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Super Bowl Party Appetizers: Chipotle Meatballs + Fried Bologna Sandwich

Why do they call it football, anyway?

‘Cus, most of the time, they’re using their hands to throw it. Not kick it. Well, I guess sometimes they do. When they have to put it through the bars and stuff.

But really, soccer should be called football, then. Because, in that game, at least most of the time they are kicking the ball. Except of course when they use their noggins to bash it into the goal. Gosh, that’s so weird. And painful. Don’t you think that would be painful? I mean, all that cerebral fluid swishing around in there…ugh. Yuck. Nevermind.

On second thought…

Maybe it’s called soccer because they wear really high socks. Yes. That must be it.

I’m feeling a little philosophical on this loveliest of Tuesdays. I hope you understand.

And if you don’t, that’s okay.

I’ve whipped up some manly, meaty, mega-sized appetizers to distract you. Have I got your attention now?

These morsels of juicy goodness are perfect for the men folk as they often do require a bit more substance to their meals. Regretfully, I was unable to successfully catch a boar with my spring trap or slay a dragon with my spear on my last hunting trip. I have neither boar nor dragon to grace this year’s Super Bowl Party spread. I have acquired much shame in this.

Instead, I come with meatballs and fried bologna sandwiches. Both equally satisfying.

These meatballs are a combo pork-veal variety, studded with robust offerings of crispy bacon and saucy chipotle peppers. They’re fired up under the broiler until brown and slightly charred. Even the ladies will be fighting over this one. Get it while it’s haute.

Chipotle Meatballs

Print the Recipe

*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 8-10

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

 

For the meatballs:

1/3 C. whole milk

1/3 C. bread crumbs

6 bacon slices, chopped

½ C. finely chopped onion

1 T. chopped garlic

1 T. finely chopped, seeded, canned chipotles in adobo

1 t. ground cumin

¾ t. dried oregano

1 t. salt

2 T. water

¾ lb. ground pork

½ lb. ground veal

1 large egg; lightly beaten

¼ C. chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 lime; cut into wedges

For the chipotle-lime sauce:

1 lime; juiced

½ C. mayonnaise

2 chipotle peppers; seeded and chopped finely

1 T. adobo sauce

Black pepper; a pinch

Cooking Instructions:

 

For the meatballs:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk with the bread crumbs. Set aside.

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat until brown and crisp. Set aside in a small bowl, reserving 1 T. bacon fat in the skillet.

Cook the onion, garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, and oregano in the skillet until softened; about 2 minutes. Add water and cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until the water has evaporated; about another minute. Add this mixture to the milk and bread crumbs. Add in the ground meats, egg, parsley, bacon, and 1 t. salt. Mix together with your hands until everything is fully combined.

Set an oven grate to its’ highest position and turn on the broiler. Grease a large baking sheet for the meatballs.

Using your hands, form the mixture into small meatballs; about 1 T. worth, and place in rows onto the baking sheet. (Tip: Have a bowl of water handy. Dipping your fingers into the water periodically will keep the meatballs from sticking to your hands.)

 

Brown the meatballs, without turning, under the broiler for about 10 minutes. You may have to slide the baking sheet occasionally to ensure all the meatballs get browned evenly.

For the chipotle-lime sauce:

 

Combine the lime juice, mayonnaise, chopped chipotle peppers and their sauce, and a pinch of pepper into a small bowl. Whisk together. Taste for seasonings.

Serve the meatballs with dipping sauce and lime wedges. Enjoy!

—————————————————————————————

I LOVE bologna. Is there a shirt for that? An app, maybe?

Why, yes. Yes, there is an app for that.

I present to you Mr. Fried Bologna Sandwich in all his glory. The appetizer of all appetizers. This stuff is ridiculously good. Stupidly good. Call me a traditionalist, a classic throw-back-ist, whatever. I freakin’ LOVE bologna. But, you already know that.

Nestled in a soft pretzel bun (I know, I was ecstatic, too!), smothered with maple-dijon mustard, and dolled up with fried bologna disks, a grilled tomato, and a crunchy egg, this mini-mammoth of a sandwich is sure to please. You won’t be the least bit ashamed to lick the trail of egg juice dripping down your wrist. At least, I wasn’t.

Fried Bologna Sandwiches

Print the Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Servings: 1

Difficulty: Easy

*Note: Serving size is adaptable. Up the ingredients depending on how many peeps you have over.

Ingredients:

 

1 soft mini pretzel bun; halved and toasted

4-5 slices of bologna; medium-thickness; cut into circles

1 thick slice roma tomato

1 whole egg

Salt and pepper

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 ½ t. maple syrup

Cooking Instructions:

 

In a small frying pan, heat 1 T. vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the bologna slices to fry, flipping over to brown on both sides. Set aside. Add the tomato slice to the pan and brown on both sides slightly; about 30 seconds. Set aside. Season with salt and pepper.

Fry the egg in the same pan until golden and cooked all the way through. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the egg into a circle (with a biscuit or cookie cutter). Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard and maple syrup to make the sauce for the sandwich.

Assemble the sandwich by spreading a generous amount of maple-mustard sauce on the bottom of the bun. Add the tomato, then the slices of fried bologna, and then finally with the fried egg. Top with the other side of the bun. Enjoy!

Provecho!

XO,

Steph

46 comments
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  • JessicaJanuary 25, 2011 - 4:56 pm

    This looks delicious! And masculine, yes. Hahaha I remember your snacks for the ladies. Soccer…socks… that makes completely sense! I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that before 😉ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 25, 2011 - 5:46 pm

      Jess,

      Haha, masculine! :p It’s the masculine meatball! Ahhhh!ReplyCancel

  • ElaineyJanuary 25, 2011 - 5:39 pm

    Mmm sure do look tassssty! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • lil @ sweetsbysillianahJanuary 25, 2011 - 8:16 pm

    oooh these look mighty tasty… i didn’t know you could fry bologna – is that like frying spam?? 😉ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 25, 2011 - 9:11 pm

      Hey Lil,

      You know what? I’ve never had Spam before. [hides in embarrassment]ReplyCancel

  • Chef DennisJanuary 25, 2011 - 8:40 pm

    I’m coming to your house for the party if these are any indication of what your serving!
    Cheers
    DennisReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 25, 2011 - 9:12 pm

      Hi Dennis!

      I’m not hosting the party this year, but definitely planning on taking something to where we are going!!ReplyCancel

  • Christina @ Sweet Pea's KitchenJanuary 25, 2011 - 9:15 pm

    I love fried bologna sandwiches! My mom used to make them all the time for me and my brother! I love the egg on top! Yummy!! 🙂ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 25, 2011 - 9:22 pm

      Hi Christina!

      To be honest, I never had them growing up. They kind of grew on me as I got older. LOL. If that makes sense. :pReplyCancel

  • Island VittlesJanuary 25, 2011 - 10:03 pm

    Even I would watch the Superbowl if you put a bowl of those delectable looking meatballs in front of me. And a beer — make that a 6 pack — I really dislike football. On the other hand, I love watching soccer — but that’s another story for another weekend. TheresaReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 26, 2011 - 8:48 am

      Theresa, LOL. I could finish a 6 pack of beer, easy! :-pReplyCancel

  • Quay Po CooksJanuary 26, 2011 - 9:50 am

    This looks really good! I can imagine eating and want more.ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 26, 2011 - 10:37 am

      Thanks! Hubby and I have almost demolished the entire batch of meatballs to ourselves. :-pReplyCancel

  • Tiffany RosenbergerJanuary 26, 2011 - 12:36 pm

    You have made a fried bologna sandwich look like a work of art! Love your blog.ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 26, 2011 - 12:56 pm

      Thanks Tiff! It didn’t look like that for very long. I devoured it. :pReplyCancel

  • sippitysupJanuary 26, 2011 - 12:42 pm

    Those sliders are something special. I have had something similar once with SPAM! But why can’t the ladies eat them too? GREGReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 26, 2011 - 12:57 pm

      Hey Greg!

      Oh, the ladies will eat the sammies just as fiercely as the gents! No worries!ReplyCancel

  • Jun BelenJanuary 27, 2011 - 9:15 am

    You had me at fried bologna… but like Greg, I think I want fried SPAM instead. Who cares about football and soccer??! It’s all about the food! And that fried egg! 🙂ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 10:53 am

      Jun,

      All this talk of SPAM, now I need to go and buy some. I am ashamed to admit, I’ve never had the stuff. I know! The horror!!ReplyCancel

  • Lindsay @Eat, Knit, GrowJanuary 27, 2011 - 9:46 am

    Yum! Party at your house!ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 10:54 am

      Lindsay,

      :-p Yes! Although, I’m not hosting it this year. Bummer. But, I’m definitely bringing something yummy to the other casa.ReplyCancel

  • TesJanuary 27, 2011 - 10:31 am

    Wow… the meatballs look super juicy and delicious. I just love chipotle…. I will definitely make this soon 🙂ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 10:55 am

      Tes,

      The meatballs are to die for! You absolutely have to try them. A bit messy to make, LOL, but oh so worth it!!ReplyCancel

  • MonetJanuary 27, 2011 - 11:35 am

    What a great collection of superbowl recipes! These would be sure to please any and everyone watching the big game. I love eating meatballs at football parties. So good!ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 6:19 pm

      Hey Monet!

      Thanks for stopping by! I know, I love meatballs too. They’re so addicting!ReplyCancel

  • JorieJanuary 27, 2011 - 11:35 am

    Dude…..or rather dudette……thank you! As soon as I read fried bologna I remembered how much I used to love it when I was a kid…oh, those crispy bologna edges…LUV. The egg is an excellent addition.ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 6:20 pm

      Hi Jorie!

      BTW, did I ever mention I love your name? :p

      I couldn’t NOT put an egg on there. I’m a bit obsessed with those darn things.ReplyCancel

  • Steph@stephsbitebybiteJanuary 27, 2011 - 11:48 am

    I am one of the girliest girls you will ever meet and I would become a gentleman for the day just to have these 🙂 YUM!!!ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 6:22 pm

      Hey Steph!

      For some reason, I just imagined the whole lot of us (women) wearing fake mustaches and eating these. I’m not normal. :pReplyCancel

  • Kimba's KitchenJanuary 27, 2011 - 6:20 pm

    OOOooo!!! I would happily be a gentleman for the day just to eat these yummy creations of yours!!!ReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 27, 2011 - 6:23 pm

      Kim,

      LOL! Grab yer faux mustache and top hat at the door! We be gentlemens for the evenings.ReplyCancel

  • TiffanyJanuary 27, 2011 - 7:06 pm

    Oh, I know EXACTLY who I want to make these for! 😀ReplyCancel

  • Angie's RecipesJanuary 28, 2011 - 2:14 pm

    I am drooling over that sandwich! So man and so good!ReplyCancel

  • emilyJanuary 31, 2011 - 9:17 pm

    hi steph,

    where might one find soft mini pretzel buns? they sound DELICIOUS, especially if they are warm!

    xx em in dilemmaReplyCancel

    • StephJanuary 31, 2011 - 9:27 pm

      Hi Emily!

      I was able to find the soft pretzel buns at Whole Foods.

      But, if you can’t find them, here’s a link to Whole Foods’ recipe for homemade pretzels.

      http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1475

      It looks pretty easy and got great reviews! I may have to try this out as well. :pReplyCancel

  • Junia @ Mis PensamientosFebruary 1, 2011 - 9:09 am

    thanks for the blog post comment! 🙂 i love to put beer into my batter when making homemade meatballs! (worchester sauce, beer, ketchup, brown sugar, etc.) and its always a hit! your appetizers look so tasty – your guests will love you!!!ReplyCancel

  • All That I'm EatingFebruary 1, 2011 - 2:50 pm

    I love Chipotle chillies! Those appetisers look great. I’ll have to remember these the next time I’m entertaining.ReplyCancel

  • DianaFebruary 1, 2011 - 2:55 pm

    That fried bologna sandwich looks dangerously good!ReplyCancel

  • fooddreamerFebruary 1, 2011 - 4:05 pm

    Chipotle and meatballs together? Bring it on!!!ReplyCancel

  • Leanne @ Healthful PursuitFebruary 3, 2011 - 2:39 pm

    Mmm meatballs. My hubby would LOVE these on game day. Great idea.ReplyCancel

  • Fresh and FoodieFebruary 10, 2011 - 9:57 am

    Will you come over and make one of those sandwiches for me? 🙂ReplyCancel

    • StephFebruary 10, 2011 - 6:10 pm

      LOL! Gosh, I love me some Chicago! Next time I’m out there I will let you know! LOL

      Now you got me craving more of those sammies. Hmm…ReplyCancel

  • JANMay 25, 2012 - 9:18 pm

    LOVE THE SITEReplyCancel

  • kateJuly 18, 2012 - 3:56 pm

    Loved fried bologna, but not any other way! Has to be charred black, too. American Footballs differs from World Football (soccer) so we tend to use soccer for the footed kicking game, to differentiate it from our own American Football. Whereas in the UK and the rest of the world, soccer is commonly called football…even though it was the UK who coined the term soccer! The game of soccer originated as Association Football, so, it was often abbreviated to sound like “Sosh” Football or “Socc” and you were a “sosh-er” or “socc-er” as it a “play-er.” Pretty soon it just became “socc’er” and then “soccer” and then when everyone caught up, they called it football. Dammit.ReplyCancel

  • CharlieApril 5, 2013 - 11:20 am

    Bologna ……… Newfoundland SteakReplyCancel

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