The Perfect... Superbowl Party

With the start of a new year comes one of America’s biggest and best traditions - the Super Bowl. Yes, the one night of the year you can throw caution to the wind and ignore that very strict New Year’s resolution to lose a few pounds and chow down on chips, dips, and all of those other game night favorites that everyone loves so much. Even if you have no idea which teams are playing, this can be an event that is fun for both the football fanatics in your group of friends and for those of us who know the true entertainment for the evening is in the commercials and half-time show.

However, if you are anything like me, you had no idea the Super Bowl was right around the corner (February 5th to be exact), but have been looking for an opportunity to get your friends together in a very casual way. And let’s face it… a Super Bowl Party is about the most unassuming, least finicky party you can host all year. So let it all hang out… Splurge and serve some of those delicious, finger-licking snacks that everyone loves so much, but this time take them to a higher level.

Let me just say here, I know Super Bowl parties bring to mind a table full of greasy foods and the quintessential tub of store brand onion dip served straight from its container alongside a bag of ruffled potato chips containing more bits and pieces than whole chips. So this year, take the lead and break that terrible mold. Call your friends now; invite them over for the perfect Super Bowl party and serve some of these delicious game night favorites.

FOR THE BAR

You’ll want a nice selection of beers. I usually provide a light beer (such as Amstel Light), a well-rounded beer (such as Red Stripe) and a selection of local beers. A nice way to put a twist on your typical beer is with the following recipe for a Bloody Bull.

Bloody Bull mix:
1 quart tomato juice
1 scallion, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno (with seeds), stemmed
2 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish, or to taste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash Tabasco
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon Celery salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine tomato juice, scallion, jalapeno, horseradish, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, rim a pilsner glass with Williams-Sonoma’s Bloody Mary glass rimmer, fill the glass to ¾ full with beer and top off with the Bloody Bull mix. Stir and serve.

Use the same mix for a Bloody Bull cocktail. Simply add 1 ½ oz. of chilled vodka to a rimmed highball glass with ice, top with the Bloody Bull mix and garnish with a celery stick or pickled green bean.

FOR THE TABLE

This type of party isn’t the best time to bring out your best china or glassware. Instead, have fun. The party supply stores have some amusing football themed plates, cups, napkins and decorations that add to the festive feeling of the event.

The following recipes are a great place to start when planning your fete. Other items such as an assortment of artisan breads and dipping oils, a cheese platter and fresh veggies make wonderful additions.

Potato Chips:
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 large Idaho potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled
Canola Oil for deep-frying

Using a mandoline, slice potatoes lengthwise into very thin, even slices. Preheat oil to 375°. Add a few chips to the hot oil at a time. Fry until golden brown. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Onion Dip:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cup diced onions
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

In a sauté pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and still again before serving. This can be made a few days in advance and kept in a covered container until ready to serve.

Buffalo Chicken Wings:

2 ½ lbs. chicken wing pieces
½ cup hot sauce (I use Tabasco or Frank’s Redhot)
1/3 cup melted butter

Bake wings 1 hour at 425° or deep-fry 12 minutes at 400°.
Remove to a large bowl
Combine hot sauce and butter and cover wings with mixture. Toss well to coat.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve with celery sticks and Blue cheese or Ranch dressing.

IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION

Make sure your guests have an assortment of snacks at their fingertips while they are massed in front of your television. Marinated olives, a cheese ball with crackers and this recipe for spicy mixed nuts make great finger foods.

Spicy Nuts:
2 cups assorted unsalted nuts, such as pistachios, cashews and pecans
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Place a large dry skillet over medium heat, add the nuts and toast for 5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, shaking the pan often to prevent scorching. Add the butter and continue to stir until melted and the nuts are well coated. Sprinkle in cinnamon, cumin and cayenne and toss for another minute. Spread the nuts out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and sugar; allow to cool. These can be made and stored in an airtight container up to 5 days.



Scott Hargrove is a recent transplant to Denver from Seattle. Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, Scott’s passion for gracious living and entertaining led him into event planning for non-profit organizations, corporations and individuals. Most recently Scott has assisted Project Angel Heart with several of their larger fundraising events. He is an event planner, caterer and consultant and can be reached through this publication or at scottshargrove@gmail.com.