Super Bowl Trifecta

Not being a huge fan of football unless it happens to be the Oklahoma Sooners or the New York Giants, I must admit I do look forward to the Super Bowl commercials and munching on some indulgent food morsels until A) I fall asleep or B) the game ends or C) husband gets bored and suggests a movie.



Budweiser Clydesdales

English Shire Horse

My favorite commercials are the Budweiser Clydesdale horses.  My Grandfather actually farmed here with English Shires (a bit smaller by a 'hand' than the Clydesdales).   I always wished I had been older so I would have seen his beautiful draft horses. He came to Oklahoma as a young boy in the late 1800's from Texas in a covered wagon. He eventually married my part-Cherokee Grandmother and built a farm on the edge of what is now Tinker Air Force Base. Grandpa said his horses were gentle giants and if Grandpa said it, it was true. I doubt he drank beer or fully appreciated their talents at football but he did love his horses, nonetheless.

Fast forward to microwaves, LED TV's, fast cars and gun-totin' Okies, let's not spend endless hours in the kitchen while the 'boys' are having a hi-ho time in front of the TV.  To that end, I have three, quick, easy ideas for your pre-game, half-time and celebratory Super Bowl festivities. Two are vegetarian and one is not. Ice down the longnecks and let's watch some Football.

Addiction #1 - Ranch Crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix well:
3/4 c vegetable oil
1-1oz package of Ranch dressing
1 tsp dill
1 tsp lemon pepper

Add 1-10 oz package of oyster crackers and stir until thoroughly coated. Spread on cookie sheet, bake 3-5 minutes. Do not burn. Serve warm or store in container if you can keep from eating all of them first.

Addiction #2 - My version of Trisha Yearwood's Hot Corn Dip (if you don't know who Trisha is, she's the wife of Garth Brooks and lives down the road in one of our lovely suburban towns.) Special thanks to my sister-in-law, Mary from New Joisey (that's how it's said, really), for Trisha's cookbook. I love it.

In your same 350 degree pre-heated oven, this dip will take about 30 minutes to bake.
In that cleaned out mixing bowl from those crackers (gonna have to make a second batch):
1-11 oz can of Mexicorn (that funny looking corn with the red and green-looking things in it)
1-11 oz can of jalapeno or chipotle corn
1/2 c mayo
1 c grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1 c grated Colby Jack cheese
2/3 c grated Parmesan or for me, Pecorino Romano cheese
a little splash of Tabasco sauce for some heat and
a little splash of Liquid Smoke--easy on this stuff.   It can overwhelm the dish if you use too much and the dip will taste like you cooked it in the bottom of a charcoal grill.  Not good.

Mix all and put into a Pam'd 9" square baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Serve with corn chips or anything you want to dip into this cheesy yummy goodness.  You could add some chopped chicken to this and it becomes a super delish lunch dish--salad on the side.

Addiction #3 - Sliders

Buy some dollar buns--warm them wrapped in foil in the oven for 5 minutes. Shape your ground hamburger meat into mini-munchies. Grill or cook stovetop to desired doneness. Top with cheese: Swiss, American, Cheddar or whatever puts a smile in your mouth.
Add some lettuce, a sliced cherry tomato, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper.

More quick snacks?  Well how about Bisquick Sausage Cheese Balls, Pigs in a Blanket, Crockpot BBQ Little Smokies and lots of Rotel Cheese Dip and chips.  If you want to spend time and wow everyone, cook some pulled pork, crawfish etouffee (need that recipe Bill!), bacon-wrapped shrimp and anything we normally don't eat every day but forgive ourselves when it comes to football watching.

Here's to a Super Bowl-ful of good food, good friends and good times.

Bon Addictions