I worked my way through graduate school at an awesome restaurant back home called, Damon's. I can still smell their ribs to this day.
At the time, I didn't know how to boil water - so I would study and find it fascinating to watch how fast (and how mouth wateringly) the cooks made everything look. From potato skins to buffalo wings, it was hard not to drool as I delivered each plate.
Fast forward and it was probably the best job I ever could've had in learning how to quickly tend to a pack of ravenous wolves - all while keeping a thousand things going at once - and while carrying piping hot plates up my arm.
That being said, some of the best items off the menu - tie the cornucopia of heavenly appetizers into the Greatest Super Bowl party deliciousness on earth.
Potato Skins
Potatoes
Oil
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Bacon
Sour Cream
Chives
Salt
Wash and pierce potatoes, then bake in 400* oven for approximately one hour, or until tender inside.
Cool to handle
Fry bacon and crumble when cooled.
Slice potatoes in half, lengthwise, then scoop out inside of potatos, letting some remain.
Heat oil in large pot or deep fryer, fry skins in batches.
On lined baking sheet, arrange skins, filling inside with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
Set oven to broil, place inside oven for approximately 4-5 minutes.
Sprinkle salt, sour cream and chives to taste.
Buffalo Wings
5 pounds chicken wings
1 cup hot sauce (we like Frank's Red Hot)
2/3 cup melted butter
oil
Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pot until approximately 375* (when the handle/back of a wooden spoon bubbles when you put it in, then it's ready)
Add batches of wings in hot oil for approximately 10-15 minutes then remove. (Check the inside for pinkness)
Combine hot sauce and melted butter in large bowl, add wings to bowl. Cover wings with sauce and serve with ranch or bleu cheese dressing and celery.
Editor's Note: You can bake wings at 400* for approximately 40-50 minutes instead of frying, then coat with buffalo sauce, BBQ, teriyaki, etc.
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
2 (16 ounce) blocks of Mozzarella cheese, cut into sticks
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
oil
Marinara Sauce
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt in bowl. In another bowl, stir eggs.
Cut cheese into sticks, dip sticks into eggs, then coat with bread crumb mix.
Place breaded sticks on baking sheet, cover and freeze at least one hour.
Heat oil over medium heat.
Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown.
Serve with Marinara sauce.
The next two items weren't at the restaurant, but are a Super Bowl favorite.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (canned)
1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese or your favorite cheese
Pre-heat oven to 350*
Combine all ingredients and place in shallow 1 quart baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes and serve with Pita Chips.
Crock-Pot Meatballs
2 (12 ounce) bottles Chili Sauce
1 (32 ounce) jar grape jelly
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
3 to 5 pounds of frozen cocktail meatballs
Combine the first three ingredients and stir into Crock-Pot. Dump meatballs in crockpot, turning with spoon and coating with sauce. Cook on low 3-4 hours.
At the time, I didn't know how to boil water - so I would study and find it fascinating to watch how fast (and how mouth wateringly) the cooks made everything look. From potato skins to buffalo wings, it was hard not to drool as I delivered each plate.
Fast forward and it was probably the best job I ever could've had in learning how to quickly tend to a pack of ravenous wolves - all while keeping a thousand things going at once - and while carrying piping hot plates up my arm.
That being said, some of the best items off the menu - tie the cornucopia of heavenly appetizers into the Greatest Super Bowl party deliciousness on earth.
Potato Skins
Potatoes
Oil
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Bacon
Sour Cream
Chives
Salt
Wash and pierce potatoes, then bake in 400* oven for approximately one hour, or until tender inside.
Cool to handle
Fry bacon and crumble when cooled.
Slice potatoes in half, lengthwise, then scoop out inside of potatos, letting some remain.
Heat oil in large pot or deep fryer, fry skins in batches.
On lined baking sheet, arrange skins, filling inside with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
Set oven to broil, place inside oven for approximately 4-5 minutes.
Sprinkle salt, sour cream and chives to taste.
Buffalo Wings
5 pounds chicken wings
1 cup hot sauce (we like Frank's Red Hot)
2/3 cup melted butter
oil
Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pot until approximately 375* (when the handle/back of a wooden spoon bubbles when you put it in, then it's ready)
Add batches of wings in hot oil for approximately 10-15 minutes then remove. (Check the inside for pinkness)
Combine hot sauce and melted butter in large bowl, add wings to bowl. Cover wings with sauce and serve with ranch or bleu cheese dressing and celery.
Editor's Note: You can bake wings at 400* for approximately 40-50 minutes instead of frying, then coat with buffalo sauce, BBQ, teriyaki, etc.
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
2 (16 ounce) blocks of Mozzarella cheese, cut into sticks
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
oil
Marinara Sauce
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt in bowl. In another bowl, stir eggs.
Cut cheese into sticks, dip sticks into eggs, then coat with bread crumb mix.
Place breaded sticks on baking sheet, cover and freeze at least one hour.
Heat oil over medium heat.
Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown.
Serve with Marinara sauce.
The next two items weren't at the restaurant, but are a Super Bowl favorite.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (canned)
1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese or your favorite cheese
Pre-heat oven to 350*
Combine all ingredients and place in shallow 1 quart baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes and serve with Pita Chips.
Crock-Pot Meatballs
2 (12 ounce) bottles Chili Sauce
1 (32 ounce) jar grape jelly
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
3 to 5 pounds of frozen cocktail meatballs
Combine the first three ingredients and stir into Crock-Pot. Dump meatballs in crockpot, turning with spoon and coating with sauce. Cook on low 3-4 hours.
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