Slow Cooker Special: Buffalo Chicken Sliders

September is here, and I couldn't be happier. I've been chomping at the bit in anticipation of Fall and all of the wonderful things that come with it - if you couldn't tell from my last post. I'm even more excited about it because I've declared this month "Slow Cooker" month, meaning that everything I'm cooking is coming from my best friend, the Crockpot. To me, this means that the meals I cook this month won't just be easy; they'll be affordable, too. And, like most everything that comes out of the slow cooker, they will be absolutely delicious.

You can't see it, but I'm doing a happy dance. Seriously.

Tonight's recipe is not only a great dinner dish for you and your family - it also doubles as a perfect party plate for football season. Plus, it's versatile! Keep it simple with ranch or bleu cheese dressing or dress it up with tomatoes and lettuce if you'd like. Either way, this chicken comes out so tender and delicious that whoever is eating it will most definitely be back for seconds.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 packet dry ranch dressing mix

1 bottle buffalo sauce

2 tbs butter

Slider buns

Ranch/bleu cheese dressing, lettuce, tomato*

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and sprinkle ranch dressing mix on top. Add 3/4 bottle buffalo sauce and cook on low for 7 hours. After 7 hours, add butter and shred chicken. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes and serve on slider buns. *Dress with optional toppings.

This recipe will serve six, so if you're planning on having more you'll want to increase the ratios as necessary. Keep in mind that these can be quite spicy, considering the fact that the chicken is cooking in the sauce all day - you may want to cook the chicken in a "milder" buffalo sauce and keep a spicier version on hand for those who like a "kick."

Until next time...

Cheers!

Fabulous First: Happy Birthday, Lorelai!

There are first times for everything - including (importantly so) first birthdays! While I don't yet have any children of my own, I have been extremely blessed with a beautiful and amazing God daughter, Lorelai, who recently celebrated the one year anniversary of her birth. Lorelai's Mom (and my best friend), Emily, asked me to help with party preparations, and we had a great time getting everything together for her little princess! Here are some pictures that I took of the party:

The beautiful birthday girl! Such a little princess :)

Mom (Emily) and Dad (Mike) with the birthday girl!

Our spread! Yum!

Tissue paper paradise!

Me and the birthday girl!

Like what you see? Here are some tips for pulling off a fabulous first birthday for your own little ones!

1. Keep it simple. Emily saved a lot of money by going simple on decorations (a couple great kits from Party City and we were good to go!) and recruiting me as her "sous chef." By making food on our own instead of paying a caterer, the dollar signs were kept to a minimum, and we were able to have some fun in the kitchen ourselves! Our spread included mini sandwiches (turkey & provolone with spicy mustard, turkey & provolone with honey mustard, tuna salad and chicken salad), artichoke dip (see this blog entry for the recipe! http://cocktailcutie.blogspot.com/2012/01/superbowl-sips-and-dips.html), meatballs, a veggie tray, cheese and crackers and, of course, cupcakes! Sound like a lot of work? With two people, it really wasn't. Buying a pre-made veggie and cheese tray saved us a lot of time! We also bought frozen, pre-cooked meatballs and heated them up in the slow cooker, and pre-made chicken salad for the sandwiches. At the end of the day, everyone loved the food - maybe we should start our own catering company...

2. Keep it small. Remember, your little one isn't overly concerned with the amount of people who are there to share in the festivities, and honestly, inviting the entire neighborhood won't make his or her first birthday any more special than by only extending invitations to close friends and family. Your loved ones will appreciate the small get together, and they'll get to spend more time with the girl or boy of the hour before he or she gets tuckered out and wants a nap! Emily found that she was extremely glad to only have close friends and family, bringing the total number in attendance to about 15. This was the perfect size, and everyone could easily participate in watching Lorelai tear into her gifts - and later, her cupcakes!

3. Keep it short (and sweet!). Our party lasted roughly 2 hours, and that was plenty of time to socialize, open gifts and blow out the candles on Lorelai's crash (cup)cake. By the time it was all over and done with, the birthday girl was wiping her eyes and ready for some sleep! (Note: As a pre-cursor to the party, remember to (try to) let your little one take a nap so they are refreshed and ready to "mingle" with your guests. We tried to get Lorelai to sleep some before the celebration began, but she must have been too excited for the party because we had no luck!). Consider the pace of your party, and move on to the next activity accordingly. For instance, if you notice that most of your party-goers have cleaned their plates, go ahead and offer to collect them. Then, move on to presents!

I hope the next birthday bash you throw is as fabulous and fun as this one was. Good luck! Tune in next time for more Cocktail Cutie tips and recipes!

Cheers!

Party Plates: Football Food!

The time is here: the end of football season. The last playoff games before the BIG game. If you're having friends over to watch the remaining games of the season, here's a menu that will knock their socks off!

Sure, the staple for football fans may be wings - but why not switch that up? After you make these fabulous, fall-off-the-bone ribs, you may reconsider your typical game day grub. Just because it's winter doesn't mean you can't make delicious, tender ribs - without having to weather the cold.

Oven-baked ribs

1 rack baby back ribs

1 tablespoon Season-All

2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Season both sides of ribs with Season-All and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Place ribs in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes per side (20 minutes total). Remove from the oven and baste with BBQ sauce. Place back in the 350 degree oven for 10 minutes per side (20 minutes total). Remove the ribs.

With the tops of the ribs facing up, baste with the remaining BBQ sauce. Cover with a "tent" of aluminum foil, ensuring that all sides are properly sealed. Turn the oven temperature down to 250 degrees.

Place ribs in 250 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Once done, open up the tent of foil (carefully!) and test the ribs with a fork. They should fall easily from the bone. YUM!!

*Want an easy side to pair with your ribs? Try this slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe!

Spicy Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

3 cups cubed pepper jack Velveeta cheese

2 1/2 cups milk

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked al dente

Combine cheese, milk, egg and salt in a slow cooker (4 qt or larger). Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
Add macaroni and stir. Cover and cook on low 4 hours.
Note: If you prefer your mac and cheese on the milder side, substitute the pepper jack with original Velveeta!

I hope you enjoy both of these super savory, delicious recipes - and the game! Stay tuned for more game day recipes, including homemade guacamole and artichoke dip - coming up next!

Cheers!