Super Bowl countdown - recipes?

[Jenny]

Any excuse to celebrate is our motto, and over the years we have adopted several American holidays just for the food including Super Bowl Sunday. We are not football fans - it's all about the food and fun for us, and Super Bowl is the one day where we throw out all the rules and eat whatever we want.

I'd love to hear what others have planned for their menus, the favourites you make every year, the must-haves, and especially anything you save only for Super Bowl or other big games.

We discovered this very decadent dip years ago, and look forward to it every year: Super Sausage Dip.

This year I really want to try Football Sandwiches - I love regional American and Canadian recipes that have stories and traditions around them.

And I got this idea from Cyn, who said they serve it at Thanksgiving every year in her family, and I thought it sounded Super Bowl worthy with its ingredients and fun history - Watergate Salad.

[orbitz]

Super Bowl is the one day where we throw out all the rules and eat whatever we want.

What about days like Birthdays, Xmas, Thanksgiving, New Year ?

[Jenny]

What about days like Birthdays, Xmas, Thanksgiving, New Year ?

Oh we celebrate all those too, and many others! But on those occasions we're fine with sticking to our usual habits of less meat, no sugar, no processed foods, etc.

There's always booze though.

[znachki]

This "dip" that isn't really a dip, generally doesn't have a name as far as I know. But I call it "Cool Thing", for the following reason:

One of my college housemates couldn't cook, and we were going to have a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving potluck with everyone in the house making something. She had been to a party where they had this "really cool thing" that she reckoned she could make, but she didn't really give any details beyond the fact that it was an appetizer. So we wrote down "Cool Thing".

It was the thing were you take a block of cream cheese, pour cocktail sauce over it, and then top it with shrimp or crab, and serve with wheat thins.

My family had done this for years, but it didn't have a name. So now I call it "Cool Thing" and it always makes me smile!

[Aceon6]

We will be doing turkey chili or Italian subs. This is the one day of the year when we will get "greasy" potato chips and not worry about the extra fat.

[Jenny]

znacki I love that story - a friend of mine does something similar, but I like your name for it better than her "you know that thing I do with cream cheese and cocktail sauce."

Aceon6, I like your thinking. We got ourselves a deep fryer for Christmas, so one of the things on our menu is onion rings, and I might do deep fried pickles too

One year I'd like to do a chili tasting of sorts too - often I've tried to use regional recipes based on teams, so wouldn't it be fun to do Cincinnati vs Kansas City vs Texas vs Arizona?

[Garden Kitty]

You can always see which teams are in, and then try to pick a regional specialty for those areas.

New England - clam chowder
San Francisco - sour dough bread (to go with your dip)
New York - hot dogs and deli sandwiches

Uhm, Is Baltimore the other team? Something crabby?

[Jenny]

You can always see which teams are in, and then try to pick a regional specialty for those areas.

We've done that in the past, and I watch this link as the season winds down to prepare - http://www.nfl.com/playoffs/playoff-picture

If Baltimore makes it, Maryland crab cakes are definitely on the menu. New York and New England have been in several times since we started doing this, as well as Indianapolis (host city), and SF is less than inspiring for the most part. We've even gone with team colours, or the name of the team - the Ravens perhaps inspire some wings

[Stefanie]

I like to make this black eyed pea dip.

I'm at Watergate salad. It's one of those things I know I shouldn't eat because it's overly-processed, but I just love it and I love seeing it at parties (which is rare).

[Garden Kitty]

SF is less than inspiring for the most part.

Wine!!!

[Jenny]

I'm at Watergate salad. It's one of those things I know I shouldn't eat because it's overly-processed, but I just love it and I love seeing it at parties (which is rare).

I too was intrigued when Cyn first mentioned it, and immediately had to look it up - I've never seen or heard of anything like it. Funny thing is, I just got this book and there's a recipe for it!

The folks at Jello did an excellent marketing job in the post-war era, coming up with millions of recipes to encourage housewives to use their products to impress friends and family. Now much of it is laughable, but at the same time beloved by those who grew up with those dishes. And who are we to mess with tradition.

[Jenny]

Wine!!!

I'm not a big wine drinker, but hubby is a huge fan of California wines. Events like this are usually cocktail occasions, but I'm sure we can work something out.

[Catherine M]

I'm not a big wine drinker, but hubby is a huge fan of California wines. Events like this are usually cocktail occasions, but I'm sure we can work something out.

You should try to get a bottle of Bachelor Ben's wine since he is from San Francisco, if the 49ers make it!

One of my favorite things to have at a Super Bowl party or any party are mini Muffaletta sandwiches.

Here's a recipe for a full Muffaletta sandwich but it works better IMHO with smaller rolls.

http://cookingfortwo.about.com/od/so...muffaletta.htm

[BigB08822]

Make these cookies and everyone will be freaking out and wanting the recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-bi...ie/Detail.aspx

I made the batter but added in white choc chips and macadamia nuts, those have been my favorite so far. Couple of tips: don't bake on a non stick baking pad (sil pat?), it allows the cookies to spread too much. I don't even need spray, they will release after cooling a bit. I only use a teaspoon and a half of vanilla, a tablespoon was too much for me. Cut the choc chips in half, 2 cups is just too much unless you love to taste nothing but choc in your cookies. Let the dough chill in the fridge for an hour before baking.

[Jenny]

I made the batter but added in white choc chips and macadamia nuts, those have been my favorite so far.

Are these the cookies you've mentioned before? Sounds really good - your variation is reminding me of Brent and Sam's, and the other flavour I but very rarely can find (or want - I'll eat the whole package) -white chocolate and key lime.

I don't keep a lot of baking supplies as me and sugar do not get along, so last year I made a box of Duncan Hines brownies. Hubby adores chocolate, so maybe I'll try your cookies this year.

[BigB08822]

Are these the cookies you've mentioned before? Sounds really good - your variation is reminding me of Brent and Sam's, and the other flavour I but very rarely can find (or want - I'll eat the whole package) -white chocolate and key lime.

I don't keep a lot of baking supplies as me and sugar do not get along, so last year I made a box of Duncan Hines brownies. Hubby adores chocolate, so maybe I'll try your cookies this year.

Yes, the same ones I mentioned. I love these cookies because they use so much brown sugar and very little regular sugar, making the cookies nice and gooey. One batch makes me about 18 cookies since they are so huge but if you want to make them smaller then you will obviously get a lot more cookies out of a batch.

[Jenny]

OK we have our contenders, so what inspiration may we draw?

NY Giants - so many foods associated with NY, and of course Super Bowl is an opportunity to do something giant - Big B's cookies perhaps??

NE Patriots - Boston beans and clam chowder anyone? Plus their all-American name and the fact that both teams use patriotic colours says red-white-blue (purple) potato salad to me. Good opportunity to also pull out favourite Fourth of July recipes, no?

Location is Indianapolis, which I researched a few years ago when they were in the Super Bowl, and I'm not seeing a lot of uniquely regional dishes there - if anyone has any, please do share.

[Rob]

I have a ridiculous super bowl party - we start out with wings and nachos and then my husband (the chef) takes over. Items have included garlic soup with fried oysters, fois gras, rack of lamb, tenderloin.

This year, his team is playing so I think I will have to cook. I think we will eat the Patriots and serve clam chowder and lobster.

[Aceon6]

With the Giants in, we will be going full out. That means bagels and smoked salmon for breakfast, cured meats for snacking, and a beef based chili that takes 3 days to make!

[4skating]

OK we have our contenders, so what inspiration may we draw?

NY Giants - so many foods associated with NY, and of course Super Bowl is an opportunity to do something giant - Big B's cookies perhaps??

NE Patriots - Boston beans and clam chowder anyone? Plus their all-American name and the fact that both teams use patriotic colours says red-white-blue (purple) potato salad to me. Good opportunity to also pull out favourite Fourth of July recipes, no?

Location is Indianapolis, which I researched a few years ago when they were in the Super Bowl, and I'm not seeing a lot of uniquely regional dishes there - if anyone has any, please do share.

The state of Indiana's tourism office is sponsoring a contest for the best sandwich in the state. Here's the latest info, with the four finalists:

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/30262409/detail.html