5 amazing Super Bowl recipes

Huddle up, Super Bowl fans. It’s time to firm up your food plan for the biggest snacking event of the year.

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, think finger foods, sandwiches and dips. Recipes that are easy to prepare are what hosts should aim for. We have five tasty options today that are sure to win roars of approval from your crowd.

Keep in mind that these selections don’t rank high on the good-for-you scale. They call for cheese and high-fat and salty ingredients like bacon and tortilla chips. You can sideline some of the calories by using reduced-fat varieties of cream cheese, sour cream and shredded cheese. Going easy on the salt shaker is also a good idea.

Keto diet followers will love our guacamole and chips and Mini Mac Dippers. Instead of enjoying their guacamole with tortilla chips, they can scoop it up with chips made of crisp bacon. The Mini Mac Dippers are inspired by the McDonald’s Big Mac, but there’s no sesame-seed bun. They’re super easy to make, and you can dress them up any way like.

Brace yourself for the Spinach, Artichoke and Red Pepper Dip, which is served in a bread bowl. It’s as beautiful as it is tasty. You can make the dip portion up to two days in advance and assemble on game day.

Sliders have become as popular at Super Bowl parties as salsa and chips. Our make-ahead French Dip Sliders are easy to put together. You can make trays in advance and pop in the oven just before serving.

Our Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers are mildly spicy once you remove the inner ribs and seeds from the jalapenos. For a bit of a heat, leave some of ribs intact.

Mini Mac Burgers

Makes: 16. Prep time: 20 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes.
Adapted from www.pinterest.com.

BURGERS

1½ pounds ground beef chuck

¼ cup onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 slices Colby Jack cheese or favorite cheese

16 pickle slices

Gem lettuce

DIPPING SAUCE

½ cup mayonnaise

4 tablespoons dill pickle relish

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon low-sugar ketchup, optional

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a sided baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil for less mess.

In a large bowl combine ground beef, onions, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until thoroughly combined. Roll the beef into about 1½ ounce balls, just slightly larger than a golf ball. Press each one down slightly to make a mini burger patty, pressing in the center slightly to make an indentation. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping each patty over halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, mix together all the dipping sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

When the burgers are done, remove from oven and turn off oven; pat away any excess grease. Cut each cheese slice into four squares and place a square on each mini patty. Place back in the cooling oven and let the cheese melt. Remove patties from oven.

Place a few squares of lettuce and a pickle slice on top of each and run a skewer through it.

Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers

Serves: 16-20. Prep time: 30 minutes. Total time: 1 hour

8-10 medium jalapeno peppers, halved

8 ounces softened cream cheese

3 tablespoons ranch dressing

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

1½ cups shredded colby jack or Mexican blend cheese, divided

2 green onions thinly sliced

½ cup ranch-flavored tortilla chip crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sided baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the jalapenos in half, leaving the stem intact. Scoop out the ribs and seeds. (If you like a bit more heat, leave some of the ribs.) Cut a thin flat slice from the bottom of the peppers so they remain upright while baking.

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, ranch dressing, onion powder and garlic salt until creamy. Add the crumbled bacon, half of the shredded cheese and green onions. Mix until combined.

Divide the mixture among the halved peppers. (If you have leftover filling, place it in a baking dish and bake along with the peppers.) Sprinkle the top of each pepper with the remaining shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Bake 25-30 minutes until the peppers are tender and tops are golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving. You can serve these with additional ranch dressing, salsa or guacamole. They’re tasty hot or cold.

Spinach, Artichoke and Red Pepper Bread Bowl Dip

Serves: 12. Prep time: 20 minutes. Total time: 1 hour.
Adapted from www.foodnetwork.com

1 large round loaf country bread

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

2 small jalapenos, 1 seeded and chopped, 1 finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled

1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed very dry in a kitchen towel

12 ounce jar of marinated artichoke quarters, rinsed and drained

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

½ cup roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped

1½ cups shredded pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese or mix of both

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for brushing

Baguette slices, crackers and vegetables such as carrots and celery, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a thin slice from the top of the bread to expose the inside. Cut out the center of the bread to make a bread shell about 1-inch thick.

Cut the bread top and center into cubes and set aside.

Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped jalapeno and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the spinach and artichokes and pulse until chunky. Add the parsley, all but 1 tablespoon of the red peppers, 1¼ cups cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper and pulse just until combined.

Spoon the mixture into the bread bowl and top with the remaining ¼ cup cheese, reserved red peppers and finely chopped jalapeno. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Brush the bread all over with olive oil and bake until hot and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with the bread cubes, crackers or vegetables.

French Dip Sliders

Makes: 15. Prep time: 25 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes. Adapted from www.pinterest.com.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2½ cups)

2 sprigs plus ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

15 slider buns, halved

1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef

15 slices provolone cheese

¼ teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1½ cups low-sodium beef broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add onion and thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Discard thyme.

Place bottom halves of slider buns in a large baking dish or sided baking sheet. Top each one with 1 folded slice of roast beef. Add the cheese slices to cover the beef. Sprinkle with the caramelized onions. Top with the bun tops.

In a small sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and brush on top of buns. Sprinkle them with garlic powder, coarse salt and parsley. Bake until the cheese is melted and sliders are heated through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the jus. In the skillet used for cooking the onions, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and melt over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not allow garlic to brown. Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and remaining ¼ teaspoon thyme; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Serve sliders with jus for dipping.

Guacamole With Bacon Chips

Serves: 6. Prep time: 30 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes. Adapted from Kroger.

BACON

12 ounces center cut bacon

Coarsely ground black pepper to taste

GUACAMOLE

4 ripe avocados, washed, halved, pitted

½ cup chopped tomato

⅓ cup chopped onion

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of half a lime

Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sided baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Cut each strip of bacon into thirds. Place on the baking sheet and, if desired, sprinkle with black pepper. Bake about 20 minutes or until the bacon is barely crisp. You want it to be somewhat pliable and not break into pieces in the dip. Remove from the oven and transfer to serving plate.

Meanwhile, make the guacamole. Scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl. Mash the flesh, leaving it somewhat chunky. Stir in the tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. Sprinkle in some salt and stir. Taste and add more salt or lime juice to taste.

Serve guacamole with bacon chips.