Food styling and photos by Brooke Echols
Call them finger foods, tailgate treats, or if you’re feeling fancy, canapes. Whatever you call them, any food that can be picked up with your hands and enjoyed at a social gathering qualifies as a finger food, and we at Alabama Living got to enjoy several different types of our reader-submitted recipes this month. Some you may recognize as familiar favorites. We hope you enjoy checking out a variety of these bite-size treats at your next football tailgate, wedding or baby shower, or just munching as you read your favorite magazine!
Cook of the Month: Pat Phillips, Arab EC
Mama Pat’s Hot Artichoke Dip with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained with excess juice squeezed out
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (can substitute finely chopped onions)
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika (regular or smoked)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish. In medium bowl, mix the cheese, mayonnaise and garlic powder. Stir in the artichokes, onions and sun-dried tomatoes. Mix well and transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with Wheat Thins or baguettes.
Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich Casserole
- 2 24-packs King’s Hawaiian Rolls
- 1 pound shaved Virginia ham
- 24 slices Swiss cheese
Sauce:
- 1½ sticks butter
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried onion
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Slice the rolls in half. Line the bottom of two 9×11-inch baking pans with the bottom halves of the rolls. They should just fit. Spread the ham over the rolls and layer the Swiss cheese on top. Place the other halves of the rolls on the top. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, mustard, Worcestershire and dried onions. Over medium heat, stir until the butter has melted to create the sauce. Pour equal parts of the sauce over the rolls and then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover the pans tightly with foil and refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the covered pans in the oven for 24 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 48 mini sandwiches.
Nancy Sites Sizemore, Baldwin EMC
Mini Cheese Balls
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 8-ounce package cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Dash cayenne pepper
- Dash salt
- Onion powder, to taste
- Pecans, finely chopped
Cream the cream cheese; add cheddar until well blended. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until well blended. Shape into balls and roll in pecan pieces. Chill for 24 hours. Serve with fancy toothpicks and crackers.
Robbie Vantrease, Cullman EC
Baked Chicken Wings with Alabama (Roll Tide) White Sauce
Wings:
- 1 pound split chicken wings (cut into drumettes and flats)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
- (recommended: Dixie Dirt)
Alabama White Sauce:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
- Garnish: sliced green onions chopped cilantro. Serve with carrot sticks and celery.
For Wings:
In large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, making sure the wings are covered in the butter, seasoning and baking powder. Place wings on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven.
For Alabama White Sauce:
Mix all ingredients together. I like to mix them in a Mason jar. Shake or stir vigorously. Drizzle sauce over hot wings and serve with extra sauce. Store remaining sauce in an airtight container.
Kathy Phillips, Wiregrass EC
The Buttered Home
We love appetizers and finger foods any time of the year. Tailgating is a tradition, and we love to do it year-round for sports of any kind, even if it means we’re just sitting in our little old living room. These Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups are the perfect small bite that eats like a meal. We stuff these beautiful tenderloins and cook them to perfection. A touchdown every time! For more recipes like this, visit www.thebutteredhome.com.
Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups
- 3 large chicken breasts, butterflied, split and pounded out thin
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- ¼ cup red onion
- 1/8 cup chopped green pepper
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into ribbons
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split or butterfly each chicken breast into two pieces, fairly thin. Place in a zip-top bag and gently pound down and out to flatten. Prep and mix tomatoes, onion, peppers and mozzarella cheese in a medium size bowl.
Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and place a spoonful of vegetable mixture on largest part of breast. Carefully roll up and secure with one or two toothpicks. Place roll ups in an oven safe/stovetop pan that has the heated olive oil in it. Brown on all sides just to sear. Sprinkle remaining vegetable mixture on top.
Meanwhile, mix balsamic vinegar, broth, honey, garlic and Italian seasoning in a small boiler. Cook for a few minutes to combine. Pour mixture over seared roll ups. Place in a preheated oven for 20 minutes. Baste halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and turn chicken over. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until done. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
