Dawg Food

Tonight was the big Sweet 16 game for the Huskies and my mom came over to watch it with us.  Each of us was wearing some sort of purple gear and our food was sporting some Husky pride too!

Purple Kettle Corn:

In my stove top Whirlypop popcorn popper I used:

just shy of 1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. kernals

2 tsp vanilla extract

a few drops each - red and blue food coloring (use a tad more blue than red to make purple)

Combine all ingredients and place on medium heat stove top... (this recipe is specific to the Whirlypop popcorn maker, so check your manufacturer first to avoid an accident!).

Dawgs in a Blanket:

My mom make these little Dawgs in a blanket.  She used refrigerated dough, like Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, and wrapped around full sized uncooked turkey hot dogs stuffed with some cheese.  She used a little extra dough to shape in to 'W's and placed on top.  We baked in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until dough was nice and golden.  Here is a similar recipe at Pillsbury.com.

Penne & Cheese:

Ok, so the penne & cheese wasn't really Husky theme, but it was a golden color!  Add in a few purple and gold cans of Bud Light and you've got a winning meal.  Too bad the Dawgs didn't win tonight, I was looking forward to an Elite 8 basketball Saturday!  The penne & cheese my mom made (really called 21st Century Macaroni & Cheese) is from http://www.splendidtable.org/.  It has a great garlicky onion flavor, not your traditional ooey gooey cheese.

21st Century Mac and CheeseServes 4


1/2 pound (2 cups ) raw penne pasta, cooked and drained
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 small clove garlic
3/4 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 generous cup (5 ounces) shredded good quality, extra-sharp cheddar cheese
5 ounces cream cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese

Generous 1/8 teaspoon each hot red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper

Generous 1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 saltines, coarsely crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish, and add cooked macaroni.

In a blender or food processor combine egg, milk, and garlic, and process 3 seconds. Add onion, cheeses, peppers, salt, and paprika, and blend 10 seconds. Turn into dish, folding into macaroni. Casserole could be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 24 hours at this point.

To bake, bring casserole close to room temperature. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Coat crackers with butter and spread over top of casserole. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until thick yet creamy. If top is not golden, slip under broiler for a minute. Remove from oven, let stand about 5 minutes, and serve.