The Super Bowl means it’s time for some super snacks for your family and friends. Here’s a few ideas to help make your celebration fun, easy, and super tasty!
Cookie Dough Dip
Edible cookie dough (thanks to no eggs), is shaped in the form of a football and covered with a thin layer of Nutella. Use pretzels or your favorite crackers for a sweet dip that will satisfy kids and adults alike.
½ cup softened butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups flour
1 cup of mini chocolate chips (use full size if eating by the spoon, instead of as a dip)
½ cups chopped toasted nuts, like pecans
Cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and milk, then mix in the flour and salt. Add your chips and nuts. For a dip, form into a football shape on your serving platter and refrigerate. One cool, you can smooth it further if needed and spread on a thin layer of Nutella. Add white stripes with your favorite white icing and surround with pretzels, vanilla wafers, or your favorite dipping crackers. You can mix up your mix ins to create your favorite flavor. For easy dipping, let the dip come to room temperature before serving, but make sure leftovers are refrigerated. The edible cookie dough can also be eaten by the spoon!
Rice Krispy Footballs
This has been our family’s Super Bowl snack for years. It’s super easy and the kids love it!
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces mini marshmallows, about 4 cups
A pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla
6 cups cocoa crispy cereal, any brand
In a large glass bowl, melt the butter in a microwave. Toss the marshmallows in the melted butter and microwave on high until melted, a minute or two. Stir until smooth. Stir in salt and vanilla. Stir in cocoa rice cereal until coated. Put into greased cake pan and let set for a few minutes before forming into football shapes. I use royal icing for the white stripes.
Royal Icing
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered egg whites
2 tablespoons water
Beat together with a mixer until you get stiff peaks. Keep unused icing covered as it will dry out.
Fantastic Fruit Parfaits and Kabobs
Super snacks can also be super healthy when you use your favorite team’s colors to layer fresh bite-sized fruit with your favorite yogurt and granola. Or put fruit on a skewer for a nutritious kabob kids will find fun to eat.
Seattle Caffe Mocha Cupcake
Inspired by the Seahawk’s hometown, the headquarters of a certain famous coffee company, this chocolaty cake filled with coffee pastry cream and topped with fresh whipped cream will have your guests cheering….even if they’re for the ‘other’ team! Use a can of whipping cream and let your guests top their own desserts. Just make sure they don’t put the nozzle in their mouths first! And don’t frost with the whipped cream until ready to serve, because it can deflate quickly. You’ll find the recipe for the cake and coffee pastry cream here.http://bakingwithjulie.com/?p=7232 Just substitute the frosting with sweetened whipping cream.
Boston Cream Pie Cupcake
Not to be outdone, here’s an East Coast cupcake sure to please. It’s the flavors of a Boston cream pie, which is really a cake anyway, all in an easy-to-eat package.
Vanilla Cupcake (inspired by The Whimsical Bake House by Kaye and Liv Hansen)
2 cups cake flour
¾ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
2/3 cup warm milk
2 large eggs
4 ounces very soft unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla
In the bowl of a mixer, combine the dry ingredients. Add all the wet ones and mix on low for a minute, then on high for two minutes. Bake in cupcake liners at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. Makes about a dozen.
Pastry Cream
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla
While milk is heating to boiling in the microwave, beat egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a mixer with whisk attachment until fluffy. Add cornstarch to egg mixture and beat in. Turn down mixer and slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture, pouring milk down the side of the bowl. Once mixed, put mixture into a large glass bowl or large glass measure cup and cook for a couple of minutes on high in the microwave until thickened. Stir in vanilla and let cool.
Chocolate Ganache
Heat 2/3 cup heavy cream in the microwave. Pour over 8 ounces of milk chocolate chips. Wait a few minutes then stir until smooth. Let cool before using.
To assemble:
Use apple corer to put a hole in the center of each cupcake. Fill with cooled pastry cream and top with a small spoonful of ganache. You can add a cherry on top if you wish.
Seattle Salmon Crostini
Here’s a savory snack to celebrate the home of the Seahawks. What says Pacific Northwest better than salmon? I used to call this part of America my home, so I have a special place in my heart for this region. This crostini is simple to make and will add a touch of class to the normal football fare.
A French baguette
Olive oil
Cream cheese spread
Capers
Fresh dill
Lemon
Salt and pepper
Smoked salmon
Slice the baguette on an angle, making slices about ¼ inch thick. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven until golden brown. Mix your cream cheese spread with a few small spoonful’s of chopped cappers and fresh minced dill, along with the zest of a lemon and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (or more to taste). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a small spoonful of the cream cheese spread on the toasted baguette and top with a small bite of salmon. Garnish with sprig of dill. You can also add a small dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche on top.
New England Stadium Muffin
At the Patriot’s home stadium, sausages with grilled onions and peppers are very popular. This cornmeal muffin takes those flavors and puts them together in an easy to eat savory snack. My northern version of cornbread is inspired by a recipe found in Joy of Cooking.
1 ¼ cups cornmeal
¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup each sautéed onion, bell peppers, sliced mini sausages, and canned whole kernel corn
Whisk together all dry ingredients. Mix up all the wet ingredients and add all at once to the dry, combining completely. Stir in the sautéed vegetables, sausages, and corn. Bake in greased muffin pan at 425 degrees until golden brown, around 12 minutes.
