Super Bowl Snacks

So, I guess there’s a big football game coming up this weekend.  This household contains ice hockey fans, so we don’t pay attention to these things.  Truly, we’re the people who show up for the food and commercials, which had better step up their game this year.  We love to make tailgate food for viewing Capitals games, so I guess these would come in handy for you football fans watching the Ravens play the 49ers.

You can’t go wrong with a classic dip.  Not My Mama’s Bean Dip is great for any watching party, especially sports.  If you’re in a jam and need something quick, and a little beyond the norm (and probably healthier than the average sour-cream-based chip topper) then go with hummus.  Most recipes call for tahini, a sesame paste, but I omit it from mine.  This recipe was perfected by my husband, and is really fast and easy.  The only thing is, you must have a sturdy chip for this.  The standard wavy or tortilla chip doesn’t hold very well, so I recommend pretzels, pita chips, or crackers.  A more cost effective alternative is to buy a bag of pita, slice it into strips and toast – they taste great, too.

Quick and unique.
Quick and unique.

Hummus

  • 1 15oz. Can of Chickpeas, drained
  • 1 tsp. Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. Cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp. Sesame seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Combine everything in a food processor, pulse until mostly smooth – no big chunks.  Serve with pita chips, pretzels or crackers.

I have a love-hate relationship with crescent rolls.  I can’t really make them from scratch, so I default to them, fully aware of the preservatives and junk added into them.  However, they can take you far and wide into the world of party food.  There are tons of things you can wrap up in a crescent roll.  Pepperoni and mozzarella for pizza bites; ham, cheese and Dijon for pseudo croquettes; you can even make apple dumplings with them.  This pin caught my attention, for fast and not fried jalapeno poppers.  I initially clicked for the recipe, but I love Lindsay’s wit and writing style, she’s awesome.  The original recipe didn’t call for the onion or cheddar, but a little caramelized onion never did any harm, and it made my husband like them more, which is always a plus.

So much easier than frying!
So much easier than frying!

Jalapeno Poppers (found on HelloHue)

  • 1 tube crescent rolls
  • 2 seeded and diced jalapenos
  • 2 oz. Cream cheese
  • 3 strips of bacon
  • 1/4 C chopped onion
  • 1/2 C shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, jalapenos, and shredded cheddar.  Dice bacon, and fry in a small pan until crisp.  Drain on a paper towel before adding to cream cheese mixture.  In the same small pan, add the diced onion and fry until brown.  Drain on a paper towel before adding to cream cheese mixture. Unroll the crescent rolls, then cut in half.  Spoon about a teaspoon (maybe a little more) onto each crescent roll half, then seal closed.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Really and truly, what’s a Superbowl party without wings?  This fan staple was the star of Food Network Magazine this month, with a pull-out recipe book of 50 different wing sauces.  This week I’m sharing just one, but it was so good we made them twice in a week.

There are two ways to make your wings, fried or roasted.  To fry your wings, bring your vegetable oil to about 375, then in batches dunk your wings (split at the joints and tips removed) until golden, about 15 minutes.  Because I’m terrified of starting a grease fire on our gas stove, and because it is easier to do them all at once, we decided to roast ours.  We spread our wings (split at the joints and tips removed) on an oiled, rimmed baking sheet and roasted at 450 until crisp, 30-45 minutes.

I start to drool just thinking about these.
I start to drool just thinking about these.

Chipotle Wing Sauce (in Food Network Magazine)

  • 3 Tbsp. Chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C honey
  • 3 Tbsp. Melted butter

Puree all ingredients together, then toss with about three pounds of wings.

Every spread needs at least one little something sweet.  I found this pepped-up popcorn recipe, and thought it would be fun to try.  You can add whatever you want to it, adjusting to your taste, anything that goes with caramel is a winner.  Chocolate chips go great, and to ours we put a mild dusting of cinnamon.  For every-day snacking, adding your favorite seasoning, like chili powder or paprika, makes popcorn taste less like Styrofoam.  I admit, I’m not normally a fan of popcorn (I really hate it when the hulls stick in the back of my throat) but when it comes for caramel corn, all bets are off.

Fun and flavorful!
Fun and flavorful!

Moose Munch (found on Something Swanky)

  • 1 bag popped popcorn
  • 6 Tbsp. Butter
  • 3 Tbsp. Corn syrup
  • 3/4 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
  • 1 C add ins, like nuts, M&M’s, or mini pretzel twists

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Pour popcorn into a large bowl. In a small sauce pan, combine butter, corn syrup and brown sugar over medium heat.  Stir until smooth, with all butter melted, and let it come to a boil.  Let boil for 4 minutes, then turn off heat.  Stir in vanilla and baking soda, then pour over popcorn, stirring to coat.

Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray, and spread out coated popcorn.  Sprinkle  on add ins, then bake for 10-15 minutes (10 minutes for chewy, 15 for crunchy.)

Tip of the week: To easily clean your blender, add a bit of dish soap to your still assembled pitcher, fill half way with water, and put back on the base.  Put on low speed for a few minutes, until clean.  Take off the base and rinse!