Super Bowl Noms

The Super Bowl. The event that makes it okay to spend a Sunday eating chips, sweets, and just about anything you can cover in BBQ sauce while you drink beer for several hours straight;  that makes even passive football fans adamantly fanatical about a game where guys dress up in tight pants and wail on each other; that simultaneously divides and unites our country (well...those of us that WEREN'T watching Downton Abbey); and that makes EVERYONE an expert in advertising ("what were they thinking? that angle is soooo overdone" <-- oh honey...just stop).

I'm so glad we live in a country that has a Super Bowl.

Partially because I love football. Partially because I'm in advertising.

Mostly because it gives me a reason to do this:

I love throwing parties. Have I mentioned that? I should have. It's my passion and like the best. Thing. Ever.

This year, our "party" consisted of a just a few friends (...4) coming over to watch. We didn't do anything fancy and I kept the menu simple, but it was a party none the less.

We laughed. We ate. We watched a friend from high school whoop up on some 49ers. It was awesome.

I promised the menu, so here you go:

• Pretzel Bites with Dipping Sauces
• Woodford Reserve Bourbon Meatballs
• Buffalo Balls with Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Celery, and Carrots
• Onion Dip (made by the lovely guest chef Kaitlin)
• Peanut Butter-stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

 Oh, you want the recipes, too? Ok!

Pretzel Bites with Dipping Sauces (from Snixy Kitchen)

Ingredients

• 1½ c warm water
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 pkg active dry yeast
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2½ tsp kosher salt
• 4¾ c all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil
• 12 c water
• ¾ c baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt

Directions

1. Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook. Once combined, let sit for 5 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed until combined.
3. Increase the speed to medium until the dough is smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove from the bowl and knead on a flat surface for an additional minute.
5. Grease the inside of the bowl with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl, turning until coated with oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for an hour.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the dips according to the recipes below.
7. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
8. Bring a large pot full of water to boil over high heat and add the baking soda.
9. Remove the dough from the bowl and on a flat surface, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
10. One at a time, roll each piece into a long rope about 22 inches. Cut each rope into 1″ pieces.
11. Working in batches of about 44 pieces, boil the pretzel bites for 30 seconds, being sure to stir the pot so all sides are covered. Use a strainer to remove the bites from the water and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they aren’t touching. Repeat with all pretzel bites.
12. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with salt.
13. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until golden brown (Be careful not to over bake, or the bottoms will start to burn).
14. Remove from oven and let cool on a baking rack.
15. Serve with mustard, pizza sauce, cheese dip (see below), and chocolate sauce.

White Beer Cheese Dip (adapted from several places)

Ingredients

• 8 oz extra sharp white cheddar (like, EXTRA sharp. trust me. omg.)
• 1 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• Pinch salt and sugar
• ½ tbsp butter
• ½ tbsp flour
• ¼ c milk
• ½ c beer (just pick one. I went with "What's in the fridge?" and got a Sam Adams. It worked.)

Directions

1. Grate the cheese (if you've picked a good cheese, it won't be grated yet. If yours is grated, try again) and toss together with flour, ground mustard, salt, and sugar.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and continue to stir over heat until slightly browned.
3. Slowly stir in the milk and continue to stir until thickened.
4. Stir in the beer.
5. Slowly add in cheese and continue stirring until melted and fully incorporated.
6. Serve warm. Try not to eat by the spoonful.

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Meatballs (from Authentic Suburban Gourmet)

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen meatballs
• 1 c ketchup
• 1 c brown sugar
• ½ c bourbon (your favorite...or your Daddy's favorite if you don't have a personal favorite)
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. Place frozen meatballs in crockpot.
2. Combine sauce ingredients well.
3. Pour over meatballs and toss til well coated.
4. Turn crockpot to high and cook for an hour. Reduce heat to "keep warm" or "low."

Buffalo Balls with Bleu Cheese Crumbles (from I Breathe I'm Hungry)

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1lb ground chicken or turkey
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp chopped celery
• 3 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
• ½ tsp black pepper

For the Sauce

• ½ stick unsalted butter
• ½ cup Frank’s Red Buffalo Sauce

Directions

1. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. The mix will be sticky and gooey but that’s normal (edit: I had to add bread crumbs ‘cause it was TOO gooey).
2. Form into about 1 inch balls – remember these are cocktail/bite sized so don’t make them too big.
3. Place them on a greased cookie sheet (with sides) and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make the sauce – combine the Frank’s and butter in a small saucepan on medium heat.
5. After 10 minutes, remove balls from oven and dunk carefully (they are tender from the cream cheese and could fall apart if you are too rough) in the buffalo sauce. Put back onto the cookie sheet and bake for another 12 minutes.
6. Serve with bleu cheese dressing, celery, and carrot sticks.
7. Peanut Butter-stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

Peanut Butter-stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

For the peanut butter balls (from A Hen's Nest)

Ingredients

• 1¼ c powdered sugar
• ¾ c creamy peanut butter
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla in bowl.
2. Beat on medium speed until well combined and mixtue is dry yet holds together. Roll into 1-inch balls, place baking sheet and chill in freezer while you make batter (10 minutes).

For the cupcakes (from Sweetapolita)

Ingredients

• 1½ c all-purpose flour
• 1½ c white sugar
• ½ c dark cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 c buttermilk
• ½ c brewed coffee or espresso, hot
• 1/3 c + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
3. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, egg and vanilla.
4. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
5. Put a small amount of batter into each cupcake liner. Add a peanut butter ball into each cup. Divide remaining batter among liners (2/3 full or just less). Batter will be liquidy, and cupcakes will rise.
6. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until toothpick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs. Try not to over-bake. Carefully remove cupcakes from the pan immediately and place them on a wire rack until completely cool.

For the buttercream (from Love From the Oven)

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 6-8 c powdered sugar
• ½ c peanut butter
• ½ tbsp vanilla
• Cream or milk

Directions

1. Beat the butter on high til light and creamy.
2. Slowly add in several cups of the powdered sugar.
3. Add in peanut butter and vanilla.
4. Add in additional powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency is reached.

For the topping

1. Tint coconut using green food coloring.
2. Melt white chocolate and pipe onto chocolate covered almonds to create mini-footballs.
3. Place "grass" and footballs on top of iced cupcakes.
4. Enjoy the "oohs" and "ahhs"

Let me know what y'all think!

Thanks for stopping by, friends!