It's February, and for me, that means only one thing: Super Bowl snacks!
Now, I love a good plate of wings as much as the next gal, but when I host a Super Bowl party, I want to make sure I've got everyone covered: my vegetarian friends, my foodie friends and even my last-minute RSVPs.
Have you thought about your snack plan for the big game, I mean really thought about it?
That's what I thought. Well, I reached into our recipe vault and bugged the staff, and pulled out some great little gems to make everyone at your Super Bowl party happy.
You're welcome.
The Foodie
We all have them -- that friend who will only eat their fries with garlic aioli, if they eat fries at all and not roasted, breaded eggplant sticks. You can make sure you have something unique to wow them without much effort.
Wasabi Edamame Hummus
Once found only in restaurants serving Mediterranean fare, hummus is now right at home next to your onion dip and salsa.
Ingredients
- 2 cups steamed, shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or alternatively, white wine vinegar)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1-2 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the edamame, tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Process until smooth (it may still be a bit lumpy at this point—the water you add in the next step will help smooth it out)
- In a separate small bowl, combine the water and 1 teaspoon wasabi powder. Stir well. Pour into the edamame mixture and process well.
- Taste the hummus. Need more wasabi? Add, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, with 1 tablespoon water in the same small bowl and then into the hummus. Continue until hummus is to your taste.
Makes 2 ½ cups.
The Dinner Crowd
The game starts around dinnertime, so serving only snacks isn't really going to cut it.
Chicken and Olive Enchiladas
If you're hosting families with kids, they'll especially appreciate this kid-friendly dish. You may just want to make a batch without olives for the really little guys.
Ingredients
- 1 15oz can black olives, drained
- 8 ounces light cream cheese
- 2 cups of cooked chicken
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
- 8-10 whole wheat tortillas
- 1 large jar of salsa verde
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a food processor combine the olives, cream cheese, chicken, spices (cumin through oregano) and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Pulse until well combined.
- Place about 1/2 cup of the mixture on a tortilla. Roll the tortilla and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish, seam side down. Repeat until the filling is gone.
- Cover the enchiladas fully with the salsa verde.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the tortillas begin to brown.
- Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
The Vegetarian
Typical Super Bowl recipes are all about meat: wings, ribs, those little pigs in a blanket. A good, hearty vegetarian recipe, though will hold its own with any crowd, meat-eating or not.
Vegetarian Chili
Whether you're a vegetarian with meat-eating guests or vice versa, this recipe is a win-win. It's hearty and spicy and just plain good.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can black beans
- 1 cup frozen corn
- Cornstarch for thickening
- 1 cup ground veggie beef substitute (optional)
Instructions
- If you're using a veggie beef substitute, sautée the veggie ground in pan and set aside.
- In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, garlic, cumin, cayenne and chili powder, and season with salt and pepper. Stir together and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Mix in beans, tomatoes, veggies.
- Add cornstarch as needed to thicken chili -- about 1-2 tablespoons should be enough).
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with desired toppings.
The Last-Minute Guests
It's the morning of the game and you're resigned to a quiet night alone with minimal snacks. Then those friends who were busy last week call. They're not busy and can they come over?
Sure thing! We've got you covered!
Slow-Cooker Cocktail Weiners
These little guys are super-easy to put together, and they can be eaten in all sorts of ways. Wrap them in crescent roll dough for pigs in a blanket. Cover them with a smoky cheese. Or just stick some toothpicks in them and call it a day.
Ingredients
- 1 package of cocktail weiners
- 1/3 cup grape jelly
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Keep them in there until they're hot.
- That's it.
So there you go, four recipes to get you through game day.
Looking for dessert recipes to round out your menu? We've got four super-easy, crazy-good chocolate recipes, too!