Momma Told Me: It's all fun and games until you're scrubbing the dishes!
I'm a very competitive person.Whether I'm competing for top honors at school, cheering my favorite team on in full gear from head to toe, or whipping up a dish for the community potluck- it's important to me that I stand out. It's hard to argue that we're nearing one of the largest annual sporting events in North America; but, whatever your sport, one of the best things about championships and titles is that everyone comes together to indulge in great food with friends and family. As I prepare for Game Day, and eagerly await the return of my true love, Baseball, I find myself in need of easily portable dishes that can satisfy the snacking mentality of large groups gathered around a television for several hours. Most importantly, when hosting, I want to have dishes that can be stored and served instantly, with little to no cleanup.
Recently I discovered the answer to my container conscious inner chef dilemma. The Eco-Foil range of
Handi-Foil cooking and serving container solutions offers the convenience of disposable cooking and transport, with the eco-friendly appeal of using 100% recycled aluminum. Best of all, these bake-ware containers come in a wide range of sizes for everything from cake-ware to roasting pans, and even have styles with lids made from 100% recyclable material as well. Entertaining naturally produces a lot of waste, so I'm always thankful for companies that can simplify my cleanup time without leaving me filling guilty. With Eco-Foil containers like the 8 x8 Cake Pans With Lids I can even seal up leftovers for guests to take with them, or to store in my fridge. Let's face it, nobody wants to be scrubbing serving trays in between belly-fulls of buffalo burps!
When it comes to the big Game Day I also like to serve healthier versions of my popular recipes, alongside the gluttonous favorites I am known for. Not only do I feel 'chef-like' saying I'm serving something '2 Ways' but I know I can help keep the less sport oriented guest engaged and happy with lighter fare. And, when I serve my famous Buffalo Chicken Dip, I'm always sure to have small Dixie Cups on hand for guests to serve their own single portions into. Less hands on the serving spoon, and dipping into the tray, the healthier for everyone. For fresh veggie platters that really pop and hold their freshness right through halftime and to the final touchdown I like to use a deeper Handi-Foil broiler or roaster pan with a layer of ice, and build my fresh veggie platters within the 8 x 8 cake pans atop. The deep reservoir basin at the bottom can always be dried and reused for future occasions, and my cold dishes stay fresh down to the final celery stick!
While it's not everybody's favorite, I associate buffalo with Game Day. Whether you're dunking wings in blue cheese or slathering on the ranch, creamy textures and mild buffalo sauce make any Game Day spread a success. Try tossing some grilled chicken breast chunks in your favorite wing sauce and skewering them along with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls (or in my case, cut string cheese wedges) for a lighter alternative to the heavier dishes. Balance out your table with me decadent and creamy, Chunky Buffalo Chicken Dip made with cream cheese, diced celery, and baked mozzarella. I love baking this recipe in a convenient Eco-Foil bake-ware pan I can sit within a larger 13 x 9 Cake pan, with a selection of dip-ready veggie sticks. Of course everyone likes to dip differently, so consider some pita bread wedges and plan tortilla chips as less healthy options too!
Whether you're planning to host a big championship viewing party, or simply bring a dish to the upcoming potluck, having easily resealable containers that cut down on cleaning is a big party touchdown. Besides, who really wants to have to call Aunt Patty begging for that special casserole dish back? This Game Day bake smart with 100% Recyclable Eco-Foil products from Handi-Foil, sold nationwide at fine grocers such as Safeway, Food 4 Less, and Ralphs.
What are you best Game Day hosting tips?
What Daughter Says: Entertain smart with serving solutions from eco-minded brands like Handi-Foil.
Chunky Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients:
*8oz Cream Cheese
*1/2 C Finely Chopped Celery
*1/2 C Hot Sauce of Choice
*3 C Shredded Chicken, Diced
*1 C Crumbled Blue Cheese or Mozzarella Shreds
* Crackers, Chips, or Sliced Veggies for Serving
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 425F
1.) In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt cream cheese and hot sauce, stirring constantly to break down lumps.
2.) Add celery and chicken and mix well. Pour the mixture into an 8 x 8 prepared pan or Handi-Foil container and sprinkle the cheese atop evenly.
3.) Bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Serve hot with bread, crackers, or vegetable slices.
Pretty and delicious - I love appetizers like that. Add in the ease of clean up plus the eco-friendly nature of the baking pans and you have a perfect party!
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing and no cleanup! Yay for that!
ReplyDeleteCan I come over? It is looks incredibly delicious
ReplyDeleteI love everything about this post- easy clean up and a delicious buffalo dip. I loveeee that dip- it is so yummy! Perfect for game days!
ReplyDeleteJenna you know I love your work, this is quite possibly the best post you have ever done. I mean..wow that dip and the veggies in the same handi-foil trays. Brilliant!!
ReplyDeleteI love anything that promotes no clean-up, but is still eco-friendly. Win-win!
ReplyDeleteThese are great! Doing dishes is one of my very least favorite chores!!
ReplyDelete