Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Pace Picante Phyllo Party Cups

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Wondering what kind of recipes you are going to make for Superbowl? Are you sick of making the same ones every year? How about a fancy appetizer that will have your friends asking for the recipe? So many questions, I know, but if you do not know it yet, people come to Superbowl parties particularly for the wonderful spread.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received 2 bottles of Pace Picante Sauce in the mail in order to create my own delicious recipe for a Superbowl party. I was so excited to get them today I changed my mind about what I was making for dinner and focused on making something using the sauce.

Have you had bean dips where you dig your chip into a small portion of bean dip and the chip breaks off and you need to dig in again? So frustrating and then you have to lick your fingers and all that jazz. Well, licking the fingers is not at all the problem. I have been to restaurants where they offer nachos and your plate arrives with 12 chips layers perfectly with the beans, cheese, meat and jalapeno and you totally feel ripped off. My recipe gives the cook the convenience of making mini phyllo cups to 1/2 cup muffin pans to assemble this recipe. Between preparing and baking, the total amount of time to make these babies is only under an hour.

Now I know I have vegan and non-vegan readers as well as a non-vegan at home, so I decided to give two options for this recipe which are equally as delicious, as so my husband pointed out. The phyllo cup is layered with refried beans mixed with diced red and yellow peppers.

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

The next layer is a combination of cream cheese and Pace picante sauce with spices. I used Tofutti cream cheese which is non-dairy and really does not taste so much different than real cream cheese. My husband can't tell the difference. The third layer is only for the NON-vegan.

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

I cooked some flavorful diced chicken and added as third layer and topped with cheese and popped in the oven. For the vegan, I left the cups at the second layer and baked. When they were baked I then just added fresh layers of guacamole and some Pace Picante sauce. YUM! Once you bake the phyllo cups they come out so nice and crunchy, it is like having your own personal chips and layered bean dip without the hassle!

Pace Picante Phyllo Party Cups

makes a dozen

12 sheets of phyllo
olive oil for brushing
1 can vegetarian refried beans
3/4 cup red and yellow peppers, diced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Tofutti cream cheese (or Regular Cream Cheese)
1/2 cup Pace Picante Mild sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp salt
1 chicken breast, cooked, seasoned, and diced (Enough for 7 cups)(optional)
Shredded Cheese (Optional)
Guacamole
Pace Picante sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.

Mix refried beans with peppers and salt for first layer.

Prepare second layer by mixing Pace Picante sauce with cream cheese and garlic powder, parsley flakes and salt. Mix well together in a bowl. Set aside.

Using a wood cutting board, take one sheet of phyllo and spread on board. Brush with olive oil across sheet. Add second phyllo sheet on top of first layer and brush with olive oil again. Repeat 4 more times for a total of 6 phyllo sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut the sheet in half, lengthwise, and then cut across width wise twice, making 6 squares. Repeat with the next 6 sheets of phyllo for total of 12 squares.

Layer each muffin cup (size 1/2 cup) with a square of phyllo.

Add 1 Tbsp refried bean mixture to each cup. Next add 1 1/2 Tbsp of the Pace Picante-cream cheese mixture.

For vegans: Bake phyllo cups for 15 minutes.

For Non-vegans: Add 3-4 pieces of chicken to each cup and sprinkle with Shredded Cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

Once the phyllo cups come out of the oven, top with guacamole and Pace Picante sauce. Enjoy!