I am definitely showing my age, but I remember vividly the first Super Bowl on January 15, 1967.   My dad and brothers were excited about this football battle between the best NFL and AFL teams. As I recall we didn’t know if it would be a onetime event and here we are 47 years later getting ready to look at one of the most watched sporting events in television history.  The match up between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967 ended with the Packers winning 35-10.   Even though we have always been diehard 49er fans I loved watching Vince Lombardi on the sidelines wearing his trademark overcoat and fedora hat.  I always thought he and the actor Ernest Borgnine could have been twins.  Maybe they were? They even had the same gap between their front teeth!

LOMBARDI WITH HIS HAT

According to the USDA, Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest food consumption day of the year. The most caloric? Thanksgiving.  And we all know these Super Bowl calories are not nearly as healthy as the roasted turkey on Thanksgiving.

If you are looking to reduce your caloric intake, try using low fat sour cream in the recipes and up your fiber content with beans and whole wheat chips.  That being said, let’s get onto some bean dips that you can make ahead for that Super Bowl XLVII party.

Spinach White Bean Dip

10 servings

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 Ingredients

 1 box spinach, frozen

2 cups cooked white beans (navy)

1 envelope vegetable soup mix

1/4 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

 Thaw out the spinach and wring the water out of the leaves.  Mash up the beans.  Add the spinach, beans, soup mix, milk and sour cream in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. This can be made a day ahead.  Serve with sliced baguette.

Calories per serving: 104.9 Total Fat: 4.9g  Saturated Fat 3.1g Total Carbs: 7.7g

 Football platter:

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Texas Caviar

10 servings

 4 cups black beans cooked and drained

4 cups blackeye beans cooked and drained

2 (15 oz) cans white corn, rinsed and drained

1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies, undrained

1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 Mix the black beans, blackeyes, white corn, green chilies, jalapeño pepper, red and green bell peppers, red onion and cilantro together in a large bowl.

 In a small saucepan mix the vinegar, olive oil, sugar and garlic powder.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat and cool.  Pour over the bean mixture and toss to coat evenly.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  This can be made a day ahead. Serve with Tostito Scoops.  These are the best for holding the mixture.

Calories per serving: 262 Total Far 12g Saturated Fat 2g Carbs 35g Fiber 6g

 

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I am a huge fan of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network. I love the way she cooks, her photographs and her outlook on life.  Every recipe I have tried of hers has turned out great.  This is one of those recipes.  I doubled it for a party and that is why the picture of the platter looks so huge.  I also used her pico de gallo recipe for the topping.  You can buy yours already made.  Also I have to admit I used canned refried beans. But if you want to make your own here is a link for a simple slow cooker recipe.

 Mexican Layer Dip

 1 can refried beans or 2 cups homemade refried beans

Tabasco sauce to taste

1 small can diced green chilies

ground cumin to taste

3/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 cup guacamole

3/4 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 small can sliced black olives

1 cup pico de gallo

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 Begin by putting the refried beans into a small pan over medium low heat.  Add several dashes of Tabasco sauce and a small can of undrained diced green chilies.  Stir well. Sprinkle in a little bit of ground cumin.

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Spread the beans on the bottom of a platter, bowl or high sided dish.  Whatever works for you!

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Over this sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese.

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Next, plop your sour cream on top.  Spread it into a single layer, but be careful as not to disturb the cheese underneath.

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Next comes the guacamole.  Spread this over the sour cream.

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Follow this with a layer of Monterey Jack Cheese and a nice sprinkling of chopped black olives.

 

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Last, but not least, place a generous layer of pico de gallo.

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Pico de Gallo

5 whole Roma tomatoes

1/2 large onion

2 jalapenos seeded

1 bunch cilantro

1 lime

salt to taste

 Halve the tomatoes and take out the seeds. Put in food processor.  Cut the half onion in half again and add to food processor along with the cut and seeded jalapeños.  Wash and dry the cilantro and add the leaves to the food processor.  Coarsely chop.  Add the juice from the lime and salt to taste. 

For my tabletop I went to Home Depot and purchased their cheapest indoor/outdoor turf carpet.  For under $10 I covered a 6’ long table.  You can add yard lines with tape or paint or just leave it plain.  I figured it can do double duty as an Easter dessert table top later.  Anything gets on it just hose it off with water outside!

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