Super Bowl Recipes

It's all about the presentation. I learned that early on when we traveled in France. Many meals were so artistically presented that we almost felt guilty digging in knowing how much work went into creating the dish. 
Now Super Bowl food is more about comfort, easy to pick up, fast and quantity. I asked several friends to give me their best picks for a football gathering (like the must haves after pizza and chicken wings) and these recipes will be posted throughout this week.
But me... I am still about the presentation. I have some recipes to pass along that I found eye catching as well as tasty and satisfying.

  Football Brownies

This recipe was adapted and comes from BHG. It requires a football cookie cutter which probably many do not own :) So I came up with this idea. I have a large cookie cutter that is in the shape of an egg ( it is used for Easter sugar cookies) It works perfect to cut out the shape of a football.

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes of brownie mix
• canned vanilla frosting

Directions:

• Follow the directions on the box and make up one box at a time-substitute coffee for the water and add 1 TB Kahlua 
• Line a large jelly roll pan with foil and extend the foil over the edges 
• Lightly grease foil bottom
• Spread out the prepared brownie mix on one half of the sheet
• Make up other brownie mix package and spread on other half of the pan
• Use a spatula to make sure entire top is smooth
• Bake 18 minutes
• Cool pan on a wire rack
• Lift brownies out of pan by foil edges
• Line another cookie sheet but with parchment paper
• Use cookie cutter to cut out football shape and place each one on parchment paper
• Spoon vanilla frosting into a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip
• Pipe frosting on brownie as shown in picture

  

Italian Foccacia-wich

recipe adapted from BHG

Ingredients:

• 1 small jar of quartered marinated artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted sweet pepper, pat dry with paper towel
• 1- 12 inch garlic Italian foccaccia loaf
• 4 oz. ham
• 4 oz. salami
• 4 oz.deli roast beef
• 4 oz. thinly sliced provolone or Swiss cheese

optional onion slices and chopped black olives and tomato slices

Directions:

• Drain artichoke hearts, pat dry, chop and pat dry again
• In a bowl add artichoke hearts and red pepper and set aside
• Slice foccacia horizontally and layer the meat, then add chopped artichokes and red peppers  
• Top with cheese
• Wrap entire sandwich in foil and bake @ 400 for 15- 20 minutes  
• Slice into pieces as shown in picture

 

Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip

Cook's note: Some really good appetizers never change. I have my original sheet from Kraft foods 1991 that was an advertisement for Super Bowl appetizers!! Today you still can find this same recipe on the Internet.

I have made some adaptations to this recipe.

If you are having a large crowd double ingredients.

Recipe can be lightened using low fat cream cheese and lite Miracle Whip.

Optional adding in crumbled bacon.

Ingredients:

• 1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese-softened
• 4 oz. grated Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 TB. green onion
• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip 

Directions:

• Mix all the ingredients and spread in a lightly greased glass pie pan
• Mix 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs with 2 TB. melted butter (use food processor)
• Add crumbs on top and bake uncovered @350 20-25 minutes till bubbly
• Serve with Pita triangles