Tasty Tailgate Treats: New Year’s Eve & The Playoffs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; position oven rack in the center of oven about 7- to 8 inches away from the heating element. Toss together potatoes, oil, pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt on a small-rimmed baking sheet until evenly coated. Bake, stirring once halfway through, until fork tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil.
2. While potatoes bake, place olives, olive brine, gin, vermouth, and lemon peel strips in a small jar or airtight container. Seal the container and shake well to combine. Chill in refrigerator until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Strain marinated olives using a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, reserving olives and brine mixture separately. Finely chop 2 tablespoons of the olives; set aside.
3. Once the potatoes are slightly cooled, carefully slice the top third horizontally off the top of the potatoes. Remove and discard skin from trimmed tops and place potato flesh in a medium bowl. Using a melon baller or small rounded measuring spoon, scoop out potato flesh, leaving about 1/8-inch border and potato skins intact. Place scooped potato flesh into the bowl with trimmed tops. Place hollowed potato skins in an even layer on the same small baking sheet; set aside.
4. To potato flesh in a medium bowl, add milk, cream cheese, blue cheese, chives, 4 teaspoons of the reserved olive brine, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a potato masher, mash the potato mixture until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and stir in additional brine mixture, if desired. Spoon or pipe potato mixture into potato skins on a baking sheet, piling high as needed until the filling is all used up. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan.
5. Broil until warmed through and cheese is melted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and top evenly with finely chopped marinated olives, pressing them down to help adhere if needed. Garnish with chives and serve immediately. Reserve remaining marinated olives and brine for another use.

Pizza Muffins

Ingredients: 

• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tube (11 ounces) refrigerated thin pizza crust
• 1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Optional Toppings: Pepperoni, olives, sausage, onion, green pepper, Canadian bacon, pineapple, tomatoes, fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425°. In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients.
2. Unroll pizza dough; cut into 16 squares. Press squares onto the bottoms and up the sides of 16 ungreased muffin cups, allowing corners to hang over the edges.
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon sauce mixture into each cup. Top with cheese; add optional toppings as desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Serve pizzas with the remaining sauce mixture.