Superbowl Snacks
Growing up we always had Superbowl parties…now let's get one thing clear — it was more about the party than the football until about 5mins of the last quarter than all of a sudden everyone picked their team and became very competitive…or at least that’s how I remember it.
As the years have gone one we have upgraded our television, our sportsmanship and of course our snacks.
This year is no different but I thought it was about time I shared with you some of our favourite go-to’s and host friendly (aka easy).
On the menu:
Hot Chicken Sliders
Bite-Size Hot Dogs
Bold Bloody Mary
Sandwich Board
White Bean Chicken Chilli
Potato Pig Skins
French Fry Dippers
Touchdown Timbits
Champion Cupcakes
Let’s start with the easy bits:
For the Hot Chicken Sliders, I used Hamburger buns (there were no minis available so I did a terrible job of cutting circles), Pinty’s Buffalo Bites, and Homemade Coleslaw, as an alternative you can use Taylor Farms Creamy Dill Salad. If you did want to put in the limited extra work for a bag of chopped kale slaw you need to add 2 tsp of lemon juice, 2 tbsp of mustard, 1/3 cup of mayo, and a bit of pepper, you can adjust according to depending on how sloppy and tangy you like your slaw. On top of each bun, I added a pickle, but if you wish to kick it up a notch you could add a jalapeno however those are coming up later on.
On game day I love serving snack portions, so it’s easier for people to have a bite of lots of different things rather than committing to a single option. For the hot dogs, there’s nothing special done aside from a diagonal cut. These make a great topper for your caesars/bloody mary’s along with your chicken sliders. To balance out the ratio I do recommend removing the top part of the slider so it fits on the skewer nicely and doesn’t have too much bread.
As for the Bloody Mary, I keep it to a classic. Gin, Tomato Juice, Worchester Sauce, and Tobasco. I know we Canadians typically go for a Ceaser which you’re more than welcome to do and substitute Tomato Juice for Clamato but that’s a no-go for me. To add a little tang you could include a splash of pickle juice, but with everything else on the table, I like to keep things simple.
I love playing host don’t get me wrong, but I too deserve a minute to put my feet up and not be concerned if everyone’s plates are full, so leaving food out and available is my favourite way to host a party, while bowls of chips and popcorn in every room is a great start sometimes people need something a bit more substantial. Sandwich trays are always a hit because it allows your guests to make whatever they please. If you go down the pot-luck route it also helps divide up the responsibilities.
White Bean Chicken Chili is probably the most time consuming, but the way I make it allows it to be eaten at any moment. Again I go back to my trust Pinty’s Chicken Breast, the non-spicy variety this time around. These pre-cooked breasts allow for the heat to work through the pot and then it’s safe to eat, no concern of keeping an eye on the meat to ensure it’s cooked through. You’re also going to need 3x16oz cans of Beans, we used white kidney beans and navy beans to keep true to the title however you can use whatever you’ve got on hand, you’ll also want to use the liquid in from the beans so don’t drain them!
Process:
In the casserole dish add 1 onion and 5 cloves of garlic…this is a Superbowl party, not a Christmas party so there’s no mistletoe to worry about. Cook down on low heat until translucent. Add in chicken breasts, 4-6 should be sufficient for 6-8 people, I shred the chicken before I cook it, if you are using raw you can pull the chicken once it’s cooked for easier serving. This is when you add in the beans and spices, I used bay leaves, thyme, Herbamare salt, and pepper, if you’re brave you can also shake in a bit of chili pepper and chop up a jalapeno or two. We like things fairly mild in this family and to make it more group-friendly I’d recommend being light-handed with the spice and offer options to kick it up with additional jalapenos, Tobasco, or siracha.
I start cooking this in the morning over the stove, and a couple of hours in a add 1/4 cup of water and move it into the oven at a low 250f. Low and slow is the game, add water as needed to desired texture.
After a couple of hours, it’ll be ready to serve, but in my opinion, the longer you wait the better. We usually eat our chili with rice, but to make it more party-friendly chips and buns make for excellent alternatives and less stressful, no need to watch over a pot of bubbling rice.
Potato Pig Skins essentially is a jacket potato sliced… but to make the game-day easier, pre-cook the potatoes the night before, this way when you go to make the skins you don’t need to worry about the temperature you just need to watch the cheese melt.
While the chili is cooking cook off some bacon, chop up some green onion and jalapenos, I told you things were going to get spicy..and shred some cheese.
Once the bacon is crispy slice the potatoes, again I recommend 1 large baking potato for 2 people. As there’s loads of food you don’t need to worry about full portions. Place a slice of cheese and bacon on the skin and once melted add sour cream and onions or jalapenos, I suggest doing a 50/50 split so there’s something for everyone's tastebuds.
I know we just made potatoes but you can never go wrong with fries, plus it's a safe bet for all those with dietary restrictions or as I like to call them picky eaters…I can call them that because they’re my best friends. To make it Instagram worthy I put ketchup in the bottom of little serving containers and placed the french fries on top.
Now if I haven’t made your life easy enough already, here’s your fail-proof desserts. Touchdown Timbits. If you’re not near a Tim Horton’s they might be called doughnut holes or if you’re out of luck find a sweet treat and put it on a stick…that’s what I did here. This not only makes it look cute and accessible, no one is concerned about how many are left in the box and will gladly enjoy what’s on the serving tray. No one likes finishing off a box of something, but if guests don’t know when the end is near they will continue to enjoy which is the goal! It's also a great item to bring to a party…Timbits and Popcorn are my go-to's when I am invited to a party…unless it’s a dinner party then it’s wine or gin, depending on the audience.
Finally, Cupcakes, I am not a baker. While I don’t mind baking and trying new recipes for my family I hate putting pressure on myself when I’m hosting so you bet I used my girl Betty for her cake mix! I did attempt to make buttercream which worked enough to add sprinkles on-top, however trying to make it red did not work — those ended up in the bin, but depending on who’s in the Superbowl you could always try and add the colouring to the icing to be extra committed, I stuck with sprinkles.
There you have it, a full Superbowl Spread — the door is always open, unless you’re a Patriots Fan then you’re welcome to stay home.
