A while ago I came to a realization about the Super Bowl….this game is as much about football as Christmas is about Jesus. What I mean by this is that to some the Super Bowl at its core is totally about the football game, but to most of America (and probably the world now) it’s not really about that at all. Commercialism has taken a hold of the event and twisted it to be about TV ads, movie promotions, band performances before the game and during the halftime show, and most of all the indulgence of the Super Bowl party.
Yes this American holiday is a great time to gather friends and family, eat unhealthy food, and sit and watch one last meaningful football game. Just keep in mind though that many coming to eat your food and drink your beer will mostly be there to watch commercials and enjoy some hospitality.
To help with your last minute Super Bowl party preparations a few of us decided to share some favorite Super Bowl party recipes. Enjoy!
Kevin’s Recipes:
BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
2 large chicken breasts, cooked, and preferably grilled
2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup of wing sauce
1 cup of ranch dressing
Cheddar cheese
About 4 hours before assembly, chop the chicken and marinate in the wing sauce. Mix softened cream cheese with ranch dressing and spread in the bottom of a baking dish. Put the chicken op top and sprinkle with cheddar cheese (sharp is best). Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until dip is heated through and cheese is melted. Serve with celery, Fritos, or crackers.
REDNECK HUMMUS
One 15-1/2-oz. can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, or 1 and 1/2 cups cooked BE peas
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic (1 large clove)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Reserve a few black-eyed peas for garnish and place the remaining peas in a food processor, along with parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and pepper. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved peas. (The spread can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
NUTTY STUFFED MUSHROOMS
18 large fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Dash cayenne pepper
Remove stems from mushrooms; set caps aside. Finely chop stems; place in a paper towel and squeeze to remove any liquid. In a skillet, sauté chopped mushrooms and onion in butter for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pecans, parmesan cheese, salt, basil, and cayenne; add mush mixture. Stuff firmly into mushroom caps. Place in a greased baking pan. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until tender. Serve warm.
DR. PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS
4 pounds chicken wings
1 12 oz. can Dr. Pepper
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
Garlic salt
Onion salt
Sprinkle wings with garlic and onion salt. Mix other ingredients together and pour over top. Bake at 325 degrees.
Evan’s Recipe:
"TRAILER-TRASH" CHILI CHEESE DIP
1 package Velveeta "cheese"
1 can chili, with beans
1.5 cups chunky salsa
1 4-oz can chopped green chiles
Fritos scoops
1 tbsp chili powder
Optional:
Hot sauce
Turn a large crock pot to high and add the Velveeta, chili, salsa, green chiles. Stir every few minutes until thoroughly melted and mixed. Add chili powder (and hot sauce, if desired) to taste and mix. Serve with Fritos for dipping. Serves 5-6.
It's not healthy, to be sure, and it's not overly complicated or classy (hence why I usually call it "Trailer-Trash Dip") but it's damn good and can feed a lot of people, especially if you double the recipe like I typically do.
Devin’s Recipes
WISCONSIN-STYLE BEER BRATS
Ingredients:
5 (12 oz) cans of beer [I recommend Milwaukee’s Best or the cheapest beer you can find]
1 large onion, sliced
12 Brats
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon of butter
Optional Ingredients:
Rosemary
Oregano
Parsley
Directions:
1. In a large stock pot melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium high heat.
2. Once the onions are soft and clear add the beer. My general rule of thumb is one can of beer per two and a half brats, always rounding up or drinking the excess beer depending on how much you like the beer you have purchased for this recipe. Bring the beer to boiling and add garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Add brats to beer mixture. Cook a minimum of 20 minutes. Once brats are cooked turn down heat to simmer. For grilled look brown the brats on an outdoor grill, indoor electric grill, griddle, or cast iron fry pan.
BEER CHEESE SOUP (I normally start with the Curly’s Pub recipe and modify from there):
Ingredients:
1/4 cup carrot, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 cup of cooked ham, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 (12 ounce) cans beer
4 cups water
1/4 cup chicken base
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
10 slices American cheese
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
1. Sauté carrots, onion, celery, ham and garlic in butter until tender. Whisk flour into sautéed vegetables and allow to cook for 1 minute while whisking constantly.
2. Add beer to vegetable/flour mixture and whisk until all the flour has dissolved into beer. Add water, chicken base and heavy cream. Bring to a light simmer. Turn down burner and allow the soup to cool for 15 minutes.
3. Add cream cheese, sour cream and American cheese slices.
4. With a burr mixer, puree vegetables until there are no large pieces and the American cheese, cream cheese and sour cream are completely melted. Add remaining cheese using a whisk.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
CINNAMON GLAZED NUTS
1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (you may use more or less cinnamon)
2 cups Nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup water
Directions:
1. Mix sugar and cinnamon together. Put nuts and sugar mixture in Nut Roaster Pan (or large sauce/wok); stir to mix. Combine vanilla and water in measuring cup. Add liquid to glaze/nut mixture in pan.
2. Spread nuts evenly in bottom of pan. Use whole almonds, pecan halves, walnut halves, whole hazelnuts or whole cashews. For best results, use 3 cups or less of nuts.
3. Sprinkle dry glaze evenly on top of nuts.
4. Mix nuts and glaze together by turning handle on top of Nut Roaster.
5. Place pan on burner; turn burner to medium high heat.
6. Add liquid according to recipe directions, pouring evenly over the nut/glaze mixture. Stir.
7. Glaze will quickly turn into a thick liquid; boil gently during cooking process.
8. Stir contents slowly and continuously to keep glaze coating nuts at all times until liquid evaporates and nuts are glazed (5 to 10 minutes). When the liquid is evaporated and the stir handle becomes harder to turn, the nuts are done. Do Not Overcook.
9. Remove pan from burner. Quickly sprinkle a little water over nuts (about 1 tablespoon per 2 cups nuts). Mixture will steam - keep hands away until steam dissipates to prevent burns. Stir nuts to coat evenly with glaze.
10. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, immediately spread hot nuts on a nonstick or wax-paper covered cookie sheet to cool. Gently separate nuts with a wooden spoon. Nuts will be very hot – do not eat until cooled.
11. to store, be sure nuts are thoroughly cooled and then put in airtight containers. Refrigerate to retain freshness or freeze for future use.
[Note – this recipe seems like a lot of work but the nuts are fantastic and will make the house great too. Well worth the effort. Also much easier with a nut roaster.]
That’s a sampling of what is going to be on deck at our parties, what is going to be at yours? Share some of your favorite recipes and hosting tips in the comments section below.