Super Bowl Prep: 7 Snacks To Add To Your Game Day Roster

On game day, it isn’t just the plays that are memorable. Where ever you find a major sports event, you’ll find good food and good friends gathering. If you’ve got the big screen TV, chances are you’ve got company coming too!

Wondering what to serve? We’ve got some ideas to help:

1. Hot Bottomless Bean Dip

Nothing says party like a hot, savoury dip to dig into! This layered recipe is perfect for chips.

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 C (125 mL) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 C (250 mL) full fat sour cream
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped, seeded jalapeno pepper
3 tbsp (45 mL) finely sliced green onions
1 can (398 mL) refried beans
sweet red pepper, chopped
1-1/4 C (300 mL) triple cheddar shredded cheese
1 bag (368 g) PC sea salt kettle cooked corn tortilla chips
1 tub (430 mL) PC fresh salsa, mild

1. Preheat broiler.

2. In bowl and using wooden spoon, stir cream cheese until soft. Stir in sour cream, jalapenos and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the green onions. With a whisk, beat until smooth. Spread evenly over bottom of 8-inch square (2 L) glass baking dish. Dollop refried beans evenly over surface; spread evenly with back of spoon. Sprinkle with peppers, then cheese.

3. Place baking dish in top third of oven. Broil for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Top with remaining green onions. Serve immediately with tortilla chips and salsa.

(Source: www.newscanada.com. More recipes and tips can be found online at pc.ca.)

2. Raw Vegetable Dunk

Want to sneak in some veggies? Try this creamy dip.

Combine:

1/4 pound blue cheese
1 package cream cheese (4-oz.)
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons dry sherry or Madeira
Dash of chili powder

Add enough sour cream to make it all a nice consistency.

When choosing the vegetables, mix the familiar (like carrot, celery, cucumber, cauliflower) with the adventuresome (like turnip sticks, sweet and red onion rings, zucchini sticks, tender green beans).

(Submitted by 50PLUS.com reader O’Doud)

For more easy recipe ideas, see Dips Delicious.

3. Sweet and Spicy Cajun Roasted Peanuts

Nuts are a main stay of sports fan fare, and this recipe adds a little kick with its balance of spicy and sweet.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Roasting time: 20 minutes
Makes 2 cups (500 mL)

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) Kosher salt
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme leaves
3/4 tsp (4 mL) each cayenne and garlic powder
2 cups (500 mL) unsalted peanuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until frothy. Then whisk in sugar and seasonings (if you only have garlic salt, add only 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt) until blended. Add peanuts and stir to coat.

2. Spread peanuts out on prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven, stirring a couple of times until nuts are golden brown and mixture is barely sticky, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste, adding a little more salt if needed. Cool completely, breaking up nuts as they cool. Store in an airtight container for a couple of weeks.

(Source: www.newscanada.com. More nutty recipes can be found online at www.peanutbureau.ca.)

4. Crunchy Tortilla Chip Chicken Wings

Marinated in a lemony buttermilk mixture these juicy, crunchy tortilla wings are baked to perfection and served up with a homemade spicy wing sauce.

Ingredients

3 lbs chicken wings

Marinade:

2 cups buttermilk
1 large white onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Tortilla Coating:

8 cups Irresistibles Yellow Corn tortilla chips
1 cup flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp Irresistibles light melted butter, divided
Spicy Wing Sauce
1/2 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
1/4 cup Irresistibles Light butter
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions

1. Place chicken wings in a large plastic bag.

2. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, onions, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pour over wings and refrigerate 6—12 hours.

3. Finely grind tortilla chips and place in a large bowl with flour, cumin, garlic powder, pepper, salt and cayenne. Toss to combine.

4. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet for the wings to cook on.

5. Remove wings from buttermilk mixture. Dredge in tortilla chip mixture until coated. Drizzle with 2 tbsp melted butter and bake 20 minutes on each side.

6. In a saucepan, bring hot sauce, butter, honey and salt to a boil over medium heat. Turn heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla wings.

(Source: www.newscanada.com. Contributed by Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat, co-authors of the Bite Me! cookbooks. For more more great ways to entertain, visit www.metro.ca.)

5. Nacho Potato Chunks

Instead of fries or potato chips, try these seasoned baked potatoes from our archives. This recipe serves two, so you may want to double or triple the recipe for your party!

Get out a 9″x9″ pan. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease the pan.

Slice 2 unpeeled medium potatoes in half lengthwise, on cutting board. Slice each 1/2 crosswise making 8 chunks. Place all in mixing bowl.

Drizzle chunks with 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Taco seasoning mix in, stirring to coat.

Spread in single layer of pan.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Turn oven to down 400 degrees F and bake 15 minutes more.

Serve with sour cream if you like or add 1/2 cup grated cheddar before
last baking time. Great snack for 1 or 2.

(Submitted by 50PLUS.com reader lollypopj)

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6. Grilled Chicken Wings with Roquefort Dip

Still got your grill handy? Wings are another party staple.

Serves 6 – 8 people

3 lb chicken wings – cleaned and trimmed. Select wings of roughly equal size for evenness of cooking.

Ingredients

Marinade:

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Blue Cheese Dip:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp onion, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

Preheat the barbecue on HIGH.

Cut each wing at the joint to make two pieces, and discard wing tip if still attached. In a large re-sealable bag, whisk together vegetable oil, garlic, spices and vinegar. Add chicken wings and toss to coat.

If using rotisserie basket, spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Place chicken wings on bottom of basket, cover with the top part, and fasten on tightest setting to secure the wings in place. Cooking grids will need to be removed, and a drip pan placed beneath. If using rear rotisserie burner, set to HIGH. If using lower burners, set to MEDIUM. Place the basket on spit and in the rotisserie and start the motor. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes to an hour.

If cooking directly on well oiled cooking grids, turn heat to LOW, and cook, turning frequently until golden brown and crisp, 30 – 45 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure that all wings are cooked through and ready to eat.

Stir together all the dip ingredients. May be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to serve with chicken wings, celery and carrots.

(Source: www.newscanada.com. More information on grilling and great recipe ideas is available at www.broilkingbbq.com.)

7. Caramel, Chocolate and Pecan Blondie Blitz

Who can resist something sweet? Chocolate and caramel make the perfect topping for this update on classic blondies.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup Irresistibles light butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Caramel Sauce:

1 (14oz) package caramels
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup Irresistibles Swiss chocolate

Directions

1. Prep—Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 13×9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

2. Batter—Combine flour, salt and baking soda. In an electric mixer, cream together brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla, adding eggs one at a time until combined. Add flour mixture. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes and let cool.

3. Pecans—Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes tossing once during cooking and coarsely chop once browned.

4. Caramel Sauce—Melt caramels and milk over low heat until smooth. Stir in ¼ tsp salt and pour caramel sauce over baked blondie layer. Top caramel layer with toasted pecans and chocolate chips. Bake 24-26 minutes more until lightly browned on top.

(Source: www.newscanada.com. Contributed by Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat, co-authors of the Bite Me! cookbooks)

Have you tried these recipes or have a cooking tip for other readers? Share it in the comments below.