Host a Winning Super-Bowl Party
Got your game face on for the most watched TV broadcast? Host a Super Bowl party that die-hard fans — and those there just for the commercials — can enjoy
Here’s everything you’ll need to throw a winning Super Bowl party.
Beer and Beer Steins: Stock up on brands of brews that represent the two opposing teams. (For examples, go to www.realsimple.com/beer.)
Decorations: Show off your home-field advantage with a festive football-themed decor (shown). Cut coasters out of AstroTurf ($1 per square foot at www.ondecksports.com, or go to your local hardware store). Set out potted wheatgrass (available at flower shops and nurseries) topped with pennants and mini footballs (check out www.michaels.com and www.partycity.com). Design your table runner to look like a football field; just spread out Con-Tact Chalkboard Contact Paper ($6 for a roll, 18 inches by six feet, at www.amazon.com) and draw yard lines with chalk and a ruler. Then leave out the chalk and let your guests strategize their own plays throughout the party.
Food: Upgrade traditional tailgate fare with these healthier — and tastier — versions: Spec-Taters, Pigskins in a Blanket (with chicken sausage), and baked Kickin’ Chicken Fingers (see recipes).
Party Game: You will need tags, string, and a marker. In lieu of a football pool, have each guest predict the winner’s final score. Write each guess on a tag and tie it to his or her beer stein. Whoever gets closest to the correct score wins.
Recipes
Kickin’ Chicken Nuggets
1 6-ounce bag spicy pita chips (such as Stacy?s Texarkana Hot)
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
1 egg
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup sour cream
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
Heat oven to 400° F.
Place the pita chips and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the parsley, if using.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Dip the chicken in the egg, letting any excess drip off, then in the pita-chip mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere. Place the chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and scallions and serve with the chicken for dipping.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 285(71% from fat); FAT 14g (sat 4g); SUGAR 4g; PROTEIN 21g; CHOLESTEROL 90mg; SODIUM 301mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 17g
Pigskins in a Blanket
1 12-ounce package fully cooked chicken sausage
1 8-ounce sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/3 cup whole-grain mustard
Heat oven to 400° F.
Cut the sausages in quarters lengthwise, then in half crosswise.
Cut the puff pastry into strips 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Roll the sausage pieces in the pastry strips and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and serve with the mustard for dipping.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Spec-taters
Swap a sports-bar favorite for a snack that’s more refined and better for you, too. Create a potato bar by baking a 15-ounce package of Alexia Oven Fries frozen potato wedges (available at supermarkets) and serving them warm with a variety of toppings, like chopped red onion, salsa, grated Cheddar, jalapeños, and low-fat sour cream.