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Game Menu to Compliment Super Bowl

Edited by Sarah Wilman

The Super Bowl is just around the corner which means friends and family will be gathering together. But at a party where TV is the main attraction, finding the right food to serve can be a challenge, even for the most resilient hostess! During the post-holiday season, energy levels and entertaining budgets are also likely to be in short supply. A memorable sporting event party can still be served up with style though! Here are a few ideas and recipes to have guests cheering…

GAME DAY MENU

Cheddar Cheese Blops

Makes 2 ½ DOZEN BLOPS
These homey cheese pastries will disappear fast, so depending on how big a crowd you’re serving, you might want to make two batches.
TOTAL TIME 30 minutes

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• 1 cup flour

• 4 large eggs

• 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets or line with nonstick liners.

2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour all at once and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.

3. Remove from the heat. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (the mixture will separate at first but will come back together as you beat it). Stir in the cheese.

4. Drop the dough by tablespoons about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, switching positions halfway through baking, for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed, golden and crisp. (The cheese blops can be baked 1 week ahead and frozen. Reheat the unthawed blops in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.) Serve warm or at room temperature.

Each Blop has 75 calories, 5.6 g fat, 3 g carbohydrates (0.1 g fiber), 3 g protein.

Chicken Nuggets with Chipotle Sauce

Makes 16 servings (80 nuggets)
These nuggets also make a good, fast weeknight meal that you can keep on standby. To freeze, spread the unbaked nuggets on a baking tray and freeze solid (about 2 hours). Store in an airtight container. Bake unthawed in a 400°F oven for 14 to 17 minutes.
TOTAL TIME 1 hour

CHIPOTLE SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 ½ cups diced red onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can (15 ounces) apricot halves,
  packed in light syrup

• 1 small chipotle pepper in adobo

• ¼ cup ketchup

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

CHICKEN NUGGETS

• 3 small cloves garlic

• ½ cup parsley or cilantro sprigs

• 6 slices (9 ounces) whole-grain sandwich bread, preferably stale, torn into small pieces

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, (about 2 ounces)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

• 2 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

• ¼ cup milk

1. Make the sauce: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Cool. Transfer to a food processor.

2. Reserving the syrup, drain the apricots and add them to the processor. Add
   1/4 cup of the reserved syrup, the chipotle, ketchup, vinegar and salt, and process
   to a smooth puree. Refrigerate until serving time. (You can make the sauce
   up to 1 week ahead.)

3. Make the nuggets: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

4. In a food processor, process the garlic and parsley until finely chopped. Add the bread, Parmesan, salt and pepper, and pulse until the bread is coarsely crumbed. Add the butter and process until completely incorporated. Divide the breading in half and place in 2 separate sturdy plastic bags. Refrigerate 1 of the bags.

5. Divide the chicken in half and place in 2 separate bowls. Cover and refrigerate 1 bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk to the other bowl of chicken. Toss lightly to coat, then drain the chicken in a colander. Add the chicken to 1 bag of breading, and shake to coat well. (You can bread the chicken and freeze up to 1 week ahead.)

6. Place the chicken nuggets on the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Repeat with the remaining chicken, milk and breading.

Each serving has 178 calories, 5.4 g fat, 13 g carbohydrates (1.5 g fiber), 19 g protein

Thai Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Makes 12 ROLLS
Used in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, spring roll wrappers (also called rice paper or summer roll wrappers) are thin, brittle circles made of rice and tapioca flour. When soaked in water, they become flexible enough to wrap around fillings. To serve, drizzle some sauce into the open end of the rolls.
TOTAL TIME 30 minutes plus chilling time

PEANUT SAUCE

• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

• ¼ cup water

• ¼ cup peanut butter

• 6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

• ¼ cup lime juice

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

THAI SALAD ROLLS

• 4 cups finely shredded napa cabbage

• 1 cup finely grated carrots

• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

• 2 tablespoons minced dry-roasted peanuts

• 12 spring roll wrappers (plus extra for breakage)

1. Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and water over low heat to melt the sugar. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice and cayenne until well blended. (The sauce can be made several days ahead.)

2. Make the rolls: In a large bowl, toss together the napa cabbage, carrots, mint, basil and peanuts. Measure out ¬ cup of the peanut sauce and toss with the vegetables.

3. Line a tray or platter with damp paper towels. Fill a round cake pan (or other shallow bowl) with hot water. Soak a spring roll wrapper for a minute or so—just long enough to make it flexible, but not longer, or it will start to disintegrate.

4. Place the spring roll wrapper on a work surface. Scoop out µ cup of the vegetable mixture and place on the bottom half of the wrapper. Fold the bottom edge of the wrapper over the filling, then fold in the 2 sides. Gently but firmly, roll the wrapper up to the top. Place the roll on the tray, and cover with damp paper towels. Continue until all of the filling is used up, keeping the rolls covered with damp towels.

5. Cover the tray of rolls with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The rolls can be made 1 day ahead and kept well covered in the refrigerator.) To serve, cut the rolls in half with a sharp, serrated knife. Set out the bowl of peanut sauce for spooning into the rolls.

Each ROLL has 141 calories, 2.7 g fat, 25 g carbohydrates (1.8 g fiber), 5 g protein.

Buffalo Pork

Makes 12 servings (60 meatballs)
The flavors and textures of buffalo chicken wings (hence the title of the recipe) are used in these spicy meatballs, served with a blue-cheese sauce. To freeze the unbaked meatballs, spread them on a baking tray and freeze solid (about 2 hours). Then store in an airtight container.
TOTAL TIME 25 minutes

BLUE-CHEESE SAUCE

• 6 ounces plain low-fat yogurt

• 5 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• MEATBALLS

• 2 pounds ground pork

• ¾ cup finely minced celery

• ¾ cup plain dried bread crumbs

• 1 large egg

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Make the sauce: In a mini food processor, or with a hand blender, puree the yogurt, sour cream, blue cheese and pepper. Refrigerate until serving time. (The sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead.)

2. Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the pork, celery, bread crumbs, egg and ¬ cup of the cayenne sauce. Form the mixture into meatballs the size of a large walnut, about 1 tablespoon. (The meatballs can be formed ahead and frozen for 1 week. Let return to room temperature before proceeding.)

3. In the same bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons cayenne sauce and the oil, and blend well. In batches, add the meatballs to the mixture and toss to coat lightly. Shake off any excess. As you work, transfer the meatballs to a baking sheet.

4. Bake the meatballs (in batches if necessary) for 7 to 10 minutes, until cooked through but still juicy. (The meatballs can be baked several hours before serving.)

Each serving has 210 calories, 17 g fat, 2 g carbohydrates (0.1 g fiber), 12 g protein.

Game Day Serving Tips

• Serve appetizers in inexpensive, old-fashioned fast-food baskets for fewer spills.

• Store canned and bottled beverages in an ice-filled galvanized bucket for easy kitchen-to-TV hauling.

• Serve drinks on colorful felt coasters with themed designs

• Make the floor as comfy as the couch by stocking up on oversized floor pillows

• Create special drinks that match the team’s colors

• Upgrade plastic forks and knives to modern bamboo “silverware”; it’s disposable, yet environmentally friendly.

• Line serving trays with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

• Try oilcloth as a stain proof (yet party-worthy) table covering.

If you would like to learn more about cooking and how to combine it with travel see:
http://www.travellady.com/Issues/November05/2025TasteofTravel.htm

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