Super Bowl weekend is fast approaching, y’all!
Or as I like to call it this year, the weekend of my wedding; to all the football fans in my life- YOU’RE WELCOME.
I have never been a huge football person; I like football movies, but I don’t totally understand the rules of the game so it is hard for me to keep up with what’s happening.
Therefore, I am usually the person who either finds something else to do on game days or is reading (or watching a movie in another room) while the game is on.
The funny thing is, I LOVE game day food.
The chips and dip, the wings, sometimes the beer- it makes it fun for me, and gives me something to munch on while I watch something I’m a little more interested in.
I’ve been on an entertaining bent lately; wanting to find new elements to add to a growing repertoire of appetizer ideas and finger foods- there are some that I’ve tried and a few that I hope to test drive when the time is right.
So whether you’re right in there cheering on your favorite team or you and other disinterested parties want to hang out in the kitchen to drink beer or wine and gossip while snacking on something gorgeous, there are a few additions to the standard game day fare that might work nicely.
Here are the things I’ve already tried and what I’m hoping to get around to soon;
Who knew that Walmart made their own fancy schmancy appetizers?! Not this girl until recently, but when I did I had to give them a twirl through my family to see which ones were hits. They are all good- the resounding favorite is the brie and cream cheese with red bell pepper jelly. That’s right- I said BRIE. So delicious and inexpensive.
Anybody who knows me can tell you about my relationship with olives of all kinds- it’s deep and it’s real. About a year ago while making a recipe from Ree Drummond’s blog (who doesn’t just love Pioneer Woman’s straightforward recipes?) she mentioned how much she loves castelvetrano olives. Intrigued because I had never heard of them, let alone tried them, I sought them out at the local Walmart and gave them a try; they are unlike any olives I have ever had before. Clean flavor, a little bit fruity, bright. So good. On Pinterest while tooling for appetizer ideas, someone had posted about eating warmed castelvetranos at a restaurant and raved about how it simply boosted their already incredible flavor and texture. That night before dinner I pitted about a cup of them with a cherry pitter, threw them into a saute pan with a little hot olive oil and set them out to be noshed on while I finished cooking. The claims were correct- delicious. Even my 2 year old Chickadee loved them; and as a bonus, they couldn’t be easier to throw together and look beautiful.
What app and finger food spread would be complete without a versatile dip that comes together quickly and is a little cool and different than a standard French onion dip? (Which is great in it’s own right, don’t get me wrong.) My cottage cheese dip is simple, containing only an 8oz carton of 2% small curd cottage cheese, an 8oz container of whipped cream cheese (not the brick kind, it should say “whipped” on the packaging), a 1/2 cup fat free mayo then red wine vinegar and celery salt to taste. Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature, mix every thing (with a spoon, not a mixer or a blender- this will make the dip too loose and it will never firm up while chilling) add the red wine vinegar and celery salt until it tastes good to you, then pop in the fridge and let it chill for 3 or 4 hours (I usually make this the day before). It is fantastic as a veggie dip, and I also love with other healthy fare too- like Doritos. 🙂
These are just a few easy things one can throw into the mix on game days with no complaint from anybody- especially not about those brie and red pepper jelly things in pastry.
So fetch.
On the horizon I have a few apps that I’m going to be trying out to see how they work for us;
Look at those beauties. One of the most talked about appetizers on Pinterest was bacon wrapped dates with Marcona almonds (in fact, Marcona almonds were mentioned so often that they have become an obsession for me- when the time is right I may order them online and give them a spin). Apparently, the dates fluff up in the oven and all the elements come together to form a sweet, savory, crunchy appetizer that, when finished with a squeeze of lime to lend some tartness, is a big-time crowd pleaser for any occasion; Thanksgiving, Christmas and you bet your booties, Super Bowl Sunday (or maybe, a Wednesday when you want to feel fancy and have an extra half hour on your hands).
My biggest wish when I throw together anything in the form of appetizer or dinner is that it will be as pretty as it is tasty; so when I saw the idea of a DIY bruschetta bar, I was hooked by the concept. Pretty, low maintenance AND delicious? Oh yes, please. Working in Italian restaurants for a good portion of my time as a server, I have encountered a lot of bruschetta (pronounced brew-sket-tah, not brooo-sheh-TUH) good, bad and unimpressive- the best ones have been simple and fresh, usually with an unexpected touch, like a balsamic reduction drizzled over a more earthy cheese, such as Gorgonzola. This bar, featured on What’s Gaby Cooking?, is a perfect party tray to lay out for guests that pummels the standard raw veggie tray.
I have been on a bent lately reading the novels of Elin Hilderbrand; a Nantucket resident, she writes glorious, layered novels that draw you in and hold you. Sigh. Love that woman’s writing. Anyhow, one of the common characteristics in her novels is there is always a woman who is a natural entertainer in her stories- in one, a woman named Grace is renowned on island for her smoked bluefish pate. As it happens, this appetizer, upon doing a little research, is hugely popular on the Island of Nantucket and on the Cape; it seems simple enough in execution- the one trick might be finding the bluefish itself here in Arkansas. Digging deeper, I found that acceptable substitutes for bluefish are salmon and striped bass, both of which will likely be easier to find where I am. I’ll put my own stamp on this awesome sounding starter soon. 😉
Cheese boards. Ooooooh, cheese boards. I actually had never been acquainted with the concept of an appetizer board filled with hard and soft cheeses, fruit, savory elements like prosciutto and olives, stone ground mustard and sweet relishes or chutneys until recently but I feel like I’ve been missing out. If the 2 examples above (from Pioneer Woman on the left and What’s Gaby Cooking? on the right) are any indication, the possibilities are just endless. And gorgeous. Who doesn’t love beautiful, tasty food combinations laid out in a rustic way that will impress easily and make guests and family feel special and pampered?
That’s enough ambition to get me started!
How about you?
Let me know what your entertaining go-tos are in the comments below or on the Chick and Chickadee Facebook page!
Until next time!
Love,
The Chick and her Chickadee