It’s been some time since I posted a recipe here on MYV and for good reason. Ellie and I closed on a condo a few weeks ago and we’re getting ready to move (don’t worry, just 2 blocks away). So needless to say, I’ve been a little preoccupied. BUT, since the Super Bowl is THIS SUNDAY, and my beloved Kansas City Chiefs are in it, yet AGAIN! So how could I not give ya’ll a recipe to kick off the big game. Ha, see what I did there? 🙂 And since KC is playing in the Super Bowl, I thought, why not make something with a KC-style BBQ sauce? So, I created a super-easy recipe for Fried Halloumi Cheese Bites with Kansas City-style BBQ sauce (sugar-free, by the way).
Crunchy Fried Goodness
Okay, so you most likely aren’t going to a big Super Bowl party this year or maybe you’ll just be watching it alone in your house, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make great party food. This recipe really does come together super quick. While you’re frying up the Haloumi cheese, you can make the BBQ sauce. Halloumi (or sometimes spelled “Haloumi”) is a semi-hard cheese made from a mixture of sheep’s milk and goat’s milk and sometimes cow milk is added in to. It has a really high melting point so it’s perfect for grilling or frying. Making these fried Halloumi bites would be a great “crouton” addition to your salad! If you can’t find Haloumi, try and look for Paneer, a cheese mainly used in Indian cuisine. I’ve found Paneer at both Costco and Restaurant Depot. All you do is sprinkle the cubed Halloumi in some flour (I used coconut flour and some salt and pepper) and fry away. I just did a shallow pan fry but these will definitely be crispier if you deep fry or use your air fryer, if you have one.
KC style
Alright, don’t hate on me, but my BBQ sauce may not be the most super KC style ever, so I did tweak it a bit. But it’s okay to play with your food, right? Kansas City BBQ sauce is the perfect balance of both sweet and tangy flavors. Typically made with molasses and bright acidic flavors from tomato and vinegar, it also has the right balance of sweet and heat. It’s that classic, ketchup-based BBQ sauce that will be the perfect dipping sauce for these fried bites of goodness. I also made this recipe low carb and with only stevia instead of ketchup or adding additional sugar. But go ahead and use ketchup if you prefer it!
Be sure to check out Daniel’s Super Bowl recipe for Chicken Wings with a three different Sauces.
Want even MORE recipes to serve for the big game? Check out some of our favs!
Grandma Janie’s Hot Mushroom Dip
Cheddar-stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies
Happy Snacking and Super Bowl watching! Go CHIEFS!
- 8 oz. Tomato Sauce (or Ketchup) Not pasta sauce, but just the canned tomato sauce, or the ones in the boxes
- 2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Worchestershire Sauce, or Coconut Aminos
- 1 tsp. Liquid Smoke You can add another teaspoon if you like it more smoky, but start with 1 tsp to taste
- 1 tbsp. Liquid Stevia Add more if you like it sweeter, but start with 1 tbsp. to taste
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Chili Pepper
- 1 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
- 9 oz. Halloumi cheese Doesn't have to be exact weight here
- 2 tbsp. All-purpose Flour, or Coconut Flour
- Vegetable Oil, or Avocado Oil, for frying I did a shallow pan fry so I just added a little bit to start and fried the Halloumi, just start with a few drizzles and add more if you need
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Cut the cheese into cubes - whatever size you like!
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Spread the flour, salt and pepper on to a plate and roll the Halloumi on all sides, while it's wet
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Heat up the oil on medium heat, with a few tablespoons at a time and add more if you need. Add the cheese cubes and fry on all sides until crispy and golden (about 2-3 minutes). You're looking for the color of French Fries! But be careful they don't get too dark or burnt, but hey, unless you like burnt cheese
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Using tongs, or a slotted spoon (if deep frying), carefully lift the cheese cubes and let it cool slightly on a cooling rack with a paper towel underneath to catch any drippings
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Add all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk until all ingredients are mixed
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Simmer on medium-low for about 5 minutes and let cool. Serve with Fried Halloumi bites!
Well, we are about a week away from the Super Bowl. Is there any food more associated with watching football than chicken wings? But how do you get them crispy without making a mess or spending a lot of time? Generally wings get their crispiness from frying either unadorned for crispy skin or with some sort of breading for a little extra crunch. But what do you do if you don’t want to bread or fry your wings? The trick is a two stage cook. First cook the chicken wings at a lower temperature to make sure the wings are cooked through without drying them out. Then you crank the heat to crisp up the skin.
A while back I was at a non-kosher restaurant with some co-workers. While I sat there and ate the sandwich I snuck in from the kosher deli down the street, they chowed done on some tasty looking food. One of the appetizers that was ordered for the table was Tot-Chos, a nacho dish with all the fixings, including a fried egg, where tater tots replace the chips. Everyone at the table really seemed to enjoy it and I knew I had to make my own version of it.
I was trying to come up with a great bite for the Super Bowl and I toyed with the idea of doing a stuffed pretzel, I was all ready to make pretzels using lye, but decided I needed something a little more approachable. I wanted something quick to make and easy to eat. I rummaged through my fridge and pantry and came up with hush puppies, or fried cornbread balls. There is one thing you do need to be careful about on this, make sure your oil is not too hot. If the oil is too hot, the outside of the hush puppies will burn before the inside cooks and the cheese melts. I know I have been leaning on cheddar and jalapeno lately, but for the Super Bowl it seemed appropriate.
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