The Super Bowl is literally our Super Bowl. This is the pinnacle of our football season - we love sports and we love football.

We are obsessed with football in our family.  I don’t know if my kids even realize how much more our family watches football than other families. For me, it began with college football.  My cousin played for the Huskies and I got to go to every game.  I loved everything about it – the noise, unity of everyone cheering for the same team, the bright colors, the cheer leaders, there is literally nothing I love more than a football game.  I had a purple and yellow stripe outfit that I wore to cheer on the team every week. It was hot. It was a sleeveless turtleneck number with matching stretch pants. Welcome to 1988.

I married a football fan and I’ve been lucky enough to pass that love onto my children.  We play fantasy football as a family, we watch games together, and we are at every Husky football game – still.  Which makes the Super Bowl our last hurrah as football season officially comes to an end. 

Planning the food for the Super Bowl is a paramount decision at our house.  Here’s five tips that I use every time, they may help you plan your own football party!

ONE

Buffalo Chicken is the best for football, but frying chicken is a hassle.  I have found that pulled chicken dressed in buffalo wing sauce is just as awesome and so much easier (also, can be made ahead!)

•   Buffalo Chicken Tots

•   Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

TWO

Make cocktails in a large batch or a punch.  No one wants to bartend all night.  I usually try to make something blue or green (Go Hawks!)

• Boozy Church Lady Punch

• Beast Mode Punch

Three

Crunchy snacks are mandatory for stressful moments.  We can only hope for a blow out (by us not them) but that’s never what happens and the stress of seeing your team going for it on fourth and one is real.

• Rosemary Roasted Cashews

• Ranch Popcorn

Four

Don’t forget dessert!

• Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

• Study Treats

FIVE

Clear off your coffee table – or bring in a low table – cover it with a piece of astroturf and load it up with all your food.  No one wants to walk away from the television – between the game and the ads, this is TVs biggest day! And the biggest day for our family. (also, the astroturf protects your table)

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Growing up there was always a sherbet punch. It’s a classic church lady punch where the scoops of sherbet float and bob on top of a punch bowl filled with a bubbly juice and sprite mixture of some sort. I loved that punch. We never had sherbet in the house growing up so it was such a treat to dip into the bowl of punch and chase a scoop of sherbet.

This is not that punch.

But if you also used to drool over the bobs of sherbet, you will love this boozy version that’s one part church lady punch and one part blended cocktail.

Boozy Church Lady Punch

makes 2 large drinks

1 cup lime sherbert

1 cup lemonade

1 cup vodka

1/4 cup cointreau

1-2 cups ice

Blend everything together in the blender and serve immediately. Or pour into freezable containers and blend again right before serving.

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A crunchy snack is almost required for every party. I don’t make the rules - but it’s one of the key elements of an appetizer plate, a snack plate, or a football spread. For football, there’s something about crunching when nerves are running high.

These cashews are perfect. They feel healthier, are delicious, and are super simple to make. Our neighborhood has an annual sales for the Boy Scouts when they sell nuts, so if you also bought too many last year, then this is a great way to use them up!

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

1 lb cashews

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (about 3 sprigs)

2 tablespoons salt

fresh cracked pepper

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter and toss everything into the butter. Coat completely.

STEP 2

Pour the nuts out onto a baking sheet and pop into the oven. Don’t walk away! They brown quickly, so watch them for about 10-15 minutes until all of the nuts are toasted. Let cool completely before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

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I love a buffalo chicken sandwich and usually the chicken is fried. But you know what I hate doing at home, frying food. It’s messy. It’s smelly. And it feels so unhealthy when you see the actual frying of the food. When the restaurant makes it, I can overlook just how much grease it takes to fry the chicken.

So I decided to see how I felt about a “pulled chicken” sandwich with buffalo and let me tell you - it’s awesome. It’s so simple to pull off and has all of the same flavors that make a buffalo chicken sandwich great.

The slaw is a game changer too. It’s so simple, but has the blue cheese tossed into it, so the buffalo chicken vibe is all the way through the sandwich.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

makes 6 sandwiches

1.5 pounds chicken breast, shredded

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup Franks Wing Sauce

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped cabbage

1/4 cup blue cheese dressing

salt & pepper

brioche buns

sliced beefsteak tomatoes

STEP 1

Toss the shredded chicken with melted butter and wing sauce. If you’re shredding your own chicken, I throw the butter in while it’s hot and let it melt on it’s own.

STEP 2

Toss together the chopped celery, cabbage and blue cheese dressing. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

STEP 3

Toast the brioche buns and top with shredded chicken, celery slaw, a big slice of tomato and extra wing sauce. Serve warm!

TIPS

• Every part of this can be made ahead of time and stashed in the fridge. Right before serving, heat the chicken and toast the buns.

• Shredding your own chicken is super simple - poach the chicken then toss it in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and blend until shredded.

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Peanut butter and chocolate is such a classic combination - I can’t imagine a better dessert than incorporating peanut butter into a brownie. These brownies are especially fudgy and gooey and perfect for a ribbon of peanut butter.

This is the kind of thing I will make for a football watching party because they are done the day before, they are crazy rich so you don’t need a huge batch, and they are epic - so they will disappear fast! They are also not too hard to make, so they seem like you worked hard (homemade brownies!) but they are as simple as a regular cookie.

The thing that may throw you off is the double boiler. Really, this is a bowl over a pot of hot water. You’re trying to slowly melt the chocolate and butter together to get it to be liquidy. You can do this in a microwave too, it’s just a little more effort because you have to keep checking it and starting the microwave again. The double boiler - over a medium low heat - will do the work itself with just a little whisking.

The only other “trick” to remember is to go super slow when adding the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. If you go too fast, the eggs will turn into little bits of scrambled eggs and that’s not delicious in a brownie. I just turn on the mixer, go slow, and let it splash a little bit. As long as you’re pouring slow and the mixer is on low, the splashing won’t be too bad.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

makes about a dozen

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate

8 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Make a double boiler by layering a glass bowl over a boiling pot of water. Place the 8 tablespoons butter and 8 ounces chocolate in the double boiler and whisk over medium heat until melted.

STEP 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend together the brown sugar and eggs until smooth. With the mixer running, pour the chocolate in a slow steady stream. If you go too fast, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.

STEP 3

Once the chocolate has been incorporated, stir in the flour 1/4 cup at a time. When everything is just incorporated, scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

STEP 4

In a separate bowl, combine remaining butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Dot the top of the brownies with the peanut butter mixture and swirl in to incorporate.

STEP 5

Pop into the oven and bake 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Or clean-ish - a few crumbs will come up at the very end.

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This is 1000% a kid dinner. But sometimes that’s exactly what you need. It’s a huge hit - especially if you have everyone choose their own toppings. Go more elegant with prosciutto and pesto - or keep it basic with pepperoni and black olives. All that’s really needed is the sauce and cheese - everything else is up to you!

When layering up the waffles, the size of your waffle maker will determine a lot. I used this Belgian maker that has really deep wells. The deeper the wells, the more filling I can get into the waffles and the more batter I can use. If yours has shallow wells, just use slightly less batter.

I also push down super gently and let it cook and melt as I push. If you get too forceful, the hinge will break and then you’re out of luck.

Don’t forget to serve with extra sauce! The best part is dipping bites into the sauce!

Calzone Waffles

serves 4

2 cups flour

2 tbs sugar

1 tbs Baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

8 tablespoons butter

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup Pizza sauce

¼ cup olive tapanade

¼ lb sliced Salami

2 cups Shredded mozzarella

STEP 1

Preheat your waffle maker.  Mix together buttermilk, melted butter and eggs.

STEP 2

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cheese.  Pour in wet ingredients and stir until just combined.  Let rest 5 mins. 

STEP 3

Place ¼ cup waffle batter on the hot waffle maker.  Top with pizza sauce, salami, tapenade, shredded mozzarella, and another scoop of pizza sauce.  Cover everything with another ¼ cup of waffle batter.

STEP 4

Press waffle maker top down and cook 10 minutes or until waffle is done. Serve with more tomato sauce on the side.

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I cannot believe I haven’t shared these tots before! I am obsessed with tater tots AND obsessed with buffalo wings. It’s the perfect football snack - and this weekend the Seahawks have a very big game so you’ll need something to eat. Here it is. This is the best mash up of football snacks ever.

Pearl and I devoured this batch of them as soon as I made them. The real trick is to get the tots extra crispy. If you have an air fryer, use that! If you don’t, make sure our tots are on one even layer when you put them in the oven- and make sure your oven is extra hot (like 450 degrees). The crispier the tots, the longer you have with these being delicious. If your tots are soggy to start, then they will only get mushier as you serve them.

These are so great on a football game day because they take almost no time to pull together. I started at Town & Country stores for the groceries - it’s one of my favorite new stores.

I am obsessed with grocery stores. It’s actually my favorite activity when we’re on vacation, in a new city, or if I have time to kill. I love to see what other cities have on their shelves. I love to see local products. I love the adventure of finding new things.

Town & Country does not disappoint. It’s such a great store!

It’s also really fun in this big city we live in to travel across town and see the store that is totally different from the store down the block. I found a few things at Town & Country that I now exclusively drive across town to find! Let me know what your favorite grocery store find is and where you find it!

Buffalo Chicken Tots

1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (I use Frank’s)

1/2 cup butter

2 cups shredded chicken (I buy rotisserie and shred it)

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Blue cheese dressing

Blue cheese crumbles

STEP 1

Cook the tots in the air fryer until very crispy but not burned.

STEP 2

Melt together butter and wing sauce in a large pan. Toss in shredded chicken and cook until warmed.

STEP 3

Spread the tots out on a serving platter. Top with the chicken and pour any extra sauce on top. Sprinkle over celery, onion, and blue cheese crumbles. Drizzle blue cheese dressing on top and serve hot!

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When I was a kid I drank V8 like it was juice. When I grew up and discovered you could combine it with vodka and garnish with my very favorite pickled vegetables, it was like a match made in heaven. I’ve had my share of regular Bloody Marys and I have not really had a bad one yet. Some mediocre ones - some weak ones - but never a bad one. If you want my classic Bloody Mary, click here.

But then I heard of a rumor of people who don’t like tomatoes. Can you believe that’s a thing? Well, if you’re reading this, then possibly you are one of those people? I can’t imagine not loving tomatoes - especially when they are fresh. But if you mix them with vodka, how can they be bad ever?

Anyway… I’m being accommodating and it turns out these are EPIC so I’m not worried about how you don’t like tomatoes.

Roasting the jalapeño and tomatillos is an extra step, but I highly recommend it - actually require it in the recipe - because it makes the drink so much better.

I also grilled some shrimp for the top because who doesn’t love something a little extra? And these shrimp are EXTRA. Don’t forget to share if you make these! I can’t wait to see what you do.

Tomatillo Bloody Mary

makes 4 large cocktails

8 tomatillos

1 jalapeño

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

1/2 cup cilantro

1 cucumber

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon horseradish

2 teaspoons worchestershire

2 teaspoon Old Bay

8 ounces vodka

garnishes like olives, celery, or grilled shrimp

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the husk off the tomatillos and slice them in half. Spread them out on a baking sheet with the jalapeño. Drizzle oil on top and sprinkle with salt. Pop in the oven and let roast about 10 minutes until toasty.

STEP 2

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Don’t forget to pour any liquid from the roasted tomatillos into the blender too.

STEP 3

Combine equal parts vodka and tomatillo juice in a glass. Add ice and garnish!

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I am obsessed with tots. I adore good tater tots. Add them to any meal and you have a real party. Start topping them with things and then we’re really talking. Adding BBQ pork, coleslaw and some green onions made these tots a ridiculously filling Monday Night Football dinner.

I made the pork myself in the oven with a super simple recipe. It’s so easy to make tender pork but it’s also easy to buy some already done at a good grocery store or Costco. Just toss the shredded pork with barbecue sauce and you’re set. You’re welcome to shred the cabbage yourself too - or just purchase it from the grocery store. The only thing you really “make” from home is the white sauce. It’s so simple to get dinner on the table and this one is a particularly fun one. Enjoy!

Shredded Pork BBQ Tots

4 cups shredded pork

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

2 pounds frozen tater tots

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon worchestershire

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon horseradish

1/2 teaspoon honey

2 green onions, chopped

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay the tots in one layer on a baking sheet. Pop them into the oven and let them bake for 20 minutes, flip over, then bake another 20 minutes or until golden brown.

STEP 2

Blend together mayonnaise, vinegar, worchestershire, pepper, salt, horseradish, and honey. Pour half of the mixture over the shredded cabbage. Toss and let it sit.

STEP 3

Make sure the shredded pork is warm. Toss the pork with the BBQ Sauce.

STEP 4

Spread the tots out on a platter and top with pork. Add slaw to the top and garnish with sliced green onion. Serve with remaining white sauce and any extra BBQ sauce.

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Just when you think a perfect Bloody Mary doesn’t exist - I figured it out. I actually think it’s harder to make a bad Bloody Mary instead of a good one, but once I undertook making my own Bloody Mary mix - I think I cracked into the best Bloody Mary ever.

The history of the Bloody Mary is really kind of hilarious. There are a million stories. The most likely originates at Harry’s Bar in Paris where a bartender named Fernand Petiot conceived of the cocktail and named it for the ruthless rule of Queen Mary I of England in the mid 1550’s. The tomato juice represents the blood shed, the vodka and spices mimic the brutal means the queen used. He devised it as a breakfast cocktail - but it was simple back then, just tomato juice and vodka with a dash of Worcestershire.

The funniest story of it’s origin is that Hemingway was in Harry’s Bar just before he got married. Hemingway ordered a drink mixed with juice so no one would smell the vodka on his breath - so tomato juice was added. While he was drinking, he was muttering “Bloody Mary,” the name of the girlfriend he was giving up in favor of marriage. Hilarious. For loads of reasons but the number one being, would Hemingway really give up a girl because of marriage?

See what you think about my best Bloody Mary and tell me if you think it’s named for a cruel queen or a future potential mistress.

The Best Bloody Mary

makes 4 drinks

2 1/2 tablespoons worchestershire

juice of 1/2 a lime

1 tablespoon olive brine

1 teaspoon crushed celery seed

1 teaspoon horseradish

16 ounces tomato juice

10 dashes tabasco (more or less to taste)

8 ounces vodka

olives, celery, pickled beans, cucumber, lime wedges, bacon, pickled onions, and anything else you love!

STEP 1

In a pitcher, mix together Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, olive brine, celery seed, and horseradish. Pour in tomato juice and stir to combine. Add tabasco to taste.

STEP 2

Fill four highball glasses with ice. Split the vodka amongst the glasses (2 ounces) and top with tomato mixture (4 ounces). Garnish to your hearts content! Add more tabasco or lime wedges as needed.

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