Super Bowl Parties are stress free, unfussy and an easy way to enjoy January with friends. When it comes to the buffet at these bashes it’s no holds barred, guests expect to eat super delicious food so why let them down with shoddy take away fare? These are all made ahead and excellent at room temperature grazed on throughout the game so you can set out the food & join the party! Whether you’re hosting Super Bowl this year or looking for something to take along, here are a few guaranteed winners.
Toasted Pecans
1 egg white
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
4 cups whole shelled fat fresh pecans
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a large sheet pan with vegetable oil. Whisk the egg white until foamy add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat. Spread evenly on the sheet pan and bake 6 minutes. Pull out and flip them around with a spatula, bake again until fragrant and toasted. Hold them in an air tight jar or Ziploc bag unrefrigerated.
Bacon & Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
65 pieces
These are addictive; I can’t tell you how many people say “I don’t like mushrooms but these are amazing!”
2 ½ lb medium sized mushrooms
1 lb bacon, crisped and crumbled
½ lb soft goat cheese (room temperature)
2 bunches of fresh chives (reserve a fat pinch of them for garnish)
½ lb cream cheese (room temperature)
shot Worcestershire sauce
pinch cayenne pepper
Wipe mushrooms clean and pop off the stems. Gently blend all of the ingredients. Fill mushroom caps with a small scoop each, it’s ok to heap the filling, it won’t melt out. Put them on a rimmed sheet pan. You can hold them here at this point one or two days refrigerated & bake them later if you want.
When needed, bake them at 350 degrees uncovered with a couple spoons of water in the pan to keep them moist during cooking until the cheese is colored just a bit, about 15 minutes.
Sweet Potato Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
Serve 12
Utterly delicious.
3 lb. red sweet potatoes (yams)
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup pecan halves
½ cup dried cranberries
1.5 bunch green onions
For the vinaigrette whisk together;
6 oz. canned chipotle chilies, fork mashed into a coarse paste
1.5 cup vegetable oil
2 shallot, chopped fine
juice of 2 limes
2 T. honey
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. molasses
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 bunch fresh chives for garnish
Slice the potatoes 1 /4 inch thick and toss with olive oil salt & pepper and roast them on vegetable sprayed sheet pan at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Make the vinaigrette and toss with the remaining ingredients, garnish with chopped chives.
Classic Potato Salad
Serves 8-12
Far superior to anything pre-made, this is perfect do ahead / bring along fare and it’s just good old fashioned delicious.
5 lb. red potatoes (cut in bite size, boil, strain until dry)
half a bunch of celery
1 red onion
6 eggs, hard boiled
5 oz. sweet relish
12 oz. mayonnaise
2 Tbl. mustard
3 green onions
10 oz. sour cream
1 ½ tsp. prepared horseradish
celery salt to taste and fresh ground pepper
Chop onions, celery and eggs while the potatoes boil. Mix everything together and enjoy.
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 12
Oh yea! This is worth every calorie.
1.5 lb. macaroni, boiled in salted water till tender, drained & rinsed with cold water to stop the cooking
4oz. butter
1 small onion, diced
“Shy” cup flour (take off about 2 Tb.)
Salt & pepper to taste
½ gal. milk, hot
4 pinches nutmeg
2 tsp. dry mustard powder
2 dash Tabasco sauce
2 lb. grated good cheese (gruyere, cheddar, etc.)
For the Topping blend together:
3 oz. melted butter
2 2/3 cups bread crumbs
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Melt the butter & over medium heat cook the onions till tender but not browned. Sprinkle in the flour and salt & pepper, whisk till sandy in color. Slowing whisk in the milk, nutmeg, mustard and Tabasco. Lower heat & simmer about 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat & stir in the cooked macaroni & grated cheese, taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into a casserole & sprinkle with the topping. Holds great here if you want to make it in advance. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.
Tenderloin, Caramelized Onions and Blue-Veined Brie Sandwiches
Serves 12
You cannot just go buy anything like this. The onions can be caramelized up to three days before eaten and sautéed sliced Portobello mushrooms drizzled with a little balsamic make a delicious lighter or vegetarian alternative to this combination. Most whole beef tenderloins are about 8 pounds.
For the caramelized onions;
3 lb. onions
1/3 cup olive oil
3 T. fresh thyme
Couple splashes of red wine
12 sandwich rolls
4 lb. cold well seasoned roasted tenderloin, sliced thin
3 wedges blue veined brie cheese (Bla Blue or Cabonzola)
Lettuce leaves or Arugula
Mayo on the side
Caramelize the onions; Peel, halve and slice the onions. Heat well a large heavy skillet over a medium flame. Add the oil and cook the onions tossing occasionally for about half an hour. Add the thyme and a few splashes of wine, let it cook down, add salt & pepper to taste and that’s it.
To make the sandwiches divide your ingredients among the rolls, start with the brie on the bottom and salt & pepper the beef to taste. Set out a good mayo.
Walnut Brownies
I have tried all the brownie recipes you can imagine and these are still my favorite.
8 oz. butter
5 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
2 1 /2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 “shy” cup flour (take out 1 Tbl.)
1 /4 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. Vanilla
1 /2 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
3 /4 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch baking pan. Melt gently over low heat in a small sauce pan the butter and unsweetened chocolate cubes. Take off the heat and add the sugar, eggs flour, salt, vanilla, walnuts and the chocolate chips. Fold together with a rubber spatula and then scrape out into the prepared pan and bake till just pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 25-30 minutes.
Article by Lynette La Mere, Executive Chef Pure Joy Catering
Published in Jan 2013 Food & Home Magazine
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