Superbowl Party Snacks: What Every Superbowl Party Needs

Every year we gather around our good, old boob tube to observe a time honored tradition of masculine displays of great athleticism and competition; we call it the Superbowl. And along with it comes the Superbowl Party, a gathering to beat all others, for lovers of football. With alternating jubilance and frustration at one's team, the referees or the other team's dirty players, the carousing at these shindigs most definitely works up an appetite. Naturally, no real party, much less the king of all parties, should be without a good selection of snacks. Every Superbowl enthusiasts has their own list of favorite party snacks, and I am no different. So, below are some classic Superbowl snacks with my own special twists.

Simple Veggie Quesadillas

Ingredients

8 burrito-sized flour tortillas

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin 1-inch long strips

1/2 cup yellow or sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 - 8 oz can button mushrooms, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Softened butter or margarine

Hot sauce

Sour Cream

Salsa

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, bell peppers and mushrooms then sauté for 5 - 7 minutes or until tender. Remove vegetables and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.

2. Brush large skillet with a small amount of softened butter or margarine, just enough to coat the bottom. Place one tortilla in pan and cover with 1/4 of vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup cheese, sprinkle with 10 - 12 dashes of hot sauce or to taste and top with another tortilla. Cook 3 minutes or until crisp, temporarily move to a plate, brush skillet with butter or margarine again and cook 3 minutes or until crisp on other side.

3. Remove from skillet and cut quesadilla into eight pieces. Repeat for remaining quesadillas. Serve with salsa and sour cream on the side.

Now ten to twelve dashes of hot sauce may seem like much but it really isn't once the cheese melts and it blends in with the rest of the ingredients. But it is still best to start out slow when in doubt. Of course, any real partygoer knows you can't have a bash without the chips and dip. So here is an easy time tested favorite.

Easy Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 - 11.5 oz store bought Spinach Dip made with sour cream

1 - 14 oz can seasoned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x8 baking dish

2. In medium bowl, combine spinach dip, artichoke hearts, ½ cup parmesan cheese, cayenne and garlic. Mix well and spoon mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

3. Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or baked, thinly sliced pieces of baguette bread

If you like a little kick, the way I do, this is the perfect variation on the regular old spinach and artichoke dip. For me I even sprinkle a tiny bit of cayenne on the top after it comes out of the oven. Another traditional snack I make for just about every get-together is stuffed mushrooms. They take a little more work than some snacks but they are oh so good. Here is my recipe; I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Tuna Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh stuffer mushrooms

1 - 6 oz can tuna, drained

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 medium bell pepper, diced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/ 2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons butter

Grated parmesan cheese

A little water, if needed

Directions

1. Scrub mushrooms and remove stems. Finely chop mushroom stems. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and chopped mushroom stems and sauté until soft about 3 - 5 minutes. Add tuna and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in breadcrumbs, parmesan, seasoned salt, black pepper and garlic powder; combine well. Mixture should be slightly moist, if necessary add a little water.

4. Melt butter in a shallow baking dish. Stuff mushrooms with breadcrumb mixture, and sprinkle with parmesan. Place mushrooms, stuffed sides up, in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Set oven to broil. Broil mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Let cool 2 - 3 minutes then serve.

Any or all of these recipes are sure to make you a hit at this years Superbowl party. Mix them in with the Chex mix, salsa and tortilla chips and Buffalo wings, then settle in to enjoy the big game!