The Brickyard Restaurant & Sports Pub server Samantha Sinclair shows the wings that are featured at the restaurant/bar. Front to back: spicy, jerk and barbecue.
Don't fumble when it comes to satisfying the hearty appetites of your armchair football fans this Super Bowl season.
As the teams square off for Super Bowl XLIV (No. 44) on Sunday, score a snack touchdown for those hungry for more than game action.
You can punt with chicken, chili, potatoes, pasta and sandwiches — all the best bar food, suggests www.womansday.com.
The Web site, which offers 30 game-day snack ideas, recommends any kind of meat — whether it's meatballs simmering in a slow cooker, chicken wings or brawny sandwiches that are easy to eat with one hand.
Snack mixes and easy desserts will fill any gaps.
What kitchen quarterback wouldn't reach the goal line with chicken wings, trademark Super Bowl snack fare?
When it comes to wings, a rule of thumb is that when you spice them up, you can always go hotter, but you can't go cooler, said Christian Kelker, co-owner of The Brickyard Restaurant & Sports Pub in Lancaster.
You can flavor wings with all types of barbecue sauces in different degrees of spice and heat, Kelker said, but he also offers some other savory ideas.
"A-1 is good on them, Old Bay, (powder from ranch packets) … the list goes on and on."
Wing sauces can be made from just about anything in your refrigerator's condiment shelf or your pantry, he said. Funky mustards or chutneys work, as well as Chinese food sauce packets mixed with a grape jelly.
And one other thing.
"Peanut butter and jelly are good on them, too."
The menu on Super Bowl Sunday at Scooters Restaurant & Bar in Lititz will include mini-burgers, nachos, different types of gourmet pizzas and something new: mini-hot dogs with buns to match, paired with chili or sauces.
For your home Super Bowl wingding, Scooters' chef Tim Whitmyer recommends trying a different pizza crust. Take a French bread baguette and add sauce, cheese and a multitude of other toppings and then slice the loaf up for individual servings.
At Vinola's Restaurant & Bar in Leola, there also will be a parade of pizzas with plenty of varied toppings during halftime of the Super Bowl, said owner Ola Michalska.
A consummate favorite, fitting for a bar, is Margherita Pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil, she said. You'll find recipes for different versions online.
Michalska suggested two hearty toppings you can try at home to dress up standard cheese: shrimp scampi and tenderloin tips.
Putting fat content aside, anything fried is a mainstay of a Super Bowl party, she said.
In addition to wings, think chicken nuggets.
When you bring out the chips, you've got to have dip — a game-day necessity, says www.womansday.com.
"I suggest a seven-layer dip, with salsa, refried beans, sour cream — which can top tortilla chips," Whitmyer said.
For the more health-conscious at your party, use low-fat yogurt as a dip for fruits and veggies. You can even bake corn tortillas and use them as chips.
And if you really want to cut calories, bake your chicken wings and serve with fat-free barbecue sauce. Other less-fat snacks include homemade trail mix, fiber-rich cereals, as well as whole-grain crackers, popcorn — light on salt and butter — and pretzels with honey-mustard sauce.
When it comes to beverages, cater to the wants of your guests.
Beer, soda, punches and coffee — and yes, sparkling water — should fill most needs.
And don't forget the ice.
Remember, you can win over the toughest crowd with unbeatable eats.
Recipes
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