Huddle up, Super Bowl fans. The big game in Atlanta is just a week away, and it's time to firm up yourfood plan for the biggest snacking event of the year.
If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, think finger foods, sandwiches and dips. Recipes that areeasy to prepare are what hosts should aim for. We have five tasty options today that are sure to win roars of approval from your crowd.
Keep in mind that these selections don't rank high on the good-for-you scale. They call for cheese and high-fat and salty ingredients like bacon and tortilla chips. You can sideline some of the calories by using reduced-fat varietiesof cream cheese, sour creamandshredded cheese. Going easy on the salt shaker is also a good idea.
► Ketogenic diet followers (keto for short) will love our guacamole and chips and Mini Mac Dippers. Instead of enjoying theirguacamolewith tortilla chips, they can scoop it up with chips made of crispbacon. The Mini Mac Dippers are inspired by the McDonald's Big Mac, but there's no sesame-seed bun. They'resuper-easy to make, and you can dress them up any way like.
► Brace yourself for the Spinach, Artichoke and Red Pepper Dip, which is servedin a bread bowl. It’s as beautiful as it is tasty. You can make the dip portion up to two days in advance and assemble on game day.
► Sliders seem to have become as popular at Super Bowl parties as salsa and chips. Our make-ahead French Dip Sliders are easy to put together. You can make several trays in advance and pop in the oven just before serving.
► Frito-Lay North America released a survey last week revealing what's tops with Americans when it comes toSuper Bowl snacks. It found that spicy and cheesy offerings rank high with younger fans, and that's where ourBacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers come in. They'remildly spicy once you remove the inner ribs and seeds from the jalapenos. For a bit of a heat kick,leave some of the ribs intact.
Contact Susan Selasky at 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.
Mini Mac Burgers
Makes: 16 / Prep time: 20 minutes / Total time: 45 minutes
BURGERS
1½ pounds ground beef chuck
¼ cup onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 slices Colby-Jack cheese or favorite cheese
16 pickle slices
Gem lettuce
DIPPING SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon low-sugar ketchup, optional
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a sided baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil for less mess.
In a large bowl combine ground beef, onions, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until thoroughly combined. Roll the beef into about 1 1/2 ounce balls, just slightly larger than a golf ball. Press each one down slightly to make a mini burger patty, pressing in the center slightly to make an indentation. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping each patty over halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, mix together all the dipping sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
When the burgers are done, remove from oven and turn off oven; pat awayany excess grease. Cut each cheese slice into four squares and place a square on each mini patty. Place back in the cooling oven and let the cheese melt. Remove patties from oven.
Place a few squares of lettuce and a pickle slice on top of each and run a skewer through it.
Adapted from www.pinterest.com.
Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers
Serves:16 -20 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 1 hour
8-10 medium jalapeno peppers, halved
8 ounces softened cream cheese
3 tablespoons ranch dressing
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
5 slices bacon cooked andcrumbled
1 ½ cups shredded Colby-Jack or Mexican blendcheese, divided
2 green onions thinly sliced
½ cup ranch-flavored tortilla chip crumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sided baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the jalapenos in half, leaving the stem intact. Scoop out the ribs and seeds. (If you like a bit more heat, leave some of the ribs.) Cut a thin flat slice from the bottom of the peppers so theyremain upright while baking.
In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, ranch dressing, onion powder and garlic salt until creamy. Add the crumbled bacon, 1/2 of the shredded cheese andgreen onions. Mix until combined.
Divide the mixture among the halved peppers. (If you have leftover filling, place it in a baking dish and bake along with the peppers.)Sprinkle the top of each pepper with the remainingshredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.Bake 25-30 minutes until the peppers are tender and tops are golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving. You can serve these with additional ranch dressing, salsa or guacamole. They'retasty hot or cold.
Adapted from several recipes.
Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
French Dip Sliders
Makes: 15 / Prep time:25minutes / Total time: 45 minutes
5 tablespoons unsaltedbutter, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2 ½ cups)
2 sprigsplus ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
15slider buns, halved
1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
15 slices provolone cheese
¼ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup chopped freshflat leaf parsley
1½ cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add onion and thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Discard thyme.
Place bottom halves of slider buns in a large baking dish or sided baking sheet. Top each one with 1 folded slice of roast beef. Add the cheese slices to cover the beef. Sprinkle with the caramelized onions. Top with the bun tops.
In a small sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and brush on top of buns. Sprinkle them with garlic powder, coarse saltand parsley. Bake until the cheese ismelted and sliders are heated through, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the jus. In the skillet used for cookingthe onions, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butterand melt over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not allow garlic to brown. Stir in thebeef broth, Worcestershire sauce andremaining ¼ teaspoonthyme; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.Serve sliders withjus for dipping.
Adapted from www.pinterest.com.
Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Spinach, Artichoke and Red Pepper Bread Bowl Dip
Serves: 12 / Prep time: 20 minutes/ Total time: 1 hour
1 large round loaf country bread
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 small jalapenos, 1 seeded and chopped, 1 finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed very dry in a kitchen towel
12 ounce jar of marinated artichoke quarters, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped
1½ cups shredded pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese or mix of both
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for brushing
Baguette slices, crackers and vegetables such ascarrots and celery, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a thin slice from the top of the bread to expose the inside. Cut out the center of the bread to make a bread shell about 1-inch thick.
Cut the bread top and center into cubes and set aside.
Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped jalapeno and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the spinach and artichokes and pulse until chunky. Add the parsley, all but 1 tablespoon of the red peppers, 1 ¼ cups cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper and pulse just until combined.
Spoon the mixture into the bread bowl and top with the remaining ¼ cup cheese, reserved red peppers and finely chopped jalapeno. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Brush the bread all over with olive oil and bake until hot and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve with the bread cubes, crackers or vegetables.
Adapted from www.foodnetwork.com.
Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Guacamole with Bacon Chips
Serves: 6 / Prep time: 30 minutes/ Total time: 30 minutes
Guacamole and chips are a Super Bowl favorite. To avoid serving them with the carb heavytraditional tortilla chips, serve it with bacon. This is a keto-lover's dream.
BACON
12 ounces center cut bacon
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
GUACAMOLE
4 ripe avocados, washed, halved, pitted
½ cup chopped tomato
⅓ cup chopped onion
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sided baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Cut each strip of bacon into thirds. Place on the baking sheet and, if desired, sprinkle with black pepper. Bake about 20 minutes or until the bacon is barely crisp. You want it to be somewhat pliable and not break into pieces in the dip. Remove from the oven and transfer to serving plate.
Meanwhile, make the guacamole. Scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl. Mash the flesh, leaving it somewhat chunky. Stir in the tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. Sprinkle in some salt and stir. Taste and add more salt or lime juice to taste.
Serve guacamole with bacon chips.
Adapted from Kroger.
Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
