Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Football Party Snacks

Sunday is the last football game of the 2019-2020 season. Boohoo! Football is my favorite sport besides baseball, and watching the game is a little bittersweet with weeks of winter left before pitchers and catchers report to baseball spring training. To prepare for the big game, here are a few easy crowd-pleasing snacks to make and enjoy this Super Bowl Sunday. 

A classic favorite is onion dip and chips. We all have made the onion soup and sour cream dip. It’s delicious, homemade, and so easy! Sauté three pounds of ¼ inch sliced yellow onions with two tablespoons each of brown sugar, olive oil, and butter till golden and very soft. Add ¼ cup red wine vinegar and cook till dry and then cool. Mix one 8 oz. of very soft brick cream cheese till fluffy and add one cup of sour cream. Fold in onions and enjoy with chips or crackers.

Spinach and artichoke is another easy, classic Super Bowl Sunday snack. Mix one 8 oz. softened cream cheese brick with ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayo, 2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan and ½ cup finely grated mozzarella. Next chop one 14 oz. jar of artichoke hearts. Squeeze dry along with one package of thawed frozen spinach in a clean, lint-free towel. Fold in cheese mixture. Then place in a greased one- quart oven-safe dish and bake 20 minutes or so till melty. Serve with crostini. 

A simple, no-cook snack choice is a charcuterie board. This mainly sausage and cheese board has something for every football fan. Start with a variety of cheeses. Sharp cheddar, Gouda, pepper jack, and Brie are all excellent choices but include blue and manchego for variety. With sausage, the sky is the limit. Even your local neighborhood market has a wide range to choose from. Include peppered and dry salami, garlic, and regular summer sausage. Polish kielbasa is excellent as well. You can’t go wrong with thinly sliced rolled ham-like polish and prosciutto. Make some selections from your groceries’ olive bar, such as green, black, and stuffed. Add a selection of hot, sweet, and regular pickles. Include dried fruit and nuts and serve with a variety of crackers such as whole grain, water, and butter. Top it all off with pita triangles and toasted crostini.

Enjoy, and may the best team win!  

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO