I just got wind that someone volunteered my house to host Sunday’s Big Game. Thanks for the heads up guys! Now I got to quickly come up with a tasty menu that won’t break the bank. Our party may be BYOB, but I still have to fill my guests’ tummies which can get a bit costly.
Not this year. While the AFC and NFC battle it out on the field, I plan on heading over to my grocery store to pick up supplies for these tasty touchdown-worthy eats.
Broccoli Tots
You’ll need:
2 cups of uncooked or frozen broccoli
1 large egg
¼ cup diced yellow onion
⅓ cup cheddar cheese
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parsley
½ teaspoon salt
You can justify these tots easily as they have a veggie in them. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly coat a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil. Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for a minute then rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Chop the broccoli up finely and mix with the eggs, onion, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Create a ball with ½ tablespoon of the mixture and shape into into tater-tot form. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18 to 24 minutes. Be sure to turn them halfway through the cooking time, so they come out nice and toasty. Remove from the oven and serve with the dipping sauce of your choice.
Nacho Dip
You’ll need:
Cheese substitution
Can of tomatoes and chilies
Perhaps the easiest and tasty snack to look forward to when watching the game, and it so budget friendly! Combine the can of tomatoes and chilies with the cheese substitute in a medium saucepan and cook for 5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or use it as a dipping sauce for a veggie platter.
Pinwheels
You’ll need:
2 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons of your favorite ranch dressing mix
1 small can chopped black olives
1 small can green chilies
1 small jar chopped pimentos
6 burrito sized flour tortillas
6 piece parchment paper
Pinwheels are not only simple to make, but they give color and design to your table spread. First, drain as much liquid as possible from the olives, pimentos, and chilies. Next, combine the cream cheese and ranch dressing mix until everything is well blended and there are no chunks. Stir in olives, pimentos, and chilies. Lay a tortilla on a piece of parchment paper and spread the cream cheese mixture onto the tortilla. Use the parchment paper to roll the edge of the tortilla over itself, and continue to do so until you’ve reached the other side. Refrigerate overnight then remove the pinwheels from the fridge, unwrap them, and slice up the tortillas into bite size pieces.
Chili
You’ll need:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans
1 (15 ounce) can of pinto beans
½ cup of chopped yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 (14.5 ounces) cans stewed tomatoes and chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Chili is an iconic game day dish. Start with browning the beef in a large pot. Then throw the rest of the ingredients in the pot, set it, and forget it.
Artichoke Dip
You’ll need:
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
2 cups mayonnaise
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Dash hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
This warm and creamy dip goes great with crackers, pretzels, and even pita bread. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until soft and smooth. Next, add in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Put the mixture into a deep pie plate and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown.
Jalapeno Poppers
You’ll need:
1 (8 ounces) block cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack
1 clove chopped garlic
10 jalapenos
5 slices bacon, halved
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, then slice each jalapeno in half and spoon out the seeds. Next, mix the first three ingredients and spoon generous amounts into each jalapeno slice. Wrap each slice with a halved slice of bacon and bake for about 25 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Bacon, cheese, and peppers. What’s not to love about jalapeno poppers?
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball
You’ll need:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter, warmed in microwave
1/2 cup chopped peanut butter cups
2 cup button shaped chocolates, for decorating ball
graham crackers, for serving
When your team wins, celebrate with something sweet! Use a hand mixer and blend cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, and chopped peanut butter cups. Next, take the mixture and place it on top of a piece of saran wrap. Fold up the sides around the mixture then begin to form it into a ball. Refrigerate the ball for one hour or until it is firm. Unwrap the ball and decorate it with the button shaped chocolates. Place on a festive platter and dig in with some graham crackers.
There you have it. A great menu that will please your guest and is easy on the wallet.
