It’s been a GREAT season for professional football, and if your house is anything like mine, we are all looking forward to Super sports weekend with fervor! We love watching the game, wearing our favorite jersey’s and talking smack about teams and scores of course…but my favorite component of the day might be the snack table.
Having friends or family over to watch the game is great fun, but not if you’re stuck in the kitchen preparing a big feast. I like to lay out a table full of snacks, appetizers and finger foods that guests can graze at all day that allows me time to watch the game with minimal fuss. It’s also easy to prepare a snack buffet as many items can be made the night before, and you can start with prepared items often. Just make sure to follow temperature guidelines for anything left out more than an hour; use a chafing dish or crock pot for the hot items and put dips and dairy items on a plate of ice. Add a tub of beer and soft drinks on ice and you’re ready for kick off!
Sausage Cheese Meatballs
2 lbs sage sausage, (or chorizo)
1 ½ cups all purpose baking mix, like Bisquick
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup finely minced onion
½ cup finely minced celery
2 T. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375.Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Shape into 1” balls and lay out on cookie sheet, bake for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan; serve with toothpicks or cocktail forks and a variety of mustards for dipping.
Warm Lobster Dip
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 8 ounce lobster tail, cooked and minced (or use canned)
1 1/4 cups swiss or gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Splash of pale ale
Paprika
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and slowly whisk in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lobster 3/4 cupcheese and the juice. Reserve 2 tablespoons scallion; stir remaining scallion into lobster mixture. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Broil 6 inches from heat until golden and bubbly, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved scallion and a sprinkling of paprika. Serve warm with tortilla chips, toast or hearty crackers. Hint: this recipe freezes well so make a double-batch while you’re at it; freeze baked and cooled dip in original container, well covered for up to two months.