Gameday Overload

It may look like we were having a big Super Bowl party for six, but all this food is just for us. Yes, we overdid it. Major food coma ensued and we ended up napping on the couch during the game. Let's take a closer look at this lineup, shall we?


Homemade tomatillo salsa made of roasted tomatillos, onion, garlic, one chipotle chili in adobo sauce, a pinch each of salt and sugar.


Homemade guacamole. A lot of it.


Homemade hummus with chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini paste.


Potato skins stuffed with minced jalapeno peppers, Mexican Monetery Jack, cream cheese and topped with bread crumbs.


Veggie hot dogs wrapped in Pillsbury crescent dough.


And finally, chili cheese fries made of store-bought fries and chili topped with onions and Mexican Monetery Jack cheese.

Lemon Bars

VB: What are we having for dessert on Super Bowl Sunday?

CG: Well, what would you like?

VB: Lemon bars.

CG: Lemon bars?

VB: It's my favorite.

CG: I didn't know that.

VB: Everyone knows that lemon bars and cherry pies are my favorite desserts.

CG: Everyone who?

VB: Jen knows. She baked those lemon bars at her housewarming party just for me.

CG: Honey, I don't think Jen made those just for you.

VB: No?

CG: Um, no...

Well, now he can't say that I never make his favorite dessert. These are from Joy of Baking and they're relatively healthy -- only one stick of butter and two eggs. I used the lemons picked from my aunt's dwarf lemon tree, so these are fragrant and flavorful. You can find the recipe here.

Thai Tofu Curry

It's been such a long time since I had Thai food. I crave it from time to time. So I thought I'd make my own. I started by making some Thai red curry paste and then added soy sauce, coconut milk, string beans, sliced onions, sliced bell peppers, Thai basil and tofu. The result was sweet, spicy, creamy goodness. It was more than good enough for my Thai food craving.

I used this Thai red curry recipe, but without the Kaffir lime leaves and shrimp paste. Instead of grinding the mixture using mortar and pestle, I cheated and added everything plus some canola oil to a food processor. I think that the mortar and pestle would require a ton of work, considering that lemongrass stalks are quite tough.

This recipe is a keeper! I can't wait to have to leftovers for lunch.