Growing up I fondly remember big game days. Those were the only occasions when I was able to pick out my own snacks, drinks and treats to enjoy as we all huddled around the TV at home. It was a chance to for Mom to enjoy the game too, and not be stuck cooking in the kitchen. We stuck with items that were self-serve or of the microwavable heat-and-eat variety. The only rule for our game food was that it had to be fast and easy.
Now, as a kid, my game day food desires consisted mainly of various chips and creamy dips, but now that I am in charge of the family spread, I wanted to bring a variety of game-day-worthy snacks to the table that we could all enjoy. And well, now I am old enough to work the oven, so my options are a little better.
You know what my family enjoys?
Fries and onion rings!
But, we are not talking your average fries and onion rings here. I wanted something delicious and gourmet inspired to really make our family game day eats memorable.
Alexia Frozen Fries and Rings were the perfect start for some great new game day recipes! Since we already love grabbing a bag of Alexia Sweet Potato Fries, Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries or Crispy Onion Rings to round out a lunch or dinner, I wanted to make them extra special by creating 3 new recipes for a taste bud slam dunk.
First I wanted to make a big platter of Disco Fries for my hungry sports fans.
Have you ever had Disco Fries? My Canadian friends are always talking about Poutine, which is made with white cheddar cheese curds, thick brown gravy and fries. But, for a more American version I went with readily available torn mozzarella, brown gravy with a little green onions on top of a bed of Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries.
It still has the warm and hearty flavor of my Northern friends' favorite, but with our own delicious melted mozzarella.
First you start by making the brown gravy. I sauteed garlic and onions in a cast iron skillet with a little unsalted butter.
Then I added the beef stock, a little apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Once it came up to a simmer, I strained out the onions and added in a cornstarch slurry to tighten it up a little. You still want a pourable consistency to drizzle over those crispy fries.
After baking the Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries, I topped then with torn mozzarella and poured the thickened brown gravy over the top to slightly melt the cheese. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with a side of remaining brown gravy for dipping.
Disco Fries
You Will Need:
- 1 bag, Alexia Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries
- 1/4 c. yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 c. beef stock
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. water, or enough to create a smooth slurry
- 1 c. Mozzarella cheese, torn
- 1/4 c. sliced green onions
Bake the Alexia Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries as directed on the package.
While the fries are baking, place the onion, garlic and butter in a small sauce pan and sautee till translucent.
In a separate pan, heat up the beef stock, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. When the onions are ready, add them to the pan and bring up to a simmer. Let simmer for 3 minutes, then strain out the pieces of onion or garlic. Whisk in the corn starch and heat till the gravy thickens.
Place crispy fries in a dish. Top with torn Mozzarella and drizzle with half the brown gravy. Garnish with green onions and serve with the remaining gravy in a bowl for dipping.
Then I created Nori and Sea Salt Onion Rings for my family. I have to admit that I am a huge fan of sweet onion rings. The only way I could think to improve on these classic treats was to toss my favorite Alexia Crispy Onion Rings in toasted nori and sea salt.
I was introduced to a similar style of snack while I was living in Japan. I also happen to be a big fan of the toasted nori sheets for snacking. It is a great addition to the sweet onions and makes them great to enjoy on their own, or then dipped into a bowl of cool ranch dip.
Toasted Nori and Sea Salt Tossed Onion Rings
You Will Need:
- Alexia Crispy Onion Rings
- Toasted Nori Sheets, crumbled
- Sea Salt
While still warm from the oven, toss the rings in a bag with crumbled nori flakes and shake until coated. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately to your hungry crowd!
Then as an added treat, I threw in an extra dish on the spicy side. These Buffalo Fries were made with Alexia Sweet Potato Fries with Sea Salt.
I tossed the baked fries in a little Buffalo Sauce then threw them back under the broiler to crisp back up.
Then I topped the spicy fries with crumbled Blue Cheese chunks and cool Blue Cheese dressing. I garnished this dish with a little green onion and served some crunchy celery sticks on the side.
Spicy Buffalo Fries
You Will Need:
- 1 bag Alexia Sweet Potato Fries with Sea Salt
- 2 Tbsp. Buffalo Sauce
- 1/4 c. crumbled Blue Cheese
- 2-3 Tbsp. Blue Cheese dressing
- 1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
- green onions, thinly sliced
- celery sticks, for serving
Bake the Alexia Sweet Potato Fries with Sea Salt as directed on the package.
Toss the hot fries with up to 2 Tbsp. Buffalo Sauce to lightly coat. Put under the broiler for another 3-5 minutes to crisp the fries back up.
Place the fries in a bowl, sprinkle with Blue Cheese crumbles, drizzle with Blue Cheese dressing and garnish with green onions. Serve alongside celery sticks for added fun!
We grabbed all our supplies and bags of Alexia Foods Frozen Fries and Rings at our local Walmart. Look for them in the frozen section with Potatoes. I am always a fan of one stop shopping for our game day homegating parties
Ready to get your game on? Which recipe do you want to share with your family?
No comments:
Post a Comment
I always love reading your comments and questions. Let me know what you thought about my recipe or post. Comments are currently being moderated due to spam-tastic recent postings. I'll have your comment up shortly. Thanks!