Football and food go hand-in-hand: Americans spend more than $50 million in snacks for the Super Bowl alone. Yes, this Sunday is the Super Bowl, and that means big parties and big appetites. When game day arrives, how will you satisfy the stomachs of all your mooching friends? I’ve got a few ideas.
Mini-Mexican pizzas
Sure, pizza’s a Super Bowl standard, but when served individually with Mexican-inspired ingredients, it’s deliciously unexpected. Try these delicious mini-Mexican “pizzas” for a fresh and funky twist on game-day grub.
What you’ll need:
- 1 package of mini-flour tortillas
- 1 can of vegetarian refried beans (The non-vegetarian varieties have lard in them. That kind of freaks me out.)
- 1 small container of sour cream
- 1 jar of your favorite salsa
- 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese
- Olive, salt and pepper
- Optional garnishes: chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro and/or chopped black olives
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Place flour tortillas on a baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the tortillas from the oven and top with a layer of refried beans.
- Place the tortillas back in the oven for a few minutes to allow the refried beans to heat through.
- Once the beans are heated, top with another layer of salsa, a layer of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheese.
The “pizzas” can be served as is or topped with garnishes of your choice. And, of course, they’re best served immediately!
Kicked-up corn bread
A truly good chili cannot stand alone. Cornbread is the perfect sidekick to your chili concoction, and while you could pick up some cornbread at the supermarket, why not make your own kicked-up variety? Buy the chili so you don’t have to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen — the cornbread will only take minutes!
What you’ll need:
- 1 package of cornbread mix
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped finely and seeded
- 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup of chopped scallions
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat your oven and follow the package’s directions, except add ingredients listed in the next step.
- Next stir in the jalapeño peppers, shredded cheese, scallions, salt and pepper.
- Pour the batter into a greased baking dish.
- When baked, allowed the bread to cool.
- Slice the cornbread and serve alongside the chili. Score!
Gotta Have Those Veggies
Super Bowl food is notorious for being greasy and calorie-laden. Change it up with a refreshing and relatively healthy guacamole salad.
What you’ll need:
- 1 bag of pre-washed lettuce (any variety will do)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 small red onion
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- The juice of one lemon
- Splash of white wine vinegar
- Olive oil
Directions:
- Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and separate the avocado from the flesh.
- Slice each half into six slices and sprinkle each slice with a touch of lemon juice.
- Slice tomato into eight pieces; do the same for the red onion.
- Place the lettuce in a large bowl and top with the avocado, tomatoes and onions.
- To make the dressing, combine the juice of one lemon, a splash of white-wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in approximately one-half cup of olive oil and pour the dressing over the vegetables.
This game day, eat up and win big. Go Giants!