The Super Bowl is a few days away. And whether or not you care who wins, you may want to invite a few friends over to watch the game. So, what should you serve?
The average football fan eats about a day’s worth of calories during the game. Revamp your old favorites by making them healthier and introducing a few new ideas into your menu. You’ll be able to root for your team without going overboard on fat, calories and salt.
If you haven’t started planning what you’re going to serve, here are some ideas. The foods below are not going to ruin anyone’s New Year’s Resolutions.
Spicy Tortilla Strips
Ingredients
- 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut tortillas in half and cut each half into 5 strips to form 60 strips. Divide the tortilla strips evenly among 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper and coated with cooking spray.
Brush strips evenly with oil. Combine cumin and red pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle over strips. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned, rotating baking sheets after 5 minutes.
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl. Serve with the tortilla strips.
Barbecue Spice Roasted Chickpeas
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
- 2-15 ounce cans no-salt-added garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon barbecue spice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine garbanzo beans, oil, barbecue spice, paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, celery salt and onion powder.
Spread in an even layer in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Roast about 30 minutes or until browned and crisp, stirring once halfway through roasting. Cool completely.
To Make Ahead: Place cooled chickpeas in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Italian Parmesan Pretzels
Makes 10 pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen whole wheat bread dough, thawed or homemade, recipe below
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- Mustard, for serving
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Divide dough into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 15-inch-long rope.
To shape each pretzel, hold one end of the rope in each hand and form a U-shape. Cross the ends over each other and then twist. Then lift the ends across to the bottom of the U-shape; press to seal.
Arrange shaped pretzels on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with waxed paper; let stand in a warm spot for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl stir together Parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Brush pretzels evenly with half of the melted butter then sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until browned. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack. Drizzle pretzels with the remaining melted butter. Serve warm or cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack. Serve with mustard.
Whole Wheat Bread Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon water, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups + 6 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
- 2 teaspoons yeast, active dry, instant
Directions
Mix and knead together all of the dough ingredients—by hand, mixer or bread machine—to make a soft (though not very sticky) dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until it’s doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Turkey and Roast Beef Muffuletta
Makes: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 jar (4.75 oz) pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and chopped
- 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large round crusty Italian bread (about 11/4 lbs)
- 1/4 pound sliced deli roast beef
- 1/4 pound sliced American cheese
- 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/4 pound sliced deli turkey
- 1/4 pound sliced Provolone cheese
Directions
In a small bowl, combine olives, tomato, olive oil, celery, garlic, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and black pepper.
Cut the loaf of bread in half crosswise. Spread bottom cut side with half of olive mixture. Layer on roast beef, American cheese, red peppers, turkey and Provolone cheese.
Spread remaining olive mixture over cheese and top with the other half of bread.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and weigh down with a heavy pot filled with canned goods for at least an hour. Slice into 10 wedges to serve.
Slow-Cooker Brisket Sandwiches
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
Brisket
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 3 1/4 pounds brisket
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 16-ounce bottle beer or 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
Sandwich
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 8 -10 whole-wheat buns
- Bread & Butter Pickles
Directions
To prepare the brisket:
Combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper in a small bowl. Rub all over brisket. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the brisket and brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add beer (or broth) to the pan along with any remaining spice blend from your cutting board; increase heat to high. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour over the brisket. Cover and cook on High for 6 hours or Low for 9 hours.
To prepare the sauce:
Mash garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a paste in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon on a cutting board. Combine the garlic mixture with mayonnaise in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
When the brisket is done, transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
Pull the brisket apart into shreds with 2 forks and then coarsely chop the shredded meat. Combine the chopped brisket with the liquid in the slow cooker.
To serve:
Spread each bun with 1 tablespoon garlic sauce and top with about 3/4 cup brisket. Serve with pickles.
Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 12 cups air popped popcorn
Directions
In a 4-quart Dutch oven heat and stir the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and salt over medium heat until just boiling and sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla. Add popcorn and toss until coated.
Place coated popcorn in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 300 degrees F oven for 15 minutes, stirring once. Transfer to a large piece of foil to cool. Place in a serving bowl.
Frozen Neapolitans
Makes 48 bars
Ingredients
- 4 cups chocolate-flavored crisp rice cereal
- 1 ¼ cups chopped toasted almonds
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 pint chocolate ice cream (2 cups)
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream (2 cups)
- 1 pint strawberry ice cream (2 cups)
- 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces or chocolate syrup
Directions
Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over short ends of the baking pan. Butter foil; set pan aside.
In a large bowl combine cereal and 3/4 cup of the almonds; set aside.
In a large saucepan heat butter over low heat until melted. Stir in marshmallows until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add cereal mixture to marshmallow mixture; stir gently to coat. Using a buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture firmly into prepared pan. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Let ice creams stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Spread chocolate ice cream evenly over cereal layer in pan. Freeze about 30 minutes or until firm.
Spread vanilla ice cream over chocolate ice cream layer; freeze about 30 minutes or until firm.
Spread strawberry ice cream over vanilla ice cream layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup almonds and chocolate pieces or chocolate syrup.
Cover and freeze about 4 hours or until firm.
Using the edges of the foil, lift frozen mixture out of pan. Cut into about 1 1/2-inch squares. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies
Makes 30
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup chunky-style applesauce
- 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup golden raisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low-speed until combined. Add egg and applesauce, mix until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix in raisins.
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until golden and just set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over parchment paper; let cool completely.
