Yes, there is a lot of drama floating around Super Bowl XLIX, and yes, a lot of people are still very upset about it. Then there are those of you who are way more interested in Puppy Bowl XI.
No matter what side of the fence you find yourself on, there’s one thing we can all agree on: The food is unbeatable.
The Super Bowl is like a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, except without all the pomp and circ*mstance. If you don’t leave a Super Bowl party with at least one stain on your shirt, you’re doing it wrong.
So in honor of this glorious event, we’ve rounded up the recipes for some our favorite game day eats to share with you. Enjoy in fullness and bring a Tide Pen.
Capital Bar and Grill’s Pimento Cheese
Impress your guests with THE pimento cheese people drive for miles to consume, with soda crackers to spare.The folks at Capital Bar and Grillwere kind enough to share the recipe with us, and now we’re passing on the favor. You owe us.
The ingredients:
-For the pimento cheese
- 1 lb. of sharp cheddar
- Splash of cider vinegar
- ¾ cup roasted peppers, pulsed or chopped (make sure you drain the water out of them)
- 2 Tsp. onion powder
- 2 Tsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¾ Cup mayonnaise (Start with ½ cup and add as needed)
- Pinch of cayenne
- Dash of sriracha
– For the soda crackers
- 4 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tsp. baking powder
- 3 sticks butter
- 1 1/3 cups milk
The process:
Combine all pimento cheese ingredients in a mixing bowl. Adjust to personal taste. Serve with home made crackers and peeled celery stalks.
For the soda crackers, combine the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until the butter is well cut into the flour. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour mixture with the milk, adding a little flour if it feels too wet to handle. Wrap in plastic and allow to chill for a couple of hours. On a well-floured board, roll thin, “dock” the dough by creating perforations with a dinner fork. Brush the dough with a light egg wash or clarified butter, sprinkle with sea salt and cut to desired size and shape. Bake at 350 F until lightly-browned.
Grilled Rice and Black Bean Burritos with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Shoveling down burritos doesn’t have to be the least healthy thing you’ve ever done.Tiffany Aaron proved it with these goodies that won her therice recipe contest atArkansas Rice Expo 2014. Behold.
Credit: University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
The ingredients:
-For the burrito:
- 1 1/4 cup cooked white rice
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 15.25 oz. can fiesta corn, drained
- 1 15.5 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 oz. pepper jack cheese, finely shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for grilling
- 10 whole wheat flour tortillas
-For the dipping sauce:
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
The process:
Preheat the grill to medium/high heat. In a large bowl, stir together all burrito ingredients except for the flour tortillas. Place a slightly heaping 1/3 cup of mixture into the center of each tortilla. Roll up burrito-style and secure with a toothpick. Brush both sides with olive oil and place on hot grill. Cook until tortilla is crispy. Prepare dipping sauce by placing all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blending until smooth. Serves 10 people.
Beef Kebabs on the Grill
You can’t fool us. We know some of you would stand in the middle of an NYC blizzard if you had your grill by your side. And while game day will be far from balmy, with the help of Simply Recipes, something tells us you’ll find a way to make these delicious kebabs happen either way.
Credit: Simply Recipes
The ingredients:
-For the marinade:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
-For the kebabs:
- 1 1/2 lb. top sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1-2 medium red onions
- 1/2 to a pound button mushrooms
- About 20 bamboo or wooden skewers
The process:
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and add the meat. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably several hours or even overnight.
Soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. This will help prevent them from burning on the grill.
Cut the vegetables into chunks, roughly the width of the beef pieces. Thread the meat and vegetables onto double bamboo skewers. Using double skewers will help you turn the kebabs on the grill. If you keep space between the pieces, they grill more evenly. Paint the kebabs with some of the remaining marinade.
Prepare your grill for high, direct heat. Grill for 8-10 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is, and how done you like your meat. Turn occasionally. Let rest for five minutes before serving.
Local Lime’s Summer Garden Pico Salsa
Ok, like we said: We know it’s not summertime, but it’s never to early to prepare the palate, right? Just crank the heat up in your house and call it July.
Credit: Local Lime
The ingredients:
- 1.5 cup halved cherry tomatoes (Local Lime tip: only use super-sweet summer tomatoes like Sweet 100 or Sun Gold or the best available at your local farmers market. It’s risky to buy tomatoes before late May.)
- 1 cup small diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh corn off the cob
- 1/4 cup small diced poblano pepper
- 1/4 cup fine sliced spring onion
- 1/2 cup canned black beans rinsed and strained
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño
- 1 tablespoon habanero pepper sauce (Local Lime tip: like Melinda’s)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
The process:
Combine the ingredients and refrigerate for up to three days or serve immediately. It’s great with steak, seafood, chick or as a dip with avocado and chips.
Farm-to-Market-to-Table Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
And to end the list off right, of course we had to include Kevin Shalin’s find of aHoney Sriracha Chicken Wings recipe. These are the dish that’s so good, you don’t mind a ruined T-shirt. These are the true game-changers.
Credit: Kevin Shalin
The ingredients:
-For the wings
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
- 2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
-For the sauce
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 cup Sriracha (Asian chile sauce)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
The process:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Dry the chicken wings with paper towels and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the melted butter, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the mixture over the wings and toss well to coat. Spread the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the wings until browned and crisp, 45 to 55 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the honey, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice and stir until the mixture bubbles gently. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Carefully remove the wings from the baking sheet and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the wings and gently toss to coat. Transfer the wings to a serving platter and drizzle with more honey; serve with lime wedges.
Goodnight and good luck, game watchers. See you in the indigestion of Monday morning. Bring Tums.
