Fan Fare Challenge Recipes, May 21

Rocky Mountain News

Originally published 03:00 p.m., May 20, 2008
Updated 11:03 a.m., May 21, 2008

Steve Peterson / Special To The Rocky

Coors Field executive chef Matthew Danley prepares Colorado Rockies Blue Cheese Chips at Mountain Ranch Bar & Grille.

Sausage Squeeze Play

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound Italian sausage links

4 ounces whole green chile strips, canned or preferably fresh, roasted and seeded

1/4 cup sliced provolone cheese

1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought

1 cup favorite local marinara sauce (divided)

* Brown Italian sausage links.

* Drain fat, add water to cover and reduce heat. Place a lid on pan and simmer about 10 minutes or until done.

* Roll out pizza dough on a floured surface to desired thickness.

* Cut dough into squares and wrap sausage along with green chile strips and provolone slices.

* Put rolled sausages on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven 20 minutes until slightly browned.

* Serve with a side cup of heated marinara sauce for dipping.

-Susan Tracey, Lakewood

Nutritional information per serving: 876 cal., 42 g fat (15 g sat.), 91 mg chol., 87 g carb., 32 g pro., 4 g fiber, 1,380 mg sodium

Rocky Mountain Rellenos

Serves 10

1 package egg-roll wrappers

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (12-ounce) jar pickled jalapeno rings, drained

Cooking oil for deep-frying

Water, to moisten edges of egg-roll wrappers

Chorizo, cooked, drained, optional

Pico de gallo and green chile sauce, available as a condiment

* Lay out the wrapper and moisten a 1-inch border with water on all sides.

* Smear a 3-inch square of cream cheese in the center of the wrapper, 1 inch in from each edge.

* Add cooked chorizo, if using. Place 2 tablespoons of jalapeno rings on the cream cheese, 1 inch from the edges.

* Fold the egg-roll skins over the cream cheese and jalapeno rings, the way you would an envelope, pressing the edges to seal.

* Place in a metal frying basket and deep-fry for 10 to 12 seconds until golden brown. Remove and drain briefly.

* Serve with pico de gallo and green chile sauce, if using.

- Cal Fager, Arvada

Nutritional information per 1 eggroll (with 2 tablespoons canola oil from frying; without chorizo): 375 cal., 33 g fat (5 g sat.), 15 mg chol., 19 g carb., 4 g pro., 1 g fiber, 320 mg sodium

Colorado Baked Apple Empanadas

Serves 4

1/2 cup butter

3 ounces cream cheese

1 cup flour

1 cup thick applesauce, homemade or jarred

* Cream butter or margarine with cream cheese.

* Add flour and mix until a smooth ball is formed.

* Chill 4 hours.

* Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured board.

* Cut into 3-inch rounds.

* Place 1 tablespoon applesauce on each round.

* Fold over and seal with a fork.

* Bake at 375 degrees 15 to 20 minutes.

* Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon and, if desired, vanilla ice cream on top.

* Note: You can substitute puff-pastry sheets or refrigerated crescent-roll dough for the cream-cheese dough, if desired. Cut and fold as indicated, but bake according to package directions.

- Linda Slater, Arvada

Nutritional information per 1-empanada serving: 220 cal., 15 g fat (10 g sat.), 42 mg chol., 18 g carb., 3 g pro., 1 g fiber, 114 mg sodium

Colorado Rockies Blue Cheese Chips

Serves 4

5 ounces Boulder potato chips

Parmesan cream sauce:

6 tablespoons butter

11/2 cups heavy cream

11/2 cups grated good-quality Parmesan cheese

Pepper, to taste

2 to 3 ounces blue cheese, preferably Colorado

2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

* Make the Parmesan cream sauce:

Melt the butter until it starts to bubble and foam. Pour in the cream.

* Bring to a boil. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season with pepper.

* Heat the potato chips in the oven until warm. Top with desired amount of Parmesan cream sauce (a la nachos), sprinkle with blue cheese and bacon.

-Monica Langley, Littleton

Nutritional information per serving: 858 cal., 78 g fat (43 g sat.), 210 mg chol., 21 g carb., 20 g pro., 1 g fiber, 1,091 mg sodium

Rocky Rockets

Serves 4

2 large bananas, cut in half

8 ounces white chocolate

Sugar, for decorating

Purple food coloring

* Place the half-bananas on a tray covered in parchment paper.

* Place a popsicle stick in each half.

* Freeze overnight.

* Tint the sugar with food coloring.

* Tint melted white chocolate with purple food coloring.

* Working quickly, dip bananas in melted chocolate and roll in sugar.

* Place on parchment paper to set.

- Denise Retzlaff, Greeley

Nutritional information per serving: 377 cal., 18 g fat (12 g sat.), 10 mg chol., 45 g carb., 4 g pro., 1 g fiber, 61 mg sodium