SEASONS - GETTING READY TO ENJOY THE SUPER BOWL

WHY NOT THROW A SUPER BOWL PARTY?

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Sunday is the Superbowl!

I’m told Fox will be broadcasting this big event from Houston, Texas at 5:30 p.m.; and the New England Patriots will be playing The Atlanta Falcons.  That folks is the extent of my football knowledge for this game; but I DO love those little parties that go along with such huge events as this, and this Sunday I plan on making watching the Super Bowl at our house a very festive occasion. 

All you have to do to enjoy this event is to call a few close friends, fill the refrigerator with a few refreshing drinks, gather up the food and sit back and relax until the first play.

Here is my game plan:

THE PRE-GAME SHOW:

I think we will start out with a few things to nibble on during the pre-game program.  Nothing beats this Queso Dip and chips.

THE GREATEST QUESO THAT EVER LIVED

Ingredients:

1 block (32 ounce) Velveeta Cheese

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

1 (10 ounce) can Rotel

1 small can cream of mushroom soup

1 pound ground beef or sausage

(Add your favorite chips and crackers for dipping with this)
Directions:

Brown the meat.  Set aside.  Cut up Velveeta and cream cheese into cubes and place into a crock pot.  Pour in the Rotel and the Cream of Mushroom soup and stir together.  Place the crock pot on low setting for an hour, letting the ingredients melt together.  After 30 minutes add the brown meat and continue to let cook stirring when needed.

FIRST QUARTER PLAY:

Why not serve the salad in the form of kabobs?  It is easy to eat while you are watching the action.

ANTIPESTO SALAD KABOBS

Ingredients:

(2) 7 ounce containers fresh mozzarella balls

(2) 4 ounce packages prosciutto

½ lb. Genoa-salami, sliced thin

(1) 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers

(1) 6 ounce can black olives, or use the fresh cured olives from the olive bar at the store

(1) bag of leaf lettuce, any kind you like.

Directions:

Lay out all your ingredients on a cutting board.  Alternate the ingredients onto skewers in any pattern you like, adding lettuce leaves after every second ingredient.  Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette or serve with dressing for dipping on the side. 

THE BIG PLAY:

I’ll think, for a main dish, I’ll serve up some winning wings.  Have you ever met a sports fan who did not like wings? Nor have I; and the Jack Daniels whiskey in this wings recipe makes these wings really tasty! I think this will be something safe to serve for our main play:

SUPER BOWL BBQ WINGS

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ yellow onion, (minced)

2-1/2 cups ketchup

¼ cup molasses

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/3 cup Jack Daniels whiskey

3 pounds chicken wings (split at joints, tips removed)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill over medium heat.

Meanwhile, make BBQ sauce.  Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté until translucent.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant; about 30 seconds more.  Pour in ketchup, molasses, apple-cider vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worchestershire sauce and whiskey.  Simmer until flavors meld and mixture reduces slightly, about 5 – 10 minutes.  Next:  Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper to taste.  Add to grill and cook until the skin is golden brown and the meat is cooked through, about 20 – 25 minutes, flipping the chicken about halfway through.  Remove from the heat and toss in about 1 cup of sauce, adding more sauce if desired.

ON THE SIDE LINES:

We crave these fried mushrooms even when we are not on a game day menu.  I am trying my best to imitate the fried mushrooms served at Silvertrons with this recipe.  I don't think anyone can do it quite as well as they do. 

BEER BATTERED FRIED MUSHROOMS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

For the Mushrooms:

2 pints of fresh mushrooms

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 can or bottle of beer (12 ounces)

1 large egg

Peanut oil for frying

Salt for seasoning

For the dipping sauce:

1 cup prepared ranch dressing

¼ cup prepared horseradish sauce

1/8 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Directions:

Wash the mushrooms and drain.  Let dry good and then wipe the mushroom with a damp paper towel to clean.  Remove the stems and then cut the smaller ones in half and the larger ones into quarters.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, Cajun seasoning, beer and egg.  (The mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter.)

In a large high sided pot bring approximately 2”-3” of oil to a temperature of 375 – 400 degrees F.  Place about 10-15 mushrooms into the batter and use a spoon to carefully stir them to coat.  Use a set of tongs to remove the mushrooms, one at a time from the batter and carefully add them to the hot oil.  (If you add the mushrooms all in at once to the hot oil they will stick together, which is why it is best to add them individually.)   Fry the mushrooms, stirring carefully and occasionally for approximately 3 – 4 minutes until they are pale brown in color.  Use a large slotted spoon to remove the fried mushrooms to a paper-lined bowl and season immediately with a light sprinkling of salt.  Continue process until all mushrooms are cooked.  Prepare the sauce by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Serve the mushrooms with the sauce.  Enjoy!

FINAL WINNING TOUCHDOWN:

I hope your team has the winning victory; but you always win when this decedent desert shows up at the end of the game.  

AFTER THE GAME MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Ingredients:

For the Topping:

1 cup of pecan halves

2 tablespoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Cake:

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cups granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon of kosher salt

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

4 large eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 sticks of butter, melted

1 (10.5 ounce) bag of mini marshmallows

For the Frosting:

6 tablespoons milk

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 (1 pound) box powdered sugar, sifted.

Directions:

Toss the pecans with the melted butter and roast in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 12 – 15 minutes or until fragrant.  Remove and sprinkle with salt, transfer to a plate to cool.  Once cooled, coarsely chop.

For the Cake:  Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees F.   Butter a 9 x 13” pan, and set aside.  Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and cocoa.  Add the eggs, vanilla and cooked, melted butter and mix until blended.  Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the marshmallows all over the top of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Once the marshmallows begin to melt, use a spatula to carefully spread out some, but leave a few bumps from the marshmallows.

For the Frosting:  Melt together the last stick of butter with the milk until hot.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa and vanilla.  Add in the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla and quickly beat with a wooden spoon until smooth, returning to a low burner if mixture thickens too quickly.  Immediately pour the frosting evenly all over the marshmallow layer.   Immediately scatter the toasted pecans over the top, set the entire pan aside on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely before cutting into small squares.

Ah - just watching a football game, relaxing, and having fun with the simple things of life......

Notice how I didn't even mention half-time entertainment or commercials?  Do you think that rather strange?  Well, it just so happens that I'm old enough to remember the days when a football game was just that; a football game.  The only part of the world that changed from viewing the game was the trophies and their owners. 

Most days, I'm all for changing the world; but it would give me great comfort during this Super Bowl if the game was all we focused on; and just this once I would love it if the world stayed the same for just one more day - just people everywhere enjoying a sporting event, cheering for whichever team they enjoyed watching and supporting and having a good time.  I miss those days when life was good, simple and uncomplicated and we ALL could just have a good time once in a while!
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