Super Seats, Super Eats, Super Party

When Super Bowl XLVII, the biggest game in American sports, kicks off on February 3, 2013, what will you serve your football enthusiasts? If you can't be at the Superdome, the next best thing is relaxing at home with friends and family as you enJOY watching the San Francisco 49ers battle it out with the Baltimore Ravens. As important as the game may be to fans, just as important are the snacks you'll serve.

 

Whether your team wins or not, if you want to be a winning host/hostess, plan some great finger foods like these Sausage Stars. They are easy to prepare and always appreciated as a great savory snack.



Let's get started by collecting our ingredients...

FILLING PREPARATION:

Cook sausage and blot dry with paper towels.

I usually line a large mixing bowl with paper towels and use them to squeeze out whatever excess grease I can from the browned sausage. Then, while the sausage cools, I chop the veggies.

Combine chopped peppers and olives with sausage.

Add Ranch dressing.

Stir to combine and add cheeses.

(NOTE: This mixture can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. This is usually what I do. Then, it only takes 5 minutes after the stars are filled for them to bake at 350 degrees and be ready to eat.)

If you store in the refrigerator for later use, cover and then remove when ready to fill baked wonton shells.

STAR PREPARATION:

When ready to prepare stars, preheat oven to 350 degrees. QUICKLY, separate and arrange single won ton wrappers in muffin tins (DO NOT spray or coat pans with shortening) so they form “stars.” These will stand up and bake better if you keep them COLD until ready to place in the tins. Handle them as little as possible to keep from warming them as you arrange the “star.”

Bake only 5 minutes until the “raw” look disappears. They may turn a little “golden” on the tips, but should not brown. You just want them to firm up so they hold the filling. After removing from the oven, you can leave these shells in the tins and fill them to bake immediately. Or, you can remove the empty shells from tins and place on baking sheet and set aside for filling later, after you have finished baking all the shells. (Shells can be baked a few hours or the night before and covered with wrap, ready to be filled the next morning.)

Use a teaspoon to fill prepared stars with sausage mixture. Place back on the baking sheet.

Bake 5 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. Makes about 50 yummmmmy stars.

HINTS FOR LEFTOVERS:

Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator and warmed in a toaster oven or microwave for a quick snack. Toaster ovens work nicely, since they keep the crusts more crisp.

Sometimes, depending on how full I prepare the “stars,” I may have some leftover filling. If so, my hubby likes to split a breakfast biscuit (already baked) and top it with the filling, then toast it in the toaster oven for a quick breakfast snack. I have also spread the filling on Pillsbury crescent roll dough before rolling them up to bake. (YUMMY and QUICK appetizer!)

The Super Bowl is the second-largest food consumption holiday of the year, according to the USDA, behind Thanksgiving and ahead of Christmas Day. Make this the best Super Bowl ever and be a STAR in the kitchen by serving these great snacks! Don't forget to print the recipe or copy and paste it to a file you can store on your computer.

Pat’s Sausage Stars

Ingredients:

2 c. (1 lb.) sausage cooked, crumbled & blotted well with paper towels

1 1/2 c. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1 1/2 c. bottled Ranch dressing (sometimes I use the Lite version)

1 - 4 oz. can chopped ripe black olives, drained

1/2 c. red or green (I occasionally mix these) bell peppers, chopped small

1 pkg. Of 50 fresh won ton wrappers (keep COLD until ready to bake!)

FILLING PREPARATION:

Cook sausage and blot dry with paper towels. Combine with Ranch dressing, olives and peppers. Stir to combine and when cooled, add cheeses. (NOTE: This mixture can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. This is usually what I do. Then, it only takes 5 minutes after the stars are filled for them to bake at 350 degrees and be ready to eat.) Use a teaspoon to fill prepared stars (see below for preparation) with sausage mixture. Place back on the baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. Makes about 50 yummmmmy stars.

STAR PREPARATION:

When ready to prepare stars, preheat oven to 350 degrees. QUICKLY, separate and arrange single won ton wrappers in muffin tins (DO NOT spray or coat with shortening) so they form “stars.” These will stand up and bake better if you keep them COLD until ready to place in the tins. Handle them as little as possible to keep from warming them as you arrange the “star.” Bake only 5 minutes until the “raw” look disappears. They may turn a little “golden” on the tips, but should not brown. You just want them to firm up so they hold the filling. You can leave these in the tins and fill them to bake, if only making a few, but if you need to make more “stars” and need to reuse the tins, remove the empty shells from tins and place on baking sheet and set aside for filling later. (These can be baked a few hours or the night before and covered with wrap, ready to be filled the next morning.)

HINTS FOR LEFTOVERS:

Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator and warmed in a toaster oven or microwave for a quick snack. Toaster ovens work nicely, since they keep the crusts more crisp.

Sometimes, depending on how full I prepare the “stars,” I may have some leftover filling. If so, Ken likes to split a breakfast biscuit (already baked) and top it with the filling, then toast it in the toaster oven for a quick breakfast snack. I have also spread the filling on Pillsbury crescent roll dough before rolling them up to bake. (YUMMY and QUICK appetizer!)