Super Bowl 48!

From the Seahawks website

Well, this is a first for me. Our home team is going to the Super Bowl playing against (technically) my other hometown team.

Yah, in case you missed it, the Seattle Seahawks are playing the Denver Broncos. In the Super Bowl. Naturally, our city is so excited even our construction sites sport blue and green lights. And our local Japanese American grocery store, Uwajimaya, even changed their lantern lights. Oh, and the downtown Target sells Seahawks t-shirts. 

Anyway, this is also the first time we want to host a Super Bowl viewing. Normally, Top and Spurs – aka Uncle Wayne and Aunt Marilyn host, but they’ve retired to South Carolina.  So, we wanted to partially fill that void. So, next idea: host the party yourself. Unfortunately, we quickly ran into some snags.

First, I’m out of town until Friday night, so there isn’t a lot of time to shop and prep the condo. There’s also the issue of chairs – we have enough seats for 6 people – 10 if you count on the dinner chairs. And, we have a one bedroom apartment with more square footage in our actual bedroom than in our living room. So, instead, a chef friend offered up her living room as long as I brought the food. So… we’re hosting! (sort of) It’s actually more “Chef Renata to the rescue!”

What’s on the menu for the Super Bowl viewing?

Well, I’m bringing Beecher’s Handmade Cheese macaroni and cheese and a bunch of toppings to make a mac & cheese bar! Tada! Crumbled bacon, spicy bell pepper peperonata (which is actually served at Liam’s), pulled pork (Maximus Minimus food truck), mushroom duxelle, roasted Brussels sprouts, lump crab, marinara sauce, roasted apples. That should do it for us.

(As an aside, Liam’s serves their mac & cheese with pickled fennel stems, kale crisps, Mama Lil peppers, and non-smoked pork belly crisps, and I borrowed heavily from the inspiration and brain storming behind that)

Okay, what else would be at a Super Bowl party?

I also turn to favorite recipes and other Game Day foods. Newspapers and magazines, blogs and brand companies’ recipe pages, and even Pinterest are sharing recipes. It’s tempting to get really elaborate and spend your Sunday morning stuffing fancy little finger foods and puff pastries. But honestly, many of your guests would prefer to select familiar foods, probably. But since I’m a fledgling chef, I would like to be a little elaborate with the foods I serve.

PCC had some cool recipes listed that look tasty, like the Bubbly Hot Shrimp Dip – homage to spinach artichoke dip but a little sexier. Or how about Hazelnut and Sun-Dried Tomato pate?  Or fine, how about just Deviled Eggs – but the Cooking Light French-style version?

What if you don’t want to cook?

Well, our friends at Whole Foods Market have appetizers and other ideas available if you don’t have time to cook. Check out what they have to say.



From Whole Foods blogger Kate Demase

A Whole Foods Market ‘A-Game’ appetizer for the big game –

Whole Foods Market goes the extra yard to ensure you get the best quality possible. Kick the antibiotics, added hormones* and animal byproducts, not the bucket! Our wings come from chicken farms certified by the Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating program. Each bucket will have approximately two and a half pounds of wings.

Home Remedy, one of the newest brands in the Tom Douglas Restaurant family nestled in the Via6, is also offering items for the Super Bowl. But not just items, they have chicken pizzas, buttermilk and Tabasco fried chicken, and French onion dip. Like they said, you can really “Feast Like a Beast.”  You can actually order your items online – but you really should stop by the little bodega and check it out. Here’s the link for the order form.

However you celebrate, make sure you’re shouting loudly for the Seattle Seahawks as they take on the Denver Broncos!

I’m In! Are you?



Shamelessly borrowed from Home Remedy