I am not a big NFL football fan. However, around playoff time, I start to spark a little interest in anticipation of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LVII will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m. The San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles will compete for the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy. The Super Bowl will decide the champion for NFL football for this season.
It is estimated that 151 million people will watch what is the most television watched event of the year — the Super Bowl. I will be one of those people. Of the top 10 most watched television programs, nine of them are Super Bowls. The only other program in that top 10 is the final episode of “M*A*S*H.”
I especially enjoy the hype before the event. As soon as I get home from church, the Super Bowl coverage will already have started. Those are the kinds of stories I enjoy — personal stories of players, coaches and fans.
My living room is very comfortable. I have a great television and can wear my pajama pants and favorite T-shirt. I camp out for the afternoon and evening with all the comforts of home.
The main disadvantage of actually attending the Super Bowl is that you don’t get to see all the great commercials. I honestly think that is a favorite part of the Super Bowl experience. Those commercials will be talked about the next day just as much, if not more than the actual game. The average cost of one 30 second commercial is $5.6 million. When the Super Bowl began in 1967, a 30 second commercial cost $40,000.
Another topic concerning the Super Bowl is the ever constant, “What will we eat?” The Super Bowl is the second biggest day for food consumption, only second to Thanksgiving. At our house chicken wings are a must — over 1.3 billion chicken wings will be eaten on Super Bowl Sunday — we’ll do our part.
Another favorite food is guacamole. Over 8 million pounds will be eaten along with 14,500 tons of chips as an accompaniment.
Ten million pounds of ribs will be grilled and served and 48 million people will order takeout pizza.
The most amusing fact I have read is that 323 million gallons of beer will be consumed. I also read that over 7 million United States employees will not show up for work on Monday — go figure.
While you are cheering for the Eagles or the 49ers , make sure you have some great food for the game. Snack foods are probably everyone’s favorite. It might be fun to try something new — a baked potato bar with all the trimmings or a simmering bowl of soup or chili with toppings to please everyone’s palate. The sky’s the limit!
Whether you are watching the Super Bowl for the game, commercials or the party, enjoy this year’s Super Bowl. Today I have some Super Bowl snack ideas. Hope you will enjoy trying them. Thanks for reading.
LITTLE PIZZAS
1 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage (hot or mild)
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 loaves party rye bread
Cook beef and sausage in skillet until done and drain off fat. Add cheese, Worcestershire, garlic and oregano. Stir over low heat until cheese has melted. Spread mixture evenly on top of bread slices. Garnish with sliced black olives, stuffed olives or sliced mushrooms. Place on cookie sheets, and heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot.
(These may be prepared in advance and frozen before adding garnish and baking.)
MISSISSIPPI SIN
1 loaf Hawaiian or French bread
1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 (8-ounce) sour cream
2 packages (3-ounce) thinly sliced ham, chopped fine
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash of Tabasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
Mix cream cheese and sour cream; add all other ingredients and mix well. Hollow out center of the bread. Save this bread and cut into cubes for dipping. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out bread. Wrap in heavy foil, bringing up sides and folding over dip. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. Serve hot with bread cubes and additional crackers of your choice.
EASY STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Fresh button mushrooms
Ground sausage (hot or mild)
Garlic salt
Worcestershire
Dried breadcrumbs
Lemons
Lightly grease an oblong Pyrex baking dish. Wash and de-stem mushrooms. Place mushrooms in dish and stuff with uncooked sausage. Sprinkle with Worcestershire, garlic salt and breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.
PARTY ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES
1 (12-count) package King’s Hawaiian rolls
1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
3 tablespoons creamy horseradish
8 slices white American cheese
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon poppy seed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split each roll in half and evenly spread horseradish on bottom of each roll. Make a sandwich of the roast beef and cheese and top with roll top. Arrange the sandwiches in a 9-by-13- inch baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and poppy seeds — bring to a boil and pour over sandwiches. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until tops are brown and crispy.
