OPINION —
With a love for entertaining, MJ Whitt enjoys preparing food for tailgate parties at Auburn Tiger football games and hosting get togethers at home. Her husband, Jeff, graduated from Auburn University, and they attended Auburn games when they lived in Birmingham. When they both retired, the couple decided to move to Opelika to be closer to the games, as they enjoyed this area.
MJ is sharing recipes that are great for entertaining at tailgate parties or at home. Her recipes are quick and easy, and they can be prepared ahead.
“We have taken food to a lot of tailgate parties,” MJ said. “Now that we are living here, we have friends who want to come visit us for the games. We will tailgate for home games and have people here to watch out-of-town games.”
MJ and her husband, Jeff, moved to Opelika in 2022. Last year, they purchased a house overlooking the Saugahatchee Golf Course and recently finished the remodeling. They removed a wall to open the space for an easy flow when entertaining. They also have outdoor spaces for entertaining with a sunporch and large partially covered deck, providing sweeping views of the golf course.
Jeff’s mother, 94-year-old Genelle, resides with them, as well as their bulldog, Aubie. They are enjoying living near the golf course since Jeff plays golf often, and they enjoy activities at Saugahatchee.
Entertaining has always been part of MJ’s life as her mother and grandmother were good cooks and had a love for hospitality. Although the family lived in Knoxville, Tenn., MJ didn’t grow up enjoying southern cooking since her mother was raised in Chicago, Ill. She didn’t learn about southern cooking until later.
“As an adult, a sweet southern lady, who was my mentor, was a master at entertaining,” MJ said. “I watched how she would entertain and picked up on how she did it. One thing I had to learn as a young person was how to have everything ready at the same time. She supplied me with most of my recipes.”
Along with entertaining, MJ has a love of art. She was inspired by her mother who also enjoyed arts and crafts. MJ majored in fine arts at the University of Tennessee and received degrees in business and law. She practiced law in Tennessee and still has a couple of clients but does not practice law in Alabama.
MJ met Jeff, who is from Gadsden, in Knoxville when he was working there. They moved to Chattanooga to be halfway between both their families. When his parents became older and needed to move in with them, they moved to Birmingham. Jeff had worked as an engineering manager with the Tennessee Valley Authority and then as a business development manager in Birmingham.
MJ feels the best way to meet people is to invite them into your home. When they first moved to Birmingham, she invited her neighbors for an ugly sweater Christmas party, which was the start of wonderful friendships. They still get together since moving to Auburn.
“I love to entertain,” MJ said. “I learned how to make quick and easy recipes and have them ready before guests arrive. I clean as I go, so I don’t have a big mess to clean up afterwards.”
Most of her recipes can be prepared the day ahead. The dishes can be stored in the refrigerator. The next day, a few dishes will be placed in the oven before guests arrive.
The Cowboy Chicken Chili in the Crockpot is super easy, and everyone likes it. She can assemble the chili in the crockpot in the morning, and while it is cooking, start on other recipes.
The Hanky Panky Appetizers (also known as “Wilson’s Favorite”) can be prepared ahead and frozen. She will make several dozen at a time and divide them in bags to freeze, and pull them out to bake for parties. The appetizers can also be prepared the day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight, then baked as needed.
Another of MJ’s favorites is Savory Mexican Cheesecake with a crushed tortilla crust. The creamy cheesecake is embellished with shredded cheddar, salsa and seasonings. It is better prepared ahead for the flavors to blend. Before serving, garnish the cheesecake with shredded lettuce, black olives and chopped tomatoes for a colorful party dish.
The Fruity Moscato Sangria is better made a day ahead for the fruit flavors to blend. It can be made with white or red wine. MJ will add a few splashes of ginger ale before serving with the white wine, and add club soda or sparkling water if using red wine. With the pitcher brimming with fresh fruit, it is a festive, attractive beverage.
The Peach Bruschetta is one recipe that is better assembled closer to time of serving so the baguettes don’t get soggy. While fresh peaches can be used in season, MJ prepares the topping with canned, chopped peaches. Just be sure to drain the peaches well.
Her favorite cheese spread, Hot Pepper Cheeseball, is quickly prepared by combining two cheeses with pepper jelly. Then it is coated in chopped pecans.
MJ and Jeff are looking forward to the football season. For some parties, she will prepare all the food, and other times will host a potluck. For the potluck parties, a contest is held. Guests will bring a dish and the recipe, and everyone will vote for the best savory and sweet dishes. Small prizes are presented to the winners.
When the Whitts remodeled their home, MJ had a spacious studio added off from the kitchen. Her paintings include landscapes, pet portraits and intuitive abstracts. She also creates mixed media with mosaic plaques and jewelry art, as well as Christmas wreaths and trees.
A gallery in Birmingham carries her art, which is also featured in numerous arts shows. She teaches classes in her studio.
MJ and Jeff are enjoying living here with the small town feeling that offers so much, such as great shows, restaurants and other events, as well as football.
“I try to entertain as much as possible,” MJ said. “When entertaining, remember to keep the menu easy and uncomplicated and invite fun people.”
HOT PEPPER JELLY CHEESEBALL
Two 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ cup red pepper jelly
½ cup chopped pecans
Combine all ingredients except pecans. Coat the mixture with pecans. Chill until ready to serve (overnight is best). Serve with crackers.
BLACKBERRY BRIE TARTLETS
15 mini frozen phyllo shells, thawed
4 oz. brie cheese, cut into 15 small pieces
15 fresh blackberries, rinsed
Honey to drizzle
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a small piece of brie into each phyllo shell. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until brie softens. Top each filled shell with one blackberry and drizzle lightly with honey. Serve warm.
COWBOY CHICKEN CHILI IN THE CROCKPOT
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
11 oz. can corn, drained
15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
1 oz. pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and Fritos
Place chicken at bottom of slow cooker (I recommend using liners to reduce clean up time.) Add corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and green chilies, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and ranch seasoning. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top of chicken. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker. Stir cheddar cheese into chili.
Serve with the following toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and Fritos. Can be stored in freezer for up to four months.
HANKY PANKY APPETIZERS
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground hot pork sausage
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, diced into small cubes
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Sliced party rye bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, combine ground beef, hot pork sausage and onions. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until meat is no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease so the mixture doesn’t make the bread soggy.
Reduce heat to low and add seasonings and Velveeta cheese and stir until cheese is fully melted into the meat.
Place bread slices onto a baking sheet, top slices with meat and Velveeta mixture, and bake until cheese is bubbly (about 10 minutes).
To make ahead:
If you want to make these ahead and freeze them, skip the baking step until you’re ready to serve. Just put the topped slices on a baking sheet, cover with waxed paper and freeze, then place the frozen appetizers in a freezer bag.
EASY SHRIMP REMOULADE APPETIZERS
2-3 lbs. large frozen cooked deveined shrimp
2 10.5 oz. bottles Louisiana Fish Fry Remoulade Sauce
Tabasco sauce to taste
Bibb lettuce or cucumber slices
You can make this the hard way if you want by cooking the shrimp yourself, but this easy recipe is a great substitute. Thaw, rinse and remove the tails, and pat the shrimp dry. Toss shrimp in the remoulade sauce until fully coated (add Tabasco to taste if you want it to be extra spicy). Chill for at least one hour.
When ready to serve, rinse and pat lettuce dry, and fill individual leaves with 2-3 shrimp. If you can’t find Bibb lettuce and/or if you want this appetizer to be easier to pick up, substitute the lettuce for cucumber slices. Secure each piece of shrimp to a cucumber slice with a toothpick.
SAVORY MEXICAN CHEESECAKE
1 cup tortilla chips, finely crushed
3 Tbsp. melted butter
Two 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 eggs
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 cup sour cream
Toppings: shredded lettuce, black olives, chopped tomatoes
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together crushed tortilla chips and butter, and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes, then cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and taco seasoning mix, and beat at medium speed until well mixed (about 1 to 2 minutes). Add eggs and continue to beat until smooth. Stir in cheese and salsa and spread cream cheese mixture over crust.
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are set (center of cheesecake will be slightly soft). Top with sour cream and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (overnight is best).
Just before serving, remove sides of springform pan and top with shredded lettuce, black olives and tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.
TEXAS CAVIAR
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans yellow corn, drained
16 oz. jar thick and chunky salsa
2 Tbsp. cumin powder
This is the easiest recipe ever, and it’s always a crowd favorite. Just combine all ingredients in a large bowl and chill until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.
CAPRESE SALAD
Large carton of “sugar bomb” cherry tomatoes
8 oz. mozzarella “pearls” balls
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Fresh basil, washed and chopped
Another super easy recipe! Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
KEY LIME TARTLETS
45 mini frozen phyllo shells, thawed
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup key lime juice
Whipped cream for topping (about 2 ½ cups)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place mini phyllo shells on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice and stir until smooth. Spoon key lime mixture into phyllo shells and top with whipped cream.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours before serving.
TIGER BUTTER BARK
12 oz. white chocolate chips
12 oz. crunchy peanut butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper. In a microwave safe bowl, heat peanut butter and white chocolate chips in 30 second increments, stirring until melted.
Spread peanut butter mixture on the cookie sheet. Next, top the mixture with melted milk chocolate and swirl together with a knife. Place bark in freezer to harden. Once hardened, break into chunks or cut into squares.
FRUITY MOSCATO SANGRIA
1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed
2 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed and halved
2 fresh peaches, rinsed and sliced (leave peel on)
2 fresh oranges, rinsed and sliced (leave the peel on)
1 750 ml. bottle of Moscato wine or can use red wine
1 cup Chambord liqueur, optional
Ginger ale
Add fruit to the bottom of a large pitcher and top with chilled wine and Chambord. Stir well and chill for at least two hours or overnight. To serve, pour wine mixture along with soaked fruit into wine glasses to ¾ full, then top with ginger ale.
PEACH BRUSCHETTA
1 French baguette, sliced to ¼” thickness
¼ cup olive oil
16 oz. can of diced peaches, thoroughly drained
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ cup honey
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. hot sauce
4 oz. goat cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush baguette slices with 3 Tbsp. olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Spread each baguette piece with goat cheese. Next, in a medium bowl, toss together the peaches, basil, salt and remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and spoon over baguette pieces.
In a small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar and hot sauce and drizzle over baguette pieces. Serve immediately.
PROSCIUTTO AND MELON SKEWERS
16 slices of prosciutto ham
16 medium chunks of cantaloupe
Wrap each melon chunk in a slice of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick. Refrigerate before serving.
AIR FRYER TORTELLINI BITES
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. canola oil
Italian seasoning
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup marinara sauce
Preheat air fryer. Boil tortellini according to package instructions, except cook for two minutes shorter than directed. Drain excess water from the cooked tortellini. Place the cooked tortellini in a large mixing bowl and toss with canola oil.
Place tortellini in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer (you might have to do this a few times if your air fryer isn’t big enough to do one layer of all of the tortellini) and cook for about 7 minutes per side.
While tortellini is still hot, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
LIMONCELLO SANGRIA
2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed and halved
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
Two 750 ml bottles pinot grigio, chilled
1 cup limoncello, chilled
1/2 cup triple sec, chilled
Club soda
Add fruit to the bottom of a large pitcher and top with chilled wine and Limoncello. Stir well and chill for at least two hours or overnight. To serve, pour wine mixture along with soaked fruit into wine glasses to ¾ full, then top with club soda.
