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Food, fun and (American) football

The Super Bowl and the events immediately surrounding it will probably score high on residents’ priority lists on Sunday.The fantastic commercials and star-studded half-time show are likely to prove a draw even for those who have no idea who the San Francisco 49ers or Baltimore Ravens are.For the sports fanatic there are numerous storylines attached to the game, from Ray Lewis’ last appearance in a Ravens shirt, to 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh facing his brother John, the Ravens head coach.Not everyone cares about the game, however, and for those people the half-time show will be the must see event this weekend. Last year, Madonna’s half-time performance was the most-watched Super Bowl half-time performance ever, with an average of 114 million viewers. It got more viewers than the game itself, which was the most-watched US television event in history.This time around it’s Beyonce’s turn, and the question on everyone’s lips is: Will she mime or actually sing this time? Husband Jay-Z is being tipped to make a surprise appearance, while OneRepublic and Matchbox Twenty will perform as part of the pregame show.With all those people gathered around television sets across America, the food bill this year is expected to top $55 million, and while Bermudians won’t spend that much, the parties across the Island are likely to see a lot of food and drink consumed.But what should you serve your guests if you’re hosting a party, and what should you bring if asked.When it comes to menu items it seems nachos smothered with cheese, chicken wings bathed in barbecue sauce and chips laden with dip are all the rage during the football festivities.Here are a few recipes to keep you and your guests satisfied.Loaded potato slices (with all the yummy toppings, but in easy to grab slices)Ingredients (Serves 8): Four large, uniformly-shaped russet potato, scrubbed well and sliced into ⅛” rounds; Cooking spray; Three packs shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese; Salt and pepper to taste; Eight tbs crumbled bacon (about 8 slices) — real bacon works best; Chopped parsley or chives, for garnish (optional).Method: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring sliced potatoes to a boil in cold, salted water to cover for five minutes. Carefully drain, and transfer slices to a paper-towel-lined countertop or cutting board; pat to dry. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay out potato slices so they are overlapping on it. Spray lightly with additional cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese and bacon. Bake 12-14 minutes in preheated oven until cheese is melted & bubbly. Serve with chipotle ranch sauce.Chipotle ranch dipping sauceIngredients: Four tsp ranch dressing; 12 tbs sour cream; One tsp chipotle chilli powder; ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust more or less depending on how spicy you like it); ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp garlic powder.Method: Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.Nachos with chilli con carne (because Super Bowl wouldn’t be Super Bowl without something to dip).Ingredients for the chilli con carne: 2-2½lbs beef chuck roast; 15 oz can of red enchilada sauce; ¾ c Musselman’s Apple Butter; 1 onion, sliced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp crushed red pepper.Ingredients for the nachos: Chilli con carne; 1lb bag tortilla chips; 3 packs shredded “Mexican style” cheese blend; One tub salsa; One ripe avocado chopped; One tomato, chopped (optional); ¼ c sliced black olives (optional); ¼ c chopped cilantro; ¼ c chopped green onion; ½ c sour cream.Method: Pour the enchilada sauce and apple butter in a Crockpot; and place the beef roast in it, followed by sliced onions, garlic, salt and red pepper. Cover and turn the Crockpot on high for four to five hours, until the beef is falling apart. Using two forks, shred the beef roast into the sauce, and leave on warm until ready to serve. When making the nachos, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the tortilla chips on a large, rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle half the cheese over the top and bake for 3 to 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Scoop the chilli con carne over the chips, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the hot beef. Top with any additional toppings and serve immediately.Chipotle chicken wings (They say 1.23 billion chicken wings are eaten by sports fans on Super Bowl Sunday — we don’t want to be left out, do we?)Ingredients: 1kg chicken wings, separated into drumsticks and wings; Four dried chipotle; Four cloves of garlic; Four tbs peanut oil; Two tsp salt and extra salt for seasoning.Method: Preheat oven to 200C. Soak chipotle in warm water until quite soft and then blend it together with 2 tbs of oil and garlic cloves to form a paste. Add salt to taste. Marinate the chicken wings with the paste and 2 tsp of salt for at least an hour — it works best if left to marinate overnight. Place chicken pieces on a tray, spread out evenly. Bake for 50 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces halfway through. Once they are done, take the tray out and enjoy.Prime rib slidersIngredients: Four to eight oz of leftover prime rib; Pepper jack cheese slices; Ripe red tomato slices; Baby spinach; French dinner rolls; ½ c caramelised onions; Horseradish (optional)Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice dinner rolls in half and lightly butter the insides (or brush/spray with olive oil). Place on a baking sheet and toast the rolls in the preheated oven. Start heating the prime rib in the oven until warm or pan fry them slightly to give a crispness to the meat. Place the prime rib on the toasted rolls, top with cheese, spinach and sliced tomato. Try rubbing some horseradish on the roll or pepper jack cheese for a little kick.Pigs in a blanketIngredients: Two tbs butter; One large yellow onion, thinly sliced; ½ tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper; One egg; One (9 x 9in) frozen all-butter puff pastry dough, thawed but still cold; Four (5”) pork hot dogs or beef hot dogs, halved lengthwise, then cut into one ½-inch pieces. Favourite mustard for dippingMethod: Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Start by melting butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and golden brown (about ten to 12 minutes); then stir in salt and pepper. Cool, then finely chop and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together one tablespoon of water and egg to make an egg wash; set aside. Arrange puff pastry on a clean surface and cut into 24 triangles, each about 2” by 3”. Transfer to a sheet tray, cover with plastic wrap, and keep refrigerated. Remove a few pieces of puff pastry from refrigerator at a time, so it stays cold. Spoon about 2 tsp onion onto a 3” end of each puff pastry triangle, then top with a piece of hot dog. Roll up, starting with hot dog end first. Along the way, using your fingers or a pastry brush, dab the puff pastry with a bit of egg wash to help seal. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Brush pigs in a blanket thinly with some of the egg wash and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Move to a platter and serve with mustard.

Planning your party

Tips on how to host a Super Bowl party of your own:

1. Start by planning a simple guest list, by considering friends and family who might enjoy the game. Make sure there’s enough room in your house to accommodate all the people you invite comfortably.

2. If you have a favourite team you’re rooting for, why not decorate your living room with that team’s colours? A little goes a long way in terms of streamers or game jerseys and your guests probably won’t be expecting you to go all out for it.

3. The most important part to consider is the game day menu. Taking a look on the internet, there are scores of recipes available for simple Super Bowl snacks (see main story for ideas). If you are running short on time, it might be a good idea to host a potluck and get each of your guests to bring a meal item. A platter of raw fruits and vegetables and cheese and crackers, might be a good option for keeping guests busy before the meal.

4. To make things a little more exciting, consider holding a few contests for the person who can guess the final score, or host a Super Bowl trivia game, filled with facts about the game’s history. The winners can take home a small prize. If there will be young children around, plan a few activities or games that can keep them occupied.

If you don’t want to host a party why not watch the game here

Not interested in throwing a Super Bowl bash of your own? Here are some other options:Docksider’s Pub & Restaurant — will have its front and back bars open and two large screen projectors for sports fans to get up close to the game day action. There are at least 20 other television screens in the pub and all will be tuned into the game. They will also be offering specials with 20 wings and five beers for $39.75 or for those who just want a little something to nibble on they can get a beer and slice of pizza for $7. They also have a Supreme Super Bowl Platter featuring a variety of appetisers on offer as well as a Tailgate Barbecue with rib-eye, burgers, hot dogs, ribs and sides available. The action will start at 4pm.Robin Hood Pub & Restaurant — will be having a Super Bowl Party from 6pm on Sunday. They will have games on offer like beer pong and food specials as well. Bartenders will be in their jerseys and there will even be special drinks in honour of the two teams, one called ‘Ravens’ and another called ‘49ers’.Outback Sports Bar at Flanagans — is expecting a packed house for Sunday’s big game. Their Super Bowl party is already sold out, but there will be standing room available upstairs, where Budweiser beer specials will be on offer. The specials will take place starting at 6pm.Fairmont Hamilton Princess — is hosting a Super Bowl Bash, starting at 3pm. They will air the pregame and game on large screen TVs. Admission is free and special deals will be running for beer and Breezer buckets. Drink prices will drop every time a touchdown is scored. For reservations, contact 298-5779.