Let's face it, on Super Bowl Sunday, football often takes a back seat to commercials and great food. And at the best parties, the biggest competition of the day is who brings the best appetizer, not who scores the most points!
We've pulled together a few of our favorite finger foods, dips and sweets to make sure your Super Bowl snack submission is a touchdown!
Mini Pizzas (Photo via simpleasthatblog.com)
These fan favorite pizza snacks have a Mexican flare thanks to green chiles and Tabasco. You'll want to double or triple this recipe for large crowds (or leftovers). Pro tip: Mix up the topping and slice the bread the night before, so all you have to do on game day is assemble and bake.
Ingredients:
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
4-ounce can diced green chiles
4 1/4-ounce can chopped black olives
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons tabasco
2 long baguettes, about 2 inches in diameter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slices the baguettes thinly. Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread mixture on bread slices and arrange on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the topping is melted and bread is slightly crisp.
Buffalo Chicken Dip (Photo via hormel.com)
With all the flavor of buffalo wings without the messy fingers, this recipe scores big on game day! There's plenty of room for modifying it to your exact preference, too. Swap in mozzarella cheese for the bleu cheese if you prefer less tang. Use canned chicken instead of shredded if you're in a rush.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
Chopped green onions or jalapenos (optional)
Crackers, chips and/or veggies for dipping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients and spoon into shallow one-quart baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through. Stir and garnish with chopped green onions or jalapenos, if desired. Serve with crackers, Tostitos Scoops, or sliced veggies.
Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs (Photo via lowstoluxe.com)
Every Super Bowl Party needs a set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker recipe, and by using frozen meatballs, this great version couldn't be easier. Serve with cocktail toothpicks in team colors for added team spirit.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
28-ounce bag fully cooked, frozen meatballs
In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and garlic.
Place the frozen meatballs in a 3-4 quart crockpot. Pour sauce over the meatballs and stir so all are coated evenly. Cook, stirring occasionally, on low for 4 hours (or on high for two hours if you're in a pinch).
This fantastic vegan version of the classic seven-layer dip will satisfy the vegetarians and vegans in your life, and it's so good your carnivore friends won't notice the difference. It's the quarterback sneak of appetizers!
Ingredients
12-13 ounces of your favorite veggie meat crumbles, like Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Vegetarian Grillers Crumbles or Gardein's The Ultimate Beefless Ground
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups salsa
About 2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese, like Follow Your Heart or Daiya
8 ounces soy sour cream
1 cup guacamole
2 1/4 ounce can sliced black olives
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
Tortilla chips for dipping
In a large skillet, brown the veggie crumbles in olive oil. Add the taco seasoning and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Place the beans in a blender or food processor with a 1/2 cup of the salsa, and blend for about 15 to 20 seconds, until the beans are the consistency of refried beans.
Layer the following in a serving dish:
- Spread the beans into the bottom of serving tray that is about 1 1/2 inches deep.
- Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded soy cheese on top of beans.
- Sprinkle browned veggie crumbles on top of the cheese.
- Spread sour cream carefully over the veggie crumbles.
- Spread guacamole on top of sour cream.
- Pour the remaining salsa over the guacamole and spread evenly.
- Top with the remaining shredded cheese, and sprinkle the top with the sliced black olive, chopped tomatoes and green onions.
Chill slightly, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.
M&M Cookies in Team Colors (Photo via thepioneerwoman.com)
M&M cookies are great for any occasion, but we LOVE making these cookies with our favorite team's colors for an extra-special Super Bowl treat. You can special order M&M's in 25 colors on their website, or feel free to pick them out of a few standard bags — we won't tell if you eat the extras.
Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening or 2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups M&Ms
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, shortening (or butter) and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour, salt and baking soda and blend well. Add 3/4 cup of the M&Ms.
Chill the dough for about 5 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets and gently push a few extra candies on top of each cookie.
Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes.