Get Warmed Up for Valentine's Day

Help your Valentine get warmed up for Valentine's Day by small but meaningful messages on a heart-shaped tea bag.

Directions

Cut two hearts out of red construction paper. Use a metallic pen to write a short message on one of the hearts. Next, remove a tea-bag tag and, at the end of the string, affix two hearts, back-to-back, using double-sided tape or a stapler.

Got the Munchies?

Last week I had planned to have recipes and ideas for the Super Bowl. However, there was a slight problem which began with this recipe. The Super Bowl may be over but I still wanted to share the recipe.

Applebee's Onion Peels

Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce:

¹/ ₂ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ketchup

¹/ ₄ teaspoon ground black pepper

¹/ ₈ teaspoon dried oregano

¹/ ₈ teaspoon cayenne pepper

dash garlic powder

dash onion powder

6 to 10 cups vegetable shortening

1 large white onion

Batter:

¹/ ₂ cup all-purpose flour

¹/ ₂ cup plain breadcrumbs

¹/ ₂ teaspoon salt

¹/ ₂ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ¹/₂ cups milk

Make horseradish dipping sauce by combining ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk. Mix until creamy then cover and chill the sauce.

Heat the shortening to 350 degrees in a deep fryer.

Slice the stem end and the root off onion, then, with the onion resting on a flat side, cut down through the onion, slicing it in half. Slice each half 4 to 5 more times in a spoke fashion to create wedges of onion. Separate the onion pieces.

Create batter by combining all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk in milk until batter is smooth then let the butter sit for 5 minute. It should thicken. Whisk batter again.

When the oil is hot dip each onion piece in the batter, let some of the batter drip off then drop the coated onion piece carefully into the hot oil. Fry 8 to 12 peels at a time for 1 to 2 minutes or until light brown. Drain on a rack or paper towels. Repeat until the onion is used up, stacking the newer batches on top of the old ones to keep them warm. When they're all done, serve the fried onion slices on a plate or in a paper-lined basket with horseradish dipping sauce on the side.

Serves 4 to 6.

Tidbits: While shortening works best for this recipe, you may also fry these with vegetable oil or canola oil. Just don't almost set your kitchen on fire though.

The picture above is what the Onion Peels should look like. The following pictures are how your kitchen should not look after making the Onion Peels!

It All Went Up in Flames

I am very sorry to say that I will be out of commission for the next several days. Because my post went up in flames. Real flames. As in a grease fire flames. Yeah. The story of it all will be on Berger Bites soon. We are all okay but I have some serious spring cleaning to do. Have a good week!

The Who?

No, no, it's not a question. Actually The Who is the name of the group who will be performing at Super Bowl XLIV halftime. Yes as in The Who who debuted in 1964. Umm ... anyone ready to play a game? If your hand shot up into the air for the "yes" votes, then get out your pen and paper for a game of pictionary.

Football Pictionary

- Indianapolis Colts

- New Orleans Saints

- Penalty

- Safety

- Fans

- Bleachers

- Cheerleaders

- Pass

- Helmet

- Touchdown

- Referee

- Coach

- Buffalo Wings

Or maybe you want to show off your football knowledge with a little trivia.

1. Which quarterback has made the most Super bowl starts without a win?

a) Fran Tarkenton

b) Craig Morton

c) Jim Kelly

d) Dan Marino

2. Three teams are tied with the most Super Bowl losses with four. What are they?

a) Dallas, Denver, Buffalo

b) Buffalo, Minnesota, Miami

c) Denver, Minnesota, Miami

d) Denver, Buffalo, Minnesota

3. Only one cornerback has ever ben named Super Bowl MVP. Who is it?

a) Larry Brown

b) Deion Sanders

c) Charles Woodson

d) Herb Adderley

4. Just one college has produced three different Super Bowl MVPs. What is it?

a) Alabama

b) Georgia

c) Michigan

d) Notre Dame

5. There is only one three time Super Bowl MVP. Who is it?

a) Tom Brady

b) Terry Bradshaw

c) Bart Starr

d) Joe Montana

6. Which coach has the most Super Bowl appearances?

a) Chuck Noll

b) Bill Parcells

c) Don Shula

d) Tom Landry

7. What is the biggest margin of victory in a Super Bowl?

a) 35 points

b) 42 points

c) 45 points

d) 55 points

8. Who is the oldest coach ever to win the Super Bowl?

a) Dick Vermeil

b) Tom Landry

c) Don Shula

d) Marv Levy

Answers:

1. c

2. d

3. a

4. b

5. d

6. c

7. c

8. a

But maybe it's just to play the good old fashioned game of paper football.

How to Play

Basically, the object of the game is to score touchdowns. To get a touchdown, you must flick the ball with you finger (you play on a straight edged table) and have the ball stop, with part of it sticking over the table. That is 6 points. Players take turns, one flick each back and forth untill someone scores. If the ball goes off the table, you kick off. Hold the ball in your hand, resting on the plam, and toss it on the table by hitting your fingers on the underside of the table.

After a touchdown you can kick a feild goal. Whoever is kicking hold the ball vertical between his finger and the table, and with his kicking hand, he flicks the ball with his finger. The other person is holding a field goal with his finger aranged in a position, its good for 1 point.

How to make the football

1) Get a piece of paper, fold in in half longways (so you should have one long skinny half).
2) Cut or tear along the seam.
3) Holding the paper vertical (tallways) fold the corner down into a triangle. That should form a triangle.
4) Continue to fold down makeing the trianges until you run out of paper to fold.
5) Tuck what ever excess paper into the "pocket" on the top of the ball.

Super Bowl Week Begins!

This week not only begins the first week of February, the month of L-O-V-E, but also the Super Bowl. If Sissy were writing this, she would be shouting "GO COLTS!" If you are planning a Super Bowl party (and haven't yet sent out your invitations), right click on the invitation below (save image as) and get ready for a week of super ideas and recipes to help you prepare for the big game.