In honor of the Saints’ first trip to the Super Bowl, Pamela D. Lyles, New Orleans native and author of Da Cajn Critter: The Lifestyles, the Rules and Makin’ Groceries has announced her official “Saintsational Super Bowl Menu.”

Lyles’ Super Bowl menu includes Brees’ Famous Pesto Brie, Vilma’s Veggie Dip, Black and Gold Bean Soup, Jabari’s Jambalaya, Spicy Cajun Martinis and more.  You can find the recipe for Mama Bea’s sharp cheese cookies here.

According to the press release, this easy-to-use cookbook contains 185 recipes that Pamela culled from family and friends. Da Cajn Critter has won a USA Book News “Best Books” award, been called the “go to cookbook for all of your tailgating needs” by the Times-Picayune, and is a “certified Product of Louisiana.”

The book was born when the author was forced to relocate her family from New Orleans to Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Collecting and cooking the recipes found in this book became a way to help bring her family together during this difficult time. All of the recipes are easy to make in a household kitchen and help bring the flare of Louisiana flavor to any home.

Da Cajn Critter Pamela Lyles has been cooking and creating in the kitchen since she was a little girl. Growing up in New Orleans, she observed the magic in her own family’s kitchen. She will be in attendance supporting her Saints at the Super Bowl in Miami.

You Colts fans…do you have an Indiana menu you want to share? Do it quickly. Email me.

Here’s some healthy Super Bowl recipe ideas from Smart Balance.

* Replace the sour cream in your favorite dips with Smart Balance Sour Cream – your friends will appreciate the rich and creamy flavor as well as the added nutritional benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamins D & E.

* Switch to a healthier popcorn – try Smart Balance® Smart Movie Style Popcorn – it has that great buttery taste without all the trans fat

* Give them something to cheer about – view these delicious recipes.

Quesadillas with Avocado Sour Cream

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
4-ounce can chopped mild green chilies
4 whole wheat or flour tortillas
2 tablespoons Smart Balance® Original Buttery Spread

Directions
1.    Combine the chicken and chili powder in a medium bowl. Stir in shredded cheese and green chilies. Spoon the chicken mixture over one half of each of the tortillas. Fold each tortilla in half and press down lightly.
2.    Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Melt 1 tablespoon Smart Balance®
Original Buttery Spread, tilt the skillet to coat lightly. Place 2 folded tortillas in the skillet, cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese has melted. Repeat with remaining Smart Balance® Original Buttery Spread and remaining tortillas.
3.    Using a serrated knife, cut each tortilla into 3 wedges. Serve immediately for peak flavors.

Makes 4 tortillas total. Serves 12; 1 wedge per serving.

Per serving: 102 calories, 7 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 5.2 grams fat, 2.6 grams saturated fat, 1.7 grams
monounsaturated fat, 0.6 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 100 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 600 mg
Omega-6 fatty acids, 20 mg cholesterol, 207 mg sodium, 1 gram fiber

Cook’s Tip
For meatless quesadillas, substitute 1/2 cup rinsed and drained navy beans for the chicken.

Creamy Avocado-Salsa Verde Dip/Topping

1 ripe medium avocado, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/3 cup Smart Balance™ Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Smart Balance® Light Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted peppers
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons Smart Balance™ Sour Cream

Directions
1.    Combine the dip ingredients in a blender, puree until smooth. Place in a shallow serving bowl.
2.    Combine the topping ingredients, except the sour cream, in a small bowl. Spoon the 2 tablespoons sour cream in the center of the avocado mixture and spoon the pepper mixture on top and around the sour cream.

Serves 12

Per serving: 59 calories, 1 gram protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 4.9 grams fat, 1.3 grams saturated fat, 2.5 grams monounsaturated fat, 0.7 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 114 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 281 mg Omega-6 fatty acids, 6 mg cholesterol, 113 mg sodium, 1 gram fiber

Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Soy Peanut Sauce

Sauce:
3 tablespoons Smart Balance® Omega Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons sugar or pourable sugar substitute
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Filling:
2 1/2 cups coleslaw mix
1 cup cooked diced chicken breast meat
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 of an 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
12 large Boston Bibb or Romaine lettuce leaves

Directions

Place the Smart Balance® Omega Peanut Butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high setting 15 seconds or until slightly melted. Place in a blender with 2 tablespoons water and the remaining sauce ingredients; puree until smooth.

Combine the coleslaw mix, chicken, bell peppers, and water chestnuts in a large bowl and toss until well blended. Spoon 1/3 cup of the cabbage mixture in the center of each lettuce leaf. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sauce evenly over each and roll up.

Makes 12 bundles and about 1/2 cup sauce total.  Serves 4; 3 bundles and about 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce per serving.

Per serving: 192 calories, 15 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrate, 8.6 grams fat, 1.6 grams saturated fat, 5.1 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.2 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 410 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 790 mg Omega-6 fatty acids, 30 mg cholesterol, 311 mg sodium, 3 grams fiber.

Cook’s Tip

For an eye-catching, dramatic look, place the filled lettuce leaves on large serving platters and let each person roll their own.

Dips

Artichoke-Garlic Spinach Dip

Smart Balance® Cooking Spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
13.75-ounce can quartered artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 cup Smart Balance™ Sour Cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Smart Balance® Omega Plus Light Mayonnaise

Directions

Coat a large nonstick skillet with Smart Balance® Cooking Spray, place over medium heat until hot. Cook the onions 3 minutes or until translucent, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the spinach, artichokes, oregano and Smart Balance™ Sour Cream. Stir until well blended. Remove from heat.

Add the cheese and Smart Balance® Omega Plus Mayonnaise and stir until well blended. Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 16; 2 tablespoon servings

Per serving: 51 calories, 2 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fat, 1.2 grams saturated fat, 0.8 grams monounsaturated fat, 0.4 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 151 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 18 mg Omega-6 fatty acids, 8 mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 1 gram fiber

White Onion Dip

1/2 cup Smart Balance® Sour Cream
1 tablespoon Smart Balance fat free or 1% milk
1/4 cup very finely chopped white onion
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Serve immediately or may be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 hours in advance.

Serves 6; 2 tablespoon servings

Per serving: 51 calories, 1 gram protein, 2 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fat, 2.3 grams saturated fat, 0 grams monounsaturated fat, 0 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 22 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 2 mg Omega-6 fatty acids, 13 mg cholesterol, 215 mg sodium, 0 grams fiber

There seems to be a lot of stuff going on in February.

Feb. 7 is the Super Bowl. Go Colts! Go Saints! That’s the end of my enthusiasm. I’m not a football fan. But I know the Super Bowl is good for business (TVs, home theatre, restaurants, grocery stores, spirits, travel, etc.) so that’s a good thing for economic stimulus.

If you’re a non Super Bowl fan, check out this great idea.

Here’s a recipe for healthy guacamole and fast & healthy Super Bowl recipes.

Last year in Tucson some Comcast customers were treated to 10 to 15 seconds of porn. Some Comcastic mistake happened and families observed a prominent male body part swinging in the wind. It made the previous year of Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction look like Alice in Wonderland. Hey, whatever happened to that FBI investigation anyway?

In Tucson we have the Gem & Mineral Show going on now until mid Feb which brings thousands of people and millions of dollars to the Old Pueblo. Then the Rodeo happens at the end of the month.

Then of course, there’s  Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year on Feb. 14, Presidents Day, and Ash Wednesday when some people will give up meat or alcohol or sugar or something that has meaning to them.

Stay tuned as it will all be addressed here except maybe not the rodeo because I’m not a fan of animal cruelty.

This is courtesy of the FDA

WASHINGTON, February 2, 2010—When planning a Super Bowl XLIV party, hosts should have a defensive strategy against foodborne illness for their guests. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends closely refereeing the following food safety violations so every partygoer returns home a winner.

Illegal use of hands
Avoid penalties for “illegal use of hands.” Unclean hands are one of the biggest culprits for spreading bacteria, and finger foods at parties are especially vulnerable. Chefs and guests should wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Also, be sure to clean surfaces often, and wash platters before replenishing them with fresh food.

Offside
Think of your party fare as two different teams—uncooked and ready-to-eat foods. Prevent “encroachment” at all costs and keep each team in its own zone. The juices from raw meat can contain harmful bacteria that cross-contaminate other food. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and another one for cutting veggies. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

Equipment violations and holding
Call a “time out” and use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Remember that internal temperature, not meat color, indicates doneness. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef should be cooked to 160 °F, and all poultry should be cooked to 165 °F.

“Holding” may be one of the most likely offenses your referee encounters if your Super Bowl party lasts late into the night. Never hold foods for more than two hours at room temperature, or between 40 °F and 140 °F. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly to block offensive bacteria from multiplying. The same rules apply for cold foods. If cold food has been sitting out for more than two hours, do not eat it. When in doubt, throw it out.

False start
When it comes to foodborne illness, there is no opportunity for an instant replay. To avoid these infractions, make sure you understand the rules completely. One of the best resources available before kickoff is USDA’s virtual representative, “Ask Karen,” a feature that also allows you to ask food safety-related questions 24 hours a day.

Visit “Ask Karen” for food safety particulars. Food safety coaches are available on the “Ask Karen Chat” and by phone at the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline by calling 1-888-674-6854.

I love making cupcakes and baking. Although I love to cook, I can have more fun while baking with my friends and enjoying the time together. Besides my sandwiches, I am planning on making themed cupcakes with my friends for the Superbowl. I was not quite sure how I wanted to decorate them, so I started to look online for ideas.

I found this great site that shows top ideas for how to decorate cupcakes for the Superbowl. Some ideas are better than others, but no matter what, they have a different idea for everyone. (Cupcakerecipes.com)

1.  Frost cupcakes with team colors.

The nice thing about this idea is that it is simple and quick. All you need to buy is food coloring and frosting.

2.  Mini football helmets.

This idea is also very simple. Mini football helmets can be picked up at most party stores and are very inexpensive.

3.  Football shaped toothpicks.

This idea requires a bit more work. The toothpicks are easy to find, but the time consuming part is printing off footballs from the Internet and taping them onto the toothpicks.

4.  Draw football shapes on each cupcake.

This idea requires decorating frosting or the frosting gel. Make sure someone does this who has a little creative ability, so the footballs actually look like footballs.

5.  Bake cupcakes in the shape of a football.

This requires finding a cupcake mold that is football shaped. If you are only making the cupcakes for the Superbowl, it is probably not worth buying the mold because it will be around $10.

6.  Cut round cupcakes into football shapes.

This requires a little more skill. You have to figure out a way to cut them in football shapes and still make them look presentable. I have tried to do this with cupcakes before for my friend’s birthday and it did not work. You will just have to see if you can make it look good.

7.  Make goal posts out of Popsicles sticks.

This idea is fun. Popsicle sticks are cheap and it won’t take a lot of time.

8.  M&M Super Bowl cupcakes.

You can order special m&m’s for the Superbowl in the colors of the teams.

9.  Brown M&M footballs.

This idea is used to make shapes out of the m&m’s to put on the cupcakes.

10.  One letter per cupcake team cheer.

This letter can be put on the cupcake with frosting, m&m’s or any other candy. It makes the cupcakes colorful and festive, but once they start getting eaten up, your guests may be a little confused.lol

I hope this ideas helped, and enjoy making your desserts for the Superbowl.