TheBolt

Like we said earlier this week, one of the best things about football season is hitting the stadium parking lot for a day of tailgating. For football fans who prefer to avoid the crowds, a close second is to put the game on at home and have the gang over for a Sunday filled with fun and finger foods. Scrambling for something to bring to the season-kickoff party? We whipped up this tasty Buffalo Chicken Stuffed French Bread, which is easy to make, easy to serve, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.  (more…)

This two ingredient recipe is delicious and easy to make. The perfect after school snack for spreading on apple slices, dipping pretzels, and creating ants on a log. Effortlessly blended together by a Vitamix, the only other things you will need for this recipe are Almonds & Canola Oil. Almond Butter is a healthier alternative to peanut butter. Some store bought peanut butter is packed with sugar, preservatives, and is high in sodium. This almond butter is an easy snack enjoyed by everyone! (more…)

One of the great joys of summer backyard living is sitting out around the firepit and roasting some after-dinner s’mores. But if you’re an apartment-dweller who can’t just build a fire on your patio, or you’re simply uncomfortable around an open fire, you can still enjoy the warm, gooey goodness of melted marshmallows and chocolate with this easy-to-make recipe. These S’mores Cookies are filled with the same great tastes as the traditional campfire treat, with none of the danger.

Ingredients:

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There’s a little bit of Irish in everybody on St. Patrick’s day. For some it’s a time to don your green clothes, grab a pint, and hit the parade. For others, it’s a chance to host a party with friends and family. We’ve assembled three delicious dishes that highlight the almighty Guinness draught beer that are perfect for your St. Paddy’s day festivities. Not just a favorite drink on the holiday, the malty flavor imported from Ireland is also versatile ingredient when used for cooking.

While most will be drinking the delicious pint of the gods, you can curb their munchies with some Guinness-inspired snacks. We start with a robust barbecue sauce whose tantalizing flavors will pair with the meat of your choice. Then for the main course, a heavenly cheesy Guinness Mac n’ Cheese, followed up by a malty Guinness float for dessert. These snacks won’t leave you like a blind cobbler’s thumb, and it has been shown that Guinness is good for you, in moderation. We hope you enjoy these dishes and please have a responsible St. Patrick Day.

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Just like the major sporting events, no Oscar viewing party is complete without an assortment of snacks at hand. And what snack says “the movies” more than popcorn? We found a few creative, easy-to-make recipes for some fun, flavored popcorn’s that will be the highlight of your Sunday night. We suggest popping your corn in an air popper, or to save even more time you can buy plain, pre-popped corn. So check out the recipes below and let’s get popping!

S’mores Popcorn

INGREDIENTS

10 cups popped popcorn

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

2 cups mini marshmallows

2 cups graham cracker pieces and crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Pop your popcorn. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, spread popcorn onto cookie sheet.

Break up 2 cups of graham crackers into bit sized pieces.

Melt 1/2 of chocolate chips, add a small spoon of coconut oil and transfer into a plastic freezer bag. Make sure the chocolate is still hot when in bag. Drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn, make sure to go in a zig zag direction to get all the popcorn.

Sprinkle the marshmallows and graham cracker pieces over the drizzled popcorn.

Melt the remain chocolate (add some coconut oil) and repeat drizzling process.

Allow to cool and then break up into pieces and enjoy!

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Valentine’s Day is just a few days away, and if you’re looking for a gift that’s a little more thoughtful (and budget-friendly) than more jewelry or another tie, might we suggest some delicious homemade breakfast? This recipe combines two favorites: the crispy Belgian waffle and fluffy red velvet cake. They’re made with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in the kitchen, with one surprise addition—greek yogurt—that adds an extra level of moisture and healthiness to the recipe. The only specialized appliance you’ll need is, you guessed it, a waffle maker. (more…)

We’re still a few weeks away from the biggest event in football, but we all know throwing a party is a must. Sunday’s game will be filled with non-stop football action, your friends and family, and of course, food. Because there isn’t a party without the food! To help keep you from missing any of the day’s festivities, we came up with some easy recipes so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the game!

Big Game Pan Nachos

These Nachos are a combination of crunchy and soft, and sure to be a gametime favorite!

INGREDIENTS

• large baking pan (we used 18 x 13)
• Parchment paper
• 1 lb ground beef (can substitute chicken ground turkey or pork)
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• 1 bag of tortilla rounds 13 oz
• 1 can of refried beans 16 oz
• 12 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 head of lettuce chopped ( can also buy a bag of shreds lettuce)
• Jalapeño peppers (hot or mild)
• 4 medium sized plum tomatoes chopped
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ cup white onion chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of cumin
• 1/2 of lime for juice
• 2 Avocados cubed
• 1 to 1 ½ cups sour cream

To make the Pico de Gallo

Mix chopped tomatoes, white onion, and cilantro together in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, cumin and lime to taste. Set aside

Directions

Brown ground beef in a 10-inch or larger skillet over medium heat, drain, add package of taco seasoning and water (follow directions of taco seasoning package to complete this step)

Line the baking pan with parchment paper and spread tortilla rounds across the pan, spread the refried beans onto the tortilla chips (you don’t have to cover all the chips or use all the beans) some chips should be left uncovered for crunch.

Top chips and beans with all the ground beef then completely cover with cheese.

Preheat oven to 350° F and place the meat and chip mixture into the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven (you only have to heat the nachos in the oven to melt the cheese so keep an eye on it!)

Remove from oven and place on a heat safe surface (Be careful the pan will be hot!)

Spread a layer of sour cream over the melted cheese, then cover the nachos with chopped lettuce, and add a layer of Pico de Gallo, Avocado and jalapeno peppers.  Enjoy!

Pregame Bites

Don’t let your guests wait for the game on an empty stomach. Prepare these pregame snacks to keep them happy! This recipe is super easy to make with the simplest ingredients, and there’s no doubt that your guest will enjoy these bites!

INGREDIENTS

• A football cookie cutter
• Colby jack cheese slices
• Sliced pepperoni
• 8 oz box cream Cheese, softened at room temp.
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
• Chive stems for garnish

Directions

Garlic & Herb Spread

In a large mixing bowl, add in the softened cream cheese, minced garlic, parsley, basil, chives, and milk. With an electric hand-mixer, mix ingredients on MEDIUM. Mix until everything is combined and smooth. Let the spread chill in the fridge for an hour or until you serve.

While the spread is chilling the in fridge, you can cut out your cheese slices into  football shapes with a football cookie cutter or use a knife to cut out a football-like shape.

Building your pregame bites

Take a cracker, spread the garlic and herb mixture onto cracker. Top with a pepperoni slice then a football cheese slice. Omit pepperoni slices for a meatless option. Top the crackers with chive stems to make laces on football.

Game Winning Smokies

These little smokies are packed with a sweet and spicy flavor, and are incredibly easy to make. Just throw everything in a slow cooker before your guests arrive. This recipe will sure be a winner at your football party!

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ brown sugar
• ⅓ cup honey
• ½ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 oz little smokies

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, sriracha, and garlic and mix together.

Place little smokies in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the sausages.

Stir so every sausage is evenly coated. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 4, stirring occasionally.

Football Brownies

Enjoy these football shaped treats during the game. These fudgy brownies will keep your guests wanting more!

INGREDIENTS

• 9” X 13” baking pan
• Football shaped cookie cutter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• t/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup melted unsalted butter
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Milk chocolate icing
• Small tube of white gel icing

Directions

First, preheat your oven to 375° F. Lightly grease your baking pan and then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add in the ingredients in the following order- flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, eggs, butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

Once you’ve combined the ingredients, use an electric hand mixer to beat the mixture until it’s smooth. Then once the mixture is smooth, pour the batter into baking pan.

Bake the brownies for about 25-30 minutes. Poke the brownies with a toothpick, if the toothpick comes out clean then the brownies are ready.

Take out the brownies when they are done, then let them cool down before you start cutting. After the brownies have cooled down, start making cutting your brownies into football shapes using a football shaped cookie cutter.

Then, take each football and spread chocolate fudge frosting on top and use vanilla icing as the lacing on the football.

Enjoy!

A healthy start is usually easier said than done, especially if your New Year’s resolution includes exercising more and eating better. For many of us, a new year means it’s time for a fresh start and a new workout regimen. It may seem hard at first but that’s okay – it’s all about baby steps and we have just the right thing to help ease you into your new year’s transition. Our healthy post-workout smoothie is a great, refreshing way to end your day of exercise. This smoothie is packed with protein, it’s easy to make, and happens to be quite delicious. So let’s get take a look at what you’ll need to begin your healthy start now and continue to stay on track!

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One of the best things during holiday season is the sweet aroma of baked goods, especially cookies! That’s why we decided to make this week’s Holiday Edition of Abt-solutely Delicious all about cookies. You can bring these soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies to your annual cookie exchange with friends or to holiday dinner with family, they’re perfect for any occasion. (more…)

It’s already Tuesday, so Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we’re sure a lot of you folks have already begun preparing for Thursday’s festivities! If so, we’ve got a few traditional side dishes for you to check out and serve your family and friends this Thanksgiving. We’ll start off with a deliciously sweet cranberry based stuffing, followed by some creamy whipped mashed potatoes (insert mouthwatering emojii here). Moving right along into a savory Parmesan & Balsamic-flavored dish of Brussels sprouts, only to end with an Abt-made video of a mini sweet potato casserole recipe, which is super easy to make and a fun way to incorporate cooking with your kids this Thanksgiving! (more…)