Super snacks

Judy Allen

It’s the time of year that makes pizza parlors swoon – Super Bowl Sunday – but I like to whip up hearty snacks on my own when I have the gang over to watch the commercials ... er, I mean, The Super Bowl.

For me, football food has to include chips and dips, and by dips, I mean queso and guacamole. I’ve included my recipes for the pair, as well as a few other tasty snacks to try.

Spicy Tomato and Green Chili Queso

Serves 4 to 8, depending on what other munchies you are offering

Why, you ask, would someone who once owned a shop that sold over 100 varieties of artisan cheese be talking about Velveeta? To be frank, any given football Sunday just wouldn’t be complete without a piping hot bowl of queso - “fatty butt cheese,” as my pal Lisa has always called it. While I am an unwavering fan of fine cheese, aged Gouda and artisan cheddars have no place here. I know, I’m REALLY tempting you now, right? I have Lisa to thank for coining the term, but together we have downed many a bowl of FBC in our days. I have to say, there is something to be said about this somewhat chemically dubious but highly meltable cheese, which, with its velvety consistency, combined with the spicy zip of fire-roasted tomatoes and spicy green chile, takes the homely tortilla to another level.

½ pound ground pork sausage or ground beef
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, un-drained
1 can diced green chilies, un-drained
1 16-ounce package Velveeta® pasteurized prepared cheese product, cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Heat a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook meat, using a fork or wooden spoon to break it up, until well browned. Drain any excess oil and turn heat down to medium heat.

2. Add tomatoes, chilies and cheese and cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is completely melted and the mixture is well blended, about 5 minutes.

3. Serve hot with fresh steamed flour and corn tortillas, tortilla chips, crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables.

NOTE: To make this dish in the microwave, sauté the meat in a skillet and transfer to a 1½-quart microwave-safe dish. Add tomatoes, chile and cheese and Microwave on HIGH one minute at a time, stirring after each minute until the cheese melts. Remove from microwave and stir until the mixture is well blended.

CAUTION: The dish will be hot - so use hot pads or a kitchen towel to avoid splattering the bowl all over the kitchen floor.

Guacamole

Serves 4 to 8, depending on what other munchies you are offering

I usually leave the guacamole making to my husband, for he has it down pat. When I do whip it up myself, I take a cue from Mexican food expert Rick Bayless, and dry roast some garlic cloves to add to the batch. This recipe is simple, meaning the avocados shine through, but feel free to add your favorite mix-ins – salsa, tomatillos, chopped chilies and the like.

6 garlic cloves
6 medium-large (2 1/2 pounds) ripe avocados
½ cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus a little more if necessary
Salt, to taste

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, roast the unpeeled garlic until it is soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the papery skins and finely chop. Cut around each avocado from stem to blossom end and back up again, then twist the halves apart. Dislodge the pit and scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl. Add the garlic, cilantro and lime. Coarsely mash everything together. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 teaspoon. Scoop into its serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Recipe by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. Baking wings yields crisp skin without the mess and constant tending of frying. Divide the wings between our two sauces, or double one sauce recipe and use it on all 60 wings. Makes about 60.

Buffalo Sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's)

Mix first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk in hot sauce; keep warm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Let cool completely; cover and chill. Rewarm before using.

Ginger-Soy Glaze

¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 2x1" piece of ginger, peeled, sliced

Bring all ingredients and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve honey. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/4 cup, 7–8 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes to thicken slightly. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before using.

Wings

5 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Set a wire rack inside each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Place all ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat. Divide wings between prepared racks and spread out in a single layer.

2. Bake wings until cooked through and skin is crispy, 45–50 minutes.

3. Line another rimmed baking sheet with foil; top with a wire rack. Add half of wings to ginger-soy glaze and toss to evenly coat. Place wings in a single layer on prepared rack and bake until glaze is glossy and lightly caramelized, 8–10 minutes.

4. Toss remaining half of wings in Buffalo sauce. Serve immediately (no need to bake).

Buttermilk–Blue Cheese Dip

Recipe by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. Pickled red onion adds crunch and punch. Serve with crudités. Makes about 1 cup.

5 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of kosher salt plus more
¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place onion in a small heatproof bowl. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Pour over onion; stir to coat. Cover; let pickle in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

2. Whisk buttermilk, sour cream, and chives in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in blue cheese. Drain pickled onion and stir into dip. Season with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover dip and refrigerate.

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

Recipe by Smitten Kitchen

Now that my sister is a meat-free diner, I have to get creative when thinking about what to serve at our family get-togethers. Because she still eats seafood, I can never go wrong with a great shrimp cocktail – and everyone else loves it too! I usually poach my shrimp in a salty, Old-Bay Seasoning mixture, but since the weather here has been so nice lately, and should continue through the weekend, I might just break out the grill to try this gorgeous starter.

To Grill Your Shrimp

Peel and devein 3 pounds of large shrimp, leaving the tails attached. Toss the shrimp in a large bowl with a generous amount of olive oil, salt and fresh pepper. Grill them for just a minute or two on each side — threading them first on skewers that you’ve soaked in water makes this even easier — being careful not to overcook them. You can squeeze some lemon juice on when you’re done, for an extra hit of flavor. Serve with cocktail sauce.

To Poach Your Shrimp

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving the tails attached. Bring shrimp stock (you can make this by boiling the shrimp shells for 20 minutes in three cups of water with a tablespoon of salt and straining the liquid) or water to a boil. Additionally, you might add some lemon peels, several glugs of white wine, peppercorns, a bay leaf or tarragon to the boiling liquid for extra flavor. Turn off heat and stir in shrimp; cover and let stand until firm and pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain shrimp. Plunge shrimp into ice water to stop cooking, then drain again. Serve shrimp chilled with cocktail sauce.