucumbers
-1 cup diced smoked mozzarella
-1 cup diced Italian salami
-1 cup thinly sliced red onion
-3/4 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
-1/2 cup pepperoncini, rinsed and stemmed
-1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
-1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
-2 tablespoons capers, drained

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to package directions. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Purée capers, anchovy paste, and garlic for the vinaigrette in a food processor. Add vinegar and oregano; pulse to combine. Slowly drizzle in oil, and bled until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and black pepper.
3. Mix together cooked pasta, cucumbers, tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, onion, olives, pepperoncini, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, and capers for the salad in a large bowl. Toss the salad with vinaigrette to coat.
4. Refrigerate salad overnight.

Italian Beef
The hardest part of this recipe is the required shredding of the meat after all the cooking is done. All you need is a fork, some elbow grease, and some patience. The easiest part of this recipe is the joyful eating of the meat after the shredding is done.

-4 lbs. boneless sirloin
-1 package of dry Italian dressing mix
-1 package of au jus gravy mix
-5-6 pepperoncini and juice
-6-8 fresh garlic cloves
-hoagie rolls

1. Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. (I usually cut in the meat in half after four hours to check on doneness).
2. Shred, baby, shred.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
Holy Lord, this dip is my Kryptonite. Courtney brought it over yesterday, but I think my recipe is exactly the same as hers. Luckily, most people serve it with celery sticks, so it's, at least, got something healthy going for it.

-8 ounces Frank's Red Hot buffalo wing sauce
-12 ounces cream cheese, softened
-8 ounces Marie's Blue Cheese salad dressing
-2-4 cups cooked chicken (can use Tyson's precooked grill strips and chop into smaller pieces)
-2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Mix first four ingredients, spread into a baking dish, and top with cheddar.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
3. Serve with tortilla chips and celery.