Let’s Eat: Rally the crowd with a game day menu

By Heidi Sutton

Scoring big on game day (February 11 at 6:30 p.m.) requires champion snacks that keep the crowd full and ready for action. You can take your tailgate to the house with this salsa-based dip and chicken wings to kick off the party and delicious brownies for celebrating a sweet victory.

Game Day Chicken Wings

Recipe courtesy Culinary.net

YIELD: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

10 chicken wingettes, thawed

dipping sauces

fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with foil. Arrange butter cubes on foil. In medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Coat both sides of wings in flour mixture then evenly space among butter cubes on baking sheet. Bake wings 30 minutes. Turn wings over and bake 15 minutes, or until crispy and fully cooked. Serve with dipping sauces and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.

Mexican Pizza Dip

Recipe courtesy of Chef George Duran

YIELD: Serves  6 to 8 

INGREDIENTS:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup chunky salsa, plus additional for topping

1 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup blended Mexican cheese

sliced jalapeno (optional)

sliced black olives (optional)

green onions (optional)

tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 8-by-8-inch glass pan or large souffle dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In large saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat and add ground beef, breaking up with flat wooden spatula, until fully cooked. Sprinkle taco seasoning throughout beef and combine.

Place warm beef mixture in large bowl and add cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup salsa and mozzarella. Mix well until combined and pour into prepared pan. Top with blended cheese and sliced jalapeno, black olives and green onions, if desired.

Bake until fully warmed and cheese is melted, 30-35 minutes. Top with small spoonfuls of salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.

Marbled Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

Recipe courtesy of Dominos Sugar

YIELD: Serves  6 to 8 

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate Brownies:

1/2  cup (1/4 pound) butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Peanut Butter Marble:

1/4 cup natural (no added sugar) peanut butter

4  tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

powdered sugar, for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 350 F. 

To make chocolate brownies: In medium saucepot over low heat, melt butter and chocolate. Remove pot from heat; stir in sugar and vanilla until blended. In small mixing bowl, whisk eggs until frothy then stir into chocolate mixture. Sift flour into batter and stir just until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing to edges.

To make peanut butter marble: In mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat just until blended. In separate bowl, sift or whisk flour and baking powder then stir into batter just until combined. Carefully spread peanut butter marble over chocolate batter. Use knife to swirl batters together, first horizontally then diagonally. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire rack before cutting. Top with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.