Duel in the Dessert Super Bowl Party

By Mindy Kobrin

Football Survival Kit

Super Bowl XLII on February 3rd in Glendale, Arizona is one of the biggest events of the year. Millions of Americans and people around the world are already planning their Super Bowl party. So just put on your favorite team's colors, munch on touchdown treats and get ready for some football with these party tips. Don't forget to enter the Big Game Party Idea contest!

 

Creating a Stadium Atmosphere

Score with this Football CenterpieceScore with this Football Centerpiece
Decorating for the Super Bowl, or any football game, is fun and easy. This year's Duel in the Dessert is all about the game and the food!
  • Adorn your table with a life-size Chocolate Football from The Popcorn Factory. It’s perfect for a centerpiece and does double duty as dessert!
  • This party begs for cactus swizzle sticks to show-off your party punch in team tumblers!
  • Decorate your home with a football theme using team colors, pennants and megaphones.
  • Pass out referee whistles for calling party penalties!
  • Ask guests to dress in team jerseys and colors. Wear a referee-style shirt. Have lots of napkins personalized with a Super Bowl-related slogans or the teams’ names.

Kick-Off Prep and Invitations

  1. Heisman Party T-Shirt MoveHeisman Party T-Shirt Move
    Decide on a guest list. Do you want a small or large crowd? Do you want to include children?
  2. Keep a list ready for when guests ask what they can bring.
  3. Plan invitations with a football theme.
  4. If you use e-mail invites, be sure to tell the guests they must “complete the pass” by RSVPing.
  5. If you make your own invites, order edible football cookie invitations.
  6. Don’t leave anyone on the sidelines. If children are attending, make sure there are lots of toys and activities to keep them busy. Set up an area for them to draw, color and play board games.

Super Bowl Activities

Super Bowl Pool Game BoardSuper Bowl Pool Game Board

To compliment the game and add even more excitement, a Super Bowl Pool Grid Board betting game is perfect for your Super Bowl XLII party.

The betting grid board is a great way to keep people interested in the game.

Here's how it works:

  • Sell each square on the grid for a set amount of money. Play big or small.
  • Numbers 0-9 are assigned randomly across the rows and down the columns after bets are places and squares are bought. (Draw out of a hat for the order of numbers for each row and column)
  • The numbers beside each team name represent the last digit in the score for that team. For example, if the score were "AFC team 14- NFC team 3", then whoever's name is in the square under the "4" of the AFC team and the "3" of NFC would win.
Score some prizes in lieu of cash:
  • A bottle of wine

Food and Drinks


Even if you don’t know the difference between a Pooch Kick, a Power Sweep or a Punt, you can show your support and your love of the game with a variety of drinks and playbook favorites.


Start with two big buckets, filled with ice and stocked with bottled AriZona Iced Tea, beers, sodas and fresh water.

Post-Game Wrap-Up

At the end of the festivities when the fabulous cocktails have worn off, serve guests coffee before heading home so everyone can drive home refreshed. Make clean-up easy with a supply of large trash bags.
By following these Super Bowl party tips, you can rest assured that long after the final football has been snapped, everyone will remember not only the touchdown that clinched the game, but also the fabulous job you did hosting the party.

Now that you have your playbook party checklist of games, food and drinks, you can toss a great SuperBowl party! We’d love to hear from the fans so remember to celebrate your touchdown-tailgate tips, SuperBowl photos and party-ready recipes with us.

 


Power Play PunchPower Play Punch
Duel in the Dessert Power Play Punch

Ingredients

1 can pineapple juice
1 liter ginger ale
1 cup bourbon
Ice cubes
2 large cans fruit cocktail

Combine all ingredients in a 2 quart pitcher. Stir. Serve chilled.

Touchdown Tea
Super Bowl day will never be the same with this potent party potable. Mix it up in a punch bowl and allow guests to serve themselves.

Ingredients

1/2 part vodka
1/4 part tequila
1/2 part rum
1/2 part gin
1/2 part triple sec
1 1/2 parts lemon-lime Gatorade
splash of cola for color

Preparation
Fill a punch bowl with large ice cubes*.
Pour the ingredients into the bowl and stir well.
This punch is best served over ice so try to have an ice bucket full of ice nearby for your guests.

 

FOOD BLITZ

Keep everything quick, easy and social. With a bit of ease, southwestern flare and gourmet zest, here are a few of my playbook favorites:

TOMATILLO SALSA AND CORN CHIPS

10 large or 12 medium sized tart tomatillos
3 serrano chiles
½ cup white onion, minced for blender
¼ cup white onion, minced for topping
½ clove garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Dash of salt

  1. Husk and wash the fresh green tomatillos.
  2. Pat dry, stem and chop them. Chop the Serrano chiles.
  3. In a blender, puree the tomatillos, chiles, ½ cup minced white onion, garlic and fresh cilantro until well-blended and smooth.
  4. In a large serving bowl, pour mixture and stir in the remaining minced onion.
  5. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate overnight or serve immediately with fresh corn chips. Score!

TASTY TOUCHDOWN OLIVES

1 cup assorted olives with pitts, from your local grocer’s food bar
2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and quartered
1 fresh chili pepper
3 thyme sprigs
2 strips orange zest

  1. Rinse assorted olives with cool water in a strainer. Set aside to drain.
  2. In a small pan warmed over medium-high heat, add olives and remaining ingredients.
  3. Cook and stir gently for 5 minutes or until olives are warmed through and through. Turn off heat and allow olives to rest inside the pan. Yields 1 cup.

FIRST-DOWN CHICKEN WINGS WITH HELLMAN’S BLUE CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE

4 lbs chicken wings approximately 24 – 30
Marinade
1 cup apple cider
2 tbs white wine vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs Worcestershire
2 tbs hot chili powder
1½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp Tabasco
½ tsp salt
Ground pepper to taste

Hellman’s Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
1½ cup crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
2/3 cup light sour cream
½ cup Hellmann's ® / Best Foods ® Light Mayonnaise
2 tbs milk
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

  1. Combine marinade ingredients together and mix very well in a large bowl. In an extra large Ziploc baggy, place chicken wings and add marinade over top.
  2. Be sure to coat all chicken wings and marinate in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight before grilling.
  3. In a small bowl, mix blue cheese with other dipping sauce ingredients and keep refrigerated until wings are grilled and ready to serve.

 

NEVER-BENCHED BURGER

2 lbs of ground beef
4 egg yolks, well beaten
4 tsp yellow onion, grated
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp butter
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
**2 tbs grated Swiss or sharp cheddar cheese

  1. In a large bowl, combine beef, egg yolks, onion, salt and fresh pepper. Mix well.
  2. Form into two round patties making a small center indentation.
  3. Place a touch of butter inside and cover with meat. **You can substitute Swiss, Blue or Cheddar cheese for butter. Grill patties.
  4. Enjoy with Touchdown Thai Mayonnaise, lettuce and sliced beefsteak tomato on a toasted sesame bun. Serves 4-6.

 

THAI-BREAKER MAYONNAISE
Makes 1 cup

1 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
*Optional crushed red pepper

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and puree. Cover and chill. Great on hamburgers and sandwiches.

 

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