Super recipes

Attending a Super Bowl party or planning to snuggle up on the couch for a more intimate view of the game? Either way, you're going to need a snack. Here are three quick, easy and tasty game day recipes to try as suggested by Kerrie Swain, culinary arts instructor for Sikeston Career and Technology Center:

POTATO SKINS

Ingredients

6 small to medium sized russet baking potatoes (total 3 pounds)

Olive oil

Canola oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

6 strips of bacon

4 ounces grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions

Scrub the potatoes clean then bake the potatoes using your favorite method, either oven or microwave. If using an oven, rub with olive oil and bake in a 400°F oven for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed. If using a microwave, rub all over with olive oil and cook on the high setting for about 5 minutes per potato. I have found that baking the potatoes in a conventional oven yields potatoes that are easier to work with (cut and scoop out), the potato seems to adhere to the skins a little better, but there is hardly a discernible difference in the final product.

While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.

Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F. Brush or rub canola oil (or another high smoke point oil) all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp, use a roasting pan or broiler pan that can take the heat). Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with freshly ground black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Use tongs to place skins on a serving plate. Add a dollop of sour cream to each skin, sprinkle with green onions.

Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

-- Recipe from: simplyrecipes.com

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

Sauce ingredients:

1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice, drained, reserve juice

2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2-teaspoon ground ginger

2 medium green and/or red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces

Meatball ingredients:

2 1-pound packages frozen precooked meatballs, thawed

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine reserved pineapple juice, butter, brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce and ginger in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and bubbly (4 to 6 minutes). Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Place sauce, pineapple chunks, bell peppers and meatballs into ungreased 2-quart casserole; stir gently to coat. Cover; bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Serve in chafing dish with toothpicks or keep warm in slow cooker.

Makes 5 dozen meatballs

-- Recipe from: www.landolakes.com

SALMON PARTY LOG

Ingredients

1 (1 lb.) can (2 c.) salmon

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated onion

1 tsp. prepared horseradish

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. liquid smoke

1/2 c. chopped pecans

3 tbsp. snipped parsley

Drain and flake salmon, removing skin and bones. Combine salmon with next 6 ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill several hours. Combine pecans and parsley. Shape salmon mixture in 8"x2" log; roll in nut mixture; chill well. Serve with crackers.

-- Recipe from: Cooks.com