Super Bowl Recipes - Touchdown!

Head to the end zone for a long pass of recipes from The Culinary Quarterback. Are you ready for Superbowl Sunday? The Fried Pig Skin Lovin' Chef has some tasty football food that will leave enough green in your wallet to buy an extra keg for your tailgate party.

Just click on any recipe name below to see what I mean. There are no fumbles in this recipe list!

Philadelphia Eagle fans will eat up my riff on an East Coast favorite Lobster Roll -- a cheaper Scallop Roll. This recipe is so scrumptious it was featured in the Huffington Post website! Click here to see the write-up.

  Scallop Roll

If game day is freezing cold in New England, then throw another log on the fire and gather in front of the big screen with a steaming bowl of my cheap$kate Clam Chowder. Patriot fans will throw off their warming blankets, peel off their gloves, and line up for a big bowl.

Everybody loves Pizza on game day. You can avoid the long lines at Domino's or Shakey's Pizza and make your own cheaply with my recipe that uses pre-made cooked pizza crusts from the Dollar Tree store.

What's great about making your own Individual Pizza, is everyone can add the ingredients they like. I like anchovies and an egg on mine -- I know no one else would order that one!

Just set out a stack of individual pizza crusts and a few bowls of pepperoni, shredded cheese, black olives, fresh basil leaves, Italian sausage, a fave jar of marinara sauce -- you get the picture. And it only takes 10 minutes or so in a hot oven and they are done!



Next to pizza and hot dogs, Fried Chicken is a fan favorite and no one fries chicken better than this cheap$kate game changer.

I've come up with a crunchy coating that will empty the bleachers and have fans storming the kitchen! Get Superbowl Sunday going with my Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe, or use my special flour and spice mix for regular bone-in chicken pieces. Fry up a batch of chicken to hand off when the coin is tossed to start the game.



Bring more Southern flavor to your kitchen, no matter what State you are in. Fans will take a half-time break and huddle around your cast iron pot of my fragrant and spicy Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya and Cajun Gumbo.

 Mom's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

In Louisiana, we put a dollop of Cajun Potato Salad on our Gumbo. If you don't believe me just check out the video below.


You gotta serve BBQ if you are tailgating on game day in the parking lot of  U.S. Bank Stadium, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Fans, I have the perfect recipe for you, a succulent and smoky BBQ Pulled Pork recipe. My recipe is easy and cheap to make, of course. Just check out the video below or click here to see all the tasty recipe details.

If a meaty bowl of Homemade Chili and a mug of icy cold beer are what you crave on game day then you've come to the right place.

Or go straight up the middle with a tray of Teriyaki Spam Musubi. Weave through the living room backfield with a pile of Mexican Carnitas Tacos (slow-cooked pork) and you'll be lucky to make it through without being sacked!

If fish is on your mind then hook your bleacher bums with some of my homemade Sushi Recipes. Try tackling a Spicy Tuna or California Roll. How about setting up a sideline station of chopped veggies and fresh fish and roll your own delicious Hand Rolls? It's easier than you think, and I have simple photo-illustrated instructions a click away, here.

While everyone's watching the pre-game show send in any of my delicious sideline sides and appetizers, including: Bacon Wrapped Dates and Brussels Sprouts, Tomato & Basil Bruschetta, Deviled Eggs, Portabella Mushroom Fries, Sweet Fried Plantains, Ceviche with Avocado and Black Beans, and Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce.

Football zealots are not just meat, but potato fanatics too. I like mine grilled, how about you? Well, I got Grilled Yellow and Orange Sweet Potato recipes for you to try.



Start Superbowl Sunday with a couple of omelet recipes, including my French-style Cheese Omelette



And just click here to see my Veggie Frittata recipe that will feed all your hungry team players (go ahead and add some ham pieces to fill out the frittata.)

Hot dogs and Game Day are meant for each other. Los Angeles locals know an LA Street Dog will not get flagged. This hot dog is grilled with a slab of bacon and topped with Pico de Gallo, a sauteed jalapeno, and slathered with mayo, mustard and ketchup. Whew, after one of these suckers you'll be ready to be carried out on a stretcher.



And, everyone will huddle around sandwich plates of gooey, cheesy Patty Melts, hearty Meatball Subs, Homemade Deli Pastrami, Falafel Pitas, and steaming Sloppy Joe's.

If you're looking for one pot meals, so you don't miss any action on the field, just check out my Pork Bourguignon, French Cassoulet, Chicken Tinga Stew,  Mr. Patti's Red Beans & Rice, Baked Pasta with Cheese and Cauliflower, Baked Lasagna with Ground Chicken, Shepherd's Pie, or Sausage & Sauerkraut with Beer recipes.

Baked Lasagna with Ground Chicken

 Looking for a sneak-play recipe? How about a different twist on Buffalo Wings with my African Spiced Water Buffalo Wings? This original recipe features chicken legs, but you can substitute wings.

Tired of stale, soggy stadium hot dogs? I have a great and easy Corn Dog Recipe made with Vienna sausages -- but you can use regular wieners. Your hungry guest will not be offsides dipping these crunchy coated pigskins into my tasty Honey-mustard Sauce.

Since you have the fryer going you might as well make a batch of my Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. They're as light and airy as the Goodyear blimp.

So get your backfield in motion and click on any of my tasty treat names above to watch an instant reply of recipes from my blog. Your guest will be cheering you on -- from their cheap seats!

Pancake & Sausage on a Stick - Cheap$kate Review

My latest Deal of the Day should not be so good. I think you can understand my suspicion of any meat that's on a stick from a frozen deli case.

But I am a fan of McDonald's McGriddle, a hybrid breakfast sandwich with a pancake bun that's injected with maple sryup. I like my McGriddle with egg and a sausage patty.

So when I saw Pancake & Sausage on a Stick by Snapps  in my local Dollar Tree deli case, I just had to get it. The concept of a breakfast corn dog rang my bell.

And you can check out my Deal of the Day cheap$kate video review at the end of this blog post.

And you get 2 pancake/sausage corn dogs for a buck, Wow!

This is an easy breakfast, just zap it in the microwave for a minute. You want it to be hot to the touch, so you know the inside sausage link is defrosted. Mine was ready in a minute, I might have added a couple of  10 second microwave bursts to finish.

I was quite impressed with the pancake envelope. It was spongy and light like a typical pancake you would make from the box, or even get at a local breakfast joint. I mean nothing out of the ordinary, and that's a good thing.

The pancake was a little over-sweet, but that's because no packet of maple syrup was included. Now, who ever has pancakes without syrup?

I guess I could take off a couple of points for a lack of syrup, but I think everyone has leftover  maple syrup in the refrigerator anyway. I had mine with it and boy did it take it over the top.

Maple syrup not included in box.

For my typical pancake stack with bacon or sausage, the best part is sloshing the meat into the syrup. Well with this all-in-one meal on a stick you do the same without utensils.

The sausage link is standard Farmer John's or Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage. Course ground and a little fatty, but that's okay by me. Seasonings are light and the flavor mildly pleasing.

All in all I was quite taken with this guilty pleasure of a start to my day. The pancake shell was not soggy, just springy in texture  and slightly moist. Even the sausage reheated well, not dried out or tough.

Well, by now you can tell I'm giving my latest Deal of the Day, Pancake & Sausage on a Stick by Snapps, a high Cheap$kate Dining score, of 1 to 9, 9 being best. Just watch the video below to get all the goods. 

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes 27 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Avocado & Cheese Omelet - Video Recipe

We get some crazy sale prices on avocados out here on the West Coast, everything from a couple of dollars per large avocado, to six tiny ones for a buck.

Click on any photo to see larger.

I usually make a guacamole, or add sliced avocado to my burgers, sandwiches and of course salads. Sometimes I load an omelet with avocado and melty cheese -- what a decadent way to start the day!

You can see how easy and quick it is to make by watching my Avocado & Cheese Omelet recipe video right here:

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 51 seconds.

My local Latin grocery has the best avocado deals closest to home. They come in all sizes, but the smallest ones are cheapest and just big enough for a single serving. I find large avocados just too much of a good thing, unless I'm throwing a taco party, where no avocado will go to waste.

I get cheese at my local Dollar Tree and 99c only Stores. You can use any favorite cheese you have on hand, or find on sale. The main thing is that the cheese is soft enough to melt. I've used everything from string cheese to cheddar and mozzarella.

Eggs aren't as cheap as they used to be, but are still a good value, at least nutrition-wise. And sometimes I can get a dozen, or half dozen, medium eggs at my local Dollar Tree.

For this recipe I made a damp, French-style omelette. First mix all the eggs, then you gently scramble until they just start to firm up.

Spread out the eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan, and while egg is still damp, add slices of avocado and cheese. Finally fold omelet to close it. At this point you continue cooking until omelet reaches desired doneness. I like mine a little damp in the middle, but you can cook it all the way through, too.

It's okay to use any favorite omelet cooking style you like. If you are worried about damp egg omelet, then just cook it firm, like an old school truck stop diner. This omelet is more about the yummy avocado and cheese embellishments.

When avocados come on sale, do try my delish Avocado & Cheese Omelet.

Ingredients (one large omelet)

• 3 eggs - okay to make it a 2 egg omelet. I used medium size eggs.
• 1/2 avocado sliced - I used half an small avocado per omelet.
• Cheese - about a slice, but add as much or little as you like. Okay to use any favorite cheese, like: mozzarella, Swiss, Jack, string, cheddar, or plain American.
• Butter - about 1 teaspoon. Okay to use a favorite cooking oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I find that cheese is salty enough for me, so I just sprinkle on some pepper.

Directions
Open and remove avocado seed. Slice into avocado halves and scoop out flesh. It is up to you how thick to slice avocado.

Prepare cheese if necessary. Slice or crumble cheese.

Add 2 to 3 eggs to a bowl, I made mine with 3 medium sized eggs. Whisk eggs to blend well.

Over medium heat, add a teaspoon of butter or fave oil to omelet pan. Spread oil or butter over bottom of pan.

Pour in beaten eggs into medium/hot pan. Lightly scramble eggs. Let the omelet cook until eggs are starting to firm up, but still wet. It takes a minute or two, depending on heat of pan and how many eggs you used.

Spread out eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan as eggs firm up.

I sprinkle on the cheese first so it will melt, then add slices of avocado.

Gently fold the omelet in half. Cook omelet to desired doneness, about another 30 seconds to a minute. It's up to you how well done the omelet turns out.

Just slice into the thickest part of omelet to check for preferred doneness. Of course, you can cook the omelet any way you like. A hot omelet will continue to cook until eaten.

I finish the Avocado & Cheese Omelet with a little black pepper and fresh sliced green chives (optional.)

It's okay to use your fave omelet cooking technique, like just letting egg firm in pan without scrambling, adding cheese and egg, then folding it in half. Click here to see my truck stop diner-style omelet.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Best Cheap$kate Food Finds of 2017

Deals Deals Deals - come and get 'em! Well, if you are a frequent visitor, you have seen some of these photos illustrating my delish recipes, and special Deal of the Day reviews like below (click on names to see the original review.)

 Egg & Smoked Gouda Breakfast Sandwich

Chipotle Lime Chicken

Ultimate Dessert Bar

I get comments all the time how awful dollar and 99 cent stores must be. I can't argue that, there's an abundance of dross and Frankenstein food stuffs -- hey, you get what you pay for. But I am a bottom feeder on a budget, with over a decade of blog experience picking out the best for less.

Click on any photo to see larger.

I gotta give it up to my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. Without them, my food blog would be anemic and barren. When I'm low on food, I will go to a regular grocery store for coffee and freshly baked bread, fresh seafood and specialty cuts of meat, but I always make time for a quick stop at my fave cheap$kate 99 cent and dollar stores for food deals.

99 thanks and keep stocking the shelves for starving students, hardworking minimum wage earners, retirees on a budget, single-parent families, and everyone else without much change to spare.

This is a case where you want to be an impulsive shopper - walk past one of these cheap$kate deals below, and by the time you get home, change your mind and head back to get the deal, well, it will likely be gone.

Here's what you're missing all you naysayers and snooty gourmands. Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet. But don't worry all my fellow penny-pinching gastronomers, the 99 Cent Chef has your back, or at least your stomach. So check out my:

Best Cheap$kate Food Finds of 2017

White Asparagus

It's Smoothie-time!

I love cherries the most, especially for 99.99 cents per pound!

Dollar Tree is strictly second string. Mainly they lack a deep bullpen of fresh veggies and fruit. But they do get on base often and sometime even hit a chintzy home run. Round the bases below for some of the budget finds  that will have you cheering from the cheap dinner table seats.

Looks like these great minds do think alike.

Biscotti & Coffee --  I sometimes satiate my sweet tooth in the morning.

Dollar Tree crackers and 99c only Store vegan cream cheese -- can we all get along? It's only a tenth of a penny that separates them. And these crackers by Greta would also pair nicely with my Homemade Clam Dip.

I've heard it said 99 cent Stores don't carry "organic" - well, eat your words.

  Happy Hour!

Mmmmm....chocolate.

And keep checking back for another year of scrumptious blog postings!