Family Time Equals Game Night

And Game Night equals nibbles, of course. Anytime family gathers, I love to whip up all our favorites from a Spicy Cheese Dip to Mini Tostadas. This time around I even reached back into my own childhood memories. (AKA Swedish Meatballs that weren’t Swedish at all).

Thanksgiving Weekend has always meant family time to me, both in my childhood and now that I’m all grown up. Four entire days to spend with those I loved. At Thanksgiving we had family hanging from the rafters. My parents put out a spread to end all spreads. The day after Thanksgiving family was still the focus. While us kids spent our time playing in the leaves and racing around outside, the adults played games. Several tables were set up for Mahjong. I can still hear the tiles banging together.

I’ve never understood Black Friday. There has never been anything I’ve needed so much that I would forfeit family time to obtain it. That is not to say we wanted for nothing as children. When it came to things, while we did not have much, we did not feel the need to want much. Things held no value. People were far more important. When did that change?

Now the day after Thanksgiving is still about family, just not as extended as it once was. We put up the tree and spend the evening basking in its magical glow while we play games together. I know long after I’ve left this world, Kiddo will remember fondly times spent is simple pursuit. And all the nibble foods.

Spicy Fondue Cheese Dip
1 lb Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1 brick Velveeta Cheese
1 (10 oz) can Rotel Tomatoes
Taco Seasoning to taste
Tortilla Chips for serving

Cook sausage in a cast iron skillet, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain well, pressing out as much grease as possible. Set meat mixture aside. Wipe out any grease remaining in the skillet.

Cut Velveeta into cubes. Place in the empty skillet over medium-low heat. Stir while the cheese begins to melt. Add the tomatoes to the melting cheese, continue to stir and blend together.

Once the cheese is fully melted, add the meat. Season to taste with taco seasoning. Transfer the dip to an electric fondue pot or small crock pot. Keep warm.

Serve with tortilla chips. You can dip the chips or drizzle the Spicy Fondue over the top – it’s up to you.

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Sour Cream Deviled Eggs
9 Eggs (or as needed)
2 tablespoons Baking Soda
3 tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sour Cream
1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar or to taste
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Note: If you are using a Deviled Egg Tray, count how many eggs you will need to fill the tray, then add 2 extra. This gives you plenty of yolks for piping and a few extra whites in case some crack. My tray holds 14 Deviled Egg Halves.

Place the eggs in a saucepan. Cover with 1 inch of cold water. Add baking soda to the water; bring to a full boil. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

With a slotted spoon remove eggs from the hot water; crack on the counter. Plunge the cracked eggs in an ice bath, let steep for 20 minutes.

Note: Eggs can remain in the bath until ready to peel if necessary. They must be cold.

Peel eggs, cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place yolks in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Place whites in the egg tray for filling.

Pulse the yolks in the food processor several times to create a fine grade resembling bread crumbs. Add mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard; mix until creamy. Mix in the red wine vinegar a half-tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the yolk mixture to a bowl and chill until ready to fill the shells.

When ready fill a cookie press or a pastry bag with a star tip. Pipe filling into each egg white. Chill until ready to serve.

Optional: Egg Whites and Yolks can be colored to match the season. For the whites it is 1 cup of HOT water to each tablespoon of white vinegar. Add coloring as desired. Let whites sit in the color for 20 minutes, then pat dry before filling. For the yolks, once the filling has been made, add a few drops of coloring to the yolks, stir until blended. Pipe as you normally would.

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Little Smokies in Onion-Barbecue Sauce
1 (18 oz) Bottle Favorite Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons Dried Onion Flakes
2 tablespoons packed Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Ketchup
3 tablespoons Chili Sauce
Hot Sauce to taste
16 oz package Little Smokies Cocktail Sausages

In a bowl mix barbecue sauce, onion flakes, brown sugar, ketchup and chili sauce. Stir well until brown sugar dissolves. Taste and add hot sauce as desired. Stir in the Little Smokies. Transfer to a small crock pot.

Warm on LOW heat for at least 2 hours or longer until ready to serve. These little Smokies can be served directly from crock-pot. Fondue forks are great for snatching the Smokies from the pot.

Sixties-Style Swedish Meatballs
1 (10 oz) can Cream of Mushrooms Soup
2 tablespoons Sour Cream
1 package Knorr Beef Bouillon Cubes
2 tablespoon dried Chives
20 frozen Mini Meatballs

In a bowl mix Cream of Mushroom Soup, sour cream, Bouillon Cube and chives. Stir until the bouillon gel has dissolved into the soup mixture. Stir in the Mini Meatballs. Transfer to a small crock pot.

Warm on LOW heat for at least 2 hours or longer until ready to serve. The Meatballs can be served directly from the crock-pot alongside the Little Smokes with their own Fondue forks.

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Mini Tostada Bites
1 bag Round Tortilla Chips
1 can Spicy Refried Beans
Bacon Drippings as needed
1 cup Taco Meat (Optional)
1 cup Mexican Cheese Blend
Nacho Jalapeño Peppers

Place as many tortilla rounds as possible on a baking sheet without over-crowding or over-lapping chips. Place beans in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a little bacon drippings to thin out the beans. Warm for 2 or 3 minutes to soften beans.

Note: If adding left-over taco meat, warm for about 2 minutes once the beans have softened.

Carefully spread refried beans on each tortilla round. Top with taco meat, if using. Scatter a little cheese over the beans. Finish each tostada with a Jalapeño (if desired).

Heat the broiler element of the oven. Place Tostada Bites under the broiler just long enough for the cheese to melt and bubble up. Serve the tostadas straight from the pan while still warm

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Pile everything onto a plate, pour a nice cold beverage and let the games being!

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Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
Alleluia, alleluia.